Kingdom Hearts of Harmony

Kingdom Hearts of Harmony

By Steel Soul

Canterlot Castle

The gentle touch of Celestia’s sun reached Sora's face, causing his eyes to flutter open at the warm ray’s gentle cressess. After a quick yawn and a stretch, the stallion turned over to face upwards, his waking gaze falling towards the ceiling above.

Or…it would have if it wasn’t for the fact he found himself staring into the dark purple face of Princess Luna, her starry mane flowing ethereally as she hovered just above him.

"Good morning to thee, Sora," Luna mused in a soft yet sing-song tone. “I see that thee has finally awakened.”

"Ahh!" The stallion yelped, his heart skipping a beat as he instinctively tried to back away. In his panic, he lost his balance and tumbled out of bed, flailing helplessly before landing on the floor with a thud.

Princess Luna gasped, her eyes widening in alarm. She swiftly flew to his side, her wings flaring as she landed gracefully beside him. "Sora! Art thou alright?"

The Keyblade Wielder groaned, rubbing his head sighing softly to himself. "Okay… I think you girls have it out for me…” He whispered under his breath.

“Pardon?” Luna asked, tilting her head slightly, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity.

The keyblade wielder quickly shook his head, trying to cover his slip. "Nothing, Luna. Just talking to myself. I’m fine, really. Just a bit of a rough wake-up call."

“We are sorry if that was the case.” The princess apologized. “We meant to wake you up much gentler but we had barely entered the room before I accidentally startled you. Please forgive me, Sora.”

“Like I said…No worries, Luna.” The Keyblade Wielder reassured her, his smile more genuine now. He accepted her offered hoof and stood up, brushing off any remaining sleepiness. "Can’t say it's not effective…if a bit dramatic." Shaking his head he turned towards the princess. “Did I miss anything?”

Luna shook her head, a reassuring smile on her face. "Far from it, my friend. We merely wanted to let thee know that the Diamond Dog Queens arrived at the castle last night. Princess Celestia is in conference with them this morning."

The stallion’s eyes widened slightly. "The Diamond Dog Queens are here already? I didn't expect them so soon."

Luna nodded. "Indeed. If nothing else can be said about our nephew, its that his ship is indeed the best of the best. Princess Celestia thought it best to begin discussions as early as possible. We wanted to ensure that thou art prepared for the meeting."

Luna gave him an encouraging nod. "Very well, Sora. We shall leave thee to it."

As she turned to leave, she paused and looked back at him, her expression softening. "Before we depart, may we ask how thou art feeling? Ever since our discussion a few days ago about not being able to become human again, we have been concerned for thee."

Sora hesitated for a moment, before looking away, rubbing the back of his head. "It's was tough thinking about at first…but…I can live with it. Mom might still freak out but…I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.”

Luna's eyes softened further, showing a depth of understanding. "Hast thou told thy friends yet?"

The stallion hesitated again, his gaze drifting away as he struggled with the question. "Not yet... I don't want to worry them more than they already are. They have enough to deal with right now."

“I see…” She sighed softly before shaking her head, mumbling something under her breath about being the same before she sighed again, this one heavier than the last. When she was done, she turned towards the stallion. “I will not tell you what to do, Sora…that is your decision alone after all…but…You should never let things fester. Secrets, especially those born of fear, can grow into burdens too heavy to bear alone."

The stallion nodded slowly, taking in her words. "I understand, Luna. I'll... I'll find the right time to tell them. They deserve to know. Fluttershy most of all…I just…She…”

Luna placed a comforting hoof on his shoulder. "Thou art concerned for her feelings, and rightly so. She cares for thee deeply, and I cannot lie, such news will be difficult for her to hear. But honesty is the foundation of trust, and thy bond will only grow stronger through it."

the Keyblade Wielder sighed, feeling the weight of Luna's words. "You're right. I just... don't want to hurt her."

“We understand that all too well Sora…but…you won’t be able to not hurt her forever.”

The truth of Luna’s words lingered in the air as he contemplated the inevitable conversation ahead in the future. It was his turn to sigh. “Yeah…I know…I’ll tell them…Promise…”

Luna nodded curtly before turning to leave. With a pop of magic, she vanished, leaving the stallion alone with his thoughts.

“Today is already starting off strong, huh Sora?”

~~~

Sora exited his room, adjusting his glove with his teeth. The early morning light streamed through the castle windows, casting a warm glow on the polished floors. He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering unease from his conversation with Luna. As he continued down the hallway, he heard his name being called by a timid voice.

“Sora?”

He turned around to see Fluttershy approaching, her soft, gentle eyes almost glowing at the sight of the stallion. The stallion held himself high as he turned towards the mare, greeting her with a warm smile. "Good morning, Fluttershy,"

The timid mare hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Oh…Um…Good morning Sora. Did you…um…Sleep well?"

He nodded, his smile growing warmer. "Like a baby. All thanks to that good luck charm you gave me."

Fluttershy blushed at the mention of the nuzzle she had given him last night, a shy smile gracing her lips. "I-I'm glad it helped. A-Any way. Twilight told me that the Queens are here. She told me to come get you…”

Sora nodded, deciding to keep the talk he had with Princess Luna quiet for now. He wasn't ready to tell the girls...at least not yet. "Thanks, Fluttershy. Let's not keep them waiting."

The butter yellow mare nodded, her expression betraying a hint of concern as she fell into step beside the stallion. Even from the start she could tell something was bothering him. But if he didn’t want to talk about it, she couldn’t force him to do so. Maybe…Princess Luna warned him about something? I do hope everything goes okay if that’s the case.

The shy mare pushed herself against the stallion, an action that allowed the stallion to know she was there. While it did catch the Keyblade Wielder off guard, it didn’t stop him from pressing his wing against her own in response. The gentle contact seemed to ease some of the tension between them, providing a moment of mutual comfort and reassurance.

It took little time to reach the chamber Twilight and the rest of the Elements of Harmony were waiting. Surprisingly, as he opened the door, he found Gilda and Trixie waiting as well, the later of the two getting bombarded with words by the mare that was named Pinkie Pie.

As soon as the pink mare noticed Sora, she stopped her tirade with Trixie and hopped over towards her butter yellow friend and the stallion that was her coltfriend, welcoming them both with a tight hug each. "Sora! Fluttershy! You’re here!"

Sora chuckled, patting the mare lightly on the back. "Good to see you too, Pinkie."

Fluttershy smiled warmly as she hugged Pinkie back. "Good morning, Pinkie. Um…did you sleep well?”

Pinkie Pie nodded enthusiastically, bouncing slightly as she released them from her embrace. "Yep! Had a super fun sleepover with Dashie and Gilda. It started with a fun game but then somepony threw a pillow at Gilda and then it kinda went into chaos after that!"

Sora laughed, shaking his head. "Sounds like you all had a blast." He smiled as he turned towards the others, offering a good morning to them all before stopping at Trixie. “Didn’t expect you to be here. Guess we haven’t really talked since I left you with Dash. How ya been?”

Trixie adjusted her hat, a small smile appearing on her face. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has been... well, actually. Thank you for asking, Sora.”

“Are you coming to the meeting too?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Trixie shook her head. "No, I’m not. Trixie was only here to say hello to you before leaving. She has to get her wagon back from Trottingham, after all. It was left in the forest."

“I see…”The stallion smiled. “Say hi to Zidane and Kuja for me then. And…ya know. Stay safe.”

"But of course," Trixie said with a flourish. "Trixie still has a show to dazzle you with a show, after all." She then turned to the timid mare, her tone shifting to one of playful seriousness. "Make sure to treat our little dummy right. Trixie's best friend can be quite slow at times, so don't be afraid to tell him what's what."

Fluttershy blushed slightly but nodded with a soft smile. "I will, Trixie. Thank you."

“I’m right here ya know.” The stallion said with a deadpan expression.

“And when did you become his best friend?” Rainbow Dash added with a growl.

Trixie smirked, looking over at the blue pegasus. "Well, who wouldn't want to be friends with someone as great and powerful as Trixie?" she said, her tone dripping with playful arrogance.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure. Just don’t get too full of yourself."

Trixie chuckled. "That will never happen, of course, Trixie IS the hype after all." With a flick of her cape, the mare left, leaving the others as the door shut behind herself.

The room fell into a brief silence as Trixie made her exit, leaving the group in a mix of amusement and slight bewilderment. Rainbow Dash snorted, shaking her head. "Ugh…I can’t stand her...."

“Aww she ain’t so bad now,” Applejack spoke as she tilted her hat up to look at the others. “Sure she was a handful back at Ponyville…but I’ve been thinking long and hard about everything and…well…Can’t blame her for everything that happened that day.”

Sora, curious, looked between his friends. "I keep hearing hints and stuff about that but…What exactly did happen back in Ponyville when Trixie arrived?"

Twilight sighed, her expression softening as she looked towards a nearby window. "Well…where to begin…It all started when Trixie first came to Ponyville, boasting about her magical abilities and claiming she was the most powerful unicorn in Equestria. She challenged anypony to outdo her magic."

Applejack nodded. "Yeah, she put on this big show, and when we tried to stand up to her, she used her magic to humiliate us."

"She made me spin around so fast I got dizzy,” Rainbow grumbled as she folded her hooves across her chest. “She turned Applejack's lasso tricks against her, and messed with Rarity's mane. It was a total mess."

“A mess is putting it mildly, Darling,” Rarity all but whined, "It was dreadful. She made my beautiful mane look simply ghastly!"

"But all and all, everything she did was harmless.” Twilight continued, “She was just trying to impress everypony after all. It is what show ponies do. Things only got out of hoof when two colts brought an Ursa Minor into town, thinking Trixie could defeat it. She couldn't, and I ended up saving the day."

“It was amazing.” Fluttershy added softly, "Twilight used her magic to soothe the Ursa Minor and safely return it to its cave."

Twilight nodded. "After that, Trixie left town in disgrace. I was honestly surprised when she wound up here in Canterlot Castle."

“Oohhh…” The stallion placed his hooves behind his head. “I get now it. Still…Its a lot more tamer then I thought the story would be. Though…what is an Ursa Minor?”

Twilight explained, "An Ursa Minor is a giant, magical bear-like creature made of starlight. Despite its name, it's incredibly powerful. It's essentially a baby compared to the Ursa Major, which is even more gigantic and formidable."

“Woah…hang on…” The stallion raised an eyebrow as he asked, “If the baby is giant…how big is a Ursa Major?”

"An Ursa Major is colossal, Sora. It's one of the largest creatures in Equestria, towering over even the tallest buildings in Ponyville. When an Ursa Major moves, it can cause tremors, and its roar can be heard for miles." She paused before adding. “Or so the books say. I haven’t seen one myself and trying to keep it that way.”

“Wow…” the stallion whistled, “Might give Ansem a run for his money when he transformed into that airship.”

“Wait…Who did what?” Gilda asked, her eyes widening.

Sora chuckled awkwardly, realizing he had mentioned a story from his own world. "Oh, uh, it's a long story. Short of it is, a dude with dark powers fused with an airship and I had to take him down to save the world.”

Gilda blinked long and hard before looking towards Rainbow. “This dweeb for real?”

Rainbow Dash smirked. "Yeah, he is. Sora's got some pretty wild stories, and trust me, he's not making them up. He's fought some crazy stuff."

Applejack nodded. "He's been through a lot, Gilda. Just like us, but in his own way."

“I only did what I could honestly.” The stallion spoke. “Every bit of the way I had others helping me, just like now. Honestly wouldn’t have made it this far without anyone of you by my side.”

“With how much trouble you get into, I can see that.” Rainbow teased. “But hey, if you keep getting into trouble guess we gotta keep your sorry butt out of it.”

Sora rolled his eyes and looked away from them, responding with a lighthearted, "Yeah, yeah."

Before they could continue, the door opened, revealing a stallion dressed in a fancy black, butler unicorn, his mustache curled to perfection. He gave a cursory glace around the room, noting everyone within before giving a resolute nod. "I see that everyone is present. If that is the case, Princess Celestia awaits you in her throne room."

The group exchanged glances, the playful atmosphere shifting to one of seriousness and determination. the Keyblade Wielder took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the upcoming meeting settle on his shoulders.

"Alright, let's do this," the stallion said, his voice steady. He turned towards Gilda. “You coming?”

Gilda hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "Nah, I think I'll wait here for Rainbow Dash," she said, her voice casual but firm. "Would head on to Ponyville if I didn’t think I would get run out of town without Dash vouching for me."

Rainbow Dash gave Gilda a grateful smile. "Hehe…We shouldn’t be long. I’ll be back Gilda."

Sora gave Gilda a reassuring nod before turning back to the group. "Alright, let's get going."

It took little time before the small group found themselves in front of the throne room door, the stallion that was leading them giving them one last look and a nod before opening the door. “Princess Celestia, please forgive my interruption. I have arrived with the Elements of Harmony and the one called the Keyblade Wielder.”

Upon entering, Sora’s gaze would quickly find that of two creatures her had never seen before. One, a tall and elegant dog like creature, their fur of various shades of blue, adorned with a purple cape with gold trimming. He couldn’t help but feel that, upon entering the room, she was already judging him and his friends, something that he couldn’t say made his fur bristle.

Beside her, was another one of the creatures, this one slightly shorter then the other, whos fur was that of a pristine white, splotched with black patches here and there. She adjusted a cape that sparkled like the stars against a soft blue sky was upon her back and her eyes, while no less commanding, felt altogether more gentle then that of the other’s. In one of her paws, she held a cane of which she leaned heavily upon, despite her looking no older then the other.

Going though the process of elimination, the stallion figured that these two must be the Diamond Dogs Queens.

Princess Celestia’s voice pulled the stallion back to the present, his focus drawing towards the mare sitting upon her throne. "Thank you, Silver Tray." she said to the butler before turning her attention to the group. “It is good to see you all hail and whole.” She turned towards Applejack and Pinkie Pie. “I trust your journey from Ponyville was uneventful?" Princess Celestia's voice rang out with regal warmth, her gaze moving from one familiar face to another. The room seemed to shimmer with a soft golden light as she spoke.

Applejack nodded respectfully, her Stetson hat dipping slightly. "Yes, Princess, the trip was smooth as silk. No trouble at all."

Pinkie Pie bounced on her hooves excitedly. "Oh, it was super-duper fun! We sang songs and played guessing games all the way here!"

“Hehe…thats good to hear Miss Pie,” Princess Celestia nodded. "Though, as much as I would love to hear all about it, further pleasantries will have to be put on hold.” She waved towards her side, where two creatures were standing. “Our guests have been waiting long enough after all. Allow me to introduce you. Here we have Lady Jennino Lanternlight and Lady Katherina Proudpaws, Regents of Caninia.”

The white and black diamond dog stepped forward, her cane clacking softly as she did so. "Greetings, everyone. Thank you for inviting us to your home and kingdom. As your princess said, I am Jennino Lanternlight, but it is quite a mouthful to say, so you can call me Jenn, if that is okay? And of course, as you now know, this is my sister, Katherina Proudpaws. It really is a pleasure to meet you all."

Rarity, ever the social butterfly, couldn't resist bowing gently before the two of them. "Such lovely names I must admit.” She turned towards Katherina,” And what about you, Lady Katherina? Is it alright if we call you Kat?"

The diamond dog's eyes narrowed slightly, a low growl rumbling in her throat. Her voice, though calm, carried a clear warning. "You shall not, call me…KAT.” The diamond dog spoke. “That word is forbidden in our kingdom. You shall call me Your Highness or Your majesty.” She scoffed. “My sister may not care but I do, so watch yourself ponies."

Twilight quickly stepped forward, bowing slightly. "We’re so sorry! The pleasure is ours, your highnesses."

“Indeed.” The blue diamond dog spoke, her voice while not unkind, carried a curtness to it. She turned to Celestia, “Shall we begin then? And please, a room for my sister to sit. This is the most she’s been active and it's already taking a toll on her due to her illness.”

"Of course.” The princess agreed before turning towards Silver Tray, “I am sorry to trouble you once again, but can you take our guest and my little ponies to the prepared room? I wish for them to be comfortable while speaking to each other."

Silver Tray nodded, bowing slightly. "It is no trouble at all, Your Highness. Please, follow me."

The group followed Silver Tray though a nearby doorway that lead into a rather elegant parlor, adorned with plush couches and delicate tapestries that depicted scenes of valor and friendship. The room was bathed in a warm golden light that seemed to dance off the walls, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere.

Jenn released an audible sigh of relief as she settled into one of the comfortable chairs, leaning her cane against the armrest. Katherina sat beside her, maintaining her composed and regal demeanor. The rest of the group found their seats around the room, the mood shifting from the grandeur of the throne room to the more intimate setting of the parlor.

Twilight bowed her head slightly, her warm smile radiating equal parts friendliness and nervousness. "Allow me to introduce myself and my friends. I am Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia’s student. These are my friends: Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Sora."

Applejack tipped her hat respectfully. "Howdy, pleased to meet ya both."

Rarity gave a graceful nod. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Pinkie Pie bounced slightly in her seat. "Hi! I'm so excited to meet you!"

Fluttershy offered a shy smile. "Hello. It's nice to meet you."

Rainbow Dash gave a confident grin and a salute. "Hey there!"

Sora nodded, his expression serious yet friendly. "Sup."

“A pleasure to meet you as well,” Jenn spoke, “Thought I wish it would have been under better circumstances. My guess is you have heard a bit of why we are here?”

Twilight nodded. “A bit…I know Princess Celestia sent out a letter to all the leaders she could about a threat known as the Heartless. You were the first to answer her.”

Katherina scoffed. “So I take it you have been dealing with these creatures for quite some time?”

Twilight nodded, her expression growing more serious. "Yes your highness, we have encountered the Heartless before, and Princess Celestia feared that their darkness might spread to other realms. That’s why we reached out to equal parts warn you of the threat and to help if we can. More so Sora then the rest of us. He is a Wielder of the Keyblade after all and he’s been dealing with them longer then the rest of us."

Katherina's eyes narrowed slightly as she regarded the stallion. "A Wielder of the Keyblade, you say? And what, exactly, is that supposed to mean to me?” She gestured towards her sister. “To us?"

The Keyblade Wielder nodded, his expression serious. He held out his hoof

Jenn's eyes widened in astonishment. "Was that…magic?"

Sora nodded, holding the Keyblade firmly. "This is the Keyblade. It's the one thing the Heartless fear above all else. It has the power to seal the darkness and defeat them."

Katherina frowned. “Is that so? And why is it that I have never heard of such a weapon before…or of these Heartless for that matter?”

"The Heartless” The stallion began, “Are creatures that thrive in darkness and can appear in any…ah…well…place where there's enough of it is gathered. And I’m guessing, because of Grogar, that darkness is now spreading as hard as it is.

The blue diamond dog sat up, her eyes widening. “Gorgar? I had not heard of that name since I was a pup on my mother's lap..." She frowned, looking towards the stallion. "And it was only through her tales...A story…nothing more..."

Rarity, with a determined expression, interjected. "He is not only real, your highness, but he revealed himself to us not too long ago." She shivered and looked away. “It was like looking into the eyes of a demon…I shalt forget such a feeling. If any pony is responsible, that…monster is likely behind it.”

“Even if…what you say is true...” Katherina spoke, her gaze falling towards the stallion once again. “You…Keyblade Wielder…You’ve spoken very little for someone who has the power to fight these…Heartless. Tell me…What is it that you are after? If its for money and fame you seemed to have earned the Princess’s trust more then enough for you have have anything you need.”

"What!?"

The sudden outburst caused everyone to jump slightly, the tension in the room escalating, all eyes turning towards the rainbow maned mare who had just yelled.

"Who do you think you are! Saying something like that.” Rainbow asked, her face fuming, “Do you know how many times he risked his life just to save ponies he barely even knew? Do you know how many times he put his life at risk for me and my friends?!” Though Rainbow was the first to voice it, many of the other girls couldn’t help but agree with her. Even Pinkie held a very uncharacteristically serious expression.

Despite that however, Katherina stood firm, “I’ll question him as I see fit,” The blue diamond dog spoke, her gaze never once leaving the stallions. “And he still hasn’t answered my question. What is it that you get out of this? For helping strangers for nothing in return.”

Sora took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the queen's intense gaze. His eyes closed, for only a moment before his own gaze lifted, the diamond dog finding neither hate nor accusation. He gazed at her with a smile as he scratched the side of his cheek. "I get what you're saying, your highness. It's hard to believe someone would do something without expecting anything in return. But the truth is, I've seen what the Heartless can do if left unchecked. Both here and other places I’ve been…too many were lives ruined…Too many lives I couldn’t save.” She placed a hoof over his heart as he lowered his gaze.

“I’m not the strongest…I can’t do anything without my friends by my side…but…Even if they weren’t…even if I didn’t have the power…I can't just stand by and do nothing when I see someone in trouble…” His smile turned wider as he placed both hooves behind his head. “So…I guess…If I had to answer your question…There was no way I wouldn’t try my best to save those in trouble. That’s just who I am.”

Katherina stared at the Keyblade Wielder for a long moment, her eyes narrowing as if she were trying to see right through him. Finally, she folded her arms across her chest and shook her head, a small, almost reluctant smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Celestia spoke so highly of the Keyblade Wielder before this meeting," she began, her voice tinged with a mix of incredulity and admiration. "I thought I would be meeting with a knight so full of himself that I would have forbidden him even an audience...But seeing you, Sora..." She paused, her gaze softening just a touch. "I see loyalty in your eyes. Your humility and genuine desire to help are... unexpected. Perhaps there is truth in your words after all."

“Me and my sister disagree on a lot of things.” Jenn added, nodding slowly. "And I must admit, I felt the same way, at least a little before we met you properly…but..." she gave the stallion a wink. "But when you walked through those doors, not in the lead…but with your friends…I knew right away I was going to like you.” She turned towards her sister. “So…sister…What say you?”

The blue one huffed. “I still think it was nothing…Or…That would be what I would be saying if I had not gained this new information we are told. I will not allow myself to at least not check on this matter.” She nodded towards the ponies. “

Katherina huffed, her expression contemplative. "I would say that this is nothing to worry about...but in light of this new information about Grogar, I can't not look into matters." She sighed, her stern demeanor softening slightly. "So…as one of the regents of Caninia, I offer up this formal request.” She stood up. “I ask you, Keyblade Wielder, to look into the matter of the missing diamond dogs and determine if it has anything to do with these…Heartless…Do you accept?”

Sora smiled, pounding his chest with determination. "You didn't even have to ask. I accept."

Jenn smiled warmly. "Thank you, Sora. Your willingness to help means a lot to us."

“When do we leave?” Twilight asked as she stood up.

“Tonight.” Katherina spoke. “The Airship should be ready to leave by then. Gather what you need for the trip and be ready to move.” She stood up before looking towards her sister, the other looking back with a smile. The blue diamond dog rolled her eyes before making her exit towards the throne room.

Twilight turned to her friends, her eyes shining with resolve. "Alright…Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Sora. Get ready to move out tonight."

Applejack nodded firmly. "Got it, Twi. I'll make sure to pack everything we might need for the journey."

Pinkie Pie bounced excitedly. "I'll bring snacks! Can't go on an adventure without some party supplies, just in case!"

Sora grinned, giving a hoof pump. "I'll be ready. Don’t worry!”

They would all soon file out of the room, the Keyblade Wielder himself, Fluttershy, and Jenn being the last ones to do so. Just before he and the shy mare exited the room, the black and white diamond dog placed a gentle paw on Sora's shoulder, gaining his attention.

"Sora," Jenn said softly, her eyes meeting his with a sincere look. “For what it is worth, we are sorry for giving you the third degree back there. I know the Princess had spoke very highly of you before but…we had to make sure.”

“Hey its no biggy.” The stallion admitted as he rubbed his muzzle. “Not the first time I went though this. Not gonna be the last time.”

As soon as the words left his lips, he felt a tug on his leg before feeling himself being pulled towards the yellow mare beside him. His gaze fell to the mare, only to find a soft anger he would only see only when she ever caught him doubting himself. Her gaze softened a little before she allowed herself to look away and turn her attention towards the Diamond Dog in front of them.

“I…Um…I know you had your reasons, your highness…” The mare began, her tone calm and cool despite the anger within it. “And…I can understand them…Just…Don’t do it again…”

Jenn’s expression softened further. "I promise, Fluttershy. And for what it is worth we are sorry. We just needed to be sure we could trust him. We’re entrusting him with something very important to us, after all.”

The pegasus nodded, her frown easing into a soft smile. "Thank you, Jenn. I appreciate that."

The stallion rubbed the back of his head. “Hehe…You know I didn’t mind it right, Shy?”

“I…um…I know you didn’t” The timid mare responded. “But I did…and so did the rest of the girls. And if you aren’t going to get mad about it then…um…at least allow us…allow me to do so for you…”

The stallion blushed at her words, rubbing the back of his head. “Geeze…if you say it like that…”

Jenn chuckled softly, gently patting the stallion on the back. “You are blessed, Sora…That’s something you shouldn’t be ashamed of. Perhaps we can talk more once we are in the air. I would love to hear more of your stories, after all.”

The stallion smiled, feeling a bit more at ease. "I'd like that, Jenn. There's definitely a lot to tell."

Fluttershy gave the diamond dog a nod of appreciation before turning her attention back to the Keyblade Wielder. “I’m sure the rest of the girls are waiting for us…um…Shall we?”

Sora nodded, his smile widening. "Yeah, let's go."

With a final nod to Jenn, the two of them left the room, making their way through the grand halls of the castle. As they walked, the weight of the upcoming journey pressed on them, but the support they felt from their friends and each other gave them strength.

~~~

Deep within the mountains near the homeland of the Diamond Dogs, a lone Diamond Dog pup can be seen, torchlight in hand. He had made his way into the mountains, despite the others' warnings. He had to find his mother.

The pup's fur was matted with dirt, and his eyes were wide with determination. He carefully navigated the narrow, winding paths of the cave, the flickering torch casting eerie shadows on the walls. Every now and then, he would call out, his voice echoing in the vast, empty space.

"Momma! Momma, where are you?"

His small paws stumbled over loose rocks, but he quickly regained his balance, pressing on. He could hear the distant sound of dripping water and the occasional rumble of the earth, but he didn't let it deter him. His heart pounded with a mix of fear and hope.

As he ventured deeper into the cave, he noticed strange markings on the walls, glowing faintly in the dark. They looked ancient and ominous, but the pup was undeterred. He had to find his mother. She had disappeared weeks ago, and no one in the pack had been able to find her.

"Momma, please be okay," he whispered to himself, his voice trembling.

“Baby…I’m here…”

The pup froze in his tracks, his torchlight flickering as he turned towards the sound of the voice. It was soft and almost imperceptible, but he knew that voice…it was her’s. Hearing it filled him with a surge of hope. He quickened his pace, the torchlight bouncing off the walls as he ran. The sound grew louder, and he realized it was the sound of breathing—heavy and labored.

The pup rounded a corner and saw a large, shadowy figure slumped against the cave wall. His heart leaped with joy. "Momma!"

He rushed forward, but as he got closer, his joy turned to horror. Slowly but surely the figure before him began to grow larger and larger, Soon towering over the helpless little one. In his attempt to walk back, he stumbled landing on his back as the light from his torch was snuffed out on impact. All he could hear was the sound of his own labored breath, unable to see the creature in the darkness. He quickly shuffled to pull out a spare match, lighting it with a quick flick like his mother had always taught him to.

The match illuminated the cavern, casting flickering shadows on the walls as the pup's eyes widened in fear, bright yellow eyes staring back at him, inches away from his face.

“Hehe…Don’t worry…” The creature spoke. “The darkness…is only scary at first.” Its breath blew the match out, plunging them both into darkness once more. “And just like the others…you too…shall know darkness embrace.”