Flawed Harmony

Badlands, Empire Castle

Anon smiled as he watched the five generals tackle Moonlight with a group hug, the five a special bond with the Shadow Prince that almost compared to their bond with Anon. He looked to Luna and they both smiled, seeing their friends and son in the same room again brought back precious memories. An image of a five year old Moonlight sitting on top of Thanos' head caused them both to chuckle as it enter their minds. Of all the generals Thanos was the oldest and Eris was the youngest, being around the same age as Moonlight who was actually 3045 years old, keeping his young stature with his immortality while Eris was 3287. Anon himself was around 5432 years old with Luna being just a hundred years older. When Anon had arrived he was around the age of 14.

As Luna and Anon left the generals and the prince in charge for awhile the went to spend some much needed quality time with each other. The royal couple sat under a tree with pitch black bark and glowing blue leaves in an underground forest made of the same type of trees which were different shades of blue and purple. Anon handed his wife a glass of wine and took a sip of his own as he lay his back against the tree.

"Do you remember the last time we were down here alone dear?" Asked Luna as she looked around at the Blackwood Forest.

Anon smiled and placed a hand on her withers. "How could I forget, it was the night I proposed to you." Luna scooted closer to him and leaned against him.

"It is such a wonderful memory, I can still remember what you said to me when you popped the question," she looked at him expectedly, "Say it again."

Anon chuckled and looked into her eyes. "I believe I said, 'Princess Luna, when I am with you I cannot help but stare into your beautiful sapphire eyes, admire your mane that sparkles like the stars in your magnificent night sky, hold my skin against your silk-like fur and listen to your voice of silver. You are my gemstone, my sapphire, would you give me the honour of taking your hoof in marriage so that I may complete myself and be by your side for all of eternity?' After that I remember you struggling to form words." Luna looked at him dreamily.

"And people dare to question the reason I married you." She planted a passionate kiss on his lips and whispered into his ear. Ah ah ah, you don't get to see anymore, gotta give the couple their privacy. Let's see what Abigail and her friends are up to shall we?

Ponyville

Abigail, SweetieBot, Screwball, Twilight and Rainbow Dash all surrounded Twilights air balloon, getting ready to depart for Cloudsdale to pick up a very special item. "So what is it we're going to Cloudsdale for?" Asked Screwball as she hopped into the balloon.

"We're going to meet Celestia in Cloudsdale so we can pick up my new sword, she was in the cloud city on official business anyway so we're meeting her halfway I suppose." Replied Abigail who jumped into the basket.

Twilight, Rainbow and SweetieBot all jumped in and Abigail cut the rope that was holding the balloon down. Now steadily floating upwards Twilight cast a spell that increased the size of the basket to give everyone some leg room. "So Rainbow, are you planning on visiting the Wonderbolts while you're in Cloudsdale?" Twilight asked as she sat down, Rainbow was leaning on the railing while looking up at the sky.

"Nah, they're out in Manehatten doing a show, I'm just going to visit my parents." Replied the cyan mare, not making eye contact with anyone on board. SweetieBot sat down beside Screwball.

"Screwball, you seem troubled, what is the matter?" The robot asked with concern.

"It's nothing, just still trying to get used to dad being allied with Equestrias greatest threat." The chaotic mare sighed and leaned her back against the side of the basket.

"Are you sure it isn't to do with the fact that you are conflicted with either accepting the Shadow King or going against your father?" The group all looked to the mare with confusion.

"Shut up SweetieBot." Screwball turned and closed her eyes.

"I will take that as a yes and leave it at that." SweetieBot sat in the corner of the basket and began to play a game of solitaire in her mind. Abigail looked to Screwball with a great deal of concern, the poor mare was having an emotionally hard time with the current situation. Deciding it best to leave Screwball alone Abigail looked up at the floating city that they would be staying at for the following days. Everyone in the balloon could never predict the events that would transpire over the following days.

Cloudsdale, Private Meeting Room

Celestia sat with a few other world leaders in a large hidden room in the cloud city, looking to each other they nodded before looking to Celestia who was thinking deeply.

"Your majesty, we still have ten months before we need to make a decision, maybe we should take more time to think about this." One of the leaders suggested with a worried tone.

Celestia looked up with a cold glare, her patience was starting to wear thin. "All that does is give time for Anon to build up his forces. The Solar Empire still controls three fifths of the world, if we were to act now we can prevent larger casualties and put a stop to this."

The leaders all looked at her with concern. "Princess, what on Gaia has gotten into you? You're normally composed and rational in these situations." Celestia shot the stallion a glare, causing him to flinch.

"Rationality doesn't apply with the enemy we are facing. Anon will have a plan for whatever decision I make and find a way to turn it against me, this is about choosing which action will cause the least amount of damage." Celestia snapped as she rubbed her temples. "We need to act, there is no better option. I've gone through every scenario I can think off, most of our stratagistshave converted to the Shadow Empire and the Elements of Harmony are in Anons possession. If anyone has any better ideas please speak." The room was silent, no one else knew what to do. "Then it is settled... The Solar Empire... Declares war on King Anon and his followers."

A few hours later Abigail threw herself down on her bed in her hotel room. "Man, I never thought walking on clouds would take that long to get used to." She turned and looked out the window of the room, staring up at the night sky. "Why do I feel like something is going to happen tomorrow?"

Badlands, Empire Castle

Anon walked out of his bedroom quietly, as to not wake the sleeping mare in his bed. As he walked down the hallway towards the throne room he stopped suddenly and stood still. "Somethings wrong, I can feel it." He continued walking and opened the doors to his throne room where he found his generals and son waiting for him, along with their military captains and other high ranking officers. As he sat down in his throne and ruffled Moonlights mane he looked around the room with a neutral expression. "What's happened?" He asked in monotone.

Eris floated up to him and handed him a scroll with the Solar Empire seal on it. Unfolding the scroll he read the contents carefully before handing the letter back. All eyes were on him as he hung his head, his legs crossed and his hands joined. His fedora blocked anyone from viewing his expression. Just then the sound of quiet laughing could be heard, that soon got louder as Anon got up from his throne and looked up at the ceiling, laughing like a maniac.

"So! This is your decision Solena?! Very well then, have it your way!" Everyone in the room grew evil smiles on their faces as they looked to their King. "From this moment forward, the Solar Empire and the Shadow Empire are at war!" Anon ceased his laughing and turned to his generals. "My friends and family, we are outnumbered and the land we reside in houses more enemy than friend. Fear not as I have a solution for how we can turn this development in our favour."

Solid looked to him confused. "Whatcha gonna do Anon?"

Anon smirked and laid out a map of Equestria with Cloudsdale circled by red ink. "We're gonna turn Equestria against Celestia, by revealing one of her darkest secrets," he pointed to a building in Cloudsdale, "The Rainbow Factory!"

Cloudsdale

Abigail walked out the doors of the hotel with Twilight and Screwball, SweetieBot and Rainbow Dash were nowhere to be found. SweetieBot left a note saying she was going to investigate strange activity in the weather factory but Rainbow left without a trace. The trio stepped into the carriage that would bring them to the upper levels of Cloudsdale to meet Celestia and retrieve Abigail's new sword.

As they landed near the weather factory they spotted Celestia walking up to meet them with a gold case. Exiting the carriage Abigail ran up and hugged Celestia, who wrapped a wing around her. "Good morning Celestia."

"I'm afraid it is not a good morning young Abigail." Abigail backed away from the hug and looked at Celestia confused.

"What do you mean?" She asked as Twilight and Screwball walked to her side.

Celestia sighed. "The Solar Empire... Is at war with the Shadow Empire." The three gasped and looked to each other worriedly.

"No no no no no." Screwball placed a hoof to her forehead.

"But there is still ten months left on the timer, why go to war now?" Asked Twilight.

"After weighing the options and taking future events into account this was the best course of action. King Anon would only grow stronger over time as would his followers, if we strike now then we have a chance to defeat him once and for all." Twilight looked to her teacher in disbelief.

"Princess, you can't be serious." Celestia looked to her student with an apologetic look.

"I am deadly serious Twilight, Anon must be stopped before converts everyone in Equestria into members of his empire. I am sorry Abigail, but this had to be done." Celestia said as she turned to the girl.

"Wait, if I can just confront him I can convince him to stop this, I can bring his old memories back he'll listen to me." Abigail pleaded. "Please, just give me a chance to end this without violence between nations." Just them an explosion shook the city. The group looked to a certain part of the weather factory and saw a huge cloud of smoke rising into the air. Behind it was a huge airship with the flag of the Shadow Empire on it. As Celestia looked to the section of the factory that had been damaged her pupils shrank in horror.

"Oh no..." She looked to the airship and spotted Anon looking down at her. He then turned and jumped into the cloud of smoke and into the building with Sonar and Solid. "This, cannot, happen!"