Bust through the Darkness With Your Magic!!
"Harvesting and planting the food for us, that's my job. I plant these tiny seeds so that they will grow into grand trees that will bare food for us. When I see the ponies in this town happy, it makes me happy. But do I work simply for them? Well, not exactly..."
A young unicorn with a lavender coat worked tirelessly in a half plowed field, a heavy plow was being pulled by his magic. Suddenly, the blade stopped dead in its tracks, caught by something hard and seemingly immovable. The young unicorn stumbled forward by the sudden resistance. His concentration broke and his magic faded. With a now pounding headache, he went to the blade.
"I also do it because the earth hides many things, things that I find when plowing. Coins, old pages of books, colorful rocks..."
The young pony inspected the ground around the blade, a slight glow coming from it. Curious, the earth pony dug with his tireless hooves, moving the dirt. With each pile of dirt he moved, the glow got brighter. He eventually uncovered what the earth was hiding; it was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was a stone in the shape of a six point star, and it was giving off a purplish glow from it.
He galloped across the fields, the stone was gripped between his teeth. Such a find was incredible, it was the greatest thing he had ever found. He felt warmth from the stone as well, it made his teeth shake and ever muscle in him quiver. He galloped through town, hearing faint murmurs from ponies around him.
"Hey that's Lightning, isn't it?"
"Yeah, that workaholic."
"All he does is run that field..."
Lightning wasn't unused to the comments, he seemed to hear them anytime he entered the busier parts of town. That's why he chose willingly to stay at the farm so much, because there were less people there. He could be alone and think to himself without any ponies loud mouths distracting him.
Lightning shut his eyes and trotted slower, he hung his head in shame as sadness and loneliness weighed heavily on his shoulders. Sure, he enjoyed not having anyone around at the fields, but he would give the world to have someone around who didn't think he was weird.
Suddenly, Lightning's forward movement was stopped by a sturdy object.
"You going to stare at the ground all day, Lightning?" A voice spoke up.
As Lightning's head rose and his eyes opened and looked through his own chocolate brown mane, he realized he had ran into none other then; "Rain?" Lightning asked.
"Don't call me Rain, call me bro." Rain said with a smile, he always looked so eager, and his wings were always outstretched as if showing them off. Rain always looked so mysterious as well, perhaps it was his mint-green coat. Or maybe it was his mane that matched his coat perfectly. Or maybe it was those purple eyes of his that were so different from the rest of him that you just couldn't notice them first.
"Uhm, I don't have any siblings..." Lightning said, causing the rock he had clinched between his teeth to drop.
"Hey," A hoof came down and smacked Lightning on the back, causing him to let out a surprised yelp as his head shot up, "It's not about blood! We're siblings of the spirit! Don't worry about what all this other ponies say." Rain lowered his head and began inspecting the rock that fell from Lightning's mouth. "Hey, looks like you found something nice this time kid." Rain picked the rock up in his teeth and tossed it up into the air, "Now come on." And with that Rain began walking away. Lightning only barely managed to catch the stone between his teeth, with a sigh he too began to follow Rain without question.
The two ended up out in a field, not too far from where Lightning worked. There were several other ponies there; two unicorns, another pegasus, and an earth pony.
"Gentlecolts! Are we ready!?" Rain spoke up with his booming voice.
"Just about!" One of the unicorns spoke up.
"Uhm, what is going on here...?" The nervous Lightning asked.
"Listen up, Lighting. That magic you use doesn't belong to Ponyville, it's who you are. And it's your magic that is going to pierce that shield!" Rain yelled as he pointed his hoof toward the shield that surrounded Ponyville.
"...But why?" Lightning asked.
"I have it all figured out, don't ask questions!" Rain said triumphantly.
"Which means you can't explain anything..." Lightning said with a sigh, he knew Rain better then Rain knew himself.
"Alright you bozos! Are we ready to go!?" Rain asked, suddenly addressing the other ponies in the field. A loud 'Yeah!' from the mall was heard in response.
"We're the invincible team, Harmony! No pony can stand in our way, and no pony can tear us apart! That's what harmony is!" This time, a less enthusiastic 'yeah' responded.
"We're sick of being cooped up in this little town, it's the young who are going to break out! Youth of this town, aim for the shield!" With a swift movement, Rain snatched Lightning up and threw him on his back. The group then set off in a high speed charge towards the town. Many people yelled and fled as the group came stampeding through, "Move aside, team Harmony coming through!" Rain called to the townspeople.
"Wh-What now!?" Lightning asked, his breath getting knocked out of him with each gallop from Rain.
"Alright, listen up Lightning! We're going to use your magic to bust through the shield!" Rain said as he pointed his hoof forward, "Bust through that and we're in the real world, not this over protective crap! We're going to make a break for it and get out of this place!" Rain yelled.
"This is insane!" Lightning yelled back, his horn began glowing as he began to funnel his energy into it.
"You can do it!" Rain yelled, encouraging Lightning. They were rapidly approaching the shield now. "Charge! Straight ahead!" The group began to pick up speed as Lightning's horn glowed brighter,
In the distance a shadow appeared in their path, "Rain, what the hay do you think you're doing!?" Came an elderly, yet strong voice.
"You'd better step aside!" Rain responded, the group were almost upon the shadowy figure now and Lightning could make out who it was now. That grey coat, and white mane. Those wrinkles. This feeling of great power. It was the village elder alright. With Celestia gone, the ponies of Ponyville had to have some form of leader, they elected the most powerful unicorn they had as village elder, his names was Thunder.
Thunder's horn began to glow, "You little foals!" His voice boomed, crediting him to his name. A large blast emanated from him, blasting the group back a few feet.
"Would you ponies come to your senses?" Thunder asked as he approached the defeated group. There was now a crowd gathering to watch the public scolding, "This is all we have, we've lost the outside world."
"Like hay we have! I've been out there before!"
"The son of a liar, is a liar." Thunder said as he approached Rain.
"What's that!?" Rain said, obviously annoyed.
"Your old man did nothing but spout the same old stories." Thunder said calmly, "And all it got him was killed. Killed by the very world you so wish to visit, that you so boldly have the nerve to say is safe!" Thunder was beginning to lose his cool to his anger.
"You're wrong! My father is still alive and kicking out there, I can feel it!"
Thunder backed away from Rain, "This village is all we have, ever since the fall of Celestia, we've been told to never leave this protective shroud. Ponies who don't understand that rule...Are punished." Thunder said with a gleam in his eye
The rest of the team aside from Rain and Lightning froze with fear, they instantly fell to their knees, "We're sorry! Please forgive us!" They all yelled in unison.
"You cowards!" Rain yelled. There was a small chuckle from Thunder.
"You are excused." Thunder said.
"Sorry bro, had to do it." One of the pegasi said.
"Come on bro, just forget your pride and apologize too!" One of the others spoke up.
Rain had an annoyed look in his eye, "Don't call me bro. I don't ever want to be called 'bro' by the likes of you." Rain said with a very angry voice.
The others were obviously frightened by Rain's sudden change in personality as they backed off.
"It seems your team isn't very harmonious at all," Thunder said as he began to approach Lightning, "You are free to go as well, "I know that Rain roped you into helping him. You have an important job here in Ponyville, planting and harvesting the food that sustains all of these ponies here. You don't have to stay with this rabble, come along." Thunder said as he turned around.
"But I-..." Lightning said as he gaze dropped to the ground.
"Go ahead." Rain said.
The words surprised Lightning, he looked up to the eyes of his spiritual brother.
"Don't sweat it, go on." Rain said, as calm as ever.
Just then a loud rumble was heard as the earth beneath them began to shake. All the ponies began looking around in fright, several other took off to their homes because they remembered that this shaking meant.
"I-It's another attack! Everyone, get to your homes!" Thunder called out.
Ponies began scrambling back and forth trying to get to their homes quick enough. Screams and shouts were heard from all around.
"We got to get out of here!" Lightning said as he huddled close to Rain, "Rain!"
Rain didn't move, he wasn't even frightened, he still had that same stern look, "No...Way..." He said.
"But-!"
"I don't run away." Rain said.
Lightning's eyes went wide as he stared at Rain, such courage was awe inspiring. But the rumbling was causing memories to surface in Lightning's mind. The first attack on Ponyville, the fall of Celestia, the death of his parents from the battle.
"If we don't run they will kill us!" Lightning yelled.
Rain must of read Lightning's mind, he instantly knew why the young unicorn was so scared, "That's right..." Rain said as he began to also remember the tragic day that Lightning lost his parents, "I forgot, I'm sorry." Rain said as one of his hooves went around Lightning, pulling him close, "Don't worry Lighting, it's almost over..." He said calmly.
Without missing a beat, the rumbling stopped. The attacks on the shield let up and the attackers left. Ponies began to poke their heads out of their homes and looked up to the shield, to see if any damage had been done. This happened every now and then, Nightmare Moon's minions would attack the shield, hoping to finally wipe out what remained of Celestia's world.
"Do you ponies even have faith in that shield? If so why do you run whenever we're attacked!? We'd be better off out there, ending this fight!" Rain called out to the towns ponies.
"Give it a rest!" Thunder called as he came stomping out of his nearby house, "I didn't look after you two out of the goodness of my heart you know!?" Thunder yelled at Rain and Lightning, "I did it because I'm the elder, I have a duty to lookout for the welfare of Ponyville and all of its ponies! But if you can't settle down and do what I say, there's no place for you here!" The elder yelled.
Rain's punishment was severe by Ponyville standards; he was to be tied to a post out near the work fields, he would stay there without food or water until an undetermined date.
Rain laid on the cold grass, his eyes staring at the shields wall, far off in the distance.
Lighting was back to his fields, pulling his old plow. He now wore his stone around his neck as a makeshift necklace. Lightning never did have the easy life in Ponyville, unlike some other ponies. Lightning's parents had died when he was a newborn. It was around that time that the Elements of Harmony failed to defeat Nightmare Moon, and she took over all of Equestria. Her final target, was Canterlot. The battle raged over all of Equestria as fire rained down on everything. In the midst of the battle, a stray blast struck Lightning's home by pure chance. Lightning's mother had used the last of her magic to create a shield for the newborn, effectively saving his life but sentencing him to a life or torment.
"No mater how hard I work..." Lightning said to himself, as he let go of the plow and began to head home. "That shield will eventually fall, and then Nightmare Moon will kill me, the elder... Everyone..." His horn lit up with magic as he began to use his telekinesis to open his door, 'Or is it?' the thought played across his mind for a split second. Suddenly his stone began to glow wildly, a burst of power shot through Lightning as he accidentally blew his door of its hinges. Lightning stared blankly at where his door once was, "Wh-What the...Hay...?"
"Lights out every pony, it's time for lights out!" The elder called as he walked through Ponyville. His horn was creating a light for him as he used his magic to extinguish the lanterns that lit up Ponyville. Light after light and candle after candle within the homes began to go out.
The field that Rain was in was getting darker and darker as the lights from the city began to go out one by one. Rain couldn't notice though, as he had fallen asleep within his own boredom. His nap was rudely interrupted though by a fast approaching Lightning. Rain's eyes opened as he heard Lightning getting closer, "Hey, what the hay...?" He asked in a sleepy stupor.
"Rain!" Lightning called.
"Lightning? What's up?"
"Come on, I have something to show you!" Lightning said with an enthusiastic voice.
"What?"
"Hurry up!"
"Yeah, but that would be a jail break..." Rain said as he got to his feet. His mighty wings flapped once sending him airborne. The rope that bound him went tight and then snapped without effort. "If the elder finds out, there will be heck to pay." Rain said as they began to trot off.
"I was so excited that didn't even occur to me..." Lightning said with a defeated voice.
"Well, if we get back by working hours he'll be none the wiser!" Rain said, "So what is so important that I had to bust out to see it?"
"It's that stone!" Lightning said.
"I already saw that, Lightning."
"Yeah but it has these powers!"
"Powers?"
A bright light from behind the two caused them to freeze in their tracks. The village elder stood behind the two, a great light emanating from his horn.
"You've got some nerve..." Thunder said, "I'm the elder, which also means I stand guard. This punishment will go for you too, Lightning!"
"Leave him, he's done nothing wrong." Rain said as he moved toward the elder, "I'm the guilty one."
"Oh yes, I'm perfectly aware of how guilty you are!" Thunder said with anger in his voice.
Rain only stared back with his cool and collected purple eyes.
A sudden severe rumbling sent the three on their backs. It only intensified as a faint cracking noise was heard. The three looked up to where the noise was coming from. At the main top of the shield, there was a small crack. On the other side was a huge mass of darkness beating at the shield. With a loud crash the shield shattered open at the top, and the large black mass fell through. It landed in the town square with a loud crash and smoke shot up in all directions, obscuring the view of the beast. As the dust began to clear, a huge demonic looking figure stood above them. It looked to be made of darkness itself, similar to Nightmare Moon's mane. It had the form of a giant head with menacing eyes and a huge mouth filled with sharp teeth. On each side of the head it had arms and legs, or they at least functioned as such.
"Guess that stone's going to have to wait!" Rain said as his wings began to flap, he hovered only inches above the ground in place. "Look!" Rain pointed his hoof to the cracked portion of the shield, "That's the real night sky!"
The beast began to stir as it got back to its feet, it towered over any of the buildings in Ponyville. With a loud roar and a mighty kick, it effortlessly destroyed the towns fountain.
"What are ya waiting for, Thunder?" Rain said as he stood over the still downed unicorn, "I thought you said it was your duty to protect the village? Gosh, it's hard to tell which one of us is the liar now, ain't it?" Rain said with a grin.
"Bro, this way! Let's get out of here!" Lightning said as he tugged on one of Rain's legs. Rain only moved closer to the beast, "Hey bro!?"
"HEY! You've got guts plowing into Ponyville like that, you AND that big ugly mug of yours, you know that!?" Rain called out to the beast as he only flew closer.
"R-RUN!" Lightning yelled as he stood frozen in place, he breathed rapidly and could barely form a sentence.
"But that ends here! I won't stand for anymore of your OR Nightmare Moon's shenanigans!"
The beast let out an odd roar as if in confusion of why he was being opposed. After a while it started to sound like a laugh, "Who are you!?" The beast said.
"It talks!?" Lightning chimed in.
"Well, I'm about to tell you, so listen up! The reputation of team Harmony echoes far and wide! When they talk about their bad-apple leader, the colt of indomitable spirit and strength, they're talking about me, the mighty Rain!" Rain said without a hint of fear to his voice.
Lightning stood in awe at the courage and bravado of his spiritual brother.
"I, Rain, will not tolerate any more damage done to this village!"
A smile began to grace Lightning's face, and courage began to flow through him as well. Such inspiration could only come from the one and only Rain.
The beast let out another laugh as it raise an arm, "What can a puny pony like you do to stop me!?"
Just then a blast of magic hit the beast, although it was seemingly ineffective. Lightning and Rain looked around in confusion, then there was another blast, and then another. Blast after blast came from the darkness outside of the shield. Just then a unicorn pony came through the hole left by the beast, she had a purple coat with a long red flowing mane, but she looked as young as Rain. She was falling through the air towards the beast as blast after blast emitted from her horn. She came down to a stop right in front of Lightning and Rain, projecting a magic shield only second before she hit the ground.
"Alright you two, get back!" She yelled at the two.
Rain let out a whistle, "Something else from above?"
"Yeah, it looks like a mare this time..." Lightning said, a little surprised.
Another blast from her horn stopped the conversation, it was then followed by another. The beast seemed to finally be taking some damage after the barrage. Its leg gave out as it began to fall backwards.
The unicorn began galloping away now, "I only knocked it backwards! It can still get up and get us!"
"Hey! Come here often?" Rain asked as he flew steadily beside the unicorn.
"What!?"
"So you're gonna fight it, huh? How about you let me help out?"
"Help out?"
"You came from outside of the shield, didn't you?"
"Yeah, so what?"
"That's awesome! So, is that some kind of battle magic?" Rain asked, excitedly.
"Something like that."
"Wow, you outside mares are a breed apart."R Rain said, now examining the unicorn. She was very toned, her red mane was soft for someone who apparently fought a lot. The red was set off perfectly by her ice blue eyes.
"Do I need to tell you again to run!?" The unicorn shouted.
There was a rumbling behind the two, the beast was upon them. It brought down its giant hand on the two. Luckily though, Lightning was good with his magic. He had teleported in and out just in time to save the two. The trio were now out in the fields that Lightning worked every day.
"Come on, this way!" Lightning said as he began galloping toward his house.
"So this is Ponyville?" The unicorn asked as she looked around.
"Last surviving settlement of ponies, that's us!" Rain said.
"Well, that's not exactly true. There are small groups of ponies everywhere outside of this shield."
"Really!? That's awesome!" Rain said.
"Where exactly are we going...?" The unicorn asked.
"My home!" Lightning spoke up.
"Your home...?"
"It's where my special rock is!"
"Hey are you sure that thing is going to help?" Rain asked.
"Trust me!"
The door to Lightning's house flew open. Lightning was in and out in a flash with the purple stone around his neck.
"Is that... An element?"
"What the hay is an element?" Rain asked with a raised eyebrow.
"That is." The unicorn said as she pointed a hoof to the stone.
"What do they do...?" Rain asked.
"Think of them as an amplifier. They make magic stronger."
"Hey bro! Let's use this to smash that huge thing!" Lightning said excitedly.
"Yeah, let's waste it!" Rain said with a grin, "With this, huh?" Rain began looking at the stone.
"Uh-huh! You can use this to- huh?" Lightning was cut off by the stone giving off a powerful glow.
"I think you should do it." Rain said, "I can't even use magic, and besides you found that stone; it's yours."
"But I-!"
"You think the great Lightning could steal from his brother? What kind of a pony do you think you're dealing with!?"
"But I can't do this!"
"You dumb foal, kick logic out and do the impossible! Remember that! That's the way Team Harmony rolls!"
"But I..." Lightning was cut off by another loud rumble. The looked to the town square to see the beast causing another ruckus.
"Just do it!" Rain said as he threw Lightning on his back. Rain could feel the young unicorn shaking on his back. "Listen, don't believe in yourself!" Rain shouted as he crouched.
"What?" Lightning asked.
"Believe in me! Believe in the Rain that believes in you!" And with that Rain took to the skies. The mysterious unicorn had also used her magic to join them in the skies, still unsure of how allowing a young unicorn to use an element would go. They headed straight for the beast in town square.
As they approached the beast he let out a great punch towards the trio. Lightning, in a moment of fright, projected a shield that blocked the punch and sent the monster recoiling back. The stone began to glow brightly as Lightning used his magic.
"Hey, yeah! You did it Lightning!" Rain called out.
"Heh, yeah I guess I did." Lightning responded.
"OK, let's rock!" Rain yelled as they fell back and then shot towards the monster for a second time.
"Hey wait...That's... Lightning and Rain!" Thunder said, he was in his house looking out the window at the ensuing battle.
"Haha! I bet you weren't expecting this!" Rain yelled at the beast, "Even if Celestia herself would tolerate your brutality, Team Harmony will NOT!"
"I was meaning to ask, Team 'Harmony'?" The unicorn spoke up.
"It's the name of mine and Lightning's team!"
Another punch came straight for them in their moment of distraction, a ball enveloped the three and sent them flying backwards. The ball regained course and then began flying wildly through the air, dodging punches.
"Lightning, why are you dodging? Quit running!" Rain called out.
"It's going to kill us!" Lightning responded.
"A real colt would rather die then run!"
Another punch, this time it collided with the shielded group. It sent Lightning flying back but the unicorn and Rain were left in place. They fell onto the fist of the beast and began rolling down it's arm.
"We're on top of it!?" Rain yelled as he realized where they ended up.
Lightning flew through the air in free fall, almost unconscious, "B-Bro...?" Lightning said to himself. With a sharp breath he came back to his senses and began to use his magic to slow himself in the air. He watched as Rain and the unicorn dodged blow after blow that the monster aimed at its own head.
"Got to make...The impossible...Possible..." Lightning said as his stone began to glow brighter. "I'm coming bro!" Lightning yelled as he streaked across the sky towards the two.
A hand was about to grab at the two, and the unicorn was doing her best to stave it off with her magic. Suddenly, Lightning crashed into the hand, sending it back.
"Lightning! Pretty slick, man!" Rain said as he hopped back into Lightning's protective shield.
"Come on! Let's go!" The unicorn said as she patted Lightning's back.
Lightning was breathing heavily and didn't move. He let out a small grunt and the shield solidified into a perfect sphere of white energy. The hand came down and crashed down on top of the orb, smashing it somewhat into the monsters head. Its hand recoiled and the trio slid off the monster and to the ground. The monster let out a cry of pain as it slowly began to fall.
The three were now free of the sphere that Lightning had created, and they watched the monster fall.
"Alright! We took it down!" Rain yelled in victory.
A yell caught the trio off guard, and also confused them a bit. In their victorious moment, they hadn't noticed the monster return to its feet. A dark hand gripped the trio together, holding them still. It let out a demonic laughter, "I have you now!" It yelled as it began to squeeze the trio.
The three began to yell in pain.
"Dammit! Power! Need...More...POWER!" Lightning yelled as he began to focus all of his energy. His stone began to glow wildly. A purple aura enveloped Lightning. His eyes shot open, but they were purple. He let out a loud yell as his energy began to pour out of him, causing the monster to lose its grip. In the one moment Lightning got, he re-enveloped his friends in a magic sphere and shot out of the monsters grip.
"Bro, I think I'll be able to finish it with this power!" Lightning yelled.
"Alright, smash us right into that things big ugly face! Let it feel the power of Team Harmony!" Rain yelled back.
Lightning nodded as he began to glow brighter.
With another loud yell, energy poured wildly from him. The trio shot towards the monster at a break neck speed.
"Get going, Lightning! Bust through the darkness with your magic!" Rain yelled.
The orb around them began to bend and sharpen to a point. The whole thing resembled a cone. The monster threw a punch attempting to halt them from advancing, but it was futile. The tip of the cone shot through the monsters fist, and up its arm. The arm seemed to disappear into the darkness as it made contact with Lightning's concentrated magic.
They collided into the monsters body, the brothers were yelling in unison. Even though Rain wasn't a unicorn, Lightning could feel the magic coming from him. They drew on each others powers and forced themselves through and up. The monster began to lift up off the ground from the sheer force behind the attack. The monster lifted completely off the ground and was now heading up, up to the hole it first made. It screamed in pain at the sudden power.
They collided with the hole, pressing the monster against it, and with a final yell and burst of power, shot him back through the hole. The trio went through with it, but the shield repaired itself as they left as it absorbed the massive ammount of power that Lightning was giving off.
The ponies of Ponyville looked up in awe as a bright ball of light pushed the monster further and further away.
The trio went higher, and higher, drilling through the monster the whole time. The monster eventually disappeared, destroyed by Lightning's magic.
As the three reached the peak of their ascent, the orb around them disappeared, revealing all of Equestria before them.
"Wow...This is the outside world...?" Rain asked.
The two brothers stared blankly into the vast land before them
"It's so beautiful!" Lightning said excitedly.
"It's Sparkle." The unicorn spoke up.
"Huh?" Lightning asked, turning to the unicorn.
"Sparkle is my name, I guess I never introduced myself did I?" She said with a smile.
"Come the think of it-" Lightning's sentence was cut off short as a hoof was placed on his head and Rain leaned over top of him.
"I'm Rain! This is, Lightning!" Rain said.
"Nice to meet ya." Sparkle said, "Uhm, hey is it just me or are we falling...?"
"Hey the shield went down, do something!" Rain yelled.
"I...I don't know how I did it!" Lightning said back.
The three then began descending rapidly towards the ground.
"We're falling! Hold on tight!" Rain said as he began to flap his wing furiously. The trio grabbed onto Rain's legs as he futilely began to flap, trying to slow their descent.
"I got it!" Sparkle said, with a flash there was a shield around them once more, and the team crashed into the ground below.
After the smoke cleared the three were all on their backs, "Talk about a rough landing..." Rain grunted in pain.
"No kidding..." Lightning responded.
"Oh great..." Sparkle said as she stood up, "Out of the frying pan and into the heat!" She said.
The other two turned to what she was staring at, only to see two more beasts standing before them, eager to avenge their friend.
