> Elements of the heart
>  by Saro0fdemonz
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Arrival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight could only stare at the ponies in front of her. A strange white unicorn wearing a blue hat and coat, another was a black earth pony wearing a long green jacket and an orange hat to match it. It was the third pony that surprised her the most, a beige Alicorn wearing a red shirt underneath a black half zipped jacket. All three smiled at her the Alicorn speaking up.

"Uh...Hey we're kinda new around here. Would ya mind tellin us where we are?" Twilight shook herself, walking around the three ponies. The Alicorn had a cutie mark that appeared to be two large keys crossed over a heart. The Earth pony had a large shield as a cutie mark while the unicorn had what must have been a staff. Twilight had only seen such a staff once before in Canterlot said to belong to Star Swirl the Bearded. She sat down in front of the Alicorn who smiled at her.

"This is Ponyville...um..."

"Ponyville huh? Sounds like a weird place t' me" the unicorn said, the earth pony chuckled

"Oh lighten up Donald; I'm sure it's not too weird a place." The Alicorn sighed.

"Sorry about my friends. My name is Sora, we've kinda been traveling from place to place and it's a bit complicated."

"A bit? It's not every day an Alicorn just randomly falls out of the sky. Theres only a hoofful in all of Equestria."

"Uh...Alicorn?" Sora asked confused. Twilight could only stare at him, an Alicorn who didn't know what he was. It wasn't  the first time she had run into something like this, but Nyx had been a lost little filly then. This was at the very least a teen Alicorn.

"You're an Alicorn, like Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. You didn't know?" She asked, watching as he shook his head.

"Would you mind if I asked you a few questions?" the Alicorn seemed surprised by the question, but Twilight felt she couldn't pass up this opportunity to learn more about Alicorns, or at least this one in particular.

"Uh well...I guess so..." His stomach growled loudly and he chuckled a little.

"How about something to eat first?" Twilight suggested to the three strange ponies. All three smiling widely

"That would be great!" Twilight tried to think of a good place to bring the trio for a quick bite to eat walking through  Ponyville, the three following behind her.

"This Ponyville place looks pretty cool. Hey Donald, don't those guys look just like Pegasus?" Donald looked up at the ponies flying above them, moving the clouds.

"They control the weather here in Ponyville." Twilight explained.

"Whoa really?" Twilight nodded.

"Is the weather where you come from different?" He nodded

"Yea, back where we're from it all happens by itself." Twilight froze and turned back toward him.

"You mean the Everfree forest?"

"The what?" Twilight tried to process what she was hearing, but before she had a chance a large pink blur zipped past her,  almost slamming into the Alicorn. The Pink Party Ponies eyes were wide as she looked at the trio, she gasped loudly and  zipped away, leaving all in a momentary state of shock.

"What...just happened?"

"It's not what just happened, its whats about to happen" Twilight said

"Huh?" the three said together

"5...4...3...2...and" before Twilight could say one, the pink blur returned with a large weird looking contraption, it looked like a normal wagon, but as Pinkie pressed a button it burst open, several instruments began to play as the pony took a deep breath, bouncing around the trio with a multitude of instruments strapped to her body, blowing into a trumpet every now and then, her hooves tied to some drums on her back, hitting them with each hoofstep

Welcome welcome welcome!
A fine welcome to you!

Welcome Welcome Welcome
I say how do you do!?

Welcome Welcome Welcome
I say 'hip hip hurray!'

Welcome Welcome Welcome

To Ponyville Today!"

The party pony skid to a stop on her back knees, holding her forelegs in the air a little breathless, her instruments having somehow vanished from her body.

"Uh..."

"Wait for it!" She said with a large smile, the wagon dinging and shooting confetti everywhere, making the trio laugh. This only made Pinkies smile grow even bigger.

"Hi i'm Pinkie Pie!"

"I'm Sora" the Alicorn said, still in a small fit of laughter.

"I'm Donald" said the Unicorn from beside him, having finally calmed down.

"And I'm Goofy!" Said the Earth pony with a chuckle.

"Well it's nice to meet all of you; did you feel welcome, huh? huh? huh? didya!? didya!? didya!?" Twilight used her magic to pull Pinkie away, only to have the Party pony sit beside Sora. She sighed, giving up on trying to control her. Again Sora's stomach growled.

"Oh hey you must be hungry, that's fantastic cause I know the bestest best place to get anything to eat anywhere! To Sugarcube corner!" she said, pushing the group into the store.

"Is she always like this?" Sora asked with a smile

"Yep, that's Pinkie for you."

"Twilight how come you didn't tell me you had new friends coming into Ponyville? I woulda had a super duper surprise party for them." Pinkie gasped, her eyes wide

"We should have a party!" she zipped off behind the counter and into the kitchen, leaving Twilight there shaking her head. Sora took a seat, Donald and Goofy doing the same. Twilight sat in the booth across from them, a million questions running through her mind. She wasn't sure where to start.

"So, how did you find your way into Ponyville? Were you born in the Everfree forest? How did you three become friends?" she asked, talking almost as fast as Pinkie Pie.

"Hey I can't answer that fast!" Sora laughed.

"Ok let's see...well we were just wandering around from place to place helping anyone we could along the way. We're actually looking for some friends of ours. I'm not really sure what this forest place is and I wasn't born there. And the three of us have been friends for ages. We all met while traveling around." Sora explained, smiling as Pinkie sat down a large tray  of cupcakes. Sora stopped himself, staring at the one facing him. In multi-color frosting it read 'I need to talk to you'

Before he could say anything Pinkie scooped up the cupcake and gulped it down with a giggle

"That one was mine!" she bounced off, turning to look at Sora before vanishing behind the counter.

"Uh...hey I wanna go see somethin real quick. I'll be back in a sec." Before Twilight could question him he ran off after Pinkie.

"Pinkie Pie?" he stepped into the kitchen and gasped as she pulled him to the side.

"Ok, now listen very very very very carefully. I know why your here."

"Huh? y...you do?" the pink pony nodded and looked around the room, peeking over the counter to make sure no one was within  hearing range.

"Mmmmmhm" Sora noticed the party pony couldn't stop twitching, her ears kept shaking and flopping and there was a twitch in  her left eye.

"Are...you ok Pinkie?" She only smiled and gave a small nod.

"Yep, never better."

"Then...whats with the twitching?"

"Oh that's just my Pinkie sense, it's telling me that your here for something very very very very important! And that you can't tell anypony about it, but I REALLY REALLY wanna know, you didn't promise not to tell anypony did you?"

"Uh...Not to any pony no."

"Oh good! Then you can tell me alllll about it then right?" The pony looked hopeful and he sighed.

"I'm not suppose to Pinkie. it's a secret."

"Whats a secret?" Twilight asked, making both ponies jump.

"Oh um nothing!" Pinkie fibbed, her ears still twitching.

"I'll just assume there's a Pinkie Promise involved. Sora your friends were starting to get worried about you, they said something about The king and ran out of the store. They said you would know what was going on." Sora rushed past them and out of the store. Pinkie merely bounced out after him. Twilight sighed to herself and chased after them.





"Well hello there, didn't think I would see you again Old friend." The cloaked figure in the door nodded.

"Sorry to bother ya, but I had to be sure you were here. Sora and the others are on their way and they'll need all the help they can get. I have to head back but let him know he can trust the Elements." The Doctor nodded, a loud crash echoing throughout the house behind him. He sighed a little.

"It seems you already got your hands full, or hooves I suppose." the figure laughed.

"She is quite the handful but she keeps me smiling. I'll be sure to let him know you stopped by your Majesty." The figure nodded and ran into the forest. Moments later three figures appeared in the distance, closing in on the building.

"Hello Sora, nice to see you again!" Sora skid to a stop beside his friends, Pinkie and Twilight moments behind them.

"Doc?" the Stallion nodded and Sora smiled

"No way! I thought we'd never see you again! Do you still have the Tardis?"

"Of course I do Sora, how else would I have wound up in a place like this? The real question is what are you doing here. Those heartless haven't found their way here already have they?" Sora sighed a little and nodded.

"I was worried this might happen. The king was worried as well, stopped by for a quick visit, said you and your pals would be on your way." a loud crash could be heard in the building behind him, though by now he was use to it.

"Uh...is everything ok in there...wait, you talked to King Mickey!? He's ok? Was Riku with him? what about Kairi!?"

"Slow down Sora, slow down. Yes he seemed fine, no, Riku wasn't with him and neither was Kairi. I thought you left her with Queen Minnie."

"Whats all this about Kings and Queens?" Twilight asked.

"I suppose you haven't told them just yet. Well might as well let them in on the secret dear boy. The King said you would need to trust the Elements, that can only mean the Elements of Harmony, you've got two of em with you." The Doctor turned and headed inside the house, a small light purple unicorn mare bouncing around him as she cleaned up after her mother who was shaking her head. The Doctor sat beside her, placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder. She smiled and hugged him gently. Sora cleared his throat a little, a smile on his face.

"Yes yes I know. But it gets kind of hard; some rules are meant to be broken."

"Rules? I'm so confused."

"I'm not." Pinkie said as she bounced behind the Unicorn filly

"Ah yes, your Pinkie sense must have told you almost everything by now."

"Whats Pinkie sense? She said somethin about it earlier." Sora asked.

"This, my dear boy, is Pinkamena Diane Pie, the Element of Laughter. Along with that she has what the ponies have come to call 'Pinkie Sense' She gets strange twitches and they all mean something."

"Now that you mention it, she was twitching a lot when she said she knew I had a big secret. I was pretty surprised"

"Well that's her specialty. You see Sora; here each and every pony has a special Talent. When they discover that talent they are given their Cutie Marks which magically appear upon them. Pinkie Pie as you might be able to guess is the number one party pony in all of Equestria. Your friend Twilight Sparkle here is a rare gem, not only is her special talent Magic itself, but she is the Element of Magic. There is no magic greater than hers besides that of the Royal sisters." Twilight blushed a little.

"You make me out to be something that I'm not. I am the Element of Magic but my magic isn't THAT powerful Doctor."

"You are far too modest my dear. Anyway, the other Elements, Loyalty, Kindness, Generosity and Honesty. They are all bound by bonds of friendship, much like the ones you share with Donald and Goofy. It is this friendship that gives the Elements their power, with these elements and your Keyblade, I'm sure you can stop the heartless before they have a chance to cause any harm."

"I'm still confused..." Twilight admitted. Outside there was a thunderous boom, removing even Pinkies Smile.





Rarity shrieked as the creatures lunged for her, claws outstretched. They expected to dig into the White Unicorns flank but instead found their claws scraping against hard dragon scales. The dragon glared at them, smoke rising from his nostrils as he spun, slamming his spiked tail into them. 

Small hearts drifted up into the air as the creatures fell to the dragons rage. Rarity felt tears sting her eyes, watching as the dragon fought to protect her. He screamed in pain as a claw ran over his eye, a jet of flame flying from his mouth to swallow the black creature that had caused him harm.

"Oh Spike..." Rarity wrapped her hooves around the wounded dragon as he finally let himself rest.

"Rarity...you're not hurt are you?" He asked, his right eye closed. A few claws had managed to get through a few of his scales, one creature even managing to tear a spike from his tail. 

Rarity's horn began to glow dimly, the glow surrounding her protector. She wasn't skilled with healing magic but she could at the very least close the wounds. She would need to get him to Fluttershy and Twilight.

"No, I am unharmed thanks to you my Gallant Knight..." He smiled as she kissed his forehead, slowly pushing to his feet. He stumbled a little, sighing as he looked around the store.

"I couldn't keep them from destroying the shop though..." Rarity scoffed and put a hoof on his cheek, making him turn to face her.

"Darling, we can always fix the shop. Right now we need to fix you. I'm sure Twilight has the proper magic to do it." Spike merely smiled, placing his claw over her hoof. She blushed slightly, a chill running up her spine as she looked into his eyes. It was so easy for her to get lost in those eyes. She shook herself and cleared her throat.

"Come along Spike, the sooner we get to Twilight the better. Perhaps she will know what these horrid creatures are." He nodded and followed after her, watching for more of the creatures. He heard Rarity scream as she exited the store and rushed to her side. When he saw what had frightened her he quickly pushed her behind him

"Rarity...go back in the shop..."





"Macky!" Fluttershy shrieked as the creatures leapt at him. He bucked his hind legs, flinging them off and smashing them under his hooves, but still they managed to tear at his coat, digging their claws into him. Fluttershy felt something snap in her and flung as many off of him as she could. Glaring as hard as she could at any that were foolish enough to turn toward her. The ones that caught her gaze were frozen in place as if turned to stone. Big Macintosh panted and stomped on the nearest one. Fluttershy rested a wing over him.

"Oh Macky..." she led him to the couch and he smiled up at her.

"Wait here" she quickly flew up to her room, grabbing a few supplies and rushed back to his side. She slowly began cleaning the many cuts that crisscrossed through his coat. None of the injuries were serious but she was worried all the same.

"What do ya reckon these things are Flutter?" He asked, wincing a little as she continued.

"I don't know..."

"Could they be from Nightmare Moon?" she shook her head.

"No, Nightmare Moon is long gone. If she was gonna attack us she'd do it herself..." Fluttershy nearly froze with fear at the thought, relaxing as Big Macintosh rubbed his cheek against hers. He chuckled a little at her blush.

"Maybe ye'r friend Twilight knows whats goin on then. Ah can only wonder if th' others are havin the same troubles as us." They both turned to look at the dark creatures frozen in place. Big Macintosh standing and stomping all but one into the floor. He hefted it onto his back, wincing as it landed on his new bandages.

"Macky what are you...?"

"We need t' get to ye'r friends Flutter. I have a bad feelin bout all this."





She panted heavily as she dodged left and right, spinning and stopping long enough to slam her hooves into the face of another creature. She continued running, gasping as a creature caught her front left hoof, making her trip and hit the ground hard. She rolled and bounced until a tree finally stopped her. She lay there for a moment, sure that this was the end for her.

"No...Ah can't just give up now. Ah gotta get t' th' others..."she painfully pushed to her hooves, grabbing her hat from the ground and tossing it back onto her head as the creatures zipped through the trees after her. She turned and started running again. 

Her brother would be with Fluttershy, the closest place right now would be Rarity's place. She could get to Spike and he could get a hold of Twilight who could get to the Princess. With her plan set in her mind Applejack pushed harder and harder, sending her body into overdrive.

"Come on! Don't quit on me now!" She yelled to herself, her body aching and groaning each time a hoof connected with dirt. She smiled, seeing Rarity's store, pushing herself even harder.





Twilight rushed alongside her new friends, he had given her a rushed explanation but she had a good understanding of what was going on. The heartless had come along with a powerful darkness to swallow their world.

"You're sure that noise was a heartless?" Twilight asked as they ran.

"I'm sure of it" Sora said without hesitating.

"So we just need to go beat up those big mean meanie heads right?" Pinkie asked, bouncing beside them.

"Yup!" said Goofy, grabbing the shield from his back in his teeth. Pinkie nodded and Twilight watched as her mane flattened against her body. last time she had seen Pinkie like this had been when she thought no one liked her anymore. 

She had gone crazy and started talking to rocks and a bag of flour. Twilight wanted to ask if she was alright, to comfort her and fix whatever problem she might have had. But she wouldn't get the chance. She skid to a stop as they came into view of what Sora was talking about.

Standing High above them was a large black creature. A strange symbol covering its flank and belly. Its eyes were large yellow orbs. It resembled an Alicorn, its long pitch black wings spread wide as it threw its head back, letting out a loud cry. The sky darkened around them, dozens of black Pegasus like creatures flying around the massive beast.

"That's a heartless; it's calling the others to it. We have to destroy it!" Sora quickly explained, a large key appearing between his teeth. Twilight watched as he unfurled his wings, quickly taking to the air and battling the swarms of heartless. Donald and Goofy quickly joined him: Rushing to battle the heartless that had appeared on the ground. Donald's eyes began to glow, his hooves hovering just above the ground as bolts of lightning flew into several heartless.

Large shards of ice rained down onto of the creatures as well as streams of fire. Goofy flung his shield, bouncing it between heartless and smashing them into each other, as it bounced back towards him he kicked it with his hind hooves, sending it spiraling through heartless and bouncing off a nearby building back into his teeth. Pinkie screamed and leapt in after them, standing on her hind hooves and twirling through the battle in several kung fu stances, smashing her hooves into any creatures she came near. Twilight had never seen Pinkie like this. It was almost scary.

"Twilight!" she heard someone scream, grunting as Applejack slammed into her, a heartless flying just above them as they hit the ground.

"Twilight, what in the hay is goin' on 'round here!?" Applejack asked, helping her up onto her hooves

"I don't have time to explain right now, we need to help them!" Applejack nodded and slammed her hooves into a Pegasus as it flew by them.

"Alright Twilight, ah trust that you'll tell me when th' time is right. But ya ain't a battle pony and ya arn't exactly th'  
most fit pony. Be carefu..." Applejack stopped midsentence.

"whats wrong?"

"Rainbow!" Applejack screamed. they watched as the cyan Pegasus was slammed into a cloud, one of the heartless digging a claw into her wing.

"Twilight, ya gotta teleport me up there!"

"what?!"

"JUST DO IT!" she screamed. Twilight nodded and cast the spell.





Rainbow rolled in the air as the creatures dived for her, bucking her hooves into the air to kick away one that got too close. As she turned to see it fall another slammed into her, pinning her to a cloud

"AHHHH!!!" She screamed in agony as it tore a claw into her wing.

"Rainbow!" She turned her head as time seemed to slow down, an orange earth pony gliding through the air with her hind hoof outstretched, her forehoof holding down her Stetson hat. Her hoof connected with the jaw of the creature on top of her, sending both of them tumbling down to the ground below. 

Her heart beat pounded in her ears as she leapt to her hooves, wincing as she threw herself off the cloud after them. Pain rippled through her body with each flap of her wings but she had to keep going, she couldn't let Applejack hit the ground; from that height...no she didn't even want to think of it. Slowly she began to catch up, her eyes wide at what she saw.

Tears stung her friends eyes as she kept her hoof lodged in the creatures jaw. She intended to finish it off no matter the cost to herself. Rainbow felt tears sting her own eyes, knowing she wasn't fast enough to catch her before she hit the ground. She had only one choice. She bit back the pain and flapped her wings harder and harder, pushing with all the strength in her body. 

She could feel the tunnel forming around her, the air pounding against her as she dove after her friend, she felt it break under the pressure and send her barreling forward with immense speed, a massive rainbow forming behind her, the blast that followed deafening her for a moment as well as shaking everyone below. Applejack had only a second to react before she found herself in Rainbow's hooves, the black Pegasus creature slamming into the ground and vanishing in a puff of black smoke, a strange multicolored heart drifting up into the sky.

Rainbow snapped her wings wide open, slowing herself down as her hind hooves touched the ground. She skid for a moment and slammed into a pile of hay, still holding her friend and panting. Applejack managed to tear herself from the pile that clung to her coat and mane, pulling herself over to her friend.

"Rainbow?! Rainbow?!" She called out to her friend who was slowly losing consciousness. Rainbow smiled seeing that her friend was alright, her head falling back into the hay as her vision faded.





Nyx and her friends jumped as Rainbows Sonic Rainboom echoed past them in the Everfree forest. They had just dropped off a few creatures who had found their way into town.

"That's Rainbow! somethin must have happened!" Scootaloo called, rushing back toward Town. Nyx nodded and took off with her, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle chasing after them on the ground below. It didn't take them long to arrive at the battle taking place.  

Instinct kicked in for them, this sort of thing was their day to day life, though they had never seen creatures like these. Scootaloo flew down, scooping up Sweetie Belle onto her back, the Unicorns horn glowing as she began to sing, musical notes drifting across the air and spinning around the black Pegasus creatures in the air around them.

Applebloom rushed down a few on the ground, smiling as her sparring lessons with Applejack truly began to pay off. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her sister and Rainbow crash into a pile of hay. She quickly rushed over, seeing her sister in tears.

"Sis whats wrong? what the hay is goin on round here?!" Applejack only shook her head, holding Rainbow dash close to her.  

The Cyan Pegasus stirred a bit and gave a small smile.

"Dash! ye'r alright! oh thank Celestia..." Applejack sighed in relief

Applebloom smiled and slammed her hoof into a black Pegasus that tried to scoop her up.

"Guess it's up t' me t' keep you two safe."





Scootaloo rolled in the air, Sweetie belle keeping her hooves wrapped around her friend so she didn't fall, focusing on her magic. She sat up on her friends back, holding on with her rear hooves as she began to sing, her voice echoing throughout Ponyville. The black creatures slowed as the musical notes slammed into them. Eventually they all stopped, an exhausted Sweetie Belle collapsing against Scootaloo's back.

The pegasus smiled as Nyx and some strange Alicorn she had never seen before zipped through the creatures, cutting them to pieces. All that stood now was a massive one that was unaffected  by Sweetie Belle's magic as well as a few that rose from the ground as the creatures' horn began to glow. the glow brightened sending black spheres flying toward them.

She closed her eyes, expecting one to hit her, knowing she wouldn't be able to dodge and was surprised to hear something that sounded like a rock bouncing off a window. She opened her eyes to see Sweetie Belle had tossed a barrier around them, a small smile on her face.

"I'm not out of this just yet Scoots!" Sweetie Belle cried out. Scootaloo smiled and dove toward the massive black creature. Sweetie Belle's barrier dropping as they neared it. Scootaloo raised her head and snapped her wings upward, pulling out of her dive and slamming her forehooves into the creatures' horn, happy to hear the crunching sound of the thing breaking. 

She quickly flapped her wings, lifting herself out of reach of the creature, the barrier appearing around them once more as the last remaining spheres attempted to smash into them, vanishing as the creature lost its source of magic.





Twilight charged through the heartless in front of her, her horn piercing into its chest. It vanished in a puff of black smoke, making Twilight turn her head away. She gasped seeing creatures lunging for Rarity and Spike. She knew Spikes scales could handle the blow, but Rarity would be cut to ribbons if those things got their claws on her. Spike was fast but he wasn't fast enough to stop all of those heartless. Twilight reacted without thinking, quickly casting a spell.





Rarity shrieked as the creatures leapt for them. Spike doing his best to keep her safe. But even he couldn't hold them all back. Just as she thought she was finished she found herself standing a few feet away, Spike shaking the creatures off without any problem, their claws useless against his scales for the most part. But they were still piling up where she had been moments before. Spike screamed, pulling them away from the pile as fast as he could. it only took Rarity a moment to realize what had happened.

"TWILIGHT!" she rushed over to the pile, flinging away the creatures as fast as her magic would allow her, throwing as many as five or six at once. It didn't take long for them to reach the wounded pony at the bottom of the pile. She wore a soft  smile, her coat stained red from the many cuts across her body, her eyes slowly closing.

"Twilight no!" Spike screamed and turned his head in anger, roaring and slamming his tail into the closest creatures. Nyx landed beside them, panting a little.

"No...mom...no...no no no no!" She sat beside Twilight, her horn glowing brightly as she tried to heal her.

"I've never been good with this type of magic...mom...please wake up..." Rarity looked around, trying to think of something, anything she could do to help her friend. Spike continued to fight, surprised as Big Macintosh smacked away one of the creatures. Fluttershy quickly landing beside Twilight with her medical supplies.

Nyx, knowing her mother was in good hooves now stood, turning to help Big Macintosh and Spike. The three kept the creatures off one another, magic, fire and raw strength smashing away any that came too close. Rarity stood beside Fluttershy.

"Is there anything I can do dear?" Rarity asked, desperate to help her friend. Fluttershy nodded.

"I know you're not good at it...sorry...but I need you to do your best to heal her cuts. If thats ok..." She said, tending to their wounded friend. Rarity nodded and placed her horn against Twilights', letting her magic flow throughout her body.





Sora spun in the air, the sounds of screams and strange singing filling his ears. Even with all the heartless he had defeated here he was still useless to stop anyone from being hurt. Down below him more and more were joining the fight. 

To his surprise an Alicorn zipped by him, slashing through the heartless with a blade of pure magic. He smiled a bit and realized the heartless had been frozen by the music, joining the Alicorn as she zipped through them. It took only a matter of minutes for them to clear the skies.

The strange Alicorn seemed to have vanished as the skies were cleared, he saw her out of the corner of his eye, rushing down to help the others. He turned his attention to the giant Heartless in the center, surprised to see an orange and white blur smash its horn off. He took the chance to dive toward it, holding his Keyblade tightly between his teeth.

The heartless raised his head as he dive-bombed toward it, his Keyblade cutting into it, slicing from its head down to his back right leg. He hit the ground with a loud thud and stood there for a moment, panting heavily as the giant heartless roared in agony, vanishing into the air, a large multicolored heart following shortly after.

"SORA! COME QUICK!" He heard Goofy call out. He turned, chasing after his friend. There still seemed to be a few heartless left even after defeating the one that had called them. It didn't make sense. Sora gasped seeing Twilight surrounded by a purple dragon, the Alicorn from before, a red earth pony, a white unicorn and a yellow Pegasus. 

The Unicorn and Pegasus were trying to heal Twilight but Sora could see the light in her heart slowly fading. He stood beside them, looking around a thought coming to mind. He slammed his Keyblade into the dirt near Twilights horn, making them jump.

"Listen, can you see that light inside her?" he asked quickly, his horn starting to glow. the Unicorn nodded after a moment, her eyes wide.

"Keep that light alive, if it fades away we'll lose her to the darkness." Sora closed his eyes, letting his magic flow into his Keyblade and bounce between himself and it before letting it flow into Twilights horn and across her body.





Twilight found herself floating in a void of light, a strange figure before her. Her vision was still blurry and she couldn't make out who the figure was. But she felt happy and warm with them nearby.

"Twilight Sparkle, there is much left for you to do in this world. There is so much still depending on your actions. Do not give in to the darkness. Keep the light alive and protect the..."





Rarity was shocked at the sight of the Alicorn appearing beside her, even more so when he slammed a giant key near Twilight.

"Listen, can you see that light inside of her?" Rarity looked and as the Alicorn had said, where Twilights heart should be there was a slowly fading light, she nodded in shock.

"Keep that light alive, if it fades away we'll lose her to the darkness." She nodded, not caring for introductions at the moment as she focused all her magic on the light that was beginning to fade. She felt her knees weaken and sank to the ground as she poured every ounce of magic into keeping the light alive and growing. She smiled seeing her friends eyes open weakly.

"Oh Twilight, why did you have to go and do something so foalish?" Twilight merely shook her head, closing her eyes and leaving them to their work. It took only moments but it felt like ages for Rarity before her friend opened her eyes once more, fully healed. The Alicorn sank to the ground beside her, his energy spent as was hers. Twilight smiled at them, still laying there.

"Mom!" Nyx cried, rushing to Twilight, Spike and Big Macintosh continuing to defend them.

"Nyx...the heartless." Twilight began to say.

"Just rest mom, we've got this under control." Twilight nodded and lay her head back down. Nyx lifting her with her magic. Pinkie gently nudged Rarity up onto her hooves, doing the same for the strange Alicorn.

"You two ok?" Pinkie asked, surprising them. Her voice wasn't at all like it always was. Instead of being bubbly and full of happiness it was empty of any and all emotion. They both nodded, stumbling a bit. Pinkie noticed Twilight held in Nyx's magic and something seemed to snap inside of her. One of the creatures sprung up behind her, only to have a hoof slammed into its face.

"NOPONY HURTS MY FRIENDS!" She screamed, a strange giant pink key appearing between her teeth.

Spike blinked as a pink blur ran past him, the black creatures he had been about to Barbecue suddenly vanishing as the blur ran through them. Big Macintosh received the same surprise. The blur stopped for only a moment before striking but it was enough for Spikes eyes. It was Pinkie pie, but her mane was flat against her body, her eyes cold as a windygos heart.  

She held a weird looking key in her mouth, standing on her hind hooves in what Spike could only call a karate stance, slamming her hooves into the black creatures, bouncing them off the ground before cutting them down with the key, wielding the strange thing like a sword. Spike shook from his daze and rushed to the aid of his friend, jets of flame swallowing any that her weapon or hooves of death missed. Spike grinned seeing Big Macintosh standing guard by the others out of the corner of his eye.

The two of them easily finished off the last of the creatures. Pinkie stopped, panting a little as the key vanished. Spike walked over with a slight limp and hefted her up onto his back.

"Never thought I'd see you run out of energy Pinks." she giggled a little at the comment, her mane poofing back to its normal fluffy self. The pony bounced up onto her hooves on his back.

"Just needed a quick breather Spikey!" she bounced away and he chuckled, following her back to Twilight and the others. Nyx sat beside Twilight, her eyes red from crying, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle beside her. Applebloom's eyes darted around as she followed her sister Applejack who was carrying Rainbow Dash on her back. Rainbow smiled at the group weakly. Twilight sat up and rubbed her head with a hoof.

"Anypony get the name of the dragon who hit me?" she joked, it worried Spike a little, Twilight wasn't one to make jokes like that. She shook her head.

"Must have hit me harder than I thought. Is everypony ok?" Nyx threw her hooves around her, sobbing a little. Twilight gently held the Alicorn close to her. Spike turned to the exhausted Alicorn who had healed her.

"Thank you...I dunno how we can ever repay you for this." The Alicorn merely smiled.

"Well, I never really got anything to eat." he joked as his stomach growled.





With help from Nyx and Sora, Twilight and the others managed to reach the Library where between Sora, Twilight and Pinkie they managed to explain the situation. Spike quickly sent a letter to Celestia and Luna, sitting down between Rarity and Twilight as Fluttershy continued bandaging everypony. Spike had a long scar over his eye, it had taken too long to get to anypony to have it properly healed but he could still see out of it. Big Macintosh had bandages woven around his midsection, a few bad cuts and scratches but he would live.

Rainbow's wing however was badly torn, most of the feathers ripped away by what Sora and Twilight had called a Heartless. It didn't help that she had pulled a sonic Rainboom with an injured wing to save Applejack. Fluttershy carefully pulled away the ruined feathers, each one making the Rainbow maned Pegasus wince a little.

Applejack held her gently as Fluttershy worked, it seemed to calm her a little.

"I'm so sorry Rainbow Dash, it'll take awhile for the feathers to grow back enough for you to fly." Rainbow only chuckled

"Hey, losing a wing is better than losing a friend." she said with a slight blush.

"Ya'll didn't have t' go and ruin ye'r wing fer me Sugarcube."

"You didn't have to try and kill yourself to save me." Rainbow threw back at her.

"Ah didn't see any other way t' get that thing offa ya." Rainbow sighed and rubbed her cheek against Applejacks'.

"My feathers will grow back AJ, but I'll never meet another pony like you." Applejack blushed a little, resting her head in her marefriends mane. Spike smiled a little at the gesture, feeling Rarity leaning against his side. He knew exactly how Rainbow Dash felt. If he lost Rarity...it would crush him.

"Next time though, try not to scare me half to death with a crazy stunt like that."

"Given another chance ah'd do it again Sugarcube. Ah couldn't just let that thing have ya." Fluttershy sat down, finally finished with her bandages. They all sat in silence for a moment, leaning against close friends. The cutie mark crusaders all sat together, having still kept their club name even after getting their cutie marks. They had grown accustomed to helping Nyx.

Scootaloo gently nudged Sweetie Belle who was resting after having over exhausted her magic. First on a pack of Lupin minor who had found their way toward Sugarcube corner(though Gummy almost had the situation under control when they got there) and then on all those heartless without even a chance to rest. It had taken a lot out of her.

"You alright Belle?" Scootaloo asked in a worried tone. Sweetie Belle smiled a little, giving her friend a peck on the cheek. She burst into laughter as her marefriends wings snapped open instantly.

"I'll take that as a yes..." Scootaloo mumbled, slowly lowering her wings. Sweetie Belle laid her head down against Scootaloo's side, quickly falling back asleep. Once everypony had calmed down, Sora stood while his friends finished their meal beside him.

"Pinkie, I noticed while we were out there...You have a Keyblade. How long have you had it?" Everypony in the room turned to the Pink Party Pony who put a hoof to her chin in thought.

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Well since I was an eensy weensy teensy Pinkie. Just a few years before I came here to Ponyville."

"So wait, you've known all about these heartless guys and this Keyblade mumbo jumbo since before any of us met? Why didn't you say anything Pinkie?!" Rainbow demanded of her, wincing as she stood. Applejack gently but forcefully pushing her back down to the ground.

"Don't move t' much Sugarcube, ye'r gonna hurt ye'rself even more. Though ah'm a bit curious too Pinkie. Why didn't ya tell us anythin about all this? We're ye'r closest friends."

"I believe I can answer that." All eyes turned to the door of the Library, in it stood a brown stallion with an hour glass on his flank, beside him a cross-eyed blonde maned mare and between them a light purple unicorn.

"Doctor?" he nodded to Sora and walked inside.

"Sorry for the intrusion. I had to check a few things in the TARDIS after you took off Sora. You see, up until now Pinkie Pie hasn't been able to harness the power of her Keyblade. It was locked away until such a time that she would need it. All it took was the right key to open the lock." The Doctor said with a small smile.

"Ya mean when she saw Twilight hurt like that..." Applejack asked. The Doctor nodded.

"Though I don't believe it was what was intended yes, the anger at seeing a dear friend hurt was powerful enough to break the lock on Pinkies Keyblade. As for why she has said nothing I believe I'll leave it to her to explain. If you would Miss Pie."

"Gladly"
> Making a Plan
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The young Pinkie tossed and turned in her sleep, her eyes snapping wide open as she began to fall, screaming as she saw the ground rushing up to meet her. Just as she thought she was about to smash into the glass floor beneath her, she stopped, landing softly on all fours.

Do not be afraid my dear. For in the darkness, there is always a hidden light. Pinkie looked around for the voice that spoke to her; It was a kind and gentle voice, echoing all around her. But as she looked around all she could find was darkness and the strange glass beneath her hooves. She stared at it, finding what looked like an older version of her as well as five other ponies.

Two unicorns, one white, one purple. An orange Earth pony wearing a cowpony hat. And Two Pegasi, one blue with a rainbow mane, the other yellow with a pink mane and a small smile. Pinkie sat, staring at each in turn, a chill running throughout her body, both her front knees twitching a little.

"These ponies...I'll meet them someday...and we'll be the bestest most awesome friends ever!" she leapt into the air happily and giggled.

You have a special gift, but you also have another gift. One you must only use when the time is right. I fear this time is close at hand and you will have to use a power unlike any other. Pinkie tilted her head to the side in confusion, her back right hind leg twitching and her left eye fluttering.

"Something bad is gonna happen!" Pinkie spun, looking all around herself to find tiny shadows sprouting up from the glass underneath her feet. They tried jumping onto her but she leapt to the side, looking for a way to escape. She was a party pony not a battle pony. As she turned she saw stairs forming and quickly ran up them.





"That's just like when Roxas and I first discovered our Keyblades..." Sora interrupted, making the Party Pony pout.

"Hey! Who is tellin the story here?"

"Uh...Sorry..."

"Now, where was I? oh yea, So anyway..."





Pinkie ran up the stairs, the shadows close on her tail. She lowered her head and pushed her body as hard as she could, years of moving rocks and boulders finally paying off as she forced herself ahead of the shadows, skidding to a halt across another plate of glass. She turned to see the shadows and stairs vanishing, sighing a little to herself.

"So much for getting outta here..."  She looked down at the glass she stood on; she saw herself and the five other ponies. They all wore something around their necks except for the purple unicorn near the center. She wore a Tiara and the lights coming from the others seemed to focus around her, reaching to grab the one above them. Pinkie recognized the picture as Nightmare Moon.

She had heard stories of the mare in the moon, but that was all. They were just stories to make her behave and not stay up late at night. Pinkie leapt to the side as her tail started twitching. A large gray figure falling in the spot she had been moments ago. As it stood it twitched and faced her.





"BUT IT DIDN'T HAVE A FACE!" Pinkie screamed, standing on her hind hooves and raising her front hooves into the 	air, making a few in the room jump.

"A Nobody." Sora said quietly; Pinkie nodded and sat back down.





You will face many perils in the time that is to come my dear, but you have a powerful weapon to face this. Pinkie jumped in surprise as a large key appeared between her teeth.

"What the hay is this thingy!?" she asked around the key. The gray figure rushed toward her and she stepped backward, lifting the strange key into the air. She opened her eyes to see that in doing so she had knocked the creature back. A small smile spread across her face and she charged forward, slamming the key as hard as she could into the gray figure, smiling as it vanished. More appeared all around her as well as the small shadows from earlier. Pinkie gripped the key between her teeth and sighed a little.

"This is weirder than that chocolate river dream I had..." she thought aloud, bouncing into the air to avoid a gray blur as it zipped toward her, managing to snag her tail in its claws. She spun in the air, slicing through the back of the blur before it could do more than give her tail a slight tug.

More and more leaped for her; Pinkie barely managing to dodge thanks to her Pinkie sense, but she was still getting hit, slight nicks and cuts into her flank and legs. She panted heavily staring down the last few shadows which began to twitch and multiply. Pinkie lowered her head, seeing no end to it all.





"How'd you get out of there?!" Scootaloo interrupted, she had never heard such an action packed story from Pinkie Pie before, it had always been about the rock farm or how she had come up with a new cupcake recipe, or what Gummy had done that day.

"I'm getting there, I'm getting there, just wait a minute silly."





There was no end to them, every time she defeated them they would just come back again and again. She threw her head in the air in frustration, the Keyblade flying from her mouth and vanishing in the air above her. She just stared into the void of darkness above her, expecting to see it come back down. But it didn't.

It was just gone. She was powerless now. She needed that strange key to fight these things and she had lost it. She sat down in defeat, her mane and tail deflating and hanging down as the shadows and gray creatures slowly closed in on her.

Do not fear the darkness my dear, for there is always a hidden light. the voice echoed around her. Pinkie raised her head to find she was staring into a mirror. Looking around she found that the creatures were gone. In their place were tons of mirrors, her reflections giving her the same defeated look she had.

"Now how am I gonna get out of here..."

"Thats a good question." Pinkie blinked, staring at the first reflection. It was of her but the mane and tail on the reflection were their normal poofy selves.  The reflection just to the left looked exactly like her, but with her color drained and a menacing look in her eyes. 

To the right of the first reflection was another without a face, another that looked exactly as she did that moment and one that was pitch black with a strange symbol on its body that matched the creatures she had fought a moment ago, the last matched the gray creatures but its body was twisted at a weird angle and it kept twitching its head at odd angles.

These reside within us all, fear, sadness, anger, darkness. They are things that we face every day, though we may not realize it. It is natural to feel fear, natural to be angry or sad. However, We cannot let these feelings take over us, or we will be swallowed by the darkness in our hearts. Behind you are your reflections should you give in to that darkness my dear. The black figure is you as a Heartless; the gray is you as a Nobody.

"Heartless...and Nobody? What the hay are you talking about?" Pinkie said to the air.

They are creatures who are created when a heart as powerful as yours is lost to the darkness.

"Like the darkness in the closet?"

No my dear, the darkness in your heart. Pinkie put a hoof to her chest.

"In...my heart?"

Yes my dear, should we give in, the Darkness will devour us.

"My heart is gonna eat me!?" Pinkie yelled, looking around frantically, finding only her reflections. The Heartless, as the voice had called it, began to grow as Pinkie let her fear get the best of her.

You must calm yourself Pinkie. Pinkie stopped and glared at the shadow which began to shrink back to its normal size.

"So...as long as I don't get all scared and crazy I won't be eaten by these weirdo black shadowy heartless thingies?"

That is correct my dear Pinkie smiled, her mane and tail poofing back to normal. The mirrors around her shattered, falling to the ground and vanishing. Pinkie turned finding that her Heartless and Nobody reflection still remained, marching towards her.

Do not be afraid of the Darkness Pinkie. Pinkie nodded and stood up tall, the key appearing in front of her.

"I get it! I get it! It makes sense now!" she snatched the key out of the air and leapt forward, the figures vanishing as she crashed into the floor of her bedroom, the key gone.

"Owie...why is the floor so hard..." Pinkie sat up on the floor, finding her bed sheets tossed about.

"What a weird drea..." She stopped, seeing the key in front of her on the ground.

Keyblade. The word echoed in her mind as if the voice was still speaking to her. Pinkie nodded and lifted the Keyblade, blinking as it vanished.

When the time is right, it will return to you





Everypony in the room sat in silence as Pinkie finished her story.

"I kept having more and more weird dreams. All of them telling me the same thing. My pinkie sense started telling me I needed to leave home and come here to Ponyville so I did, when I met everypony here I couldn't believe it. It was just like in the weird dream place. Then Twilight showed up and I knew it was the time the voice was talking about, I got a little worried when the key thingy didn't come back but then that was when Twilight started talking about the Elements. I remembered the voice saying I would get a certain power and figured that was it. 

And now you showed up, one of the ponies that was in all those pictures I saw in my dreams and I knew that this is what the voice meant when it said my key would come back when the time was right and it did!" Pinkie sat down wearing a big smile, everypony in the room absorbing her story.

"A strange voice...Keyblades, heartless, nobodies..." Twilight mumbled and paced.

"I need some time to think everypony. Sora you and your friends can have the guest bedrooms. I'm going to go see what I can find out about all of this." Twilight said, heading upstairs into her study. Applejack stood, helping Rainbow to her hooves.

"Ah dunno bout th' rest of ya'll, but ah've gotta get back to th' Orchard. Maybe we can pick up on all this tomorrow and figure out how we're gonna find this keyhole thing Sora needs to lock." Applejack sighed. Rainbow nodded, flexing her wing a little and wincing.

"Oh no ya don't sugarcube. Ye'r not doin any flyin til that wing of yers is healed."

"Well how the hay am I suppose to get home?"

"Ah guess yer jus' gonna have t' stay with me fer a while."

Rainbow sighed a little, though she didn't seem too upset by the idea. Applebloom on the other hand...

"Uh...Maybe ah should sleepover with one of mah friends while Rainbow is stayin over..." She looked over at Scootaloo and Sweetie belle who both blushed, clearing their throats and looking away. Neither of them could make themselves look toward their friend.

"You're welcome to stay here for a while Apple bloom" Nyx said with a small laugh. Apple bloom sighed in relief.

"Thanks Nyx. Ah knew ah could count on you. unlike some ponies." she rolled her eyes turning toward the other crusaders who  stammered excuses. As things quieted down in the library ponies began leaving with their thoughts full of the newest threat to Equestria.

Applebloom sat quietly with Sora and the others. Her thoughts kept drifting to her friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had each other, her big sister and Rainbow had each other, Fluttershy and her big brother had each other. It seemed everypony but her had a special somepony.

well thats not true, Pinkie and Miss Twilight don't have anypony. But Pinkie Pie wasn't the romantic type, she was happy as long as other ponies were happy and Twilight was always too deep in her books to notice anypony besides her friends. She looked up at Nyx and laughed a little to herself.

Of course there is Nyx, though she's just mah friend. Besides ah'm pretty sure mah barn door don't swing that way. She turned and looked at Sora, his friends asleep in the room behind him.

He seems like a nice colt...

"Hey Sora...Ah was just curious, do you have a special somepony?" She asked without thinking. Sora looked at her confused for a moment and Nyx laughed. She walked over and whispered something in his ear before heading upstairs.

"Oh well...yea I guess..." he said rubbing the back of his head with a hoof. Applebloom felt her heart sink, even this strange pony had a special somepony.

"Her name is Kairi, I'm actually here trying to find her and my friend Riku." He said, the smile vanishing from his face.

"They must be real important to ya. Ah can't imagine how Ah'd feel if I lost Scoot and Belle."

"It hurts to say it, but to be honest I'm a bit more worried about Riku than Kairi. I know I'll find Kairi, but Riku..." he placed his hoof on a strange necklace he wore.

"I made a promise to Kairi and I can't break it, so I know I'll see her again. But Riku...He was lost in the darkness, fighting alone because he thought it was what he had to do. This is the third time I've lost him. The first time we ended up fighting each other, his heart was being controlled by a powerful heartless. In the end Riku fought back but his heart was too far gone to do more than slow the heartless down." Applebloom watched as tears ran down his cheeks.

"Even when I freed him of the heartless I still didn't get him back. I ended up locking him inside Kingdom hearts..." She wanted to ask what this 'Kingdom Hearts' was, but decided to let him finish his story.

"I started looking everywhere for him after that, but it was Kairi who found him. He was hiding within the darkness in his heart. I was able to find him in it because of Kairi. We were finally all together again, then...then..." Sora lowered his head.

"Then he just ran off without saying a word to anyone. I asked Queen Minnie to watch after Kairi because the King was still missing. It wasn't until about three days later that I heard that Kairi had vanished too." Applebloom gently placed a hoof on his shoulder.

"Maybe ye'r friend Riku is just confused Sora. Ah remember that Nyx was the same way." He looked over at her confused and she smiled.

"Nyx thought she had to be Nightmare Moon, a horrible Mare who tried to throw Equestria into Eternal Darkness. Me and the crusaders were just little Fillies then." She explained, telling him Nyx's painful story. He couldn't help but chuckle a little, wiping away his tears.

"She sounds just like Riku...So you think that when he gets his head straight he'll come back?" Applebloom nodded.

"Ah know so Sora. Sometimes a pony just needs time t' think and work out their problems by themselves. That doesn't mean ya can't try t' help him. It just means that ya need t' trust that ye'r friend is ok and you'll see him again." Sora smiled

"Thanks Applebloom, I really needed to hear that." She nodded

"Anytime Sora." Applebloom smiled. The Alicorn stood, heading into the guest room with his friends. She moved over to the fireplace as an owl flew in through the window. She nodded to him and he flew off into the library, snatching up a book and reading quietly. Applebloom stared into the fire trying to think, but her thoughts kept drifting to her friends and how happy they were together.

"Ah wonder if ah'll ever find my special somepony..."





Rarity yawned loudly, trying to focus on the dress she was working on. The ordeal with the heartless and her worrying over Spikes injuries had taken its toll on her and she still had several large orders to fill. She jumped a little in surprise, feeling a large set of arms wrap around her frame. She sighed in relief as she felt the claws gently press into her coat.

"Spike, I have a rather large order left to fill and you need to rest or those injuries could open back up dear." She gasped as he caught her ear with his fangs. It took every ounce of her strength to focus on her work as his tongue danced its way up the back of her ear.

"Spike!" She whined. He chuckled a little and reluctantly let go.

"Alright alright." he sat down near her, watching her work. It reminded Rarity of the time the once cute baby dragon had spent as her Pin cushion, of course in her eyes he was still cute even if he had grown into a big handsome dragon. She shook the thoughts from her head and focused on the dress.

"Rarity...I'm sorry about earlier today..." He suddenly apologized and lowered his head. She looked over at him in shock.

"I wasn't good enough to keep you safe and cause of that Twilight got hurt," he sniffed. She set her glasses down and sat in front of him, placing a hoof under his chin.

"You listen to me Spike Swift Shrike. You are only one dragon, you are the most courageous, most dependable, most loving Dragon I have ever known. You have always been there for me and your friends and I won't have you sit here and lower yourself like this. 

Twilight did what she thought was right and you did the best you could. When it mattered you kept us safe, if not for you and the others we never would've been able to save Twilight and we would've been overrun by those horrid things. Even here in the shop, you risked everything for me Spike..." she placed a hoof on the scar that ran over his eye.

"You would've given anything for me, even your life. I don't ever want to hear you talk like that ever again Spike, understood?" She demanded. He looked into her eyes, smiling a little at the blush he saw spreading across her cheeks. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, the unicorn sighing as she rested her head against him.

"Alright Rarity, I understand. I still wish..." he began, stopped with a quick kiss from her.  Rarity couldn't help but laugh as a tint of red touched his purple cheeks.

"Not another word Spike," she whispered. He nodded and the two smiled at one another.





Pinkie stood alone in Sugarcube corner, lost in her thoughts as she prepared for the party for Sora and his friends. Anypony who could have a glance into her mind would feel like they were riding a bullet crazy train with nothing more than a lasso to keep them steady on top of the thing. Her thoughts raced around, bouncing off the walls of her skull at a mile per second.

She was excited and worried all at once, she had made new friends but also had to fight more of those heartless. Her pinkie sense had been going crazy ever since her Keyblade had come back. Something bad was going to happen and she didn't like it, she didn't like it one bit.





"AH! STOP!" the Unicorn laughed as her friend tickled her.

"NOPE! not until you give up!" She had tears in her eyes, kicking her hooves out and trying to push the pegasus off of her.

"ALRIGHT! I GIVE! I GIVE!" Scootaloo stopped and gently kissed her friends cheek.

"Ha! I win again. Geez Belle you always lose at these," Scootaloo taunted. Sweetie Belle pouted a little and rolled onto her stomach as her friend sat beside her.

"Its cause you always cheat."

"How am I cheating?"

"You know all my weak spots" Sweetie Belle argued, making Scootaloo laugh.

"Yea, and?" Scootaloo scoffed. Sweetie belle smiled a little to herself and sat up, gently kissing behind her friends ear, laughing as her wings flung open.

"And I know all of yours."





Dash sighed looking at her wing. But as she reminded herself of how she wound up in this mess her frown turned into a smile. She would risk anything to save Applejack. The two had been competing against each other for years. She was Dash's only real rival and the only one who could handle her. Applejack walked into the room, noticing her staring at her wing.

"Sugarcube...Ah'm real sorry bout ye'r wing..."

"Nah it's alright AJ. What matters is we're both alright," She chuckled. Applejack stepped inside, carrying a bottle of Big Macintosh's Apple Brandy and two mugs. She sat them down on the table beside the bed and hopped up beside Rainbow with a small smile.

"Isn't that from Big Mac's secret stash?" Rainbow asked as her marefriend started pouring them each a drink.

"Yea well, it ain't much of a secret now. 'sides, after a day like th' one we just had a drink will do us some good." Rainbow grinned and grabbed her mug.

"I bet I can drink more than you." 

Applejack smiled, happy to see Dash as her normal competitive self.

"Ye'r on."





Books flew left and right, stopping in midair for only a moment before being replaced with another. Twilights eyes scanned each and every page but none said anything about a Keyhole or Heartless. It was so frustrating. She had all of these books and none of them held any sort of answer, any tiny tidbit she found only left her asking more questions.

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance" Twilight jumped at the sound of the voice, her eyes wide as she turned around. Every book she held in her magic dropping to the floor as she lowered her head.

"Princess Luna! I didn't expect a visit from you so late at night, oh well I suppose I should of it is your night, I'm so sorry." Twilight rambled nervously. Luna laughed a little.

"Twilight Sparkle, you're rambling. It is alright, this is not a Royal Visit. My sister thought it would be better if I were the one to come and speak with you." Luna explained. Twilight stood and looked up at the Alicorn; She noticed that they stood about the same height, Luna wasn't wearing her usual Vestments. She was without her crown, shoes, and crest.

"I suppose you got Spikes letter then?" Luna nodded.

"My sister and I have been worried that the heartless would return."

"Wait? Return? They were here before?"

"Yes Twilight Sparkle. It was not long before Discords Rise to power. He joined forces with the Heartless and grew into the creature of Chaos you and your friends fought."

"Why didn't he summon the heartless when we fought him though? That gigantic one in the middle of town didn't have a problem doing it."

"He was no longer bound to the heartless upon his return. They were locked away separately. Even if he had called to them they would not have answered."

"So the heartless broke free of their prison like Discord did." Twilight murmured.  Luna nodded again and took a seat.

"Back then, Celestia and I managed to seal them away with the Elements as well as Discord. But when our connection was broken by...My jealousy and rage...The bonds on the Heartless Prison began to weaken. Upon my return Celestia and I had a look and saw that it was still holding. 

At the time nothing seemed wrong with it, but it seems small cracks have formed and the heartless are seeping through. It will only be a matter of time before they break free entirely." Luna sighed. Twilight smiled a little which confused the Alicorn.

"This is grave news Twilight Sparkle, why are you so happy?"

"Because, if you and Princess Celestia sealed away the heartless then you know where the Keyhole is and Sora can lock it and we can avoid any kind of terrible disaster!" Luna sighed and shook her head.

"I am afraid it is not that simple Twilight Sparkle. The Keyhole has been damaged by the heartless. Any attempt to lock it would be as useless as me and Celestia using the Elements. The only way for us to seal them away is to break the lock ourselves and create a new one." Twilight nodded and reshelved her books, taking a seat near the Princess.

"Then we'll need a plan."





Nyx stood just far enough up the stairs that Applebloom couldn't see her. She was a bit curious how Sora would react. Applebloom had been through a lot, if anypony deserved happiness it was her. At least thats how Nyx saw it, everyday Applebloom risked her life to help her friends no matter the cost to herself. She sighed a little hearing that the Alicorn was already taken, almost running down to comfort her friend. But she realized, Applebloom was comforting Sora. The story of his friend lost in the darkness reminded her of how she too had been lost.

This Riku, he's like me. She slowly snuck past the two, using a cloak of shadow spell to keep them from seeing her as she snuck out the cracked door. Twilight had grown into the habit of leaving it open slightly at night to let in a small breeze. With any luck Applebloom and Sora would consider the door moving to be from a breeze blowing it around. She spread her wings slowly and took off into the air.

"This Riku, he's lost and confused like I was. The crusaders and mom saved me from that, but from what Sora says...Riku is all alone right now. He needs someone to be there, someone who knows what he is going through." She didn't know where to look or how she was going to do it, but she was going to find Riku and help him anyway she could. Nopony deserved to live like that.

She searched all through town, through the forest and anywhere else she could think to look. But she couldn't find even a small trace of any lost Ponies. She sighed realizing how foalish it had been of her to think she could just fly off and run into him. Feeling defeated she flew back to the Library, stepping inside slowly.

She smiled seeing Applebloom sleeping near the fireplace and gently placed a blanket over her. She sat down looking into the fire for a moment, hearing the sound of pages turning. She had grown use to Owloysius and his nightly visits, she turned and smiled at her friend.

"Good to see you again Owloysius, you wouldn't happen to have seen any strange ponies lately would you?

"Hoo" she smiled and shook her head.

"I guess not." She yawned and shook herself.

"I guess I should get some sleep..." she started walking upstairs and stopped as she was about to turn to the corner to go to her room. Her mothers' door was open and inside she saw Princess Luna. The two had fallen asleep with a multitude of books surrounding them. That wasn't what surprised her, she had often come home to find her mother in a pile of books, one time underneath a pile of books.

What surprised her was that the two were snuggling close to one another as they slept. She gently closed the door and walked to her room, her thoughts racing.

"Luna and mom..." The image was trapped in her mind for the rest of the night.





Twilight awoke to feel something warm around her. Her first thought was that it was Nyx coming to bed with her after another nightmare. But as she opened her eyes she found Princess Luna rubbing her nose into her coat. Twilight blushed deeply and tried to think. Luna opened her eyes slowly and had much the same reaction. Both ponies pulled away from one another, turning away and clearing their throats.

"We...mu-must have dozed off in our research." Luna said quickly.

"Um...ye-yes that makes sense." looking around she found they were surrounded by books that had fallen, no longer held by their magic. Twilight busied herself with cleaning up while Luna kept her back turned, hiding her blush and hoping the unicorn hadn't noticed her wings slowly drifting into the air. she turned toward Twilight after calming down a little.

"Twilight Sparkle, I forget, how far along were we? Did I properly explain about the Keyhole?" Twilight nodded as she shelved the last book.

"Yes, we were going over plans on the safest way to break and remake the lock. I don't think we came up with much. It was pretty late..." Twilight stretched a little.

It wasn't her first time falling asleep in a pile of books but it was never comfortable, though she had been strangely comfortable with Luna there...she shook her head, jumping at the sound of knocking on her door and sighed as Nyx poked her head in.

"You two awake? I'm not interrupting anything am I?" she joked, making Twilight and Luna blush. She laughed and smiled.

"Breakfast is ready downstairs. Princess Luna I'm sure Sora would like to speak with you. Whenever you're ready I mean." she said, closing the door behind her and leaving.

"She must have seen us sleeping and jumped to conclusions..." Twilight thought aloud, not noticing that Luna's wings were slowly unfurling, her head down with a massive blush covering her face.





Sora stretched, amazed at what he saw. Nyx had made some of the biggest Pancakes he had seen in his entire life.

"This looks delicious!" the trio of friends said, digging in. Nyx smiled as they ate their breakfast, turning to look at a half awake Applebloom, she had stopped tying her hair back with her bowtie, instead using a small red band, styling it much like her sister Applejacks mane. She nudged her friend gently

"You alright Bloom? You're not usually so distracted in the morning." Applebloom seemed to shake from her daze and looked at her for a moment.

"Oh huh? Oh yea, ah'm alright. Just didn't sleep too well last night. Ah've got a lot on my mind ya know?" Nyx nodded. She had overheard a bit of Applebloom talking to herself the night before. Her poor friend was searching for love and had nowhere to look. Nyx herself had never really considered trying to find a special somepony for herself.

She was an Alicorn, she would live as long as Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, as long as she didn't get herself killed doing her job that was. The thought pained her, that one day she would watch her mother and all her friends pass away. But she had been through this several times with her mother, the princess' and her friends. She wouldn't be alone, she would have the next generation to teach and protect. It was how Celestia had coped with the loneliness of immortality for so many years.

When everypony did finally pass away she would go live at the Palace, or stay at the Library, she hadn't really decided yet. She gently placed a wing over her friends shoulder and smiled at her.

"You know you can talk to me Bloom. this is about Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo isn't it?" Sora looked up for a moment and nudged Donald and Goofy into the other room.

"But I didn't finish!" Donald complained as he was pushed away, giving the two some privacy. Apple bloom nodded sadly,staring at the untouched pancakes.

"Everypony is findin their special somepony. Am ah just gonna die alone Nyx?" her friend stared up at her with tears in her eyes.

"No Bloom, you won't. There is a special somepony out there for everypony. Even Celestia once had a special somepony, it's a pretty long story but you know how it ended already. Thats not the point I'm tryin to make though. My point is that your gonna find your special somepony, just like when you discovered your cutie mark. It's something that takes time Bloom." Apple bloom smiled a little, wiping away her tears. She took a small bite of one of the pancakes, her eyes wide.

"These are amazin Nyx!" She giggled a little, her friend happy once more. She looked up as a flustered Twilight and Luna made their way downstairs, neither looking at each other.

"Princess!" Applebloom bowed her head, almost knocking over her pancakes. Nyx caught them in her magic carefully and set them back down.

"Applebloom, you don't have to do that." Luna said, she was growing tired of everypony bowing to her all the time. Applebloom stood and nodded.

"Ah'm guessin ye'r here t' talk to Sora right?" Luna nodded and Sora peeked his head around the corner, a half eaten pancake in his mouth.

"you fay Sumfin?" he asked with a mouthful of pancake, making everypony laugh. He chomped down the pancake and walked into the room, bowing his head slightly.

"There is no need for such formalities Keyblade Wielder. We have much to discuss and not much time."

"That seems to be something that's always against us." they all turned to find the Doctor standing near them.

"Doc! how long have you been there?" Sora laughed.

"Just arrived actually, I thought I might be of some use." He sat down at the table

"Ah yes, the Time Lord. I don't suppose you could tell us how this all plays out?" Luna asked of him, to her disappointment he shook his head.

"Sadly no. I've run through it a thousand times and each time I interfere the ending is the same. I can only give a bit of advice on the matter. That being that there is no safe way to break the seal, we cannot waste our time trying to find a safe way either."

"The seal?" Sora asked.

"Yes, You know it as the Keyhole." He explained, adjusting his tie absentmindedly.

"You know where it is? Great! We can go and lock it and..." Luna shook her head, sighing to herself.

"The seal has been ripped apart by the heartless seeping out of it, locking it would either stall them for but a few moments more or shatter it entirely. Our only choice is to break it open ourselves and remake it. Though once its broken all the darkness behind it will pour out and feast on the nearest hearts." The Doctor nodded and Sora put a hoof to his chin.

"How exactly do we plan to break it?" Sora asked after a moment.

"With the Elements of Harmony of course. But the experience will be draining on the users. They will need some time to recover before we can Reseal the heartless. But with them bursting free we won't have enough time." Sora grinned

"I have an idea. It's a bit reckless but it's our best bet."

"Sora my boy, you aren't possibly thinking about what I think your thinking about are you?" The doctors question hung in the air for a moment before Sora finally answered.

"Its the only way. I think I can control it now, usually it just runs wild but I've been training with Donald and Goofy, together we can hold it together."

"I'm confused, what exactly are you two talking about?" Twilight asked looking between the two ponies.

"Its simple, besides the Keyblade, the best thing to fight a heartless with is another more powerful heartless. So I'll become a heartless." Everypony in the room was silent.

"Sora thats absurd, that form of yours is dangerous!" The Doctor argued, trying to make Sora see sense.

"Well its that or we stand guard in front of the seal when it breaks. We're tough but we can't hold back an entire wall of heartless like this. In my heartless form it would be easy to hold them back."

"Sora, I've seen you face down a thousand heartless on your own when it mattered."

"And exactly how many heartless are behind that Seal?" Sora asked, Luna lowered her head.

"Hundreds of thousands. It holds almost every last ounce of darkness remaining in Equestria. The exception being the Everfree Forest and places beyond our reach."

"For there cannot be light without darkness." The Doctor stated matter-of-factly.

"And within the Darkness there is always a small light. Even within the heartless there is Light." Sora added with a smile.

"Are Goofy and Donald aware your planning such drastic measures Sora?"

"Of course we are Doc!" they said together, sitting beside their friend.

"Its not like he can do it without us." Donald said, lifting his chin a little.

"If Sora thinks we can do it then we can do it, simple as that." Goofy said, crossing his hooves.

"I see I can't convince you three otherwise, though I do hope you plan to train a bit more before taking on such an ordeal. Last time I saw that form it nearly exhausted you three to death."

"Sora, Would you care to explain this Heartless Form to me?" Luna asked. Sora nodded, his Keyblade appearing on the table.

"When we visited King Mickey's Teacher Yen Sid, the three good fairies gave me these special Clothes. they were created with magic. Within that magic it gives the power to bond myself temporarily with Goofy and Donald. I obtain different powers when bound to them like this. But when the three of us are bound together I am at my most powerful.

But for a while it was just random, sometimes I would end up as a heartless, fighting for control. We got lucky and whenever it happened the form was too focused on destroying any moving thing which always happened to be heartless. After a few more attempts I managed to turn into a heartless on purpose. I actually had some control over it, Riku was a big help then. He has had experience with that sort of thing and taught me a few things about the Darkness in ones heart. 

With what he taught me in mind and my friends beside me we kept at it. We can hold the form for about twenty minutes before it starts fighting back then we have to let it go. Its pretty exhausting to do, but if you guys can recover in twenty minutes then we can do this."

"I am not sure if that will be enough time. Using the magic that it will require to break the seal, let alone put it back together...we might not have enough time." Sora looked at his friends and they nodded.

"Then we have work to do."





Twilight watched as the three stood, nodding to everyone in the room before heading outside, Sora's key in his mouth.

"What are they up to?"

"Isn't it obvious Miss Sparkle? Sora and his friends are determined to go through with this knuckleheaded plan of theirs. If what you need is more time then they plan to give it to you. They've gone to train the only way they know how."

"Which is?"

"The way a mentor of theirs taught them on one of the many worlds they have been to. I believe they called him Phil, Trainer of Heroes. In any case they most likely intend to push their limit as far as they can get it before you go to break the seal. Do you perhaps have any place that you wouldn't worry about having destroyed by such training?"

"There is the sparring arena in Canterlot." Luna suggested

"Or the Sparring circle at Sweet Apple Acres." Twilight said, putting a hoof to her chin in thought.

"Excellent, I'll catch up to them and let them know, in the meanwhile perhaps you would like to come up with a backup plan or prepare yourself." The Doctor stood, nodding goodbye before going after Sora. Twilight merely sat there for a moment, her thoughts a blur. Applebloom looked between her, Luna and Nyx and cleared her throat a little.

"Ah suppose ah'll be goin, the others are probably waitin fer me. Ya comin Nyx?" She said quickly. Nyx smiled to herself realizing Applebloom had seen the same thing she had and nodded.

"We'll be back after our patrol is done, see ya mom." Nyx rushed out the door with her friend, both giggling a little as they headed for the clubhouse, though in truth it was more of a home after being rebuilt for Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. Luna risked a glance over toward Twilight, noticing that she seemed to be staring at the air.

Her sister had told her about this. Whenever the mare was truly lost in thought almost nothing could break her focus. Maybe she could bring herself to say something to her while she was like this.

"Twilight Sparkle, I have something of importance I wish to say to you." She gave a small nod, seeming to not really be paying any attention to her.

"For some time now, I have had...Feelings for you. I remember when you faced me while I was trapped...when I was Nightmare Moon. You held the power to completely destroy me, instead, you reached out to me and freed me from the anger in my heart. You replaced it with warmth...You patiently put up with me as I tried to learn how to fit in and spent hours teaching me. Even when I was stubborn you put up with it and continued on." Luna bit her lip as she pulled herself together for what she wanted to say.

"What I am trying to bring myself to say Twilight Sparkle is that in the time I have known you I have grown to love you." As the words left her mouth Twilight turned to her, making her blush and turn away.

"You...feel that way about me?" Twilight asked slowly, a blush touching her cheeks. Luna slowly turned back to her and nodded.

"Yes...I have for a long time now...My Sister thought that I would have the opportunity to speak my mind if I was the one to aid you and the Keyblade Wielder. She has taken control of the sun and moon so that I may be of as much use as possible. Celestia seems to know something I do not though, but I trust her judgment." Luna gasped as Twilight lunged for her, practically tackling her to the floor. She stared up at the mare of her dreams, finding tears and a blush.

"Twilight Sparkle..." The mare laughed and shook her head.

"Please, just call me Twilight..." she leaned down and pressed her lips against hers gently. Luna's wings unfurled instantly underneath her as they kissed. The world seemed to stop as they held one another. Twilight slowly pulled away, their eyes locking.

"I guess deep down i've always cared for you too Princess Luna. Princess Celestia use to tell me all sorts of stories about when you two were young. How you came up with each constellation in the sky and how her attempts at making such art was pointless compared to how effortlessly you filled the night sky." she smiled as the memories filled her mind.

"I would spend long nights just staring up at your beautiful night sky, sometimes just losing myself in the moon...When Princess Celestia asked me to tutor you...I wasn't sure what to say and I did my best to teach you what I knew." She blushed and looked away.

"Each night I always dreamed of you...I wasn't sure what to think of it all at first and I was afraid to say anything about it. So I kept it to myself and continued on with the lessons and was happy to have that time with you. In the end I guess I fell for you...but I thought that you could never love me...I'm just a unicorn."

Twilight moved off of her, letting her push to her hooves. Before Twilight could continue she was pulled into another kiss. Twilight leaned into the kiss, sparks dancing across her body. She was a bit breathless when Luna finally pulled away.





"Sora! hold on a moment!" The Doctor called. Sora stopped and turned toward him.

"I spoke with Twilight and the princess. if you intend to go on with this crazy plan of yours then at least have a good place to wreak your mayhem. There is a training ground not far from here. I'm sure Applejack will let you use it."

"Thats great Doc!" They followed him to Sweet Apple Acres, their eyes wide as they walked through the massive apple orchard.

"Whoa...this place is amazing!"

"Well thank ya Kindly." Big Macintosh said, slamming a single hoof into a nearby tree, the apples pouring into four large buckets surrounding the tree.

"I s'pose ye'r here to see Applejack. She and Miss Dash are finishin up on the other side, though Ah'd give em a minute or two before sneakin up on em" The large red stallion chuckled a little at his own joke, hefting up the buckets of apples onto a cart.

"Those look kinda heavy, need any help?"

"eenope. Though ah thank ya for th' offer. Ah'm sure ye'r current business is more important. 'sides, Ah've been doin this fer years." Sora nodded and headed in the direction Big Macintosh had said Applejack would be, the Doc and his friends close behind. They found Applejack chastising Rainbow for trying to fly.

"Well how the hay am I suppose to help if I can't fly?!"

"Ye'r not s'pose t' be helpin, ye'r s'pose to be restin!"

"I can't stand doing nothing AJ, your already taking care of me and still working your flank off out here."

"Listen Rainbow, ya know Ah love ya but you can be a might stubborn sometimes. If ya really need somethin to do ya can help me with th' cart. But no flyin!" Rainbow nodded and hugged her.

"Sorry AJ, I just feel kinda useless..."

"Yer not useless Sugarcube." Sora felt it wrong to interrupt the tender moment, but they were on a deadline.

"Hey Applejack! Rainbow Dash!" he called out, making them both jump and turn toward him.

"Well hey there Sora, what brings you round here? Did Twilight figure out somethin?" Applejack asked.

"Well its kinda complicated. Princess Luna came by and started talkin about a lot of stuff but mostly about the keyhole."

"So ya'll know where it is? Well what are we waitin for? let's go finish this before it can start."

"Yea...thats the complicated part. Princess Luna says its broken, or cracked. Our only option is to break it and make a new one."

"So we're gonna need all the Elements right?" Rainbow asked, Sora nodded.

"Though its still not as simple as that." The Doctor added.

"What the hay are you talkin about?"

"You see, it will require a great amount of magic to break the seal, even with the Elements of Harmony. When the seal is broken the hundreds of thousands of heartless will break free. During the time they are unleashed you as well as the other Elements will be exhausted and trying to recover leaving you vulnerable. 

Sora has come up with a plan however. He believes he can buy you the time you need to recover and reseal the heartless. Its risky though and I personally don't approve. Long story short, Sora and his friends need to use your Sparring circle to practice a rather dangerous magical power."

"Dangerous magical power? Ye'r not makin much sense Doctor."

"With Donald and Goofy's help I can turn into a heartless. It'll give me the speed and power to keep all the heartless held back while you guys recover, but I can't hold it for more than twenty minutes. So we need to train and buy more time for  you guys."

"Whoa whoa whoa, back that wagon up mister. You can turn into one of those freaks who tore my wing to shreds? And doing this is somehow gonna help us?" Rainbow asked in shock.

"I know its hard to believe but yes. The three of us together can control it and keep the heartless held back. But the Princess said you would need more than Twenty minutes so we need to train."

"Ah s'pose if its our only choice of action, ya'll can have the Sparrin Circle, just try not to get ye'rselves killed. Ah don't like the sound of turnin into one of those things."

"Its not exactly fun." Donald added

"Its kinda like bein stuck in a really dark room"

"But when we're together we can get through any darkness." the three smiled and headed for the Sparring circle.

"I still don't approve, but its all we have right now. I can only hope they can buy enough time without killing themselves."





Applebloom knocked on the door, rapping her hoof against a soft spot on the door. Only the crusaders knew about the spot, it was their way of telling each other who they were. When hit just right it made a distinct noise that would echo throughout the entire house. Nyx giggled a little, hearing the two inside shuffling about trying to compose themselves and open the door. It was Scootaloo who got to the door first, smiling and blushing a little.

"Hey, you guys are early, somethin happen?"

"Yea, its kind of a long story, mind if we come in or should we wait until you two are decent?" Nyx teased, pointing a hoof at Scootaloo's raised wings. Scootaloo cleared her throat and sat, Sweetie Belle pushing the door open

"Come on in, I'm kinda curious what has you guys here so early." It was obvious even with the normal sweetness her voice held that she was a bit annoyed her time with Scootaloo had been cut short. Nyx took a seat on the small couch in the living room. She looked around, remembering how this use to be the only room of the clubhouse.

"So why are you two here so early? Not here to tell us you two are goin at it now are you?" Scootaloo joked, only getting laughs from the two of them. She had hoped for blushes and stammering.

"Guess not."

"We're not 'goin at it' Scoots, but Twilight and Princess Luna are." Applebloom said with another laugh.

"Twilight...and the Princess?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking at Nyx then at Scootaloo and finally back at Applebloom.

"Yea. She musta shown up sometime in the middle of the night. She was there this mornin and th' two of em were more flustered than Scootaloo when the two of you told me you were fillyfoo...uh...Together." Even after all these years that word still found its way into their conversations, though it didn't bother them anywhere near as much as Applebloom thought it did.

"Its alright Bloom." Said Scootaloo, smiling to break the tension in the air.

"That joke earlier does make me wonder a bit." Sweetie belle said from her seat on the couch.

"About what Belle?"

"Well, do you and bloom have anypony special in mind? There is a dance at school comin up, mares choice." Nyx and Applebloom just looked at each other then back at their friends.

"Not really...I told myself I wouldn't bother with any attempts at a relationship." Nyx said, lowering her head a little.

"Oh come on Nyx not this again. How many times do I gotta say it before it gets into your head. It doesn't matter how long you live, you still deserve to be happy, more so than the rest of us. There really isn't any colt whose caught your eye?"  

Nyx shook her head, she hadn't been looking so she didn't notice the stares she got on a daily basis.

"Poor Nyx doesn't even notice the colts staring at her flank, how is she gonna have her eye on one of em?" Applebloom asked.

"Well what about you Bloom?" Applebloom started mumbling a bit, drawing circles in the floor with her hoof.

"Oh? So you do have a crush! Whoisit?whoisit?whoisit?" Scootaloo asked over and over

"Well...its uh..." she glanced around the room, the three ponies before her all on the edge of their seats as they waited for Applebloom to speak up.

"Ah can't say..." she finally answered, the others sighing loudly.

"Oh come on Bloom!"

"Don't pressure her Scootaloo. Remember when you two tried talking to us?"





Scootaloo couldn't make herself stop shaking. It had been two weeks since she had spoken her feelings for Sweetie Belle and had been shocked when the Unicorn felt the same about her. The two sat in the clubhouse, comforting one another for what they were about to do.

"It'll be alright Scoots." Scootaloo bit her lip and nodded. Sweetie Belle didn't seem as worried as she was.

"Y-Your right, they'll understand...won't they?" Sweetie belle nodded and pulled her into a gentle hug. Scootaloo sighed, rubbing her cheek against the unicorn mare slowly. All of her troubles seemed to wash away within that moment, only to be revived by the Cutie Mark Crusaders knock at the door. 

Sweetie Belle gave her a quick peck on the cheek before opening the door for her friends. Nyx and Applebloom walked into the room with smiles, laughing about some joke at school. Nyx still wore her glasses as most ponies were still freaked out about her eyes. They looked good on her, of course that was thanks to Rarity.

"So whats this really important thing ya'll need t' tell us? Did you two get yer cutie marks?" Applebloom asked. Sweetie Belle only shook her head, taking a seat beside the shaking Scootaloo.

"Hey, you alright Scootaloo?" Nyx asked, setting her glasses aside. She wasn't worried about her friends freaking out about her eyes. She could trust them with anything.

"I'm alright, just kinda freakin out..."

"Well whats this about? You know you can tell us anything Scootaloo. Remember the slumber party when I showed you guys my wings?" Scootaloo nodded and calmed down, the memory bringing a smile to her face.

"Yea...I remember...this is kinda different though."

"Aw come on, ya can't just bring us out here for somethin important and not tell us Scootaloo. Just tell us" Applebloom pressed. Sweetie Belle sighed a little and gently kissed Scootaloo's cheek to calm her. Applebloom just stared with wide eyes. 

Nyx wasn't all surprised. She had seen this coming a few weeks ago. The two of them would always sneak off to the clubhouse when they thought nopony was looking. Nyx had gotten into the habit of watching Ponyville at night. She was still just a little Filly so whenever anything happened she had to get Twilight to do something about it. Nyx smiled.

"I think that answers the question. I'm so happy for you two. But are you sure about this? We're still just kids ya know."

"Of course we're sure." Sweetie Belle spoke up. Nyx laughed at the sight of Scootaloo. The poor pegasus was staring at an empty point in space as her wings unfurled. Applebloom was in a state of shock as she stared at her two closest friends.

"So uh...just how long have the two of ya been fillyfoolers?" Applebloom asked, snapping Scootaloo out of her daze.

"Hey, its not like there is anything wrong with liking a mare!" She yelled.

"Ah didn't say that Scoot, ah'm sorry. Ah didn't mean it like that. Ah was just wonderin is all, Honest!"

"Its alright Applebloom. You're our friend. We know you don't mean anything like that. But this is why we haven't said anything yet. Everypony at school would react worse than Applebloom did. We can't keep it a secret forever and we felt it was only right to tell you two." Sweetie Bell explained.

"I'm glad you trust us Sweetie Belle, but you'd be surprised just how many ponies are like you two. I didn't want to say anything but I caught Diamond Tiara kissing Silver Spoon behind the school a few weeks ago."

"No wonder she's been so nice to you!"

"I'm not the type to take advantage of that sort of thing Applebloom and I want you to Pinkie Promise that you won't either. I know she's a bully but if we took advantage of her like this we'd be no better than her." Applebloom sighed

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye" she said, going through the motions. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle doing the same afterwards. Nopony could break a Pinkie Promise.

"Alright, I want you two to Pinkie Promise you won't tell anypony about me and Belle until we do ok?" Nyx happily complied, almost poking her eye out as she went through the motions, Applebloom was a bit slow to do it but eventually did.





"Ah still haven't broken that promise ya know. Ah'm not sure if anypony even knows about Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon."

"That's great and all Bloom, but what about your crush? I don't wanna pressure you but I'd really like to know." Apple Bloom sighed.

"Its Pip..." The three ponies stared at her.

"PIP?!"
> Matchmaking
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The form broke and the three friends skid across the ground. Steam rose from their coats as they panted heavily, exhausted after their twelfth attempt.

"S-Sora...I think...we got...at least...another minute...that time..." Donald said between gulps of air. It was hardest on the unicorn; his magic was what kept the form stable alongside Goofy's strength and Sora's Willpower.

"L-Let's give it...one more go..." Goofy said, shaking visibly.

"Y...Yea" Donald said, stumbling over to Goofy. Sora bit back tears.

"Are you guys sure?" he asked after catching his breath. They both smiled at him and nodded.

"We need t' do this Sora." Goofy argued, Donald nodding agreement.

"Alright, one more and then we'll rest." Sora walked over to his friends and sat down, leaning his head forward as his horn glowed. Donald's horn began to glow as he placed it against Sora's. Goofy lowered his head, resting it against their horns, the glow surrounding the three of them.

"Within the greatest Darkness the brightest of lights shines. Within every light burns a dark flame." Sora spoke quietly as a light spread around them. It seemed to explode, pulling back together as a dark sphere that engulfed the three ponies, forcing their bodies into one. 

The Sphere vanished, leaving behind a tall pitch black Alicorn. Instead of hooves he had dragon claws; instead of a mane he had glowing yellow spikes; his eyes were large yellow orbs that seemed to twitch and stare in all directions at once. 

A heartless crest sat upon his flank, within it sat a Shield and on top of the shield was a Keyblade of light crossed over a staff. Darkness drifted across the Alicorns' body and out of his mouth. The tips and edges of his wings were sharper than his claws.

The form only held for a few moments, suddenly breaking apart and sending the three flying in opposite directions. They all just lay there, their bodies screaming at them to stay where they were. Applejack sighed a little and walked over, scooping up Sora onto her back as her brother lifted Goofy and Donald.

"Alright Big Macintosh, let's get em inside before they kill themselves." As big Macintosh turned to head to the house goofy started to drift off his back, quickly caught by Rainbow Dash. Big Macintosh turned to argue that he could carry the earth pony and stopped himself when he saw the look in her eyes.

"I got this Big Mac." She said to him, walking beside Applejack.

Applejack walked downstairs after making sure the three friends were comfortable. Sora had barely regained consciousness and tried to go back out to keep training. It had taken Big Macintosh to hold him down and convince him to rest.

"Ah swear that colt is as stubborn as you are Rainbow."

"It's just another amazing quality AJ. It's not Stubbornness. It's a need to help your friends." She said over her cup of cider. Applejack was a bit surprised at Rainbow. The Pegasus had never been serious like this before. She sat down, rubbing her cheek against her marefriend, smiling as her wings drifted upward slowly.

"Yer thinkin bout him arn't ya rainbow?" Applejack asked teasingly. Rainbow gasped as Applejacks teeth found the sweet spot just under her wing. Applejack smiled to herself as the Pegasus began to blush

"I admire his spirit AJ, that's all." she said shakily, setting her cider down

"What do ya mean Dash?" she asked, stopping her teasing for a moment

"He was on the brink of breaking down AJ. I know you saw it. And that unicorn friend of his, Donald. He looked like he was gonna be sick and don't even get me started on that earth pony. But what I noticed is how it affected Sora the most. He's good at hiding it, but I could see it in his eyes. He's tearing himself up inside."

"Rainbow...Ah didn't know you could be this serious."

"I had the same feeling back when I found out Scootaloo had been alone all those years. I hated myself for months. She was always tagging along with me and I never noticed, and when I finally did it was too late. She had already suffered so much..." Applejack pulled Rainbow into a hug as the cyan Pegasus cried.

"Ya can't blame yerself for that Rainbow. Ya took her in in her time of need didn't ya? Remember how happy she was when ya adopted her?" Rainbow nodded.

"It still hurts..." Applejack nodded, kissing her forehead gently.

"I saw the same pain in Sora's eyes. The pain of being useless"

------

"Ok so, Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Then Rarity and Spike. My mother and Princess Luna."

"You aren't weirded out by that?" Scootaloo asked causing Nyx to whip her head around and stare at her in shock.

"What? Luna is practically your mom. You were originally born from her feelings toward Princess Celestia. So technically your mom is dating your mom." Scootaloo laughed.

"Well, put that way it does seem a bit weird. But I don't exactly have a birth mother. Besides, Twilight adopted me like Rainbow adopted you."

"Doesn't make her any less your mother." Scootaloo argued with a smile.

"Hey! Let's get back to work you two!" Sweetie Belle snapped at them from the kitchen. They both jumped at the unicorns' voice. Sweetie Belle was a force to be reckoned with when angered.

"Ok so, after my mother we have you and Belle." Scootaloo blushed and cleared her throat as Nyx started to laugh.

"Alright after that Fluttershy and Big Mac. Geez are you sure about this Belle?" Scootaloo asked.

"Of course I am Scoots. Nyx has the right idea. Besides its all working towards the most important couple."

"Pip and Bloom, right. Well if you're sure about it Belle then let's do it."

"I'll get Mac and Shy. Scoot you get Applejack and Rainbow Dash. We'll meet up at the library after that and then go see Spike and Rarity."

"Alright." Scootaloo stood, stealing a quick kiss from Sweetie Belle before rushing out the door. Nyx smiled at her blush.

"I still think you two make a cute couple."

"And we both still think that you should be looking for a special somepony too."

"Belle, I've already explained this to you. Please don't make me do it again." Sweetie Belle sighed.

"Alright, I won't pest you about it today. But if your gonna be playing matchmaker you should at least consider it." Nyx nodded and took off.

------

Scootaloo smiled a little to herself as she knocked on the door. A few memories drifted around in the back of her head, back when she use to live here with Rainbow and Applejack. For awhile it had just been her and Rainbow staying at her Cloudhouse, but Scootaloo was a poor flier back then. Rainbow always had to carry her home. Though for a while she had enjoyed the rides, she had realized it was becoming too much for Rainbow to have to always carry her around and her own attempts at flying had only led to her getting hurt.

Though after a while Rainbow had gone back to staying in her Cloudhouse. Scootaloo had thought it had been her fault the two were drifting away from one another.  She was pulled from her memories as Rainbow pulled the door open.

"Hey squirt! It's good to see you." she said pulling her into a hug.

"It's good to see you too mom" Rainbow smiled and let her inside.

"You just comin over for a visit or did you come up with a new trick I should know about?" She asked, sitting with her near the fireplace. Only long forgotten ashes remained in the fireplace, logs set aside and waiting for winter when they would be needed. Scootaloo smiled to herself, lost in her memories for a moment. She remembered cuddling up with Rainbow and Applejack in front of the fire, holding a warm cup of cider in her hooves while Big Macintosh sat with Applebloom nearby. She missed those days. Rainbow noticed the look in her eye and let her drift in her memories for a while.

"Somethin happen Squirt?" Scootaloo shook from her memories and smiled.

"Sort of. Belle, Nyx and I are plannin a par..." a pink blur zipped past her before she could finish. The blur came into focus as it stopped near them, bouncing in place.

"Did somepony say Party?!" Pinkie asked as she bounced. Applejack poked her head out of the kitchen to see what was going on.

"Pinkie Pie, what did ah tell ya about knockin before zippin in here?"

"Oops! Sorry Applejack, but I couldn't stop myself. I just finished getting everything ready for Sora and his friends so when I heard there was another party goin on I had to find out what it was about cause if it was today then I'd miss it cause I'd be at Sora's party and if you were all at that other party then you'd miss Sora's party and then Sora and his friends might feel left out and nopony should feel left out and we can't all go to two parties at the same time." Pinkie gasped, amazingly not for air but because an idea popped into her head

"Maybe we could! We could have both parties at the same time at sugarcube corner!" Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head with a hoof.

"Uh, sounds great Pinkie but uh...this is a different kind of party."

"A party is still a party silly. So whats this party about?"

--

"Is that Pinkie Pie ah hear in there?" Braeburn asked. Applejack rolled her eyes and nodded, taking a seat at the table. Her cousin had arrived on the late train just last night. This visit had been planned for months now. Granny smith was getting on in her years and wanted to be sure as many Apples as possible knew how to make her famous Zap Apple Jam, especially with the harvest so close.

The first sign would appear any day now. With the heartless appearing like this it would be hard for Applejack or Rainbow to get any work done. Applejack sighed a little.

"Yea it's her cousin. Now about th' zap apple harvest. We're gonna need all th' help we can get."

"Ah wonder if she remembers me." Braeburn said, having missed everything except "yea it's her" Applejack raised an eyebrow and waved a hoof in front of his face

"Equestria to Braeburn, we have a serious problem on our hooves. Granny smith..." Applejack choked as she tried to spit the words out, pulling Braeburns attention back to her. She didn't notice the tears making their way down her cheeks and onto the table. She didn't notice as her cousin pulled her into a gentle hug.

All she noticed was the terrible pain in her chest at the thought of losing Granny Smith. She had already lost Winona just a year ago. To everyone else she had just been a dog, but to Applejack she had been her oldest and closest friend. A pink bouncing blur next to her caught her attention.

"Oh hey there Applejack, Hi braesy! We're throwing a huge super fantastic party for all of us and our friends. oh, but." the pink party ponies voice grew to a whisper now

"You can't tell Applebloom, it's a special surprise, Scootaloo will explain everything. I gotta go get back to work. See ya Applejack, bye Braesy!" she ran out of the house, leaving the two sitting there confused. Applejack wiping away her tears and cheering up as a thought came to her.

"uh...Did ah hear that right? Did she just call you 'Braesy'?"

--

Rainbow smiled as she listened to the plan.

"So little Applebloom is crushin on Pip? Does AJ know yet?"  Scootaloo shook her head.

"No But Bloom's been real depressed and we barely got her to admit to us that she likes him. We figured this might be a good way to put the two of em together."

"Put who together?" Applejack asked, walking into the room with a tray on her back. The smell of fresh slices of Apple pie filled the noses of all in the room. Applejack sat a slice in front of everypony before having a seat herself.

"The crusaders are plannin to help Applebloom with a crush of hers." Rainbow explained, digging into the pie.

"Mah sister? It's 'bout time somepony caught her eye. Who is it?"

"It's  Pip." Scootaloo took a bite of pie, chewing slowly to savor the taste. She could taste a hint of cinnamon and honey as the pie rolled around her tongue.

"Pip? that nice lil' colt ah hired? Can't say ah'm surprised. She's been eyein that pony up and down every chance she can get."

"Hired? Pip works here?" Scootaloo asked in surprise.

"Yea. He was gonna join the royal guard but he needs some official work hours before he can even get in th' gate. Ah decided to let him come and buck some trees here. His parents seemed pretty happy bout it." Applejack sat and gave Scootaloo a smile. She had missed the days when they just sat and enjoyed each other's company. She would have to visit more often. It had been so hard to ever since she started helping Nyx.

"So whats this plan Pinkie was goin on about?"

"Well, Bloom likes Pip. So we're gonna throw a party with Pinkies help. Me and Belle will perform a few romantic songs and get the two in the mood. Pinkie will make sure they end up sitting together and bam, the two of them will be a couple." Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other, laughing a bit.

"It ain't really that simple Sugarcube, but if ya'll are gonna go through with it we won't stop ya."

"But we'd like to make some requests. Sweetie Belle has the most awesome singing voice and you're an awesome dancer." Scootaloo blushed at the praise and nodded.

"We we're kinda hopin for that."

------

Sora groaned, letting his eyes slowly open to find he was in a bed. The covers were gently pulled over him. He sat up slowly, finding bandages across his body.

"Huh...Donald! Goofy!" he looked around the room, finding his friends in nearby beds. Donald had bandages around his head and goofy had some wrapped around his body. Sora sighed, putting a hoof to his head. He could hear the darkness calling him. 

Even with Donald's magic having held it back it still clawed at the back of his mind. He could hear the sounds of laughing close by and stood shakily. The instant he landed on his hooves he crumpled to the ground in pain. His entire body ached from head to tail.

"Now what do ya think your doin?" Applejack scolded, lifting him up onto the bed.

"Yer not goin anywhere til you and yer pals heal up. Well besides Pinkies party. And ah won't let ya go in this condition. Ya'll need to get some rest."

"We need to be ready Applejack..." he tried to argue

"And we will be sugarcube, but not if ya go and kill yerself. Get some rest alright?" he nodded and rolled onto his side.

"Ah'll bring you and yer friends some lunch once yer feelin better." As she left he realized something.

"A party?" he thought aloud.

"She's throwing us a party?"

------

Applebloom sighed as she sat in sugarcube corner. Her friends were planning something and wouldn't let her in on it. Maybe they were planning on telling Pip behind her back and having him come to her.

no...they wouldn't do that...they are mah friends and they said they wouldn't tell him without me.

Maybe they were gonna come with him and blurt it out. That'd be just like Scootaloo to do something like that.

She started to panic and hyperventilate, a cupcake suddenly appearing on her table. Pinkie gave her an all-knowing look as she skipped back to her decorations for the party. Pinkie kept zipping in and out of the store. 

Applebloom's curiosity got the better of her and she walked outside, her eyes wide as she looked around. There must have been hundreds of decorations out there. there was even a stage and a bunch of tables scattered across the yard, covered with party favors and balloons. Why did Pinkie need so much for just one little party? It didn't make any sense.

------

Nyx landed quietly in front of Fluttershy's cottage. She gently knocked on the door with a hoof and waited for an answer. usually the shy yellow pegasus would give an immediate, albeit quiet, response when anypony came to her door. Instead Nyx was greeted with silence. Again she knocked and could hear the sounds of movement behind the door. It opened slightly and Nyx could see a cute little bunny standing in the doorway, though he seemed upset.

"Hi Angel, is Fluttershy around?" the bunny shook his head and stopped, nodding quickly.

"She's not but she is?" the bunny nodded.

"Well that doesn't make any sense. Is she busy or something?" The bunny looked behind itself for a moment before turning back to her with a nod.

"Alright well...I have a really important message for her." Nyx's ears twitched at the sound of Fluttershy screaming and she bolted into the house and into Fluttershy's room

"FLUTTERSHY!" she stopped at the scene before her, quickly slamming the door shut.

"IMSOSORRY!IMSOSORRY!IMSOSORRY!"She called through the door over and over again. She jumped as Fluttershy opened the door, her face burning red. Nyx lowered her head, mumbling sorry over and over again. Fluttershy shook her head and the two walked downstairs.

A hurried explanation of why she had rushed in so quickly made Fluttershy giggle a little.

"I'm really sorry..." Nyx said again.

"oh...well its ok Nyx. You were only trying to help." Fluttershy tried to comfort the Alicorn, unable to hide the rising blush on her cheeks.

"I...I shouldn't have just barged in like that though...I'm really sorry..."

"Yer startin to sound like shy. What brings ya 'round here?" Big Macintosh asked, entering the room with a blush of his own. Fluttershy cleared her throat and stood, giving Macintosh a kiss on the cheek before leaving to make them all some tea to ease the tension in the air.

"I'm sorry..." Nyx said again, making Macintosh chuckle. He took a seat across from her.

"It's alright Miss Nyx. Though ah hope you'll knock next time." she nodded, smiling as Fluttershy handed her a cup of tea to calm her nerves. She wasn't a little filly anymore but there were some things she really didn't need to see.

"Ya'll had somethin important ya wanted to say Miss Nyx?" Big Macintosh asked of the shocked Alicorn

"Huh? OH RIGHT! It's about Applebloom"

"Is she alright?" the worry in his voice was so heavy it was painful.

"She's perfectly fine Big Macintosh. She has a crush on a friend of ours so the cutie mark crusaders came up with a plan." Nyx explained what they planned to do and they both happily agreed to help out, as long as Nyx didn't rush into the house again.

------

Nyx and Scootaloo both arrived at the Library at the same time, smiling at one another. Without a word they knew the other had been successful. Though there was still a blush on Nyx's face.

"Uh, you alright Nyx?" Scootaloo asked, making the Alicorn blush harder.

"Yea! I'm fine."

"um...ok...So get this, Pinkie is gonna help us out and I think she has a thing for Braeburn."

"Braeburn?" Nyx had only heard of the stallion, she had never actually met him in person.

"That's Applejacks cousin right?" Scootaloo nodded.

"He's stayin over to learn how to make Zap Apple Jam. Granny smith isn't feeling well and...we're all fearing the worst..." Scootaloo said, her mood quickly shifting from happy to depressed. Nyx pulled the pegasus into a gentle hug.

"I'm Sorry Scootaloo..." Scootaloo shook her head, wiping away unshed tears.

"Nah...it's alright Nyx. Granny's led a full life and it's her time. We all know it but none of us wanna say it. But that's not what we're here for right now. We're here to get your parents in on the party." Nyx raised an eyebrow as the words 'your parents' fell from her friends' mouth.

"My 'parents' ?"

"Yea, Princess Luna and Twilight. It's already obvious the two of them are together Nyx. Next thing you know they'll be getting married and adopting a foal or somethin." Scootaloo joked. Nyx rolled her eyes and stepped into the library, finding the two mares they had just been talking about cuddling on a couch. Nyx and Scootaloo just stood in the doorway, staring at the scene for a moment. Twilight lifted her head from a book, a blush falling across her face.

"Um..." Twilight and Nyx said together. Scootaloo and Luna burst into laughter.

"Well, that cats out of the bag." Twilight said with a sigh.

"I don't think it ever was in the bag Twi" Scootaloo said through her laughter. Nyx shook her head and took a seat near the couch.

"Mom we need your help." Twilight nodded, setting the book aside.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, not really. We're trying to help Applebloom with her crush."

It took a bit of explaining and Scootaloo just spitting things out while Nyx tried to beat around the bush on things. Both of them explaining that they had already spoken to everyone but Spike and Rarity. Luna and Twilight smiled at one another then back at them.

"I think it's sweet of you to do this for Applebloom. But is it really a good idea to force them into this?" Twilight asked

"We're not forcing them. We're just putting everything in place and letting them do it themselves. If it doesn't happen then it doesn't happen. We already learned our lesson when it comes to forcing ponies into a relationship." Scootaloo explained, remembering how she had accidentally poisoned her teacher.

"I believe it is a good plan. And with Pinkie Pie's help it most certainly cannot fail. All that remains is to speak with Spike and Rarity and to have Pip and Applebloom both arrive at the party." Luna said with a small smile. Nyx nodded and started walking toward the door.

"Nyx, you've told me about your matchmaking for others, but what about you?" Twilight asked. Nyx stopped with her wings half open, a hoof on the door.

"I don't have a special Somepony mom." She said quietly, heading outside and taking off. Scootaloo sighed as Nyx vanished from sight.

"She's been like that this entire time. Every time one of us brings it up she always gets like this." Luna nodded, understanding instantly.

"She is afraid..."

------

It didn't take long for Scootaloo to catch up to Nyx. She found the Alicorn standing outside Rarity's shop as if scared of what lay beyond the door.

"You sure you're alright Nyx? You've been actin pretty weird."

"Well uh...I kinda saw somethin that I don't ever wanna see again..." She said quietly. Scootaloo raised an eyebrow and knocked on the door.

"Right...well do you wanna talk about it?" Nyx shook her head, sighing in relief as Rarity opened the door.

"Oh, Nyx, Scootaloo, it's so wonderful to see both of you. Spike! We have guests!" she called out to the Dragon.

"To what do we owe this visit?" Rarity said with her usual smile, though there seemed to be a certain sparkle in her eyes today. She invited them inside, Spike bringing them hot cups of tea to drink and took a seat next to Rarity. Rarity caught onto the plan faster than the others had, a wide smile on her face.

"Oh this is going to be fabulous! You HAVE to let me make dresses for you and Sweetie Belle" Scootaloo almost choked on her tea, setting it down as gently as she could. She tried to think of a way out of modeling for a dress but could find none. Sweetie Belle would probably be angry at her but she saw no other way out.

"Alright sure, but nothing too fancy." Rarity almost squealed with delight.

"I'll have them ready as soon as I can dear, I'll need you to bring Sweetie Belle if I'm going to get the size just right. Time is of the essence. No doubt Pinkie Pie already has the party ready." Rarity thought for a moment, looking Scootaloo up and down with her lips pursed.

"On second thought, Nyx dear would you go fetch Sweetie Belle for me? I'd like to start as soon as possible to have the dresses ready." Nyx turned to Scootaloo for a moment. The pegasus seemed to be begging her to stay.

"Of course Miss Rarity." Nyx said, remembering her lessons with the unicorn. She set her cup down with a smile and a nod of her head before leaving.

"I'll return shortly!" she called back. This was her small revenge on Scootaloo for a certain prank a few weeks ago.

------

The unicorn gasped as she was flung out of the bar, her box of tricks scattering across the ground.

"HOW DARE YOU THROW OUT THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!" the mare screamed at the bartender, only to have a glass go flying over her head. She threw down a smoke bomb, gathering as many of her things as she could in her magic and ran. This had become her life now. Performing at bars and parties, anything that paid money.

"It's all that ponies fault. That Twilight Sparkle. She ruined Trixies' reputation. HUMPH. She only took out an Ursa Minor, Trixie easily handled an Ursa MAJOR!" the unicorn gloated to herself. She sighed knowing deep down she was only lying to herself. Slowly she trotted towards the next town, knowing this one had nothing left for her. Word of her ruined reputation had already spread here.

"If Trixie had REAL power...then Trixie could hunt down Twilight Sparkle and all of those horrible ponies who made Trixie a laughingstock!"

"So you seek power?" a voice echoed behind her. she squeaked and spun, finding nothing but shadows.

"Y...Yes..." she said quietly. a tall cloaked figure took a step forward from the shadows.

"Have you heard of, The Heartless?"

------

"SHE PROMISED WHAT?!" Sweetie Belle yelled. Nyx sighed a little and nodded.

"She didn't really have a choice, you know how your sister gets." Sweetie Belle slowly calmed down.

"Yea...I know, Scootaloo doesn't even like dresses. Well knowing Rarity she'll make something 'Fabulous!'" the Unicorn put a hoof in the air jokingly. The two of them burst into laughter.

"Alright, let's get this over with."

------

Sora and his friends ate quietly, a young spotted stallion sitting across from them and talking to Applejack.

"Ah've got yer weeks pay ready Pip. Ah gotta say, I feel a lot better about our situation havin you around to keep the apples comin. Heh, I remember when you were just a little colt, now look at ya, buckin trees almost as hard as Big Macintosh." The stallion grinned a little.

"Thanks Miss Applejack, but I'm just doing my job. Besides you have these three here, I'm sure they could help more than I can."

"Uh...not really Sugarcube, these three are special friends and they are just visitin t' help me and mah friends with a problem of ours. They don't really have time to buck trees."

"Well sure we do." Goofy said, licking his lips after gulping down a cup of cider.

"We're always happy to help out Applejack, it's the least we could do." Applejack shook her head a little, a smile on her face.

"Yer already doin so much fer us Sora, ah don't wanna trouble ya with work like this."

"It's no trouble at all. Phil use to put us through all kinds of drills without letting us rest. Its helped us push our boundaries and get stronger."

"Stronger? Are you three Royal guards?" Pip asked excitedly. Sora was about to say no but when he thought about it, Goofy really was a Royal Guard, He was Captain of King Mickey's Royal Guard, while Donald was the Royal Mage.

"Goofy and Donald are." Pip turned toward the two who instantly stared at Sora. Sora gave them a goofy smile over his cider.

"In fact, Goofy is a Captain, and Donald is a mage."

"Sora, we're not suppose t..."

"A captain! Miss Applejack I knew you were famous but you are friends with ponies like this. Thats amazing!" Applejack sighed

"Now why did ya have t' go and start tellin him stuff like that Sora."

"It wouldn't feel right to lie to him." Sora said, setting his cup down. Applejack was silent for a moment and suddenly started laughing.

"Ah guess yer right Sugarcube." Donald and Goofy did their best explaining that they weren't a part of Celestia's Or Luna's Royal guard, that they came from somewhere far away but what Sora had said was true. Pip was still interested, hoping he could learn something from the two of them.

"Ah'm home!" a voice called from the door

"We're in here Applebloom!" Applejack called back. She smiled as her sister stopped in her tracks, her eyes stuck on the spotted stallion in the room.

------

Scootaloo sighed, trying to keep still as Rarity took measurement after measurement, her magic lifting a quill to write something down on a piece of paper she wasn't even looking at. Scootaloo had always wondered what it would be like to use magic, though she still liked her wings better. In her eyes magic could never compare to the feeling of soaring through the air. Rarity finally nodded and she relaxed as the Unicorn quickly went to work on her dress.

"Something that is breathable but gives an extra flair to your dancing." Rarity mumbled as she started working on one of her models, setting colors aside and rubbing her chin with a hoof. Sweetie Belle walked in, throwing Scootaloo a glance that said 'We'll talk later'. Scootaloo sighed and hung her head, blushing as the Unicorn kissed her cheek. Sometimes Scootaloo couldn't tell if the mare was mad at her or just poking fun at her.

Scootaloo stepped down as Rarity quickly took several measurements from Sweetie Belle.

"Perfect, simply perfect. I've got the absolutely perfect design in mind for you dear. Hmm, now where did I put those gemstones. Spike! Did you get into my sapphires!?" Sounds of stumbling downstairs were the only answer, the youngest in the room bursting into laughter. Spike poked his head into the room, setting a chest down.

"Nope, although I did find this." He said with a sly grin, holding out a large heart shaped Fire ruby. Rarity gasped in surprise as he placed it around her neck.

"I had thought I lost it...I was so devastated...I couldn't bring myself to tell you it was gone." Spike merely smiled, kissing her cheek.

"Wherever did you find it?"

"Opal was batting it around in the kitchen" he said with a small laugh. She threw her hooves around him and buried her head in his chest. A clock ringing above caught her attention.

"Oh my! I need to get back to work if these dresses are going to be ready in time for the party." Spike nodded, turning toward Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, motioning for them to follow him downstairs. Once at the bottom he grabbed something from a nearby table.

"I need your help with something."

------

Trixie grinned as large powerful black wings spread across her back. The darkness growing in her felt amazing! It was better than any power she had ever felt in her entire life! With this power she could easily take her revenge on Twilight Sparkle.

"So, all Trixie has to do is destroy Twilight Sparkle and the Elements?"

"That is correct." the cloaked figure spoke. Trixie smiled. Whoever this creature was he had just given Trixie everything she had wanted, and the only price was for her to take her revenge. It was perfect. Too perfect.

"And what do you get out of all of this?" She asked, she swore she saw a smile under the hood the figure wore.

"If you succeed then I'll have another job for you. There is a weapon known as a Keyblade. When you arrive in Ponyville you'll see what you call an Alicorn. He will have a Unicorn and an earth pony with him. I want you to destroy them as well."

"Is that all? If Trixie does all of this will Trixie keep these powers?"

"Well of course my dear Trixie, this is your power now. All I ask is that you do as I have said and destroy those who have shunned you as well as the holder of the Keyblade."

"Very well then, Trixie accepts." The man smiled, a large dark mass forming behind him

"Good, I will be watching Trixie, now go, show them what true power is." the figure vanished into the darkness, leaving Trixie standing there alone. She stared at herself for a moment, a massive grin on her face. Slowly she flapped the massive wings, gradually putting more into each flap until she took to the air. At most it would be a day's flight to Ponyville.

"A day until Trixie has her revenge" the unicorn said with a laugh.

------

Applebloom froze as she entered the kitchen. There sat Pip as well as her sister. Had her friends told Applejack? Had Applejack told Pip?! She started to shake visibly and quickly turned, running out of the kitchen and into the orchard.

"How could they betray me like that?! How could they tell them?!" She felt tears sting her eyes as she ran, faintly hearing her sister calling her name. She tried to think of somewhere she could go, somewhere nopony would follow her. She couldn't hide at the clubhouse, it wasn't the clubhouse anymore. She couldn't go to her room, her sister had a key. Her thoughts raced as she ran through the orchard, leaping over roots and ducking under branches.

"Applebloom wait!" she heard a voice call to her. She froze in place as the voice called for her.

"maybe...Maybe it'll be ok...maybe they told him and he feels the same way..." she told herself quietly.

"No, that can't be right. Ah'm just talkin nonsense...Pip could never like me..."

"Of course I like you Applebloom. We've been friends for years." She jumped and spun, finding the stallion standing behind her. He was a bit out of breath but he wore a smile on his face. She almost turned and started to run again, only to have him put a hoof on her shoulder.

"Is somethin bothering you Applebloom?" he asked softly. She blushed, lost in his eyes. Deep pools of chocolate brown stared back at her.

"ah...um...well..." she lowered her head, scuffing her hoof through the dirt a few times. She took a deep breath

"Ahreallylikeyou!"she almost yelled. her blush grew as she threw her hooves over her mouth. She couldn't bring herself to look up at him.

He must think ah'm crazy... She gasped as he pulled her into a hug.

"Is that all? I like you too Applebloom, you were one of my first real friends here."

he just likes me as a friend... she felt tears sting her eyes and shook her head, pulling away from him.

"Ah like you more than a friend Pip..." she said quietly. He smiled, wiping away one of her tears with his hoof. She looked up at him, her eyes wide as he planted a gentle kiss against her lips.

------

Applejack lifted a hoof to make the others stop, smiling at what she saw.

"Alright, Pip's got this handled, let's get ya'll back and get ready for that party." Applejack turned, giving the two their privacy and leading Sora and his friends back to the house. Rainbow was waiting for them at the door with her saddlebags.

"Where did you guys run off to? I came back and no one was here"

"Sorry 'bout that sugarcube, we went chasin after Applebloom." Rainbow just stared at her in confusion, getting a laugh from the orange work pony.

"Ah'll explain in a bit, come on, we got a party t' get ready for."

------

Fluttershy sighed as she tried to get her mane right. She had never cared too much about it other than to brush it out. But this was a special occasion and she wanted to look the part. Especially with Big Macintosh in the audience.

"Oh...Maybe Rarity can help me...she's always been good at this." Fluttershy set her brush down in frustration and walked downstairs, a few of her animal friends zipping around the house and cleaning up after themselves. It made her smile to see them working so hard.

"Oh thank you so much. I've been meaning to clean up but I've just been so busy..." she mumbled, Angel shaking his head and pointing at a clock.

"Oh your right! I'm going to be late if I stay here. Oh thank you again." Angel stomped her hoof and pointed to the clock again.

"Right! Sorry, I'll be going now." she went out the door and tried to come back to thank the bunny and her friends again, finding the door was locked.

"Oh...Ok, sorry. Thank you!" she called through the door, quickly taking to the air to reach Rarity's before the party started. Big Macintosh was already on his way to meet up with Applejack and check on Sora. He had told her about the Alicorn and his friends overworking themselves that morning and was worried they might try something stupid again.

"I hope they are feeling ok" She thought aloud.

------

Twilight quietly went about putting away her books, blushing as she felt Luna's eyes on her. They had only been together for an afternoon and yet it felt like it had been so much longer.

"Twilight...I am curious...Why did you not destroy me with Nightmare moon?" Twilight stopped, setting one of her books down and taking a seat.

"When I was harnessing the power of the Elements...I felt...something, I don't know what it was. But for a moment I was connected to you." Twilight explained, the memory rushing back to her.

--

Twilight found herself floating in darkness. The only light was that of the Elements floating around her.

"Rainbow Dash? Applejack? Pinkie Pie? Fluttershy? Rarity?" she called out, searching for her friends. None of them called back to her. Instead she heard...crying. She followed the sound, walking through the endless abyss around her. The crying kept growing stronger and stronger. Suddenly a figure came into view. Twilight carefully made her way to it.

She gasped staring at the figure laying on the ground. Before her was Princess Luna, curled into a ball and crying her eyes out. She sat beside the wounded Alicorn, trying to think. This wasn't the nightmare moon she had been staring down just moments ago. This was the REAL Princess Luna. She was trapped inside the darkness of her jealousy.

Twilight's horn began to glow as she tried to tend to the Alicorns' wounds, finding that something was blocking her magic from reaching her. She raised her head to find Nightmare moon glaring at her.

"Did you think you could just take her back?! You little foal!" Twilight shook her head, glaring back at her.

"I am taking her back. You may have had power over her before but now with the Elements..."

"You cannot hope to use the Elements without your little friends. This is my domain!" A bolt of lightning flew towards her. It was too fast for her to stop it. She raised her hooves in front of her face for protection, shocked when she felt nothing.

She lowered her hooves and gasped, finding Luna standing before her with smoke rising from her coat.

"Princess Luna!" The princess turned, seeing Twilight and smiled. Twilight stared into her eyes, feeling tears sting her own.

"You didn't have to do that Princess."

"We could not let thee get hurt for us Unicorn. Tis our battle and we must fight it. Dost thou have the Elements?" She asked. Twilight nodded, surprised when the Elements began to glow brightly around her.

"We cannot hope to face down Nightmare Moon on our own, We will need your help." Twilight nodded, standing beside the Princess.

"You still challenge me!? You cannot hope to defeat me 'princess'" she said the word with as much disgust as she could manage. The Princess held her head high, stumbling forward as her strength gave out. Twilight moved quickly, catching the Alicorn and hefting her onto her back. More bolts flew at her and she quickly turned, running from the Nightmare that chased them down.

"Where art thou going?! We must fight!"

"You're hurt Princess. We can't fight her like this, we need a plan!" Twilight called back, screaming in pain as a bolt struck her hind leg. Still she stumbled onward, pushing herself harder than she ever had before. She skid to a stop as Nightmare Moons Shadow Bolts appeared all around her. 

Instead of the Pegasi that had tried to trick Rainbow Dash they were all Unicorns. They lowered their horns, throwing bolts of lightning at Twilight. She quickly threw up a barrier, most of the bolts bouncing back at their casters, though two managed to pierce the barrier, slamming into Twilights side. She screamed, falling to the ground. She slowly pushed to her hooves, still holding Luna on her back. She had to think, what would her friends do? She blinked, feeling hooves wrapping around her.

"Thou woulds't do this to save us...Thou art truly kindhearted..." Luna said weakly. Twilight could feel her heart slowing

"Princess? Princess?!" Twilight turned her head, gasping as she found the Alicorn had used herself to shield them from a blast Twilight had not seen coming. She screamed in frustration, her horn ablaze with magical power. Her eyes sparked, turning pure white as the magical aura surrounded her, throwing back the darkness around her. Nightmare moon shielded her eyes with a wing as the unicorn slowly walked toward her in anger.

"How dare you..." a bolt flew from nightmare moon toward the Unicorn, only to bounce off the aura surrounding her and fly off into the abyss around them. Each step she took filled the abyss with more light. The Elements spun faster and faster around her, Luna slowly coming to, her wounds closing up. She gently hugged the unicorn holding her. She hadn't felt this safe in ages.

Nopony had protected her like this before, nopony had fought like this for her before, except for her sister...Though not even she had gone to these lengths. Nightmare moon and Twilight charged toward one another, Luna gasped, seeing what Twilight did not. A piece of Nightmare moon's mane closing in behind them. Her horn began to glow dimly as she tried to call to her magic but nothing came to her. She had only one choice. 

She pushed herself off the Unicorn as the magic behind them turned into a spear, burying itself in her hind leg as she hit the ground. Twilight turned seeing the Alicorn, her eyes wide in panic. Nightmare moon took advantage of the situation, slamming into the Unicorn's side and pinning her to the ground.

"And now you shall fall, as will the Elements and My night Shall last Forever!" Nightmare moon screamed, more from surprise then pain as her own spear slammed into her shoulder. Twilight slammed her hooves into the Alicorns stomach, sending her flying off of her. She quickly turned to Luna, finding that she had pulled the spear from her leg and thrown it with her magic. Twilight quickly rushed over to her, trying to heal her.

"Thou must...use the Elements...and destroy us...it is the only way...to ensure Nightmare moon perishes...thou must do it..." tears stung the Alicorns' eyes.

"Please tell our sister, that we are sorry..." Twilight shook her head. She couldn't condemn anypony to death, especially one of the royal sisters. She turned, letting her magic flow throughout her entire body.

"No...I won't do it. There has to be a better way!" Luna painfully pushed to her hooves, leaning against Twilight. Her horn glowing dimly.

"Very well, then thou must prepare thyself, for she is returning to finish us. Thou must focus the Elements and defeat Nightmare Moon." Twilight nodded, feeling the Princess' magic pour into her, the Elements forming into a crown atop her head. Nightmare Moon dived toward her. Twilight screamed in agony as the magic ran itself through her body, it was too much for her to hold. Slowly the pain faded as Luna let it flow between her and Twilight.

Twilight smiled at the Alicorn and together they turned toward Nightmare moon, using every ounce of their magic and pouring it into the Elements. A bright light shone above them, growing and swallowing the darkness. Nightmare Moons scream echoed around them as the Darkness was turned into light. When Twilight opened her eyes she found herself lying on the ground, her friends nearby.

--

"I couldn't bring myself to hurt you, especially after you had gotten hurt protecting me from Nightmare Moon."

"I don't remember any of that...I just felt there was something strong between us. Maybe that was it." Luna said quietly. Twilight sat beside her and smiled.

"If you hadn't helped me and protected me, neither of us would be here right now and everypony would still be under Nightmare Moons control. I had thought at first that all of that was just a dream. But it kept poking at the back of my mind whenever I thought of you and Princess Celestia. 

I remembered how painful it was seeing you hurt like that...I went a little crazy after that trying to figure out a few things about myself...when you confessed...I was so happy I thought I was going to explode." Luna blushed brightly and smiled, pulling the unicorn close to her. The door opened up and Spike poked his head in

"Hey, you two comin to the party or stayin here?" he asked with a laugh. Twilight blushed bright red and cleared her throat.

"We're coming Spike"
> Friends and Enemies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight and Luna quietly followed after Spike and Rarity. There seemed to be a light shining in Rarity's eyes, as if she knew something nopony else did. Before Twilight could ask they had arrived. A massive line stretched from Sugarcube corner into town. Pinkie jumped in front of them with a smile.

"Oh there you are! Your about to miss everything!" Pinkie quickly pushed them through the crowd to their tables, bouncing away to get everypony else tended to.

"How does she..." Luna started, looking around as she heard the others laugh.

"She's Pinkie Pie. It only hurts trying to understand her." Twilight smiled, seeing Sora walking into the party, having a seat at a table close to the stage not too far from them. At another table sat Applebloom and Pip. To Twilights surprise Pip gave Applebloom a small peck on the cheek.

"It would appear their plan is working." Luna said quietly, the lights dimming. Pinkie appeared on stage with a huge grin

"HEY EVERYPONY! ARE.YOU.READY.TO PARTAY!" The crowd roared and screamed, forcing Twilight to cover her ears with her hooves. A light flickered on onstage revealing Vinyl AKA DJ-PON3 with her turntables set up. Another light and Octavia could be seen with her usual Ensemble with her. Another light flashed on at center stage, revealing Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. 

Scootaloo turned her head, smiling out to the crowd. She wore a long elegant red dress, cut to reveal her hind leg as well as to allow her free movement as she walked to the front of the stage. Sweetie Belle wore a matching dress of sparkling white, upon closer examination everypony realized the sparkling was from hundreds of tiny sapphires sewn into the dresses. Only one pony put so much work into her dresses.

"How's everypony doin tonight?!" Scootaloo called out to the crowd, roars and cheers lighting up the crowd. She smiled turning to Sweetie Belle.

"We have a special treat for you all tonight fillies and gentlecolts. We want to dedicate some songs to some very special someponies in the audience tonight. I want to start with my favorite special someponies. My Older Sister Rarity and Spike!" a spotlight appeared at Rarity's table. 

Everypony gasped, finding the Unicorn sitting alone at her table. Murmurs built up in the crowd and Rarity lowered her head. Another spotlight came to life, revealing the dragon onstage, wearing a long black tux and a grin. He held a microphone in one of his claws.

"Start me off girls." he said into the microphone with a smile. Music started to play and Spike smiled out into the crowd, his eyes connecting with Rarity's. He took a slow breath and began to sing, everypony hanging onto the words that slipped so smoothly between his lips. 

Rarity felt tears in her eyes as Spike poured his heart and soul into each and every word, never pulling his eyes from her. Slowly he made his way off stage, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo picking up the song where he left it. He made his way toward her, the spotlight following him. Slowly Spike lowered himself to one knee, pulling a box from his tux. Rarity's eyes went wide as he opened the box.

"Rarity...would you make me the happiest Dragon in Equestria...by doing me the honor of marrying me?" Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks as she flung herself at the Dragon, throwing her hooves around his neck.

"YES! YES! YES! YES! A THOUSAND TIMES YES!" he wrapped his arms around her, the song coming to a slow close. The spotlight remaining on Spike and Rarity as they kissed. Slowly they pulled away from one another, Rarity lifting her hoof for Spike. He pulled a golden band from the box, three amethysts matching Rarity's cutie mark sat in the center. Rarity could only stare at the band as Spike slipped it onto her hoof.

"Spike...this must have cost you a fortune..." She said through her tears.

"It was worth every last bit." Again the two embraced, ponies clamoring and asking to see the band, Rarity more than happy to show it off. Twilight smiled at the display. The spotlight faded from Spike and went back to the stage where Sweetie Belle stood alone.

"This one goes out to everypony with a special pony out there tonight. But in my eyes, it goes out to one pony in particular. That special pony who is my everything, my heart and soul. Scootaloo, this is for you." The music began slowly behind her

Everypony in the audience watched in awe as the pony onstage threw herself into the song, clinging to their special somepony. Rarity sighed happily in Spikes arms; Applejack and Rainbow rested their heads against one another; Even Fluttershy forgot herself and leaned against Big Macintosh. Twilight jumped in surprise as Luna's wing wrapped around her. She blushed and rested her head against the Alicorn with a sigh.

"Look Twilight." Luna whispered, pointing a hoof toward a table. Twilight blinked, watching as Applebloom placed a kiss on Pip's cheek, the spotted colt returning the motion with a smile. The two embraced, Pip running his hoof through Applebloom's mane. 

Sweetie Belle finished her song and gasped as Scootaloo pulled her into a kiss onstage, the crowd whooping and cheering. The lights flashed off, leaving everypony in darkness. When the lights came back on a nervous Braeburn stood  onstage. Pinkie gasped

"Braesy is gonna sing?! GO BRAESY!" Pinkie called out, the stallion gulped, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle starting the song behind him. Braeburn tipped his hat and began to sing, his fear ebbing away as he fell into the song, a spotlight shining on Pinkie pie

"And allll Ah'll ever neeeeed! iiiiiiiiis you!" he sang out, panting and smiling. Pinkie giggled and blushed, rushing up onstage and tackling the work pony to the ground. Laughter filled the crowd as the two untangled themselves from one another, blushing and stammering.

"KISS HER!" a stallion called from the crowd. He blushed bright red and Pinkie giggled, kissing his lips softly.

"Next is a song requested by the most awesome pegasus in Ponyville. Its dedicated to her special somepony in the audience tonight. Come on up Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow grinned as the spotlight landed on her, walking onstage and accepting a microphone.

"Hey everypony, you all probably know me already. But tonight isn't about me. It's about that special somepony we all care about. Applejack...this is for you." Applejack blushed as she listened to Rainbow sing, the pegasus smiling at her. She sang with all her heart, smiling as she sang a rather mature portion of the song.

Rainbow winked at Applejack, making the mare blush harder. Rainbow laughed and nodded to the band, the song ending.

"I think I've made my point." Rainbow said with a small giggle, making her way back to her seat. Rainbow blushed as Applejack pulled her into a powerful kiss.

"That's all we've got for you everypony, tonight's music will be left to the musical talents of Octavia von clef and her associates." Sweetie belle announced.

"And the awesome DJ-PON3 after that. Its gonna be an awesome party, it is a Pinkie party after all. Enjoy everypony!" the two left the stage with smiles.

"See? the dress wasn't so bad. It really brings out your eyes." Scootaloo blushed and grumbled, slow music playing from Octavia as Vinyl checked to make sure she was ready for her timeslot.

------

Trixie grinned as she neared Ponyville, a lot faster than she had thought she would. Quietly she landed at the edge of town, making her way to the nearest home of her enemies. Fluttershy. She slammed her forehooves into the door and leapt inside.

"COWER IN FEAR AT THE MIGHTY TRIXIE!" She yelled, blinking as she found the cottage empty. Trixie tore apart the cottage in search of the shy yellow pegasus but she was nowhere to be seen. The angry mare made her way out of the destroyed cottage and noticed bright lights coming from Sugarcube corner in the distance. 

She grinned and took flight, watching as everypony in Ponyville enjoyed themselves behind the Sweet shop. Her horn glowed dimly and storm clouds began to gather, lightning slamming into the ground around the party. Trixie let her magic build in her throat, her voice echoing throughout all of  Ponyville

"COWER IN FEAR YOU WORTHLESS PONIES! FOR THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE HAS RETURNED TO EXACT HER REVENGE!"

Twilight spun to face the voice, her eyes wide when she spotted the mentioned unicorn flying above them. Her eyes had turned a bright blood red and on her back rested two massive black wings.

"T...TRIXIE?! But how?!" Twilight couldn't figure it out. Even if there were a spell for such a thing as what she was seeing, Trixie would never be able to pull off such a spell. Twilight began to panic as Trixie turned her attention to her, her eyes beginning to glow white and fire swirling around her.

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE! YOU SHALL BE THE FIRST TO TASTE MY FURY!" The flames gathered into one massive ball, flying directly towards the shocked unicorn.

"NOW DIE!" Twilight closed her eyes, certain she was going to die. She could feel the heat of the fireball in front of her, yet she wasn't burning. She opened her eyes and gasped, seeing Nyx and Luna in front of her, holding back the fireball with their magic.

"TWILIGHT, RUN! GET THE ELEMENTS!" Luna yelled

"WE CAN HANDLE THIS MOM! NOW GO!" Nyx roared and sliced through the fireball with a blade of pure magic.

"YOU LITTLE FOALS! YOU DARE STAND IN THE WAY OF TRIXIES REVENGE! THEN YOU SHALL DIE AS WELL!" She spread her wings wide, heartless rising from the ground and diving down from the clouds.

"Oh no you don't!" Sora yelled out, throwing his Keyblade into the clouds. Donald's eyes began to glow, the clouds swirling around the Keyblade and vanishing. The Unicorn stumbled and the glow faded from his eyes, Goofy helping him stay upright.

"Come on Donald, we gotta help em!"  Twilight glanced around trying to think.

"What are you waiting for!?" Nyx called out, Twilight bit her lip and nodded.

"Be careful!" Twilight yelled as she turned and ran, her friends catching up with her.

"We need to get the Elements. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, we're gonna need your strength and speed to keep them off of us. Pinkie Pie, distractions, lots of them. Rarity..." Twilight spun.

"Where's Rarity?!" she looked around, seeing that another pony was missing.

"Where's Fluttershy?!"

-----

Spike roared, standing on all fours as smoke drifted from his nostrils. These creatures had come close to taking Rarity away from him once, they had even wounded his closest friend. He wouldn't let them cause anymore harm to anypony else.

"Rarity, get on my back and hold on tight." The Unicorn did so without hesitation, clinging to the dragon as he charged through the wall of heartless before him. Rarity buried her face in his scales, fighting the urge to scream at the top of her lungs.  Rarity opened her eyes and gasped as she saw Fluttershy fall to the ground.

"SPIKE! We have to help Fluttershy!" he spun, looking around until he saw the pegasus, quickly rushing to her side and ducking as Big Macintosh swung a hoof at him.

"Oh Spike, sorry 'bout that."

"It's alright Mac, just try to remember I'm on your team." The stallion nodded and bucked away a heartless that was reaching for Fluttershy.

"Mac, grab her and we'll get out of here. I'll cover you." Macintosh nodded and lifted the yellow pegasus onto his back, Spike keeping his word and knocking away the heartless that reached for the pair.

"Rarity, can you heal her?" Spike asked, burning a few heartless to piles of ash with his fire breath.

"I can try Dear" she said, focusing on Fluttershy.

Rainbow whistled to the others as she spotted Spike and Big Macintosh plowing through the crowd of heartless, Sora's Keyblade flying past them soon followed by the Alicorn himself.

"EVERYPONY HOLD ONTO SOMETHING!" She called out, flying around in a circle faster and faster. Her wings and body started to ache but still she pushed on, feeling a tunnel flowing around her as she continued to pick up speed. The air tugged at her body, threatening to crush her.

"just...a little...more...." she flapped her wings harder and harder, a massive tornado forming from her efforts and sucking in the heartless. Twilight quickly threw a barrier around herself and her friends as Macintosh and Spike reached them.

"Almost...." Rainbow struggled to hold on.

"COME ON SUGARCUBE! YOU CAN DO IT!" Applejack called through the carnage. Rainbow felt her pain vanish at the sound of the mares' voice. She grinned and flew faster and faster, the tornado growing and pulling in the heartless. Sora and his friends rushed to safety, the tornado tugging on them as well. Rainbow whooped as the wind tugged on her mane, pushing through the tunnel that was forming around her. In a massive flash of colors the tornado exploded in Rainbows Sonic Rainboom, the  heartless hitting the ground and vanishing. Rainbow panted and laughed.

"HA! And don't bring your ugly faces around here again!"

"Rainbow!" Applejack called out to her. Rainbow nodded and flew after them, together they left Sugarcube Corner and headed for Canterlot, heartless chasing after them.

------

Nyx flung the magical blade at Trixie, only to have it slammed away by one of her massive wings.

"YOU CANNOT HOPE TO HURT THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE WITH SUCH CHEAP TRICKS!" Trixie's eyes began to glow and Nyx screamed as her wings caught fire. She focused her magic, putting out the flames. She didn't have time to check if her wings had survived the attack as flames began to rain down from the transformed unicorn above her. The Alicorn was forced to zip around the remains of the party to avoid the flames. 

Nyx caught sight of Luna rushing into the air to charge at the Unicorn and called out to her magic, slamming a bolt of lightning into Trixie to distract her.

It was enough for Luna to slam into her side and into the ground. Luna raised her forehooves, prepared to deal the final blow and was flung back by one of Trixie's wings. Luna slammed into the stage and passed out, living Nyx alone to face down Trixie. Trixie began to giggle, which soon turned into maniacal laughter.

"With this power Trixie can even bring down the great Princess of the night." Nyx flapped her wings experimentally, finding that she could still use them. She flared them up and charged forward, Trixie grinning at her. She flapped her wings once, sending a gust of wind toward her that cut through everything it touched. The ground, the tables, everything was cut down by the wind rushing toward her. Nyx tried to stop herself and turn, only skidding closer to the deadly wind. She closed her eyes, knowing she couldn't protect herself and felt tears stain her cheeks.

"Goodbye mom..." she said quietly. The wind blew past her and she blinked, staring at a tall cloaked figure in front of her. It stood on its hind legs with its body hidden in the black coat it wore.

"Are you alright?" the figure asked her quietly. She nodded just staring at it. Had it deflected the wind? Nyx looked around, seeing that the wind cut around them and turned back to him.

"Who...who are you?" she asked.

"I'm a friend." he held out his arm and Nyx stared with wide eyes. He didn't have any hair on his body and instead of a hoof at the end of his arm he had something Nyx had never seen before. They were like claws but at the same time they weren't. They were stubby things, not at all sharp like a dragons claws. In his 'claw' he held a strange blade that made Nyx gasp

"That's a Keyblade!" He nodded, keeping his eyes on Trixie.

"Listen, you need to get out of here and get to Sora. I'll take care of this heartless."

"She's not a heartless."

"She is now. Look." he pointed one of his 'claws' at Trixie. The mare stood and screamed, the heartless crest forming over her chest and her eyes began to change. They faded from their natural color and shape, turning into the eyes of Nightmare Moon. The Unicorn panted heavily, smoke drifting off her coat and giggled, her voice echoing.

"So much power...the darkness, it's so wonderful. I don't want it to go away...I want it to stay with me...forever."

"She's turning into nightmare moon..."

------

Twilight panted as she ran. She had never run so hard in her life. She swore to herself if she made it through this that she was going to start focusing on her physical fitness just as much as her mental. Twilight screamed as a heartless leapt for her, a pegasi slamming into it and smashing it into a building. It was Scootaloo.

"Keep going! we got this!" She called out, Sweetie Belle throwing a barrier around Scootaloo as heartless leapt for her. The barrier dropped and Scootaloo spun, slamming her hind hooves into the heartless as it tried to recover from hitting the barrier. Twilight tried to argue and was snatched up by Applejack.

"No time t' argue sugarcube, we gotta move!"
More heartless ran after them, Sora running past them. he skid to a stop and his friends yelled at him to keep going.

"Go on Sora! they need you more than we do!" He nodded and kept going, leaving Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to face the swarm.

"Looks like it's just us..."

"Ah wouldn't say that." Applebloom stepped between them with a grin, Pip at her side.

"I might not be a crusader like you three. But if it means helping Applebloom then I'm going to fight as well." The four stared down the heartless as they crashed down upon them.

------

Trixie rushed forward, her horn glowing as she used her power to summon heartless. The figure snapped his 'claws' and the heartless vanished. Trixie glared at him, still rushing toward him.

"You dare to banish MY heartless!?" again she called them and again he dismissed them. She screamed in frustration, daggers of magic appearing around her and slashing at the cloaked figure. He knocked one away and spun around another, grabbing hold of the unicorns' horn and in one swift moment snapped it off. Nyx stared in horror at the scene and everything seemed to move in slow motion.

Trixie fell onto her back clutching her head and screaming in pure agony. The figure lifted his blade and prepared for the final blow. Before he could do so, a pool of dark goop appeared underneath Trixie and pulled her into it. As soon as it appeared it was gone. The only evidence the unicorn had been there was the horn the figure held and the damage she had done.

"H...How could you do that?!" Nyx screamed at him, surprising herself.

"That horn was the source of her power. Or her way of using it anyway. Without it she couldn't harm a fly."

"But...just ripping it off like that..." He tossed it aside and turned to face her. She gulped, her horn glowing dimly.

"I'm not going to hurt you." he said softly, raising his strange claws in the air. His Keyblade vanished and he pulled down the hood of his cloak.

"I'm just a friend looking for a friend. His name is Sora and..."

"Sora? Wait, you're Sora's friend. You're Riku aren't you?!" he nodded, a bit surprised she knew who he was.

"So you know Sora then?" She nodded and sat relieved. This creature was the very same one she had gone looking for and he had just saved her life. Though the scene still made her stomach do flips.

"Sora's been looking for you too." Riku smiled

"That's great. I'm guessin he got kind of sidetracked with all this though." she looked around at the ruined party.

"This is just Pinkie Pies way of welcoming new ponies to Ponyville. Though this one was a bit over the top."

"Uh...Pinkie pie?"

"Oh, she's a friend. Pink earth pony, loves parties and is extremely random."

"Right. So everyone here is a bunch of magical horses. Well it's not as weird as some of the places I've seen."

"Weird? you're the weird one here, with those strange claws of yours." Riku held up his 'claws'

"You mean my hands? Sora has them too."

"Sora is an Alicorn...are you sure we're talking about the same Sora?" Riku thought for a second.

"He's probably in disguise. Wouldn't be the first time. From what I heard he was a lion once." Nyx just stared at Riku utterly and hopelessly confused.

"Listen uh..."

"Nyx."

"Nyx. I need to get a message to Sora. But I can't see him just yet."

"Why not? he's your friend isn't he? He's been looking everywhere for you. He was afraid you had been taken by the Darkness again."

"heh...so he told you about that huh?"

"well...not me personally...I overheard it." it wasn't a total lie, she had only been watching out for Applebloom.

"He doesn't need to worry about me. We've got bigger problems then some heartless attack. If you see Sora then tell him 'The Organization is alive'" Riku said as he turned to leave.

"Wait! You're just going to walk away? you're just going to leave without even seeing him?"

"I can't let him see me like this Nyx. Not when I'm trapped like this. You wouldn't understand." he waved his hand and wall of darkness appeared in front of him. Nyx ran up to him, grabbing his coat in her teeth to stop him. He turned to face her and she stared up into his eyes.

"No. I do understand." he raised an eyebrow and the darkness vanished.

"What Trixie was turning into, that thing you just fought. Nightmare Moon, I was once her."

------

Scootaloo opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by Darkness. In the distance she could see Sweetie belle start to stir and tried to run over to her, a heartless blocking her way.

"MOVE IT!" She yelled out, slamming her hooves into it. the Heartless didn't budge. Instead it started to grow and stare down at her. The heartless was massive, even bigger than the giant who had tore through town the other day. She leapt backwards as it slammed its massive balled up claw into the ground. 

Its hand seemed to melt as it clashed with the ground and from the puddle of darkness sprang up tons of tiny heartless. Scootaloo smacked them away with her wings and leapt into the air, flying around the massive heartless. She had lost sight of Sweetie belle and started to panic, gasping as the giant heartless grabbed her and began to squeeze.

The sound of screaming shook Sweetie belle from her daze. Looking up she saw a massive heartless crushing the life out of Scootaloo.

"SCOOTALOO!" She screamed in horror. The Pegasi struggled to break free only to have the giant squeeze harder, the sounds of bones crunching echoing in the darkness. Sweetie Belle ignored the tears that stung her eyes and charged the heartless, her horn glowing brightly. Bit by bit she teleported her way to the top of the heartless, slamming her hooves into its head repeatedly.

"LET HER GO! LET.HER.GO!" She screamed and slammed her hooves into the creatures' eye. It roared in pain, dropping Scootaloo as it reached up for the unicorn. Sweetie Belle quickly teleported out of its reach, catching Scootaloo and teleporting to the ground.

"Scoots...wake up scoots, I need you..." Scootaloo slowly opened her eyes.

"Belle?"

"Yes, it's me Scoots. Can you walk?" Scootaloo nodded and stood shakily. They looked around seeing heartless closing in on them.

"Belle...this is it isn't it?" Sweetie Belle bit her lip, looking around. She didn't see any way for them to get out of here.

"No, it can't be. We'll find a way out Scoots."

"Belle, In case we don't make it...I love you." Scootaloo grabbed hold of the unicorn, kissing her as the heartless leapt at them.

-----

Applebloom gasped as Pip pulled her away from the wave which crashed down on top of her friends

"SCOOTALOO! SWEETIE BELLE!" Applebloom cried out, rushing to save her friends. A large black wall blocked her way. She slammed her hooves into it again and again, tears stinging her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Applebloom...I couldn't grab all of you..." she sank to the ground in tears, ignoring the calming hoof that ran through her mane. Heartless sprang up around them but Applebloom didn't care anymore. Her two closest friends in the entire world were gone. Pip however was determined to keep them alive. 

As the heartless charged he stood on his hind legs, smashing a hoof into one that got close. Applebloom looked up at him to see him bouncing around on his hind hooves, knocking away the heartless without a single hint of fear in his eyes. She smiled and stood slowly, gasping as the ground started to shake. The heartless shrank away from them until finally they had disappeared altogether. Applebloom and Pip turned to look at the wall behind them, watching as it began to crack and fall apart.

-----

She felt herself melting in the pegasi's grasp, wrapping her hooves around her as she returned the kiss. Sweetie Belle's horn began to glow bright pink as they held one another.

"I love you too Scootaloo..." A flare of magic flew from her horn and exploded above them. High above them the flare turned into a massive heart of flames. It grew brighter as they stared into it, their own hearts warming as they held one another. 

The heartless backed away from them slowly and the darkness began to fade. Sweetie belle watched as something drifted down from the heart. Slowly it came into view, landing in front of them. Sweetie Belle stared for a moment and blinked as it split into two. She carefully lifted one with her magic, Scootaloo picking up the other. They smiled at one another and turned to face down the heartless with their Keyblades.

"No darkness can take our hearts as long as we have each other!"

-----

The wall exploded and came crashing down, Pip quickly shielding Applebloom from the force of the explosion. She peered over his shoulder and gasped at what she saw. Standing in the center of the explosion were Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. They were scratched up pretty badly, each carrying a Keyblade and a smile. Applebloom quickly ran to them, tackling them to the ground.

"Ah thought ah'd lost you two!" they pulled the crying mare into a hug.

"Just from somethin like that, come on Bloom you know we're tougher than that." Applebloom nodded, wiping away her tears.

"That was quite impressive you two but we still need to go help the others." Pip said, looking around to be sure the heartless were gone. They nodded and leapt to their hooves.

"Let's go!"

------

A massive explosion shook the ground around them, forcing them to stop in order to keep from falling over. They turned to see a massive flaming heart floating above Ponyville. It only sat there for a moment, quickly fading away. As the heart faded so did the heartless around them.

"What in the hay was that jus' now?" Applejack asked

"I don't know, but at least the heartless are gone."

"What about Trixie? Nyx and Luna are probably still fighting her."

"No, if the heartless are gone then whoever is controlling them is gone too." Twilight sighed in relief, her fears welling up inside of her after a moment. She turned and started running back toward Ponyville.

"Twilight what are ya doin?!" Applejack called after her.

"I have to find Nyx and Luna!"

------

Nyx lifted Luna onto her back, turning to face Riku. He sat on the edge of the stage with his head down.

"You've faced the darkness too." She nodded

"You can't make yourself go through it alone Riku. If you want to leave the Darkness you have to trust in your friends and let them help you. If you left now how would Sora feel? He needs you Riku." Riku smiled for a moment and stared at his hands.

"I don't exactly blend in Nyx...and Sora's a big kid. He can take care of himself."

"He's not worried about himself. He's worried about you Riku. Do you want to escape the darkness or not?" He stood, thinking for a moment as he lifted his hood over his head.

"I do."

"Nyx!" Twilight gasped seeing Nyx carrying Luna, a tall cloaked figure in front of her. Twilight's anger exploded, setting her mane aflame. Her lavender coat turned white and her eyes turned bright red.

"GET AWAY FROM THEM!" She screamed at Riku. Riku said nothing, only taking a step away from Nyx.

"Mom wait! He's a friend!"

"Mom?" Riku said, looking between Nyx and Twilight. Sora and the others rushed up behind Twilight, completely out of breath. Riku and Sora stared at one another for a moment before Riku vanished.

"RIKU!" Nyx and Sora called out together. Sora sighed and hung his head.

Twilight took a deep breath and managed to calm herself down, checking Luna's wounds. She sighed in relief finding that she just had a small bump on her head.

"Thank goodness you're both ok."

"OH MAH GOODNESS!" Applejack screamed, kicking something away from her.

"AJ what the hay was th...WHAT THE HAY IS THAT?!" She screamed pointing a hoof at something on the ground. Twilight thought she was going to be sick as she caught sight of it.

"Its...Trixie's Horn..." All eyes turned to Nyx.

"It would've been Riku who did it. He always does what he thinks has to be done." Sora said quietly, his friends trying to cheer him up.

"Hey Sora don't be all glum. At least we know Riku is ok" Goofy said with a smile.

"He said he was looking for you Sora." Sora looked up at Nyx.

"He told me to tell you 'The Organization is Alive.' Do you know what he meant?" Sora nodded.

"It means two things. First, that we're not gonna see Riku unless he thinks we need him and Second, it means we're in a lot of trouble."

------

Magical sparks flew left and right as the Unicorn tossed and turned in pain, her magic forming on its own without her horn. She failed to hold back the endless stream of tears that fought its way down her cheeks.

"You have failed to do as I asked Trixie." the cloaked figure said as it stood over her.

"G...Give me..a...another chance...t..that thing..." she stammered through her tears

"Yes, the other Keyblade wielder. He is stronger than the one I sent you after. You did prove yourself against the Lunar Princess. For that reason and that reason alone I will spare you and give you a second chance." he snapped his fingers and Trixie's pain vanished. She put a hoof against her horn and gasped when she found it perfectly intact, tears of joy pouring down her face.

"Thank you! Thank you so much! I won't fail again"

"I hope so, for your sake."

------

Light flooded into the room and found its way to the sleeping Alicorn. Luna sprang up from the bed looking around frantically. She was in her bedroom...

"Was it all a dream?" she began to panic. She had been so happy that she had finally been able to confess to Twilight Sparkle. Was it really just a dream that became a nightmare at the arrival of Trixie? Had she dreamed the coming of the heartless?

"Oh, you're awake! Please don't move around too much." she heard from a corner of the room. She turned and winced as her head throbbed with pain. A lavender Unicorn made her way to the bed. Luna felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Luna...are you ok?" Twilight gently wiped away the tears with her hoof.

"I'm fine Twilight, I thought it all had been a dream...that you and I...weren't..." Twilight pulled the Alicorn into a gentle hug.

"It wasn't a dream Luna. Trixie knocked you out during the fight." Luna nodded, panicking again as a thought made its way into her head.

"Where is Nyx?! She was helping me fight. if I was knocked out then...Oh Twilight please tell me she is ok..." Twilight smiled, kissing the worried Alicorns forehead gently.

"She is fine Luna."

"S...She defeated Trixie?" Twilight shook her head.

"No...She suffered some burns and she'll have to stay on the ground while a few of her feathers grow back. Some of them were melted and are stuck together...The castles' best ponies are working on her. Other than that she wasn't hurt. She was saved by a friend of Sora's. A boy named Riku." Luna sighed in relief. Knowing they had powerful allies eased her stressed mind. She looked up at Twilight, noticing the unicorn was fidgeting uncomfortably.

"There's more isn't there?" She nodded and sat on the bed with her.

"According to Sora, we aren't just dealing with the heartless. There is this organization of creatures called Nobodies. They are like the heartless."

"But they have no hearts and are twice as powerful." Luna said before Twilight could.

"You already know?" Luna sat up and shook her head, instantly regretting the resulting head ache.

"Not exactly Twilight. My sister and I know little of the Nobodies. But we do know of them."

"And they are not your problem right now." a voice said from the doorway. Luna smiled at the sight of her big sister and got a smile in return.

"I am happy to see you are awake little sister. But you still need your rest."

"But, the seal..."

"Will be taken care of sister. The couple Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle have acquired Keyblades. Though I don't understand how it is possible. From what I understood there was only one Keyblade. I plan to question Sora on the matter."

"Pinkie Pie has one as well Princess." Twilight added from beside Luna.

"Honestly that's not too surprising. I'm sure that pony can do anything. Though it still makes me wonder." Celestia was silent for a moment.

"Twilight, can I count on you to make sure my sister gets the rest she needs?" Twilight nodded without hesitation.

"Yes Princess."

------

Celestia made her way out of the room and gently closed the door. She smiled to herself as she walked down the hall, her guards following after her. She had tried telling them she didn't need them to follow her around and even tried ordering them to leave her be. But they felt honor bound to always make sure she was safe. Especially since her short banishment to the sun. The thought reminded her of the young Alicorn Nyx. She had suffered terrible burns to her wings, but furthermore she had survived thanks to a strange boy. She wanted to know more about this boy and his connection to all of this.

She found herself standing outside the Medical Wing of the castle and made her way inside, everypony inside bowing. Celestia took a seat near Nyx's bed. On the other side sat Sora who bowed his head respectfully to Celestia.

"Nyx. I know you are in pain and in recovery. But I need to know what happened. And Sora, I need to ask you a few questions as well. I suppose I'll start with those and let Nyx rest a bit."

"Of course Princess."

"The two young crusaders Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. I'm sure you know them?" Sora nodded.

"I know them, yea."

"In the battle with the heartless they somehow obtained Keyblades. From my understanding there was only one Keyblade. Would you mind explaining to me how this is possible?" Sora scratched the back of his head with a hoof.

"To be honest your highness there isn't just one Keyblade. In fact at one point there were hundreds." Celestia blinked and stared at him.

"Hundreds?" He nodded.

"I learned a bit about their history while learning from King Mickey's teacher Yen Sid. There was a great and terrible war of the Keyblades. One side for Darkness, the other for Light. Each side held their own Keyblades and used their power to battle the other side. It was a terrible war that ended in the death of almost all the holders of the Keyblade. There were three great masters. Ventus, Aqua, and Terra. I couldn't find out a lot about them. Master Yen Sid said I would in time though. But that's when Riku disappeared."

"Riku? The boy who saved Nyx?" Sora nodded

"He's my friend. He also has a Keyblade. We are both from the same world. Riku gave his heart to darkness and I was given the Keyblade. After that I ran into Leon, Donald, and Goofy. With their help I learned more about the Keyblade and began traveling the worlds to find my friends. When I finally found Riku...he wasn't my friend...he had found Kairi but she was just an empty shell of herself. Her heart was missing and Riku blamed me for it."

"I'm sorry..." he shook his head.

"In a way, it was my fault. Kairi had hidden her heart inside of me. Riku and a group that controlled the heartless were seeking the six princess' of heart. But only Riku or rather Ansem, who had taken over Riku's heart an body, knew about the seventh. The seven princess' hearts are the purest of all the worlds. With their power he planned to open Kingdom hearts, thinking that it was ever lasting darkness. In truth it was the light hidden in the darkness." Sora continued his tale, explaining how he had lost his Keyblade, about Riku's blade that unlocked hearts and of his sacrifice to give Kairi her heart back.

"You've been through so much Sora. I can see that this Riku is very dear to you as is Kairi." Sora nodded, wiping away a tear with his hoof.

"They are...we've been friends for as long as I can remember. and now Riku has gone back to that darkness because he thinks it's what has to be done." Nyx sat up slowly.

"He's lost in it Sora. He needs you to help him again. His eyes..." Nyx lowered her head.

"It's getting to him Sora...that painful darkness. Its tearing him up inside. I could see it in his eyes. I've felt that pain before. When I was nightmare moon, I felt it every day, every single waking moment and even when I tried to sleep. It was only when my friends came to my side that I realized it. When I almost lost my mother because of it. It was because of them that I escaped that darkness Sora. Your friend needs you." Sora nodded slowly.

"You seem close to this Riku, Nyx. Is there something more to this?" Celestia asked gently. Nyx blushed slightly for just a moment.

"We're so much alike Princess. When I told him about my time as Nightmare Moon...he listened to everything I had to say. He was about to just run off and leave Sora with just that message. But when I told him I understood his pain he stayed. I don't know how to explain the feeling." Celestia hid a smile and stood.

"I'll let you get your rest Nyx. I want to thank both of you for everything you've told me. Sora, may i speak with you in private for a moment?" Sora looked up at her and nodded, following her outside.

"I don't mean to pressure you Sora, but with the rising threat to Equestria we will have to break the seal sooner than I had hoped. I have heard from my sister that you and your friends have been training in order to protect the Elements while they gather their strength. Do you think you are powerful enough to begin?" After a moment Sora shook his head.

"We aren't strong enough yet. We can buy some time but not enough."

"Well you'd better hurry my friend, we are slowly running out of time." said the Doctor from nearby. he sat against the wall not looking at them.

"Doc, what do you mean?"

"I wish I could explain further, but you already know about the time stream and all that. You'll have to trust me on this one Sora. Princess, I hope you've taken my advice into account."

"I've thought it over carefully Time Lord. It seems there isn't much choice in the matter. Sora, we will have to break the seal in a few days at the most. Do you think you can be ready by then?"

"I can try Princess."

"That will have to do. For now I have preparations to make."

------

"OW! geez Belle, could ya push a little harder, I think that bone is still intact." the pegasus joked sourly. Sweetie Belle sighed sadly and lowered her head.

"Aw...Belle I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that. I'm just kinda sore about it is all. I don't like bein beat up so easily.

"That thing was huge Scoots. I only got it to let go by kicking it in the eye."

"Yea and that awesome teleporting kept it from snatching you up." Sweetie Belle smiled, patting down the bandages she had wrapped around her friend.

"I didn't really know I could do it until I tried. I just knew I had to get up there somehow." Scootaloo nuzzled her neck, making the unicorn sigh and nuzzle back.

"Ya know...the doc said I needed lots of bed rest if I wanted to heal up. I could use some company." Scootaloo grinned as Sweetie Belle's face turned bright red.

------

"Sora, are ya sure we can make it in time?" Goofy asked.

"I dunno Goofy. But we've got to try."

"What about Riku? If we find him we can definitely protect the Elements!" Donald said from beside him.

"Yea, but it would take too long to find him."

"Do ya think we can get a message t' him somehow?" Goofy asked

"How would we do that?"

"Well, he uses that hall o' darkness doesn't he? Maybe we can find a way to use it to send him a message."

"The only way to open one is to open your heart completely to darkness. I asked him about it." Sora stared at his hoof.

"You have to throw away the light in your heart and let the darkness swallow it, then beat it back so it knows you're in charge. But doing so leaves your heart shrouded in darkness. It's lonely and painful. I don't know if I'd be able to do it."

"Maybe that's why Riku left..." Donald said quietly.

"Donald! how could ya say somethin like that?!" Goofy glared at him.

"That not what I meant ya big dummy! Riku knew Sora couldn't destroy the light in his heart, so he did it himself." Sora blinked. It made perfect sense. In Riku's mind it would make perfect sense. He had already experienced the darkness, he was well versed with its power and knew he could use it with ease. He knew Sora would protest against him using his dark powers to help and instead of speaking to him about it had just gone on and done it. He was avoiding him so that Sora wouldn't convince him to come back.

"Riku...you idiot..."

------

The unicorn sighed quietly, staring at her mane in the mirror.

"I know it was to protect me darling but did you have to use such brute force? My mane is a complete mess!" The dragon chuckled a little, handing her a small brush.

"You're beautiful Rarity, no matter what you might think of your mane." She blushed, taking the brush and slowly cleaning her mess of a mane.

"How did you become such a sweetheart darling?"

"I met you." he said with a smile, sitting down beside her. She set the brush aside and placed her head against him, sighing as he wrapped an arm around her. Their gentle moment was broken by a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Rarity called out. Their room was a massive piece of art. One of the finest rooms in the palace. The ceiling rested a good 20 feet above them; Long violet curtains hung from the tall windows on the left side of the room. In the center sat a massive bed, soft red satin sheets sat upon it as well as a mountain of pillows.

On either side of the bed rested an end table and across from the bed sat a large dresser. On the dresser was the mirror the Unicorn had been staring into. Rarity would've liked to change a few colors, something that was more her taste. but she was a guest here after all, she couldn't just go around changing things.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." The Alicorn joked as she stepped into the room.

"Oh not at all Princess!" Rarity said with a smile. Princess Celestia took a seat in front of them. She seemed troubled, though that wasn't too surprising after what had just happened.

"Spike, I'd first like to commend you on your bravery. Protecting that which is dear to you without worrying about your own well being. But you need to be more careful. Your scales don't make you invincible." The dragon laughed a little.

"I know Princess. It only took this scar to show me that." Rarity winced at the mention of the scar. It had become hard to ignore it and she still felt responsible for the dragon getting hurt. If she had been stronger...

"And Rarity, your actions may have saved the life of your friend Fluttershy, as well as the young foal she is carrying." Rarity blinked.

"Fluttershy is..." Celestia nodded.

"They found out while checking her injuries, which I am happy to say were very few thanks to you."

"Rarity doesn't realize it but her magic is pretty powerful." Spike said with a grin

"I've noticed, and I would like to teach you a few useful spells. I don't wish to worry any of you but we have to break the seal in a few days at the most and we all must be as prepared as possible."

"I understand Princess."

"I also have some spells I wish to show you Spike." the dragon blinked and stared at her.

"I'm a dragon. I don't have magic."

"That's not true. Dragons have plenty of magic. In fact when you send me letters you're using a portion of your magic. As well as when you use your fire breath. I think these spells will be more efficient then swinging your tail around at everything." his grin turned into a smile and he nodded.

"Alright then."

------

Applejack and Rainbow Dash watched as Sora and his friends continued their training

"They really are pushin themselves hard ain't they?" Applejack tried to focus on them, but thoughts of her grandmother kept creeping up on her. Celestia had the old Mare moved to the castle and her best were keeping an eye on her health. But they all knew it was a useless effort. Granny Smith couldn't live forever after all. Tears started to stain Applejacks cheeks. She pulled her hat down to hide them, surprised when Rainbow kissed her cheek.

"Do you want to talk about it AJ?" she asked softly. The mare shook her head, leaning against her friend as silent sobs racked her body back and forth. Dash ran a comforting hoof through her mane, watching as Celestia lowered the sun, the moon making its way into the air. It was a beautiful night, but for them it was just another day gone by. A day closer to the end for one so dear to them.

"Ah just dunno what t' do Dashie...Ah'm gonna lose her..." Rainbow held her close, fighting back her own tears.

"Everypony has to go sometime AJ...She's lived a happy and full life. She has you and Big Macintosh and Applebloom here. You three mean a lot to her. You probably don't know it AJ but if it weren't for you three, Granny Smith woulda killed herself when your mother died." Applejack looked into Rainbows eyes.

"w...what? Dashie yer not makin sense..."

"I had a nice long talk with Granny Smith...I had a few things I wanted to talk to her about while I had the chance. She could see how worried we all are and she said we don't need to worry about her. Because we've got each other. When your mom died...it tore her apart. It was only because of you and Macintosh and little filly Applebloom that Granny Smith was able to keep herself together. 

She had a responsibility to make sure you three grew up happy and took care of the orchard that her family had put so much work into. She said 'Well ah couldn't be prouder of what those three have become. Ah'm glad ah was able to see it with mah own eyes. Ah'm gettin tired Miz Dash. Ah still got a few things ah wanna finish on this a'here side o' things. Then ah can take mahself a well deserved rest.'" Rainbow wiped away a tear that found its way on her cheek.

"She asked...that I take care of you once she's gone. And I asked if i could have her blessing."

"Her blessin? Dashie what are ya..." Dash reached into her saddlebag and sat a small blue box on the ground in front of her.

"Go on, open it." Rainbow smiled, watching as Applejack slowly opened the box, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh my...Dashie...ah don't know what t' say..."

"You could say Yes." Rainbow kissed her cheek.

"AJ...will you marry me?"
> Return of a Nightmare Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A gentle nudge to her side woke her. She smiled seeing it was the sleeping form of Big Macintosh.

"He must have stayed here all night..." she thought aloud. She moved to sit up, the motion waking the sleeping stallion.

"Flutter, ya'll don't need t' be movin around. Ya'll need yer rest."

"Oh...well thank you Mackie but you need to sleep too. You can't worry yourself about me like this." She scooted back on her bed a bit and smiled at him, a light blush on her face. The stallion climbed into the bed with her, wrapping his hooves around her. 

She sighed and rested her head against his chest. Not many ponies knew it, but Big Macintosh was one of the most gentle ponies in Ponyville, probably in Equestria. All anypony ever saw of him was the quiet workhorse, the powerhouse, the strong bull-headed stallion who had nothing to say. But Fluttershy saw more than those ponies saw. He was quite the talker once a pony got through to him.

"Flutter, ah've been thinkin...Ah wouldn't feel right jus' bringin a foal into the world..." She looked up at him, her heart sinking. He saw the fear in her eyes and chuckled, kissing her forehead.

"Without ya marryin me first." he finished, she blushed bright red, covering her mouth with her hooves. Squeaking an answer.

"Ya'll are gonna have t' speak up Flutter. Ah'm a might bit hard o' hearin" he joked. She giggled and threw her hooves around him, pushing her muzzle to his. 

"Is that a yes?" He asked.

"Oh...um...yes. Yes it is." 

------

"whoa!" Rainbow gasped as Applejack tackled her to the ground, holding her tightly and crying into her chest.

"AJ..." Rainbow wrapped her hooves around the mare, trying to calm her.

"Yes..." Applejack mumbled into her coat.

"Huh?"

"Yes, ah'll marry ya." She said through her tears. Rainbow smiled and held the farm pony close to her as she cried her heart out. Finally she calmed herself and helped Dash to her hooves, only to throw her hooves around the pegasus and cling to her. Dash smiled and held her close.

"AJ, why don't we go see Granny and tell her the news?"

------

Applebloom sat beside her grandmothers' bed, watching as the mare slept peacefully. A few times Applebloom had feared she had stopped breathing but it had been her imagination. She wished Pip was here to help keep her calm, but he was starting his Guard training today. Granny smith slowly opened her eyes and smiled.

"Well hello there." Granny Smith said with a lighthearted smile. Applebloom grabbed hold of her hoof and returned the smile.

"Hey Granny...how are ya feelin?"

"Ah'm feelin a might bit tired lil bloom. But ah can't sleep jus' yet. Tell me Bloom, do ya'll remember everythin ah taught ya about th' zap apples?"

"Every last word Granny." Applebloom smiled. She prided herself in being the best Zap Apple Jammer of her family, besides Granny Smith of course.

"Good, ah'm gonna need ya t' teach th' others Bloom. Yer a big pony now and ah know ah can't hide nuthin from ya anymore. Ol' Granny needs her rest. But not before ya'll two come out of hidin and tell me th' good news." Granny called out to the hall. Two ponies poked their heads inside and slowly walked into the room. Applejack blushed heavily as she caught eyes with her grandmother, lowering her hat. Rainbow smiled and nudged Applejack.

"Do you want me to tell her?"

"No...Ah can tell her Dashie." Applejack took a slow breath, the pegasi's wing over her back helping to calm her nerves.

"Granny...Ah'm gettin married!"

"Well it's 'bout time ya'll asked her Dash. Ah was worried ya'll were gonna wait til ah was gone to get up the courage t'do it. Ah'm so very happy for both o' ya'll. Now if only Mac can do th' same." the mare broke into a coughing fit, the three ponies sitting around her, worry and dread filling them. Granny eventually broke out of the coughing fit and looked around.

"Well hello there" she said, making them laugh.

"Ah'm so proud of all of ya. 'specially you Applebloom. Ya'll were such a cute lil foal, ah'm glad ah was able t' watch ya'll grow into a strong and proud mare. Shame ah couldn't stay for a great grandfoal."

"Now what kind o' talk is that Granny? Ya'll can stay for a bit longer can't ya?" Macintosh asked from the doorway.

"huh? who? oh Macintosh. What are ya'll doin here?" 

"Ah wanted t' bring Flutter here for this, but she's restin up. Yer gonna be a great grandmother Granny Smith." he said proudly.

"And?" Granny asked expectantly. 

"Ah proposed and she accepted." Granny smith smiled and laid back in her bed, looking around at them. They were her pride and joy. Everything that had kept her going through the hard times. 

"Good...good...ah think ah can count on Fluttershy t' keep ya'll from doin anythin stupid. Applejack...Applebloom, ah'm countin on both of ya'll and ah'll be watchin..." the old mare closed her eyes, the gentle rising of her chest slowing.

"Granny...wait...Granny? GRANNY!?" Applebloom shook the mare, tears streaming down her face. Applejack broke down and clung to Rainbow, the pegasus fought back her own tears and held her close, running a hoof through her mane as she sobbed into her coat. Macintosh quickly scooped Applebloom into a hug, the young mares' crying filling the room and echoing down the hall.

Granny smith had been more than just a grandmother. She had been a teacher, their caretaker, everything that they had ever needed in this world had always come from the old mare and now she was gone. But they had one another now. Granny Smith wore a small smile as she passed on, knowing that her family would be able to care for themselves now.

------

Celestia sat outside of the bedroom, waiting for the Apple Family to make their way outside. She felt it would be wrong of her to walk into the room. Applejack was the first out of the room, her eyes red from crying. She looked up at Celestia as if begging. The Alicorn only shook her head. Her powers were great but there was nothing she could do for Granny Smith.

Even if she could, she would most likely do nothing. The old mare had done much in her life and was ready to move on, keeping her here would only have caused her pain. Rainbow pulled Applejack into a hug, the pegasus calmly looked up at the Alicorn.

"Could we have a small service for her Princess? She meant a lot to all of us." a shudder in her voice betrayed her emotions. Though Rainbow Dash was calm on the outside she was truly shaken on the inside. 

"Of course Rainbow Dash. I have something I wish to speak with both of you about, but it can wait until tomorrow. I'm sure you already have much to think about." Rainbow nodded and Celestia left them, the quiet sobbing that echoed through the halls drawing up painful memories in the back of her mind.

------

Twilight noticed a tear making its way down Luna's cheek.

"Luna...are you ok?" Luna blinked, putting a hoof against her cheek. She stared at it for a moment and stood quickly.

"Something is wrong..." Luna made her way for the door, gasping in pain as her head throbbed. Twilight gently pushed the Alicorn back to bed.

"You're in no condition to handle anything right now Luna. Tell me whats wrong."

"It's my sister...I know it sounds strange but...I can feel it. Whether she is in pain or her emotions get the better of her I can always tell. It's rare she loses control of them like this. Something must have happened to upset her." Twilight sat down beside Luna.

"If it were something dangerous somepony would've warned us by now. Or we would at least hear the sounds of fighting."

"Maybe it's just a bad memory sneaking up on her..." Luna hung her head.

"Luna..." Twilight pressed her muzzle to the Alicorns' neck.

"Sorry Twilight...I was just thinking..." Twilight bit her lip. She had an idea of what the Alicorn was thinking of.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Twilight gasped in surprise as Luna suddenly pulled her into a hug. Twilight wrapped her hooves around her as the Alicorn began to cry.

------

Nyx blinked as tears stung her eyes. Why was she crying? She had been reading one of her favorite books when a sudden feeling of dread and despair came over her. She looked around the room, fearing it might be some kind of instinct telling her she was in danger. But she saw nothing. Slowly she wiped away the tears but they were quickly replaced with more.

A small sob built up in her throat as the feeling continued to wash over her. She buried her eyes in her hooves trying to calm down, surprised when she felt arms around her. Looking up she found Sweetie Belle holding her.

"You ok Nyx?"

"I...I'm fine...b...Belle..." Sweetie Belle wiped away one of her tears.

"You don't look it Nyx. Whats wrong?" Nyx laughed and shook her head

"I don't know. I just started crying for some reason. Like something terrible just happened."

"Somethin terrible did happen..." Applebloom said from the door. Her head was hung low and her ears were tucked back. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

"Applebloom..."

"Granny is gone..." Applebloom sobbed, falling to the ground in tears. Nyx winced, her wings rustling about in their bandages as she pulled herself from her bed and walked over to her friend. She sat down beside her, gently wrapping a bandaged wing around her. Applebloom sniffed and looked up at her. Nyx smiled, tears still making their way down her cheeks.

"Remember what we talked about Bloom? No matter what, no matter how many ponies leave, you'll always have them with you. I bet Granny Smith is watching you right now. How would she feel if she saw you crying like this? She needs you to be strong Applebloom.  

Your family needs you to be strong, we need you to be strong. You're important to all of us Applebloom and it hurts seeing you like this. I understand how you feel. Granny Smith was special to all of us, but to you she was practically your mother. Maybe that's why she taught you everything she knew. Are you gonna just let all that hard work go to waste?" Nyx asked gently.

Applebloom wiped away her tears and took a shaky breath, hiccupping as she spoke.

"N...HIC...No! Ah'm g-HIC-gonna make Granny proud!" Nyx smiled. Scootaloo walked into the room and raised an eyebrow.

"Nyx, you're not tryin to steal Bloom from Pip are you?" she joked. Nyx shook her head, wincing as she pulled her wing away from her.

"Scootaloo you're supposed to be resting, and same goes for You Nyx. Your wings were pretty badly burned." Sweetie Belle said, trying to move her back to her bed.

"We don't have time for me to rest up. The Princess probably doesn't know it but I overheard her talking to Sora and the Doctor. We've only got a few more days until they break the seal. We've got to be ready."

"A few days?!" Applebloom asked shocked. Scootaloo grinned and stood beside Sweetie Belle, her Keyblade appearing.

"We'll be fine Bloom, me and Belle got these things. Nyx should heal up in a few days anyway and then Sora and his pals are still training. We'll be ready." Applebloom stared at the Keyblade. Around the handle was half a heart, Sweetie Belle's Keyblade holding the other half. The blade was a mix of colors, swirling between orange and white. After a moment it vanished.

"Well you two might be ready but Ah've still got a lot o' work t' do. Nyx, ya'll think yer up to a lil spar?" Applebloom turned to the Alicorn who flexed her wings a little. She ignored Sweetie Belle's attempts to put her back to bed and nodded, following after Applebloom.

"Geez, those two..." Scootaloo started, Sweetie Belle raising an eyebrow at her.

"Uh...good point Belle..." The unicorn nodded and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

------

A large black Alicorn stood in the center of the training grounds, visibly shaking. Slowly it widened its stance and opened its mouth, smoke billowing out and forming a cloud around its head. Applejack felt genuine fear take hold of her as she stared at it. 

"Alright guys, let's see if you can keep up. Ready, set, GO!" Rainbow and the Alicorn took off into the sky, swirling around one another as they made their way through the cloud ring race track. To Rainbow's surprise the Alicorn kept pace with her and flew past her.

"Impressive, but we're just getting started!" Rainbow winced as she flapped her wings harder. They hadn't really had a chance to recover and her Sonic Rainboom Tornado hadn't really helped. But she wasn't one to just sit and relax, except for the occasional nap. She was needed. She needed to be stronger, for her friends, for Applejack. And she would need Sora's help. Fluttershy couldn't train Sora and his friends this way, for more than one reason. She had a foal on the way and she wasn't exactly the strongest flier. 

Rainbow easily caught up with the Alicorn but again he pushed past her. She grinned and pushed herself a bit harder, ignoring the pain in her wings. The two were neck and neck now and the finish line was close. It was now or never. But just as Rainbow felt herself pulling ahead The Alicorn heartless began to glow, turning back into the three ponies who formed it. Rainbow reacted quickly, snatching up Donald in her teeth and flying under Goofy, catching him on her back. A dazed Sora plummeted to the ground, his wings useless.

"SORA!" Donald and Goofy screamed as they saw their friend fall. Dash struggled to stay in the air, lowering herself to the ground as she held the weight of the two ponies. She couldn't do anything for Sora, she was barely able to keep her grasp on the two ponies she held. Rainbow spotted a black flash out of the corner of her eye, dirt and dust flying into the air as Sora hit the ground. Applejack rushed into the dust.

"SORA! Are ya alright!?" Applejack called through the smoke. Rainbow touched down with Donald and Goofy, quickly rising back into the air and flapping her wings hard to clear the dust. To their surprise a cloaked figure stood in the center, having caught Sora before he hit the ground. The figure set Sora down, looking at them and nodding before vanishing through a black hole in the air.

"Was that...Riku?" Goofy asked. Donald nodded, their attention drawn back to Sora as the Alicorn groaned. Donald helped him up, Goofy on his other side to keep him steady.

"Why did the form break?" Rainbow asked.

"I don't know, I guess we're just pushing too hard." Sora lowered his head.

"Riku had to come and save me..." he said quietly, walking away from them.

------

A black blur ran across the corner of Nyx's vision, distracting her from a kick from Applebloom. The kick landed, smashing into her jaw and throwing her back.

"NYX! Ah'm so sorry, Ah thought ya'll were gonna block it!" Nyx shook herself and stood.

"It's alright Applebloom. Why don't we take a break, I need to check on something and my wings are starting to sting."

"Alright Nyx...ah'll keep practicin though." Applebloom said with a smile.

Nyx nodded and turned to chase after the blur. She found it zipping down a hallway and continued following after it. She gently pushed off the ground, flapping her wings to keep up with it as it made its way through the castle. She didn't know where it was going but she felt she had to follow. She was careful to stay out of its line of sight, ducking behind corners as it stopped and turned. She followed it out into the garden and it vanished. She landed and looked around, trying to figure out where it could have gone.

"You don't have to follow me around." She spun, finding it leaning against a tree, an apple in its hand.

"Riku, you came back" she smiled a bit and felt a chill run through her as he returned the smile.

"To be honest Nyx I never left. I was thinking about what you said and you're right. I can't just leave Sora like this. If he keeps up this idiotic training he is going to hurt himself and possibly his friends. But right now it's our only course of  action. There just isn't enough time to do anything else." Nyx sighed and sat down beside him. Riku took a seat, still leaning against the tree.

"What do you think we should do? What could we do besides this?" She asked him. He shrugged after a moment of thinking.

"Well, I saw those friends of yours with Keyblades. Sora could train them to use them properly, then there is that one you were training with just a minute ago. She seems pretty tough. Maybe you could all help somehow."

"You were watching m...us?" she stammered for a moment.

"I wanted to keep an eye on Sora and try to handle things my way." A black hole opened in the air near Riku and Nyx feared he was leaving again. She placed her hoof on his arm to keep him there and he grinned for a moment, sending another chill through her.

"I'm not leaving Nyx. This is a Corridor of Darkness. With it I can travel anywhere, even between worlds. With it I could travel to home and back in a few minutes. Sora wanted to be able to use this, but I couldn't allow it." it vanished and he turned toward her, laughing at the confused face she had.

"To use it Nyx, you have to give your heart to the darkness. Sora is still a kid at heart...I've always felt like his protective older brother. I couldn't let Sora give his heart to darkness, I had to protect him from it..."

"So you threw yourself back into it, after everything it took to bring you back." Nyx wrapped a wing around his shoulder to comfort him. Riku only nodded, his face never betraying the emotions boiling inside of him.

"It was the only way, but then I ran into you and that Nightmare Moon you were talking about. I had planned to stay in the shadows, act only when I needed to, and hunt down the Organization." He chuckled at himself, staring at his hand.

"I don't even know where they are hiding, Or how many members they have. But I need to find them"

"Riku, your friends need you. What if you found this organization? what then? Would you just fight them all alone? How many do you think you can fight? What if you lost that fight, who would be that older brother that Sora needs?" Riku clenched his fist and sighed.

"I don't know Nyx...I don't know..." 

"Then stay and help us, please." He looked into her eyes for a moment and nodded.

"I'll do what I can Nyx." together they stood, both feeling a bit better about their current situation. Nyx stumbled as the ground began to shake and turned, staring in horror as her worst fear descended upon them.

------

Up...down...up...down. The rhythm continued as Twilight watched the sleeping form of Luna. She had recognized the look Luna had. It was a look she had seen from Nyx. It brought up memories and thoughts Twilight didn't want. Knowledge that someday she would leave this world and leave Nyx behind. It pained her inside to think that Nyx would be all alone without her.

She tried to convince herself that Nyx would always have the cutie mark crusaders, but eventually they would all pass as well. The thought of her daughter...all alone in the world, watching as her friends and family passed away, had been buried deep within her mind. 

She had been avoiding such thoughts and only when Luna had begun to cry had they resurfaced. Luna had suffered so much. She had been trapped within Nightmare Moon though she completely blamed herself for what Nightmare had done.

She had been alone for so long, even before her banishment Luna had never been able to put herself into a relationship with anypony else. It would always end the same, Luna was ageless and eventually everypony had to leave this world. She felt so useless for the mare she loved. 

She gently placed her head next to Luna's, trying to calm herself by just enjoying being near her, but the thoughts wouldn't leave her mind. Tears found their way into her vision, blurring her view of Luna. Her body shook with silent sobs, waking the Alicorn beside her. Luna pulled her into a gentle hug, wrapping her wings around her.

"Twilight, are you alright?" She asked softly. Twilight nodded and wiped away her tears. She couldn't tell Luna what had made her cry, it was already painful enough for Luna without her throwing it in her face.

"I...I'm fine Luna. You need to be resti..." they gasped as the room began to shake, the sky outside turning pitch black.

"It can't be..." Luna stared in horror through a nearby window. Heartless began pouring out of the sky and in the center of them was Nightmare Moon.

------

Flames danced around the dragon as he leapt into the heartless, roaring as he spun, slamming his claws into the ones closest to him. The flames surrounded his claws which dug themselves into the bodies of the heartless. Spikes eyes began to glow, mumbled words setting the heartless around him ablaze.

He leapt backwards as a massive blade of darkness slammed into the ground. Spike grinned a little and held out his claws as a massive heartless rushed towards him with the blade. Spike threw up an arm to catch the blade, stopping it in its tracks and slamming his other claw into the creatures gut. He gasped as his hand went inside of the heartless, slowly pulling him inside of it.

"SPIKE!" Rarity screamed and out of the corner of his eye he saw a pegasi heartless snatch her up.

"NO YOU DON'T!" he took a deep breath, his eyes beginning to glow once more. Runes spread across the ground underneath him, forming a circle around him and the golem heartless that was swallowing him. Flames rose from the circle, swallowing Spike and the heartless. 

Spike rushed out of the flames as the heartless was devoured by them, rushing towards Rarity. He had to reach her somehow, the pegasi was already getting too high in the air for him. He noticed a wall and ran faster, leaping onto the wall and digging his claws into it as he ran up it at an angle. He bent his knees, pushing off the wall and leaping towards Rarity, he reached out his claws for her hooves, the mare reaching for his claws. He grabbed her hoof and a heartless slammed into his side, pulling him from Rarity. 

Spike plummeted towards the ground, the heartless digging its claws into his soft belly. Spike grabbed hold of the heartless and spun in the air, using the heartless to break his fall. They slammed into the ground, the heartless pinned beneath Spikes bruised body. 

Spike painfully pushed himself onto all fours, slashing his claws across the Pegasi's face. Spike stumbled his way out of the crater his impact had made, a figure standing before him.

"Hello Dragon." Nightmare said with a sly grin.

"Nightmare Moon...That's impossible..."

"And yet here I am. I wonder, why are you fighting for Celestia? or should I say Rarity? She is but a unicorn and you are a dragon. You two cannot possible be together. out of pity perhaps? Unicorns have always been like that. Maybe there is something she wants from you, you are a dragon after all. A 'rare' gem. She must be quite popular dragging you around."  Spike growled low in his throat as the Alicorn walked around him slowly.

"She is using you my dear Dragon, they all are. You do not belong with these ponies. You should be fighting for me." she placed a hoof underneath his chin.

"Never"

"Then I suppose I'll just have to keep your precious Rarity, it would be awful if something happened to her." Nightmare said with a grin, turning her back to him. Spike roared and leapt at her; Nightmare moon spread her wings and slammed one into him, flinging him back into a wall. He forced himself to stand again, his eyes wide as Nightmare appeared in front of him.

"You cannot stand against me Dragon."

"But I can!" Nightmare grunted in pain as Nyx slammed into her side. The two Alicorns glared at each other, slowly walking circles around the other.

"I defeated you once Nightmare Moon and I'll do it again!" Nightmare began to laugh as two blades appeared, floating around Nyx.

"No my dear, you only crushed my essence. You'll find that I'm not as weak as it was." a large blade appeared beside her as her horn glowed. Spike tried to run over to help, Nightmare was too powerful for them to face. He stopped as something rested on his shoulder, looking up he saw a cloaked figure that shook its head.

"Go after the unicorn, we'll handle this." The figure said, rushing to Nyx's side. Spike nodded and ran in the direction the pegasi had taken Rarity.

hold on Rarity...I'm coming

------

"Scoots! You're still hurt! You can't fight!" Sweetie Belle yelled at her. Scootaloo shook her head, pulling off her bandages.

"So I'm suppose to sit here while you and Bloom go fight those heartless?! I'm not letting that happen Belle. I'm going to help." Sweetie Belle sighed.

"Just...please be careful..." she asked. Scootaloo nodded and together they ran outside, finding Applebloom already beating up several heartless.  

The mare spun on her front left hoof, throwing her right hind hoof into the air to kick away a pegasi heartless. As her hoof hit the ground she spun on it, throwing her front hooves outward, slamming them into two heartless on either side of her and throwing them into a nearby pillar.

Scootaloo threw her Keyblade as one reached to grab hold of Applebloom, the blade pinning the heartless to the wall. Sweetie Belle called out to her own Keyblade, holding it in her magic as she rushed to her friends side.

"Where's Nyx?" she asked. Applebloom shook her head, too exhausted to speak. Scootaloo and Sweetie belle nodded, standing beside their friend and protecting her as she recovered.

"Belle! Magic!" the unicorn nodded and began to sing, Scootaloo knocking away heartless with her Keyblade as they reached for her. Musical notes began to appear around Sweetie Belle, forming a barrier around her and Applebloom. Sweetie Belle stopped and sang a different song, the sound of if drifted around them, a feeling of dread overwhelming them from the sad tune.

The notes that appeared outside the barrier were dull and gray, driving themselves into the heartless like daggers.  Each one that hit a heartless would quickly pull away and slam into another, eventually becoming a blur as the Unicorn continued to sing, the song bringing tears to her eyes.

------

BAM!BAM!BAM! The heartless continued to pound away at the door, a nurses' barrier keeping them from bashing their way inside. She could only hold it up for so long though. Big Macintosh lowered his head, dragging his hoof across the ground a few times.

"Nurse, can ah trust ya t' get Flutter t' safety?" the nurse nodded and turned to the others who took hold of the mares bed.

"There is a path to a safe room in the back, we can hide there. There is an enchantment cast on it, it'll protect us a lot better than my barrier."

"Good. Ah want ya to take Flutter and git there. Ah'll hold em off." Macintosh said, turning his back to them and facing the door

"Macintosh no!" Fluttershy called out to him, the fear in her voice almost convincing him to go with her, but somepony had to stay to keep the heartless from following them.

"GO!" he yelled to the nurse. She nodded and they ran off with Fluttershy in tow. The barrier fell and the door burst open, heartless pouring into the room. Macintosh charged forward, ready to protect that which was dear to him.

------

Again and again their blades crossed, neither able to strike a hit on the other. Nightmare moon grinned as her blade held back both of Nyx's

"I'm surprised Nyx, you can actually hold your own against me, for now." Riku had tried to help in the fight, but each time he got close a wall of dark flame would block his path, or nightmare would summon heartless to distract him.

He tried dismissing them as he had before but they refused to leave. It could only mean that this Nightmare was stronger than when he had first faced her. The heartless would only obey who was strongest. 

Riku roared as he sliced through them, throwing his arm forward and summoning a massive ball of dark energy that descended on top of the heartless, crushing them. He leapt into the air over the ones in front of him and rolled to the side as another wall of dark flame rose up, cutting through yet another with his Keyblade. He threw the blade forward, managing to clip Nightmare's wing. The Alicorn gasped in pain giving Nyx an opening, her blades slamming into the Alicorns side. 

The blades vanished as Nightmare stumbled backwards. Nyx panted a little and smiled, gasping as Nightmares blade flew towards her. She blinked and found Riku standing in front of her, the blade having gone through his body and stopped merely an inch from her face. His hands held onto the hilt of the blade as it continued to force itself toward Nyx. 

Riku grunted in pain, blood soaking his cloak. He pulled on the hilt and slowly it slid out of him. He roared and crushed it in his hands, Nightmare screaming in pain as the backlash of the blades destruction hit her. Riku fell to his knees, clutching his stomach. Blood dripped down his chin and he grinned.

"Nyx...you've got to...finish her...before she gets away..." Nightmare was slowly recovering from the backlash. She stood, shaking her head and unfurled her wings, preparing to fly off. Nyx bit her lip. She could go after Nightmare and in the Alicorns weakened state she could defeat her once and for all. But if she left Riku here he would surely bleed to death.

Because of her. If not for her he wouldn't have thrown himself in front of the blade. Again Nightmares blade appeared, though it had lost most of its luster and barely held itself together. 

The blade flew towards Riku; Nyx reacted quickly, her own blades appearing and knocking back the sword. She flung one blade forward, nightmare vanishing in her mane and disappearing from view. Nyx looked all around but the Alicorn was nowhere to be found. She turned back to Riku, tears in her eyes.

"You didn't have to do that Riku..." her horn began to glow as she tried to heal him. It was slow going and she found there was more than just the wound. The blade had its own darkness and that darkness had found its way into Riku's body. The thought of such darkness brought up the memory of Spell Nexus, how Nightmare Moons' essence had taken over his body and mind as well as the children of nightmare. 

Maybe I can heal him like I healed Spell Nexus.Her mane began to glow, dimly at first and growing brighter until it matched that of nightmare moon. A portion of her mane reached for Riku, going inside his body. She gasped and screamed, her head thrown back as her eyes began to glow. When Nyx could see again she was standing alone, all around her was darkness. 

"RIKU?!" She called out. She spotted him close by, laying on his side and curled up in a ball. He was without his cloak, instead he wore a strange jacket, yellow covered the shoulders while the inside was black, the rest filled in by white. He wore long blue pants and held his knees, a blindfold over his eyes.

"Riku?" she asked softly, walking up to his side. Riku said nothing to her. She reached out to place a hoof against him, finding a dark barrier in the way.

"A barrier...this must be his light...whats' left of it..." She looked around, hearing the sounds of growling and found that the darkness was moving towards them. Nyx stood her ground, determined to find some way to help Riku. She summoned her blades of magic.

"No...you need to leave Nyx..." Riku said from inside the barrier.

"I can't Riku. If I leave now you'll die. Sora still needs you..." a heartless leapt for the barrier only to be cut in half by Nyx's blade. One fell from above, landing on top of her and grabbing hold of her wings.

She screamed in agony as it began to pull and bucked her hips, throwing the creature off of her, though it was quickly replaced by another, more and more jumping on her. She roared in anger, an explosion of magic sending the heartless flying in all directions. 

She tucked her wings against her sides, ignoring the pain and focused on the task at hand. She needed to remove the darkness from Riku. She had thought it would've been as simple as when she freed the children of nightmare, but this darkness was something more than that.

She panted a little as the heartless continued their assault. No matter how many she managed to knock back or destroy there was always plenty more to replace them. A few slammed into the barrier around Riku, cracks forming in it. Nyx gasped as the barrier burst open, the heartless leaping away from her and pouncing on Riku.

"NO!" she screamed, cutting a path to Riku. She threw herself over him, holding him tightly as the heartless dug their claws into her. She tried to think, to come up with a plan, some way to free herself and Riku from this darkness, but every time she managed a clear thought it was torn away by the pain that racked her entire body.

"I'm sorry Riku" she managed to say, gasping in pain as the heartless tried to pry her off of Riku. Slowly the blindfold fell from his face. His eyes opened and he turned to Nyx. 

"It's not your fault...its mine...I did this..."

"NO! You did what you had to for your friends." Nyx bit her lip, trying to ignore the pain. She gasped as she was flung away from Riku and into the darkness. She tried to stand but her body wouldn't listen.

She felt something warm and wet moving underneath her and realized it was her blood. She kept her eyes on Riku, willing her body to move, anything to help. But all she could do was lay there. The heartless lunged for Riku, the only light within the darkness slowly fading away.

"RIKU!" Nyx screamed, her body surrounded in the glow of her magic. She lifted herself up with it, spreading her wings wide and let her magic drop. She dived towards Riku and the heartless, slamming into the pile, she scooped up Riku in her hooves, snapping her wings up to fling herself into the air, out of reach of the heartless. The darkness began to close in on them. Riku stared at Nyx for a moment and placed a hand around her horn.

"Riku...what are you doing?" She asked him. He threw himself over her, landing on her back, his hand still around her horn. Slowly his hand began to glow and she could hear the sound of bells. As the sound faded so did her pain. Instead of the expected pain of each flap of her wings there was just the air moving around her. Something began to glow behind her and out of the corner of her eye she saw Riku's Keyblade.

"Thank you Nyx." He said softly. His Keyblade began to glow as the darkness swallowed them. Nyx realized Riku was casting a spell and poured her magic into his Keyblade, rolling through the air to avoid massive claws reaching for them. A small hole opened in the air, a tiny light.

"There it is!" Riku called out, pointing his Keyblade toward the hole. Nyx nodded, keeping her mind on the task at hand, up-down, up-down, faster and faster her wings beat against the air. The darkness reached for them one last time before they burst through the light.

------

A pink blur zipped through the air, any heartless it touched dying instantly. The blur landed for just a moment on the ground, bounding into the air once more. Below a stallion slammed his hooves into the nearest heartless, flinging it into another. He reared up on his hind legs, slamming his forehooves into the face of another heartless, the blur bouncing behind him and slicing through a group of them.

The blur finally came to a stop beside him as he stomped on the last heartless. The pink pony beside him panted a little, her Keyblade vanishing. She leaned against him and he smiled.

"Ah'm glad ya'll were around t' handle these things Pinks, Ah dunno if ah coulda done it alone." Pinkie giggled, kissing his cheek.

"But you were amazing down here Braesy." she started bouncing around

"First you were like WHAM and then POW and then SMACK and..." she continued and he laughed, kissing her to make her stop. She blushed a little and nuzzled him, stopping as a scream reached their ears. Her Keyblade appeared between her teeth.

"Come on!" she mumbled around the blade, Braeburn nodded, tucking his hat down onto his head and chasing after her. Pinkie caught sight of Nightmare Moon flying above them and threw her Keyblade toward the Alicorn. Braeburn noticed the movement and looked up, gasping as he caught sight of nightmare. Pinkies Keyblade just barely missed, vanishing and reappearing between her teeth.

"Braesy, I need you to do something for me."

"Um...sure Pinks, what is it?" Pinkie reached behind her, pulling out her party cannon seemingly out of thin air and climbed into it, using her forehooves to position the cannon.

"I need you to push that button on the back."

"Pinks this is crazy, ah can't shoot ya outta this thing!"

"We're running out of time Braeburn, we can't argue about this!" Braeburn swore and slammed his hoof on the button, sending Pinkie flying through the air.

"Buckin crazy mare..." he grinned a little to himself, watching as Pinkie soared through the air, tackling a surprised Nightmare. Pinkie placed her Keyblade against the Alicorns throat, wrapping her hooves around her and squeezing. Nightmare tried to shake Pinkie from her back but the mare wouldn't be thrown so easily.

Pinkie squeezed harder, holding Nightmares wings so she couldn't flap them, the two dropping like a rock from the air. Braeburn rushed toward them, hoping to catch Pinkie, but they were falling too fast. Nightmare Moon slammed into the ground, the collision knocking her out cold. Pinkie emerged from the kicked up dirt unscathed and wearing a grin as she stood above the Alicorn.

"I don't know how you got here you big meany but you're not going to hurt my friends. Come on Braesy, we gotta get this monster to the Princess" Braeburn hefted the Alicorn onto his back, following Pinkie as she made her way toward Celestia's throne room.

------

The three stood with their backs toward one another, facing down the endless heartless, a scream ringing out through the fog of black. 

"That was Nyx!" Sweetie Belle realized, gasping as a heartless grabbed her. Scootaloo slammed her Keyblade into it and Applebloom smashed her hooves across its face.

"We're kinda in our own pot of trouble Belle. Nyx is tough, she can handle herself. We've gotta find a way out of this mess." Sweetie Belle nodded and called out to her Keyblade but it wouldn't come. She tried calling out to her magic but it refused to come to her.

"S...Sorry Scoots...I'm too exhausted..." Sweetie belle sank to the ground, Applebloom leaping over the unicorn and smashing her forehooves into a heartless.

"Come on Belle, ya'll can't jus' quit on us now! Jus catch yer breath alright?"  Scootaloo nodded.

"Bloom is right, we need you Belle. Rest up a minute and get a hold of your magic." The two friends did their best to defend the weakened Unicorn, but they were running low on steam themselves. Scootaloo panted, her Keyblade vanishing.

"BUCK!" she screamed, knocked onto her back by a passing pegasi heartless. Applebloom collapsed beside her friends, resting her hoof near them.

"Well...it seems like we're done for..." Sweetie belle said quietly, reaching her hoof out, resting it near Appleblooms'. Scootaloo reached a hoof out, resting it near her friends' hooves and smiled.

"We can't give up...we can figure something out..." Scootaloo argued weakly. The heartless, knowing the three stood no chance against them, began to make a game out of finishing them. Circling around them and diving toward them as if they intended to destroy them before pulling back at the last minute. Scootaloo pushed herself up onto her hooves, her friends doing the same.

"Well...on th' bright side, we'll all meet up on th' other side...ah hope..." Applebloom sighed, lowering her head. Scootaloo felt her own spirits falter as she realized they couldn't escape. Sweetie Belle lowered her head, her horn glowing dimly, making Applebloom and Scootaloo stare at her.

"...Through good and bad, we fight the fight..." Sweetie Belle said softly, making her friends smile.

"Day and night, we realize our dreams..." Scootaloo continued, lowering her head as memories rushed through her mind.

"Defeating our nightmares, though the journey may end;" Applebloom added, placing her head in their small circle, the heartless closing in on them.

"I will never stop being your friend." the three said together, the glow around Sweetie bell's horn surrounded the three of them. Her eyes snapped wide open, filled with white, a bright flash blinding the heartless around them for a moment. As the light flashed a single Alicorn stood on a patch of burnt ground. Scootaloo's grin, Apple bloom's determination, and Sweetie bell's love for her friends burned within the Alicorns eyes.

The Alicorn was about half Celestia's size, her wings long and pure white, tinged with orange and yellow near the tips, her mane a swirling mix of red, purple and pink. A dim glow surrounded her horn as a large Keyblade hovered by her side, its hilt matching her mane, forming a circle around the main part of the hilt itself.

The blade was long and silver, the teeth of the key each a different color, one yellow, one white, one orange. Scootaloo's smirk appeared on the Alicorns face as she prepared to face down the heartless.
> Return of a Nightmare Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

She panted heavily as she ran, looking for Nyx. She had heard the young Alicorn scream and knew she needed help. Twilight had tried to make Luna stay in bed but the Alicorn had found a way to follow her anyway. The two stopped, seeing a massive swirling vortex of heartless. 

As they ran towards it a bright light began to shine through, heartless vanishing as the light touched them. Soon it became too bright for them to watch, Luna shielding them with her wing. The light faded and Luna lowered her wing, shocked at what she saw. Before the two of them stood an Alicorn, steam rose from its body and magic danced in the air around it. The Alicorn smiled at them before suddenly glowing brightly and changing into Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. 

The three friends looked at themselves and then each other and started laughing, grabbing hold of one another. They pulled away from one another, staring at the ground in front of them. There sat three blades, Scootaloo's half heart and Sweetie Belle's half sat next to each other, while a third sat before Applebloom. The hilt had a dark green apple shaped guard around it, the blade short and red. Applebloom lifted it, the blade vanishing.

"Ah think ah'm ready now." She said with a grin.

------

Nyx collapsed, her vision blurred. She felt something around her and realized it was Riku. Slowly her vision returned and she found herself looking up into his eyes as he held her.

"Riku?" she asked softly, gasping from a sudden splitting headache.

"Nyx...that was so stupid..." 

"Not as stupid as you jumping in front of that sword" he chuckled a little and shook his head.

"Thank you..." he said softly. She sighed and sat up, the bandages falling from her wings. She glanced back at them to find that the burns were gone and it didn't hurt when she moved them.

"My wings..."

"I healed them." he said with a smile.

"Your wound!" she looked at him and he chuckled

"All healed up, thanks to you. I don't know how you found your way there but...thanks Nyx. I can't really say it enough." He stood, the blood having dried on his cloak and cracking as he moved.

"Don't let Rarity see your cloak like that. She'd throw a fit and make you a new one and cover it in Onyx and rubies" Nyx joked. Riku raised an eyebrow and Nyx sighed, remembering Riku hadn't exactly met Rarity. 

"So...are you going to stay Riku?" he looked around, his Keyblade appearing and nodded.

"Someone has to protect you after all." he joked. She shook her head and sighed.

"RIKU!" Riku gasped as three ponies tackled him to the ground. Nyx giggled as the three friends all tried to talk at once.

"You're stayin put Riku, ya can't just up and leave us again" Goofy said, keeping him pinned.

"That's right, we're your friends Riku and we want to help!" Sora added.

"GUYS!" Riku yelled, making them stop.

"I'm not leaving." Riku looked over at Nyx.

"I'm not leaving..."

------

"BACK! GIT BACK!" The stallion yelled at the wall of heartless, pushing it back with all his might. He spun and bent his forehooves, throwing his hind legs out and smashing his hind-hooves into the heartless, making the wall inch backwards. Again and again he kicked at it. The heartless rose up above him, forming one massive heartless, Macintosh panted and stared down the hulking creature, rearing up on his hind hooves. 

Suddenly the heartless vanished, leaving Big Macintosh standing there confused. He looked around, making sure it wasn't sneaking around him. There was nothing, just the empty room. He started to laugh, realizing how foalish he had been, taking such a thing on by himself. But it had run, or at least it was gone for now. All that mattered to him right now was that Fluttershy was ok as he turned and ran in the direction the nurses had gone.

------

Slowly the massive doors to her throne room opened, Pinkie Pie poking her head inside and bouncing her way in, behind her was Braeburn, carrying the unconscious nightmare moon. Celestia stared in shock at the scene as Braeburn lowered the injured Alicorn to the floor in front of the Princess. Slowly Nightmare began to stir, a swift kick from Pinkie Pie knocking her back out.

"But...how..." was all Celestia managed to say. Pinkie shrugged.

"Me and Braesy saw that she was hurt when she flew over us so he launched me out of my party cannon and I flew through the air, it was so amazing! It was like having wings, but I couldn't really fly, although it would be nice to fly."

"Pinks, yer ramblin." Braeburn said softly.

"Oh, right, sorry. Anyway, she was already hurt when we spotted her, so we just knocked her out."

"Actually princess, Pinkie here did most of th' work. Ah jus pushed the button..."

"Pinkie Pie, find the others, I will gather the Elements. I do not know how this monster has been reborn, but we must be rid of her before she can regain her powers."Pinkie Pie saluted.

"Okie Dokie Lokie Princess"

"Braeburn, I ask that you stay here and watch Nightmare Moon."

"and if she wakes up just use those big strong hooves of yours and crack her upside the noggin, mmk Braesy?" Pinkie said beside him. He stammered a bit and nodded, forcing his eyes away from Pinkie Pie as the mare made her way out of the throne room to find her friends.

"I knew we would have trouble dealing with the heartless...but for Nightmare Moon to have returned..." Celestia sighed 

"Though I am amazed you and Pinkie Pie were able to subdue her like this. The previous Nightmare Moon easily bested myself and My sister. And before that only the Elements stood a chance against her."

"Well it's like Pinks said Princess, when we saw her she was already busted up pretty bad."

"I see...then there is someone more powerful than Nightmare Moon on our side." Celestia stood and walked over to one of the many curtains that made their way down the walls of her throne room. It was surrounded by her magic and pulled aside, revealing a lock on the wall behind the curtain. 

Celestia slid her horn into the lock, a loud CHINK echoing throughout the throne room. Slowly the wall split open, revealing a box inside. Celestia lifted the box and set it down at her side as she made her way back to Nightmare Moon

"What bothers me is I cannot figure out how this could be possible. Every last bit of Nightmare Moons' essence was destroyed by Nyx."

"Perhaps I can be of assistance." a cloaked figure said as it came out of a black hole in the air. Braeburn spun, his stance wide as he glared at the cloaked figure.

"You see, Nightmare Moon is and always has been, a Heartless." the man grinned and snapped his fingers, flames surrounding them.

------

She sighed in relief as they finally caught sight of Nyx. The young Alicorn sat beside the cloaked figure Twilight had yelled at before. Sora and his friends sat in front of them. Twilight couldn't tell what they were talking about and in that moment she didn't care. She ran to Nyx's side, frantically checking if she was hurt.

"Mom, I'm alright" Nyx said, hugging the panicking Unicorn. Luna joined them in their circle

"It would appear you've been through a great battle." Luna said to the cloaked figure, noticing the blood dried to his cloak.


"I suppose you could put it like that." Twilight looked at the figure, realizing she had never seen such a creature before.

"What...are you?" she asked out of curiosity. 

"He's a human. He and Sora come from the same world." Nyx explained with a small smile.

"And I'm here to help, I don't mean any harm to your daughter." Riku said, raising his hands in the air to show he was harmless. He didn't want a repeat of their first encounter.

"You're the one that ripped off Trixie's horn!" Twilight realized.

"Yea...it didn't work out like I had thought it would. She came back completely healed and as Nightmare Moon no less. She escaped before we could finish her off."

"OHHHHHHHHH So YOU beat up that big meany!" Pinkie said from beside them.

"Pinkie? how did you...nevermind. You saw Nightmare Moon?" Pinkie pie nodded.

"yep, me and Braesy knocked her out and took her to the Princess. She told me that I need to go get everypony so we can use the elements and stop nightmare moon before she gets her powers back cause if she got her powers back she might beat us up really badly and that wouldn't be very nice." Pinkie pouted

"Big meany...Anyway we need to get everypony and get back to the Princess."

"Alright, we'll split up and search for the others." Riku cleared his throat and waved his hand, small orbs of black appearing in the air. In one they could see Fluttershy in some sort of panic room. In another they spotted Rainbow Dash and Applejack headed in their direction. The last caught their eye though, it was Rarity.

------

Spike ran, his body aching and screaming for him to stop, but he couldn't stop. He had to get to Rarity, he had to save her. His body was ready to give out and still he continued onward. He had lost sight of the heartless that had taken Rarity, but he could still smell the mare. Her special mix of perfume found its way into his mind and he turned down a path in the forest.

I'm getting close...I can feel it... he thought to himself. He spotted a cave in the distance and smiled. Rarity had to be inside that cave! He ran forward, his pain forgotten. As he neared the mouth of the cave a terrible screeching sound reached his ears. Tons of bats flying out of the cave and circling him. It took him a moment to realize that they were heartless as they swooped down to strike him. 

Spike let loose a burst of flame, though in his current exhausted state it was weak and only managed to scare off a few of the bats. Spike tried to charge into the cave, a hulking heartless smashing him back with its massive fist.

"OH COME ON!" he screamed in frustration. He gasped, his eyes wide as he saw Rarity slung over the beasts shoulder. He sprang back to his feet, growling loudly.

"Let.Her.Go." Spike said quietly. The heartless merely stared back at him, saying nothing.

"Fine, you wanna do this the hard way, we'll do it the hard way." Spike roared and charged the heartless, the bats swooping down and slamming into him, flinging him into a tree, grabbing hold of his arms and legs and holding him against the tree. The heartless carrying Rarity pulled a massive sword from his back, pointing it at Spike.

The dragon continued to growl, jets of flame desperately reaching for the heartless, too weak to make it more than an inch or so past his own face. Spike hung his head, too weak to break free of the heartless holding him and too weak to save Rarity.

"I'm sorry Rarity..." the unicorn began to stir and gasped, kicking and screaming at the heartless.

"You big dumb brute! I demand you let me go this instant!" At the sound of her voice Spike raised his head, breathing in deeply and letting a burst of flame fly forward, using all of his strength, he willed it to smash into the heartless, grinning as it hit. The heartless dropped Rarity, the unicorn complaining about her coat getting dirty.

For a moment the flames burned brightly and it seemed they would easily consume the heartless. But after a moment of stumbling the flames vanished. Spike stared at it with wide eyes as it lifted its blade.

"RARITY! RUN!" Spike yelled. Rarity turned her head and gasped.

"S...Spike?!"

"RUN!" he screamed again, pulling at the heartless that held him. Rarity shook her head

"NO! I won't leave you Spike, not after you came to rescue me!" Spike struggled and realized he would not be able to break free.

"I'm sorry Rarity..." 

"You have nothing to be sorry for darling. Now just let me get rid of these pesky bats." Rarity's horn began to glow dimly, her back turned to the beast with the sword. A few of the bats holding him caught fire but continued to hold on to him. The beast, now aware of the situation charged toward them.

"Rarity, you need to run, now!"

"I WON'T!" Spike shook his head and sighed.

"I'm sorry Rarity..." spike snapped his claws and the mare vanished. He grunted in pain with the effort it took to cast the spell, his head spinning and blood dripping from his nose.

He raised his head in time to see the sword as it slammed into the softness of his stomach, pinning him to the tree. Spike barely felt any pain, his body was already numb. He stared down at the blade as his vision blurred, smiling to himself. He had managed to save Rarity...

------

"NO!" Rarity screamed as she appeared in front of her friends. Tears stung her eyes as she slammed her hooves into the ground in frustration. Rarity sank to the ground, loud sobs shaking her body back and forth. Twilight rushed to her side.

"Rarity! are you alright? How did you get back here? Did you learn the teleportation spell?" Twilight asked, trying to help the Unicorn up onto her hooves. Nyx looked around.

"Rarity...wheres Spike?" The Unicorn shook her head, silence falling over them. Nyx turned to Riku who nodded.

In front of Riku another black orb appeared, revealing an image none of them wanted to see. It was of Spike, a massive black sword pinning him to a tree. Riku quickly destroyed the orb before anyone could see, but Twilight had seen it. Tears filled her eyes at the thought of her closest friend...gone...

"He's alive." Riku said quietly. Twilight looked up at him.

"But barely. You go get the others, I'll get Spike." Riku told them. Luna nodded, comforting Twilight.

"No, I'm coming with you." Nyx said, her gaze daring him to say otherwise. He grinned and behind him a corridor opened.

"Shall we?" he joked. Nyx took a slow breath and followed Riku through the hole in the air.

"Ya'll heard that didn't ya Rarity? He's alive and they are gonna bring him back. But right now we need yer help. Nightmare Moon is back and we gotta use th' elements again. We can't do it without ya Rarity." The unicorn sobbed quietly, her friends helping her stand.

"Y...You're right Girls...I just feel so useless right now. My dear darling Spike risked everything to save me from those horrid creatures and all I could do was get in his way...Now because of me he could be...could be..." Rarity couldn't finish the sentence, tears welling up in her eyes once more.

"Rarity, listen. Spike is fine, you heard the guy, now come on, we've got Nightmare butt to kick!" Rainbow said, trying to calm her

------

The walk through the corridor seemed to last for ages, the two walking beside one another.

"So this is what it's like in here..." Nyx said quietly. It looked beautiful compared to its entrance. Bright colors filled the air around them.

"It's usually darker than this." Riku commented, a bright light ahead of them.

"Usually?" she asked and he grinned

"Yea, but I didn't have my light before now." He stepped through the light at the end and she smiled, following after. They appeared beside the tree Spike was held against, Nyx feeling bile rise up in her throat. Riku grabbed the blade that held the dragon, ripping it free of his body. The dragon slumped forward into Riku's arm.

"ugh...Rarity..."

"She's safe." Riku said gently, laying spike on his back. The dragon grinned and closed his eyes.

"Spike...come on Spike you've gotta stay awake." Nyx shook him gently. The dragon had been like a big brother to her. It hurt seeing him like this. Nyx closed her eyes, trying to heal him but her magic was thrown aside as it touched him.

"He's a dragon Nyx. Only extremely powerful magic will work on him." Nyx  shook her head, cradling Spike and trying to think.

"There is nothing we can do? what about that spell you used on me?" 

"I can try it, but I don't think it will work Nyx." Riku sat on Spikes other side, resting a hand over the wound in the dragons' stomach. Before he could cast the spell a massive heartless came rushing toward them. Nyx gasped and Riku stood quickly, throwing his Keyblade through the creatures' stomach.

In an instant it was over. The beast toppled over, fading away, a heart drifting into the air and vanishing. Riku's Keyblade vanished and he turned his attention back to Spike. Nyx heard the sound of bells again, green sparks of magic running across the young dragons' body. They reached the wound and stopped, Nyx staring in disbelief.

"I'm sorry Nyx...our magic isn't powerful enough to save him."

"Well we have to do something! We can't let him die!" Nyx's ear twitched at the sound of screeching, a swarm of heartless bats flying toward them. Riku stood, ready to face them down. Before he could a massive flame flew through them, setting them ablaze. 

"Wow Riku...what kind of spell was that?"

"that...wasn't me..." he said, watching as the flame turned in the air, charging back through the heartless. It took it only moments to destroy the heartless and slowly drift toward them. Nyx gasped as she got a good look at it.

"Peewee?" she asked. The flames faded and the bird landed beside her.

"Peewee? that thing is huge."

"No, his name is Pee-wee, he was Spikes pet Phoenix. But Spike let it go back to its family." the Phoenix hopped over to Spike, lowering its head near the wound. It blinked a few tears into the wound which began to sizzle and close. Spike gasped and took in a massive gulp of air, coughing and holding his chest.

"Phoenix tears..." Riku said in surprise. Spike held his head as he sat up, smiling at the bird.

"Pee-wee!" he hugged the bird and laughed, noticing Nyx and Riku.

"Spike you idiot." Nyx said, hugging him tightly. Spike chuckled a little and wrapped an arm around her.

"Come on, we've gotta get back. Rarity is a mess without you."

------

The door began to creak open, Fluttershy pushing to her hooves and keeping her gaze on the door. If any heartless made their way inside they would be hit by the full force of The Stare. Tears stung the mares' eyes as Big Macintosh walked into the room. He had a few scratches but was, for the most part, unharmed. Fluttershy ran to him, sobbing as she flung her hooves around his neck. Macintosh lowered his head, rubbing his cheek against hers.

"It's alright Flutter, their gone."

"y...you beat back all of them?"

"Well not all of em. Ah gave them a run fer their bits and then they ran." Fluttershy smiled, holding him tightly.

"I was so worried...please don't do that again..."

"Ah can't make no promises Flutter, ah've got t' protect what I care 'bout after all." he grinned, kissing the mare. She blushed bright red and slowly let go of him.

"W...We should get to the Princess. If there are heartless in the castle that will be the safest place to go." Macintosh nodded and surprised the pegasus by lifting her onto his back. She squeaked and wrapped her hooves around his neck.

"Can't have ya walkin and hurtin yerself Flutter." She sighed a little and nuzzled his neck. Macintosh leading the nurses back to safety, making sure the heartless were truly gone. They slowly made their way back into the room. Big Macintosh peered around the corner, finding a bunch of panicking ponies in the room. 

"Over here!" Macintosh called out to them, relief flooding over the crowd of ponies as Macintosh came out with the others behind him, Fluttershy still on his back.

"Oh my goodness Rarity, are you alright?" Fluttershy asked, noticing her red puffy eyes.

"I...I'll be fine darling. What about you and Big Macintosh, you weren't hurt were you?" Fluttershy shook her head, nuzzling Macintosh's neck.

"Mackie protected us." The stallion chuckled a little.

"T' be perfectly honest ah didn't do much. Those darn things up and ran off after a few kicks." Fluttershy squeaked in surprise as a hole opened in the air beside them. Through the hole came Nyx and Riku, Spike following behind them, a tall bird resting on his back.

"SPIKE!" Rarity threw herself at the dragon, tears streaming down her cheeks. She tried to speak but only nonsense spewed forth. Spike wrapped an arm around the Unicorn as she buried her face in his neck.

"Come on Rarity, if you keep this up your gonna mess up your mane" he joked. Rarity glared at him for a moment and he changed his tone.

"I'm sorry Rarity, but it would've taken too long t.." Spike stopped in surprise as Rarity kissed him.

"Don't. Do. that. Ever. Again." With each word she jabbed her hoof into his chest. Spike stammered for a moment and nodded. Nyx and Luna gasped in pain, holding their heads.

"Whats wrong?!" Twilight asked, both unable to answer her. Finally Luna, her breath coming in slow ragged gasps, managed to speak.

"Celestia..."

------

The stallion panted heavily, patches of his coat burned away. Steam rose from his body, his legs shaking a bit as he stared down the cloaked figure. The man vanished for a moment, smashing his arm across the stallions' neck, sending him flying through one of the columns in the room, knocking him out cold. Celestia glared at the cloaked figure as he advanced on her.

"Now my dear Princess, you will give me what I came for."

"I will give you nothing." Her horn began to glow and he quickly grabbed hold of it. The Alicorns' eyes widened as she realized what the man intended to do. 

"The Elements, you will give them to me or I will take them." he began squeezing her horn and she gasped as pain shot through her body. Even with all her power she couldn't face down this man. His grip on her horn kept her from using her magic and any sudden movement could end in him snapping it off.

"You will never have the Elements." Celestia said with more courage than she had in that moment. He squeezed her horn and Celestia swore she could hear it crack, her knees shaking as she struggled against the pain. A Pink blur flew through the air, smashing into the cloaked figure with enough force to send him flying through the wall on the opposite side of the room. Celestia sighed in relief as her sister came running into the room, followed by Twilight and her friends. The cloaked figure appeared in the room once more, rubbing his cheek and glaring at Pinkie Pie.

"You will pay dearly for that."

"I don't think so meany, besides I don't have any bits today." The figure rushed toward her only to be tackled by Braeburn. blood trailed down the Stallions head as he panted and glared at the figure.

"Don't ya'll dare touch her!" He yelled.

"Braesy..." Pinkie hugged him tightly, tears in her eyes.

"You're really hurt Braesy, we can handle this mean jerkpants."

"Sorry Pinks, but ah can't sit back and watch ya fight this creep." Pinkie nodded and turned her attention back to the figure as it slowly stood, his vision blurred as his head spun. His gaze fell on Riku.

"You! Recruit! Handle these pathetic creatures, now!" He screamed at Riku. Riku blinked, realizing the man thought he was actually an organization member from his cloak. Riku just stood there, staring at the man.

"Useless idiot!" the man rushed for Riku, knocked back by a bolt of magical energy from Nyx. Smoke rose from his cloak where the bolt had struck him. Riku held out his hand, his Keyblade appearing.

"Now, what is this about recruits?" Riku asked. Sora walked up on his other side, his Keyblade appearing. Pinkie Pie and the others surrounded him, the crusaders pulling out their own Keyblades as well as the pink party pony herself.

"Well THIS is interesting. Tell me, do all of you possess these blades?" no one answered him and he scoffed.

"Pity." He vanished into a dark portal, Riku cursing as he was too slow to stop him. Half the ponies in the room collapsed in relief and exhaustion. Riku however kept his eyes on the empty spot in the air, Luna and Twilight rushing to Celestia, finding that besides an emotional scar she was otherwise unharmed. 

"Braeburn, you risked you're life to defend me against that creature. Even after suffering such horrible injuries you still protected Pinkie Pie. I cannot let such a noble act go without reward."

"Aw...well, it weren't nuthin Princess. Any stallion in my hooves woulda done th' same" Braeburn said with a sheepish grin, Pinkie Pie nuzzled his neck. The gentle moment was broken by the sound of hooves behind them. A dazed nightmare was trying to stand, a swift kick from Pinkie Pie knocking her back to the floor. Nopony was surprised that Pinkie was the first to react or that she had somehow moved from her spot near Braeburn over to Nightmare Moon before any of them could blink.

"Let's handle the current situation before handing out rewards sister." Luna said, lifting the Elements with her magic. Carefully she sat each respective Element upon the pony it belonged to. Generosity, Laughter, Kindness, Honesty, Loyalty, and finally Magic. 

The six surrounded Nightmare Moon, Twilight calling out to her magic, her eyes turning bright white. one by one each pony in the circle adopted the same eyes, their respective element glowing as they began to float around Nightmare Moon. 

A massive rainbow collided with the unconscious Alicorn, shaking the entire castle. The six ponies shook themselves, dazed from using the Elements power. Where Nightmare Moon once sat there was now Trixie, without her horn or the wings she had acquired during her first attack on them.

"The poor thing..." Celestia said softly.

"Poor thing?! She tried to kill us! She almost did!" Nyx yelled in anger.

"No Nyx. What attacked you was not Trixie. it was the darkness in her heart, awakened by that creature."

"She's right Nyx..." Riku said quietly, his head down. He knew better than anyone how powerful that darkness was.

"Is there anything you can do for her sister?" Luna asked. Celestia shook her head.

"Sadly I cannot."

Trixie began to stir, looking around in fear at the ponies that surrounded her. She looked at herself, seeing her wings were gone, that she was herself again. Slowly she reached up, finding her horn was still broken, tears burst forth and she curled up into a ball. Nyx watched as Riku sat beside the bawling unicorn.

"This is my fault." he said softly. He gently placed his hand against the Unicorns broken horn, darkness swirling around his arm and flooding into the cracks. Slowly the horn began to reform, Trixie squirming in discomfort. It took only moments for the horn to take back its old shape. Trixie shook with silent sobs, reaching up to touch her horn with a hoof. It was smaller than it had been before, but it was there and intact. She looked up at Riku, at a loss for words, but her gratitude shone in her eyes. Riku merely nodded, helping the mare to her hooves.

"Trixie had thought...after what Trixie had done..."

"You were not yourself Trixie. You were swallowed by the darkness in your heart and are not responsible for the actions you took. Though I will be keeping an eye on you." Celestia said to the Unicorn. Twilight began removing her Element but the Princess shook her head.

"Hold onto them my little ponies. The time to use them again is drawing near and keeping them all together like this has become far too dangerous now. Tonight, rest and recover. We will begin the preparations tomorrow."
> Conditions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Is that all you've got boy?" the armored stallion asked the shaking form of a young colt. The colt shook his head, standing upright and charged forward, the stallion easily sidestepping and slamming his hoof against the back of his head, knocking him down to the ground.

"With every attack there's an opening, if you find that opening than you can defeat any enemy that challenges you. But you've got to look for it. You've got too many openings." 

"I'm sorry Sir, I'll do better Sir" Pip said as the stallion helped him to his hooves.

"Don't try too hard boy. You've already got the battle instinct; otherwise you wouldn't be training under me. You need to be able to tap into it at will without thinking and just letting it happen." Without warning the commander spun, slamming a hoof across Pip's face, sending the colt flying across the sparring arena. Pip pushed to his hooves slowly, the commander walking over to him. 

He lowered a hoof to help him and Pip sprang forward, pinning the stallion on the ground only to be flung backwards by a powerful kick. Pip rolled in the air and skid as he landed, quickly rushing the commander who again sidestepped, this time Pip was ready for it and spun at the last moment, slamming his hind-hooves into the stallion's chin. Pip panted a little, watching as Chrome Mist stood with a chuckle

"There ya go boy! You found your opening." Pip grinned, almost failing to catch the wooden sword Chrome tossed him.

"Let's move on to the next part of your training."

------

Applebloom sat guard outside the throne room, Nyx and Riku standing with her. Inside, plans were being made for the seal. Sora, his friends, the Element holders, and the Doctor as well as the Princess' of course were inside working out a plan. 

They had asked Riku to join them but he had decided it best for him to stand guard outside and have them fill him in on the plan later. Applebloom smiled a little, noticing every now and then the two would glance at each other then find something else to look at it. 

"So Nyx, Ah think ah recall a certain friend o' mine tellin me somethin 'bout listenin to mah heart and findin my special somepony. Have ya'll taken our advice and started lookin fer a special somepony yet?" Nyx blushed slightly and cleared her throat.

"I've already gone over this with you Bloom. I can't be with anypony..." Riku looked at her.

"Why? Did something happen?" he asked. The concern in his voice made Applebloom want to cry. These two were so perfect for each other and couldn't see it.

"No...Nothing happened...not exactly...it's just that..." Nyx stammered in her attempt to explain, unable to find the words.

"If you're not comfortable talking about it then you don't have to Nyx." Riku said softly

"Nyx is an Alicorn Riku. That means she'll live for an extremely long time, probably even forever." Applebloom explained

"So I'm just going to watch everypony I care for fade away while I'll be alone and ageless." Nyx said calmly, though her body shook a little with held back sobs.

"I see...you're afraid of tying yourself to someone because you know you'll lose them." Nyx nodded sadly, her wings fluttering a bit. Applebloom resisted the urge to smack her head against the wall behind her. She had to figure out some way to get these two together, but how? They were already close. Even Applebloom could see that much.

Maybe Belle and Scoots can help me out with this she thought to herself, smiling as the two stole another glance at each other. Applebloom couldn't help but wonder what had happened between them during the fighting.

"Nyx, during the fighting, ah heard ya scream. Me and th' others couldn't really try t' help ya as we were in a situation of our own. What happened over there? By the time we all got there all the fightin was already over."

"Well...I spotted nightmare moon and chased after her. When I found her she was trying to force Spike to join her by using Rarity's safety as a bargaining chip." Nyx smiled a little, remembering the determined look on the dragons' face.

"He refused to join her and was determined to save Rarity. But when I got there Spike was worn out and Nightmare had him pinned. So me and Riku jumped in to save him." Riku chuckled.

"I didn't do much. You're the one that tackled her and saved Spike."

"Well if you hadn't distracted her I never would've hit her"

"I'm sure you would've eventually Nyx."

"Then there was the sword..." Nyx stopped, lowering her head.

"Hey, don't blame yourself for that."

"What?" Applebloom looked between them; a painful silence clung to the air around them.

"You didn't have to do that Riku...what if you had died?"

"I didn't though." he said softly. Applebloom stood slowly.

"Ah'm gonna go check in on them." she said quietly, sneaking her way into the throne room to give them some privacy. She walked over to her friends as they went over the plan, her thoughts drifting toward Pip. She wondered how his training was going, sighing a bit to herself.

------

"With Sora buying us time the Crusaders could act as a second wall of defense." Twilight suggested

"Oh no no no Twilight. I will Not have my sister doing something so dangerous."

"Rarity...I do things just as dangerous everyday helping Nyx. I've done things even more dangerous over just the past few days!" She argued, Spike nodding a little.

"We all have Rarity. And we're going to need everypony we can get if this is going to work." he said to her, a claw on her shoulder. Rarity sighed, and nodded. She knew it was true, but the thought of losing anypony after she had almost lost Spike was too much for her. As if he knew her exact thoughts, Spike pulled Rarity into a gentle hug.

"If we don't do this Rarity, we'll lose everything and everypony we care about."

"Well, we've got Riku and Nyx as well. They can help the Crusaders and defend the barrier. Though it will take Celestia or Luna's power to hold a barrier strong enough." Twilight said, rubbing her temple with a hoof. She had been going over plans for hours now and it was starting to take its toll on her. Luna draped a wing over her shoulder, bringing a smile from the Unicorn mare.

"It will have to be you sister. I have things I must tend to." Celestia said from her place in the circle. Luna looked at her sister in momentary confusion, wondering what could be as important as the entire fate of Equestria. The look on her sister's face told her it was something that must be done, the younger Alicorn merely nodding in response.

"If Flutter is gonna be doin somethin this dangerous then ah'll be there t' protect her." Big Macintosh added, making the shy yellow pegasus turn red. She buried her muzzle in his neck with a soft sigh.

"That is a wonderful idea Macintosh. In fact, I think that all of you should be there. Spike, I'll be expecting you to use those spells I taught you to protect Rarity and your friends. Braeburn, I expect the same of you, though I know I don't have to say it." The stallion chuckled a little, rubbing a hoof against the back of his head.

"So, our basic plan is this. Sora and his friends will take their place in front of the Seal; the crusaders as well as Nyx and Riku will be behind them as a second wall of defense. As a final resort, Spike, Macintosh, and Braeburn will be protecting us inside of the barrier which I will be holding. Together you all should be able to buy enough time for the Elements to gather their energy and reseal the heartless. Then Sora can lock it forever and we can be done with this." Luna said, going back over the plan to be sure everypony understood.

"You make it sound so easy Princess." Sora said a bit louder than he would've hoped.

"I understand that it won't be an easy task. Even with the healing spells you and Riku used we are all still worn out from the past few days. I worry most for Rarity and Fluttershy though. This could be harmful to their unborn foals." Rarity blinked and blushed.

"Wh...what?!" She gasped. Spike just stared between Luna and Rarity in shock.

"Were you not aware? I apologize if I ruined the surprise."

"b...but how could you possibly know?"

"Luna has certain talents that allow her to know these things. Similar to Pinkie Pies 'Pinkie sense'." Celestia explained. Rarity's blush deepened. She rested a hoof on her stomach then looked at Spike. Neither could find any words for that moment. There were none that could be said. Though the two of them were now more determined than ever to make sure the seal was fixed. They had too much to lose.

"Well shoot, is there anypony here that ain't carryin a foal?" Applejack joked, all eyes turned to Pinkie and Braeburn slowly. The pair were silent for a moment before realizing what their friends were staring at them for.

"Hey! I think I would know if I was gonna be a momma! Besides me and Braesy haven't even..."

"Okay Pinks! Ah think they get it!" Braeburn interrupted, his cheeks flushed red.

"In any case this only gives us more reason to finish this while we have a chance to. If we wait any longer then we may not be able to seal the heartless at all. I've been studying the cracks and it could burst at any given moment." Twilight's voice showed a bit of the panic that was flooding through her at the moment, though not much, it was enough to catch everyponies attention.

"Listen Twilight. We all understand th' situation, but we're plum tired and if we just mosey on up to that seal as we are, we're probably gonna mess things up. Ah know we are runnin out of time, but what use are we if we can't keep our eyes open?" Applejack said gently. Twilight looked around at them, noticing they had bags under their eyes and were fighting back yawns. Twilight sighed a little, realizing just how tired she was as well.

"We will have to risk another night. Get some rest everypony." Celestia said to them. Luna watched as her sister stood and headed for the door.

"Sister, what matters do you need to tend to that are keeping you from holding the barrier?"

"I cannot say dear sister, please just trust me." Celestia said without turning to face her younger sister. Luna sighed a little, caught by surprise as something pressed against her. It took her a moment to realize Twilight had fallen asleep against her.

"Alright sister. I trust you."

------

The two stared at one another, barely noticing as Applebloom slipped into the Throne room.

"Riku...I'm sorry..."

"Nyx, you don't have anything to apologize for. We both did what we felt we had to do. It was stupid of me to throw myself in front of that sword and it was just as stupid of you to creep inside my heart like that." Nyx stared at him for a moment. She had thought they had been inside his mind. Was that horrible darkness truly his heart?

"th-that was your heart?" she choked out in surprise. He nodded.

"That's what the Darkness does. It just eats away at you until there is nothing but the darkness." he smiled at her, noticing the shock and worry on her face.

"But, there's a light there now. Protecting me from that darkness. I can't explain it, but I can feel it." The Alicorn blushed as Riku sat beside her.

"It's because of you Nyx. Because you broke me free of that darkness and brought me into the light. So stop apologizing and blaming yourself for what happened. If any of it was your fault, which it wasn't; You've already made up for it." She blushed, resting her head against his shoulder. Riku stiffened a little but relaxed, smiling at her. The two nearly jumped out of their skin as Celestia exited the throne room. 

She gave them a knowing smile that vanished just as quickly as it appeared. She nodded to them and walked down the hallway, the others soon making their way out of the room. Applebloom grinned, seeing the two of them so close, breaking out into laughter as they blushed. Scootaloo yawned and looked at them, raising an eyebrow.

"Sooooo...Bloom, Belle, how about we go...do something...somewhere else, like right now." Scootaloo said, tugging on Applebloom's tail and gently pushing Sweetie Belle down the hall. Nyx sighed, hiding her face in her hooves.

"You ok Nyx?" Riku asked, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. It felt so warm and comforting...she shook herself and took a deep breath.

"I...I'm fine...I just need to think is all..." She stood slowly, feeling Riku's eyes on her. She took a slow breath to calm her thoughts, not noticing as Sora stepped out of the throne room. He gave them a small smile and took a seat in front of them.

"So the plan is pretty simple. Me, Donald, and Goofy will use our heartless form to hold back the Darkness once its set free. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom are gonna be behind us as backup in case we can't hold it all back. And you and Nyx are gonna be behind them keeping the Elements safe." Sora explained.

"Seems Simple enough." Riku said quietly. 

"You ok Riku?" Sora asked

"yea. I'll be fine buddy. I'm just worried about that heartless form." It seemed like there was more he wanted to say, his eyes landing on Nyx for a moment then back to Sora, but he remained silent. Sora decided it best not to press the issue and yawned.

"Well. The Princess said for all of us to go get some sleep so we'll have enough energy to break the seal."

"You seem awful cheerful for someone about to face down a tidal wave of death." Nyx commented.

"It's kind of a rule of ours. No frowns, no sad faces. Just smiles and hope." Sora said with a grin, Goofy and Donald nodding agreement from either side of him.

"Yup! Besides we do things like this all the time." Goofy added with a smile of his own. Donald just yawned loudly and stretched a bit.

"I say we go to bed already."

"Good idea Donald, we'll see you guys tomorrow" Sora said, walking away with his friends to their room. 

"yea...tomorrow..." Riku said quietly, staring at his hand.

"Riku...you aren't thinking of leaving again are you?" Nyx asked him softly. He shook his head.

"No, I already promised I would stay." Riku stood slowly, dusting off his cloak.

"I guess I'll see ya in the morning Nyx." he said, walking down the hall. 

"Uh...yea..." she watched as he walked away and sighed to herself.

what the hay is wrong with me?! Do I really have a crush on this guy? He isn't even a pony! But... Nyx shook her head and sighed, heading to the room that had been given to her. It wasn't too far away from her mothers' room, or rather Luna's room. Nyx climbed into the bed, realizing just how tired she was as her head hit the pillow. Even in such a big comfortable bed she barely managed to get any sleep, her thoughts always drifting to the strange boy in the cloak.

------

She sighed, burying her muzzle in his neck.

"Can you imagine it Spike? A foal of our own." Rarity swooned, lost in the wonders of motherhood. Spike smiled at the sparkle in her eyes, knowing she was imagining dressing up the poor thing or going to the spa together. 

"I didn't think it would actually be possible..." he admitted. Rarity looked into his eyes, tilting her head a little. Spike felt his heart skip a few beats as he stared back into her eyes.

"What do you mean Darling?"

"well...I'm a Dragon...you're a Unicorn...I don't need Twilight or a bunch of books to tell me that we won't have a normal foal." Rarity was a bit taken back by what he said. She hadn't really thought of it until now. Just what kind of child would they have? 

Rarity gently kissed his cheek, noticing the slight shivers running through the dragons body. over time she had learned about little things that gave away what he was thinking. Right now, he was worried. She smiled at him, blushing as he brushed her mane out of her face with a claw.

"If it'll put your mind at ease Spike, we can speak with Twilight and have her do some research for us. I must admit I am a bit frightened...But I know I'll have my Prince charming there to keep me safe." she rested her head against him, sighing as he draped an arm around her. It only took a few moments for the unicorn to fall asleep, leaving Spike to his own thoughts.

"We'll have to break the seal soon...if we fail...we'll lose everything..." he looked down at the sleeping form of the Unicorn.

"We can't fail..."

------

The colt panted a little, dropping the sword he was holding.

"It's getting late boy, don't ya have a mare ya need to be getting back to?"

"I'm no good to Applebloom like this Sir...I need to be rea..." Pip gasped, finding himself on his back. Chrome's practice sword against his throat.

"You're no good to her dead boy. And if you don't get yourself a good rest that's all you'll be." Pip sighed a little and nodded.

"I like you boy. you've got the talent and the willpower, but you're lacking in the brains department. Its more than just strength and power, much more. Maybe someday you'll figure that out. Now go on, get to your marefriend before she finds somepony else to occupy her time." Pip blushed slightly, thanking him for the training and turning down a hallway toward Applebloom's room. 

Chrome smiled a bit and looked around the sparring circle, illuminated only by the light of Luna's moon above. The boy reminded him of himself when he was young. He grinned a little, putting away the training gear.

Pip opened the door to Applebloom's room, blushing as the mare threw her hooves around his neck, kissing him softly. He wrapped his hooves around her, his ears twitching at the sound of giggling behind Applebloom. He broke away from the kiss, his face bright red as he caught sight of Applebloom's friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

"OH COME ON!" Sweetie Belle yelled, flopping onto her back on the bed

"HA! Pay up!" Scootaloo laughed. Sweetie Belle sighed a little, grumbling under her breath as she handed over five bits.

"what..." was all Pip was able to say before Applebloom pulled him into the room.

"Sorry 'bout that Pip. we got a lil bored and Scoots came up with some games fer us t' play."

"We made a bet on how you'd react to seeing us here." Scootaloo said with a grin, tucking away the bits into her bag beside her.

"Scoots bet that you'd blush like you'd been caught red hoofed doing something you shouldn't, and I bet that you wouldn't be surprised at all to see us." Sweetie Belle mumbled, her sour mood vanishing as Scootaloo kissed her cheek.

"I'll make it up to you. I'll get us some cupcakes, my treat." she said with a smile

"Yea, with MY bits!" Sweetie Belle joked, the room filled with laughter.

"Might I ask why all of you are here?" Pip managed to finally say.

"Well, like we said, we were bored and it was the closest place to get away from Nyx and Riku."

"That reminds me. Ah was hopin ya'll could help me out with those two."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea." Sweetie Belle said, making the two fillies turn toward her. Pip just took a seat, not understanding at all what was happening.

"What the hay do you mean Belle? those two are PERFECT for each other!"

"You say that scoots but look at them. Riku isn't even a pony."

"Well neither is Spike but he is still marrying your sister!" Scootaloo said a bit angrily

"That's different. Sure Spike is a dragon, but Riku isn't even from here. He is something completely different that doesn't even exist here. How would him and Nyx actually have any kind of relationship? Besides that who even knows how long 'Humans' even live for. I want Nyx to find somepony as much as you two do but we can't force her into something like this."

"As much as ah hate t' say it...yer kinda right Belle. But even so, we gotta do somethin."

"Well what can we do?" 

------

They watched as the Stallion paced around the room, lost in his thoughts. Applejack sighed, putting a hoof on his shoulder.

"Macintosh, ya gotta get some rest."

"Ah can't sleep knowin those things might be comin for you or Flutter at any moment Applejack."

"Thanks for worrying about me" Rainbow Dash joked from a nearby bed, managing to lighten the mood a bit.

"Mah point Applejack is we don't know when they could attack. Ya'll saw that thing attackin th' Princess."

"Yea, but Pinkie took him out without a problem." Rainbow argued.

"That crazy mare can do anything." Macintosh grumbled, sitting beside Fluttershy's bed. The worn out pegasus had fallen asleep not too long ago. They were currently sharing the room, not due to lack of space, but to comfort their friend and keep an eye on her. It had been Big Macintosh's idea, and while Rainbow didn't like having to share a room she was willing to be there to protect her oldest friend.

"Listen Macintosh, we know your worried and everything but you've got to get some sleep. Fluttershy is gonna need you to be at your best." Rainbow said with a yawn. Applejack nodded and Macintosh sighed in defeat.

"Alright...ah'll try t' get some rest." he said, laying down next to Fluttershy, smiling a bit as the pegasus nuzzled him in her sleep. Applejack smiled, watching them for a moment before going to her own mare. Applejack sighed, closing her eyes as her head lay against the rainbow maned pegasus.

"g'night everypony."

------

She smiled as the unicorn slept, turning her attention to the night sky outside her window. Luna had carried Twilight to their room after she had fallen asleep. She didn't want to wake her and besides that she looked so adorable when she was sleeping. Luna smiled to herself for a moment, thinking of what they would have to do. She turned her attention back to the mare that lay beside her. 

Painful memories rose up inside of her, quickly pushed into the back of her mind. She stood, making sure not to wake Twilight and snuck out of the room. She quietly walked the halls of the Castle until she came to the library. If there was a place to give her the answers she needed, it was here. 

------

The halls were silent, save for his footsteps. He had originally intended to go to his room and rest for tomorrow, but his thoughts kept resting on Nyx and he found he couldn't sleep. Instead he began wandering the halls, not really sure what to do. Walking helped him to think though, whether it was a walk on the beach back home or just pacing. Though he could only think of one thing that night. He sighed and spun, his Keyblade appearing as a figure stepped forward from the darkness.

"Oh? So you can sense me. That's interesting. Tell me, you wouldn't happen to be the one named 'Riku' would you? The Traitor, the one hidden in darkness?"

"Who wants to know?" Riku asked calmly

"Where are my manners. You may call me Xayir." the figure lowered the hood of his cloak, a small grin on his face. A large scar ran up his cheek and over his eye. His other cheek was still red from having Pinkie's hoof slam into it.

"So I can take a guess that you're the one that Revived the Organization?"

"I wouldn't say revived, more like begun anew. Xemnes was an old fool, though he did a wonderful job. His failure allowed the creation of many powerful Nobodies."

"What? that's Impossible!"

"Oh is it now? What of his attempt to create Kingdom Hearts. What was it that old fool said before he died. Oh yes I believe it was something along the lines of "Anything Could Happen" You should remember that. It is what gave you back your form after all. Though you seem unchanged since that day. How many years has it been? Four? Five years?" Riku gritted his teeth. He had noticed it too. Over the years Sora had grown but he hadn't changed at all.

"What are you getting at?" Riku asked, a bit of his anger showing in his voice.

"You're special Riku. Your control over the darkness is a marvelous gift. Your talent for it is simply amazing and now it doesn't even touch your heart. Add that onto the power Kingdom hearts gave you and well.."

"wait, the power kingdom hearts gave me? Just what the hell are you talking about?" The man held out his hand with a smile.

"Come with me Riku, and I'll answer everything. But I'll require that you do me a favor." The smile turned into a smirk

"I want you to kill the Elements."

------

"MY QUEEN! She is coming!" She smiled to herself, standing from her throne.

"Have them ready, I don't want her escaping. She has done us the favor of bringing herself to us. Do not fail me." He saluted and flew off to relay her orders to the others. The Queen walked down the steps away from her throne as the pony she had been waiting for entered her throne room.

"Princess Celestia. To what do I owe this visit?"

"Chrysalis. Surely you have noticed what is happening throughout Equestria. I come to you seeking your help." The Changeling queen threw her head back as she laughed, the horrible sound echoing throughout the caverns that were her castle. She lowered her head, sighing as her fit of laughter stopped.

"Why would I bother to help you Princess?" she said the word with as much hate as she could muster. The Alicorn Princess ignoring it.

"If you don't, then all of that love you need to feed your changelings will vanish, along with you and the rest of Equestria." Chrysalis stopped circling and turned to look at her. Raising a hoof to call off the attack, her changelings gathering around her instead of leaping at the Alicorn.

"Go on."

"There is a powerful seal which holds back the majority of the Darkness and Evil of Equestria. But it has begun to degrade and break apart. If we do not fix it, then all of Equestria will be devoured by Darkness."

"So you want my help and you've come alone? I knew you were quite the foal Celestia, but this has to be your biggest blunder." The changelings leapt towards Celestia, a barrier blocking their way. Celestia glared at Chrysalis as Shining Armor made his way out of the shadows.

"She isn't alone." He said, his horn glowing has he held the barrier.

"She has us." Cadence said as she too came out of the shadows, her wing resting on top of shining armor, her horn glowing and adding her magic to his barrier.

"And you are going to help us." Celestia declared, her horn and eyes glowing. Chrysalis began to step backwards slowly, the barrier getting closer to her, her changelings running from the magic that had flung them out of Canterlot. The Queen sighed in defeat.

"Very well..." Celestia nodded, the glow vanishing from her horn. Chrysalis saw her chance and ran, screaming as she felt chains wrap around her.
> The Last Element Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"T...The Elements?"

"Yes Riku. Those six ponies and their trinkets. If you destroy them then I'll tell you everything." Xayir grinned, watching Riku carefully. He lowered his head and tried to think.

NO! I shouldn't have to think about this at all! I can't hurt them! But...he knows what happened. He can tell me why I haven't changed...  Riku slammed his fist into the wall in frustration.

"Is it really so hard to choose Riku? You can help them and never know why you have ceased to age, or you can have all the answers. I'll leave the choice to you." Xayir snapped his fingers and vanished through a corrider of darkness, leaving Riku alone in the hall.

"Ceased to age..." Riku stared at his hand for a moment.

Thats all the answer I need...

-----

They smiled, seeing Applebloom and Pip curled around one another on the bed. Sweetie Belle used her magic to lift the blanket onto them, turning to a half asleep Scootaloo.

"We should get back to our room." Sweetie Belle said, nudging her gently.

"I'd rather stay here tonight Belle. What if those things come back? Besides, you remember what happened out there. If we stay with Bloom we might be able to pull that off again. We were invincible like that!" she said in an excited whisper so as not to wake Applebloom and Pip. Sweetie Belle sighed, too tired to argue.

"Alright, alright. We'll stay here tonight Scoots." Scootaloo grinned and lay down on the floor, Sweetie Belle laying beside her, resting her head against her.

"Night Belle."

"Night Scoots..." Sweetie Belle yawned and fell asleep, her chest rising and falling slowly. Scootaloo smiled and looked over at the bed where Applebloom rested with Pip. Her smile faded as she turned back to Sweetie Belle. She sighed quietly and lay her head over the unicorn.

"I hope everything turns out ok..."

-----

Celestia's sun shined through the window, resting on the Unicorn mare. Slowly her eyes creaked open, a hoof raised against the blinding light as she rolled over in the bed, her back to the intruding sunlight. To her surprise she was alone, her eyes scanning the room for the Alicorn who should've been next to her.

"Luna?" Twilight called out as she slipped out of bed. She yawned and peeked her head out of the room, finding guards waiting for her.

"oh...Hello, have either of you seen Princess Luna?" the guards shook their heads.

"Though we did recieve a message to bring you to the library." Twilight smiled a little to herself. Of course Luna would be in the Library, but so early in the morning? 

"Maybe she is doing some last minute research...but she knows everything about the seal...what more could there be?" Twilight asked herself as she followed the guards. Twilight gasped as she was tackled to the ground. She shook herself and spotted the filly responsible

"Aunt Twilight!" the filly cried happily, her wings fluttering a bit. Twilight heard laughter from behind the young Alicorn pinning her to the ground.

"She seems rather attached to you Twilight." Luna joked. Twilight shook her head and sat up, her niece sitting in front of her.

"Mia, what are you doing here? wait...where are your parents?" Twilight asked, looking around for her brother and Cadence.

"They had to go help Princess Celestia." The filly gasped, covering her mouth with her hooves.

"Oh please don't tell them I said that! I wasn't suppose to say anything..." Twilight smiled and hugged her.

"Don't worry, I won't say anything. Though I am a little peeved Shining couldn't let me know he was dropping you off here. You'd think he would at least remember something important like that." Twilight pouted a little and sighed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. 

She smiled down at Mia, lifting the young Alicorn onto her back, letting her eyes drift over the books in the Canterlot library and pulling a few down for her. Though her thoughts constantly drifted toward her brother and what he could possibly be doing with Princess Celestia.

-----

The mare yawned and rolled over in her bed, her eyes snapping open when she realized she was alone.

"Pip?" She looked around the room, seeing Scootaloo sitting next to a sleeping Sweetie Belle.

"Mornin Bloom. Your buddy Pip ran off to the training grounds, he asked me to let you know." Scootaloo said with a yawn, stretching her wings a little.

"Did...did ya'll sleep in here last night?" Applebloom asked with a light blush. Scootaloo chuckled a little.

"Yea we did, but don't worry, we didn't hear or see anything that may or may not have happened last night." She said with a grin. Applebloom shook her head and slipped out of her bed.

"Oh yea one more thing." Scootaloo said, pointing a hoof to a box at the foot of the bed.

"He got that for ya." Applebloom slowly opened the box and smiled. Inside was a black stetson hat. She placed it on top of her head and looked at herself in a nearby mirror.

"How do ah look?" she asked. Scootaloo whistled.

"If I wasn't with Belle I'd be comin after you." Scootaloo said with a laugh. Sweetie Belle pouted and poked her side with a hoof.

"Just don't forget that you are with me Scoots." She said, yawning as she stood. Scootaloo smiled and kissed her cheek.

"How could I forget?" Sweetie Belle blushed and smiled at Applebloom.

"Cute hat, did Pip get it for you?" she nodded and sighed a little.

"It kinda looks like th' one my pa gave t' Applejack." Applebloom said with a smile.

"Ah'm gonna go find him and give him a proper thank you."

-----

The halls seemed empty that day, except for a few guards that walked by, nodding respectfully to him as he passed by. Spike gave a small nod in return as he searched for Twilight. He hadn't seen her in her room and none of the guards seemed to know where she was. He was still worried about Rarity and had to find Twilight. If anyone could help him, she could. Spike sat down and sighed.

"Come on Spike, think. This is Twilight we are talking about. Where else would she be?" he smiled to himself and smacked his claw against his forehead.

"The Library, of course. Its the only other place she could be." Spike turned and ran toward the library with a smile. It didn't take him long to reach it, he had to admit he felt a bit stupid as he saw his friend speaking with Luna and a small Alicorn filly. He should've known from the start where she would be. Twilight smiled as he entered the library, the filly leaping toward him and throwing her hooves around his neck.

"Uncle Spike!" she screamed happily, giggling as he lifted her in his claws.

"WHOA! you are getting big Mia. Wheres your dad at? You know he still owes me those two bits." he said with a grin making her giggle.

"He was hoping you forgot about that." She said, smiling at him.

"Oh I see. So he's hiding from me." Spike laughed. Mia pouted and placed a hoof against the scar that crossed over his eye.

"Uncle spike...what happened to your eye?" She asked with wide eyes. Spike bit his lip and glanced at Twilight who shook her head.

"Its nothing to worry about Mia, I just got in a little accident is all."

"oh...ok..." Spike set her down and she giggled, bouncing around the library. Spike sat down near Twilight who smiled at him.

"You handle her so well, and soon you'll have a foal of your own. You've grown so much Spike..." Twilight hugged him and he sighed a little, returning the hug.

"That's actually why i'm here Twilight..." he said slowly. She pulled out of the hug and looked at him perplexed.

"What do you mean Spike?" Twilight gasped, covering her mouth with her hooves.

"You aren't thinking of not having it are you?" Spike laughed a little and shook his head. It made him smile, knowing that no matter what, Twilight would always be Twilight and that she would always jump to the worst conclusions.

"No Twilight. Rarity and I want the foal, i'm just worried about her though. Surely you of all ponies have noticed that i'm a dragon and she is a unicorn. What kind of foal are we going to have exactly?" Spike asked, some of the fear bubbling in his stomach showing in his voice as the question reached his friends ears. Luna turned toward them with Mia riding on her back and clinging to her mane.

"Perhaps I can help Spike. Twilight, would you mind taking Mia for a moment?" Luna asked. Twilight nodded, the filly leaping from the Alicorn's back and onto Twilights, giggling as she wrapped her hooves around her neck. 

"Come on Mia, lets find one of those storybooks I promised you." Twilight said with a smile, walking down the rows and rows of books after one last glance toward Luna and Spike.

"Yay!" she cheered, quickly pointing to the ones she wanted.

"Spike, I understand your concern for your mate Rarity and your unborn foal. I regret that I must say there are certain complications to a unicorn giving birth to such a foal." Luna spoke softly, avoiding meeting his gaze.

"c...Complications? like what?" The dragon managed to ask. In all honesty he didn't want to know the answer and feared what it could mean for Rarity. 

"To be honest Spike, such a bond as the one the two of you share has not existed for nearly two millenia. Back then it was more common for Dragons and Unicorns to become close to one another, though many saw it as Taboo. I do not wish to trouble you Spike...but a Kirin is dangerous. Not only to the mother but to those around it."

"A...Kirin? is that..." Luna nodded.

"The Kirin are a hyrbid race, born of a dragon and a unicorn. It is rare that the mother survives Spike..." The dragon felt numb as the words hit him, burying his face in his claws.

"what do I do?" he sobbed quietly. Luna placed a hoof against his shoulder.

"Fear not Spike. In the time that I was...gone...My sister has found a solution. She cares deeply for all the ponies of Equestria and it hurt her to see so many of them fade away when all they wanted was happiness. It took her many years, but thanks to the help of the dragons she discovered something about the Kirin." several books floated towards the dragon.

Some of them were notebooks with scribbled notes strewn across the pages, others were tomes explaining the Kirin in full detail. He flipped through the pages, his eyes quickly taking in each word. His years as Twilight's assisstant had come with years of reading through her books in the late hours of the night. He could finish most books within an hour or so depending on its size.  Though as his eyes flew across each page of the book he now held he saw nothing that would save Rarity.

"You say this will help...but I don't se..." he stopped as Luna sat beside him, her magic grabbing hold of the pages and ripping them from the book. He watched as the pages floated in mid-air, piecing themselves together before falling to the ground in front of him. Spike stared at the pages, reading them from left to right as they were connected, a grin on his face. Scribbled down as it was, it seemed like utter nonsense as it was thoughts on paper. But when properlly pieced together, the answer was clear.

"Gems...thats it! Since its a dragon it needs gems! But...Rarity can't eat gems." Spike put a claw to his chin as he thought. Luna held up another book, a diagram sat in the center of one page, the other side explained how to prepare a powerful poultice. Spike grabbed hold of the book, Luna smiling at him.

"I see Twilight has rubbed off on you Spike." The dragon chuckled a little as his mind began to wander.

"Well, I am her assisstant."

-------

Something that nopony ever thought possible made its way down one of the halls of the Canterlot Palace. A simple pegasus, humming and bouncing on the tips of her hooves without a care in the world. Though her mind carried the heavy weight of loss and the impending doom of their world, it also held happiness that removed all her worries. Rainbow Dash wouldn't let anything bring her down today. She had lost someone dear to her, but had gained something more and she couldn't stop repeating it to herself.

"She said yes!" She had been panicking over the fact ever since she had spoken to Granny Smith about it. The wizened mare had told her exactly what would happen when she asked and she had been right. Rainbow was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice as Spike came out of the library with a pile of books, accidentally crashing into the drake. She hit the ground, books bouncing off her head.

"oh that hurt..." Spike chuckled and helped her to her hooves, picking up the books.

"Whats all this Spike? Some early morning reading? These don't look like your type of story." She looked over one of the books. She couldn't even understand what language it was written in.

"Its not really stories Dash. Rarity is depending on whats in these books." The dragon said softly.

"oh. Baby stuff huh?" Spike nodded with a small smile.

"So, little Spike is gonna be a father. Never thought that'd ever happen."

"To be honest, I didn't think so either." Rainbow picked up some of the books, carrying them on her back as they walked down the hall, making idle chatter.

"What about you and Applejack?" Spike asked out of the blue. Rainbow stopped with a light blush on her face.

"What do ya mean?"

"well, do you two plan on being parents?" he asked as if they were talking about the weather. She and Applejack had taken care of Scootaloo for a few years and though the conversation had come up it had only ended in an argument that almost drove them apart. She lowered her head and sighed.

"I dunno Spike...I know AJ wants a foal...we actually got into a big fight about it. She doesn't want to adopt and she doesn't want some stallion leaning over her to get one. I tried to tell her that we had Scootaloo but she said it wasn't the same...and while I love that kid to death, she was right." Spike set his books down and hugged her.

"Whoa, whats with the hug?" She asked, looking up at him. He let go and chuckled a little.

"Well first, I'm sorry for bringing that up. Second, have you talked to Twilight about this? Maybe she has some spell that could help you out." Rainbow's eyes lit up and she began bouncing in place.

"Spike you're a genius!" She hugged him and zipped off for a moment before coming back. He pointed a claw to the library and she smiled, zipping back to the library.

-----

Chrome leaned against the weapons rack, watching as Pip attacked the training dummy again and again. He held one blade in his teeth, another wrapped around his hoof. 

"Wow, so that's what he's been up to?" a mare asked from beside him. Mist grinned a little to himself, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"Yup, he's a determined one. Though he thinks himself useless to you. Keeps sayin somethin about 'i'm not strong enough to protect her' Its whats kept him goin all this time. Nice hat by the way." he said, never taking his eyes off of Pip. 

The mare smiled as she watched.

"Why don't you go see if he needs a break?" he asked her. The mare walked past him and placed a kiss on Pip's cheek, making him jump in surprise.

"B...Bloom?! what are you doing here?" he asked, blushing slightly. She giggled and lifted her hat a little.

"Ah wanted t' thank ya fer the hat silly. Besides, ah can't have ya out here in the heat killin yerself now can ah?"

"Bloom...we don't have any time to relax. You know as well as I do tha..." she stopped him with a kiss, turning the rest of his words into mush as she pulled away.

"Ya'll know ya can't argue with me, and we'll worry about the seal when the Princess' tell us its time t' break it. We've earned some time to jus' be with each other Pip...besides...if we can't fix it...Ah at least wanna go knowing we had some quality time together..." She lowered her head, tears forming in her eyes. Pip dropped his hoofblade, pulling her into a hug.

"Alright Bloom." Chrome Mist grinned a little at the sight and left them be.

"Bein a bit soft on him aren't you?" a female pegasus guard asked him as they walked down the hall.

"He deserves the rest." he said quietly.

"I suppose you're right. Always have been sir." she said, rolling her eyes. He raised an eyebrow and she laughed a little.

"Sorry Sir" he shook his head and smiled.

"Just keep in mind, if it were anypony else they'd be doin laps." she kissed his cheek

"Understood Sir."

-----

Rarity slowly woke to a strange smell filling the room. As she sat up she caught sight of Spike sitting over a bowl and mumbling to himself as he read through a book.

"Darling...what are you doing?" She asked, surprising the young drake. He raised his head and smiled.

"I had a talk with Twilight and Luna about the foal. Luna gave me this to help us." he quickly explained, stirring something with a claw.

"What do you mean help us? Your not making much sense dear..." She stumbled a little as she tried to get out of bed. Spike quickly helping her back into bed.

"You should rest Rarity, the foal is gonna take a lot out of you." he said softly. She recognized that tone, Spike used it whenever he was hiding something from her.

"Spike. Tell me whats going on." she demanded. Spike sighed and sat down beside her, slowly opening the book. There scribbled notes mixed with a strange langauge Rarity had never seen before. 

"Our foal will be whats called a Kirin. Because its part dragon it requires nutrients from gemstones like I do, nutrients you can't give to it. So instead it takes away the nutrients from your body, muscle tissue and bones. Until there is nothing left..." Rarity just stared at him, not sure what to say. She understood now why Spike had been so quiet. She tried to speak, but no words came out. Spike smiled at her for a moment.

"Since you can't eat gems, I've made you this." he picked up the bowl and held it out for her.

"What is it?" she managed to ask, staring at the strange purple concoction.

"Its a special potion. I crushed a few amethysts, mixed in some herbs and a few other things." he didn't mention that they were things she didn't want to know. He knew how she was when it came to 'certain' things she thought horrid or disgusting and she needed this potion to survive. She looked from him to the bowl.

"Rarity...if you don't drink this...you might not survive..." he choked out. Before the first tear could fall down his cheek she had begun drinking from the bowl. By the time he had a chance to realize this she had finished it, a small smile on her face.

"I suppose I'll just have to deal with the...taste of it." he smiled a little.

"I'll do some more research and see if I can fix that. It says you need at least two of these every day." She sighed and sat up, the dragon wrapping an arm around her as she leaned against him. His eyes scanned the pages of the book as they sat there together.

"I'll never be able to figure out how you and Twilight manage to stare at those eyesores." she spoke up, placing her hoof against one of the symbols on the page.

"Would you like to learn? There are a lot of good fashion texts from some famous ponies written like this." Her eyes lit up at the thought. 

"Why I could turn old fashion into new fashion!" Spike chuckled a little and began explaining each word.

-------

She sat alone in the garden, staring at one of the trees as her thoughts raced.

"Hey Nyx." she jumped at the sound and sighed in relief.

"Scootaloo, don't scare me like that..." the pegasus grinned and sat beside her.

"Thinkin about Riku again?" she asked.

"Uh..no..well...yes..." she sighed and lowered her head.

"What am I gonna do Scoots?" she turned to her friend with tears in her eyes.

"Hey, just calm down Nyx." the pegasus pulled her into a hug, wrapping her wings around her.

"You like him right?"

"y...Yea...but..."

"No buts. You like him and I can tell he has the hots for you." Nyx blushed and sighed quietly.

"Scoots...I can't...I just can't. I'll just outlive him anyway..." Scootaloo sighed and smacked Nyx upside her head with her wing.

"OW! What was that for?!"

"For being an idiot. Nyx, do you think couples just die together? No. One outlives the other and then joins them on the other side later in life. Just like how Granny's husband passed on before her. She stayed happy right til the very end. So I don't want to hear this anymore. You need to suck it up and just talk to him already!" 

"Scoots..." Nyx nodded.

"You're right...You're right!" Nyx hugged her tightly and ran off to find Riku, the pegasus smiling as her friend ran off. Sweetie Belle popped her head around the corner.

"Do you think we did the right thing?"

"I know we did Belle."

-------

The two stared at one another for a while, their friends waiting outside.

"Sora..."

"I just need to know Riku...why didn't you ask for help?" Riku sighed.

"Because I couldn't drag you away from Kairi. You'd fought so hard to get her back and I did and said terrible things to you. You deserved a chance to be happy." He said, leaning his back against the wall. Sora sighed.

"Riku, you're my best friend. I can't be happy without you. The whole reason we left was to go find you. But then Kairi vanished and so did the king." Riku sat upright.

"Kairi is missing?" Sora nodded sadly. Riku sighed, burying his face in his hands.

"Its my fault..."

"Riku, you can't blame yourself."

"No Sora, it is my fault. I gave her that keyblade and you know what follows keyblade wielders. She barely knows how to use it and if it weren't for me running off you'd still be there to protect her and she would be ok." Sora tried to open his mouth to argue, but Riku's reasoning just...seemed right. Sora shook his head.

"It doesn't matter Riku. You still should've asked for help. We can do this together..." their conversation was cut short by a knock at the door. Nyx slowly poked her head inside.

"um...sorry...I wanted to talk to Riku but I can see you're busy...i...i'll just go." She started to leave, Riku leaping to his 
feet.

"Wait Nyx." Sora called out with a smile. The Alicorn stopped, as did Riku. Sora stood and walked past them both, gently nudging Nyx into the room and closing the door behind him.

Riku and Nyx just stood there for a moment, staring at each other.

"Y...You wanted to say something?" Riku finally said, breaking the silence that hung in the air.

"oh...um...yes." she took a deep calming breath and looked into his eyes.

"Riku...I..." she began, words failing her as he stared back. She lowered her head as she blushed, mumbling under her breath.

"This was a stupid idea..." She almost left then, but Scootaloo's words dug themselves into her mind, reminding her the Pegasus would have more words to say if she backed out now. Hurtful words. She summed up her courage and looked up once more.

"I care about you." I care about you?!?! oh come on Nyx! You can do better than that! she argued with herself. Riku seemed to understand though. He sat down and smiled slightly, making the alicorn blush.

"Nyx...I...well...I dunno what to say. But..." the door burst open, Sora's eyes wide with panic.

"We need to go! Now!" he screamed, a heartless zipping past him.

------

Luna skid to a stop as she spotted Chrome Mist.

"Commander! Take the young princess and guard her with your life." the stallion saluted, grabbing the filly by her neck and running down the hall, his second in command chasing after him. Luna could faintly hear Mia calling for her, forcing herself to ignore the call. She had to be kept safe. 

Luna turned back to Twilight who nodded to her, together they ran through the halls, alerting all they passed of the oncoming danger. Rainbow Dash was the first to bump into her, wearing a huge grin. Obviously she hadn't noticed the heartless seeping into the castle.

"Hey Twi I need to talk to you about something."

"Not now Rainbow Dash, we need to get everypony to the seal. NOW! Before the heartless can reach it!" Rainbow nodded and zipped down a hallway to get Applejack while Twilight, followed by Luna, continued toward Spike and Rarity's room. 

The drake burst through the doors of the room with the mentioned unicorn clinging to him, heartless and nobodies close on his tail. Luna roared as she leapt over Spike, tackling the creatures to the ground, her magic bouncing between them until they burst. Luna quickly spun, chasing after Spike who ran beside Twilight.

"We need to reach the seal!" Twilight yelled to Spike over the chaos around them. The dragon nodded and took a deep breath, slowly beginning to chant, his eyes began to glow as sparks danced across his body. 

Twilight stuck by his side, Luna quickly catching up, both mares adding their magic to the dragons spell. In a burst of light they all vanished, leaving a large scorch upon the floor tiles. Together they appeared in Fluttershy's room where Big Macintosh was doing his best to shield the yellow pegasus from the claws of the heartless around them. On the other side of the room Applejack and Rainbow Dash were in much the same situation, though they managed to keep each other safe, they could only hold out for so long. 

Twilight gasped as claws reached for her, a black blur appearing before her, landing beside Macintosh for a moment then beside Applejack, the four ponies vanishing as the blur reached them. Soon the blur returned to Twilight, snatching her up as well as the others. As they made their way through the halls of the palace Twilight realized it was two blurs, not one. One was Riku, with Nyx clinging to his back, using her wings to help him keep pace along with Sora in his heartless form.

"Where is the seal?" Sora asked, his voice echoing in their minds. Luna pointed the way as they bounced down the halls, Pinkie Pie appearing beside them with Braeburn running beside her. Pinkie Pie merely nodded to them, holding her keyblade tightly in her teeth. They stopped as they reached a long hallway filled with heartless and nobodies.

"Thats the door! the seal is just beyond it!" Luna yelled. Sora nodded and Riku grinned.

"Call em in" Riku said. Nyx threw her head back and whistled, long and loud, a white bolt landing in the center of the hallway. Three keyblades spun around the Alicorn  as it carved its way through the heartless, clearing a path for the others.

"GO!" it called out to them, the voices of the cutie mark crusaders overlapping one another. Without waiting to be told twice Riku and Sora made their way through the hall and burst through the door, leaving the crusaders to the heartless.

-----

Applebloom had really been enjoying her date with Pip and she was glad she had the courage to ask him on it. Because now she was fighting for her life once more, though she had her friends by her side. They had come to get her as soon as the heartless attack had begun.

 "Bu...But..this jus' ain't fair!" the farm pony yelled in frustration.

"Look Bloom, its not about fair, we've gotta help the others!" Scootaloo argued.

"She's right Apple Bloom. We need you." Sweetie Belle added. Pip kissed Applebloom and smiled.

"Go on Bloom, I'll be right behind you." She blushed and nodded, her keyblade appearing between her teeth. Her friends pulled out their own blades. They stood in a circle and held their respective weapons into the air, Sweetie Belle letting her magic course through the blades bound to their hearts. A single thread of light spread from the center of their circle, reaching to each of them. 

As it connected to their hearts it dragged them into the center of their circle, pulling them together as one. In a bright flash of light the three vanished, leaving only an Alicorn in its place, the keyblades spinning around her. Pip smiled and rushed down a hallway.

"Pip!" Applebloom called out to him.

"I'll catch up! Just go!" he called back, vanishing down a hallway.

"He'll be alright Bloom, we need you to focus!" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle said together. She nodded, a loud whistle reaching their ears. It was Nyx's signal.

She could only hope that Pip would be alright. She felt her strength giving out as the creatures continued to pile around them, a voice chuckling above them. The Alicorn raised its head to see a figure cloaked in black. It was the creature who had transformed Trixie and attacked the Princess. 

Xayir. 

He laughed and snapped his fingers, flames growing around them, only to be put out by shards of ice thanks to Sweetie Belle's magic. The Alicorn began to sing, massive musical notes of every color appearing around her, forming several spears that floated around the Alicorn along with the keyblades, slicing through the crowd of heartless and flying toward the creature floating above them. Though he easily swatted away the spears ,his hands enveloped in flames.

Scootaloo roared, spreading her wings wide and kicked off the ground, sending them into the air after the creature. He chuckled, the flames turning into long blades in his hands, clashing again and again with the keyblades. The heartless began to focus on the door, slamming into it as sinking under it failed them. Sweetie Belle felt her magic weaken.

This won't hold for much longer! she screamed to them. Scootaloo quickly tucked in her wings, diving towards the heartless with Xayir chasing after. Applebloom threw her blade back to knock away the flames that he tossed at them, Sweetie Belle holding them back with her magic, her own keyblade chasing after the heartless pounding against the door. 

As the Alicorn slammed into the ground, smashing most of the heartless, the form broke, leaving three exhausted ponies in a pile of angered heartless. Before Xayir could crash down on top of them a portal opened behind them, the three ponies snatched up in a magic glow and pulled through it, the portal vanishing before the heartless could react. Xayir sighed and turned his attention to the door, throwing all of his power into it.

-----

Luna sighed in relief as she managed to snatch up the three ponies through Riku's portal. They lay on the ground in exhaustion. Twilight was still in panic as she stared at the seal.

"We don't have all the Elements! how are we going to fix this?!" she paced around in circles, the heartless pounding harder on the door. Riku turned to Nyx and Sora, who had broken his heartless form to catch his breath, Donald and Goofy doing the same on either side of him. They were worn out. 

"I'll get them." Riku said, his keyblade appearing in his hand.

"I'm coming with you." Nyx said. Twilight raised her head.

"No, I'll go. I'm the one who forgot my Element." she argued 

Nyx smiled a little.

"Mom, we can do this. You need to stay here in case they break through. You're the most powerful unicorn here right now and you're the only one who can shield everypony." Luna nodded.

"She is right Twilight. Not even my power can match that." Twilight sighed, hugging Nyx tightly.

"Be Careful out there..."

"I will mom..." Nyx let go and turned to Riku who opened another Portal, leaping through it with Nyx chasing after him. Pinkie Pie, Big Macintosh, and Spike stood guard at the door, ready to fight if it burst open.

----

The portal opened out into the hall, drawing the attention of Xayir and his heartless. Riku threw his blade into the heartless, using it as bait. He smiled as the heartless chased after him and Nyx, Xayir also chasing after them in his frustration.

"Nyx, I need you to take care of the heartless while I fight Xayir. Can you do that?" he asked as they turned a corner.

"I can try!" she closed her eyes for a moment, splitting into four and skidding to a stop, Xayir still chasing after Riku who flipped in the air and off a wall rushing toward him. The four Nyx's each summoned their magical blades, rushing into the crowd of heartless. Each one took to the air, the heartless splitting up to chase after them. 

The clones all smiled to themselves, amazed at how well their plan was working. They easily reduced their respective enemies to dust, hearts floating into the air as they vanished. They came together in a hallway, forming into one Nyx who ran down a hall in search of Riku. It was simple for her to follow the sounds of fighting, her eyes wide as she found Riku on his back, Xayir standing over him.

While Nyx had distracted the heartless, Riku had been busy battling Xayir who had recovered from his previous injuries.

"I'm disappointed Riku. I had really hoped you would've taken my offer." Xayir said, knocking away his keyblade with a wave of his hand. Riku gasped as he was pulled toward Xayir, the man grabbing hold of his cloak.

"You don't deserve to wear this." The man snarled and Riku grinned, slamming his head forward and pulling free of Xayir's grip as he tried to recover from the unseen headbutt. Riku charged forward, his attempt at slicing through the nobody stopped by a swirl of flames. 

Riku covered his face against the heat, his guard down as Xayir lunged forward, grabbing hold of his throat and slamming him into the ground. Riku stared up into Xayir's rage filled eyes and chuckled, a smile touching his bruised face.

"Funny...didn't think you nobodies could get angry." he said weakly. Xayir pulled his fist back, a blade of flames forming around his hand.

"Any last words traitor?"

"Yes...Think fast." Riku tossed his keyblade into the air, Xayir's eyes latched onto it as Riku threw his arm forward, slamming his fist across the nobodies face as Nyx caught the keyblade, spinning in the air and stabbing it through Xayir's back. The nobody just stood there in shock, releasing his hold on Riku as he began to fade away.

"you...will pay...for this..." he glared at Riku as he finally vanished in a wave of black flames, the keyblade in his back falling to the ground. Riku sat up and smiled at Nyx as the Alicorn helped him to his feet.

"Thanks again Nyx..." she shook her head and helped him down the hall. It didn't take them long to recover the Element of Magic. Riku opened another Portal and together they marched back into the room with the others smiling at them.

----

Twilight rushed over, pulling Nyx into a hug. The Alicorn hugged her back and smiled as she pulled away, helping Riku to sit down against a nearby wall. Riku handed Twilight the Element of Magic and lowered his head to rest a moment. Luna turned to everyone and sighed. She had hoped Celestia would have been back by now, but they were out of time. This had to be done now or never. 

"Alright everypony, we have to act now or it will be too late. Sora, Donald, Goofy, please take your place in front of the seal. Crusaders, I know you are tired but we need your help as well, and Riku. Though it pains me to ask you in your current state..."

"I understand Princess. I've been through worse." He stood slowly, Nyx walking beside him as they took their place. Luna nodded to Twilight and her friends, the Elements beginning to glow. Sora turned to his friends as the six ponies began to float in midair

"We're ready Sora." Goofy said with a grin. Donald nodded with a smile of his own.

"Remember Sora, all for one and one for all." Donald said, his eyes beginning to turn white as he called out to his magic. Sora smiled a little and nodded, turning his attention to the seal. He called out to his magic, letting it flow around him and reach out to his friends, a bright light blinding nearly everyone in the room as they collided with one another. 

The light was quickly replaced with darkness and in the center stood a tall pitch black Alicorn. A keyblade with a shield attached to the hilt floated around him as well as a blade staff.

"We're ready." the Alicorn said, the voices of Sora and his friends echoing over each other. Twilight opened her eyes, the Elements glowing brighter and brighter as their magic wrapped itself around the six ponies. The seal began to glow, matching the power of the Elements, cracks splitting the stone and letting the darkness seep through into the world. The stone shattered and the heartless poured out of the seal, drawn to the power of the Elements and the Keyblade.

"NOW!" Riku yelled as Twilight and her friends fell to the ground. Luna threw up a barrier around them and the fight began.

-----

Pip panted a little as he ran, he had to find Chrome. As he turned down a hall he found heartless blocking his path and beyond them he could hear crying.

"That sounds like a child..." Pip realized.

"HOLD ON! I'M COMING!" he called out, charging into the crowd of heartless, a hoofblade nearly slamming into him. He smiled realizing the blade was being held by none other than Chrome mist. Underneath him lay an injured guard and on his back sat an Alicorn filly. The wounded commander smiled at Pip, giving him the hoofblade.

"I can't fight anymore boy..." Pip took the hoofblade and shook his head, turning toward the crowd of heartless.

"Just rest easy Sir." Chrome mist smiled, watching Pip with his good eye as the colt rushed through the crowd, spinning around outstretched claws and burying the blade into the creatures neck. It all seemed like one seamless attack, each hoofstep met another enemy, each spin took out another heartless. 

"We gotta help him mister!" the filly on his back yelled out. Chrome shook his head.

"You need to stay safe Princess. Don't worry, Pip is one of the best the castle has to offer." the Alicorn pouted, her horn glowing dimly as she shut her eyes tightly. Pip's sword began to glow, filled with the magic of the young princess. 

The magic poured into his body, each hoofstep caused the ground to crack, each and every swing of his empowered sword sent flames through the crowd of heartless until all that was left was fading darkness and hearts in the air. Pip panted a little and sank to the ground as the magic faded from his body.

"I...Is he ok?" She asked as Chrome stood.

"He'll be fine, earth ponies aren't made to handle magic like that Princess. But he's a tough one." Chrome chuckled and nudged the wounded guard who slowly opened her eyes.

"A...Am I dead..." she asked, looking up at him.

"Oh great...I must be in tartarus..." she chuckled as he sighed, wincing as she stood.

"Are you alright?" he asked. She tested a wing and nodded.

"Just a bit scratched up sir." she looked around, amazed to see the hall clear.

"Wow sir, even at your age you've still got the moves." he chuckled and walked over to Pip, helping the colt to his hooves.

"While you're right about that, this wasn't done by me. You have our newest Guard to thank for that." Pip blinked, shaking the magic sickness away.

"Ugh...my head..."

"It'll pass boy."

"Wait...d...did you say...I'm a guard?" Pip asked in shock.

"Not sure, did I say that?" Chrome asked with a grin. Pip leapt into the air with a whoop, suddenly remembering why he had come here.

"Sir, I need your help. The seal..." Chrome raised a hoof to silence him.

"I have to get the princess to safety Pip, I can't help you. In any case, I think you have it under control. If not for you boy, we'd be short a few guards and a Princess."

"Hey, I helped too!" Mia yelled.

"Yes, you sure did Princess. Now Pip, you should get back to helping yer friends. We'll be fine from here."

"Are you sure sir?" Pip asked, not wanting to leave his mentor in case of another attack.

"I'm sure Pip, now get moving, they are gonna need you." The colt nodded, rushing down the hall with the hoofblade strapped to his side.

"Good luck boy."
> The Last Element Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

From inside the barrier they watched as Sora zipped from wall to wall, cieling to ground, merely a black blur slashing through the horde of heartless pouring from the seal. For each heartless destroyed a new one quickly took its place. Though for now it was held at bay, giving the others time to rest.

"He can't hold that for much longer. He had already used it to help us earlier. We'll have to stall for time." Riku said quietly. Nyx bit her lip, keeping her blades ready.

"Riku...about earlier...I..." she stumbled and stared in shock as the heartless broke free. Sora and his friends falling to the ground exhausted.

"No time, Move!" Riku yelled, leaping after his friends. Nyx swore under her breath and took off, snatching Donald and Goofy out of the air as the Crusaders charged forward.

-----

Just a bit longer...just a bit longer... Sora thought to himself again and again. His focus was broken by an ear piercing scream from Donald, the form breaking under the pressure it put on the unicorn. Donald was the first to plummet toward the ground, Goofy and Sora falling after him. 

Sora tried to open his wings but they refused to move. He closed his eyes, waiting to hit the ground. The impact never came. Sora opened his eyes to find Riku had snatched him out of the air by his coat, Nyx having caught Donald and Goofy, setting them near the barrier before chasing after her friends. Riku landed with Sora, the Alicorn stumbling a little.

"Riku..."

"No time Sora. Come on, I know you're tougher than this." Riku's keyblade appearing in his hand as he smiled.

"Lets show em not to mess with us Keyblade wielders." Sora smiled, his keyblade appearing in the air beside him, held in his magic.

"Its good to have you back Riku." They charged forward, slicing through the heartless.

Donald and Goofy could only watch. Their bodies unable to continue on. Donald flopped over onto his side, trying to push to his hooves. Goofy reached over, placing his hoof against him and shook his head.

"We've done all we can Donald, we gotta let him take it from here..."

"But..."

"I know ya felt it Donald...when he heard ya scream like that. It tore him up inside. We'll just get in the way right now." Donald sighed and watched, struggling to stand.

-----

Nyx smiled toward her own friends and they nodded, Their keyblades appearing.

"CHARGE!" Applebloom roared, leading the charge of the cutie mark crusaders into battle. They were still worn out from helping them reach the seal but they had to help somehow. Nyx kicked off the ground, splitting into three, blades of magic surrounding herself and her clones as she dove into the heartless. Her blades acted as a barrier, spinning around her and slicing at the heartless, keeping them just inches away from cutting into her,her clones doing the same. 

Applebloom spun and bucked a heartless back into the crowd as it managed to get past Sora and Riku, Sweetie Belle leaping off of Scootaloo's back, flinging her keyblade into the ones in the air. As she fell Scootaloo spread her wings, taking to the air and catching her, tossing her blade to meet with Sweetie Belle's, the two colliding and cutting through the heartless in the air.

Twilight felt her heart sink as Nyx dived into the wall of heartless. She pushed to her hooves slowly, trying to make her way over to help her daughter. A hoof stopped her from continuing. She turned with tears in her eyes to see Luna shaking her head.

"We all have a job to do Twilight, Nyx knows what she is doing." Twilight bit her lip, tears streaming down her face. Her body shook with sobs at the thought of losing her daughter to those things.

Luna pulled her into a hug, wrapping her wings around her as the Unicorn cried into her coat. The other Elements stood as well, watching the Cutie Mark crusaders rush to the aid of their friends. Rarity almost fainted seeing her sister launching into the air again and again. Only Spikes grasp on her kept her from rushing to help her.

"You can't help her like you are now Rarity. Your already pushing yourself farther than you should. Right now the best we can do is recover and seal the heartless." Spike said softly.

"We don't have much time left Spike. They cannot hold on forever." Rarity argued, on the verge of tears. 

"They don't have to." Rainbow declared; she stood tall but her body still shook with exhaustion. Breaking the seal had taken more out of them than they thought it would. Her and Applejack leaned against one another, watching as Twilight wept against Luna, Pinkie struggling against Braeburn who kept trying to get her to rest a moment. Rarity in near tears, 

Spike keeping her from getting herself killed. Fluttershy and Big Macintosh just seemed to stare at the wall of heartless. Applejack could see small tears in their eyes though, no words were needed between the two as Fluttershy rested a wing over his shoulder.

"Girls, we aren't going to have enough time to rest. We have to do this now or we will lose everything." Fluttershy said quietly but with an amazing amount of strength to it. 

"Nyx can't hold out forever. The Crusaders were already injured when they arrived to help us and are probably more worn out than any of us. But look at them. Even through all that they are still fighting. We can't just sit here and we don't have the time to rest." Fluttershy turned toward them with tears in her eyes. 

"We have to do it now." Slowly they all nodded, knowing what would happen. It would take everything in them to force the seal back on the heartless. In their current condition, it would cost them their lives. Spike and Luna felt their hearts drop. The sound of Big Macintosh's crying echoing throughout the chamber.

It shattered all of their hearts. The toughest earth pony in all of Equestria was breaking down before them, his only choice was to let one of his sisters go, one such choice would also cost him Fluttershy. It was too much for them to bear. It didn't help the case when a cry of agony rang throughout the room. Applejack and Big Macintosh were the first to spot the wounded pony.

"APPLEBLOOM!"

-----

The earth pony screamed as pain shot up her side, a large heartless dragging its claw through her. She stumbled and dropped her keyblade as the heartless piled on top of her. Unable to hold the weight of the heartless she fell to the ground with a horrible thud. Through the corner of her eye she could see her brother and sister behind the barrier Luna was holding. Her brother was hammering at the edge with all of his strength, forming cracks in it.

She slowly shook her head, knowing if the barrier fell it would mean the end of everything. She watched as he lowered his head and broke down into tears, Fluttershy turning to the others. She barely felt the pain of the heartless tearing into her, it was nothing compared to seeing her brother like this. Her body reacted on its own, screaming and thrashing as each claw tore into her. She watched as her fallen keyblade started to turn to dust, her eyes drifting shut.

"APPLEBLOOM!!" Her eyes snapped open at the sound of the voice. Her vision was blurred but she could make out the figure of a colt running towards her, a blade around his hoof which he used to slice through the nearest heartless. He leapt into the air over another, smashing his hooves into the back of its skull as he rolled in the air, tossing the blade into the heartless standing over her. He quickly ran over to her, grabbing the blade and lifting her to his back.

"Don't worry Bloom, we're gonna make it out of this." She smiled, recognizing the voice. She wrapped her hooves tightly around him, kissing his cheek. She couldn't see it, but she knew he was blushing as he rushed her toward the barrier. It was up to the other crusaders now. She had done all she could.

-----

Luna opened a small hole in the barrier, allowing Pip to enter and set Applebloom down gently. Once they were inside she quickly slammed the barrier shut, her wings still wrapped around Twilight. She counted herself lucky that Pip had arrived, though there was still one pony she needed.

"It seems we are running out of time." Luna said softly.

"Perhaps I can help." Luna spun at the sound of her sisters voice, smiling in relief.

"Celestia!" The Alicorn nodded and sat beside her, allowing her to relax as she took hold of the barrier.

"Listen carefully everypony. I understand what you plan to do and I cannot allow it." Celestia said calmly.

"But they can't go on like this anymore!" Rainbow Dash yelled, stumbling forward a bit in her rage.

"I am not saying for you to merely sit here and do nothing. I believe there is something we can still do that, while it is just as drastic, will not cost all of your lives." she said to calm the pegasus.

"Jus' about anythin' is useful right now Princess." Applejack said weakly. 

"Twilight, remember your studies of Friendship. Tell me, what have you learned from your studies of the Heart?" Celestia asked softly of the sobbing unicorn. Twilight began to mumble into Luna's chest, her eyes flying wide open for a moment as realization hit her. Luna nodded, her expression matching that of the pony she held.

"While Friendship connects everypony together through powerful bonds, love is something more than that. Love is unlike anything else in the world. You would do anything for the pony you love, even give your very life. While a friend might do the same thing; A pony in love would do it without a second thought. Love is a powerful force, even more powerful than you and I sister, more powerful than the Elements. Perhaps powerful enough to seal the heartless without destroying ourselves." Luna spoke for the unicorn she held. Celestia nodded with a smile.

"I had hoped you would realize this. The Doctor would not allow me to interfere or else I would have told you sooner.  He explained to me that if I had tried explaining it before now that you would all force yourselves into the relationships you have formed out of necessity rather than out of true love. 

But we cannot use this power without help from a friend, though I don't think you would see her that way." Celestia took a step to the side to reveal Queen Chrysalis of the changelings standing behind her. Strange black and white chains ran their way over her entire body. On one side of her stood Shining Armor, the other side stood Cadence, their horns matching the glow of the chains. 

Twilight could only stare in confusion that quickly turned into shock as she realized why the queen was here. She whispered her thoughts to Luna, unable to raise her voice much after crying so hard. Luna nodded, calming her by brushing her hoof through her mane.

"So this is your plan sister? You'll have the queen harness the power of our combined love to seal the heartless. but who says she won't use that power to destroy us?" Luna asked, turning toward the Changeling Queen.

"Despite what you think of me Luna I don't want the demise of our world anymore than you do. If I destroy any of you then we can all kiss our plots goodbye." though she didn't seem at all happy to be there.

"Besides, she has an Oath Binding spell cast on her." Shining armor said from her side

"But that's forbidden!" Luna looked up at Celestia who nodded.

"We can argue that matter later Luna, right now we all have something we must do." Sweetie belle appeared near them, tears streaming down her face as she held Scootaloo. They were both badly injured and the young unicorn had barely managed to teleport them into the barrier. Celestia was surprised her magic could get her inside so easily. Sweetie belle stared up at the Alicorn as if begging. Luna nodded, taking back hold of the barrier. Celestia knelt down near the wounded Scootaloo. 

The heartless crest was slowly forming itself over a large gash along the pegasi's side.

"I...Is there any...anything you can do?" Sweetie Belle asked through her sobs. Her face had been cut into and there were scars up and down her legs and side but she didn't care or notice. All that mattered right now as Scootaloo. She didn't even notice when her sister broke free of Spikes hold, wrapping her hooves around her sister tightly.

"I can heal her wounds. But this..." She rested a hoof against the heartless crest.

"This is a wound of the heart. She needs you Sweetie Belle." The unicorn raised her head, tears in her eyes.

"I'll do anything." She said, a determined look in her eyes. Celestia nodded, resting her horn against Sweetie Belle's

-----

Luna watched as her sisters magic surrounded the young unicorn.

"Good luck Sweetie Belle." She turned her attention toward Chrysalis.

"We have to do this now while we still have a chance. Chrysalis, stand at the center. Spike, grab Rarity. Fluttershy please bring Macintosh over here, Applebloom will survive, her heart is strong. Pip please bring her into the circle as well. Everypony else, you know what to do." They all nodded, standing in a circle around Chrysalis. Cadence and Shining Armor walked circles around her, like sharks ready to attack. 

Twilight calmed herself enough to focus her magic, Luna's gentle hold on her helping her to sink into a sea of calm. A magical glow surrounded everypony in the circle, each pony clinging to the one that made them feel special.

Twilight cast her eyes around the circle. Rainbow Dash and Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Braeburn, Fluttershy and Big Macintosh, Rarity and Spike, Applebloom and Pip, Scootaloo and Sweetie belle. Her eyes stopped on Luna, a small smile on her face. 

Me and the Princess... she stared into Luna's eyes as their magic flowed through the circle, their power amplified by each couple it passed through, finally reaching Cadence and her brother. The glow as almost like a small sun now as it bounced between Cadence and Shining armor, flooding over Chrysalis who stood at the heart of their circle. Her horn began to glow brightly, her eyes swallowed by a white light.

-----

Nyx stood just behind Sora and Riku. The three were spent. Goofy and Donald had passed out from exhaustion after trying to jump back into the fight. Scootaloo had been badly injured and just barely rescued by Sweetie Belle. She didn't even want to think of how badly injured they were or Applebloom. All she could do was hope they would be alright. But now it was just the three of them. Nyx looked at Riku who grinned a little, then to Sora who gave her a goofy smile. She sighed a little and turned her attention back to the heartless.

"It was nice knowing you two...You've been good friends to me." Nyx said, smacking a heartless back into the crowd with her wing.

"But this can't go on forver and the two of you are needed on other worlds. You two need each other. Kairi needs you."

"Nyx...what are you saying? Riku asked, slashing with his keyblade to knock back a few heartless.

"I'm saying you guys need to run for it. I've got a way to hold them off for a few minutes more. You know you're both spent, we're just barely holding out now." Her voice held more strength than she could muster at that moment.

"We're not just gonna leave you Nyx, we just gotta buy them a little more time." Sora tried to argue, bucking a few heartless back into the crowd. It seemed never-ending at this point. The more they threw back, the more that climbed out.

"Sora's right Nyx, remember what you told me? 'Your friends need you' how would the others feel if they lost you?" Nyx sighed a little, having her own words thrown back at her.

"Think about it Nyx, what about Twilight? what about the Crusaders?" Sora asked her as they continued to fend of the heartless. They were slowing down though and a few almost made it past them. Nyx yelled out in pain as a pegasi heartless smashed its hooves into her head, flying toward the barrier.

"ITS HEADED FOR THE BARRIER!" she couldn't stop to get the heartless, soon more were reaching for the barrier. Before reaching it a gray blur slammed into the first, zipping back to slam another into the wall, bouncing about frantically. It was moving so fast Nyx couldn't tell what it was, only the arrival of a certain brown stallion explained what was going on.

"Don't give up just yet Nyx." a familiar voice called out

Riku laughed a little.

"Doc? is that you?" Riku asked with a smile.

"Its a pleasure to see you again as well Riku, though pleasantries will have to wait til another time. Ditzy's Sugar Rush will only last for a few more minutes at best. We've got work to do, they will have the seal up any minute now, we need to push back all the heartless or else this will all be for nothing." They nodded and Sora smiled.

"Hey Nyx, remember how the crusaders combined their power?" Riku and Nyx each raised an eyebrow, slowly catching on. 

"Its worth a shot." Riku said, holding out his keyblade. Nyx rested her horn against it, Sora doing the same. A bright light spread from Sora to Riku's keyblade and Nyx's horn, swallowing the three of them.

The wall of heartless shook and stepped back a bit as the light began to fade. An Alicorn easily taller than Celestia grinned at the wall, a keyblade of light and a keyblade of darkness swirling around it. Its eyes were two large orbs of pure white, its mane a large pattern of stars that flowed through the air like a thin curtain. Its coat as dark as an Eclipse. Two keyblade's crossed over a Large purple shield graced the Alicorn's flank.

"Together we can do this!" its voice echoed that of the three it was made of. They all moved as one, their thoughts melding into one another. The Doctor caught Ditzy as her Sugar Rush wore off. The Alicorn slammed its hooves into the ground, a wall of flame appearing before the heartless, forcing them back. more pillars of flame continued to rush toward the wall of heartless, forcing it to dance backwards. A few brave heartless tried to rush through the flame only to be stopped by one of the Floating Blades.

Whoa Nyx, who knew you had that kind of power? Sora asked bringing a smile to the Alicorn's face.

Well...I was once Nightmare Moon...

Yea...we heard about that. Riku and Sora thought together. With their combined might, the tide was easily turned until a gut wrenching pain tore through them. The form broke and Nyx stumbled forward, her head spinning. 

She continued to stumble forward, seeing the heartless almost far enough back. She struggled with her last bit of magic and flung them into the hole before collapsing. 

"NYX!" Riku screamed, rushing to her side. Sora smiled a little, seeing that she was still breathing. He lifted his keyblade and Riku's in his magic.

"I'll hold them off Riku." He said. Riku nodded and lifted Nyx in his arms, rushing to the barrier.

"Thanks Sora."

-----

Scootaloo looked around herself, seeing nothing but darkness.

"Belle? Bloom? Nyx? Where is everypony?!" she called out to the darkness, silence being her only answer. She lowered her head, tears stinging her eyes. She sank to the ground as overwhelming dread flooded over her.

"Am I...dead? I couldn't save Belle...Am I really that useless?" the tears flowed freely know, the darkness around her seeming to agree with her.

"I am useless...I couldn't save my parents...and now Belle is probably dead and its all my fault...I couldn't protect her...I'm just useless." she lay there in the darkness, letting it close around her. She closed her eyes, having already accepted her fate.

"Quit being an idiot Scoots." Scootaloo jumped in terror as the voice rang inside of her mind. She sat up to see her mother and father.

"m...mom? Dad?" they nodded.

"w...what are you doing here?"

"We're here to help you." her father said.

"You can't just give up." Her mother said, sitting beside her.

"but...I messed up..." her father chuckled, resting his wing over her shoulder.

"No you haven't. You're a tough girl Scootaloo and you've been through so much. You have friends, and someone who loves you." her mother smiled.

"In fact, I think I see her coming right now." Scootaloo raised her head and gasped, seeing Sweetie Belle running towards her, the darkness seeming to fade away as the unicorn came closer.

"I...Is this real? Am I just imagining this?" she looked around to see her parents were gone, gasping as Sweetie Belle tackled her to the ground.

"Belle?! oh please tell me you're not dead too." the unicorn giggled and held her close.

"No Scoots. I'm not dead and neither are you." The pegasi sighed in relief, wrapping her hooves tightly around the unicorn.

That's right...Belle loves me... she smiled and blinked as she found herself laying on her side, sweetie Belle standing over her, her horn cracked slightly.

"B...Belle! your horn!" Sweetie bell shook her head and hugged her tightly.

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is your ok."

"Belle...yo...you would give up your horn for me?"

"Of course I would. You mean everything to me Scoots..." the two held one another, the glow of the circle enveloping them.

-----

Twilight shook with fear as Riku entered the barrier holding Nyx. He sat her down near the unicorn and sat down.

"Do not worry, she is alive." Luna explained, barely calming Twilight. Nyx opened her eyes, seeing only Riku, she smiled.

"Riku...I...I wanted...t...to tell you something..." she said weakly.

"Just save your strength Nyx."

"No...I need to say it now...I used up all my magic...Alicorns can't survive without magic..." she winced as a jolt of pain ran through her body.

"Riku...b...before I die...I wanted...to tell you..." she raised her hoof, setting it in his lap.

"That...I love you..." she smiled as the words left her mouth, her eyes falling shut and her breathing slowing. Riku grabbed her hoof, tears in his eyes.

"Nyx..." he threw his arms around her.

"If magic is what you need, then take mine." he began to glow, his magic flowing into the Alicorn's body.

"Riku, what are you doing?!" Luna asked in shock. He only smiled and shut his eyes tightly, filling Nyx's body with every last bit of magic he could muster. The glow of the circle wrapped around the two, chrysalis gasped as this new bit of magic slammed into her.

"I...can't...hold it!" she screamed in pain, her legs shaking.

"Do it now!" Luna screamed. Chrysalis focused the glow into the tip of her horn, letting it explode and slam into the wall in front of them, the barrier dropping. Slowly the wall began to reform itself, slamming into the ground with a loud thud. The keyhole spread across its features, Sora quickly raising the keyblade's he held. A beam of light flew from each blade, a loud locking sound ringing throughout the hall. Sora stared at the seal for a moment, breaking into a fit of laughter.

"WE DID IT!" his happiness fell on deaf ears as all turned toward Riku and Nyx. They were still covered in the white glow, only the shapes of their bodies visible. Nyx's eyes slowly began to open once more, Riku's body fading slightly. He smiled at her.

"Hey, welcome back." he said softly. Nyx rested a hoof on his cheek.

"R...Riku? A...Am I..." he shook his head.

"No, you're not dead." Riku's body continued to fade away as he held her. Sora rushed over to his friend.

"Riku!" He smiled at his friend.

"Hey Sora. Sorry I couldn't keep my promise..." Sora shook his head, looking to Luna.

"Is there anything we can do?" Luna tried to think, though it was Twilight who spoke up.

"Sora, your friend Donald, can he cast that spell on others?"

"spell? Oh! Donald!" Donald stumbled over with Goofy's help.

"Can you cast that spell on Riku?" He asked, Riku's arm had already faded away.

"Which spell?!" the unicorn demanded.

"You know! the one that makes us like this!" Donald nodded.

"I can try." Donald closed his eyes, letting his magic flow around the room, clinging to the bits of magic that still hung in the air. His magic reached for Riku, tearing him to pieces, all eyes watched in shock as the bits slowly began to reform in front of Nyx, still shrouded in white. Slowly the form began to take shape and collapsed on the ground. Donald smiled a little to himself.

"See? I told ya I could do it" the unicorn beamed, lost in his pride. Celestia smiled at all of them.

"It seems you and your friends have saved us yet again Twilight. Equestria is now safe from the threat of the heartless." 

She turned to Chrysalis, the chains still bound tightly around her.

"Now you will set me free, right? that was our deal!" She demanded, the chains tightening around her.

"I made no such deal with you. I had to force you to come along. But I will remove the spell. Know this though, should you ever return to these lands with the intention to take over Canterlot I will not hesitate to use another spell such as this." 

The chains shattered and the Queen ran, taking to the sky and flying far away from Canterlot. She would have her revenge someday, but it would not be today. Luna stared at her sister.

"Practicing Forbidden Spells Tia?" she asked. Celestia sighed.

"I did not have a choice sister. Would you rather have lost Twilight as well as the other Elements?" Luna tried to argue but realized that there really had been no choice. She smiled.

"Very well Tia, but if you are allowed such a spell then allow me one as well."

"What do you mean Luna? Celestia asked, somewhat surprised. Luna turned to Twilight with a small blush on her face.

"Twilight...if there were a way for you to stay with me...would you accept it?" Twilight looked up at Luna and nodded without a second thought. Luna rested her horn against Twilight's, its glow swallowing them. Luna's wings shrunk slightly as did the rest of her body. Collective gasps filled the room as the glow faded. Twilight blinked, a bit dazed from the spell. She felt something on her back and turned, her eyes wide as she found wings!

"W...Wings?" Twilight asked, looking back at Luna. The Alicorn was about her height now and smiled.

"Luna...we swore we would never use that spell again." Celestia spoke softly.

"And you swore never to use another forbidden spell. We are even sister."

"I don't understand. You turned me into a pegasus?" Luna laughed a little and shook her head.

"No Twilight. I gave up some of my magic, to turn you into an Alicorn." Twilight reached a hoof toward her horn, finding it was still there.

"s...so...I'm..." Luna nodded. Twilight blushed bright red and fainted.

-----

EPILOGUE

Riku groaned in pain as his eyes opened slowly.

"I'm not dead?" he thought aloud.

"No, but the next time you do something that stupid I might have to kill you myself." Nyx said from beside him. He jumped in surprise, falling out of the bed.

"ow...my head..." He put his hand to his head and stared at it for a moment. Instead of a hand, he found a hoof. He tried to stand and stumbled, falling to all fours.

"what the..." he looked at himself and Nyx lowered her head.

"It was the only way for us to save you. Using some of my magic and Donald's spell we managed to piece you back together. But this was all we could do..." He smiled and turned back to her.

"Its fine Nyx. I'm just glad you're alive." she blushed bright red as he sat beside her.

"This is gonna take some getting used to." Sora chuckled from across the room.

"You'll figure it out eventually Riku." Riku sighed, of course Sora would be in the room to ruin the moment. Nyx rolled her eyes and kissed Riku's cheek, making him blush. Sora, Goofy, and Donald burst into laughter.

"Hey!" Riku yelled, the three instantly silenced, though they were stifling their giggles.

"So Riku, when should we leave to go find Kairi?" Sora asked. Riku looked at him for a moment, then back at Nyx.

"I'm sorry Sora, but I'm not leaving." the three across the room stared at him for a moment.

"WHAT?!" they all asked together.

"I'm not leaving. I'm gonna stay here. The organization is still out there and its obvious they are targeting this world and probably others as well. I can stay here and keep this place safe and..." he turned to Nyx.

"I can be here with Nyx..." the Alicorn blushed, wrapping her hooves around him. Sora smiled.

"Alright Riku. I guess we'll always know where you are and we can visit sometime." Sora said with a laugh. He walked over and hugged him tightly.

"We're gonna miss you Riku."

"Hey, you're a big boy now Sora, you don't need me anymore. Now go on, go find Kairi. I'll be waiting here for you guys." Sora nodded, saying his last goodbyes as he and his friends left.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Nyx held a necklace in her magic, smiling at him.

"Whats this?" he asked as she placed it around his neck. At the end sat an onyx stone in the shape of a heart. Nyx wore the other half around her neck, the stone pure white.

"Its our Element Riku. When you sacrificed yourself for me, it appeared."

"Our Element?" she nodded and rested her head against him.

"The Element of Love."