Solar Child: The Original Chapters

Solar Child

Chapter Seventeen

Written by Bakmah Genesis

    Twilight followed the crowd towards the town hall, Spike sitting on her back as he watched the crowd.  The crowd was alive with buzz of the upcoming event.  Twilight herself was excited.  She has seen her mother do it so many times over the course of her life but it always left the world with an magical hum.  It was amplified for her due to the fact she was a partial alicorn.

       She entered the building and looked around at the beautifully decorated building by none other than Rarity.  Twilight made a mental note to congratulate her.  The sky was spotless and clear, the food table long amd plentiful.  The small singing of birds in perfect sync and tune.  She might still have been a but weary of the habitants of the town, but she was sure warming up fast.

        She looked up and caught a familiar rainbow mane as Rainbow Dash slowly flew around the building, taking everything.  She looked bored but Twilight could see the small shimmer in those beautiful magenta eyes.

        Now where the hay did that come from? thought Twilight, shaking away the thought of the gorgeous orbs.  Her cheeks grew hot and red.  Twilight's eye twitched as she remembered the feeling described by her mother about her other mother.  She refused that within a few hours she had fallen for the rainbow maned Pegasus.  Besides, she would hate to think about what would happen of it worked out and she found out the truth.

        Her running thoughts were cut short to her relief by the sound of a hoof tapping on the microphone.  She turned her attention to the mayor as she gave a speech about the upcoming event.  Twilight didn't listen since she heard the speech many times before.

        Movement out of the corner of her eye made her gaze in the direction of the moon.  She was glad she wasn't drinking something for she would have done a spit take at the sight of the missing image of Nightmare Moon on the moon.

        "Oh buck me." she said quietly.  Spike heard her and looked up at the moon.

         "Well shit.  You know, I hate it when you are right." said the drake as he gazed up at the blank orb in the sky.  The birds began the song that was to signal the princess.  Twilight quickly turned her gaze towards it, hoping to the gods known and unknown that it would be her mother walking through that curtain.  Sadly, her prayers were not heard as no pony stood on the otherside of the curtain as it was parted.

        "She's gone!" exclaimed Rarity from atop the balcony.  There were shouts and screams of panic.  Twilight stood there, praying for this to be nothing but a dream.  Her prayers were cut short by the sound of a chilling cackle.  The sound was somewhat familiar as it sounded like her aunt who visited her once before in her dreams.  But this sounded more demonic than anything.

        "Ah.  My little ponies, I hope you did not miss me during my unexpected leave."  A pillar of smoke appeared on the balcony, forming into the dark figure that was Nightmare Moon.  Her green eyes chilled the very air as she stared at the crowd in twisted humor of seeing them frightened. She stopped and frowned as she spotted a single lavender mare upon all the rest.  She stood defiant with no sign of fear.

        "And who are you to not cower in fear at my return?" growled the nightmare, floating down to level with the mare.  The mare stared back at her.  She dropped her voice so only her and the nightmare could hear.

        "Twilight Solar and I would gladly like to know where my mother is."  growled the mare.  Something clicked and she smirked as she remembered the mare.

        "Ah yes, Twilight Sparkle, the personal student of Princess Celestia herself.  Well, I'm sorry to inform she is not capable to come at this time.  I removed her while I bring this retched realm into a land of eternal night."  The mare before her gritted her teeth.

       "What did you do?"

        "Ah, ah, ah." said Nightmare Moon, shaking a hoof at her.  "No spoilers."  She grinned and disappeared in a wisp of smoke.  The wisp left out of the window amd towards the Everfree forest.  She snorted and walked out of the town hall.

        "Spike, I want you to go back to the library and stay put there until I get back."  He nodded and hopped off her back.

       "Hey Twilight." He called out.  She stopped and looked over at him.  "Don't level the forest, please."  Twilight smirked.  She turned to head towards the forest when she found her path blocked by the five ponies from earlier.

         "And where do ya think yer goin'" asked Applejack.  Twilight sighed.

         "I have to stop her.  If I don't, well, we will have to get used to never seeing the sun again."  She tried to walk around the group only to find Rainbow Dash cutting her off.  She almost walked straight into her, causing the two to blush and a certain alabaster unicorn to hum in thought.

          "You can forget about going alone.  We will come with you because eternal night is so not cool." said Rainbow, slightly getting her blush under control.  Twilight was about to argue when she saw the pleading look Rainbow had in her eyes.  Her heart fluttered slightly and she gave in.

          "Alright, follow me."  Twilight and the other five mares made the treck into the foreboding forest, unaware of the green eyes watching their every step.  Nightmare shot off into the forest until she found what she was looking for, a Manitcore.  She was more than sure that if irritated, the monster would be enough to rid her of the five ponies.  Twilight, however, she wanted alive.

          Twilight led the five , scanning for any sign of the nightmare.  Her train of thought was derailed by a howl of a creature she never heard before.  Twilight quickly cursed the fact she rarely got out of the castle walls.  The six mares continued on more carefully, trying to be aware of whatever might be in the forest besides them.

       Out from the bushes jumped out a Manticore, its eyes red with rage.  The six shrank back, Dash jumping I front of Twilight to shield her without thinking.  Again, Rarity thought on the actions, though the thoughts were brief.  The six retreated back from them large creature, careful of its movements.

       Fluttershy took in a deep breath and walked out from the group and towards the angry Manticore.  Rainbow almost jumped out to get her when she turned around and motioned for her to stay back.

       "Aw, you poor thing, you want to tell me what's bothering you?" asked the normally timid mare.  She showed more confidence then any of the other five mares have ever seen her have.  The manticore's expression softened amd it held out a paw, a single thorn protruding out of the soft padding.  Fluttershy nodded and gripped the thorn in her mouth before jerking back her head.

       The creature roared and leaped at Fluttershy before the others could react.  However, they stared in disbelief as they saw the large creature nuzzle the yellow mare.  Fluttershy broke the embrace and waved good-bye as the Manticore walked off.

      "Whoa, Fluttershy!  That was totally awesome!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash as she swooped down and picked up the shy Pegasus in her hooves.

     "Oh, um...thank you Dash.  Could you, um, put me down?"  Rainbow nodded and set down the Pegasus who gave a quiet thanks.

      "Alright let's keep going." said Twilight.  The others nodded and they went further into the forest.

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       Twilight and the others stood in front of the crumbling building that was the Everfree Castle.  On their way, they dealt with landslides which AJ happily saved her from and asked her for trust, once she had it, she let go and Twilight was able to fall onto the capable wings of Rainbow Dash.

       Then there was the pitch black darkness and creepy shapes of the trees.  Pinkie Pie taught her and the others to just laugh at it so it would disappear, leaving them to leave without a scratch.

        Next was the agitated sea serphant, making it impossible to cross by causing rapids due to his distress.  Rarity generously removed part of her tail to repair the serphants ruined mustache and pride, allowing the, safe passage across the river.

       Finally was the Shadowbolts.  To fix the bridge, Rainbow fetched the hanging bridge hung it back up and was able to make it cross able.  She was then intercepted by the Shadowbolts, claiming to be world class fliers and wanting her to join.  Out of her pure loyalty, she refused and returned to the group.

      Now they stood in front of the castle that she was hiding in.  Twilight swallowed her fears, anger, and rage.  She collected herself and turned to the other five mares.

     "You guys check down here, I will go upstairs.  If you find her, shout out and we will come.  Don't try to fight her alone."  They nodded  and went their separate ways.  Twilight walked up the winding stairs set in the stone, carefully making her way up so as to not run into a trap.

     At the room on the top of the stairs was what seemed to be a long hall.  Pillars were fallen over and a few holes gave way to the still dark sky.  She looked around the barren room, not wanting to chance it.  She walked further in, her steps careful and slow.  She stopped at the sound of cackling.

      "Twilight Sparkle.  Out of all the names in the world, she chose to change yours to the most obvious."  Nightmare Moon appeared behind a small raised platform in the back of the room.  It wasn't until she inspected it until she realized what sat upon its surface.  The five elements of harmony.  The sixth only being able to appear with a spark of magic.  Twilight had to get to them.

      "Well, my life hasn't exactly been a cake walk.  If things had been different I wouldn't need to be dead." The two mares circled each other.

       "I bet you wish to hurt me, get me to release your mother and aunt.  Tell me, how far will you go?" asked the Nightmare with a smirk.  "I can feel the darkness building within you, Solar.  You can feel it too.  It wants out.  It wants to feel the satisfying feeling of killing amd hurting others.  It wants free."

       "But it won't." said Twilight, gritting her teeth.  "I will not release that into the world.  You want to use it because it is more powerful than you."  Nightmare Moons smirk faded.  "You are scared of it so you want it to yourself, you want to control it.  I'm sorry, I don't give that easily."

        "We will see how much you can handle, Solar."

        "Twilight?  Did you find her?" asked Applejack, her voice carrying from the stairs.  She heard multiple hoof steps come from the stairway.  Twilight's eyes went wide.  Nightmare Moon smirked at her reaction.

       "Oh buck my life." moaned Twilight.

       "Gladly, dear." said Nightmare.  The five made it to the top and gasped as they saw Nightmare Moon before them.  Twilight and Nightmare stood on either side of the room, the girls in between.  Her mind clicked and she sprinted forward towards them as Nightmare's horn glowed.

       Time slowed as Twilight raced, her horn glowing and engulfing the elements of harmony.  Her mind raced faster than she could believe possible.  The elements glowing bright as Twilight sent a charge of magic with out thinking.  She jumped I front of the beam, the elements surrounding her.  There was an explosion, sending everyone in the room sprawling.

     Rainbow groaned and opened her eyes.  She saw that the others alright.  She then noticed Nightmare Moon on the ground on the far side of the room.  Her heart stopped as she saw Twilight.

      The lavender mare was glowing in a rose aura as she layed on a blackened spot on the floor.  The five elements floated towards each of the girls including herself. She gasped as she saw the pendent was her cutie mark.  The necklace attached itself to her neck and she felt a surge of magic surge through her.

       The others were in the same state as her, shocked and not understanding.  They were soon lifted into the air as twilight stood up.  She couldn't figure out why any this was happening or how.  She glanced over at Nightmare Moon who stared at Twilight in horror.

         "H-how?!" she exclaimed.

         "I figured out on the way here that I had the true elements with me.  Applejack with her honesty, Rarity and her generosity, Pinkie Pie and her laughter, Fluttershy and her kindness."  Twilight paused and her smirk grew.  "And finally, Rainbow Dash and her loyalty."  Rainbow's heart fluttered slightly as she watched her.

         "I realized how much they meant to me and how much I would sacrifice for them, and that provided the spark."  A six pointed star crown appeared and settled itself on Twilight's head.  "Nightmare Moon, as bearer of the element of magic and as Celestia's personal student, I here by expel you from Princess Luna Moon!"  Nightmare Moon screamed as her vision was filled with rainbow.  The rainbow them flew out the window and out into the sky, disappearing from sight.

          Twilight smiled as the sun began to rise.  Her smile grew as she turned to her friends.  She had, for once, friends and she was more than happy.