A Starry Nightmare

by Princess Star Gazer

Rating: teen
Tags: Tragedy, Adventure, Discord, Twilight Sparkle, Main 6, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Sad, Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna
Length: 20958

It has been four years since Twilight's rise to princess-hood, but now she is having nightmares that keep coming true. When one nightmare show someone close to Twilight getting hurt, can she find somepony in the night to help her?

After having a horrible nightmare, Twilight Sparkle fears that Nightmare Moon will return. This time she won't be with Princess Luna, no she will be with Twilight. To stop from her friends and family, and all of Equestria for that matter, from getting hurt Twilight must do something she has never done before. With Luna and Discord being the only ones that know what is going to happen, they help the newest princcess as much as their powers allow the. But can anypony stop pure evil when it has it sight set on an entire country?

Published 2015-02-06 23:40:03 UTC
Last updated 2015-11-03 22:16:59 UTC

Perlude- Disappearing Act

In the still of one of the calmest night Ponyville has ever seen, a single cloaked figure walked out of the Golden Oak's Public Library. Nothing else in this part of town moved.

With a single sattle bag on her back, the figure expertly used her magic and to levatete a journal in front of her face. She flipped threw the pages, looking at the book marked pages. The familiar journal felt normal in her magic.

She walked toward the center of town where she would meet her partner. Before she could get there, the hooded pony stopped walking when she heard many voices yelling at somepony. She looked around the building she was standing next to and saw what was going on. Five ponies surrounded another hooded figure.

"If you won't tell us where you've taken her, I... I'll... make you!" Rainbow Dash yelled at another darken figure. Her wings were flapping to an extreme.

"I know ya will, and that's the truth right there if there were any!" Applejack stood on the ground next to where Dash was flying. She had dust on all but one of her hooves, from running all the way from Sweet Apple Acres.

"I agree with agree with Applejack." When her purple mane had fallen in lto her eyes, Rarity flipped it back as if she had been do so he whole life. Which she had.

"Yea, so you had better start talking Mr. Meany McMeany Pants! And no funny business, that's my thing!" Pinkie Pie said as she placed a fake mustache on her muzzle.

"Please Discord, we won't be as hard on you if you just tell us where you have taken Twilight right now." Fluttershy said, suddenly a blush hid more of her buttercream color face than her bangs did. The five ponies had surrounded Discord, who had been waiting for his hooded friend to return. Now nopony knew what to do, Discord just stood there with his lion paw and bird claw folded across his chest.

"Sorry Flutters, but we can't wait anymore! I'm going get him to tell me where Twi is if it's the last thing I'll ever do!" Just as as Rainbow Dash finished her announcement, the hooded figure dropped the book and yelled at the girls:

"No!" After realizing she had spoken out when she was supposed to be saying away from these ponies, the hooded figure ran as fast as her hooves would take her. But Rainbow was just a bit faster. Just before she got past the building the hooded pony grabbed the journal in her magic and placed it in her sattle bag.

"Stop! Who are you and what are you doing here?" After saying this Dash pushed herself at the runaway pony who fell to the ground with Dash. "Now lets find out who you are." The pony under her struggled to get free but when Dash pulled off the hood, the pony stopped. Dash could only look down at the pony in horror.

"Twilight?" Rainbow asked, unsure if this was a dream or not.

"I'm sorry." Twilight looked back at her friend in sadness, knowing this may be the last time they will ever see each other again. But she had to do this for them.

"Now Discord!" Twilight screamed and Discord snapped his fingers. Now in front of each pony, other than Rainbow Dash and Twilight, was a miniature him. Each held a small seed in his hand.

All at the same time each little Discord threw the seed on the ground, there was a large puff of smoke that came each one. By the time the dust had cleared Discord had vanished.

Before he vanished, Twilight, who still stuck under Rainbow, whispered to Dash. "Bye." With that she light up her horn and vanished with Discord into the night.

Each of the other five elements were stund to silence. Rainbow would not move, she would not even move her head from where her friend had just been. She couldn't believe that after weeks of not hearing a word, there Twilight was. And what had Rainbow done to try to get her to stay... nothing.

"Some loyal friend I am." She muttered to herself before joining the rest of the group. Everypony had the same blank, confused look in their eyes. Everypony, that is except for Pinkie.

"I told him no funny business... but that was hilarious!" She was rolling the dirt holding her hooves to her stomach.

The last thing that was said that night was by Applejack, "What in the hay just happened?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile in the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters.

Princess Luna flew through the air, slowing glancing over the covers on the book shelfs. "No it was midnight blue on one half and pink on the other." There was only one more shelf to go, it was farther into the room than anything else. Not many ponies came in here when the castle was being lived in the by the Princesses.

Then Luna spotted it, on the bottom shelf the very last book in the row. After placing her hooves on solid ground, she reached up and pulled on the book. It only came out a little way, but that was the point, a leaver was pulled when Luna pulled the book. A door on the wall next to Luna opened.

Walking into it she saw exactly what she had expected, not a thing in this room had changed.

There was still a painted on white circle in the center or the room, six midnight blue candles spaced evenly around the circle and a single book sat in the center. Luna flew to the book, careful not to touch the circle with her hooves.

As she lifted the book, Luna saw another picture drawn in to the hard stone. It was a drawing of her cutie mark, just the moon's outline. She reached with her right hoof while holding the book in her magic, but just before her hoof touched the picture she remembered where she was.

"This is where it all began..." Luna said her thoughts out loud. "This is where she began." She held the book the her chest, like a small child would hold a favorite toy. Then bolted out of the room, out of the castle, and out of the forest.

Luna thought about the drawing of her cutie mark, she had drawn it with the spell that brought Nightmare Moon into this world. it was meant to pull her back to reality if the spell had gone too far.

It obviously didn't work.

"Do not worry young Twilight. I will make sure that the spell will work this time." Luna whispered to her beautiful night. "I will reverse what will happen." She looked down at the book still in her hooves, then back straight ahead. "I promise."

Author's Note

Hey sorry about how short this is but it is a prelude and I promise the real chapters will be longer. I will try posting on Mondays so you have something to look forward to.
If there is something you'd like me to add/change/write let me know in comments. Please everypony I want sometbing clear between us. I want feed back! Talk to me! Even you hate it and I should never wtire anything ever again, tell me.
I wont hate you, just tell what you think and why. Anything you give me will help me in writing.

Until next week
Keep Gazing My Friends.

Chapter 1 How it All Began

Two Months before the team of Twilight, Luna, and Discord got the two books.

Twilight had just settled down for a good night sleep in the castle that resided in Ponyville. Even though there were plenty of rooms, Spoke still insisted that he should sleep in his basket at the foot of the bed. "You might need my help, so I want be close at hoof if you do." Twilight didn't mind. It's not that she was ungrateful for everything, but she liked a more simple life.

How can you have a simple life in a six story, two hundred and fifty roomed castle? But soon after the battle with Terek, the pair thought they would never get used to life here. Now; however, there was a simple way they used their new home. Each morning when they were both awake they would both help out cleaning. They had hired a few people to come in and clean a few time a month, but some places like the kitchen needed some more work.

After breakfast Twilight would go next door to the new Golden Oaks library. After Terek destroyed the library the ponies thought it would be best if they rebuilt it. Twilight couldn't be the librarian now with her royal duties. She could go over nearly everyday to see how everything was going.

Then Twilight would take care of her duties. She would see if anyone had come in to ask about something, then she over saw any state matters. There wasn't as much she needed to do like Celestia did so Twilight found herself in a similar time frame as before.

Now after rapping herself in a blanket, Twilight was sound asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight looked around at her new surroundings, she was in the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters. She stood infront of a book shelf she had never seen before. Without even thinking about it she put her hoof up to a pink and midnight blue book. A door opened and she walked into it without a thought.

In the room there was a white circle, six candles, and princess Luna laying in the center of it. Twilight tried to run to her, but when she stepped on the white paint, the candles flared like torches. As Twilight looked around she saw the pony in the circle with her rise to her hooves and take a step toward her.

It wasn't Luna, it was Nightmare Moon. Rage and anger radiated off of the other mare. "Look at me Twilight Sparkle. Look at what you have reduces me to, a speak in your mind." Nightmare raised a hoof to Twilight's chin. "Do not worry, soon it will only be you and..." Everything in the room started to disappear, Twilight screamed as she fell into the void. But through her screams she heard a single word ringing in her ears.

"Me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike jumped at the sound of somepony screaming, he ran to Twilight's side when he realized that it was her that was screaming. He tried as hard as he could to get her to walk up, he even tried to throw water on her. When she finally woke up, she was drenched in sweat and her throat was horse (No pun intended).

"You okay?" Spike asked. As he walked with Twilight to get a drink of water.

"No, I don't think so." She looked down at Spikes worried eyes and added, "But I will be." After returning to their room and Spike's breathing told twilight that he had fallen asleep, Twilight silently walked out on to the balcony. She spread her wings and flew to the only pony she knew would be able to help her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the Canterlot castle, Princess Luna was in her spirit realm, making her rounds making sure everyone could explore and understand their our dreams. But upon hearing somepony enter her room, she woke herself up but didn't look as if she had done anything at all. Luna opened her eyes just enough to see the mare in front of her.

"Dearest Twilight, what are you doing here at such an hour of the night?" Luna saw the worried expression her friend held on her face. "You had a nightmare, did you not? I can help you if that is what you are here for." Luna waited for an explanation but was given silence. When looking down at the mare Luna had raised into princess hood, Twilight was the closes thing to a daughter Luna thought she would ever have. It have been a long time since Luna had seen her cry but now all she wanted to do was rap her under her wing and say that everything was going to be alright.

"Luna, no matter what I say please don't hate me for it. Please?" Twilight sounded like a filly when they had done something wrong and was confessing.

"When in my life have I ever hated you my little pony?" Luna regreated saying almost instently. The only time could have ever hated her was when...

"Nightmare Moon is coming back." Twilight would not meet Luna's eyes as she searched for the joke she wanted to be there so badly.

"Are you very certain? This is a very serious situation if it is true."

"I had a dream where she claimed that we would be the only ones left, only her and me." Luna made Twilight explain everything she could remember. After this was done, Luna and Twilight went to a very special part of the castle. In the day cotton candy rain clouds flew everywhere, but at night stars shot across the room at light speed. Discord was asleep on a floating bed. Luna flew up and shook his awake.

"Lulu I told you I DO NOT want to see the moon raise! Please after saving that dragon herd you'd think a guy could get some sleep." He threw a could pillow over his head, until he noticed Twilight. "Well what does the Princess of Magic at this," He pointed to a clock that floated by his hand. "Wonderful hour of Lulu's perfect night!" He bent down to look over a pair of glasses he poofed on to his nose.

Luna cleared her throat, Discord looked at her. She whispered something into his ear, and when she did he hung his head. He snapped his fingers and the group was no longer in Discord room, now they were in the first hallway of the castle of the Two Pony Sisters. Twilight, now being used to Discord flashing her around every time she was with him, recovered quickly.

"Discord, tell me everything you know about that spell." Luna looked as angry as she did on Nightmare night.

"What spell?" Twilight was confused why Discord was there.

"The spell I gave Luna that accidentally created Nightmare Moon." Discord looked at Luna to explain the rest.

"Before Discord's accident he gave me a spell that he wanted me to do some research on. Before I could tell him that the spell enhanced they users anger to a dangerously high rate, well this happened." Luna just generally gestured to Discord's whole self. Twilight gave her a confused look.

"Oh for ponies sake!" Discord floated down until he was eye level with Twilight. "I was once Star Swirl the Bearded. I used the unfinished spell you found in my journal. But because I had been pushing my friends away it didn't work the way it had for you, it turned me into THIS!" He gestured to himself. "This me, the reformed me is the Star Swirl having more control over my soul than the chaos." He looked sheepishly at the ground, "I was hoping someday you could help me go back to my old ways, as well a pony." Discord look back at Twilight but wouldn't catch her eye. he floated back to Luna who was standing a few feet away. "Let's get going." Discord reached his lion paw over and picked up Twilight.

The trio walked into the once grand ballroom, Discord proofed a large purple pillow in the center of the room. He flew over and gently sat Twilight on it. Looking confused as ever she looked to Luna for some help. "We need to see the nightmare for our selves to see how real the threat is. I know Nightmares cannot be killed, so if we can banish it before it takes over your anger we can save many lives." Luna just looked down at the younger mare. "All we need you to do for right now, is sleep."

"I can help with that, I was reading a book on household spells. I found one that can help you sleep." Discord placed his lion paw on one side of Twilight's face and his claw on the other. His hands started to feel warm and not soon after, Twilight was sound asleep.

"This could take many days to find the right dream, that is if we find the right dream." Luna looked dimly at her old mentor.

"I could send a note to her friends telling them what happened." His poofed a feather pen and a scroll into his hands.

"No, no pony can now about this. Not even Celestia. I don't want her to rush to conclusions." Luna looked away from the pillow.

But Discord had to be the Lord of Chaos and send one little note, nothing much. He wrote it down saying:

Dear Spike,

I need help I don't know where I am. All I remember is Discord talking to me after I had my nightmare. Please help me. -Twilight.

He used a spell that mimics Twilight's magic and sent it off without Luna noticing.

Luna was looking down at Twilight, running a hoof over Twilights mane.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike got the letter the following morning, after reading it he grabbed all the rest of the main six at Sugar Cube Corner, where they met to have breakfast on Saturdays. Each read the note and desided that they would go to Celestia at once.

After they bought their tickets for the train they had to wait for it to came in, but no one wanted to say anything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luna had entered her spirit realm five hours before and now was extremely tired and hungry. So after letting Discord go home because she would send for his when she found the nightmare. Now she wanted nothing more than to fall asleep on her own pillow and not wake up until night fall. And so that is what she did.

Author's Note

There it is guys, I know I said they'd be longer but this one just leads into the others. Sorry it's so late at night but I couldn't help it. So some questions have been answered and some have been added. All will be revealed soon.

Until next week
Keep gazing my friends!

New Feelings

Luna sat in front of Twilight, after another night of dream searching there was still nothing she had found. Not even a small nightmare about Nightmare. Luna had given Twilight some 'real' food in the spirit realm, she had found this ability after a dear friend of hers had slipped into a coma and was going to die if she didn't get some food in her.

Now Luna could create food in the realm for those that couldn't eat in the real world. It didn't make sense to Luna but who was she to question when she was saving a life?

I don't think I can take it anymore! I'm used to helping one dreamer at a time over the course of a few hours, not over ten million dreams over the course of two nights!

"I could try for a while if you want me to." Discord stood sheepishly looking down at Luna. "Please, I... I still haven't found a way to repay Twilight for helping me." Discord wouldn't look at Luna, he was staring at Twilight. He reached out and move a bit of her mane back into place that had fallen after reliving nightmare after nightmare for the past two nights.

"I understand what you mean Dis... Star Swirl." Luna looked at the face of her old mentor as it contorted from anger.

"You don't know anything abo..." He remembered who he was talking to and was suddenly turned more to sadness than anger. "Right, um I'm sorry."

"Do not worry. Here, come and sit with me, I will show you the spirit realm." After teaching Discord the spell and showing his how to dream search, Luna gave him a warning. "Every time you find a dream you think you must play, Twilight will have to relive it I'm her mind. Which is why this is an extremely difficult task."

"Don't be such a worry wort. She is in good..." He looked down at his hands. "Claws."

Luna wanted to say something but Discord had fallen into the realm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Discord walled along a long path that was filled to the brim with what looked like small TVs, each portrayed a different dream or nightmare Twilight had ever had. Even if she didn't remember it at all.

The right side of the path showed the nightmares and the left held the dreams. After a few feet he found one that look like it could have been about Nightmare Moon, so he placed his lion paw on it. This would allow Twilight's brain to know that the out side force (Discord in this case) was forcing it to replay that specific nightmare.

This would also allow Discord to enter the nightmare as it was playing but he couldn't change it or couldn't be seen while in it. Unlike when Luna was in a real time dream (one that was being dreamt of at the time the outside force enters the pony's soul/ brain) and could seen, heard, and change things in said dream.

Now that Discord had entered the dream he could NOT leave until it was done being played back. Also, the dreamer could not force their way out of their dream either. No matter how hard they could try.

Discord viewed his new surroundings with a strange feeling of being out of place, well more out of place than usual. He looked at Twilight, who was putting away some books. That it. For a few minutes that's all that happened. Then a dark shadow fell over Twilight, but she didn't notice.

Discord tried to call out to her but just as he did so a black fabric was placed over Twilight's head. Discord still couldn't see who the figure was, but followed as Twilight was dragged toward the bridge that led to the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters.

"I'm sorry dear Twilight, but if your still here the elements can be used against me even if your friends aren't there." The voice was smooth, thick, and extremely familiar.

"Discord? Twilight screamed. "What do you mean? Discord let me go! I thought you were reformed!" She struggled, but it was to no avail.

Discord was watching as a nightmare made version of himself was throwing a dream version of the dreaming Twilight off a bridge.

He ran toward her to try and help her but he couldn't change anything, he was just along for th ride until they were just about to hit the rocks Everything went black and Discord found himself on the spirit realm path.

All he could think to do was pace back and forth down the path. He thought of drinking some chocolate milk but it just made his hands shake even more. Finally he made the decision he needed to talk to Twilight.

He walked all way the back down the path where he saw two doors one with Twilight's cutie mark, the other had...

His cutie mark.

The old one he had on his old flank, before he used the spell. He put his eagle claw and his lion paw on the door and heaved a deep sigh. Then turned to the other door and pushed through.

This door led him to the real time dream. He found Twilight flying among the stars. He poofed right in front of where she would have flown next. She didn't look at all changed when he appeared out of no where. "Hi ya Discord! Did you find the nightmare yet?" She flew over to him and sat down on the cotton candy cloud he made.

During the past four years Discord and Twilight had spent many a night sitting together on a cotton candy cloud, gazing at the stars. This time, minus the gazing, was not too different from then. They were just happy for the other's company.

So when Discord shock his head no, Twilight asked which nightmare he had found. He wouldn't look at her when he answered.

"I had to watch myself throw you off a bridge. It was terrible, horrible!" Discord realized something. "But I guess I was bad for you too." Twilight forced him to look at her.

"Do you remember the first the I asked you to come star gazing with me?" He nodded, she continued. "It was also the night I had that nightmare. My head told you couldn't change, but my heart said you already had." He just kept staring at her eyes. "So I tried to prove to myself that you would as far as to stay out at the wonderful hour of the night with me." A soft smile spread on her lips.

"I have to go, but I will come back in the morning to check on you." Discord left the cloud were it was and flew back to the door. Twilight couldn't see the door so to her it looked like he just disappeared.

When he was back on the path, he heard someone banging on the door with his cutie mark. So he opened that one and was taken back to the real world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luna was tapping Discord's shoulder when he finally woke up. "Discord, wake up! I have an idea!" She shook him until he was fully awake. Then she finally told him. "What if we went into the realm together, that way we can look at the same time and get more done if were helping each other!" Luna looked so excited that Discord had to smile at her.

"That's good because I got nowhere but a smack in the face." Discord ran a shaking hand through his mane and settled himself back down.

"What do you mean? Where did you start searching at? I thought I finished all the ones about you!" Luna looked very confused as she positioned herself on the midnight blue cushion Discord had poofed up for her, since he had taken the first one she had had.

Before Discord would answer any of the questions, he had slipped into the realm. Luna followed after with a sigh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luna saw Discord pointing at a dream port (the funny looking TV's I mentioned earlier). "That one is the one I had to watch. I thought it was Nightmare, but I guess not." He looked down at his feet as if they were the most interesting things in the world.

Luna shook her head and smiled. She walked down a long way down the path, farther than it even looked like it would go. "This is where I stopped, I watched all the promising ones that she had after she met you. That way you didn't see... anything." Even thought most of the dreams are organized by the time the dreamer had them, the most stressing ones get jumbled until the dreamer gets calmed down about what happened in them. That definitely wasn't going to happen any time soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

After two weeks of searching all of the dreams and nightmares, Discord and Luna finally found it. Now when they saw it with their own eyes, they understood how real this threat was. So now they had a choice.

They could tell Celestia and see what she thinks they should do.

Or they could act immediately and most likely stop Nightmare Moon from ever being more that a horrible nightmare.

They made their decision. Now the next step in all of this, was to rob a tree.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

(This is the same time frame as the Luna/Discord/Twilight thing at the other Castle. Just to clear that up) Spike and the mane 6 minus Twilight were walking toward princess Celestia in the throne room of the Canterlot Castle. "Please tell you have news about my sister." Celestia looked as if she hadn't slept in many nights.

"No, nothing about any of um." Applejack was normally the one you could go to for anything, but having a friend missing for half a month will do that to you.

"Where could they have gone? They couldn't just disappear!" It had been a long time since the group had heard Celestia's voice raise. "Why can't we find them any of them? It is not like them." She had begun to pace the room. "Especially Twilight. Spike are you sure...."

"Yes, I am SURE that Twilight did NOT tell me what her nightmare was about!" Spike was starting to get a little angry with the princess. Just as Spike was going to stay something he was going to regret, a royal guard came through the door. He ran to princess and whiter something into her ear.

"First Luna, Twilight and Discord go missing and now you are telling me that somepony just stole the elements out of the tree of Harmony?!"

There was a collective gasp and a very long round of 'What!?'s.

"Could anything else go wrong this month?"

Little did Celestia know that this was only the beginning. Nor did she know that in a short time she would lose not only her old mentor, her faithful student, and her sister. But her kingdom as well. And this time it was for good.

Author's Note

Okay, yes that is where I will leave you for right now. If you know where this is going let me know your ideas! So for those of you that wanted that Luna/ Twilight cuteness. SORRY, next week I promise. There will also be very tragic things happening very soon here, read on only if you want your feels to be killed and burnt to a crisp.
So for now

Keep Gazing My Friends.

The Tree Thieves, The Royal Pain, and a 'Friendly' Reunion

Discord and Luna walked around to the castle's bridge, walked across, took a left, and found themselves at the stairs to the Tree of Harmony. Now all they had to do was get the elements out of the tree, not an easy fast if you think about it. They only pony to ever come close to getting the elements out without the tree allowing, was Twilight.

She wasn't using the elements directly during the final fight with Terek, but the tree had allowed them to used the power of the elements but not the real elements.

So now they were standing at the tree.Discord ran a claw through his mane as he walked toward the tree. It was all he could do not to run from that place as fast as he could. He was nervous and jumpy, he just wanted to get the elements and get back to Twilight. The thought of the elements in his grasp made him think of his old self. The chaotic one.

Both of them knew they had a short time before Twilight would wake up and go looking for them. I know she wouldn’t like it but we have to get the elements to her before she has the nightmare again. After that we have to tell the rest of the Elements of Harmony about Twilight and get them here now. At least we can have them here if they need to use the elements. Luna thought as she walked closer to the tree.

“Luna, what if the others can’t use the elements without Twilight? Are you sure we shouldn’t go get sun butt… I mean Celestia.” Discord smiled sheepishly.

“It would be a good idea, but I don’t think she would agree with what we are going to do tonight, now would she?” Luna raised her eyebrows at Discord, and lit up her horn. But no matter how hard she tried nothing changed with the tree or the elements that were hiding inside of it.

“Here let me try.” Discord stepped forward but still no matter what he tried he couldn’t do anything to the tree. “You know who I think could do this.” Discord looked over at Luna as he caught his breath; literally, he was wearing a baseball glove and was catching the word “Breath” as it floated past him.

Luna giggled at his silliness but was serious again immediately afterword. She suggested that they try it at the same time. When they did this, a bolt of blue spark shot back at them.

They both knew what they had to do, but it wouldn’t be easy on her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight walked alone toward the Tree of Harmony. Just five minutes ago she was told the hard truth about what needed to be done to save her from Nightmare Moon.

“Twilight, in order to dispel Nightmare from you, we will need to reenact the spell that brought her here. But to do that we need something that ties you to this reality, not to Nightmare. So we need to get the elements out of the Tree” Luna looked away from Twilight. “But we will have to destroy them.

Now walking toward it, Twilight knew this was possibly the worse thing she was ever going to do. She was going to go get the things that brought her friends and herself together, not to mention the only things that keep this country safe, and destroy them. Well, not if the Tree won’t let her take them.

At the base of the Tree, Twilight put her hoof up to the picture of her cutie mark. Sighing deeply to herself she looked up at each of the branches gasped out loud.

The elements were out and gently floating in front of their corresponding branches. All of them that is except the pinkish purple six pointed star. Why isn’t it out too? Taking the other five in her magic and setting them gently down on the ground, she placed her hoof on the picture again. Suddenly the scene changed, everything was different. It was dark and light, that time between the Day and the Night.

Twilight

In the East the Moon was rising and in the West the Sun was setting. But as time went on Twilight realized that neither was moving, so Twilight used her magic to move them both in time. It came so easily to her that it startled her. Then she realized something else, she was a fully grown Alicorn.

Not only this, but she was all alone. There was not a soul around her, just the Sun and the Moon. Looking down at the rest of her new body, she found she was wearing a five charmed necklace. Before Twilight could get a good look at it, she was back at the tree, with her element atop her head.

Returning the way she came with all six elements floating in her magic she thought about what the future would bring for her. Back in the old ballroom she watched as Discord walked around in a perfect circle painting a white circle on the ground. Luna was painting a purple six sided star.

Discord looked up when he was done and saw what Twilight was holding. He poofed up next to her, pulled her into a head lock, and ruffled her mane. “I told you she could do it!” He held her in his arms the way a child held a doll as Luna flew over to them and took the elements in her own magic.

“Now that we have these, we need to go get that journal that you and your friends write in.” So Discord took Twilight with him, only if she promised to stay away from her friends.

~~~~~~~~~~~

At Twilight’s castle in Ponyville five ponies walked out, all of them exhausted after a long day. All day long they had been looking around Canterlot for Twilight, Luna, and Discord. Every inch was searched but to no avail, they were nowhere to be seen. In the morning they would search the Ever Free Forest after they checked around Ponyville.

The minute the group walk inside, Spike was out for the count. Applejack tucked him into Twilight’s bed and all of them started to walk to Rarity’s shop. Not a one of them wanted to be alone tonight. So Rarity suggested that they all stay at her place.

Walking toward the center of town they stopped when they heard a strange noise. Something in between a laugh and a scream, and it sounded very familiar. At first look it was just two figures playfully tickling each other, one losing terribly. Upon a closer look, they saw it was Discord and a hooded pony. The hooded one transported away but Discord just stood there with his claw and paw crossed.

“All right Discord where is she, where is Twilight?” Rainbow sounded very convincing but silence that fallowed was so think it you could cut through it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

At this time in Canterlot a tall, white alicorn made a sudden realization. “If Luna were to run off where would be the most likely place she would go?” Celestia paced toward her throne and back toward the door. “And if Discord and Twilight were with her, where do they all have in common? It must be somewhere we haven’t looked yet.” Celestia took flight just as a guard walked in.

“Your Highness, I have news from….” He looked around to find no pony anywhere. “If I lose any more Princesses in the next year, I’m going to retire!” He ran off the way he came to try and find yet another missing princess.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Luna please get out here! Twilight, Discord!? Where are you?” Celestia walked into the ballroom and saw Luna sitting down on a light blue pillow, reading a very old book. “Is this what you have been doing all this time, READING?!”

“No dear sister, I have been trying to save your most faithful student.”

Speak of the Devil, Discord and Twilight poofed into the room, landing on the pillows they had been laying on before. “SUN BUTT.” Discord said it in the most extremely faked happy voice it made Luna burst into giggles as ‘sun butt’ blushed profoundly.

“Good evening, Princess.” Twilight tried to sound as casual as possible.

“Good evening? Is all you have to say after weeks, ‘Good evening’?!” Twilight started to blush and her eyes started to sting.

“I… I didn’t” Twilight took a deep breath and let it all out. “I didn’t come to you because you have been acting so different. You never used to act like this before Luna offered to help me get adjusted into being a princess.” Twilight looked at her old and new mentors in turn and then shielded her eyes with her mane as she hung her head.

Luna glared at Discord, her eyes said, I told you so. Now that Celestia had time to look around the room she started to scream.

“What are the elements doing out of the tree?”

Discord explained everything, then Luna joined in. “But I just found out that the spell must be done on a full moon. I just happened to be lucky to have done it on a full moon. But since the full moon for this month just passed, we will have to wait until then.”

“Until then we have to…” Discord looked at Twilight, who then promptly walked out of the room. “We have to keep Twilight here and away from every pony, and that includes you.” He looked directly at Celestia, who gave him a deathly look.

“And why, pray tell, is that?” When Discord rolled his eyes and Celestia growled at him, Luna stood up and walked between the two of them.

“She must keep her emotions in check; otherwise Nightmare Moon could break out before we can perform the spell.”

After a little more talking between the sisters, Celestia finally left and Twilight returned to the room. When she sat down, Discord burst out laughing so suddenly that Twilight nearly jumped out of her skin.

“What,” Luna flipped her mane back and started to imitate Celestia, “pray tell is sssooo funny?” This made Discord laugh so hard he held his stomach. Soon he calmed down and explained.

“When we were in Ponyville, your friends gave me the funniest looks I have ever seen. Oh you should have seen Rainbow, and Pinkie, ha don’t get me started.” He laughed for a minute, but remembered what else had happened when he saw Twilight’s eyes start to water.

“I haven’t ever seen them so worried. Not even when we were facing any of our foes.” Twilight didn’t look anywhere but the ground. “And Rainbow, I’ll never forget the look on her face as long as I live.”

There were no words that could comfort her. So Luna led her into a new place in the castle, the room that the sisters had shared in their younger years. It was still standing, with just a few holes in the walls. This is where Twilight spent her time until three days before the full moon. Luna wouldn’t let her even leave the room.

Discord would bring her her meals and gave her a book or two every day she needed one. He was the only living thing she saw for a long time. One day they were talking about the past. “You know Twilight, you remind of my little sister.” Twilight stared at him as if he had grown a third horn. “What, can’t believe I had a sister?” He sighed. “Yeah she was just like you, smart and fun to be around.” He started to blush but it went away as he realized something. “You look a lot like her you know. The stripes in your hair are just like hers’ used to be.”

“What was her name?” Twilight asked as she tried to run a comb through her unruly mane. Discord told her to turn around; when she had done so he took the comb and traded it for a brush that was sitting on the night stand.
“Hear this is better for your mane anyway. As for her name… it’s been… so long. I can’t remember.” He pulled the brush through again and again until her mane was as soft as anything ever felt before. He then proceeded to part her mane into three sections and braided it. He took a step back and admired his work. “You know, I think I like the new look. Wait one more thing!” He pulled the brush through her bangs, moving them from the part of her horn they normally sat in and pulled them behind her left ear. “Now that is the best hair style I have ever done!” He held up a small green mirror.

A blush suddenly flew to her checks; she had never looked so… so… “Beautiful.” Discord whispered to himself. “I’ve never seen you look this way.” He said to Twilight

Twilight did look very different. Two months and three weeks will do that to a pony. Her mane had started to grow at an alarming rate. Luna told her it was just her growing into her full state as an alicorn, but it had grown so long Twilight started to trip over it. But no pony would let her near a pair of scissors, anything sharp really, lest anything… go wrong. She had also started to grow in height, she was about to outgrow Luna.

Three days before the full moon she could hear voices downstairs, all eight were very well known to her.

“Aright Princess, explain it one more time so we have it all down pat.” Applejack sounded a little tired.

“Today we need to melt down the elements and make them in to six different candles. Rarity will need to finish the dress today. And Discord will have to go prepare Twilight.” Luna glanced at Discord as she said it. He’s been looking a little down lately; I wonder what he’s thinking. But once everyone had started to do their tasks, Discord was nowhere to be seen.

Back upstairs, Discord found Twilight standing out on the balcony, watching the sun rise. What was strange about the whole thing was that Twilight was standing on top of what was left of the railing. She hadn’t heard him come in.

“Why me, after all these years? After all the ponies around me have gone through with me how could I still be asked more of? When will this ever end?” Twilight looked down at the world, not wanting to return to it yet.

“Twilight, we only ask you things because we know you can always keep your head level.” He took a step toward her. “Please Twi, I need you to be here with me. I need you to help me through the chaos.” He took one more step toward her and was close enough to reach out to her, and he was going to until he noticed her eyes.

They weren’t their normal purple, they were teal with the irises looking like a snakes. “How could you still, even where I am standing right now, ask even more of me? Really Discord, I thought you had changed.” She lifted her back right hoof and her front leg hoof and stared Discord right in the eyes. “Now you can know how I feel, for eternity.”
Discord saw everything in slow motion, Twi lifting her other two legs, noticing the rope rapped around her wings, and at the last second her eyes turned back to their normal color. There was pure terror in those eyes right before Discord looked away so he could focus on flying to her. About five feet below the balcony Discord grabbed Twilight and held her closer than he had ever held anything.

She wrapped her front hooves around his neck and cried onto his shoulder. He flew down slowly to the ground, and walked to the front door of the castle and walked inside until he reached the ballroom. The rest of the mane six ran to the pair and walked a still balling Twilight out. Discord looked at Luna straight in the eye. “We have to do this tonight.” Luna looked at him and nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
“It should be close enough to the full moon to use the spell. Rarity hand me the dress.” Rarity held up a long flowing black dress, the night time sky was stitched into the cloth. It was identical to the one that Luna wore up until the spell was finished and Nightmare moon ripped it into a thousand pieces. It was said to heighten your flow of energy toward what it was you were tying yourself to, in this case the night sky.

She pulled it onto Twilight and placed her now element less crown on her head and turned her toward the circle. It’s too late to go back. Twilight thought as she walked into the circle. The room was as dark as the night outside until Twilight stepped on the white paint. The six candles that surrounded the paint flared with a sudden brightness. The room was so grim, you’d think there was no cheer left in the world. Celestia stood at the back of the room, the five ponies and dragon stood off to the side looking like they shouldn’t be there, Luna stood back from Twilight’s side, and Discord stood as close as he could to the paint without Luna yelling at him.

Twilight repeated the lines just as she was supposed to and Discord put her in the trance just as Luna bade him to, everything was going perfectly until Twilight’s eyes opened suddenly. Before anyone could react a dark blue smoke filled the room. When it had faded, there was nothing left of the pony named Twilight Sparkle.

In her place was the feared Nightmare Moon.

Discord was the first to move, he poofed himself in front of Nightmare and plead with her to give them Twilight back. “Oh Discord,” she asked in a cool voice. “Why do you still ask things of me?” Her horn lit up and Discord was thrown through the farthest wall, he didn’t get back up.

“Now why am I still here when I have a country that is waiting for it’s newest Queen.” She opened up her wings and flew out the high window that was missing it’s glass. But before she made it out of the wall she turned her head back. “Ah yes, and tell Discord, if he wakes up, that I just adore the new hair style.” An evil laugh rang out through the night as Nightmare disappeared into it.

Everyone ran to Discord but he would not move. Luna levitated him to the room Twilight had been staying in. Celestia told the girls and Spike to stay there for the night, she was going to go to the Canterlot castle to see if Nightmare would have gone there.

“Well yeah, that’s exactly were she would have taken Twi.” Rainbow looked mortified as Celestia flew off into the night sky.

“Um... Rainbow… she didn’t take Twilight anywhere.” Fluttershy hid from the death glare she got from Rainbow.

“She’s right Rainbow.” Applejack walked to Fluttershy’s side. “It may be the hard truth, but it is honesty. Nightmare didn’t take Twi anywhere, she was Twi.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Luna walked away from Discord’s unmoving body. She had done all that she could to help him but he did not wake. She walked out on to the balcony and sent a prayer to the moon for Twilight. A small song she sang to sing to herself to sleep when she was on the moon suddenly popped into her head.

Let my baby sleep
Let my baby rest
The night is young and so is she
So let her sleep.

Luna took to the skies and floated on top of the trees.

Soon the sun will set.
Then the moon will wake
Too young to keep her head up
Too young to even try.

Luna turned back toward the castle, her voice echoing through the night.

So let the light die
Let the moon awake
The moon’s soft rays
Will take her away
So let the light die.

Luna put her hooves back down on the balcony.

Now the time has come
For the moon to wake
Now the time has come
For you to take wing.

Luna walked to Discord and placed her right hoof on his forehead.

And float among the stars
Dancing in their light
Sleeping in the clam
Staying in the night

Luna walked back to the balcony.

So let the light die
Let the moon awake
The moon’s soft rays
Will take her away
So let the light die.

Luna looked up at the moon, and back at Discord.

Let it die.

Her voice rang out louder than any sound that had been caused that night, or any night in many moons.

Author's Note

Well there it is, fashionably late, but oh well. So if you would like for me to create the song on YouTube I would be more than happy to but a need at lest ten people to say they would like me to.

There will be more that is NOT where I am ending it. But I would like you to go back and see if you can find all the foreshadowing I left you all.

The chapters are going to be around this length so it may take longer to get them out. So until then...

Keep Gazing My Friends

Nothing Left of Twilight

"How is he doing?” Fluttershy looked utterly spent, but she had to stay awake long enough to make sure Luna and Discord were doing alright.

“Discord is resting somewhat peacefully, but he shows no signs of waking awake anytime soon.” Luna spoke slowly to make sure she said the right words to this very sensitive pony. She noticed the tears starting to flow in a steady stream down her friend checks. “Don’t worry; this is the Lord of Chaos we are talking about. He will be fine.”

Fluttershy was starting to cry so much that she was hiccupping. “That’s not,” Hiccup “Why I’m crying.” A sob forced it way out of Fluttershy’s mouth.

“Then why are you crying?” Luna reached up her hoof to wipe way the tears, her companion did not answer until she finally stopped sobbing but tears were still running down.

“No one else will talk about it but,” Flutters looked up at the older mare. “They are all saying that we have to banish Nightmare. And all I can think about is when Applejack said that Nightmare is Twilight, but I don’t think any of them are thinking that if we banish her that we are also be banishing Twilight. And they aren’t thinking about the fact that we don’t have the elements anymore. The chest is gone too, but even if it wasn’t here we couldn’t use it without Twilight.”

Luna stood in awe, it had been a long time since Fluttershy had said that much and not blushed or her voiced had trailed off to where you could not here her or it was about animals. “Do not worry yourself about it right now. In the morning, after we have all had a good rest, we will see where our walls still stand.” Luna walked Fluttershy back to the large Hall where the group, all but Discord, had set up to sleep for the night.

“Good night Luna.” Fluttershy had just laid her head down, when Luna stated thinking about the first time any of the main six called her anything that sounded like they were talking about a friend. It had been Twilight at Luna’s first Nightmare Night celebration.

Luna walked out into the night air again and took wing. Humming her tune again she started to feel the knots in her chest loosen. She hated lying to Fluttershy but what else could she have done. They were fighting a losing battle. There was no way to stop Nightmare in her new form, now that she had a body to control. A nearly full grown alicorn no less!

When Luna allowed her soul to be taken by her jealousy and anger Nightmare AND Luna had control of the dark ways they used their conjoined magic. But now that Nightmare forced her way into Twilight’s soul she could have two things happen and both depend on Twilight. If Twilight is still strong enough then she could fight back, but if Twilight doesn’t fight back then the darkness could take her away.

And without the elements, unlike in Luna’s case, this takeover would be permanent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Celestia was standing in the throne room of her castle in Canterlot. She was standing in a defensive stance and her horn was light up, ready to be fired. “What are you planning to do, Sun Butt?” Nightmare laughed after she used Discord pet name to annoy Celestia farther, with her falling right into the trap that Nightmare was laying. “Banish your ‘most faithful student’ and me to the moon again, because that worked SSSOOO well the last time.” Nightmare snickered when she heard a voice in her head. Please Nightmare, do not hurt her! “Sorry dear, but my answer it still no. I will go through with my plan.”

To Celestia she said: “Now dear, I think we have a problem on our hooves.” Nightmare started to walk around Celestia in a circle. “You see, I am the newest princess as long as I am with Twilight. And you are threating the crown if you are threating me. So for treason against the crown I am going to banish you, just like you did everyone else that stood in your way.” Nightmare took a step toward her enemy.

“And how do you plan to banish me without the elements?” Celestia sneered at her old foe, thinking she had finally caught Nightmare’s bluff.

“The same way the girls beat Terek. Though you don’t understand it, the girls used the essence of the elements to defeat him. And with Twilight being the one to have started and finished the reaction of this power, she can use it at her will if she just knew how.” Nightmare bowed her head and hid behind her flowing mane. “It’s just so lucky for me,” She looked up with an evil grin. “I do.”

“Please don’t banish me to the sun.” Celestia hadn’t remembered how hard it was to plead with Nightmare.

“I’m not,” She giggled like a school filly. “It’s too simple, too easy.” Her giggles turned to evil laughter. “I am banishing you to the one place you have always feared, even more so that Tartarus itself.” A single tear forced its way down Nightmare’s face. And for a fleeting moment, Celestia had hope that Twilight was beating Nightmare. And then the moment ended. A whisper killed all of her hopes. “The Moon.”

Nightmare’s horn lit up and as a beam of light so bright it would blind a normal pony shot at Celestia, she remembered the first time she ever saw Twilight. She thought this would be the last time she ever saw Twilight again, so she held onto that first happy memory and every happy one after that.

Not long after the blast and smoke had left the great throne room, the sun rose. Some would say later that the sun looked darker that it ever had, as if someone had hurt it or was hiding it’s full light in the dark.

But the moment the sun was up, Nightmare shrunk back in fear. When a small bit of sunlight touched her fur, she screamed and ran to what was left of the shadows in the room. “I remember now, I am made of so much darkness that the light burns me!” She screamed in frustration. “But it won’t burn you.” She was speaking to what was left of Twilight’s soul. She started to explain her rules to Twilight, “Now Twilight I will let you out to play but I will still be in charge.” Nightmare felt lightheaded as she morphed into Twilight. Just as the transformation was done, a guard walked into the room.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle, what happened, where is Princess Celestia, Why are you hiding here in the dark?” He held out his hoof to her and Nightmare made Twilight take it.

Nightmare controlled Twilight’s voice to say: “Princess Celestia, she… attacked me. I… I tried to protect myself. I only remember a burst of light and waking up here.” As soon as Nightmare forced Twilight’s head up she regretted it Twilight had no control over any parts of her body except her eyes, she could move them and blink. Twilight made her eyes go as crazy as possible.

The guard got very worried for his princess, “Your Highness, I think we should got to your friend Zacora. Maybe she has a brew to help your eyes.” Nightmare didn’t know who Zacora, and thought she was a normal pony and it was normal to go to her for help. To make her seem as valid as possible, Nightmare ‘forced’ Twilight to agree.

Zacora had known all along that Twilight had Nightmare Moon inside her, Twilight had come to her for a sleeping brew on a few different occasions. The moment Twilight didn’t speak to her dear friend the way she always did with a very chipper happy voice that shone through even in the worse of time, Zacora knew something was wrong.

“Ah yes come right inside, from me dear friend you should not hide. If there is something I can do, I would be more than happy to help you.” Nightmare was very surprised to see a zebra in place of a pony but she recovered quickly.

“Yes do you think you could help me fix my eyes, I don’t know what is wrong with them.” Twilight had to think of something and fast, then it hit her.

“Yes,” Twilight spun her eyes to the left the moment Zacora said yes. “I think I know what to do, but first you must tell me what happened to you.”

After asking the guard to leave them for a while, Nightmare used Twilight to explain what happened in a way that made her look so innocent. As Nightmare explained Twilight would spin her eyes to the left every time the word Yes was used by either pony and she spun them to the right when they used the word No.

Zacora was noticing this pattern and tried to ask Twilight something Nightmare Moon would never know. “Twilight my dear friend, I must use what we used to defeat Trixie again. To fix your eye, this we must try.” Nightmare stood dumbfounded.

But Twilight knew what Zacora was doing and pointed her eyes in the direction of the fake amulet after Nightmare had tried making some will minded guesses. She thought it was a brew so she grabbed a purple bottle that matched Twilight’s fur to a tee.

Zacora smiled as Nightmare handed her the bottle, “Yes,” Twilight rolled her eyes to the left again just in case. “This is the one, but you must wait until the brew is done.” Zacora pored the contents into her big black cauldron.

So many thoughts were running through what was left of Twilight. Now what is going to that happen? What was the point in getting Zacora’s attention, there was nothing anyone could do without the elements. But what if they can bring them back and they can use them without me? The first time Nightmare got a new body, she was careless and let her true anger get the best of her. Leading to her defeat, but now with Celestia, the elements, and the chest gone, what could destroy her?

Nothing that Twilight could think of would have her still standing.

Twilight was so distracted that she didn’t even notice when Nightmare used her hoof to grab the cup Zacora gave to her that was full of the brew that she had made. Twilight could hear Nightmare’s thoughts running through her own brain: What will happen, there isn’t really anything wrong with my eyes. What if it’s a trap? Oh, but it’s what you would do.

Before Nightmare had time to think about it anymore, she downed the contents. She felt lightheaded, like she had when she was morphing into Twilight. But before she could ask what was happening, Nightmare had fainted.

Zacora ran to her and pulled off one of Twilight’s hairs near her horn. After doing so, she ran back to her cauldron and put it in. The instant the hair touched the brew; a cloud of smoke came out of it. The cloud was in the shape and form of Twilight.

“Zacora?! Where am I?” Twilight tried to run to her friend but found she could not move.

“Twilight dear, please tell me what has happened here. Why Is Nightmare Moon, standing in place of you?” Twilight explained everything, and while doing so she was glad to be able to use her own body again.

“Um, Zacora can I ask you what I am right now? And why my body is lying on the ground not moving?”

Zacora explained that when she had used the hair that was near her horn it was supposed to have Twilight’s magic infused in it from Twilight preforming so many different spells over the years. Twilight’s magic is what truly ties her to their world, and the fact that it was imbedded with her magic, to her destiny if you will, means it was tied to the soul of Twilight.

This means that when Zacora put the hair in, she pulled Twilight’s soul out of the hair.

“Zacora, what am I going to do? There’s nothing that can bring back the elements, and they were the only things that could have beaten Nightmare.” Twilight looked downtrodden, so Zacora told Twilight something that could help her in her battle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sometime later when all the talking was down, Twilight went back into her own body. Zacora still had the pair in a trance so she carried them in a cart of the Castle of the two pony sisters, with the help of the guard that did understand what has happening but went along with it.

Upon arrival, the castle looked like a war zone. Applejack was chasing down Pinkie Pie to calm her down for crying so much, Rarity was trying so desperately to get the elements’ magic out of the candles, Fluttershy was yelling down to Luna who was standing with the tree, Discord was nowhere to be seen, and Rainbow Dash was sitting on top of the tallest tower. When Rainbow spotted them she started screaming at everyone:

“She’s here! She’s here!” Rainbow flew down to the small group approaching the castle, and started to yell at Twilight/Nightmare. “You better stay away, I don’t know what you’ve done to these two,” Rainbow gestured to Zacora and the guard, “But I won’t let you do it to…” Zacora cut her off before Rainbow would say something she regretted.

“There is no danger here, Loyal Rainbow Dash dear. The threat is gone, but not for long. She is resting, though it was not hard to do, I just gave her a little brew.” Everyone gathered around, except Discord, to see how she was doing.

“She looks, peaceful… so calm, like she always used to.” Fluttershy stated what everyone else was thinking, how could this calm pony be the host for the most dangerous pony in all of history?

“Please, let’s put her inside. There is somewhere here where we can put her, to keep her safe from…” Luna trailed off until the last word came out only a whisper, “Herself.” The group carried her to the dungeons that resided under the castle.

Zacora had packed a bag, for precautions. She pulled out a small golden ring, when she placed it on Twilight’s horn it would stop her from using her magic at all. Rainbow walked to the back of the cell and with the help of Applejack they lifted an extremely heavy collar that was chained to the wall up and placed it on Twilight’s neck.

The guard was ordered to never leave the cell unguarded, one of the others would come and release him in a few hours. The group started walking to the room where Discord was staying as Zacora explained everything there was about the situation. Once everyone was caught up, all questions were answered, and all plans were made, Zacora walked into the room with Fluttershy. No one else was allowed to come in.

Luna and the rest of the girls walked down to the ballroom. Luna was allowing Rainbow to go make sure the weather was in check, Applejack to explain things to her family, Pinkie to explain to the Cakes, Rarity to her family and to check her shop, and Spike to go to Fluttershy’s and take care of the animals. So with everyone gone Luna allowed herself some well needed rest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There is nothing I can do, to help him come through. Thought he is not dead, I fear he will never leave this bed. His wound is severe, and his magic is keeping him alive dear, but like Twilight in her fight, Discord is the only one that can wake him this night.” Zacora placed a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder to support her crying friend.

“He is strong, he’ll wake up. He’ll wake up, he’ll wake up.” Fluttershy mumbled as Zacora walked her down to Luna for some sleep. But when they got to the ballroom, Luna was nowhere to be seen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The guard walked away calmly as Luna took his place standing near the cell door. The cell was dirty, covered in dust and mud, but sitting there perfectly in the center was Twilight Sparkle. The young pony that Luna almost killed when they first met, and over the past few years Luna raised into her princess hood. Luna felt a pull on her heart, as she looked at what her young student had become.

Twilight mumbled in her sleep, until that progressed into a whimper, then into a small scream. Luna opened the cell door and fell to the floor in front of Twilight, using her hoof to move some hairs from Twilight’s face. Luna had a small daydream of a young filly with a lavender coat; she had no chain on her neck, no ring on her horn, and no Nightmare to be seen.

Luna unconsciously used her magic to make this happen, well as much of it as she could.

Twilight suddenly stood up, no chain on her neck, no ring on her horn, but she had a Nightmare look to her eyes. “Oh, good I thought you’d never get to it.” Luna looked up, suddenly very worried. Had this been her plan all along? If so, what now?

Luna tried to run, but before she could Nightmare forced Twilight to touch Luna’s horn.

“Now you can have that bueatiful dream, forever.” Luna’s eyes glossed over the moment Twilight’s hoof left her horn. Luna fell to the ground, asleep until the pony from her dreams woke her up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Discord’s body still lay down in the room he was placed in, but in his mind he was walking down a path talking and laughing with Twilight. She looked just like she did before any of the past few months had happened. Then suddenly she stopped.

She didn’t look at Discord as she said, “You know this is all in your head right? That when you wake up I’ll be your worst nightmare? That there are no ways you can stop me? That this is all in your head?” When Twilight looked at him there were tears flowing down in bucket loads. “Why won’t you help me?”

“How can I help you? Just tell me and I’ll do it.” Discord held Twilight’s head tried to wipe away her tears but they came down so fast it was a losing battle.

She looked at him through her tears, “I love to look at the moon stars, but I would love to look at the sun one last time.” Twilight hung her head but when Discord tried to lift it back up, his claw went right through her chin.

Discord gasped as she vanished from his sight.

Once he realized that he was back in the room that Twilight had been staying, he shot out of the bed. Shouting at the top of his lungs, “I know what to do! I know how to save her!” He ran down the stairs shouting, screaming. Then he came to the bottom of the stairs and was met with a horrible sight.

Author's Note

So... That just happened.
Um I don't know what else to say. Just a few chapters left I think.
Will update as soon as possible.

Until then

Keep Gazing My Friends

Sacrifices

Author's Note

Alright, First thing I wanted to state was that this chapter took so long to write it was not even funny. Second thing it that this story is going to be a little long than I first anticipated, Third I have heard no responses for the song on youtube, please say yes, it will have a lot more power to it if you can hear it. I will update soon, but finals are coming soon.

Until We Meet Again

Keep Gazing My Friends

Sacrifices

“Nightmare, we can talk about this. Just let them go, and we can settle everything out.” Discord was still standing on the stairs, looking down at a site that looked so unlike the pony that was performing the act, the scene was laughable.

Nightmare, in Twilight’s form, was standing in front of a cage hanging on a chain above a large vat of some bubbling black goo. Inside the cage lay Luna, Fluttershy, Zacora, and the guard, all of them were asleep.

Twilight had been standing in a tight ready to fight stance, but a light hearted laugh started in the back of her throat took her out her form.

“Did you know that when you beg, you’re as cute as a puppy?” For a single sentence she sounded like the real Twilight, Discord thought he might not have to do it. But then she laughed again, more horse this time. “I don’t need them; they have no use to me.” Nightmare’s voice was starting to sound strained.

What was going on? Why is she sounding different? Could it be Twilight, is she fighting back? Discord thought as he snapped his fingers as silent as a feather falling to the ground. This poofed away the ponies in the cage without a sound or flash of light, it sent them to the tree of Harmony.

Now it was just Nightmare and Discord. Discord hear a voice in his head speaking to him, “Do what you have to, even if your worst case scenario comes true at least you know you destroyed her. Please don’t let anypony tell you to do anything else. Do it now before anypony can stop you.”

He knew it was Twilight talking to him but something stopped him. Why couldn’t he just do it? Was it the fact that he knew it would kill Twilight? Or that fact that over the past few years he felt something for Twilight? Not in a “in love” feeling, more like a big brother to her. Especially when they went star gazing on his cotton candy clouds.

After the first time they went out on that cloud, he had a long heart to heart with Shining Armor. He explained everything that he felt for Twilight, and even though Shining didn’t fully trust him, if Twilight could be kind to Discord then he could too.

Now, if he was to do what he found out just a few moments ago, he would destroy the only pony that ever truly loved him. Fluttershy was his first real friend in a long time but Twilight loved him as if… as if he really were her big brother. But there was still a small sliver of hope, if Twilight could fight the pain she could live.

Maybe, just maybe…

Discord took a step toward Nightmare/Twilight and she stayed planted where she was. “Don’t you dare,” She snarled. “I’ll drop them in. That brew will turn their hearts as black as mine.” Nightmare forced Twilight’s head around to look at the cage. But before she could cry out in rage, Discord closed the space between them and grabbed her shoulders.

“Twilight,” Discord whispered so softly, as if he were speaking to a child. “Listen to me. No matter what happens know that I will do everything in my power to save you.” Nightmare struggled against his grip but that did nothing but make him hold tighter. “Fight her, this isn’t you and you know that. Don’t ever give in, you are strong and brave.”

Nightmare held her breath and closed her eyes as Discord snapped his fingers, but when she dared open them again she was back in her old form. Nightmare couldn’t stand any longer; she fell to the ground with a solid smack of skin against hard floor.

Discord picked her up ever so gently and walked around the cauldron and transported as close as he could to the tree without his magic sending him somewhere else. They had the help of a cotton candy cloud to block out the sun. By the time they had gotten to the tree, the others had woken up from the spell Nightmare had put them under.

“Discord, why does she look like that again? And why are we at the tree?” Luna looked at him with a hard look in her eyes. As Discord explained everything, Luna put up a spell that wouldn’t let Nightmare leave the cave. The group then started the task of transporting to each of the places the rest of the mane six and Spike went to get them so everypony could talk about what they were going to do next.

They all walked to Zacora’s hut, but there was too many of them to go inside so they talked by her fireplace outside behind the hut.

“Well tarnation Discord, if Twilight told you to do somethin’ you should do it.” Applejack was the first to recover from being told what she had just been told. “But there has got to be another way. Almost every time we try to fight something, we come up with a plan but it doesn’t work. There has to be something we can think of.” Applejack looked around for any ideas but no pony said a word.

“Applejack, if there was something any pony could think of, do you think I would still be considering this! Killing Twilight in this brutal way is… is … is like you killing Applebloom by pushing her off a bridge.” Discord knew he shouldn’t have said it but he needed all of them to see just how hard that was going to be for him.

“I would ne’er, why you! You can’t talk about that!” Applejack’s eyes were starting to water, a rare thing for any of the others to see. Rarity looked away, her eyes gleaming as well.

Discord and Applejack started fighting over something but no pony could keep up. Fluttershy tried stopping them but just ended up crying into Luna’s shoulder.

“WAIT A MINUTE!” A pink pony stood up and walked in front of Discord and Applejack. “What if we let Twilight decide? You said you could talk to her in your dreams, what about her own dreams?” Pinkie was doing her ‘just a hunch!’ voice where you could tell what she was saying but it was hard to keep up.

“Well, Pinkie I… well…. actually that might work. If I could convince Twilight to fight back against Nightmare using her dreams, it just might give Twilight just the right amount of hope to destroy Nightmare for good.” Discord was running his claw down through his beard as he thought about this.

“Hay hay no way! We all already know what Twi wants us to do! Does she even realize what this is going to do to her?!” Rainbow had started flying around to calm herself down. Fluttershy had been crying into Luna’s shoulder, Applejack had retreated to her seat next to Spike and he magically became her shoulder to cry on.

“Look Rainbow no matter what happens, Nightmare has to be stopped. I do believe that Twilight knows what will happen if she does go through with it. But as her friends we have to respect that she knows what is best for herself.” Discord knew he couldn’t say it without shedding some tears but it had to be said. “We have to let Twilight do this,” His voice started to shake as he continued. “And you know how she is, once she gets something in her head, she won’t stop unless one of us gets hurt. Even if it means…” That was his stopping point; he couldn’t say another word without breaking down.

There was an eerie silence, thick as the moss growing around them. But then a small, weak, broken voice cut through it all. “So the plan is that… we’re going to let Twilight do it? And…” a sob broke the statement half way but she mustered the courage to finish it. “We’re just supposed to what? Let her? Let her go into this unknown without us?” Fluttershy had stopped holding onto Luna but had to grab onto the log she had been previously sitting on for support.

“No,” Discord’s voice was strong and hard, it had to be, for Twilight. “No, we are all going to be there for her. If she needs help then we are going to give her all our strength. She is going to need all of us.” Discord looked at each of the ponies, some were glaring daggers at and others just had a lost look in their eyes.

“I think there is something we must do, but first I must make a brew. Applejack if you would be so kind, perhaps this will calm your mind.” Zacora, who had been quiet this whole time, stood up without another rhyme and walked into her hut. Applejack stood up and walked to the hut. Spike, now free from being cried on, walked up to Discord.

“I think it’s time we had a talk.” Spike said, and without saying anything else, walked into the tree line. Discord followed him mumbling:

“If this is anything like the ‘little’ talk I have Shining Armor, one of us is going to either end up hating the other or dead…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Tell me Applejack and tell me true, tell me as we make this brew, tell me what is bothering you?” Zacora had set Applejack to work at grinding grains into dust; she set herself to work by trying to find the right bottle she needed.

“Well if ah have to tell ya, Ah guess Ah’ll try.” She took a deep breath, and let everything out. “When Ah was just a young’un Rarity and me… we had had a fallin’ out at school. Mah Ma and Pa made me go back into town to apologize. It went fine, Ah even offered for h’r to stay the night at mah house.” A single tear rolled down her cheek. “But when we got to a bridge Rarity and me, we ran head, but mah Ma and Pa didn’t. They just walked acrossed it.” More tears came down. “All Ah remember next is mah Ma screaming, an’ mah Pa was screaming h’r name. We ran back to the bridge but all we got see was mah Pa falling off the cliff. Big Mac came in just in time to grab Rarity before she looked over the edge, but he couldn’t hold both of us.” Applejack stopped grinding, as she had realized that she had worn the powder to practically nothing. Blushing she poured it in when Zacora told her. She turned from her friend, and looked out the window.

“Ah looked over and saw that both of mah parents had fallen off the cliff. Big Mac led Rarity away and Granny Smith came and got me.” She turned back to Zacora, tears streaming down.

“When we got home, Applebloom was cryin’ and Granny couldn’t calm h’r down. Granny gave h’r to me, ah didn’t even hold h’r for a second and she fell asleep in mah arms.”

“So you became the mother Applebloom never had, then why on earth should you be sad? Though what you said is sad it’s true, but it’s not what’s truly bothering you.” Zacora beckoned the cowgirl to her, and bade her to look in the cauldron. “Time has made you strong and brave, but Time cannot tell you how to behave. To save your friend something must be given, to fully rid Twilight of this villain. A sacrifice must be made.” Zacora was starting to sound desperate, scared of something. “No matter the price it must be paid. If I could come with you I would, but that is not something I should.”

In the cauldron was an image of Twilight as a small, newborn filly. She still had her wings and her cutie mark, but something was different about it. If Applejack looked close she saw what was different.

The six pointed star was the same, but the five smaller ones that surrounded it were smaller images of the rest of the mane six’s cutie marks. There was a blue balloon, a purple jewel, a red apple, a pink butterfly, and a blue, red, and yellow lightning bolt. Above those were a silver moon and golden sun. And underneath them was silver five pointed star. Next to the red apple was a small green flame.

“What is this? What’s wrong with her cutie mark?” Applejack stood in shock but Zacora just handed her a large bottle.

“Before you free the trapped Twilight, before the trapped songbird takes flight. Drink the bottle each of you, and only then will you speak fully true.” Zacora walked away, tears starting to sting her eyes. Applejack tried to call her back but she stayed where she was until Applejack left her hut.

“Dear friends stay safe for heaven sake, for any hurt to you I could not take.” Zacora collapsed onto the ground, tears staining the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back outside the group had come back together and each of them were taking a small drink out of the bottle that Zacora had given Applejack. It had no real flavor, but made each of their eyes open in surprise at its sweet scent. It reminded each of them of…

“Twilight’s shampoo.” All of them said at once. Applejack had started to notice that Spike had been abnormally quiet lately; she knew he missed Twilight but it looked a lot worse. He looked even more down in the dumps then when they arrived at Zacora’s.

“So…” Luna said to try and get some pony to say something, anything. “What is the plan from start to finish?”

“We go back to the cave, put Nightmare to sleep, I’ll enter her dreams and talk to her and then…” He trailed off, not really knowing what happened after that.

“And then Twilight will fight Nightmare. If she wins we get Twilight back! If not we… we have… to…” Spike’s sudden statement caught everyone by surprise.

“You will have to push her into the sun, killing Nightmare so this will be done.” Zacora sounded different, like she had stepped into some poison joke, but walked back into the hut as if she hadn’t said anything.

“Well, she was acting different.” Rarity stated with a small hair flip.

“Well, I wouldn’t say she was acting different.” Pinkie stated with a small grin on her face. “No I’d stay she was acting completely, totally, a hundred present, absolutely, positively different.” For just one moment even Pinkie, the most sensitive in the whole group was starting to act like herself. Until… “Just like Twilight is.”

Without any direction or leader, the group set out back to tree. When they arrived they found that Nightmare was still asleep. Discord put pillows down for everyone, sat down on the one closeted to Nightmare, and started the spell.

But soon everypony was asleep, even Spike was snoozing.

“Where in tarnation are we?” Applejack asked as ever pony looked at the small TV like screens that led to every dream and nightmare that Twilight had ever had.

Discord made them follow him to the doors at the end of the hallway. There were now eight of them, each had a cutie mark of a different pony, On Spike’s there was a small green flame.

“We are in the mind of Nightmare and Twilight. If we go through that door then we will go to the dream that they are having right now. But we could replay any of the dreams or nightmares that either had ever had.” Discord was staring at his door.

“If at any time you want to leave, as long as you’re not replaying a dream, just walk through your door.” Luna stated and then walked through Twilight’s door. Everyone followed after her.

When they first entered they thought they were going to see a war zone between the two mares that were in there but no, there was a small baby cradle and there was another Discord standing over it. “I’m so sorry my little one.” He said and with that the scene changed, it was now showing a small star falling for the heavens.

Once it hit the ground as gently as a mother’s hug, it changed shape into a small newborn filly wrapped tightly into a light pink blanket. Celestia came out of a door and picked it up with her magic. She walked down a long road and stopped at a house. It was the family house of the Sparkle Family.

“Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle, being of the closest friend of the royal family I would ask you to care for this child. She was left on my steps and no one has come to claim her. I would do it but I have no time for a filly.” Twilight Velvet took the filly in her hooves as Celestia continued. “You will find a box of a special potion inside this bag” She hands it to Mr. Sparkle. “In order to protect her, she must drink the brew until we can expose her wings without suspicion arising.” Twilight Velvet unwrapped the filly from the blanket to show a lavender filly with long flowing hair, a horn, and wings. “The brew will also take away any alicorn power that she has until we bring her wings back. It lasts only a year, so you will have to remember to give it to her.” And with that Celestia walked away.

“What about Shining Armor, won’t he notice that she just showed up out of the blue?” Twilight Velvet looked down at the small filly in her hooves. “Just look at her dear, she’ll do great things. I can feel it.” Her husband looked down at the filly too, and he could feel his heart moving to her.

“We’ll just change his memories so that he thinks that she is his sister.” He was unable to tear his eyes away from her.

“But what about our friends, Shining is one thing, but everypony we know?” Twilight Velvet looked concerned.

“We’ll have Celestia do it then, change everyone’s memory so that it was as if we always had her.” He looked up at his wife and smiled. “Look dear, now you can have the daughter you always wanted.”

The scene changed again this time showing Nightmare standing over Twilight. “Now that you know what you really are, are you going to let me take over?” Nightmare laughed with a menacing grin, looking down at the once great Princess Twilight Sparkle. “Are you willing to accept my deal?”

“No, not as long as there is air in my lungs and hope in my heart, I won’t accept!” Twilight was standing up now. Neither seemed to acknowledge that the group was standing not that far away, all of them standing dumbfounded without a word anyone could speak.

Without looking over at the group, or even looking as if she knew they were there, Nightmare said: “Your friends are here, maybe they can make you see who you’re supposed to be.” And with that she disappeared into a black cloud of mist. Every pony ran to Twilight’s side as she fell onto her knees and sobbed.

“Twilight, I thought I’d never see you again!!” Spike ran the fastest of all of them and got to her first. Gasping for breath he held onto her until he couldn’t hold on any longer or he could break her neck. Once everypony got there they pulled her into a giant hug that was held together by Discord stretching his arms.

“Twilight what was it that Nightmare was talking about, what deal has she tried to make with you?” Luna looked very concerned for the condition of her friend’s mind.

“She told me that she would send me home if I would let her take over Equestria. But I didn’t believe her at first, now… I … I don’t know what to think!” Twilight stood up straight, tears starting to sting her eyes.

“Look sugar cube, Zacora showed me somethin’ not that long ago so I have to know. Did you see everything that we did?” Applejack looked at her friend with the tenderness of a parent.

“I… I don’t know, the first thing I saw was me was falling from the sky.” Twilight looked around at every pony that was there. “Why, what else did you see?” When Luna explained that they had seen was what may happen later in time, they all looked back at her with slacked jaws.

“Discord might be a dad!?” Rarity, the one that didn’t believe that at all, screeched.

“Awesome, I wonder who the lucky mare is.” Rainbow Dash said with a slight smirk and teasing look at Fluttershy.

“Who said it had to be a mare?” Discord said looking down at Rainbow with an evil grin. SO many different images were running through her head it hurt.

“Do not ever repeat that!” Rarity and Rainbow Dash screamed at the same time.

“HEY! Get back on track. Twilight, Zacora said that something had to be paid so you could beat Nightmare, do you have any idea what that is?” Applejack asked.

“Um I might but… you can’t! There is no way I would let you-” The world around them started to fade. “Nightmare’s making me wake up soon!” Twilight paused and looked around. “The thing you have to pay is… a willing sacrifice made by each of you. But the catch is that it has to be something you have, didn’t know you were going to get it when you got it, and… you can never get it back. It’s the only kind of sacrifice that can separate us forever.” Twilight looked around at the confused looks on every ponies face.

Discord stepped forward, looked up at what should have been the sky, and said “I give up my powers of chaos and my title as Lord of Chaos.” He stepped back into the line her friends made.

Luna came forward, “I give up my title as Princess of the Moon and thus give up my ability to move the moon.” She stepped back into the line.

All five of the main six stepped forward, “We give up our elements, thus giving up our friendship with Twilight.” They all said together, and then they stepped back into the line.

Spike stepped out, “I give up my ability to love anyone.” He stepped back.

Everypony heard Celestia’s voice seeming to come from everywhere, “I give up my title as Princess of the saSun and thus give up my ability to move the sun

“No, you can’t do that for me!” Twilight screamed.

“It’s too late, it’s already done.” Discord said with a twinge of pain. Every pony ran to Twilight and hugged her one last time.

Just before everything faded away Twilight shouted, “If something happens to me, someone please take care of Spike and Owlowiscious!” She faded away from all of them… forever.

Everyone was standing in the hall in front of their doors. No pony just walked through the doors, all of them except Discord and Spike. Discord ran down the hall to one of the TVs and pressed it.

The two found themselves in a large garden watching Twilight and her friends have a nice picnic, until a masked figure came out onto the grass. He came up to Twilight and took her away and asked her “Do you still love me?”

“If there was ever a time when I didn’t love you, I didn’t know about it.” He embraced her and reached behind her and pulled out a small box. The scene started to fade, but not in the same way if she were waking up. No more like you were now looking at it through a dusty glass cup. Suddenly the glass broke around them and they found themselves back in Twilight’s hall.

“Spike, we have to run to our doors now!” Discord started to run with Spike next to his.

“Why the rush?” Spike asked.

“Because if we’re in here when Twilight steps in the sunlight, whatever happens to her, happens to us too.” Discord stated as they reached their doors. Discord looked over at Spike, “See you on the other side!” Discord yelled. Both stepped through at the same time.

When they opened their eyes again they were laying face to face with Nightmare Moon. “Well it took you long enough.” Rainbow huffed at them.

“What were you guys doing?” Fluttershy asked.

“We showed Twilight something she needed to see.” Discord said as Nightmare stood up.

“You can’t beat me with a pathetic dream, this is the real world.” Nightmare said with a sickening grin. She tried to move her left front hoof but it wouldn’t move. When she looked down at it, it was no longer dark blue. The fur color had changed to lavender. Nightmare’s hoof was now moving toward the entrance to the cave.

Now the lavender fur was on all four of Nightmare’s legs, crawling up them until Twilight had taken back nearly half of her body. But it was still not enough. Four more feet to go until the entrance of the cave.

“You won’t win Twilight!” Nightmare screamed as her eyes went pure white. The struggle of Twilight forcing her body to move continued as did the battle for her body. At three feet, Twilight had taken back all of her body below her neck and could finally talk again.

“It’s time to give in Nightmare, I don’t have to kill you but I will if I must.” Twilight spoke with fire in her voice but forgiveness in her heart.

“Don’t try that Twilight; it’s unbecoming of a princess.” Nightmare said, at two feet all that was left of the dark blue coloring was Nightmare’s horn. Twilight took her first confident step and another until she was inches from the light.

“Last chance Nightmare.” Twilight stood as straight as possible.

“If I die you die too. Their stupid sacrifices didn’t do a thing.” Nightmare only spoke in Twilight’s mind, but so strong was her anger that every pony in the cave could hear her every word.

“I’m willing to take that chance.” Twilight stepped into the light without another moment’s hesitation. At first the two felt nothing but the warmth of the sun, but then it turned a burning sensation then to immense pain. The two were screaming in harmony until a soft cooling ball of green light came toward them. But it wasn’t light; it was a ball of fire. It engulfed them and everything turned as white as nothingness but Nightmare screamed on while Twilight felt like she was floating in the sea. Not caring, not moving. They didn’t know where the green fire ball took them, nor would they ever know.

~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the cave Twilight’s friends were just standing there in shock of what just happened.

“What in the hay was that ball of fire?” Applejack asked to no one in particular.

“I think we have bigger problems to worry about than that.” Spike said stepping outside.

“And what is that Spikey Wikey?” Rarity asked while stepping out with him.

“Where in the world is Twilight?” Spike asked as they looked down at the scorch marks that made up the ground around the mouth of the cave.

“I think we… just saw the last… we ever will see of… her.” Rarity said trying to sound strong.

“No.” Both Discord and Spike said at the same time. “No,” Discord continued. “I won’t let that be the end, not after all of that.” Discord snapped his fingers and a door appeared. “Who wants to go first?” Spike stepped forward and walked through the door.

Everything is Different

When Discord woke up again for the third time that night, to the crying of the small newborn filly, he sighed and walked over to the pink and midnight blue cradle. He looked in at the crying baby and chuckled, her big purple eyes sparkled with tears. But she stopped suddenly when he took her into his arms. He hummed a small tune to her he had remembered from a dream.

It was raining outside and there was a slight draft in the room, this made the baby snuggle closer into Discord’s chest for warmth. Knowing that he wasn’t going to be let go of anytime soon he lay her down on his bed and rapped his body into a hoop around the now sleeping baby. Just before he fell asleep, he looked at her and her eyes opened one more time and he said to her, “Good night, my little star.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Three Months Ago

Spike looked up at the wooden door that Discord just made appear out of thin air. It was a little taller than Discord, but other than that it looked like a normal door. When Spike walked through, he found himself standing in a realm that was similar to the dream realm. It was sparkling and shining so much it looked like there were diamonds falling from everywhere. He looked back at the door as every pony started to walk through.

Every pony gasped as a light that was brighter than the sun appeared out of nowhere, from this light immerged two ponies. One was Twilight; the other was a colt that no pony anywhere had ever seen.

“I know why you have come, friends of my Twilight Starlight.”

“Uh, don’t you mean Twilight Sparkle?” Spike asked, but shrank back as the booming voice came only at him.

“No, her name before her fall was Twilight Starlight because she was the first star to come out each night. She would always come out before the moon rose and the sun set so she could see the greatest sight there ever was.” This pony seemed to be many different things at once. He was tall yet short; his fur coloring seemed to change as he spoke. He was pitch black when talking to the group in front of him, but when he looked down at the lifeless Twilight his fur changed to a light purple. “Every one of the stars are my children, my wife and I were very happy. But when one of them is lost, it is very hard on us both.” His voice changed to be soft and gentle as he lay down next to Twilight.

“Everything in this world is planned out by my wife and I, we are the creators of this world. When our first daughter was born, we were overjoyed and decided that one day she will go out into the world we had made. It was meant to be that she would have been the one that changed your heart from chaotic to caring.” He pointed a hoof at Discord. “It was also meant to be that she would have been the only user of the Elements of Harmony, but Celestia would not listen to my wife when she told her all of this information. Celestia told my wife that she could use the Elements to stop him herself with Luna. But you all know what happened.” He looked up at the group in front of him with near tears in his eyes.

Another bright light came into the realm revealing Celestia and another mare that few had ever seen. “I didn’t know that that was going to happen! And even if I did I wouldn’t have change my mind.” Celestia walked to Luna’s side, who glared daggers at the once sun princess.

“You forced my daughter to give up her true destiny so she could still come to the earth!” the new mare screamed so loud that the realm shook; now every pony was glaring at Celestia.

“Our daughter,” The mare walked over to the colt and stood next to Twilight, “was the only star that I gave birth to. After I gave birth to Twilight Starlight, I could not conceive another child so we found a spell that let us create stars that were similar to Twilight. Twilight was supposed to come down to the earth first when Discord was still ruling, but when that plan was,” Another glare at Celestia. “Changed, then we had planned for her to come just before Celestia and Luna confronted Discord. That was faltered as well because Twilight would not come out of her hiding spot because she knew that Celestia was going to hurt Discord.” By this time EVERY PONY was glaring at Celestia, Discord even got so mad as to put a cotton candy cloud that down poured chocolate milk onto Celestia head.

“Will you all stop that? I have my reasons for doing what I did.” Celestia held her head high and sat down on her flank, chocolate milk was dripping everywhere on her but didn’t stay on the floor of the realm it just disappeared.

“And what reasons can make up for the consequences that were caused by them?!!” Luna was hurt by her sister’s blank look at what she had done.

“I am sure I don’t know what you mean.” Celestia said through gritted teeth, not even looking at her sister.

“Consider this Celestia, you made a poor, defenseless filly live a life she wasn’t supposed to have, you forced a man to remain in stone for over thousand years, then forcing that now full grown mare to risk her life to fix your messes!” Luna walked over to her sister and hissed right into her ear. “Now riddle me this princess, would I have become Nightmare Moon and been banished to the moon if we had never been in power to begin with?” It was not that Luna said it very loudly but this is a silent realm so every pony heard every word she said. Now there was a lot of ponies in that realm that wanted Celestia to leave right then and there, but there was still more questions to be answered.

“How do you know that we wouldn’t be in power if Twilight had lived the correct life?” Celestia looked terrified at what Luna could say about the once sun princess.

“I lived on the moon for a thousand years; I was closer than any pony to the stars. Do you not think that they would whisper about their oldest and now lost sister?” Luna moved to glare Celestia in the eyes as she spoke. “I heard many stories about what she was meant to do on the earth, but with the change in names, a change in appearance, and none of them knowing what her new earth name was, I did not know that it was her.” She looked over at the still unmoving Twilight with tears starting to sting her eyes. Now she looked at the two mares that were Twilight’s true parents. “Will she ever become what she was meant to be?” Luna asked with a small wavering voice.

“Yes, as long as you are willing to take on what your sacrifices meant.” The unnamed mare said to everyone. She walked over to Pinkie Pie, whose hair was starting to inflate again. “Will you accept not knowing Twilight for a number of years, and give up your use of the element of laughter and give that ability to Twilight.”

“Absolutely Positutely , but can I ask a question?” The pink pony was even starting to get back her jumpiness. The mare laughed at Pinkie in a friendly manner and nodded. “Will we ever see Twilight again?”

“That all depends on Twilight.” She then walked to the next pony, Rainbow. She asked the same question but with Rainbow’s elements, and got the same answer minis the question.

The same went for Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy. Then she went to Spike, and asked: “Now will you give up your ability to fully love someone? I think there is more to that story than you are telling any pony, but it’s already done.”

“Will I ever get it back?” Spike asked in a timid voice.

“There are rules to everything, but there are acceptations to those rules.” She giggled to herself but no pony knew why and she didn’t tell any pony. The mare walked to Celestia and asked in an angered voice. “Will you give my daughter the life she was meant to have?”

Celestia Lifted her chin up again and said in an unwavering voice, “I will.”

The mare walked on to Luna and asked in a calmer voice. “Will you return to your element and allow my daughter her life as it was meant to be?”

“My answer has not and will never change; I would give my life for Twilight.” Luna looked the mare in the eye as she said it.

“Wait, what in the hay do ya mean, ‘return to your element”?” Applejack had a scared look in her eyes, thinking she meant the main six would go into the elements as well.

“Celestia and Luna are not part of the world.” The colt lying next to Twilight said, unmoving. “My wife created them when the world was in need before my daughter had come of age. They were meant to beat the enemies, until Discord was meant to come along. He was the one Twilight was meant to ‘defeat’.” His wife giggled again, but said nothing. She walked to stand next to her husband as he rose to his hooves.

“What about me?’ Discord looked confused at the mares around him, then back at the couple in front of him.

“I am truly sorry Discord, but you sacrifice, it… it does not count.” The wife said as Discord stood dumbfounded and the five ponies to his right all started to talk at once. Discord only caught parts of sentences.

“That’s not fair, he…!”

“We were there we saw…”

“What is going to happen to…?”

“There is no way I’m…”

“You’re crazy if you think his just going to…”

“Stop.” It wasn’t said in anger or annoyance; it was just said so calmly that every pony stopped shouting all at once. “I truly am sorry but, Discord knew once he got his chaotic powers that he would be named Lord of Chaos, which breaks the rules of the sacrifices needed. However that is not a problem.” The nameless mare looked directly at Discord with caring eyes.

“It is you I must ask the most from, Discord.” She bent down and looked at her daughter’s lifeless form. “Will you guard my daughter through the perils of her life and give her the one thing you will have that she, and every pony else will not have?”

“What will I have that she does not?” Discord looked tired, as if the weight of the world was crashing down on him.

“Why, you will have memory!” The cold exclaimed in his large, booming voice. “You will be the only one that will remember the times you spent with Twilight and her friends. The rest of the ponies, even Luna and Celestia will not remember my daughter’s name.” he said Celestia’s name with slight hatred.

His wife continued where the colt left off. “They will not remember because we are going to put Twilight into your care at the time she was meant to be put into it!” She was so happy she started to talk as fast as her mouth would allow. “You will care for her and… and she will fight her battles!” She turned to her husband. “Oh dear, it will be just like we planned it all those years ago! She will be happy and finally find the hooded figure! Oh you all have no idea how happy I am to see this fulfilled!” She practically squealed with delight.

“Who is this hooded figure that had been in Twilight’s dreams?” Luna asked with curiosity burning in her mind. “And another question if I may, who are you? I know you are Twilight’s parents and the creators of the world but there are no documents that talk about you two.”

“Ah yes, my name is Destany and my husband’s name is Fate. The hooded figure is a man that will allow Twilight to see the light of both of their hearts.” The smile on the parent’s faces were bigger and brighter than any smile that Pinkie could give. Everypony was very confused, but didn’t say anything because at that moment the light in the realm faded just a little. “Our time in this place is coming to a close.” She spoke softly.

“We must give Twilight your sacrifices now.” A glob of light grew from the pony’s chests and flew to Twilight. The globs rose to her horn, and dissolved into it. Nothing happened at first, but then a light flashed on Twilight’s flank. The image change, the six pointed was unchanged but was surrounded by a smaller version of the other elements; there was a sun and crescent moon above them.

“That’s what I saw in Zacora’s hut!” Applejack cried out. But something was missing… “Where is the little star?”

“Twilight will earn her star, don’t you worry.” The colt walked to stand next to his wife. “But now we must send you back and send Twilight to her family.” The room faded away until there was nothing but three ponies floating among the stars. “It’s time to go dear.” The trio floated up and up until the other children of Fate and Destany was visible.

“Come my children, your sister has returned for a time. Help her be the star she once was!” Destany yelled out to the star lit sky. The stars came closer together and formed a bright light that surrounded the still lifeless form that was Twilight Starlight. When the stars moved away from their sister, she had returned to her form as the brightest star in the sky.

There was a new life in this newborn star, she was made young again by her friends and her long lost family.

“We must hurry if we are going to make it in time!” Fate yelled to his wife who was holding her oldest daughter.

“She is so small.” Was all Destany said as the trio walked down a star pathway that lead them to moments before Discord was turned into stone. “Goodbye my little star, we‘ll meet again someday.” Fate took his daughter into his arms and held her close. Then he let her fall to the earth, a shooting star among ponies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Discord looked down at the two alicorns that had come to defeat him, and laughed. Then he looked down at them and heaved a deep sigh. Why must I deal with these stupid ponies again?

“Discord!” The two sisters yelled together. “We…” Before the sisters could say anything more, a star was seen falling straight toward the group.

“Look out!” Luna shouted and pushed her sister out of the way, but the star went right over them. The star fell into the arms of the Lord of Chaos. He screamed in pain at the burning of the brightest star, at first, but the pain went away as the star morphed into a filly with a lavender coat.

“Let the filly go Discord, she isn’t part of this!” Celestia yelled at him, but he didn’t tear his eyes away from the filly in his arms. She cooed at him and reached a hoof out to him. He reached his lion paw out to touch the bottom of her hoof, intending to tickle it. However, when he touched her hoof a white light formed over his eyes and he saw a life he could remember and the filly in his arms was a grown mare. She was beautiful, and powerful, and… she was his best friend even when he wasn’t hers. He loved her with all his might and tried to give up everything for her.

“Hi again, my little Twilight, my little star.” He cooed and tickled her tummy, she in turn squealed with delight. He continued to entertain her as the sisters made their way toward him. Twilight giggled and screamed in delight, not a care in the world.

“Discord,” Celestia began, “I am ordering you to…”

“Tai wait!” Luna yelled at her sister as the lunar pony got a closer look at the filly in Discord’s arms. “She’s the filly in my dreams, the one that has haunted me for weeks!” Luna was shocked to find her in the arms of Discord. The filly in question had been in Luna’s dreams for many nights now; the filly would get taken away from Luna by a shadowy figure. And just before Luna could get to her, a hooded figure came up to the filly, she would stop crying only when this hooded figure would come.

Discord looked at Luna like she was his last hope, he knew what would happen if Celestia got Twilight. With the snap of his fingers the world around them went back to the place it once was. All the chaos Discord created was gone, and all because of a single little filly.

“What is this?” Celestia asked in a monotone voice, clearly annoyed.

“I surrender on one sent of terms, this filly is entrusted to my care. I will care for her in my home on a plane of land that will be mine and mine alone. I will never allow my chaos to go anywhere but my land.” Discord said in a firm, strong voice.

“And the child?” Luna asked in a concerned voice.

“I only want what is best for her, I am her guardian, and I would die before I would let anything happen to her.” Discord held Twilight just a little bit closer to his chest.

“Very strong words for a filly that you just met.” Celestia gave him a skeptical look.

“We agree to the terms.” Luna said in a confident voice that could have been heard anywhere in the town they were in.

“Luna!” Celestia screeched at her sister and pushed her away from Discord so he was out of earshot. “Why are you letting him go? We had him right where we wanted him, we could have used the elements!”

“And with the filly in his arms as well? Negotiation is the only way we can beat him and not risk a single life.” Luna gave her sister a hard look and turned back to Discord, who hadn’t moved. “What will happen if you or any other breaks one of the terms?”

“I will give up all I have…” This was hard to say for Discord, “including Twilight, and will give myself up willingly.” He added in haste afterward, “Depending on the situation.” He looked down at the little filly in his arms that had fallen asleep; she was so cute laying there against his chest.

“We agree; there is a plot of land that is not being used that you could use for your home just outside of the Everfree Forest. You will not be disturbed.” Luna looked only at the child as she told Discord this. “If I may?” Discord nodded as Luna walked closer to him. “Could I hold her, for just a moment?”

Discord handed Twilight over willingly, he could trust Luna after all. It was when Luna took Twilight into her magic that Discord got a little nervous. Would Luna take her away?

“Celestia, look! She’s an alicorn!” Luna exclaimed as she held the awakening pony toward her sister.

“How is that possible? There are no other alicorns but you, me, and Cadence! There is no fourth alicorn!” Celestia screamed at the filly and tried to take the filly into her magic. “This must be contained until we know what is happening.” Celestia took Twilight, but Discord grew in size and screamed at the sun pony.

“Do not DARE take her away!” Discord could not contain his anger at Celestia, the wind picked up until Twilight was screaming in announce of the noise. He tried to calm himself but he was furious.

“Celestia!” Luna cried over the noise. “Give him back the child!” Luna ran to her sister and took the child away from her. As suddenly as everything had happened it went away in the same way. Luna walked over to Discord and handed him Twilight, who had finally stopped crying and looked up at him with puffy, red eyes.

“We will be watching you, but you are free to live on your land however you choice.” Luna transported everypony to the land Luna was talking about. It was just outside of where Ponyville was going to be. “Your land is from the road,” She pointed to the road behind them. “To the river,” She pointed to a small river that was about 240 yards to the north. “To the edge of the Everfree.” She pointed east toward the forests dense foliage. “To the road over there.” She pointed to a road that was about 240 yards west of the edge of the Everfree.

As Discord looked around, Twilight had tried and failed to climb onto Discord’s head. Luna looked on at the young family and sighed. “Discord, what do you think you’re doing?”

“What do you mean?” He asked while Twilight settled into his arms again.

“You’re raising a living breathing foal here! Do you even know how to raise a foal?” Luna asked taking a few steps closer to them.

“Luna, will you hold Twilight for just a moment? I want to make a play area for her while we talk.” Discord handed Twilight to Luna, and while discord made a simple area on the grass for Twilight Luna tickled the filly’s tummy. Twilight reached up to touch Luna’s hoof and when she did, Luna cried out as the sea of memories came flooding back. Tears stung Luna’s eyes and she would have dropped Twilight if Discord hadn’t come over and put his claw on her shoulder and his lion paw under Twilight’s back.

“Do you remember?” Discord whispered into Luna’s ear, even though no one was there with them.

She did remember, Luna remembered the pain of the elements light, friendships she had made and lost.

“Our friends are gone.” Luna said in a sad tone.

“No, they haven’t even been born yet, in around one thousand two hundred years they will be.” Discord looked down at little Twilight as she struggled in Luna’s arms; he then picked her up and placed her inside the small plastic fencing around her play area.

“Tai and I must leave, now.” Luna said and started to lite her horn, but Discord stopped her.

“Why do you have to go?” Discord looked Luna straight in the eye.

“Don’t you remember? Fate and Destiny said that we would have to return to our elements, I have to return to the moon.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time Night had fallen a crossed the land, Luna had convinced Celestia to return with her, only after making a speech to the ponies everywhere that they “must return to their real home….” and “are uncertain of when we shall return to this land”.

Discord didn’t see them off, and didn’t see when or how they returned, but the world was brighter during the day and darker during the night after they had gone. During their speech Luna had “lied” and added in that Discord had been reformed by the elements and would be leading in their stead until their return.

Spending the day working on his home, Discord had built a castle smaller than the Canterlot Castle, but larger than the Castle of the Two Sisters. It was simple, in a way that only a castle could be simple. There were not long, dusty tapestries, no long dining tables, and no huge staff waiting on every beck and call. No, what this home had an abundance of was books and studies. A handful of bedrooms and baths did not come close to the number of libraries in that castle. There was a bedroom that Twilight and Discord shared, because Discord was afraid of letting Twilight out of his sight, and a bedroom Twilight would have when she was older, and about ten guest rooms all with a jointing bathrooms, but that was still not even a quarter of the number of Libraries in that home.

When Twilight was small, she roamed the rooms with Discord in tow, and as she aged she grew into a quiet, outgoing youngster that loved to run and play with her “father” just as much as she loved to sit in a corner and read alone.

But no matter how close she and her father were, she had a secret that would break his heart, she was starting to fall in love with a mysterious colt that came and visited her in the forest by her home.

But when her father found out, Twilight’s calm life of knowing only those two men, (and the delegates that stayed with her father “the Prince”), would change overnight. It would also change the fate of Equestria,

Forever

Author's Note

Well, I don't even know how to say sorry about how long this took me. All I can say is I hope a longer chapter and a nice cliffhanger will make up for it.
Sorry again

Keep Gazing My Friends.