A Stone Reborn

by Ghost Alvasa

The Return of the Moon!

The Seventh Day's eve...

Stone was finishing up his work for the day and readying to close up shop. He'd only been in town for a little over a week now but he had plenty of customer already. Being more of a rural town most ponies needed farrier work done on their hooves for their more outdoorsy type task. Big Mac had been the first to come to the smith and ask if he did farrier work alongside his regular practice and Stone told the big red stallion he'd started out being a farrier as most blacksmith did but never actually openly advertised for it. He was more familiar with it than he let on though as the blacksmiths in the mountains of Stalliongrad made most of their regular end summer to pre-winter income this way.

The big apple farm needed a sturdy pair of shoes as even though his sister was physically stronger than him she didn't have the body build for pulling the plow.. As a bigger stallion it was hard for the apples to find Mac a descent par of shoes and they'd often have to be custom ordered. As most of they're money was tied up in the form and homestead of both families, the stallion came to an agreement for a payment in the form of a few installments of apples and a extra hand around Stone's place and forge every now and then. After the shoes were made Stone had his mother enchant them to never wear out so Mac could keep using them but he'd still have to keep them maintained with regular hoof adjustments before and after he wore them.

"Let's see here," Stone looked at his orders. "All caught up for the next few days. I should be able to make deliveries and help Mother and Crystal around the homestead."

"Mwroaor," Grover over an plopped his overly fuzzy-self down with a thud.

"Oh yeah I forgot the celebration was happening today," Stone took off his apron and tossed it over to the side. He sniffed his arm. "Yea need a nice host shower before I can leave the barn."

Grover leaned over slightly, *SNIFF* SNIFF*. The bear quickly reeled back and threw his fore paws over his nose, "Mrrrrw!" He let out a muffled growl while vigorously nodding his head.

"Can't deny ya there buddy," Stone slightly chuckled as he went in the barn and left a trail of clothes in his wake.

Crystal soon came out and saw the fuzzball. "Hey there Grove," she waved at the teddy. "Where's hornhead at? I wanted to see if he was still coming to the festival with me and his mother."

"Mraw..." The bear roared and pointed to the barn and trail of clothes. "Grawk!" Grover let out a gurgled growl as he waved his paw in front of his snout while holding his nose with his other paw.

"Not surprised," Crystal giggled as she rolled her eyes. "Anyways, tell him when he gets out to meet us at the front gate and we'll all go together," she put her hands behind her back while the bear rolled his eyes and slumped on the ground.

"They're going to have crystallized summer honey..." The bear was soon one his rear paws and saluting, droll slowly hanging from the side of his maw. "That's better. Send him our way and I'll bring you some from a stand. You're to big to come into town with all the booth but Pinkie said she has a special spot for you. So we'll meet her after we get there." She walked away.

Sometime later...

"At least the Mayor was nice enough to lit Grover stay at the petting so," Mystic giggled. "Though he'd never hurt pony let a lone foal even if he was provoked, the big ole teddy." The trio looked as a number of foals petted and scratched the overly fuzzy bear.

"I think we can leave him be for now," Crystal nodded as she gave the petting zoo owner a bag of Crystallized Summer honey. "Let the foals give him small pieces every now and then. If he has to much he'll just sleep." She explained to the owner.

"We'll by back to get him at the end of the ceremony in the morning," Bright said before the trio left.

Mystic saw Filthy Rich and he noticed her and waved her over. Bright Stone saw this and looked at his mother who was hesitant. He knew she'd never love another stallion after his father and the Filthy was married himself but he still though she needed to have a friend to see outside any neighbors. One that would encourage her to come to town for more than just supplies or necessities, still he hoped she'd find some pony or creature to love again

"Why don't you go spend sometime with Mr. Rich mother." Bright suggested. "Me and Crystal can handle ourselves."

"I....ah...." Mystic looked form her son to his best friend. "I... don't think... I should..."

"That's it," Crystal placed a hand over her eyes. "You're going over to say 'hi'. You can't be around us all the time Mystic. We have our own lives to live and our friends we want to see. Speaking of which... you have one over there to go see," She pointed and wasn't taking no for and answer. "I'll be with her for a bit. You try and find some of our friends in the meantime and have some fun. Okay Bright?"

"Sure Crystal," Stone nodded as she and his mother went to see Mr. Rich. "Ooo… Pie contest," he walked over and to the pie contest and found a grumpy Pinkie Pie. "Hey Pinkie, why are ticked?"

"I made cause the writer decided to sideline me in the pie contest," Pinkie made a squinty face. "I mean, Pie, its in my name!"

"Ah... what?" Bright raised an eyebrow.

"Oh idea, why don't you enter the contest?" Pie jumped up quickly. "You're the main character after all, and you're from Stalliongrad, and you have your hidden nature!"

"Wha... how...you..." Stone started to say before he found himself on the stage when a bell rang and signified the start.

Bright Stone soon found himself being dragged around by several of the mares he'd met this week. Crystal, while not particularly happy about Stone being surrounded be so many females, is still happy to spend time with Bright Stone and a few of their new friends. Spike in particular hangs rather close to Crystal, though she plays it off as a nothing more than a child wanting to spend time with somepony other than his older sister that knew about dragons.

Later on in the early morning hours

"Alright everypony it's time to gather round," Mayor Mare clapped her hands over the crowd from the balcony at townhall. "Now here to raise the sun, Princess Celestia!" She motioned to a current as everypony did there jobs for the reveal but no pony came out. "Ah..."

"There's no pony there!" A stallion in the crowd pointed out.

"Shut up Derrick!"

*WHACK!*

"OW!"

"There's no sign of her," Rarity examined the area.

"Ooo, ooo, is she hiding?" Pinkie jumped about.

"She's gone."

"Man she's good," Pinkie said slyly.

"Oh no..." Twilight looked up as a purple glimmering smoke came out of nowhere and then form into a midnight black alicorn with draconian eyes with a wispy sparkling mane an tail wearing ornate battle armor, "Nightmare Moon," She flatten her ears against her head.

Stone wanted to get a better look at the armor but he knew that would come later. He sleeked threw the awestruck crowd and with a hand ready on one of his hammers.

"Hello my subjects, it has been to long sense Iv'e last seen you all," Nightmare started to rant while Rainbow tried to charge in but was held back by Applejack. "Have you truly forgotten who I am? Did you not for see the signs of my return? Have a languished for so long that no pony knows me?!" She stomped her armored hoof on the ground.

Twilight spoke up, "I saw them. I know who you are, you are the mare in the moon , Nightmare Moon!"

The crowd gave a collective gasp.

"Well at least somepony remembers me," Moon smiled evilly. "Well if you know who I am then you'll also know why I am here!" She started to laugh as she rose from the ground with a flap of her wing while her mane and extended outward with lightening.

"EVERYPONY GET DOWN!" Bright Stone boomed Jumping up. As he did he threw several of his tools that he kept stashed on himself around the crowd in circle then slammed one of his hammer into the floor while he discreetly jumped up into the rafters. A large golden amber dome formed over the crowd, shielding them from the lightening.

Moon looked on in surprise, "A level eight arcane item barrier?" She smirked. "So there is a mage in this age that can still use the arcane magic of old. SHOW YOURSELF!"

"Over here!" Bright jumped from the rafters and swung his war-hammer down. Nightmare countered by summon duel moon themed black kopeshes.

"Hehehe..." Nightmare cackled as the sparked flew from the inter-locked weapons. "You've got guts and strength, not to mention potential in magic and magical artifacts. And you're gorgeous as well," She looked over her shoulder at the barrier. She'd even have a hard time breaking through it. "Things not common amongst many unicorns all at once," She forced him back causing him to land on the balcony. "I can see you're the one who cast that barrier. Why save them?"

"This is my home. My friends and family are down there," Bright scowled.

"Why waste time on insects like them?" Moon motioned to the still cowering ponies. "There nothing. You... you can be so much better, so much more," She dispelled one of her blades on held out her left hand. "Come and join me, and you can have it all. Money power mares, anything and everything you want is your's for the taking. Would do you say? She evil smiled at the stallion.

Bright Stone tightened his grip on his hammer and it was soon curved in and glittering amber aura as he reeled back, "GET OUT OF MY TOWN!" Bright Stone yelled as he swung his hammer but out was clear that it would reach Nightmare,. At least that's what everypony there thought. Suddenly as Stone swung his weapon the aura covering it extended outward, forming into a magical construct of a gigantic hammer.

"WHAT?!" Is all Nightmare could say as the hammer kneels her. Before she can anymore damage she turns to smoke and flies away.

Stone quickly deactivates his spell and uses the hammer to catch himself from falling. He places his weapon on his back and walks over to the barrier and deactivates it. The winded, he was still standing there in front of everypony who stares at like a deer stares at oncoming traffic. Crystal and his mother quickly rush to the Young stallions side.

"Bright," Mystic hugged her boy as she trembled.

"STUPID!" Crystal cried as she beat on his chest. "STUPID, STUPID STUPID! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE STUPID?!"

"Sorry," He hugged them both as they wept. "I kind of just acted on my own before I realized what was going on."

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Rainbow excitedly got in Bright's face, "You well I'm here. *jump* Everypony get down! *summons awesome shield* *vanish* Then you kicked some serious Nightmare flank dude!"

"You sure did a number on that mare sugarcube," Applejack gave a confident slapped to the back.

"While normally I appall violence I'm not against it when the moment calls for it," Rarity gave a sigh of relief. "Especially when a lot of ponies are in danger.."

"Oh... she didn't hurt you did she Bright?" Fluttershy asked. "I'll got get a med-kit. Somepony needs to treat your wounds... that is if you want?" She hurriedly clopped off.

"You-are-so-cool!" Spike jumped up.

"Yea," Pinkie chimed in. "You hit her so hard she exploded! Like a pony pinata!"

"That was not normal magic you used," Twilight stood in front. "That type of magic hasn't been used in centuries. Who taught you to use Arcane magic?" She pleased her hand on his shoulder and started to shake the smith. "TELL ME EVERYTHING!"

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa," Stone said as she shook the stallion.

"Twilight STOP THAT!" Crystal Hymn broke the unicorn's firm grip on the stallion and then pulled him into her arms. She glared at the librarian with reddened eyes. "Stone has been through quite a lot and he's just faced one of the worst demons of all Equestrian history will protecting the whole town and you're literally shaking him down for information!"

"Ah sorry," Twilight stepped back with a bit of red in her cheeks. "But in all seriousness? How do you know Arcane Magic? It's incredibly hard to learn even one spell of it let alone that shield spell you cast."

"Ya mean that wasn't normal magic?" Applejack scratched her head tilting her head back.

"Far from dear," Rarity crossed her arms. "Arcane magic is one of the most powerful magics anypony can learn. Its basic attack spells can easily be an par with any high-tier guard pony attack spell. What's more is that even pegasi and earth ponies can learn Arcane magic, any creature can as long as they possess some merit of magic."

"Then why doesn't everypony learn it?" Dash pointed out the obvious question.

"It's incredibly hard to learn due to the raw magic used in its spell work," Twilight said. "But if somepony can learn it they and master it they would be almost unbeatable as a mage, except for the princess. I didn't know Arcane magic was still practiced."

Crystal pulls a chair up and helps Bright Stone sit while catching his breath. Meanwhile his mother stepped up in order to explain a few things.

"Arcane magic isn't practiced outside many circle unless its minor spells," Mystic Hammer. "Like beauty enhancement to make jewelry more appealing or shield runes on tools for a forge. Arcane magic lets items have types of enhancements in a single thing."

"So he learned Arcane from you," Twilight looked at the older mare.

"Some of it yes," Mystic nodded. "Bright Stone is... a very gifted boy. He always seeks knowledge in everything he does and that especially goes for his work. I taught him the techniques passed down from my family and he learned more from the books his father left him which he received when he was around six when he got his cutie-mark. He later took to learning by getting his hand on anything he could, even if it was a foal's story book," She shook her head and looked at her soon. "He learned that Arcane magic is something that one must create by imbuing magic into items, something that his father did with out realizing. Stone is so talented in that it comes as a second nature to it. The tools he used here were all forged and imbued by him."

"Dude," Spike looked over at the stallion leaning back in the chair nearby. "You're not cool, your freakin sick." Spike gave a rock and roll devil horns with his right hand.

"I'll say," Rainbow backed the dragon.

"Enough," Stone thumped his hammer on the floor as he stood up. His tools all floated in an glittering amber aura and return to him. "There is a job that needs finishing."

"What job? You beat the bad guy already?" Pinkie jumped. "Oh we need a 'you saved the day party!"

"I did not beat her," Stone said harshly as he slightly turned to look at everypony. "I may have damaged her armor slightly but she is far from beaten."

"Where are you going then?" Rainbow said. "Running away?"

"No, I'm going to the Castle of the of Day and Night to retrieve what can beat her and destroy her," he said walking out the door followed by everypony.

"How do ya know what can beat her and about the castle in the forest?" Applejack cut in.

"In the stories we're raised on in Stalliongrad they spoke of how the the Sun Mother defeat the evil demon who stole her sister's from after killing the Lunar Mother," Stone said as he pressed on. "Those stories spoke of six jewels the Sun Mother wielded with her sister but as her sister had been killed she wielded the jewels on her own to banish the demon to his sister's moon. But so great was the burden of the power of all six of the enchanted stones that without her sister to help bare the burden the Solar Mother lost her connection to the jewels."

"In the stories Stalliongrad the gems are called the Rainbow Jewels of Balance," Mystic added. "But you ponies call them The Elements of Harmony. Stone thinks they may still be in the castle, waiting for some pony else to bare them and take up the mantle to finish the battle with the ancient demon that was sated many moons ago."

"Then it's settled." Rainbow pounded her fist into her palm. "We're coming with you."

"No," Stone walked on as everypony stopped. "I'm going alone."

"Stone you're nuts if you think I'm letting you go in there alone," Crystal flew in front of his face. "No way in all of Neadhog's over grown roots of the world."

"Crystal," Stone placed a hand on her shoulder, "Thank you," he said softly as she then fill asleep and dropped into his arms. "Grover!" He called out and ass soon as he did the large fuzzy bear came barreling down the street. Stone set Crystal n his back. "Mother," he turned to face Mystic Hammer who wrapped him in a warm hug.

"I know you have to go," She pulled back with tears in her eyes then turned to the mane six with a stern gaze. "You six better watch my boy's back in there," "Yes ma'am" they all nodded. "Spike help me get the town in order." Spike saluted and trailed behind Mystic.

'"I know I can't stop you six with a simple sleep spell," Stone sighed as they shook their heads. "Let's go," He whirled around and trotted off with the six mares right behind him.