Dark Light

They started the hour long train journey with them being in two separate compartments. The apples, Rainbow Dash and Dark Light were in one and the others were in a separate adjacent compartment in the train.

“So, D.L., how did Shimmer take the news?” Rainbow Dash said in a successful attempt to break the silence.

“Well last night when I told her she …uh, let’s say ‘gave me a goodbye present’ but this morning, her and Bold Flash were crying like a raincloud,” Applejack and Rainbow dash both blushed. “From the looks on both of your faces, I presume that I wasn’t the only pony given a ‘good send-off’, hey?” He said causing the pair to blush even more and chuckle a little as Big Mac cleared his throat and glared at the only other stallion in the room. “Sorry Big Macintosh,” He said realising that he was talking about the red stallion’s sister having sex with her coltfriend. That isn't really a good thought to have. “Anyway, Let’s change the subject,”

“Eeyup,” the red stallion said firmly.

“Flash said his first word yesterday,” That sentence was received very well by the other three ponies in the compartment.

“Awesome! What’d he say?” the pegasus asked.

“Dada, which really is awesome! Shim was spending at least an hour every day saying mama over and over again in front of the poor foal. One night he was having a nightmare and woke up crying, I wasn’t able to sleep that night so I just walked over to him and told him ‘Dada’s here don’t worry colt’, he went to sleep and the morning after I went to wake him up and when I did he stretched out his arms and said it,” Dark light explained.

“That is real sweet, sugar cube. Yah really are a great pa,” Applejack said.

“Thanks, A.J.,” Dark Light said in reply. They four ponies continued talking as the train journey went on. It only seemed like a few minutes as they continued joking about and having fun conversations but they arrived in Canterlot and were immediately greeted by large wagon that took them all to the princesses’ palace. They entered and walked to the throne room, where Shining Armour and Cadence were waiting, with the tall elegant alicorn with the polytechnic mane as well.

“Twilight!” Cadence ran over to the purple alicorn who was also running towards her. The both caught up with each other and started doing what Dark Light and Big Macintosh thought was a dance.

“Sunshine, Sunshine. Lady bugs awake. Clap your hooves and do a little shake!” They said in chorus as both of the stallions looked at the other elements of harmony questioningly. Needless to say they all started laughing at their puzzled faces. The two of them just shrugged and didn’t question it.

“Sorry to interrupt the reunion,” Celestia said, “We need to talk about the matter at hoof,” All the ponies assembled into a group and looked at her apart from Twilights Brother and his wife. “I have already told these two about the dilemma and they have agreed to assist you all. There has been reports of an ancient stallion who has taken to the name Chimera. He has declared war on all of Equestria and is preparing to attack and destroy it. He has somehow managed to raise an army of soldiers from Tartarus and has managed to take control of the most vile creatures that were imprisoned there,” A few of the ponies started to tremble at the words of the Princess. “I am afraid your task is incredibly dangerous. As Chimera knows, I cannot enter that realm, for were I to do so all of Equestria would be left unprotected and the world would crumble. I am afraid that the ten of you must venture into Tartarus, find Chimera and put an end to his plans. The elements alone will not be able to fend the dangers with in nor defeat Chimera, and so I have asked these two,” she gestured towards Cadence and Shining Armour. “To accompany you and combine the power of harmony, friendship and love,” Dark Light stepped forwards.

“I’m sorry for interrupting, Princess, but why did you want some strong ponies as well?” Celestia looked at him and smiled and gestured for Big Mac to step forward.

“Apology accepted, and you two play one of the most important roles in this entire campaign. You are to defend the others as the creatures in there have a resistance to all types of magic. Not only this, but once Chimera has been hit with the magic of harmony, friendship and love he will still be able to lead, only he will be mortal. You must- You are going to have to kill him,” She finished.

“Ah’m sorry miss Celestia, did y’all say kill?” the Princess nodded. Dark Light looked down at the ground and gritted his teeth. He started hitting his hoof against the ground slowly, and then he looked at the white alicorn with a face showing his anger.

“What happened to mercy? What about what you said to me all those years ago? Does that mean nothing to you anymore?” He said through his teeth.

“Dark Light I unde-“

“DON’T YOU DARE SAY YOU UNDERSTAND! NONE OF YOU DO!” The grey stallion yelled, terrifying all but one of the mares in the room.

“I know you are angry, and I know you don’t want to do this, but you must. Chimera is not like any other evil. He has a mental link to his army. If he is alive, they can still fight! This is why he is in Tartarus, were he here he could easily be stopped!” The Princess said firmly but calmly. Dark Light looked back at the ground, then looked up.

“Fine, I’ll do it,” The princess thanked him and then told them everything about the mission that they needed to know. How to get past Cerberus, how to find Chimera once they were in TarTarus and most importantly, how to combine the different forms of magic that were needed to make Chimera vulnerable. After that they were told to rest in a large dormitory that they would be sharing, apart from the married alicorn and her husband who would reside in their quarters, seeing as they already had their own private room on the castle. Big Mac and Dark Light also got their own room as they were the only two stallions in the ‘Ponyville Eight’. They were going to rest in the castle for the night and in the morning they would start on their path towards the gates of Tartarus.

As night came, all of the residents of the castle fell asleep. Well, all but one. Dark Light tried to sleep but he couldn’t so he instead left his room and walked about looking at the stain glass windows that depicted all the most important moments in Equestria’s history. He looked at the one of discord being defeated by Celestia and Luna and sat there just looking at it.

“Couldn’t sleep either, huh?” Dark Light turned his head in the direction of the voice. It came from an orange pony, usually seen wearing a Stetson and with mane bands. Dark Light shook his head gently; he noticed how she looked nice without the mane bands. “Me neither,”

“What’s got you up then A.J.?” Dark Light said, inviting her to sit next to him.

“Oh, n-nuthin’,” She said hesitantly.

“You’re the element of honesty, you’re a born awful liar,” Dark Light replied, smiling as he did so.

“Codsarnit!” The orange mare exclaimed. She had started to cry. “Ah’m worried, Ah’m worried Big Mac won’t wanna do it, Ah know he don’t wanna do it, but ‘e has too an’ if ‘e does it’ll tear ‘im up!”

“A.J. I don’t want to do it either. In fact I don’t want to do anything apart from go home to Shimmer and tell her how much I love her, and see my son again. Hear him laugh, cry anything to know I’m with him, but I can’t. It’ll tear me up if I do it as well but I could probably manage better, I know Big Mac well enough to know that he is physically stronger than me, but I have been able to suffer more emotional pain than him. If you are that worried, I’ll do it, he won’t have to lift a hoof,” Dark Light wiped Applejack’s tears away.

“Ya promise?” The mare asked looking into Dark Light’s eyes. The Grey stallion drew a cross over his hoof and then placed it over his eye. They both chuckled.

“How’s Clover?” He asked.

“Great, he said he’d help with applebuck season this year an’ ‘e managed tah persuade Caramel an’ his twin brother lucky tah help out as well, so the trees’ll be fine and dandy,” She smiled. “How’s yer little bundle o’ joy comin’ along?”

“He’s been keeping me awake a lot but I don’t really care. He is the best thing that’s happened to me since I married Shim. That’s another reason why I can’t sleep, his crying is actually quite therapeutic once you’ve had it for a year,” The Stallion said. Applejack laughed, and he laughed with her.

“You should have your hair like that more often. Suits your personality,” Dark Light said.

“Really, How so?” The mare asked.

“It’s soft, beautiful and goes wherever it wants,” He said with a smile, half joking half being serious.

“Ah would, but it just ain’t practical fer work,” She responded blushing noticeably.

“Well, when you settle down and have foals of your own, you can do whatever you want with it,” He said.

“Guess yer right there, sugar cube,” she said leaning on Dark Light. Then she fell asleep. Dark Light carefully picked her up and took her to his room and placed her on his bed as he sat on the floor and after a few minutes, he lied down and embraced his overwhelming tiredness.