Second Chances

Twilight's jaw dropped. She stepped forward and reached up to Darkened Sky's muzzle. "They said you died, that you jumped off the mountain. Celestia saw your body hit the ground and explode. How are you here?"

Darkened Sky hugged his fiancée, and kissed her passionately. "I didn't survive the jump, I changed myself to ice just before impact. In short, my life as Darkened Sky, Prince of Ice, has ended. As for how I am standing before you now, it's a very long story that we don't have time for. Princess Trixie and her army will be here in less than 20 minutes." He let Twilight go and turned to Chrysalis. "You should really take care of your business now. We don't have much time."

Celestia turned around and glared at Darkened Sky. "You shouldn't be alive. And what gives you any right to walk into my summit with a wanted criminal. You may have found a loophole that absolved your crimes, but hers still stand!"

Her rant was cut off by Chrysalis laughing. "I withdraw my terms of surrender and pledge my allegiance to the current ruler of the Nightlands as an ambassador. Guess what, Tia?" She took off her coat and threw it at Celestia's hooves. "I now have diplomatic immunity as long as Equestria and the Nightlands are not officially at war." She cackled gleefully.

Celestia's horn started glowing. Darkened Sky stepped between the two mares. "Celestia, unless you want a full out war with my country, I would advise not attacking my ambassador."

Celestia's legs collapsed under her. "You're the ruler of the Nightlands? But Trixie Lulamoon is older than you and currently the crown Princess. That would make you Luna's son." She started sobbing as she came to the realisation that she had once again tried to kill one her sister's children. " Sister, I am so sorry. I truly didn't know who he was."

Luna walked up to her weeping sister and put a wing around the older alicorn. "I forgive you, Tia. We have many more issues We must discuss, but they can wait. Ponyville needs our help to survive this battle."

Celestia looked down, tears gathering in her eyes. "I can't help you, not anymore. I lost my powers years ago. The only things I can still do are taking care of the sun, and simple reversal spells."

Darkened Sky interrupted the the conversation with a subtle cough. "Can we save the touchy feely stuff until after we save my home? We have 5 minutes until the army gets here. Celestia, if you can't fight, then start getting anypony else who can't fight out of here. Luna, organize the fighters facing north, that's where Trixie will come out of the woods." The sisters nodded and ran off. Darkened Sky turned to the other members of his group. "Black Ice, start forming lightning clouds as ammunition for the pegasi. Snowgleam, stick with Chrysalis, we need to get you as close to Trixie as possible. You're they only one she will listen to." The three ran off, weaving through the thick crowd.

"Darkened Sky, about your execution. Did you really have the leather in your wings cut?" Twilight shuddered and closed her own wings.

Darkened Sky let his cloak slide down his back, stopping it just before it revealed his flank. He extended his wings, the leather strips fluttering in the wind. "It's not as bad as it looks. A bat pony cut them, so none of the nerve-lines were damaged. In a few months, they will be good as new." He folded his maimed wings back up and pulled his cloak back up. "Our friends will be here in a bit. I have a plan that might save Ponyville and Trixie."

"Really? You can save everybody? You're going to have to explain your plan." Twilight looked at her fiancée with hope-filled eyes.

"Alright, this is what need to happen—"

They won't know what hit them. With Darkened Sky in some sort of trouble, I doubt they even remember my threat. This is my best plan yet, soon I will have revenge. Trixie turned to her large army, she used a spell to amplify her voice. "My fellow warriors! Today is the day we get even with Ponyville. They have made fun off you, they ran you out of town, they have even destroyed some of your friend! No longer will we allow them to do us wrong. Today, we make them pay for every single thing we have suffered at their hand. Today, we destroy Ponyville!"

Trixie, ever the showmare, had brought many more allies than she need to destroy one pitiful town. The ranks of timberwolves, Diamond Dogs, manticores, adolescent dragons and other assorted fighters growled and cheered their approval. Trixie turned back around and fired a blast of black coloured magic towards the south. The army started running towards the edge of the woods, ready to fight.

When the armed force ran out of the woods, they were shocked to find that their enemy was prepared for them. Trenches had been dug in the ground, along with barricades made of tables and chariots. A Long strip of black thunder clouds was placed across the middle of the battlefield. Ponyville was very prepared for the attack. "Don't just stand there like idiots, attack them!" Trixie's army resumed their charge towards the barricades. This is all wrong! We were supposed to catch them unaware. How did they find out what direction we were coming from.

"Trixie! What are you doing? Why are you attacking them? There are innocent ponies who are going to get hurt if you don't call off your attack." Trixie slowly turned towards the forest. Standing there was a pure white pegasus, with a green heart for a cutie mark. "The Trixie I fell in love with would never had done this. What happened to the Great and Powerful Trixie, magician extraordinaire? Please come back back to me, I missed you."

Trixie took a few steps forward. "Snowgleam, is that really you? But you Fell, Darkened Sky tried to kill you. I'm doing this for you, to avenge you! I can't stop now."

Snowgleam ran up to Trixie and and hugged her. "Darkened Sky didn't try to kill me, he was using his powers to try and bring Shelled Hope back to life. He was pouring his life force into the effort, so I tackled him. His spell misfired and made me Fall. The entire thing was my fault, but Darkened Sky still blamed himself."

Trixie pushed her wife away and put her hooves to her head. "No, it can't be. Your lying! No, you wouldn't. You've bought into his lies!" She shut her eyes tight and backed away, muttering. She stopped suddenly, and opened her eyes. They were a dark, glowing red. "You're just one of his pawns, it's time for my revenge. First, we will destroy Ponyville, then the rest of Equestria. The world will fear and worship me! I am Trixie Deathmoon! Bow before me, or die."