Flare of Hope

Falling. Weightlessness. A feeling of intense pain in her heart. She couldn't take it anymore. She knew that she was going to die. And without Flare, she wasn't sure she even wanted to live anymore. All she could hope is that when she got to the afterlife, he was there, waiting for her. She knew it was a futile hope. Even if he was there, there was no guarantee that he'd forgiven her. If she survived, she'd be emotionally scarred for the rest of her life. As she kept falling, another tear lifted from her face due to the fall. Almost a split second later, the same tear drop landed right back on her face. "What the-"

"What lovely weather we're having. Apocalypse with a chance of mares. I don't recall that being in the weather plan."

Star opened her eyes, and looked at the mouthy pegasus stallion who had caught her. All she could see was a neon blue mane, and white fur, a pair of dark flight goggles covering his eyes. "Who the hay are you?"

"The name's Sky Breaker, ma lady, and don't worry. You're safe now."

Star looked down at the ground, which was only a few feet below where the Stallion had her cradled like a foal in his hooves. "How long have we been this high off the ground?"

"Sorry, I just like holding you. You smell nice."

"Let me down!" She screamed, as she rolled out of his grasp. She then looked around her, trying to find Flare. "Where is he? Where is he?!"

"Wow, lady, relax. Your boyfriend's up there," he said, pointing a hoof up at Flare, who was being gently lowered to the ground, surrounded by a midnight blue aura. She looked up to see Princess Luna fighting her hardest to keep Flare safe. Once her son was safely on the ground, she went on the offensive, firing blasts to keep the shade occupied. "HE'S STILL ALIVE, LADY STAR. DO WHAT EVER YOU MUST! HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN DEFEAT HER!"

Star nodded, then looked back to the dying Alicorn in front of her. She knew time was limited, so she'd have to act fast. She tried zapping him with magic once or twice, only for nothing to happen.

"Step aside. Let the master have a go at this." He proceeded to try to tickle Flare's ribs. He kept trying until it was obviously useless, then backed away. "I got nothing."

Star was now at tears again, knowing that she had a chance to save the stallion she loved, yet could think of no plan of action. She wrapped her arms around him, and held him tight. Within moments, everything went silent. She looked around, and it seemed that time had stopped around her. The only pony that was not suspended in time was a pony completely shrouded in a red cloak, who seemed to hover along the ground, as he grew closer to them. Star had an idea of who this pony was, and it only scared her even more. "P-please... don't take him... don't take my Flare."

"Relax, young mare," the figure spoke in a voice that seemed aged beyond years, and filled with sorrow. "It is not yet his time."

"Then... then you can bring him back, right?"

"No, but you can."

"Um... what? How?"

"Death can not be appeased without payment."

Star looked down at Flare, then back at the pony. "I'll do anything. Curse me with the most painful curse you can. Just... bring Flare back."

"Very well. You shall be given the greatest curse of all. Now, return, and your Flare will be restored, once the tears of an immortal touch his lips." Then the pony disappeared, and everything returned to normal, the battle raging overhead resuming, neither alicorn gaining the upper hand on their opponent.

Star was confused at the riddle that the hooded pony had left her with. "Tears of an immortal... Where am I supposed to get those? The princess! No, if she stops fighting, we're all doomed. But if I don't bring Flare back, we're doomed anyways. Nonono." Feeling utterly defeated despite her short beacon of hope, she decided to give the love of her life one last kiss goodbye. As she held the kiss, a lone tear streamed down her cheek, trickled down her muzzle, and followed the curve of her muzzle to his lips. The moment the tear touched the small space between their lips, both of them became enveloped in a bright white light. The world around the two of them seemed to fade away, as anypony within visual range of the spectacle would be nearly blinded by the light coming from the two ponies.

Star kept her eyes closed tightly, as she felt her entire body burning in an intense pain. After the light faded, and the pain faded, Star opened her eyes, and found herself looking down at a silver-grey coated alicorn with a mane like a cool, aqua blue flame. "F-flare?"

The alicorn slowly opened his eyes, and looked up at Star. "Star!" Flare wrapped his arms around the mare, holding her tight. "I... I love you so much."

Star smiled, closing her eyes. "I love you too, Flare! Don't ever do something stupid like that again!" She nuzzled into his chest, as her tears soaked his coat. "I thought I lost you forever!"

Flare leaned his head forward, and kissed Star on the lips softly. "Don't worry, Star. I'm here, now, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

"Ahem," the pegasus cleared his throat. I hate to break up the touching reunion, but..." he pointed a hoof up to the princess of the night, who was still doing battle with the shade.

Just as Flare was taking to the sky to help his mother, in the battle, a giant wave of pink magic erupted from the castle, and shot out in all directions. The wave passed harmlessly over buildings and ponies alike, while sending changelings flying with the wave. Once the wave passed over Flare, he felt a strange warm, tingling sensation throughout his body. "Wow. That was strange." He then looked back up to his target, and gave a heavy flap of his wings, rocketing up with blinding speed at the Shade, aiming to pierce her body with his horn. As he got closer, he knew it was a matter of time before...

"Aaaaagh!" Contact! The white alicorn was skewered through the stomach by his horn, and now both of them were rocketing toward a small stone structure. Once the two ponies hit, the building simply collapsed into itself, Flare's speed creating a wild vacuum behind him. As the building's wreckage created a large plume of smoke, Flare rose from the other side, looking down at the ground, watching for any signs of Seduction. In a blink of an eye, the mare pounced out of the wreckage, directly at Flare. He braced himself for impact. "Ah! How do I kill this thing?!"

The ponies on the ground were confused, as well. Star and Skybreaker both rubbed their chins. "Wait!" The pegasus blurted out. "What's this thing called?"

Star looked over at the pegasus, wondering what he was getting at. "Her name is Seduction. Why?"

"I knew it! So the Shades of Sin really DO exist! This one must be the Shade of Lust! I read in a book a few months ago, before I came to Equestria, that the only way to defeat a Shade is to beat them at their own game!"

"Wait, so you're saying that Flare's gotta..."

"Yep."

"I don't like the sound of that..."

"There's no other way."

Star sighed, then yelled out in a voice that she didn't even know she was capable of, causing everypony in the aerea to stop and stare at her. Her choice of words probably didn't help, either. "FLARE, YOU HAVE TO BANG HER BRAINS OUT!"

Princess Luna was the first to speak, followed by Flare. "He has to do what, now?"

"I get to do what, now? Wait... when did you grow wi-"

"BANG!"

"Okay, jeez." Flare was immediately tackled by the evil alicorn. They hit the ground, and rolled a bit before Flare blasted her off of him, and got back to his hooves, as he called out to his opponent. "Lady Seduction! I challenge you!"

The white mare returned to her hooves, and laughed at the stallion, as she teleported directly in front of him. "You, a mere colt would challenge the Shade of Lust, herself? You're even more handsome, now, though fine I accept your challenge."

Soon, the two alicorns disappeared in a flash of blood red, to Celestia knows where, to partake in a battle too hot for a teen rated fic.

About two hours later, Star, Skybreaker, and Princess Luna were all waiting on pins and needles to find out who the victor of the challenge was.

"This was a really bad idea."

"Why, do you think he'll lose?"

"No, I'm afraid he'll enjoy it, and decide he has to buck every demon that comes out of Tartarus, thinking it'll send them back."

"Touché."