Of Love and Loss

by tom117z

Rating: teen
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Sad, Nightmare Moon, Romance, Princess Luna, Flurry Heart
Length: 47199

When Twilight becomes caretaker of the sun, everything falls apart. In the end, will she lose everything?

A tragic event forces Twilight to take over raising the sun every day, and lowering it every night.

And nothing has been the same since.

As the years go by, things only seem to fall apart even more, and perhaps only one can give Twilight something to hold on to, to drive her forward into the future.

Can she hold on to Luna? Or will everything left she holds dear, simply slip away?

(Featured 24/05/2016)

Published 2016-02-28 17:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-09-24 20:01:58 UTC

1 - Prologue

-Sometimes when you win, you lose – Robin Williams, What Dreams May Come-

****

Once upon a time in the magical land of Equestria

Celestia’s sun shone brightly above the cheerful town of Ponyville, the castle home of Princess Twilight Sparkle shone wondrously in the sun's bright rays. Everypony went about their days as they usually did, the foals were in school, the adults were at work or wandering around the market area and the council of friendship sat around the cutie map discussing ever so important royal business.

“So? Chimi-cherry, or cherry-changa?” Pinkie Pie asked innocently.

“Oh please not this again!” Rarity groaned, memories of the painful ride back to Appleloosa beginning to surface.

“Come on girls,” Twilight interrupted. “Can we please get back on task?”

“Yes, sorry about that darling.”

“It's fine, now… where were we?”

“Ah believe it was the celebration?” Applejack said helpfully.

“Ah yes! The summer sun celebration is coming up soon, and this year the Crystal Empire has been selected to host it since it will be Flurry Hearts first.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” The timid voice of Fluttershy spoke. “How is she?”

“My niece is fine, Shiny and Cadance are finally getting some sleep back too.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

“I for one am looking forward to the celebration,” Starlight Glimmer, Princess Twilight’s protégé said, “I have never actually attended one before!”

“You’ve never attended a celebration Starlight?” Twilight asked, slightly shocked.

“No… I haven’t. The reasons should be obvious, I wasn’t a good pony back then,” Starlight trailed off, placing down the checklist she had been helping Spike with.

“Come now Starlight, we’ve all forgiven you!”

“I know Twilight, but… the past doesn’t go away overnight.”

“You’re still having nightmares, aren’t you? Of the apocalyptic timeline?” Twilight asked, concerned for her student.

Starlight paused for a moment, before hesitantly nodding in confirmation.

Twilight sighed. “I will ask Luna to visit you soon, she can help with the nightmares.”

“Thank you Twilight.” Starlight said genuinely.

“Right now that is done, what is next on the agenda Spike?”

Spike looked at the checklist, “Well we’re still on the topic of the Summer Sun Celebration. We need to discuss how-“

Spike paused when the map suddenly activated, only it was flickering erratically.

“Um, Twilight? Is it meant to do that?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“No, what’s wrong with it?”

The map continued to flicker uncontrollably as Twilight examined it, its blue colouration shifting into red as the flickering increased and the image of Equestria distorted.

Then the screaming started.

“Girls with me!” Twilight shouted as she bolted from the room, all those within following quickly.

The seven ponies and one dragon ran through the crystal hallways of the castle, going through several twists and turns until they eventually came out the large balcony at the very front of the castle. From the vantage point, they could see a mass shadow descending down onto the town, equine-like shades emerging from it and attacking those trying to flee the shadow. In the centre of it all, a demonic looking blue goat with bells hanging from his neck strode through the town, a sinister smirk on his face.

“Oh yeah!” Rainbow shouted. “Another villain to beat up!”

“Simmer down there sugarcube, Twi what’s the plan here?” Applejack asked apprehensively.

Twilight thought to herself for a few moments, before turning around and facing the others. “Starlight, go back to the map and try to fix whatever dark influence is affecting it. Spike, send a letter to Princess Celestia telling her what’s happening. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Rainbow Dash, protect the town from those shades and get everypony to safety. I will confront the goat thing.”

A round of affirmatives passed through the group, and each ran off to do their respective duties. Twilight herself turned back to face the town, before taking to the air to face the villain attacking the town.

Princess Celestia sat on her throne, her sister at her side as they went through some paperwork concerning the upcoming Summer Sun Celebration together.

“The crystal ponies seemed excited by the announcement sister,” Luna remarked.

Celestia smiled. “Yes, since the celebration was created after Sombra first conquered the Crystal Empire none of them have ever attended. Aside perhaps the few who were able to attend last year, but with the reconstruction of their society as a whole still going on at the time it was few indeed.”

“It is good to see them adapt well to modern society, as I did.”

Celestia gave her little sister a quick, loving nuzzle. “Adapted you have, sister. I am proud of you.”

“And I am proud of you for cutting your cake consumption in half,” Luna teased.

That elicited a pout from the usually regal princess, much to Luna’s continued amusement.

Just then a green flame burned brightly in the throne room, before dying away and leaving a scroll behind.

“A letter from Twilight?” Luna asked curiously.

“It would appear so!” Celestia stated happily, “It’s rare to receive letters from her these days, it has been too long since I received a friendship report.”

Celestia opened the letter, and her smile began to falter as she read on.

So Twilight wanted me to tell you that this evil blue goat thing is attacking Ponyville. Some sort of shadow is eating the town with shadow monsters attacking everypony! Twilight is confronting him now while the others get everypony else to safety!

I probably should go help with that. Hopefully, this will be cleared up in an hour or so.

Spike

“Sister? What is wrong?” Luna became concerned when Celestia’s smile disappeared completely.

“Luna, what do you know of Grogar?” Celestia asked solemnly.

“Grogar? From what I understand he is a goat dark mage that used the fallout of my… departure a thousand years ago to try and claim Equestria.”

“And he nearly succeeded, before Starswirl managed to lock him away in Tartarus, at the cost his life.”

“So that’s how Starswirl died… you never mentioned it before. Even when I asked what happened to him.”

“It was not an event I wanted to relive, and now it would appear he has somehow escaped Tartarus and is attacking Ponyville.”

“We really need a new guard dog… but what does it matter? Twilight and her friends will defeat him as they did all the others.”

“No… they won’t.” The urgency was apparent in Celestia voice. “Sister come with me!”

Celestia jumped from her throne and ran towards the large double doors at the other end of the throne room.

“Tia?” Luna called in confusion.

“Twilight’s life is in grave danger! I fear if we do not intervene we will lose her and the rest of the elements!”

“Is this ‘Grogar’ truly that bad?”

“Worse.”

The shadows continued to spread throughout the town, Grogar walked calmly through unopposed towards the castle, until a blur of lavender flew towards him and landed right in front of the goat.

“Stop!” Twilight commanded to the dark mage.

Grogar did stop, and examined Twilight in detail, “Princess Twilight I presume?”

“Stop your attack on Ponyville or we will have to stop you!”

“Stop me?” Grogar chuckled, “With what? Friendship?”

“The magic of friendship is the strongest magic there is! With it, with my friends you can’t possi-“ Twilight was cut off when a beam of magic erupted from between Grogar’s horns and hit Twilight square in the face, sending her flying back through the street in a heap.

“And I thought it was villains who were meant to monologue,” Grogar remarked, though little humour was in his voice.

Twilight slowly and painfully got to her hooves, and she did not look happy. Glaring at Grogar she charged her horn with a bright and deadly lavender aura and fired a powerful beam of magic in his direction. Grogar charged and fired another beam of his own, the two shots meeting halfway. Twilight slid back slightly as she struggled to push her beam forward and. during the few moments after the impact, she seemed to be making progress until a relaxed Grogar simply smiled and pushed forward with his own magic. Twilight's lavender beam was quickly overpowered as her eyes widened in horror, and it was followed by a small explosion that sent Twilight flying backwards all the way up to the front door of her own castle where she landed unconscious, her horn charred and battered.

Twilight’s friends saw her defeat and quickly rushed away to try and help her, only to be stopped by the shades they were fighting.

As the fighting raged on Grogar walked up to Twilight’s slumped form, and placed a hoof on her neck, ready to end her life... Only for a beam of glorious golden magic to hit him in the back and send him hurtling through the castle’s doors.

“Step away from her you monstrous fiend!” Celestia shouted in rage, causing Grogar to snarl and flee deeper into the castle with Celestia pursuing him.

Luna, who flew down shortly after her sister, ran up to Twilight and checked over her injuries. Her horn glowing blue she quickly roused the young princess.

“Ugh, Luna?” Twilight groggily came around. “What happened?”

“Rise carefully Twilight Sparkle, you took quite the hit.”

“Yeah, that was powerful dark magic... That goat, where is he?”

“On the run from my sister, he will fall soon. In the meantime, why don’t we help your friends against the monster that befoul this humble town.”

Twilight slowly got to her hooves, before nodding. Both alicorns charged deep into the crowd of shades, who never stood a chance.

Starlight continued to examine the map, but as far as she could tell there was nothing wrong with it! It shouldn’t have been acting like it was.

What she didn’t notice was the crystal beginning to turn a sickly black colour, at least not until she touched one of the corrupted parts.

“Ah!” Starlight screamed as she quickly retracted her hoof, it feeling like it had been burned. Immediately she began to feel faint, almost like her very own life force was being drained from her.

“Effective, isn’t it?” a deep voice stated.

Starlight swung around to see a blue goat approaching her from behind.

“Stay back!” she shouted, firing a weakened bolt at Grogar, which didn’t have enough power to even tickle him. She collapsed to the floor moments later, not having the strength to even stand.

“Not going to work I’m afraid. With each passing moment your strength becomes mine, and when you have none left to give, well. You die, simply put. My taint will spread out from the map and consume everything, starting with you.”

“That’s not going to happen, Grogar!” Celestia called out as she barged into the map room.

“Ah my dear princess,” he started, turning to face the Solar Princess. “She is already dead. As long as I live the taint will continue spreading, and all those infected are doomed to die either way.”

“I won’t let any more harm come to my ponies, if I have to kill you then I will!”

“En garde then, Princess Celestia,” Grogar proclaimed as he charged his horn.

Princess Celestia did the same and the two charged each other, firing as they went.

“Twilight, look!” Rainbow Dash shouted in panic, pointing towards the castle, the crystal having been corrupted into a ghastly black, with the corruption continuing to spread onto the ground around it. The grass withered and died as the taint spread and insects fled for their lives.

Twilight was barely able to look before she had to dodge a strike from one of the shades, before using her magic to blast it to pieces. Her friends were spread out throughout the crowd of shades, the villagers having long since fled. Twilight herself fought side by side with Princess Luna, who had conjured up armour not dissimilar to that worn during her tenure as Nightmare Moon.

“Luna, they’re not stopping!” Twilight shouted in panic.

“I know! We have to pray Tia defeats Grogar before we are overwhelmed!” She shouted back as she unleashed a devastating beam into a large group of shades.

“She will, I know it!” Twilight affirmed.

The shadow around the town seemed to thicken as the taint spread, desperation setting into the group as they were pushed back towards the town.

Their hopes were answered however when a fantastic golden pulse erupted from the castle and spread throughout the area, all shades and their shadows were wiped away and the corruption retreated back into the castle, before fading entirely.

Silence fell over the recent battlefield, the seven ponies and one dragon caught in it regrouping as they breathed sighs of relief.

“OK… that was more difficult than I thought it would be,” An exhausted Rainbow Dash remarked.

“Alas,” Luna started, “We are victorious, though I have to admit that perhaps this victory belongs to my sister, where is she by the way?”

“Still in the castle…” Twilight shakily said, pointing a hoof at her home. All eyes followed to where she was pointing and widened on seeing it.

The castle was dead. The crystal may no longer have held the black taint, but it was dulled and lifeless. The once vibrant green grass around it also was now a brown rotted heap.

“Twilight, with me!” Luna shouted, the two taking to the air and flying towards the castle, leaving behind the others, who had a terrible sense of foreboding around them.

Twilight and Luna landed on the balcony, some of it crumbling away as they did so, much to Twilight’s shock and horror. Entering the castle itself they walked briskly through the empty darkened hallways, both their horns lit so they could see where they were going.

“What did that goat do?” Twilight squeaked.

“Grogar, his name is Grogar. And I fear what the answer to your query may be.”

Finally, they came upon the map room, the doors to which had been closed. Opening it slowly the two entered, and found death waiting.

The map had been destroyed, the battered corpse of the dark mage laying on top of its ruins. Twilight could barely restrain a sob however when her eyes focused onto the grim carcass of Starlight Glimmer, which looked like it had been dead weeks instead of minutes. Twilight stared at the body for a few moments as Luna examined the rest of the room, an ill-sounding cough brought their attention to one of the rooms fare edges, where their light eliminated the sickly, but still breathing body of Princess Celestia.

“Tia!” Luna shouted in anguish as she rushed to her sister’s side, Celestia looked up briefly and smiled before falling into unconsciousness. Her eyes were sunken into their sockets, her breathing raspy and infrequent and blackened sickly veins were showing through her skin and fur.

Twilight tore herself away from her friend’s corpse and joined Luna at Celestia’s side, casting a scanning spell over her former mentor. Luna had tears in her eyes as she tried to rouse her sister, mumbling incoherently as she tried.

“I-it’s like all the cells in her body are dying! Luna, we need to get her out of here and to the hospital now!”

Luna looked up at Twilight’s equally traumatised form. “Y-yes, you are right, I will teleport us straight there, would she survive the trip?”

“I believe so, do it!”

Fighting back her tears Luna lit her horn up and, in a flash, all of them were gone.

Ponyville hospital was in a chaos as doctors and nurses ran in and out of the royal wing of the hospital, which had been built for their resident princess, despite Twilight herself saying she didn’t want special treatment from the other patients if she ever needed medical treatment.

Twilight and Luna both sat just outside the room Celestia was being treated in, sitting side by side as they just hoped Celestia would come out of her experience alive. Several guards were stationed at the entrance to the wing and allowed nopony but the doctors and the princesses access. Shouting could be heard in the room as doctors barked orders to one another in their desperate attempt to keep the Princess of the Sun alive.

Twilight’s castle had been blocked off by a battalion of guards, Starlight Glimmer’s body had also been taken from the ruin and interred into the morgue. Twilight still had tears to shed over her student’s demise, but right then and there Celestia had taken up all of her mind.

Finally, the commotion died down, and Twilight and Luna perked up when they saw the doctors and nurses leaving the room... their hearts, however, breaking when they saw the horrified and broken expressions they wore.

Nurse Redheart left last, and approached the two royals. “I’m so sorry, there was nothing we could do.”

Luna’s face turned into one of pained fury. “Nothing… what do you mean there was NOTHING YOU COULD DO?!” She shouted in her Royal Canterlot Voice. “MY SISTER CAN’T DIE! SHE IS FAR STRONGER THAN THAT, HAS ALWAYS BE FAR STRONGER THAN I! SHE-“

“Luna!” Twilight objected, wanting her to stop.

Luna stopped her raging and looked at Twilight, who was verging on a tearful breakdown and it was obvious Luna wasn’t helping. “I’m… I’m sorry Twilight…”

“She wants to see you,” Redheart interrupted.

“What? Then she isn’t…”

“Not yet, but she doesn’t have long. I’m so sorry…” Redheart repeated, before leaving the room.

Twilight and Luna looked at each other, before turning towards and entering the room where Celestia was interred.

Celestia lay on the bed, a heartbeat monitor beeping in the corner. She looked up weakly as the two mares entered her room, and despite everything was able to afford them a small smile. Luna and Twilight took seats on either side of the bed.

“Tia…” Luna started, but couldn’t say anymore as the dam broke and tears began to fall rapidly, sobs filling the room.

Celestia slowly brought up a hoof to her sister’s face and turned it to look at her. “Oh my baby sister, I’m so sorry to leave you like this.”

“You can’t die here Tia, not like this, not now. And especially not so soon after my return…”

“Lulu, I am glad we got these three years, for in these three years we have undone the mistakes of the past and were able to just be sisters again. I too wish we had more time, more than anything, but I am glad of the time we did have. Lulu…”

Celestia turned away from her sister and looked toward Twilight, who was sobbing hysterically, her face buried in Celestia’s neck fur.

“Twilight…” Celestia softly called, causing the mare in question to look up.

“This isn’t fair… why do you have to go?” Twilight managed to say between sobs.

Celestia simply smiled, “Oh Twilight… you have grown into a wonderful mare, and I couldn’t have been more proud of you. You, Luna and Cadance provided me with something I had been missing for a thousand years… family. Don’t be sad for me Twilight, for I truly believe we will meet again someday. Now it will be up to you to safeguard the living, to raise the sun every day and lower it every night.”

“W-what?”

“You will be my successor Twilight, Luna will guide you in taking this responsibility, but I can think of nopony more worthy, I know you will continue to make me proud in the years to come.”

“I… I will d-do my best…”

“I know…”

As Celestia turned and looked up at the ceiling as the darkness closed in, both Twilight and Luna clung onto Celestia and deeply feared ever letting go.

“Twilight… Luna… I love you…” Celestia whispered, just before her eyes closed and the heartbeat monitor flatlined.

Author's Note

I will be updating this weekly alongside Change, though Change will take priority so if I only have time to finish one a certain week it will be Change over this.

I hope you enjoy!

You know... if you want to... :yay:

2 - The Sun Sets

The sun hung low into the sky, ready to set and make way for the new night to come about. In the landscape below in the usually bustling city of Canterlot, things were eerily quiet, and a sense of loss permeated throughout the grief-stricken city. Not a sound could be heard, no children were playing, no adults talked about their days to their loved ones, no animal, not even a mouse made the slightest peep. The uninitiated may have thought the city abandoned. Banners were hung throughout the streets from buildings, lamp posts and other tall structures, all bearing the ever so familiar image of the sun, the cutie mark belonging to their beloved millennia old princess.

Displaying the mark one final time.

The Canterlot Castle gardens were beautifully decorated, more so than usual. Benches and stands were erected but only a few remained seated in them, most having left after the service that had ended just under an hour ago. At the very front of where the crowd had once sat, a large statue of a majestic alicorn with a motherly smile on her face stood proudly looking down at the ponies whom she had guided for much of their known history. The statue itself sat atop a wonderfully decorated tomb, the entrance to which was still open at the front, before which sat an open casket where Princess Celestia peacefully slept in an eternal slumber, waiting to be placed within her final home.

The stands still held some ponies, including the element bearers, who wanted to see it through to the conclusion, along with several foreign leaders who had known Celestia throughout their careers. The leaders of Saddle Arabia, The Griffon Empire, The Zebra Union and several others sat in respectful silence from their assigned seats.

Next to the peacefully resting Celestia the three remaining princesses stood in preparation. Each one was dressed fully in their regalia, even Princess Twilight for the first time. After saying their farewells Princesses Mi Amore Cadenza and Twilight Sparkle stood either side of the casket and gently gripped it in their combined auras. Princess Luna stood at her full height directly behind it as she flared her wings and lit her horn up a brilliant, and mournful blue. As Twilight and Cadance slowly closed the casket and placed it within the tomb, Luna used her magic to lower the sun, as she did so the majestic orb disappeared beneath the horizon and the stars made their presence known once more, each one of them shedding tears for the fallen princess.

The sun had finally set for Princess Celestia.

The gala hall was filled with all the individuals who had attended the service, and despite the sombre affair had had come after there was still laughter and joy throughout the halls as they all conversed and those who had experiences with the solar princess shared their memoires, much of the laughter was only made possible by its element bearer, Pinkie Pie knew Celestia wouldn’t have wanted her ponies to remain sad for long, so she had gone the extra mile to bring joy to their lives that night.

Too bad two in particular were immune to even her efforts.

Twilight and stood off to one side of the hall together, bitterly watching the others attending as they talked and laughed together.

“How can they laugh at a time like this?” Twilight sounded disgusted, “There is nothing to feel happy about.”

“While I cannot share in their joy Twilight, I do understand. Laughter knows that Tia wouldn’t want her ponies mourning for her too long, she is simply following what would been my sisters wish.”

Twilight sighed, “Yeah, I know,” she relented, “But she’s gone, I just… how can I accept that? After everything… It isn’t fair.”

“Life is rarely fair Twilight Sparkle, and we will come to terms… in time. However until that time comes and passes I am always here for you to talk to if need be.”

Twilight looked up at the older alicorn, “But what about you? You try to look regal now, but I can see pain in those ancient eyes. You just lost your sister, nopony expects you to be okay after that.”

Luna didn’t respond.

“Luna, you offered to talk whenever I feel like I need to do so. And I offer you the same, I’m here if you need me,” Twilight smiled genuinely.

“Thank you Twilight, it is kind of you to offer, but…” Luna paused, unsure if she should continue.

“But?” Twilight asked.

After a few moments Luna decided to continue after all, “I sense there is something else bothering you Twilight. Tia is at the forefront of your despair, but there is something else too. Something has rattled you, scared you.”

Twilight cringed and looked away, unable to meet Luna’s gaze.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t have said anything?”

“No, you’re right. There is something bothering me. As you know my castle has… died. And is crumbling into dust quickly and…”

Twilight sighed before she continued.

“Me and my friends were linked to the map, and through it the Tree of Harmony. You already know how that link allowed us to call on the elements power without us having the gems on us, as long as we were all in one place.”

“And now the map is gone you can no longer use that ability, potentially leaving Equestria open to attack,” Luna surmised, “I wouldn’t worry Twilight, Equestria survived a thousand years without them, and can again.”

“I know, that’s not what is bothering me,” Twilight half-whispered.

“Was it not? Then do tell, what has been bothering you?”

“After the castle appeared, I did a lot of research into the map and the link we all shared with the Tree of Harmony. I discovered other than use of the elements when we wanted, there was a secondary ability it gave us… or rather the others. The map without the bearers of the elements, without us would have been nothing more than a shiny table. As such it prolonged the others’ lives… indefinitely.”

Luna’s eyes widened in realisation, “They were immortal?”

Twilight nodded, “Yes, like me they were immortal. But now that the map is gone, so has the link. With the link gone so has their immortality, while mine remains. Luna… I’m going to lose them. All of them.”

Luna sighed regretfully, “Immortality is both a gift and a curse. The curse being that those we love pass by like dust in the solar wind. My advice? Do not dwell on the future, enjoy the time you have with them while you can, and cherish those times forevermore.”

“I will try, but I don’t know if I can. What is the Princess of Friendship without her friends?”

“But alas, you will not be the Princess of Friendship much longer, the title of Princess of the Sun shall soon fall to you.

Twilight gazed off into the distance, “For better or worse.”

…

At the other end of the hall Princess Cadance stood with her husband and the bearers of the elements, Flurry Heart sleeping restfully between her wings. Her gaze remained on her fellow princesses standing on the far corner. Spike sat under the table nearby with the Crusaders, stolen food grabbed from the table with them.

“Do you think they’re going to be OK?” Cadance asked with concern.

Shining Armor looked at his wife, “I don’t know how Princess Luna is feeling, but Twily isn’t taking this well I can tell you. I worry at how she will move forward from this.”

“The egghead will be fine,” Rainbow voiced her opinion, “She’ll be in a rough patch for a while but then she’ll be back to her old self!”

“Will she though?” Cadance asked, “I have every confidence in my sister, but she will be taking on a lot of responsibilities now, responsibilities I fear she may not have been ready for. The… passing of aunt Celestia may also have brought some other things to her attention, she is going to be bearing a great weight on her shoulders in the times to come.”

“Come on sugarcube, she will be fine as long as she has us,” Applejack motioned to all of those present.

“I suppose you’re right…”

‘But what about when you’re gone? Oh Twilight…’ Cadance thought momentarily, before shaking any further dark thoughts away.

“I’m just sad she has to go away…” Fluttershy whispered, “With her castle in Ponyville gone, and her new duties she will be moving to Canterlot.”

Applejack gave her friend a sympathetic look, “Now sugarcube, let’s not think like that. Sure she’ll be slightly further away, but ah know Lyra Heartstrings has several friends here in this fancy city, and she is always visiting them or they’re visiting her. Ah am sure we can all do the same.”

“Oh oh! And when she does visit Ponyville I can throw her the biggest parties ever!” Pinkie jumped happily into the air, confetti coming out of nowhere.

“Yes darling I am sure you can, speaking of you have certainly done a wonderful job at cheering up this lot,” she motioned her hoof across the room, “You truly are a master of your art Pinkie dear.”

“Why thank you, I do take pride in my work!”

“As all artists should darling!” Rarity agreed.

“Honey,” Cadance addressed Shining Armor, “Could you take Flurry Heart a moment, I’m going to go talk to them,” she pointed at Luna and Twilight.

“Of course.”

Shining Armor gently lifted the sleeping Flurry Heart with his magic and moved him from Cadance’s back to his own, where she shifted briefly to get comfortable.

Cadance broke away from the group and made her way over to her fellow princesses, when they spotted her they both adopted a small smile as they moved to greet her.

“Cadance,” Twilight said, “How are you?”

“I’m fine, but I think it should be me asking you two that.”

“We are fine dear niece,” Luna assured, “We have just been talking through things.”

“Oh, I see. Well myself and the others would really like it if you would join us, we’ve barely talked all night, and it seems you two could use the company.”

“Very well Cadance, we will be glad to join you for the remainder of the night.”

“Yes,” Twilight agreed, “But Luna could you go on ahead? I want to talk to Cadance for a moment.”

“As you wish Twilight,” Luna nodded, correctly guessing what the conversation would be about.

As Luna headed off to join the others, Cadance turned to her sister-in-law.

“What is it Twilight? What’s wrong?” Cadance asked kindly.

“How do you know something is wrong? Other than the obvious I mean?”

“I didn’t for sure until you said that,” Cadance chuckled, “And old foalsitting trick.”

Twilight pouted at that, causing Cadance a few more chuckles.

“Now really Twilight, what’s wrong? You know you can talk to me about anything right?”

“Yes I know, it’s just… how do you deal with knowing you will lose Shiny?”

Cadance’s face fell sharply, “What do you mean?” she asked shakily.

Twilight cringed, but continued, “I mean, you’re immortal and he isn’t, how do you deal with that knowledge? I’m going to lose him and my friends, how am I meant to deal with that?”

Cadance stood motionless for a few moments, before catching Twilight in a wing hug, “I’m going to be honest with you Twilight, I simply don’t think about it, and I enjoy the time we have. But I am the Princess of Love, and I have given my heart wholly to him. When he is gone, I fear my heart will go with him…”

“Oh…” Twilight said despondently, leaning into the wing hug.

They stayed like that for several minutes, just in each other’s company as both of the young alicorns pondered the future to come.

Eventually Cadance broke off the embrace, “Come on, let’s go see the others before they wonder what we’re up to.”

Cadance began walking back towards the group, with Twilight following shortly after, trying to put her still present fears behind her.

Up in the rafters of the gala hall a creature with a mismatched array of body parts looked down on the princesses, his usual mischievous cheer missing from his face. He reflected the events that had recently occurred, and the events that had been set in motion.

"And so it begins..." Discord lamented.

Author's Note

Well that was depressing, next chapter will be a little happier. Enjoy that while it lasts.

3 - Discord

The Crystal Empire, three weeks later

Princess Twilight Sparkle gazed out over the glistening rooftops and streets of the Crystal Empire from her vantage point on the palace’s main balcony, there was much activity below as ponies, both crystal and otherwise made the final preparations for the following days Summer Sun Celebration.

It helped ease Twilight soul observing them, their happy faces, the children playing and laughing while causing the adults no end of bother. It all almost made Twilight forget her own inner troubles.

Almost.

The ponies of Equestria had recovered from Celestia’s death remarkably quickly, and it was business as usual. Now that the Summer Sun Celebration was almost upon them the whole country was feeling the annual excitement that came with it, and perhaps even more so with a new ‘princess of the sun’ taking the spotlight for the first time.

New princess of the sun.

In Twilight’s mind there could, and would only ever be one true princess of the sun, and despite the heartache she still felt that fact did provide her with some determination in a way. She would guide and protect Celestia’s sun as long as she breathed, she owed her mentor that much.

“Twilight?” Luna’s voice sounded behind her.

The Lunar alicorn walked up beside her counterpart and too looked down upon the city.

“How are you Twilight Sparkle, well I hope?” Luna asked.

“As well as I can be, how about you?”

“I am better, times may have been difficult as of late but tomorrow will be the beginning of something new, and we can finally move on forward.”

“For better or worse.”

Luna looked down at the smaller alicorn, “You said the same phrase at the funeral, do you not believe yourself capable of fulfilling the duties of the position you find yourself in?”

Twilight sighed, “I don’t know Luna, I just don’t know. I mean the last time I tried to raise the sun I’m pretty sure I drew a scribble in the sky. We’re lucky I didn’t fling us or any of the other planets in our solar system into the depths of space.”

Luna couldn’t help but titter slightly as she remembered that particular display shortly before their encounter with Lord Tirek, “Yes well, I promise you that it will be much easier this time.”

“How can you be sure?”

“You see, my sister and I had bonded with our celestial bodies, the moon in essence is an extension of myself, just as the sun was an extension of my sister. Moving them is like moving a limb. As of late when I have been raising the sun, I could tell it is… lonely. The bond it shared with my sister broke upon Tia’s passing, when you raise the sun tomorrow morning you will form that bond anew.”

Twilight tilted her head as she looked up at Luna, “But… you’ve been raising the sun for the past few weeks, why haven’t you bonded with the sun?”

“I already have bonded with the moon, and I am unable to take another. My experience with the moon makes raising the sun much easier, but I am certain your trained eye has noticed inconsistencies through the days as of late?”

“Well, I didn’t want to say anything but…” Twilight said sheepishly, looking back out over the city.

Luna chuckled, “While I can raise the sun, it is both exhausting in comparison to my raising the moon, and it is flawed. These are issues you will not experience.”

Twilight smiled, “I suppose that makes sense, perhaps I should make the mechanics of raising the sun and moon my next area of study? It would certainly make an interesting book,” Twilight looked back at her fellow princess, “Hey Luna, I just wanted to say-“

“Aunty?” Both alicorns turned around to see a slightly flustered Princess Cadance standing by the doorway, “Oh, hey Twilight. Sorry Aunt Luna but we’ve run into a few issues I need your help with.”

“Anything I can do?” Twilight asked.

“Not right now, but I may need your organisational skills in a little while, I’ll give you a call when I need you.”

Twilight nodded as Luna stepped towards the pink alicorn, “We will speak later Twilight.”

And with that Twilight was left alone on the balcony once more.

Twilight stood and stared at the empty doorway few a full minute before simply sighing, and turning around to look back over the city.

“Now why the long face, princess?” a familiar, and very annoying voice said behind her.

Twilight instantly spun around on the spot to find one of her ‘friends’ standing in front of the doorway.

“Discord? What are you doing here?”

“Do I need an excuse to visit such a dear friend? I’m reformed remember?” Discord made the most innocent face he could pull off, that is to say his face became that of Fluttershy.

“Yes I know that! And… could you stop doing that it’s a bit creepy.”

“Oh fine,” his face turned back to normal, “So I hear you are taking control of the sun tomorrow? I’m sure you will do just fine, it’s not like it is that hard.”

Discord demonstrated his point by making the celestial body do a figure of eight in the sky.

“Hey! Stop that! No touching the sun!” Twilight flared her wings in a vain attempt to act threatening.

Discord simply rolled his eyes, “Oh be that way then, spoilsport. Honestly, you haven’t even bonded with it yet and you’ve already made a claim. Very well, I will leave your sun alone.”

“It’s not my sun, it’s Celestia’s!” Twilight protested.

Out of nowhere Discord’s face took on a much more serious expression, “As difficult as it is to accept, Celestia is gone. I just hope you take the responsibility you have taken on seriously, Twilight. The future of Equestria may depend on it.”

Twilight was taken aback by Discord’s tone, “What? What are you talking about?”

Discord looked off over at the distant snow-capped mountains of the north, with a sigh he spoke again, “A war is coming Twilight, or has possibly already started. This is not a war fought with armies or generals or even princesses, but a war that is far more insular, and far more deadly. I truly hope you are ready for what is to come Twilight, for all our sakes.”

“Discord, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“No, I didn’t think you would. She didn’t either, once upon a time, not until it was too late. Luna’s story had a happy ending, but will yours? The future is uncertain, even to me. However, before I leave what I can offer is my advice.”

Twilight looked up at the lord of chaos in shock, “Leave? Why are you leaving? Where are you going?”

Discord looked down at the young alicorn, “I am leaving because I must, I will be of no help to you in the coming times and there are things I must do. As for where I am going, well…” Discord gave Princess Twilight a sly smile, “Spoilers.”

Twilight could only look at Discord in confusion, “So… what was that advice you wanted to give me?”

Discord was silent for several moments as he contemplated something, “Princess Twilight Sparkle. The road into the future is going to be long and difficult, and I don’t think you will be able to rely on your friends to get through it,” Discord gave Twilight a sad smile, before his expression shifted into a knowing look, “Which is why I would suggest you keep Luna close, she will be crucial in what is to come.”

“Luna? Why would I need to keep her, and her specifically, ‘close’? She’s my friend but... what sets her apart from the others?”

“What indeed,” Discord chuckled, “I could tell you Twilight, I could tell you what you yourself are already beginning to suspect deep down, but that would spoil the fun for us all!”

“You are making less sense than usual, Discord!”

“You will find the answers yourself in time, of this I am certain. But I have delayed for far too long, it is time I left, I'm late!" Discord procured an over-sized golden pocket watch that he examined briefly before focusing back on Twilight, his features much more mellow, "Please Twilight, say farewell to Fluttershy for me, I am terrible at goodbyes, I’m only speaking to you now because I need too, and even this hurts.”

“I-it does?”

“Yep, damn you and your lessons on friendship, how you have twisted and warped me!” Discord did his best Rarity impression, fainting couch and everything.

Twilight couldn’t help but laugh a little, before taking a much more somber tone, “I promise Discord, I hope we meet again someday.”

“Oh we will Sparkle, see you around.”

With that Discord gave a click of his fingers, and in a flash of bright white light he vanished off into parts unknown, for now.

Twilight herself was left wondering what the hell just happened, and what exactly Discord had meant.

4 - A Talk

The Morning of the Summer Sun Celebration

It was early in the morning of the Summer Sun Celebration, and the moon hung low in the sky, ready for Luna to bid it goodbye for another day.

Princess Luna sat behind a giant velvet curtain that had been erected to cover up the very base of the Crystal Palace, where the Crystal Heart sat on its pedestal. Just beyond the curtain a giant platform had been erected where Luna and Twilight would perform their duties and begin the celebration.

Since the event was taking place in the Crystal Empire this year something would transpire that had never been seen during the Summer Sun Celebration before. Something that almost everypony in the crowd, minus the Crystal Ponies had never experience.

They were going to activate the crystal heart.

Cadance stood near the heart, having assured Luna that the goodwill of the ponies attending the celebration plus a push from her own love magic would be more than enough to power the ancient artifact.

“Your highness,” Princess Flurry Heart’s crystaller, Sunburst, addressed the moon princess.

“Sunburst, is everything ready?”

“Yes, I do believe so. The heart is primed and the crowd has gathered. All we need now is Princess Twilight and we are set to go.”

“I will collect her, get do final checks and get everypony into their positions.”

“Yes at once, your highness.”

Sunburst turned to do as he was asked, but a hoof on his shoulder stopped him.

“Sunburst… how are you?” Luna asked.

“Um, I’m sorry?” Sunburst said in confusion.

“We haven’t spoken since the crystalling, and I know you were close to Starlight Glimmer.”

Sunbursts face fell and he shuffled around uncomfortably, “I… yes. We were close. It’s cruel, we grew apart for so long and then so soon after getting her back… she’s gone. There was so much we could have done, so much I wanted to tell her…”

Sunburst sighed sadly, before looking up at the alicorn, “But it would be selfish to think only of myself at this time, so Princess Luna… how are you? I may have lost a friend, but you lost your sister that day. I can’t even imagine what you must be going through.”

“No Sunburst, you can’t. You have my condolences for your loss, now if you will excuse me,” Luna gave Sunburst a respectful nod. She then departed into the palace, looking for Twilight.

“She didn’t answer my question,” Sunburst noted to himself.

Luna walked through the hallways of the palace at a brisk pace. She first checked the central balcony, but found that Twilight had since moved from the position. When she didn’t find the young princess in her room Luna could only think of one other place Twilight may have meandered off to.

Sure enough Luna found Twilight sitting in the royal library, face deep in some ancient tome. Luna walked up behind Twilight, her hoof not exactly silent as they moved across the hard crystal flooring.

And yet despite this Twilight didn’t even twitch and ear, or give any other sign that she had registered Luna’s approach.

“Twilight?” Luna place a hoof on her shoulder to gain her attention.

“GAH!” Twilight screamed as her wing propelled her high into the air, before losing control and slamming into the cold and uncomfortable crystal floor.

Luna couldn’t help but titter behind a hoof, “Enjoying some light reading are we, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight picked herself off the floor and glared at her lunar counterpart, “Never… EVER… do that again!”

“My apologies, it was not my intention to cause you such a fright. I only wanted to collect you for the celebration.”

“Oh…” Twilight’s ears fell, “It’s time, is it?”

“It is Twilight, come. We must not keep the sun waiting long.”

“Luna, hold on a moment,” Twilight held up a hoof as the older alicorn began to trot towards the door.

“Pray do tell Twilight Sparkle, is something the matter?” Luna asked with concern.

“I… was visited by Discord earlier,” Twilight confided.

Luna could only groan and roll her eyes, “Yes, and what did the trickster want? He didn’t harm you did he?”

“No, he didn’t. Believe it or not but he has truly reformed.”

Luna was sceptical, “I trust your judgment Twilight, but forgive me for wanting to stay as far away from that particular draconequus.”

Twilight chuckled, “He does have that effect on ponies. Wait… have you met other draconequus’?”

“A few, a long time ago. However the species mostly keep to themselves, and normally aren’t as powerful or… ‘disturbed’ as Discord. He is a rather big aberration of the species. But enough of that, what did he want?”

“Oh right, well that’s the thing. He left.”

Luna raised an eyebrow, sitting next to Twilight to hear the whole story, “Left?”

“Yes… And he alluded to some worrying things.”

“Like what?”

“Well he referenced some kind of ‘insular war’ and that I should keep you close, I think he was insinuating that I can only trust you or something. I also got the impression he had some kind of job he had to do, but he wouldn’t go into any details,” Twilight explained.

Luna entered deep thought for a moment, tapping her hoof on her chin. In truth, she was just as perplexed as Twilight was.

“You should always take what Discord says with a grain of salt, but if what he says is true then it is truly worrying indeed. As for only trusting me, I don’t understand why he would insinuate that. There is Cadance, your brother and friends… you have plenty of individuals who you can trust.”

“I know, maybe I’m just interpreting him wrong. Actually I’m almost certainly doing that, he’s always been cryptic.”

“It is a trait he and Tia always shared,” Luna noted, “Though Tia to a lesser degree.”

Twilight looked away sadly, “I bet Celestia could figure out what he is up to…”

Luna smiled sympathetically, and also a little sadly at Twilight. The princess lifted one of her giant blue wings and gently pulled Twilight into a compassionate embrace.

Twilight couldn’t help but blush at such close contact, wrapped underneath the large wing like a warm blanket right by a perfect fireplace on a cold hearthswarming eve.

“Tia would be proud of you, Twilight. She would be proud of both of us, just as she always has been.”

Twilight didn’t answer, instead she pulled herself closer into the embrace, and Luna didn’t seem to protest. They were both completely at ease for the first time in weeks.

Eventually however, they had to part.

“Now Twilight, we cannot leave the sun below the horizon any longer. We do not want our subject to think night-time eternal has come again,” She joked.

Twilight simply nodded and followed Luna out of the library and down towards the where the celebration was to take place.

Her thoughts however were not on the celebration, or even the tragic events of three weeks earlier. All she could think about were those precious few moments she had spent with Luna, and how happy she had been.

Far away from Equestria, deep in a large array of ancient underground ruins Discord found himself approaching a large chamber, the doors to which had long since rusted off their hinges.

As Discord made his way into the chamber, he spied the very thing he was looking for. At the centre was a large obelisk overflowing with red, green and black energies.

All the tell-tale signs of dark magic.

The obelisk had countless runes etched into its surface, and a foreboding humming sound emanated from the old magical artifact.

“Discord…” A mysterious voice whispered, coming from the obelisk and floating around the air in a ghostly manner.

“There you are,” Discord smiled.

Author's Note

After seeing the season 6 premiere I just had to give Sunburst a cameo :twilightsmile:

Too bad about Starlight though... :fluttercry:

5 - The Sun Rises

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza stood in position next to the crystal heart. Everything was set and the celebration was ready to go.

Or at least it would be, if the main attractions ever bothered to show up.

“Where are they?” Cadance said to herself, worried.

“Honey, you worry too much,” Shining Armor said as he approached, Flurry Heart sitting happily on his back.”

“Shiny, they should have been here minutes ago! Our ponies might begin to worry if the sun doesn’t rise soon.”

Shining gave a chuckle at his flustered wife’s expense, “They are fine, you are the only one who is panicking about this. What was the breathing technique you taught Twilight? Perhaps you should do that?”

“Oh hush you,” Cadance stuck her tongue out in a very childish manner, earning her another chuckle from her husband.

Cadance however, was not amused, “Am I wrong for wanting everything to go right? For something to go right ever since aunty Celestia-“ Cadance stopped as she choked down a sob.

“Oh Cadance…” Shining muttered, giving his wife a much needed hug.

Flurry Heart took the opportunity to hover climb into Shining’s head and jump onto her mother’s back, burrowing herself between her wings.

“Momma…” She muttered as she drifted to sleep.

Cadance smiled at her daughter, leaning her head back to give Flurry a loving nuzzle.

“Are you going to be OK?” Shining gently asked, wiping away a stray tear on his wife’s face.

“Yeah, it’s just still hard to believe. But I think I’m ready to start moving on.”

“Speaking of moving on, look who’s finally turned up,” Shining Armor pointed towards the two alicorns exiting the Crystal Palace.

“My apologies for the delay dearest niece,” Luna addressed the younger pink alicorn, “However, both myself and Twilight are ready to begin if you are.

Cadance nodded, “We’re all set here, just take your places on the stage and do your thing.”

“You make it sound so simple,” Twilight muttered.

“Hey LSBFF, you will do fine. I know you will,” Shining gave his little sister a light bump on the shoulder.

“Thanks BBBFF,” Twilight said before sighing, “Let’s just get this over with…”

“Come then Twilight, let us ready ourselves.”

Twilight gave the lunar alicorn a nod, before the latter turned and trotted towards the left of the stage. Twilight herself quickly depart for the right side, the alicorns entering on opposite ends.

“Here I am nearly breaking into sobs, and those two go about business as usual,” Cadance sighed.

“Believe me, they’re hurting. But Twily’s strong, as I can only guess is Luna. They will be fine,” Shining responded confidently.

Night continued to reign over Equestria as both citizens of the Crystal Empire and visitors alike chattered excitedly before a large, ornate stage that had been set up in front of the Crystal palace.

“Ohohoh! Do you think Twilight is going to do a TwiBoom like she did in her first celebration as princess?” Pinkie Pie babbled excitedly.

“Erm, ah don’t think Twi is gonna be able to do that sugarcube. She is a bit busy, you know, raisin’ the sun,” Applejack pointed out.

“Awww, I was hoping for a light show!”

Rarity looked at her excitable pink friend, “Well I must agree with Applejack’s assessment darling, you shouldn’t worry. I have heard they are going to be activating the Crystal Heart as the sun is raised high into the sky!”

“Ohhhhh, so will we get the super shiny coats?” Pinkie asked.

“Oh I do hope so darling, those crystal coats were absolutely fabulous! I simply cannot wait to experience such a wondrous event again.”

Rainbow Dash snorted, “Honestly, only you would get worked up about something like a shiny coat.”

Rarity huffed, “Rainbow Dash, even your downright barbaric sense in fashion must recognise the appeal of such a thing.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged, “Meh, they were OK. However, they could have been twenty per-“

“Don’t,” Applejack warned, “Sugarcube don’t even go there.”

“What? You didn’t even know what I was going to say!” Rainbow objected.

“Yeah, ah did. And ah said don’t.”

Rainbow crossed her hooves in a grump, “Fine, spoilsport.”

Fluttershy scuffed the ground nervously, “Well Rarity, I liked the crystal coats, they looked so lovely. But I, um… understand that not everypony would like them…”

“Hey, I never said I didn’t like them! It’s just not really my thing.”

“Oh, well… I guess that makes sense.”

“Yup, when is this shindig meant to start anyway? Shouldn’t the sun have raised by now.”

Applejack chuckled, “Knowin’ Twilight she is just making sure everythin’ is perfect.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes, “Probably. That mares and her checklists.”

“Wait! I think it’s starting!” Pinkie shouted as fanfare echoed across the crowd, bringing them all into a complete silence as the princesses finally made themselves known.

Both were dressed fully in their regalia, and both head soft smiles on their faces. However, anypony who knew Twilight well could easily spot the slight twitch in her ear, indicating her nervousness, that she was unsure of herself.

As the fanfare died down, Princess Luna gave her counterpart a nod of encouragement. A moment later she spread her wings wide and took to the air, raising her forehooves hi above her head.

The moon was engulfed in an unusually bright blue aura as it slipped from the sky.

As the moon disappeard, Twilight readied herself.

‘Come on Twilight, you’ve done this before! Though I did do it like a foal using a crayon for the first time. Oh sweet Celestia, I can’t do this! I can’t-‘

Twilight monologue was cut off as Luna finished in her duties, and the moon vanished completely.

‘It's now or never…’ Twilight mentally sighed.

Kicking off with her hooves, Twilight spread her wings like she had seen Celestia do so many times before, and reached out with her magic.

At first she couldn’t feel anything, and dread quickly filled her being.

Then she felt it.

She felt the sun, and it was calling to her, welcoming her with open arms. As her magic made contact it was nothing like when she raised the sun before. It was like she became the celestial body, and the celestial body became her. In that moment they were one and the same, and as she bonded with the bright, warm orb it was then that she truly became the Princess of the Sun.

The crowd could only gasp as they witnessed the young alicorn hovered in the sky, wings spread out and horn alight with a bright lavender aura.

And as the sun rose waves of light like the ponies had never seen were given off in pulses, passing through the crowd and whipping around the entire planet, contacting each and every being on its surface. Luna lightly smiled, having seen this event only once before, so very long ago.

And as the sun came to a stop high in the sky the waves finally faded away.

As the two alicorns lowered into the platform, Twilight stood up tall. Everypony was in awe, she had a warmth, a presence that was so reminiscent, and yet so very different from another pony they used to know. Her new and majestic ethereal mane flowed in the winds, like a wondrous twilight witnessed in the dawn and dusk.

A pulse erupted from the palace itself, reaching out to the love in the hearts of everypony as their coats took on an almost crystal-like quality.

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, and the princesses of the sun and moon looked over their subjects lovingly, with smiles on their faces.

7 - The Voice

“-and then you have that appointment with Mayor Mare at seven. That should be the last thing today before Luna begins her duties in your stead,” Raven, Twilight’s assistant who once served Celestia, finished listing Twilight’s appointments for the day.

“Mayor Mare? It has been an awful long time since I have seen her, I do hope she I well.”

“I’m sure she is, your highness.”

The two were in a hallway leading towards the main throne room, to their left a large open window provided a breath-taking view down onto the city and the landscape beyond the mountain it sat on. Green pastures dominated the land of Equestria for as far as the eye could see. Twilight’s eye briefly landed on the silhouette of her old castle in the morning sun, far off in the distance. The old building was initially going to be knocked down, however Mayor Mare had insisted on refurbishing the castle and turning it into a museum based around the elements and their bearers, as well as a memorial to those who we no longer with them.

When the old mayor had brought the idea before Twilight in day court she received much support, and Twilight had little choice but to accept the proposal.

Of course, she would never have said no.

“Now, come Raven. I do believe day court is due to start soon?” Twilight said to her assistant.

“Yes, and I do believe the petitioners are many this morning.”

The sound of beating wings caused Twilight’s ear to twitch.

“But as your number one assistant, I have prepared far in advance,” Raven assured.

“Thank you Raven,” Twilight smiled, “But I would be careful if I were you, a certain dragon behind me might get jealous.”

“Aww, how did you know I was here?” Spike said, clinging to the open window.”

Twilight pointed at his wings, “Those are hard to miss,” She teased.

Spike had vastly grown, no longer was he the small dragonling that followed Twilight everywhere she went. Now preferring a quadruped stance due to his elongated body, and was easily as tall as Twilight when he stood on all four of his legs. And yet despite his growth there was no denying Spike still had a lot of growing ahead of him.

“Well, dragons aren’t known for their stealth,” Spike pointed out.

“Your majesty, Princess Twilight?” A voice called from down the hall.

Twilight’s smile faltered slightly, an unnoticeably small amount, but it did happen.

“Prince Blueblood. Good morning to you.”

“And to you, your highness,” He approached Twilight, completely ignoring Spike and Raven.

“I’ll go and make sure day court is ready to go,” Raven took her leave, walking down the hallway after giving Twilight a bow.

“Hmm, credit where it is due, your assistant is nearly forty and she isn’t showing any signs of slowing down,” Blueblood issued a rare compliment.

“You’re older than she is,” Twilight pointed out, “Though I don’t suppose I should be worried about you dropping to the floor out of exhaustion now, do I?”

“No, your majesty. But enough idle… what is it the commoners call it?”

“Small talk?” Princess Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“That is the one. I need some of your time.”

“Blueblood,” Twilight sighed, “We have been over this, and if you want to make a request of me at this hour it is to be in day court, where I should currently be.”

“B-but couldn’t you make time for a fellow royal? Ponies like us must stick together after all.”

“Ponies like us?” Twilight said, bemused.

“Yes. Those of royal stature struggling against the tide of the lower rabble. You couldn’t possibly ask me to wait in line like a commoner!” Blueblood maintained.

“The other nobility do, so you can.”

“The other nobility are not royalty, I am above even them.”

Twilight mentally facehoofed, but kept her mask from showing it, “I’m sorry Blueblood, but that is something I cannot allow. It is not my place to choose favourites, and fair is fair.”

Blueblood huffed, “Aunty Celestia would always make time.”

Spike growled at Blueblood as he came particularly close to a nerve in the lavender alicorn. Her regal stature didn’t falter for a moment, but she narrowed her eyes at the alabaster unicorn.

“Princess Celestia may have, perhaps because you could play the ‘cherished nephew’ card. But your title of ‘prince’ is hollow, allowed to you because you are descended from Queen Platinum. So do not try my patience Blueblood, because the reality is, your title means nothing. And you are not above your fellow nobles in any way,” Twilight scolded the unicorn. “Even then, are you not flesh and blood? You are made up of the same materials as every other pony in Equestria, and are no different. You will not get favouritism from me, you will be treated fairly, and equally.”

Blueblood had a look of outrage etched into his face, “Very well then, Miss Sparkle. I suppose I can’t really blame you for not being Celestia’s equal when it came to ruling Equestria, you are just her replacement after all. It is a shame really, that aunty didn’t teach how to properly respect ponies such as me.”

The nerve was cut.

“RESPECT?!” Twilight’s royal Canterlot voice boomed around the castle, sending Blueblood scurrying backwards as thunder crashed down onto the roof.

“DO NOT HAVE THE GALL TO LECTURE ME ON RESPECT, BLUEBLOOD, FOR YOU HAVE NONE AND THUS DESERVE NONE! YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO EQUESTRIA’S ROYALTY AND A STAIN ON QUEEN PLATINUM'S GOOD NAME, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!”

Blueblood vacated the area faster than Pinkie Pie when somepony said the p-word, terrified at the alicorn’s outburst.

Slowly the quiet of the day's morning returned, Twilight calming enough to realise what she just did.

“Twilight?” Spike called gently out of concern.

“I’m fine, Spike,” She replied, “I just… I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Twilight, he had it coming for a long time. Remember how he treated Rarity at the Gala all those years ago?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m a Princess of Equestria. I should be able to control myself.”

Twilight slowly lifted a hoof, revealing a burn mark on the floor where the power of the sun had run rampant in the rage of its master.

Twilight lit up her horn a bright lavender, and the burn mark quickly evaporated, as if it was never there.

Discord hummed to himself as he entered the ancient chamber, which sprang to life with his very presence.

“Hello? Discord to… wherever you are. Can you hear me?”

“Discord,” A voice flowed through the air around the chamber, originating from the dark artefact within.

“Ah, there you are. It’s good to hear your voice again.”

“Why do you seek me out this day? You know I prefer not to use this… device. Its dark magic is… uncomfortable.”

“Yes, well I am sorry about that, but you really should blame the maniacal pony who designed the thing. Once upon a time I may have enjoyed the company of such a chaotic individual, now though I realise how little fun somepony like that would be. I would be more inclined to hit him in the flank with a 1910's Spalding Fred Clarke Baseball Bat.”

To demonstrate his point, Discord spawned an antique baseball bat and wacked a ball, which bounced an unnatural amount of times from one wall to the next.

“A… what?”

“Oh, you wouldn’t know the sport. This gem is from dear Sunset’s private collection I believe.”

“Sunset? If it belongs to her, Discord, then I request you return it,” The voice demanded.

“Oh, fine,” With a click of his talons the bat and ball vanished in a flash, “Even now, you’re no fun.”

“Discord, why have you come here?”

“Just to warn you that ol’ love butt junior is on her way here with an expedition.”

“I know, I am counting on it.”

Discord raised an eyebrow, “You are? Oh please, do tell.”

A sigh passed through the air, “My position allows me… insight into what could be.”

“And I can do that on a rainy day, your point?”

“I have seen tragedy,” The voice responded.

“Excuse me? No such events are due to happen.”

“I see many paths, you only see one potential path. You always were unreliable,” The voice teased.

Discord pouted, but pressed on, “What did you see?”

“I saw the Crystal Empire. Something is likely to happen soon. It is unclear as to what, and it may not even come to pass. But I must warn Flurry Heart nevertheless.”

“I hope you are wrong. Twilight Sparkle is in a bad place,” Discord clicked, and an image of Twilight’s outburst to Prince Blueblood appeared before him, “She is coping, but the loss of her mentor and mother figure affects her even now. She will heal in time, but that time has not yet come. If tragedy would strike again, so soon after all of that business. I fear it would set her on a dark path.”

“I know,” The voice said, regretfully, “And I fear for her. I have seen many paths, many futures. And far too many feature a bad end to her story…”

“I trust her,” Discord said honestly, “And if anypony can make it through this, it is her.”

Flurry Heart looked off into the distance, before her was a vast expanse of trees as far as she could see.

“Are we close?” She called back to one of her companions.

“Yes, princess. The ruins should be somewhere in that forest!” The expedition’s leader, a professor of Celestia’s School, replied.

Flurry Heart was giddy with anticipation, “Yes! I feel like Daring Do and I love it!”

The professor chuckled, “Well, wait until we are inside.”

“I can hardly wait.”

8 - Flurry Heart

Ancient Ruins, Far From Equestria

Princess Flurry Heart carefully moved her way through the giant ancient, battered stone doors at the far end of the cave. Even in this cavern the vines and foliage of the jungle above seemed to invade every available space it could find. It was so thick that two of Flurry’s companions laboriously hacked away with machetes, attempting to beat back the centuries old flora.

The rest of her entourage brought up the rear, carefully bringing their equipment into the structure, trying to prevent any damage to either.

Flurry gave an impressed whistle as she entered the ruin’s entrance hall. The room was large with several staircases leading in several directions. Still standing pillars, undoubtable reinforced via magic, held up a roof that should have caved a very long time ago. Strange carvings decorated the walls, some being text written in some long dead language, and others showing various scenes since lost to history. Long dead torches still hung to the walls, and several ponies were already at work replacing them with new ones to light up the darkness.

“Look at this place,” Flurry Heart exclaimed, “How old do you think it is?”

The professor finished examining some runes carved into the wall, “Looking at some of these carving, all the way back before the founding of Equestria. Likely during the time of Faust herself.”

The unicorns in the group all looked rather uncomfortable, “You highness, do you feel that?”

“Yes,” Flurry Heart confirmed, “Dark magic. This place is full of it.”

“Where is it coming from?”

“I don’t know,” The princess responded, “But I intend to find out.”

Flurry turned to the expedition team, “I want you all to set up a base camp. While you are doing that, I will track down our dark magic problem.”

“Your highness!” The professor protested, “You can’t possibly go off on your own in this place!”

“Just watch me,” Flurry Heart smirked, “I promise to be careful, just have everything ready for when I return.”

The professor wanted to protest further, but a stern glare from the princess stopped the words from ever forming.

Flurry Heart lit up her horn a magnificent golden, attuning it with a spell to locate the dark magical source. A small spec of light danced off of her horn’s leylines, and shot off up a set of stairs and down the dark passageway beyond.

Excitedly, Flurry Heart briskly followed the light, making sure to grab a saddle bag filled with torches and supplies as she went.

She continued down the hallway for a little while, lighting torches on the wall as she went. It was noted that the passageway was perfectly straight, with no deviations or rooms lining the walls. However, the carvings on the wall seemed to increase in frequency, and in content. Eventually her spell led her to the end of the long hallway, and to a deep, dark set of stairs leading to the bowels of the planet. The young alicorn princess hesitated for a moment, looking down into the dark depths that gave her nothing but the feeling of dread. However, she forced herself onwards, descending down the staircase into whatever would be found below.

It was then she found something peculiar.

Traps.

That usually would be a causes for concern in a ruin such as the place Flurry Heart found herself in. Except these traps had already been dealt with, and disarmed.

Recently.

Her spell would stop to wait for her every time she stopped to examine one such trap, each one showing signs of very recent tampering. Or at least, recent given how old the ruin itself was.

Somepony had been down there, Flurry realised. That fact did little to put her unease to rest.

And as she continued on, the presence of dark magic only increased. This was most apparent, at the very bottom of the staircase, where yet another hallway extended forward.

However, now she could see the end. And there existed a doorway, which looked like it would be high security and heavily reinforced in its prime, but now was rusted off its hinges and hanging down. As decayed as the surrounding structure.

As Flurry Heart made her way forwards, she stepped over the rubble in the doorway and found herself entering a large chamber, in the centre of which sat a large dark obelisk overflowing with red, green and black energies. Dark magic, and lots of it.

“Found you,” Flurry Heart stated.

The roof was held up by four curved, spiked pillars holding of the roof of the circular chamber. The obelisk itself floated ever so slightly off of its pedestal in the centre of the room, humming menacingly.

Flurry Heart cautiously approached the artefact, scanning for any spells that would seek to actively harm her.

She found none.

The alicorn got up right next to the obelisk, and stretched out her wings to bring her up into the air slightly, on level with the artefact. She placed a hoof on it, and found it to be deathly cold, with slight vibrations running through it. The glowing runes caught her eye, and yet without a means to translate the language Flurry heart could do little more than speculate.

“Why isn’t aunt Twilight here when you need her?” Flurry chuckled to herself.

“I would be careful if I were you,” A distorted voice said.

With a shriek of surprise, Flurry dropped to the floor and spun on the spot. Behind her, near the entrance of the chamber stood a shadow.

The shadow had the basic features of an alicorn, and stood a fair bit taller than Flurry Heart. Aside from that however, the shadow alicorn lacked any other distinguishing features.

“The obelisk is fragile,” The shadow spoke, “And once broken, it cannot be remade.”

“Who are you?” Flurry Heart demanded, on guard.

The figure sighed, “You wouldn’t remember me, Flurry Heart. It was so very long ago.”

“How do you know my name?”

“I know many things about you,” It responded, “But that is not what we have to discuss here today.”

“What are you talking about?” Flurry asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I was told of your imminent arrival, and I am glad Discord was correct. You being here is most fortuitous.”

“Discord? I know that name…” Flurry remembered the tales her family had told her about their younger years, during the final days of Celestia’s reign.

“Indeed,” The shadow said, “But before I impart my knowledge onto you, Flurry. I must have a promise from you.”

Flurry Heart tilted her head, “It depends of the promise.”

“It is simple, you tell nopony of this place. And I mean nopony. And once you leave, you’re to forbid your expedition team from entering this place. The rest of the ruin is fair game.”

“Why?”

“I already told you the answer,” It responded, “The obelisk is fragile. And we still have use for it.”

“We? Does that include Discord?”

“Yes,” It simply answered, “Things are at play, Flurry Heart. And care and precision must be taken to avoid potential catastrophe.”

Flurry Heart studied the figure, debating with herself within her own mind.

In the end however, she said, “Very well. I promise. Cross my heart hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye!”

The figure chuckled, “Now, that is a promise I can believe. Very well then.”

“Now, what is it you have to tell me?”

“A warning,” The figure stated urgently, “Your family is in danger.”

“What?” Flurry Heart shouted, “Danger? What do you mean?”

“I have seen things. The Crystal Empire, Sombra left something behind. One final revenge in the case of his death. And it has been discovered.”

With the warning given, the thing began to evaporate back into the shadows it emerged from. Flurry Heart darted forward in a panicked attempt to stop it.

“Stop! There has to be more than that!”

“Go, Flurry,” A voice echoed throughout the room, “Go while there is still time.”

Flurry Heart bolted.

In a speed that would make Rainbow Dash proud, Flurry flew up the stairs and through the hallways, all the way back to the central chamber.

“Your highness!” The professor greeted, “Base camp has been prepared and-“

“No time!” Flurry shouted, “I’m leaving immediately, and you are all hereby forbidden from entering that hallway, understand!” Flurry pointed to the hallway she had just emerged from.

“Y-yes, you majesty. But why?”

“No time!” She repeated, “I have to get home, now!”

She was about to take off again, when she remembered something, “Professor, pass me my dragon fire candle, quick!”

“R-right,” The professor went over to a table that had been arranged nearby, and passed over the object in question.

Flurry Heart grabbed the candle, along with some paper and a quill.

“Aunt Twilight-“ She spoke what she began to write.

9 - Spike

Canterlot Castle

Twilight’s sun sat wonderfully high in the sky while the princesses of the sun and moon enjoyed a shared bottle of vintage wine. Twilight and Luna were sat on a balcony in Twilight’s, formally Celestia’s, personal study. Two comfortable, velvet cusions had been set out and a small table lay in between the two alicorns with the said wine set down upon it.

Twilight let a small smile grace her regal features as she took a sip from her glass, before setting it back down onto the table and turning to her counterpart.

“Your day is as stunning as ever, Twilight,” Luna said to the younger alicorn, “You truly have come into your own ever since you took command of the magnificent orb.”

Twilight shook her head, “Still not as beautiful as your nights, the way you carve the stars like a painter on a blank canvas, creating master works in a few short strokes. My day doesn’t even compare.”

“Do not sell yourself so short,” Luna playfully chided, “Each of us is an artist in our own right. And our ponies have come to enjoy them both equally. Once there was a time that, if you had told me ponies would stare in awe at my work, I would have called you a liar.”

Twilight reached over and gave Luna a small nuzzle on the cheek, causing the lunar alicorn’s heart to soar to uncharted heights.

“That time is long past,” Twilight said, “And yet even they could never appreciate you as much as I.”

Luna’s eyes widened slightly at Twilight’s soft words, “T-truly?” Luna coughed behind a hoof, “I-I meant to say, whatever do you mean?” She chuckled nervously.

Twilight stopped for a few moments, carefully mulling over her next words. She always was a perfectionist.

“Luna, I-“

“Twilight?” Another voice called out from behind.

Twilight groaned inwardly as she turned to face the ill-timed intruder, but her features softened on seeing a certain dragon standing there.

“Spike, what is it you-“ Her warm motherly smile faltered when she saw the despondent look on Spike’s face, “Spike? What’s wrong?”

“Can I speak to you a moment, alone?” Spike asked, looking at the sun princess in a pleading manner.

“Of course, you can always talk to me,” Twilight turned to Luna, “Luna, I’m sorry to ask but-“

“Nay, Twilight,” Luna held up a hoof, “I understand, and shall wait outside until your business is concluded.”

“Thank you Luna,” Twilight smiled.

Luna smiled lovingly back at the lavender alicorn, before vacating her seat and strolling into the study, laying on a pile of cushions near the fireplace.

“I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything romantic,” Spike, despite his mood, tried to stay in good humour.

Twilight sighed, “It’s fine Spike.”

“So I did? Rainbow Dash owes me some bits,” The dragon chuckled.

“Oh?” Twilight raised an eyebrow.

Spike chuckled in slight embarrassment as he rubbed the back of his head, “Yeah… myself and the girls had been making bets on whether you two actually had feeling for one another. Myself, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy all betted you would. Applejack and Rainbow Dash just thought you were close friends and that was that.”

Twilight’s eyebrow only raised higher, “And how long has this bet been ongoing?”

“Only about a month. Just before Flurry Heart left on her expedition, she mentioned catching you and Luna together. She seemed fairly convinced something was going on.”

“To set the record straight, nothing happened, I was just viewing some of the windows and we talked about them for a little while, that was all,” Princess Twilight maintained.

“Uh-huh, sure thing,” Spike was unconvinced, much to Twilight’s chagrin, “Seriously though, what is going on between you two, and how far has it gone?”

“Not far,” Twilight responded, “I don’t actually know if she feels the same way. I was about to ask her but…”

“I interrupted you, sorry,” Spike apologised.

“Don’t be, something is bothering you, and that takes priority right now,” Twilight lovingly nuzzled the dragon she affectively raised on the head.

“Thank you Twilight, something has happened.”

“What? You can tell me.”

Spike took a deep breath, and then let out a long sigh, “Ember is in trouble.”

“Ember?” Twilight was surprised at the mention of the dragon lord, “Why? What has happened?”

“She has fallen ill, and it’s bad. Dragon healers are doing what they can, I even called in a few favours and got a few pony physicians out there. But there doesn’t seem to be anything they can do,” Spike sadly explained.

Twilight sighed, “I’m sorry Spike, is there anything I can do?”

“No, except…” Spike closed his eyes to fight back tears, “I feel like I need you permission to take on the responsibility of being dragon lord.”

“What?” Twilight almost did a spit take as she took another sip of her wine, “Dragon lord? But I thought the gauntlet of fire decided dragon lords?!”

“Normally, yes. But Ember doesn’t trust any other dragon to take the position as of now, and there is a slight loophole that allows me to take the title.”

“Loophole?”

“I grabbed the sceptre first,” Spike pointed out, “You remember don’t you?”

“Of course, Rarity and I were there.”

Spike nodded, “So technically I should have been dragon lord, but I gave the sceptre to Ember. That had never happened in all of dragon history, there is no precedent for it. Thus, I am still technically entitled.”

“Will the other dragons allow that?”

“Ember suggested it, they don’t really have a choice.”

Twilight was at a loss for words, “But, doesn’t that mean you will have to leave?”

Spike regretfully nodded, “Yes. This is goodbye.”

“But is this what you want?”

“No,” Spike answered honestly, “But it is my duty, I think you can understand that.”

Twilight was silent for a few moments, but then conceded, “Yes, I do. I’m going to miss you Spike…”

In that moment Spike pounced onto Twilight, catching her in a tight embrace.

“And I’m going to miss you, Twilight…” Spike cried softly into her fur as Twilight wrapped a wing around him.

“Hey, enough of that, I’m here,” Twilight cooed.

After a good few minutes, Spike finally parted with Twilight.

“I, uh… need to do a few things before I leave. And I’m sure Pinkie would like to set up a farewell party.”

“Probably,” Twilight agreed, “If you are going to be leaving soon, then I will make some time in my schedule, gather the girls and we can spend some time together, just like in the old days. Maybe have a picnic in our old spot in Ponyville, how does that sound?”

“Great,” Spike smiled, “But, can you do that? You usually have quite a busy schedule.”

Twilight smirked, “I’m the princess, schedules be damned.”

Spike chuckled, “Who are you and what have you done with Twilight Sparkle?”

“I guess I’m picking up Celestia’s mischievous streak,” Twilight chuckled back, before her face fell.

“Twilight?” Spike called gently out in concern.

“Why? Why does everything need to keep changing? And not for the better. Why does all this need to keep happening?”

Spike looked sadly up at the lavender princess, “I don’t know Twilight, but things will get better, you’ll see. I know-“

Spike was interrupted when he felt flames rise up in his throat, and but a moment later dragon fire burst from his muzzle and deposited a scroll onto the table, nearly spilling the wine over. Luckily, Twilight was quick with her magic and caught the bottle.

“A letter?” Twilight picked up the scroll, it had a Crystal Empire seal and had a hastily written note on the outside.

Aunt Twilight, URGENT!!!

“Luna?” Twilight called into the study, “You might want to see this!”

Luna poked her head out of the doorway, “Twilight, what is wrong?”

Twilight showed Luna the scroll, and the older alicorn sat down in a place where she could easily read it as Twilight opened the mnessage.

Aunt Twilight, or whoever reads this first, my parents may be in trouble! There is little time, but you must get to the Crystal Empire now!

I will be there soon!

“Trouble?” Luna asked in confusion, “There have been no reports of trouble up in the empire as of late.

“True,” Twilight narrowed her eyes at the scroll, “But my niece wouldn’t react so strongly if she wasn’t certain.”

Twilight pondered for a moment, “Spike, send a letter to Cadance and ask her-“

They were interrupted yet again when another burst of dragon fire revealed yet another scroll, also bearing the seal of the Crystal Empire.

“Another letter?” Spike asked.

“Yes,” Twilight responded, “This one is from Cadance!”

Twilight hastily opened the scroll, and her whole body went numb as she read out loud the single word written down onto the sheet of paper.

“Sombra.”

10 - Broken Armor: Part 1

The Crystal Empire

Things were relatively quiet in the Crystal Empire. Stallions, mares and foals alike went about their usual days beneath the sun of Princess Twilight Sparkle. The crystal palace glimmered in that sun, and in these early hours Princess Cadance was getting a rare lay in due to a clear morning schedule. Her husband however, Shining Armor, did not have that luxury.

“How are things progressing?” Shining Armor asked the foreman of the workforce currently working within the lower halls of the palace, Brisk Colt.

The workforce in question were chipping quickly away at a previously hidden, and sealed doorway found quite by accident by a few servants going about their duties. The crystal wall it had been hidden behind was shattered, the remains piled up to one side. The door was wooden, but long decaying runes etched into its surface still proved to make the doorway quite sturdy. Several guards stood nearby guarding the hallway, all of them crystal ponies with the exception of a single Pegasus, Flash Sentry.

“We are very nearly through, your highness,” Brisk Colt reported. “The runes strengthened the door, but they were hardly invincible.”

“Alright then,” Shining Armor looked concerned. “So, what are the theories on this door and its contents?”

Brisk Colt turned away from the crystal prince to study the ancient doorway, “Well, it was hidden way, not meant to be found. The passage in the throne room has parallels to this but…”

“But?”

“All of… his secrets required dark magic in order to access them, or at least had dark magic in its workings. This door shows no sign of any dark magical properties,” Brisk explained.

“And that means what exactly?” Shining Armor asked for elaboration.

“It means that it’s likely the tyrant king didn’t create this. We believe that this was created to hide something from him, not from us.”

“From King Sombra? By Queen Amore?”

Brisk turned back to Shining and nodded. “That is the theory anyway.”

Shining Armor nodded his head in understanding, but still felt somewhat uneasy about the whole thing. “A nice theory, but let us play it safe nonetheless. I want you to take Flash Sentry and a squad of guards with you when it opens. The first sign of trouble and you get your flanks out of there, understood?”

Just as Shining finished sentence, a shout of victory chorused through the workers as the door finally cave in to reveal a long dark passage way within.

“Understood, your highness,” Brisk Colt bowed his head. “Now that the way is open, permission to investigate further?”

Shining stepped towards the doorway and looked down the hallway within, he could just spot a set of stairs at the very end. Spider webs hung from the ceiling and long dead torches hung on the walls.

He hesitated momentarily, before sighing. “Permission granted. Just be careful. If you need me, I will be in the throne room.”

“Alright you lot,” Flash Sentry motioned to four of his fellow guards. “The prince has given this the go ahead, but I want you all to be on constant alert. Let’s not have an unspeakable evil seep into the palace today.”

“Yes sir!” The four saluted.

“Good,” Flash looked at the other ponies that would be joining them, most of the workers were taking a back seat to the scholars on stand-by, “Civilians! You stay together and do not wander off for any reason. If we tell you to do something, you do it.”

“We understand captain,” Brisk assured the orange Pegasus, “After you.”

Flash Sentry nodded, before he and the guards took point and entered the dark and dingy hallway. One of the guards lifted torches from his saddle bag as they went, removing the ancient ones and lighting up the newer. The architecture was the same as the rest of the palace, but was more cramped. It was apparent it had never been a public area, or often visited area. The civilians followed shortly after the guards, Brisk Colt at their head. The group reached the stairway and began to descend, and kept at it for several minutes, undergoing several turns in various directions as they headed deeper into long forgotten areas of the palace.

However, the stairs and hallways eventually came to an abrupt end. Everypony gasped as the hall suddenly opened up into an enormous chamber filled with bookshelves around the edges, and a giant shimmering crystal chandelier still filling the massive complex with plenty of light.

“A second library?” One of the scholars muttered, “Why would Queen Amore build the palace with two?”

“Depends on the books,” Another responded.

Something else caught their eye however, something that seemed strikingly out of place with the rest of the vast room.

In the centre sat an ominous, glowing obelisk, not unlike a certain other in a ruin far away from the empire.

And yet, unknown to them all, it served a very different purpose.

It floated off the ground with several shards of itself orbiting the obelisk. Red and green energies rolled off its surface like a putrid disease.

They all knew dark magic when they saw it.

“Alright,” Flash called, “I want you all to spread out and search the place for anything actively dangerous, but don’t touch anything! You can look at the book names to try and discern what is being kept here. And definitely don’t go near that thing!” He pointed to the centre obelisk.

“I don’t know captain,” one of the guards, a private, spoke. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Boy, you always have a bad feeling about something!” One of his peers rebuked.

“Cut the chatter,” Flash scolded. “As long as there is nothing actively endangering us we should be fine, just be careful.”

The group called back their affirmatives and all began to spread out throughout the library. The scholars began looking at the books littering the shelves with stars in their eyes while the guards started keeping an eye out for the first sign of danger. Brisk Colt just admired the obelisk in awe.

Flash circled around the obelisk, studying it from stem to stern. It was obvious to him that King Sombra had hidden the place, not Queen Amore. He had hidden it to hide away the object before him.

And yet the artifact was inert. Still.

Flash Sentry sighed as he let his nerves calm a little. He took a good long look at the writing etched into the obelisk’s surface, but couldn’t make head or tails of it. It wasn’t exactly his job after all, he was a guard not a scholar like the others loitering about the room like foals in a toy shop.

Flash shook his head with a chuckle at the thought, and then turned around to inspect other areas of the library.

And he barely had time to shout as a long, sharp, black spike of a horn impaled him through the heart.

“Captain!” One of the guards shouted as he saw Flash Sentry’s lifeless body clatter to the floor.

Time froze as all those present spun to see the scene. Standing just above Flash’s corpse stood a tall, alicorn like monster composed entirely out of some kind of black tar like substance. The only truly solid part of the creature was its vicious horn.

“Bring it down!” One of the guards shouted, lunging forwards with his spear. The creature simply side stepped the guards and grabbed onto his spear, swinging both it and him into a nearby wall where the pony impacted with a sickening crack. The guard slumped lifelessly to the floor.

The obelisk itself began to pulsate as more black tar began to emerge from its surface, rapidly forming more and more of the horrific monsters.

The civilians immediately started to panic, bailing towards the single hallway leading out of the death trap the library had become.

Brisk Colt tried to turn tail but, with him being so close to the artifact, was caught by one of the monsters as it formed and torn apart.

The ponies reached the door as the remaining three guards tried to hold off the incoming waves of death. However, in their panic they all tried to clamber into the narrow hallway all at once, and quickly found themselves clogged and stuck.

It was a bloodbath.

And soon everypony who entered the chamber laid dead on the cold crystal floor as the creatures began to rapidly climb up towards the palace proper.

And the ponies upstairs had no idea until the first abomination shot through, grabbed a random worker and tore her to shreds.

In the royal chambers, Princess Cadance was awoken suddenly as a group of her own guards burst through the doors.

“Your highness! Creatures are in the castle, you are in grave danger!”

Cadance had only just begun to wipe the sleep from her eyes when she processed the guard’s words. “Danger? What creatures?”

“Black, oozing imitations of alicorns, your highness.”

“What?! How did this happen?” Cadance quickly pulled on her regalia and shot towards the doorway.”

“I don’t know but-“

At that moment, everypony in the empire witness a shadow form around the very tip of the palace. And two green, very familiar horrifying eyes blinked to life within,

“Ah… my crystal slaves,” The voice of King Sombra echoed throughout the empire, causing great fear among the entire population.

“If you are hearing this, congratulations. You won, and I am likely dead. But did you think I would let such a thing come to pass without any chance for revenge?” Sombra chuckled hauntingly. “You poor, poor fools. Consider this a parting gift, as my servants consume you all! Farewell.”

The eyes closed, and the shadow dissipated from existence. And the creatures only grew more ferocious.

The guard struggled to find his voice, but was eventually able to finish his previous sentence. “Prince Shining Armor is setting up defences around the throne room. He sent me to retrieve you.”

Cadance’s eyes had narrowed on hearing the hated voice of her old enemy. “One moment.”

Cadance shot over to her writing desk, pulled up a dragon fire candle, a quill and a piece of paper. She quickly wrote a single word on the paper before sealing it and whisking it off to her beloved sister-in-law.

“There, Twilight and Luna will certainly be here with assistance soon, now the throne room,” Cadance turned back to the guards. “Take me there.”

The guard saluted, and forming a protective ring around their princess they briskly moved along the corridors of the palace in the direction of the throne room. They encountered no resistance on the way, though the still bodies of ponies in the halls were very telling.

However, that changed on reaching the throne room entrance.

Shining Armor grunted as he dodged out of the way of one of the creature’s horns, before spinning and driving his blade into where the horn connected to the head, a weak spot. The creature collapsed into a pile of putrid black goo, before even that evaporated into nothing. Another creature made a go at him, but only succeeded in scraping his armor before he disintegrated it with his magic. His anger heightened on seeing another of his guards fall to the creatures, before it was quickly offed by another.

Shining turned to see two more bearing down onto him, before both where blown away by a devastating beam of cyan magic.

“Cady!” Shining shouted as he saw his wife and her guards run up and dispatch the final few monsters.

Once the last one was dead, Cadance approached her husband and pulled him into a relieved embrace. “Oh thank Celestia you are alright!”

“Hey, it’s me we are talking about,” Shining Armor cooed.

“That’s what I am afraid of,” Cadance chuckled. “Shining, what happened?”

Shining broke off the embrace with a sigh, before motioning all present to follow him into the throne room. The last guards in closed the giant doors and got to work sealing them shut.

“Captain Sentry and several others descended into that hidden segment of the palace. These things are what came out again.”

Cadance’s eyes widened in horror. “I… see. I sent a message to Twilight and Luna, they will come for us.”

“Good, we may need their help,” Shining admitted. “Something in that passageway is producing these things faster than we can kill them. We are going to need reinforcements if we are to find and shut down the source of these abominations.”

As Cadance and Shining Armor continued to talk, they didn’t notice a black, tar-like figure reaching around from behind the throne.

“Are they in the city yet?” Princess Cadance asked.

“No, but that will change soon. If we don’t-“ Shining Armor’s head shot around to face the figure darting horn first towards his wife.

“Cadance!”

Shining Armor reached out and pushed Cadance to the side just as the creature closed the remaining gap and collided into them.

Flurry Heart landed on a lovely green hillside to quickly catch her breath. She had never flown so far so fast in her entire life. After hours of travel however, she was nearing her home.

The Crystal Empire.

The frozen north stretched out just beyond, and Flurry Heart could just make out the train tracks leading though the landscape towards the city.

And that wasn’t all.

Movement caught her eye as she looked up into the far distance.

Flocks of armoured Pegasi rapidly flew through the air towards the frozen north. The alicorns of the sun and moon at their head.

“I knew I could count on you,” Flurry Heart smiled.

Spurred on, Flurry stretched out her powerful wings and took to the sky.

11 - Broken Armor: Part 2

The city was in chaos.

As Princesses Twilight and Luna descended on the Crystal Empire they could immediately see the cause of the problem. Creatures made from some type of black ooze swarmed from the palace as civilians ran through the street to escape the oncoming onslaught of hellish monstrosities.

The Crystal Guard were doing their best to combat the creatures, and a few unicorns were holding their own within a shield surrounding the Crystal Heart, protecting it from the grasp of Sombra’s abominations. However, they were vastly outnumbered and losing ground fast.

So it was a great relief when a giant swarm of Pegasi and Thestrals from both the Solar and Lunar Guard regiments began to descend down onto the city and pick off several of the creatures attacking the unfortunate crystal ponies.

Hope filled the hearts of the crystal ponies as behind those reinforcements the two princesses of the sun and moon were clearly visible. Princess Luna was adorned in a silver set of royal combat armour with a crescent moon displayed proudly on the helmet and chest piece. Twilight herself was decorated in armour coloured a mix of gold and lavender, somewhat reminiscent of her brothers old captain of the guard armour. In the place of a helmet her crown stood proudly atop her head just behind her sleek horn, the image of the Element of Magic with the sun in the background graced her chest piece.

“Push the fiends back to the depth from whence they came!” Luna’s royal canterlot voice boomed across the city, shattering more than a few pieces of crystal. “Leave none of the abominations standing!”

Luna followed her exclamation by swooping down through one of the empire’s grand highways leading directly to the palace and unleashing a devastating lance of magic through a large group of the faux alicorns.

Twilight stayed close to her side.

“Luna, we have to get to the palace. Shiny and Cadance are likely still inside!” Twilight called out to her counterpart.

“Indeed, along with the source of this infestation,” Luna responded as she came to a halt and hovered above the crystalline structures. “I suggest we take a couple guards each, and the rest push back against the horde harassing our subjects.”

“Agreed,” Twilight nodded, turning towards a few nearby Pegasus Solar Guards. “Private Shield, Lieutenant Strike, you two are with me.”

“Captain Vespertilio, Private Eidolon, you accompany us also,” Luna spoke to two nearby Thestral guards. “The rest of you, defend the empire!”

With all orders given the majority of guard actively began to reinforce their Crystal Guard counterparts and beat back against the creatures with their reinforced numbers. And yet all could still see a seemingly endless amount still exiting the palace.

The princesses and their guards shot past most of the hostile creatures and ploughed straight into the horde surrounding the Crystal Heart.

Twilight reared back and cracked her hooves down onto the floor, creating a shockwave of arcane energies that ripped several creatures apart on contact.

Luna on the other hoof conjured up a large javelin which she immediately pierced through several of the creatures. While the weapon itself did little as it completely bypassed the creature’s vulnerability, the enchantment quickly dispelled the dark magic holding the creatures together. After the two princesses and their guards were done all that was left was a large pile of sickly black goo which began to quickly dissolve into nonexistence.

While several more quickly exited the palace to replace their fallen brethren several of the guard, seeing the opportunity the princesses had created for them, quickly moved up to the palace and cut the creatures down.

The unicorns within the shield gave the princesses grateful nods as they were able to relax slightly since their shield was no longer being constantly pounded upon by dark magical constructs.

“You’ve done a magnificent job so far,” Twilight complimented the ponies within the shield. “But you have to keep the shield going, the Crystal Heart cannot fall into the hooves of Sombra’s constructs.”

The unicorns gave a more determined nod of assurance, they felt far more confident now that a couple dozen guards were surrounding them and the heart itself.

As a few more creatures exited one of the palace’ entrance ways Twilight quickly turned and lit her horn a dangerous lavender, sending a single bolt through several and sending them to the same end as all of their brethren who had encountered the sun princess.

Twilight motioned for Luna and their four guards to follow as she quickly made to enter the central structure.

The journey up the stairway into the palace proper went eerily by without incident, aside from the corpses of the unlucky few caught their by the creatures as they swarmed out.

As they entered the entrance hall however, they discovered dozens of the creatures emerging from further in the palace, all making toward the doorway.

Private Shield swiped his sword cleanly through the nearest one as the others continued to descend onto them.

“Follow the stream of them, it shall lead us to the source!” Luna advised.

The next few minutes were a blur for the group of ponies. They hacked, slashed and blasted their way through what seemed like and infinite amount of the monstrosities. Luna’s javelin weaved through creature after creature as Twilight ripped and tore at them with her magic, burning through them with the power of the sun behind her.

Tragically, Lieutenant Strike was grabbed by one of the creatures and dragged into a large group. By the time the others had killed them all there was little left of the unfortunate Pegasus.

Despite the death of their squadmate, before long they had tracked the endless stream of shadowy alicorns back to its source, an open doorway leading down into deep dark depths. Despite the sound of fighting still sounding throughout the palace, on their approach to the doorway the flow of creatures seemed to stop. Now it was just them, and whatever laid beneath.

“I don’t remember this being here,” Luna muttered.

Twilight looked on into the darkness, “Cadance had mentioned something about discovering a sealed off section of the castle.”

“In my experience, things are sealed off for a reason,” Luna said.

“This place is ancient Luna,” Twilight responded. “The history that might be in there. Wouldn’t you be a bit curious?”

Luna’s eyes narrowed. “What is that modern saying? Ah yes. Curiosity killed the cat.”

“Ah, fair enough,” Twilight had to concede Luna’s point. “I only hope Flurry Heart didn’t run into any ancient evils in her exploration.”

Flurry Heart looked on in horror as she saw her city in turmoil. Too many ponies laid dead in the streets. She even, at one point, saw a foal.

Dead at far too young an age.

However, it seemed the worst of the fighting in the city itself had died down. She managed to show up and help out some civilians against a few of the hideous creatures that were like something out of the young alicorn’s worst nightmares, but for the most part the Solar, Lunar and Crystal Guard regiments had managed to wrest control of the city back.

Now that she approached the palace she could see that a great many guards were watching the doorways for any sign of the monsters coming out.

“What is going on here?” Flurry asked a nearby Thestral stallion.

“Your highness!” The guard saluted. “I did not think you would be back.”

“My city is in danger.” Flurry stood tall. “Of course I came back.”

“Of course you highness, no offence intended.”

“None taken. Now, what happened here?” Flurry asked.

It was a member of the Crystal Guard, a mare, that responded. “They found something in the castle. Now all Tartarus is breaking loose.”

“Princess Twilight and Princess Luna are already inside,” The Thestral said. “It seems that while the fighting in the city has died down, it is still quite fierce within the confines of the palace.”

“Then I am going inside,” Flurry proclaimed.

The mare looked panicked, “Princess you can’t! It is too dangerous.”

“I can handle myself! Not that I don’t appreciate the concern, but my family is in there!”

“But-“

“I am going inside,” Flurry stated simply.

Ultimately Flurry Heart was the alicorn princess, so there was little the mare could do to stop her.

Twilight and Luna gawped at the giant obelisk within the previously hidden library. So prominent was it that Twilight, for the first time ever, barely even registered the masses of ancient texts stored within.

They had left their three remaining guards at the top of the staircase to guard it while they dealt with the source of the infestation.

But now…

“What is this?” Twilight asked nopony in particular.

“Definitely Sombra’s creation,” Luna nearly growled. “His stench is all too recognisable.”

Twilight studied the object curiously, before sadly looking at the many corpses of the guards and scholars previously inhabiting the chamber, lingering momentarily on Flash Sentry.

“So, what do we do?” Twilight asked towards Luna. “We can’t leave this thing here to create more creatures to terrorize the empire.”

“Then we finish it!” Luna proclaimed.

Nodding, Twilight lit up her horn a bright lavender just as Luna lit hers also. Together they charged up a powerful beam of destruction magic channelling the sun and moon in unison. So great was the energy channelled that the ground at their hooves began to burn and freeze respectively. And then, as one, they unleashed their magic towards the obelisk and smack against it violently, causing it to glow brightly under their combined strengths.

Only for the sinister laugh of King Sombra to echo from it.

“Fools.”

Dark magic from the obelisk seemed the flow down the princesses’ magical beams as their eyes widened in equal horror. Before they could break the connection the dark magic contacted their horns and entered their skulls, their eyes glowing a bright green as the spell took hold.

A horrific, all-to-familiar spell.

Twilight awoke with a start. She was confused, not remembering passing out.

“Luna?” Twilight called out.

Sitting up, Twilight took in her surroundings; Twilight was in a graveyard, fog had rolled in and the ancient-looking cemetery seemed to stretch on forever.

“Welcome,” a familiar voice spoke.

Twilight jumped to her hooves and shot around to see the figure of Sombra leaning up against a large gravestone.

“It has been a long time, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Actually, I don’t think we’ve met,” Twilight growled. “Sombra is dead. You are nothing more than a magical construct he left behind, a spell.”

“I am his will, my will, made manifest from beyond the grave. That is enough,” The tyrant grinned.

Twilight studied Sombra’s manifestation. “This spell, it is like the one you placed within the door. Showing a pony’s worst fear?”

“Not quite, but close,” Sombra replied. “There are some things I thought you should see…”

Twilight looked at her surroundings, seeing only gravestones for miles.

“Where are we?”

Sombra’s smirk turned vicious. “The future.”

…

Luna awoke within the Canterlot throne room, knowing full well how she got there.

“Sombra!” Luna shouted as she got to her hooves. “Show yourself, I am in no mood for your games!”

“But I thought you liked frequenting the world of dreams?” Sombra said as he appeared, sitting on the throne.

“This is not the world of dreams, but a sinister manifestation of yours,” Luna rebuked. “Now, get off that throne.”

“Twilight’s throne, you mean?” Sombra said shot back. “While you sit in the shadows, as usual. Nothing has changed, Nightmare Moon.”

“If you think to twist my mind as you did so long ago, you will fail. I am no longer Nightmare Moon. I have made peace with my mistakes.”

“But have you?”

“I have,” Luna affirmed.

“Then why are you afraid to tell her?” Sombra asked with a brutal edge.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Don’t you?” Sombra said condescendingly. “You love Twilight Sparkle. But you are so afraid to admit it. How pathetic.”

“Shut your mouth!” Luna angrily tried to grab Sombra with her magic, but he simply vanished, and reappeared behind her.

“Good to see some things never change,” He deadpanned sarcastically as Luna spun to face the tyrant once more. “You know, I don’t intend to plant seeds of darkness within you, like I did before. That ship has already sailed, the time of Nightmare Moon is long past.”

Sombra grinned. “But there is another.”

Luna looked Sombra in the eyes, “What do you mean”?

“She is already on that path, perhaps she just needs encouragement?” Sombra began to laugh, and then disappeared into nothingness.

Lightening cracked as Luna heard somepony behind her, she spun yet again, expecting to see Sombra.

But the sinister figure sitting on the throne was not Sombra, but somepony else Luna knew. She looked different, much like Luna had done so long ago, but like Luna she was still recognisable as the pony she once was.

“No,” Luna squeaked in horror.

…

“The future?” Twilight deadpanned in disbelief.

“Well, perhaps not the literal future, Equestria isn’t one giant graveyard,” Sombra chuckled. “But it showcases some important facts.”

“Facts like what…?” Twilight raised a curious eyebrow.

“This,” He simply stated, his horn glowing as the graves around them began to morph.

They now had names.

Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Spike, Shining Armor, Flurry Heart, Mi Amore Cadenza and Celestia were all written on the various graves with their cutie marks carved into their stone surfaces.

“W-what?” Twilight stuttered, eyes wide.

“You couldn’t save them Twilight,” Sombra sneered. “You couldn’t save Celestia, and you won’t be able to save them. They will die, you will live. Alone.”

“No! You are lying!” Twilight shouted.

“You know it is true. You are immortal, and will lose everypony. Just accept your miserable existence for what it is!”

“N-no…” Tears began to roll down Twilight’s cheeks as she looked down onto the gravestones.

“You wield a sun that isn’t yours, you are alone Twilight. You will lose everything. Friendship has abandoned you, Equestria has abandoned you. Why protect it? Why protect something that does nothing but take from you?”

“I’m a princess… I have a-“

“Duty?” Sombra rolled his eyes. “Equestria cares nothing for you. Why submit to them, when they should submit to you? You could be so much more, Twilight.”

“B-but, Luna. Her grave is not here, she will-“

“Will what, Twilight Sparkle?” Luna’s voice sounded from behind the sun princess.

Twilight slowly turned around, “Luna?”

She didn’t notice Sombra vanish into nothing.

“Do you love me, Twilight?”

“W-what?”

“Just tell me the truth,” Luna said softly. “Do you love me?”

She could no longer hold the truth in.

“Yes! Luna I do,” Twilight approached the blue alicorn. “You’ve been there for me. I do love you, so very much.”

“It is beneath you,” Luna said coldly.

“W-what?” Twilight uttered, wide eyed.

“You are a princess of Equestria, love is beneath you. If you seek such frivolous pastimes instead of pursuing your duties, then you do not deserve that crown. If Tia was here, she would be as ashamed as I. You are a tool that has outlived its usefulness.”

“A tool? Celestia cared for me…”

“You were her weapon!” Luna shouted. “Nothing more. And even less now.”

“Luna,” Tears dropped to the dead grassy ground. “You can’t mean that. Please!”

Luna looked as Twilight in disgust, “I could never love somepony like you.”

Something snapped.

Silence reigned as Twilight closed her eyes, her breathing steadied and the tears began to dry up.

“So… after all I have done. This is my reward? This is what I get?” Twilight said in a monotone voice.

“What are you snivelling about?” Luna spat.

“I am doomed to be alone,” Twilight's voice began to twist into something sinister as her fur turned a much darker shade of purple. “Rejected and abandoned by all.”

“Twilight?” Luna began to back away in terror.

“So be it.”

Twilight’s eyes shot open, slitted pupils homed in their pray as Princess Luna froze in fear. Violent dark magical energies flowed through Twilight’s horn as she fired one devastating lance at the other princess, wiping Princess Luna from existence in one swoop.

Flurry Heart burst into the chamber as dark magical energies swirled around it. She immediately spotted Twilight and Luna standing completely still, their eyes wide and green as the obelisk forced itself inside their heads.

“Oh no you don’t!” Flurry shouted as she unleashed a magical pulse that dispelled all dark magic in the vicinity, forcing it to retreat back into the artefact.

Twilight and Luna, with their connections severed, dropped to the floor painfully. Both of them slowly opened their now normal eyes as they groggily got back onto their hooves.

“What… happened?” Twilight rubbed the base of her horn.

“Aunty Twilight, Luna!” Flurry Heart shouted as dark magic began to pulse from the obelisk and several faux alicorns began to form.

Princess Luna looked away from the two other alicorns and towards the obelisk, which was now damaged.

“Twilight, we damaged it, but the two of us were not quite enough. Sombra designed this monstrosity to last.”

Understanding lit up Twilight’s face, “But there are three of us now.”

“My thoughts exactly!” Luna grinned. “Flurry Heart! The three of us, together we can end this!”

Flurry nodded, lighting up her horn a brilliant golden hue.

Luna and Twilight both lit up their horns also, and all three princesses channeled their strongest magics and fired them towards the obelisk just as the creatures finished spawning.

The three beams condensed into one as it impacted the artifact, which began to crack rapidly before shattering into countless shards.

A pulse of dark magic shot out as all the creatures began to disintegrate into nothing, their source of power destroyed.

As the dark energies died down, the three princesses were left in a quiet room, panting from the exhaustion of the energy used in the final strike.

“Well… that went well,” Flurry Heart said. “Are you two alright?”

“We’re fine!” both answered at once, both lying through their teeth.

“Well good, because I have a question…”

Twilight and Luna looked at Flurry expectantly.

“Where are my parents?” Flurry asked.

The palace throne room was deathly silent as the three princesses entered it. Nearby guards held their helmets to their chests and offered condolences as soft sobbing could be heard from in front of the throne.

Flurry Heart screamed as she saw what was wrong, and rushed forwards to the scene.

Twilight felt numb. All feeling left her as she stared at the sight before her.

It had to be a bad dream.

It just had to be.

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she realised that what she saw was far too real.

She saw Flurry Heart and Cadance cradling over a dead pony, tears rolling down their faces as they begged him to wake up. To open his eyes one last time.

Twilight thought back to the graveyard, and how it had already begun to become reality. Her brother was gone.

Shining Armor was dead.

Author's Note

Did you forget this has the tragedy tag? :twilightsheepish:

12 - Stirrings Of The Heart

Canterlot Castle

Princess Twilight Sparkle wearily looked down upon Equestria’s Capitol from her vantage point on the balcony. It looked just about the same as it always had done, but many moons of progress could be spotted to those who knew where to look, like Twilight did. The city had expanded slightly a little ways down the mountain, houses mostly, though a few industrial facilities had been set up alongside them. Canterlot General Hospital also had received an extension and upgrades to its current set of medical facilities. Twilight narrowed her eyes as she looked upon it all, on the ponies for which she had already sacrificed so much. For ponies who cared not for Twilight Sparkle, but the mystical goddess who raised the sun every day and lowered it at night, the protector watching over them all and allowing them to feel safe in their own beds.

She hated them.

She hated them all.

Every day they would come crawling to her throne, asking, begging and demanding any and all sorts of things. Every day she would listen to some self-obsessed noble go on about how ‘The children were too noisy’ or ‘That charity building is an eyesore’. Other days she had ponies come asking her to perform such miracles such as raising the dead! And then others would come with requests so menial that they didn’t truly even need her help at all. Every day she would smile and nod as if she cared for a word they were saying, before solving their insignificant problems in one way or another like the good little princess she was expected to be.

For over forty years it was the same, and she hated them all so much. She wanted to put them in their place, to make them know why they should fear her before tearing them limb from-

Twilight shook her head to rid herself of the dark thoughts infecting her mind like a horrifying disease. She sighed as she stowed those dangerous thoughts into the deepest pits of her mind as she had done for so long now, each time being just that little bit harder.

Twilight looked away from the city and instead up to the far more comforting nights sky, the stars twinkling wonderfully and washing her in their glorious light. She could easily make out the many constellations she had studied since she was but a foal, and the much needed distraction placed her mind at ease.

“Enjoying my stars, Twilight?” Luna asked as she walked onto the balcony and sat down next to her counterpart. “It is getting late, you should rest.”

“I know. I just needed some fresh air. I have a lot on my mind,” Twilight responded with a disarming smile.

“Anything in particular?”

“Nothing you need to worry about,” Twilight lied through the mask she wore.

--“Duty?” Sombra rolled his eyes. “Equestria cares nothing for you. Why submit to them, when they should submit to you? You could be so much more, Twilight.”--

Luna tilted her head. “Are you sure?”

Twilight didn’t answer, only pointing that smile at Luna.

‘She is so much like Tia, with the way she carries herself,’ Luna thought. ‘And hides herself. I can’t tell whether Celestia would be proud, or horrified.’

“What about your trip to the Crystal Empire?” Luna changed the subject. “Did you speak to Cadance?”

“What do you think?” Twilight responded sadly.

“She still isn’t speaking to you?” Luna sighed. “I suppose heartbreak isn’t something so quickly recovered from. Even this many years later.”

“She blames me,” Twilight said. “She blames me for Shiny’s death.”

Luna frowned. “Why do you think she blames you?”

“I wasn’t fast enough. If I just arrived sooner…”

“If WE arrived sooner, Twilight. And it sounds far more like you’re blaming yourself.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes. “Shouldn’t I?”

--Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Shining Armor, Flurry Heart, Mi Amore Cadenza and Celestia were all written on the various graves with their cutie marks carved into their stone surfaces.--

“No,” Luna responded. “Do you really think he would want you to?”

“Shining Armor is dead. Does it matter?”

“Twilight Sparkle!” Luna scolded. “Of course it matters. He would not want you being like this, and he most certainly would not, and I am sure does not blame you, wherever he is.”

Twilight didn’t answer.

“What about you niece?” Luna asked after a moment.

“She is doing well, now that she has been coroneted from a princess in title only to actually ruling alongside us as equals as the fourth ruling alicorn princess. Though, it is tough on her. With Cadance shutting herself away from the world many consider her the current Crystal Princess, and she is taking on almost all of her duties for her mother. She doesn’t mind, she is a good kid.”

“She probably enjoys organising the paperwork, your influence I’m sure,” Luna joked. “But that is not what I meant.”

“She is fine, Luna.” Twilight assured. “Or at least I think she is, most of her interactions with me are all business and politics now.”

“Are you sure it is just her making it that way?” Luna asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I speak with her rather regularly, though I do hear little from Cadenza. Flurry is worried for you, she misses you.”

“Does she now?”

“Twilight, you are pushing others away, becoming reclusive when not performing your duties.”

“I visit my friends in Ponyville all the time!” Twilight protested.

“And that is it,” Luna shot back. “Where once you would have happily stopped to chat with some random citizen of Ponyville for a while, now you actively try to avoid it. Myself and Flurry are not the only ones noticing it, your friends are also concerned for you.”

Twilight chuckled. “I thought I was the one known for overreacting.”

Luna raised an eyebrow.

“I’m fine Luna, I promise. I’m going to Ponyville in a couple of days anyway, it will be good to get out of the castle.”

“I suppose it will. Just promise me will try to open up a little more, I hate to see you becoming distant like this.”

“It is good to know you care. I’m flattered Lulu, it brings a tear to my eye, truly,” Twilight teased.

Luna rolled her eyes. “You try to have a serious conversation and this is what happens…” She muttered.

Twilight chuckled, giving Luna a light bump on the shoulder. “In all seriousness, I do appreciate the talk. Honest.”

Luna looked at Twilight and smiled. “Happy to help.”

Both alicorns turned their gazes upwards to look up at the night’s sky, their ethereal manes flowing gently in the breeze. Luna slowly lowered her head to the side, until it rested gently on Twilight’s shoulder as the two princesses enjoyed each other’s company.

Twilight herself lowered her head so it rested on Luna’s while making sure her crown stayed fixed atop her head at the angle it was at. A small, contented smile was on her face as she shared in the moment with the Lunar Princess, all worries washed away.

Until her smile morphed into a tight grimace.

--“Do you love me, Twilight?”

“W-what?”

“Just tell me the truth,” Luna said softly.--

Twilight closed her eyes as she tried to shake the incoming memories.

--Twilight’s voice began to twist into something sinister as her fur turned a much darker shade of purple. “Rejected and abandoned by all.”

“Twilight?” Luna began to back away in terror.

“So be it.”

Twilight’s eyes shot open, slitted pupils homed in their pray as Princess Luna froze in fear. Violent dark magical energies flowed through Twilight’s horn as she fired one devastating lance at the other princess, wiping Princess Luna from existence in one swoop.--

“Twilight?” Luna whispered as Twilight broke away.

“Sorry Luna I-I’m just really tired. Yes, that is it. Tired,” Twilight turned away towards the door, intent on retiring for the night to try and banish the emerging darkness.

“Wait,” Luna called softly, and yet it was enough to stop Twilight in her tracks. “Can you stay a little longer, please?”

Twilight looked back at Luna.

“It has been a while since we just enjoyed some time together, as friends,” Luna quickly added.

'Friends, is that all?' Twilight thought sadly.

After a moment of hesitation, Twilight nodded. “Alright.”

Twilight took her place back next to Luna, trying to enjoy her company while trying to banish her own traitorous thought.

‘Luna will not betray me. She will not abandon me like the rest…’ The Princess of the Sun desperately thought to herself.

Luna herself fared little better.

‘She will be fine,’ Luna tried to assure herself. ‘My love will not follow my dark path, she will not succumb.’

Love. It was on both their minds, and yet both were too afraid to say it. One feared her own growing darkness and the possibility of heartbreak. The other also feared the darkness growing within her love’s heart, and did not trust herself to not make it worse, afraid that if she was to commit her past would destroy Twilight and all in the firing line.

Luna had seen Twilight in her own vision created by Sombra, if only she had known what Twilight had seen. And how similar each of their initial seeds of darkness were.

History does so love to repeat itself.

13 - A Trip To Ponyville

Ponyville

The town of Ponyville began to grow in size as Princess Twilight’s chariot approached the settlement. The cool breeze blew through her ethereal mane as the only sound to be heard was the gusty wind and steady flapping of wings from her Pegasi guards pulling the chariot along.

The first notable thing Twilight could spy was the Museum of Friendship, the structure that was upon a time was Twilight’s home. No amount of decorating could change the fact that the crystal was dull and lifeless, a strong reminder of what happened in the town so many years prior.

Sixty years.

Twilight knew the town wouldn’t be a town for much longer, several petitioners had already come forth to her asking for it to be designated a city at long last. Twilight had been reluctant, with that status what little was left of the Ponyville she called home would disappear. Industry and businessponies would see to that.

The chariot finally set down within the confines of Sweet Apple Acres, which was still being run as it always had been. By hoof.

Her arrival was unannounced, all except the Element Bearers were unaware of her coming to Ponyville.

She didn’t want a fuss. She just wanted to spend some time with her aging friends. A valuable commodity with what little time they likely had left, all being in their eighties.

Twilight gracefuly departed from her chariot, nodding to the guards as she approached the farmhouse.

“Thank you gentlecolts, you may return to Canterlot,” She said to them.

“Yes, your highness!” They said in unison.

She briefly watched as they did a U-turn and flew off back into the sky, heading towards the capitol. She then turned back around and continued her approach.

It wasn’t long before her attention was caught by the sound of hooves striking a tree. Twilight stopped right next to one such apple tree as she tried to identify where the noise was coming from, but she failed to see anypony.

Just as she was about to call out, a large group apples from the tree she was next to landed right next to her, nearly giving the princess a heart attack.

“Gah!” Twilight shouted as she jumped backwards.

“Huh, who is there?” A female voice called, a face popping around from behind the tree.

The pony in question had orange fur and a golden mane which was messy and cut short, not unlike a certain Pegasus that very mare liked to call ‘aunty’, a title Rainbow shared with the rest of the Element Bearers. She had green eyes and had the Cutie Mark of a single golden apple on her flank, appropriate given her name.

She also had a familiar stetson sitting atop her head.

“Princess! Ah’m mighty sorry, didn’t see ya’ll there,” Golden Apple apologised.

“No no, I should have been more careful. And honestly you don’t have to call be ‘princess’, Golden.”

Golden Apple gasped. “But ah could never have such an inappropriate attitude around ya’ll, your highness!” Golden protested as she dropped into a low bow.

Twilight raised a single bemused eyebrow, and it wasn’t long before Golden couldn’t contain herself and burst into a fit of giggles.

“Ah’m sorry, but ah couldn’t resist!” Golden laughed, moving in to hug Twilight. A gesture which was eagerly accepted.

“It is good to see you Golden,” Twilight smiled.

“And it is great to see you Aunt Twilight!” Golden returned the smile.

Twilight chuckled. “It is still strange to be called that. Especially when your mother called me it also, Celestia rest her soul.”

“Ah take it you’re here to see the others?” Golden asked.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, it has been a while after all. Are they all already here?”

“They are. Last one turned up about twenty minutes ago,” Golden answered. “Come on, let’s go see Granny.”

Golden led the way as the two approached the old home, Twilight briefly spotted something as they approached the front door, something sitting just in the front garden.

A small stone grave with ‘Winona’ engraved onto it, the image of a dog frolicking in a field by some apple trees was under the name.

--Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Shining Armor, Flurry Heart, Mi Amore Cadenza and Celestia were all written on the various graves with their cutie marks carved into their stone surfaces.--

‘No, don’t think about that. Anything but that,’ Twilight thought to herself desperately.

They finally reached the front door, with Golden placing one hoof onto the wooden surface and swinging it open.

“Granny! Twilight is here!” She shouted as they entered the home, Twilight having to duck underneath the door’s frame.

“She is?” A voice called back. “Well come on in then Twi! We’ve been waiting ages.”

Twilight smiled to herself as she lit up her horn and removed her regalia, placing the shoes next to some boot, the chest piece hanging from a peg on the coat rack and the crown on a shelf with various hats lined on it.

Princess Twilight was left at the door, it was just Twilight Sparkle from here on.

“Ah think ah will leave ya’ll to it,” Golden turned back towards the door.

“You don’t have to leave you know, stay,” Twilight said to the young mare.

“Sorry Aunt Twilight, but ah got work to be doing. Apples do not buck themselves,” She retorted as she walked out the front door and closed it behind her.

Twilight shook her head with an amused grin. “As stubborn as her grandmother.”

Twilight casually walked into the living room, and as she did all faces turned towards her.

Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and of course ‘Granny’ Applejack.

“Howdy Twi!” Applejack welcomed. She sat in what was once Granny Smith’s chair with a cloth resting on her lap.

The age was visible on all her friends faces, their colours had faded and their skin sagged. The only exception was Rarity, who looked twenty years younger than she actually was, her mane done up as immaculately as always.

“Hi girls, how are things?” Twilight asked as she took a seat on one of the sofas, right next to Fluttershy.

“We’re fine darling,” Rarity answered.

“How are ya’ll doing sugarcube?” Applejack asked. “It has been a while.”

“Oh you know, same old stuff,” Twilight avoided the question, which Applejack and the others noticed. “How about you?”

“Ah am doing well I guess. Been trying to keep these old bones busy, but that granddaughter o’ mine insists ah take breaks,” Applejack groaned. “Bah! Fillies these days.”

“AJ, she is an adult, not a filly,” Rainbow scoffed.

“She will always be a filly to me,” Applejack responded with a small smile.

“Well I for one shall never stop working until I am dead and buried, if even then,” Rarity spoke. “The inspiration my wizened mind keeps finding, I simply cannot stop! The designs I have been coming up with till be remembered for eons to come!”

“Are you certain that just isn’t because you have an immortal friend to make that happen Rares?” Rainbow Dash jabbed.

“Every little helps darling,” Rarity smirked.

“Of course,” Rainbow chuckled. The former wonderbolts captain was wearing her old wonderbolt jacket, an ancient scar was visible one her left cheek.

“Hey Rainbow, didn’t you visit the academy recently?” Twilight asked.

“Yup. Me and Scoots were giving a talk to a bunch of wonderbolt hopefuls. Nothing like two former captains to give you a confidence boost.”

“Any stand outs?”

“A couple. Time will tell if any are really wonderbolt material.”

“Ohohoh!” Pinkie Pie waved a hoof in the air. “Do you know what would really motivate them Dashie?”

“Let me guess, a party?” Rainbow smirked.

Pinkie inhaled sharply. “Oh my gosh, you didn’t tell me you were psychic! Quick! What am I thinking now?”

“Cupcakes,” It was Applejack who answered.

“You too?!”

Twilight facehoofed, but couldn’t suppress a chuckle.

‘Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie.’

“Me being me, just like you thought just now Twilight!” Pinkie smiled.

“I think it is you who is psychic Pinkie,” Twilight laughed.

“No… I just read the chapter. Like, it says here you say ‘What are you talking about?’ in a really confused way! It is quite the interesting read, if a bit sad at times.”

“What are you talking about?” A confused Twilight asked.

“See!” Pinkie squeed.

Twilight just gave a blank stare.

“Please answer the question Twilight,” Fluttershy finally spoke.

“Huh?”

“You avoided the question when we asked if you were alright. Are you?”

“Fluttershy I-“

“Twi,” Applejack spoke. “Please be honest, you can talk to us.”

After a moment, Twilight sighed. “Things… are difficult. But I will live.”

“Difficult? Difficult how?”

“Please Applejack, can we not talk about this,” Twilight looked at her pleadingly.

Applejack sighed. “Alright. But please talk to us if things get to bad, ya here.”

Twilight slowly nodded.

“So…” Rainbow started. “What are we doing today?”

“I have an idea…” Fluttershy said.

“Well then darling, lets here it,” Rarity said to her friend.

“Well, in the years since everything happened, we have never visited the old castle. Not once. We should… for old times’ sake. You know, if you want to…”

“You know, that ain’t such a bad idea,” Applejack said.

“I agree,” Rarity seconded.

“It is a museum dedicated largely to us! Count me in!” Rainbow agreed.

“I’m in,” Pinkie was the final one to voice their agreement.

Twilight was reluctant, but nodded in agreement. “I suppose it would be good to see what they’ve done with the place.”

‘Calm down Twilight, everything will be fine. It is only the place where Starlight died and Celestia was fatally wounded and…’

Twilight sighed as the dark thoughts she kept at bay began to sneak back to the front of her mind. Hatred, sadness, anger, pain…

But as long as her friends were around she knew everything would be fine.

For as long as they were around…

14 - Broken Heart

Meanwhile, Crystal Empire

The Crystal Empire had recovered. As it always had.

The events which led to the death of Prince Shining Armor was long past, barely even in the backs of ponies’ minds. Forty years since his death, plus another twenty since Celestia’s. Enough time that they had become topics in filly’s and colt’s history classes.

A whole generation had grown up with Twilight as Princess of the Sun; none of them had ever known Celestia’s motherly smile. Neither had they known Shining Armor as he stood in protection of an Empire over a thousand years out of time.

They were simple subjects relegated to history.

But for some, burdened with eternal life, it was still fresh upon the mind.

“Mother?” Flurry Heart knocked on Cadance’s bedroom door. “Are you awake?”

No answer.

Flurry Heart suppressed a sad sigh, her now ethereal mane blowing through the air. For the last forty years she had served as the Crystal Princess, safeguarding the Crystal Heart and the Empire it brought life to.

Technically, that title still belonged to Mi Amore Cadenza. But she had barely been seen in a very long time indeed.

“Come on. I just want to talk,” Flurry pleaded. “I haven’t seen you in weeks. Just… please open up.”

Slowly, a blue aura latched onto the handle and twisted it open. Flurry had half expected the room to be in complete darkness when she entered, but the windows were open and Twilight’s sun was gently bathing the room in its light.

Flurry should have figured. For Cadance, the constant presence of her sister was one of the few comforts she had.

Cadance herself looked to be physically fine. She looked well-nourished and completely healthy.

However, her ethereal mane was non-existent. After Shining Armor had died it was like it had just faded back into a normal head of long, albeit beautiful strands of hair.

And the look on her face. The look of heartbreak that no regal mask could ever hope to hide.

Her cutie mark too had changed. Where once the Crystal Heart on her flank had been whole and filled with life, now it was dulled and split into two pieces.

Cadance was at the window, looking out onto the city below. When Flurry Heart gently entered the room and closed the door, the sound successfully roused Cadance from her thoughts as she turned to face her daughter.

For the first time in a while, a genuine smile actually graced her muzzle.

“Flurry. How are you?” She asked.

Flurry took in a deep breath as she thought of how to respond. “I’m doing well. As are our subjects,” She said as she sat next to her mother. “You could go and see for yourself, I know they would be thrilled to see you out and about,” She suggested hopefully.

Cadance didn’t answer, instead turning her tired eyes back out the window.

“I can see from here, they all seem to be… happy,” She said. “You do a better job than I could ever do. I’m useless.”

Flurry’s eyes widened as she cast a wing over her mother. “No! Don’t say that, you are anything but useless.”

“I’m pathetic, aren’t I?” Cadance muttered. “I just curl up in here feeling sorry for myself, while you do a better job than I could ever hope to do. You keep the empire safe while I sit and mope… Shiny would be ashamed of me,” Tears dripped from her cheeks and onto the crystal flooring.

“Don’t say things like that!”

“It’s true. He defended to Empire to his final breath, a feat I am unable to match. I couldn’t save him or the Empire that day. Instead, the latter was left to you, Twilight and Luna.”

“You were trapped in the throne room. You couldn’t do anything to help.”

Cadance shook her head. “It should have been me the creature killed, your father should have lived and not me.”

“Enough!” Flurry shouted. “You’ve been beating yourself up for years about this, we’ve been having this exact same conversation for all of it! Dad wouldn’t want you to do this, it would kill him all over again to see you like this. Please… just come outside.”

Cadance moved out from under Flurry’s wing. “I’m tired. And I do believe you have court soon.”

“Not for another hour,” Flurry replied.

“Then you better go and get ready,” Cadance said, moving up and onto her bed, placing her head down onto the pillow and closing her eyes.

Flurry Heart just stared at her mother for a moment, the sense of hopelessness descending down onto her. A sadly all too familiar feeling.

“I’ll come visit again soon. I won’t give up on you.”

No answer.

After a few more moments, Flurry sighed sadly in defeat and walked on out of the door, the two guards outside saluting as she passed.

The quiet assaulted Cadance’s ears. The only comfort was the sun’s rays settling down onto her fur. It was almost like Twilight was with her at that very second, holding onto her tightly to comfort her. It was part of her power, she could feel Twilight’s heart through the sun, which was an extension of her. She imagined Luna and Flurry had the power to feel Twilight’s presence, but not her emotions as she did. Outside of the sun physically changing form anyway, which as of yet it never had.

‘If only Luna could see the love she holds for her,' Cadance thought sadly to herself.

Twilight being at her side, that was part of her favourite dreams; dreams often given to her by Luna to stave away the nightmares that would plague her every night otherwise.

In those dreams, it would be before Celestia’s death. She would be with Celestia and Luna, along with Twilight, a baby Flurry Heart and of course her husband, Shining Armor. It was always a beautiful tree a short way from the mountain on which Canterlot sat, and the group would be having a simple picnic. Flurry Heart would play in the flowers as she and Twilight talked about various things. They would all be there, happy and alive. Enjoying each other’s company while they were still able.

But she would always wake up.

Cadance sighed into the pillow, weakly looking up at the door where her daughter had exited.

“I love you,” Cadance whispered. “And I am so proud.”

She closed her eyes again, wishing for sleep to take her back into her perfect little world. A place where she could be happy.

She began to drift off, Twilight’s presence helping immensely to place her at ease.

Only for the sun’s rays to suddenly change.

Cadance’s eyes shot open as she felt it. It was if the sun was screaming, even though it still looked the same.

Cadance felt Twilight’s anger, hatred and… sadness.

So much sadness.

Cadance realised it had been there all along. It had been there the day she took over as caretaker of the sun and been amplified the day Shining Armor died. On the first day after Shining Armor’s death, when Cadance had spent the first of many hours with nothing but the sun’s rays were her only companion and she actively began to detect it, Twilight’s pain had only served to break her heart further. But Cadance had grown used to its depressing presence, to the point where she had grown blind to its presence. Only feeling what she wanted to feel, Twilight's happiness and love.

But now it was stronger than ever, the pain of Shining and Celestia was topped with the pain of something new.

Tears began to flow anew down Cadance’s face as her sister’s pain became her pain, as she felt Twilight’s heart be crushed all over again.

Something terrible had happened.

Author's Note

What happened to Twilight? Did something happen to one of her friends on their trip to the Museum of Friendship? Or is it something else entirely?

Find out... next time!

15 - Applejack

Ponyville

The Museum of Friendship loomed overhead. A ghost of the past sitting on the otherwise idealism landscape.

The front entrance was wide open; the two large doors pushed back as far as they would go, inviting passing individuals inside. Private security lined stood guard around the doorway and within the reception, where a desk was situated with a single unicorn mare sitting behind it. The area from the entrance to the front desk had a roped off area indicating where the line to enter should be, and it was decently busy. Families from all over Equestria lined up to see the old home of the current Princess of the Sun, and where Celestia had made her final stand.

And Twilight, who was in full regalia once more, couldn’t help but freeze in place as she looked at it. Her friends all shot her looks of concern.

“Sugarcube, are you sure you want to do this?” Applejack asked her friend. “We could do something else if you want.”

“No,” she responded. “I can’t run forever. Let’s go.”

Her friends all shared looks as The Princess started to move again, but fell into step behind her.

“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” Fluttershy said with worry.

Rarity shook her head. “She will be fine, darling. But she hasn’t been back here since… that day. It must be quite strange for the poor dear.”

The guards by the entrance caught sight of the group as they approached, but when they examined the one at their head their eyes widened. One of the guards motioned towards the receptionist, who quickly admitted the customer she was attending to before looking to where the guard was motioning, her eyes widening even further than their own.

The entrance darkened as the large alicorn’s came to a standstill in the doorway, the element bearers standing either side.

The receptionist got up from her desk as those lining up either looked stunned at the arrival of the princess, or dropped to a bow. The receptionist quickly made her way past the ponies and approached the alicorn.

Twilight saw a mare with a black coloured mane and a dark grey coat approach her, like many of the other ponies she dropped to a bow when she made it to her.

“You highness, welcome home.”

“Thank you, what is your name?”

“Obsidia, you highness.”

“Well Obsidia, you need not bow. We simply came to view it like any other attendee.”

The receptionist’s eyes widened. “All due respect, but I can’t just admit you like any other customer, nor ask you to stand in line. This castle does still belong to the crown after all!”

“So… we get to go in free?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“But of course!”

“Awesome!”

Obsidia grinned. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said as she stood to the side, motioning the group in.

Princess Twilight gave a nod of appreciation, approaching the old staircase and beginning their ascent.

A slightly ecstatic Obsidia placed herself back behind the reception desk and began to admit customer again. The customer in question were all excitedly talking among themselves after witnessing the princess’ arrival.

The group progressed swiftly through the old castle, Pinkie Pie pointing out every room she had every held a party in and describing it to the smallest detail. As Twilight silently and sadly observed each and every detail her companions chattered away, feeling equal nostalgia at being within the structure.

The scariest thing to Twilight was, despite the wandering ponies and occasional roped off areas, it was exactly as she remembered it; only the crystal was a little darker than it once was. On their trip through they had even entered some of the old roped off rooms, nopony wanting to stop the princess from exploring everything.

Her old bedroom was untouched. As she looked around she could see everything was well taken care of, her bed was made and her books were still in the exact organisational pattern she had left them in, something she couldn’t help but give a happy squeal at. Though, that feeling was replaced with some sadness again as she remembered how much she had left behind in the castle. She didn’t even bother to pack and move a great amount of her stuff. All that was left behind was now part of the museum.

There was even and old picture left on the bedside table. Five ponies and one dragon in the midst of one of Pinkie’s parties in the old Golden Oaks Library.

Eventually their trip brought them to the throne room. Where it all happened.

The roots of the Golden Oaks Library still hung above, the memories contained within the gems hanging down still displaying proudly. A large crowd had formed around the six ponies as they progressed through the castle, and the crowd now stood around the edges of the room as there element bearers approached the old map in the centre.

“Damn. This is weird,” Rainbow commented.

Rarity looked round the room. “We had some good times in this room. It has changed so little, I would almost expect the map to activate if we sat in the thrones.”

“Well? Why don’t we take a seat?” Rainbow said.

“Sugarcube, the map is dead,” Applejack reminded the Pegasus.

“I know that!” Rainbow protested. “But it’s just for, you know… old times sakes.”

Fluttershy nodded in agreement. “It sounds like a lovely idea, we should do that. You know… if you wanted to…”

“We should totally do that!” Pinkie squeed. “Look! My balloons are still there!” she motioned to the cutie mark on her own throne.

Pinkie Pie approached the seat, placing a hoof on a seemingly uninteresting spot, only for a rain of confetti to suddenly rain down from a small explosion and frightening several ponies in the crowd.

“Wow…” Pinkie grinned. “I really hid those party cannons well!”

Twilight let a small smile form at her pink friend’s antics. She approached her own throne, tracing a hoof down her own cutie mark before turning and sitting down in her old throne.

The crowd began to chatter among themselves as the other element bearers took their own seats in earnest.

“Well ah’ll be,” Applejack muttered. “Jus’ like old times.”

Twilight looked down onto the map, imagining the image of Equestria coming to life in a magnificent magical light. Memories of their adventures, the breakfasts they had around the map and a great many other things all came flooding back.

“I do miss this old place sometimes,” Rarity said.

“I miss it all the time,” Twilight admitted. “Some of the happiest years of my life were in this room, and in the library before that. Both gone.”

“We are still here,” Fluttershy smiled at the lavender alicorn. “That must count for something.”

Twilight smiled back. “It counts for everything… girls I-“

“Sugarcube…” Applejack muttered painfully. “Ah don’t feel so good.”

“Applejack? Are you alright?” Rainbow asked.

“Ah don’t-“ Applejack began, before slumping back into her seat.

Panic emerged in the crowd as Applejack’s friends rushed from their seats to her side.

“What’s wrong?!” Fluttershy cried.

“Oh Celestia no…” Princess Twilight begged the universe. “We need to get her to the hospital now!”

As history repeated itself, Twilight lit up her horn and teleported them all straight to Ponyville’s hospital, leaving behind a stunned and worried crowd.

Princess Luna hovered over Ponyville, looking around for one mare in particular. It was late afternoon and the sun should have been setting, and yet it still hung high in the sky. Twilight hadn’t moved it.

That in itself was worrying for Luna. However, she had also received a letter from Cadance, the first in a very long time. Cadance had described what she had felt from the sun, and Luna had taken straight off to where her love was located.

The town was largely silent, though there seemed to be a gathering of reporters surrounding the hospital. That being her only clue, she began to head off in that direction before catching something out of the corner of her eye.

Turning, Luna could just see Twilight sitting on a hill outside Ponyville, just watching the town.

Princess Luna didn’t bother to fly over there, instead just teleporting herself to Twilight’s side.

“Luna,” Twilight greeted coldly.

“Twilight? What happened?”

“Something was taken from me, what else?”

Luna’s eyes widened. “Taken? What do you mean?”

“Applejack is dead,” Twilight responded. “Old age.”

Luna’s face fell as she looked on at Twilight in sympathy. “I’m so sorry.”

“Why? Luna why must everypony I love go away?” Twilight tearfully turned to the lunar alicorn. “Celestia. Applejack. Shining. I never see Cadance and barely any of Flurry Heart. My other friends are sure to be dead soon and then-“

“Hey,” Luna cooed, wrapping a wing around Twilight as she buried her head in her chest. “I know, I know how it feels to be alone. But please remember that I am always here. Alright?”

Luna just sat there as she let Twilight cry pained tears into her fur, holding her tightly within her large blue wings.

--“You love Twilight Sparkle. But you are so afraid to admit it. How pathetic.”--

Luna cringed as Sombra’s words rang in her ears, she looked down on the broken princess she held with tears of her own forming.

‘She is in so much pain. But I would only hurt her more. I cannot love her, for her sake.’

Luna closed her eyes and tried to blink away her tears.

‘And yet I do. I cannot stop loving her! Please Twilight… don’t let this darkness consume you. And don’t let me drive you further along that road. I am Nightmare Moon, I will just hurt you…’

Author's Note

Luna is so scared of hurting Twilight. But her fear has blinded her to the fact that her love may just be the key to saving her...

16 - Talks With The Dead

The Ancient Ruins

Excavations were still underway within the ancient ruins even twenty years after they began. When one tunnel was excavated another was uncovered, revealing all sorts of dark artefacts that were swiftly disposed of. Any artefacts deemed safe were sent for further study, and then to museums.

And despite the progress, they were no further along in discovering the secrets behind the old ruins, no closer to finding out who the necromancer that had built it was and why he or she had done so. The answers to their question however, were closer than they believed. Within the very area to this day still closed off by royal decree, reasons for which Princess Flurry Heart had refused to disclose, but was one she enforced heavily.

Despite the armed guards standing watch day and night outside the sealed off entranceway, Discord still had little trouble sneaking his way past the guards and even tripping them up as he went.

“Chumps,” he chuckled to himself.

Discord continued down the dilapidated hallway until he finally reached the familiar chamber with that equally familiar obelisk in the centre.

“Hello!” he called out. “Housekeeping is here!”

No answer came. Discord looked around for any sign of the shade, but found none.

“I have a vegetable dicer, newest model at a bargain price! All for you!”

Still no answer.

Discord huffed with a pout. “Alright, I’ll stop. Just show yourself already, this is getting boring!”

“Is it now?” the shade suddenly materialised next to him, making Discord jump out of his skin. Quite literally.

“Don’t do that!” the skeletal Discord protested, climbing back into his skin. “Look what you’ve gone and made me do. I didn’t believe it was possible, but death has only increased your mischievous streak.”

“I take points where I can get them,” the shade shrugged. “Call it payback for all those you once played on me.”

“Well… I suppose that is fair enough,” Discord rolled his eyes. “Though as you may have guessed this isn’t a social call. After all, I know how much you hate that thing,” he pointed at the obelisk.

“Indeed,” the shadow agreed. “If you didn’t pop in to say ‘hi’, then what do you require of me?”

“Nothing,” he told her. “In your state I doubt there is anything you can do. I just need to talk about a few things.”

“Oh?” she said questioningly. “What do you want to talk about, Discord?”

Discord hesitated for a moment, thinking about how to say what he wanted to say.

“I’m… worried.”

“Worried?”

“Unbelievable for such a carefree spirit such as myself, I know,” Discord stated. “But I am. Twilight is, simply put, losing it.”

“Ah,” the shade muttered.

Discord cringed. “You should see the way she looks at her subjects. It’s well hidden behind that accursed regal mask of hers, but I can see it in her eyes. She hates them, hates them a lot. Plus with what happened to that little-big brother of hers and love-butt going depressed emo… Things are falling apart quickly.”

Discord groaned. “And poor wittle Woona is too afraid to admit the obvious! It’s maddening I tell you! Maddening!”

The shade sighed. “I know.”

“Wait…” Discord glared at her. “You know?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t be watching? I still care you know,” the shade stated. “I was optimistic, but now history seems to be repeating itself. What once happened to Lulu, is now happening to Twilight.”

“If you knew, then what was the point of me coming down here?!” Discord fumed.

The shade didn’t seem to hear his ramblings. “Twilight’s pain is great, and right now only six things hold her sanity together. Her remaining pony friends, Spike and Luna. They are all that is keeping her from becoming a…”

The shade hesitated on the next word, the thought of what Twilight could become being incredibly painful for her.

“…a Nightmare.”

“For all the peace and harmony the alicorns preach, you do seem to have some serious dark sides,” Discord said with a raised eyebrow.

“Everypony has a dark side to them,” the shade pointed out. “For alicorns though, it is just far more dangerous.”

“Yes well, Spike will be around for a while, Luna is immortal,” Discord listed. “As for her friends…” Discord sounded pained as he spoke about them.

“Discord?” the shade sounded worried. “What’s wrong?”

“Fluttershy,” Discord said. “My first true friend. My best friend. Her time is short, just like the others. Don’t worry, I’m not going evil again or anything when she goes. I’m just not looking forwards to that day.”

“I’m sorry,” the shade said genuinely, placing a shadowy hoof on his shoulder.

Discord looked at the hoof. “You’re physical. When did that happen?”

“Practice, I may be even able to show my true form rather than mere shadows in a few years.”

Discord hummed. “Don’t tell anypony I said this, but it would be pleasing to see your face again, my old friend.”

“Friend? Now when did that happen?” the shade mirthfully asked.

“Oh don’t get all flustered,” Discord shrugged her hoof off.

“No really, do tell.”

“Well if you must know, I kind of miss you. There! I said it. Happy?” Discord crossed his arms and sat down like an annoyed child.

The shade only smiled, or at least what Discord assumed was a smile on the largely featureless face it had.

“Back on topic,” Discord started again. “What do we do? Twilight is in control of the sun, and unlike Nightmare Moon I highly doubt she would have any interest in ruling Equestria or anywhere else if she were to go off the deep end. Nightmare Moon was fuelled by jealously of her sister while Twilight is being fuelled by her hatred. It wouldn’t end well.”

“And direct involvement might only makes things worse,” the shade noted.

“As much as I hate to say it, yes. I don’t think Twilight would appreciate me popping up and saying ‘You’re crazy! Go make smoochie faces with Luna already!’ or something along those lines.”

“Then we wait.”

Discord looked at the shade as if it had grown a second misty head. “Wait? You’re joking, right?”

“It’s all we can do,” the shade said. “I trust Luna and Twilight. They will support each other, and make things right in the end.”

“This is quite the gamble,” Discord said. “But then again, you always were one to take risks, weren’t you?”

The shade just stood silently for a few moment, keeping to its own thoughts.

“Well, if that is everything I will take my leave. Places to go and chaos to spread, you know how it is.”

Discord turned to leave, moving towards the exit.

“Discord,” the shade called out.

Discord stopped in his tracks, turning around to face the shade behind him.

“Yes?”

“Things always get darker before the dawn.”

Discord's eyes narrowed. “Or in the Princess of the Sun’s case, it’s the dawn we should be afraid of,” Discord said rather darkly. “See you around.”

“Be safe,” the shade asked of him as he exited the room. “My friend.”

Canterlot Castle

Twilight sat in her chamber within the castle. She was sat on her balcony, holding a picture in her magical lavender aura.

It was the day after Applejack's death. The funeral was a ways off yet, though they were planning on holding it at Sweet Apple Acres. Nothing too fancy or extravagant, just as Applejack would have wanted.

The media had gone crazy over the death of an element bearer. Articles going over her life were everywhere.

‘The way they talk about her, it’s like she was just a thing. An object,’ Twilight thought bitterly, looking down on a tear stained photograph of herself and her friends.

Rage began to build within Twilight, along with something darker. Darker, and far more terrifying.

‘Am I just a thing to them?’

The picture frame began to crack as her levitation spell began to crush down upon it.

‘Do they know I’m a pony as well, or care?’

The glass of the frame reached its breaking point, her magic turning a sickly bubbling black.

‘If they don’t care… WHY SHOULD I?!’

A loud smashing sound brought Twilight out of her innermost thoughts. Looking down, she was horrified to see the battered remains of the photograph.

“No, no!” Twilight shouted as she tried to place to pieces back together, tears falling anew.

She couldn’t repair them with her magic however, the dark magic surrounding the shards preventing her.

Her dark magic.

Author's Note

I'm fairly certain you have to have guessed who the shade is by now, the signs are everywhere!

If not, go and sit on the naughty step, I mean it! No... don't give me that look! OK fine, you don't have to sit on the naughty step, jeez!

18 - Fluttershy

Ponyville, Fluttershy’s Cottage

The sun was out and the birds were chirping away as they always did on a beautiful Ponyville morning. The townsponies were going about their usual lives, Ponyville market was opening up for the day’s business as was the Museum of Friendship, a group of school children having a trip to it later that day.

But throughout it all there was one specific, and glaring difference to the town that was painfully obvious to anypony who set eyes on it. In one location, at the very outer edges of the town near the Everfree Forest something was very, very wrong.

Fluttershy’s cottage seemed eerily quiet as Princess Twilight Sparkle came in to land just by the front door. There were no animals running and frolicking about like they usually would, here the birds did not sing and all was completely still and silent. A sense of profound sadness permeated through the very air as Twilight approached the front door, and with a slightly shaking hoof she pushed it open and stepped into her friend’s humble abode.

A great many eyes homed in towards Princess Twilight as she entered the living room. A great many animals of great variety, as well as a group of ponies all gathered in the space sitting silently, looking towards the doorway leading towards where the owner’s bedroom lay.

Twilight gave a sombre nod to Fluttershy’s family and gathered animal friends. Fluttershy’s children and that of her brother as well as some of her grandchildren too all were there, and they returned the princess’ gesture as she passed them by.

Twilight moved right on past the group, moving up through the door that they all looked towards. Moving down the corridor Twilight came across the door she was seeking out, Fluttershy’s bedroom… where the dying Pegasus was waiting for her.

Fluttershy had lasted the longest, but Twilight had known her time was coming soon. Memories of the other times she had went through these exact emotions, grief and terror among other darker things, came flooding back. The last of the element bearers, of her friends, was about to die.

‘Because I couldn’t save them. I had killed them when I failed to stop Grogar. I killed them just as I killed Celestia and Starlight…’

Twilight breathed out slowly, calming herself and dispelling the dark, bubbling glow that had started to form around her horn. As she got her emotions in check, she mentally prepared herself for what she would have to do next.

Say goodbye.

After what seemed hours, the Princess garnered the courage to open the door, her lavender magic taking hold of it and swinging it slowly open.

As she did so, voices became audible from within. One was definitely Fluttershy, but another was one she hadn’t heard in a very long time.

But Twilight couldn’t be surprised at this turn of events.

Of course he would be here now, at her end.

“Don’t be sad, please?” Fluttershy asked gently.

“Oh this ‘sadness’, I’m not sure I like it much,” Discord responded quietly. “What I wouldn’t give to be that cruel overlord my old self was. I much preferred it back then.”

Despite it all, Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile. “Liar.”

“Yes… I suppose if I never had been exposed to that little infection you call friendship, I would have missed out on spending time with you, my friend,” Discord smiled back. “Time well spent.”

Fluttershy looked at him sadly. “Try to make new friends when I am gone. Please?”

Discord diverted his gaze. “Fluttershy, I don’t think-”

“Discord,” Fluttershy stated him name, a determined expression coming across her.

Discord didn’t answer for a moment, but he did eventually break the silence. “I promise.”

“Thank you.”

Discord nodded, before gesturing to the door. “Now I better not keep you all to myself, however much I wish it. I believe somepony else wishes to see you.”

Fluttershy’s gaze drifted over to Twilight, who was standing in the doorway.

“You don’t have to go, you know,” Twilight said.

“No,” Discord shook his head. “If I don’t say goodbye now, I never will be able to do so.”

That was when Fluttershy latched onto the Spirit of Chaos into an affectionate embrace. One that Discord returned in earnest.

“I’m going to miss you,” Fluttershy teared up.

“And I you, wait for me on the other side, will you?” Discord asked.

“I’ll wait for you both,” Fluttershy said to both him and Twilight. “However long it takes.”

“You truly are the embodiment of kindness,” Discord said, with the once in a lifetime sight of tears in his eyes. “Goodbye.”

Discord slowly arose from his friend’s bedside, and walked towards the Sun Princess. Their eyes met for a moment, and Twilight couldn’t help but notice the grimace and look of worry on him as he looked towards her.

“Don’t give up hope, Sparkle,” Discord said, before disappearing in a flash of light.

Silence returned, and before long Twilight found herself at Fluttershy’s bedside as Discord had just been moments earlier.

“How are you doing, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked softly.

“Comfortable,” she responded. “I’m not in any pain, if that’s what you mean. My family and animal friends are in the next room and both you and Discord came to visit. I’m happy.”

“That’s good to hear,” Twilight smiled at her. “I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”

Fluttershy nodded.

The next few minutes were spent in silence between the two friends as they just enjoyed each other’s company one last time.

“Do you remember when we first met?” Twilight eventually asked.

“How could I forget? You scared me and my bird choir…”

Twilight chuckled. “That’s the one. You wouldn’t come out of your shell until a certain baby dragon came into your view.”

Fluttershy smiled. “Yes. He visited me a week ago.”

“Yes he told me he would after coming to see me.”

“He also said that, when he left Canterlot, you were on your way to admit how you felt to Princess Luna,” Fluttershy said with a slight smirk. “Do you mind telling me how that went? You know… if you want to.”

Twilight’s smile faltered and fell away. “Fluttershy, I would rather not talk about that.”

“Oh no, what happened?” Fluttershy asked.

“Can we please not talk about her? Not now of all times,” Twilight pleaded.

Fluttershy sighed. “Alright. But you really should talk about something like that. To Spike if not me.”

“I’ll… keep that in mind.”

Fluttershy’s breathing became laboured as she looked up into the Sun Princess’ eyes.

“Please do,” she asked of her. “I don’t want to see… you… sad…”

“Fluttershy?” Twilight called out as the Pegasus closed her eyes.

Twilight cast a quick scanning spell over her friend’s still body, and found no signs of life. Fluttershy had passed away.

It had been so fast. One moment she was fine and then the next…

Twilight stared in horror at the sight, her whole body trembling as dark magic flowed through the air from her body. Dark emotions ran free, memories of all she had lost burst from the pit Twilight tried to keep them locked away in. Her pain and her hate fueled the dark that was growing rapidly within.

She shut her eyes tightly as the images of those gravestones flashed before her eyes and King Sombra’s word screamed into her ears.

Her last remaining Ponyville friend was dead.

The bearers of the Elements of Harmony were no more.

And above all, another thread snapped within the Princess’ mind. Only one remained.

And the sun grew darker still. Only a little, and it went unnoticed by almost all…

All except for Discord, and the alicorns…

Author's Note

It draws closer...

19 - Distant

Canterlot

For the first time in many years, Princess Flurry Heart looked upon the gleaming towers of Canterlot Castle. Flurry had been called to the capitol of Equestria by Princess Luna, along with Dragon Lord Spike, who had yet to arrive. The letter she had received had been rather vague about the details, only that it involved her aunt, and seemed to be urgent in nature.

Flurry Heart hadn’t spoken to her aunt much since her father died, something she regretted greatly. With Flurry Heart trying to keep both the Crystal Empire and her own mother in working order she seldom had free time on her hooves, and eventually they had just drifted apart.

‘Perhaps I should have made time to write more, like I do sometimes with Luna. I should make that a priority, it will be good to see her again,’ Flurry Heart thought to herself.

She was escorted through the castle hastily, and after a trip through the pristine walls filled with motifs of day and night she found herself outside Princess Luna’s personal study. When the doors swung open she found Princess Luna herself on the balcony, looking out on the day’s bright blue sky. However, even though they didn’t have Cadenza’s connection to the heart, as alicorns Luna and Flurry both couldn’t miss the fact the sun’s rays held less… warmth in them as they normally would; Flurry Heart had been noticing it for a while. It wasn’t so much literal warmth, but the sun just seemed less welcoming than it should have. Flurry Heart had enquired with her mother on the subject, but she just burst into pained sobs when she did, only increasing the alicorn’s worry.

Flurry Heart was looking forward to seeing her aunt again, but there was also an underlying sense of dread she tried to bury deep.

Looking around the study, Flurry Heart noted the darker colour scheme befitting the Princess of the Moon, in great contrast to Twilight’s own study, which still looked nearly identical to when it was used by Celestia all those years ago. She had never actually visited Luna’s study before now, so she examined the décor in great detail.

“Luna,” Flurry greeted. “I received your message, what’s wrong?"

“Flurry Heart, welcome,” Luna greeted in return. “Leave us,” she ordered the guards, who bowed and stepped outside the room.

Luna’s horn lit up a bright blue as she placed several wards around the study to prevent any outside observation.

“It is best our ponies not know Twilight’s condition,” Luna explained solemnly.

“Condition?” Flurry asked worriedly. “Is she sick?”

“Not exactly,” Luna sighed. “Come, sit down and help yourself to some tea.”

“Tea? I thought you were more of a coffee pony?” Flurry smirked.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t be courteous towards any guests preferring tea over coffee,” Luna rebuked. “Though, tea was always more of Tia’s thing.”

“Coffee didn’t even exist before your banishment, did it?” Flurry asked as she sat down one side of the desk, and Luna the other.

Luna poured their respective drinks, and took a sip of her own before continuing.

“No,” Luna confirmed. “There were many sleepless nights when I first discovered the beverage.”

Flurry chuckled lightly. “I can imagine. I heard you drove Celestia up the wall.”

“Literally, at one point,” Luna grinned, before her smile faltered. “But alas, we should get back on topic.”

Flurry Heart sighed. “Yes, what’s wrong with my aunt if she isn’t sick? Or ‘not exactly’ sick, as you put it.”

Luna looked sadly down into her coffee, and couldn’t help but shed a tear that slid slowly down her cheek as she composed herself.

“Luna?” Flurry Heart called out gently.

“It’s been happening ever since Celestia died,” Luna started. “We were all devastated by Tia’s death, but I think Twilight blamed herself. Over time however it seemed to ease off, but perhaps she simply hid it behind that regal mask she wears so tightly. Tia taught her well, too well.”

Luna sighed. “Then when your father died, something happened during the attack…”

“What do you mean?” Flurry asked.

“Remember when you found us, Sombra’s echo had placed us in that trance?”

“How could I forget?” Flurry stated. “What about it?”

“I’ve seen such spells before, during the first conflict with the dark king,” Luna said. “He did it to Celestia, and she saw her greatest fear. Me.”

Flurry’s eyes widened. “You? What do you mean?”

Luna closed her eyes. “Tia feared my potential fall, something that came to pass. And I experienced a similar vision, with Twilight’s fall shown instead of my own.”

“That doesn’t mean much,” Flurry assured. “Sombra was likely trying to get inside your head, having been present during your sister’s vision.”

“I believed that too, at first,” Luna shook her head. “But she refused to divulge what it is she saw in her own vision. No matter how hard I tried she refused to reveal that information to me. But ever since then I’ve noticed a change.”

Flurry tilted her head. “A change?”

“She’s… not happy. There would be times when she would become distant, or I would see cracks in her mask. But nothing too serious, but then Applejack died. And then one by one her other friends followed, only a few months back Fluttershy finally passed away. She’s alone.”

“She’s not alone,” Flurry protested. “I know I’ve been distant, which I hope to change, and my mother is… unavailable. But she still has you and Spike!”

Pain filled Luna’s face, and more tears began to build at the bottom of her eyes.

“Luna?” Flurry asked cautiously. “What happened?”

“Flurry…” Luna sobbed. “I’ve done something terrible.”

Flurry sat there silently, all ears.

“You were right about us, Flurry Heart,” Luna said. “I love her, and she loved me back.”

Flurry’s face lit up, and she supressed a small squee, her mother was the Princess of Love after all. “I knew it! This is wonderful news! When will… wait. She loved you? Past tense?”

Luna nodded. “Shortly before Fluttershy’s passing, she came to me. And she admitted everything. We kissed… and then everything fell apart. I became so scared that my own past as Nightmare Moon would only make what I saw in my vision come true.”

“Luna…” Flurry muttered sadly, moving around the desk to comfort the breaking down alicorn.

“I drove her away, in my cowardice I broke her heart, and my own. I thought I was saving her but… she hasn’t said a word to me since outside of our duties. And the way she looks at me… hate. It’s a look I know all too well, because it is the one I would give Tia just before I became Nightmare Moon.”

“You fear your vision coming to pass, and soon,” Flurry noted.

“Yes,” Luna confirmed. “And after Fluttershy’s death she had become particularly distant. I’ve caught her crying more than once. History is repeating itself, and it’s all my fault!”

“No, Luna,” Flurry cooed. “It’s not, and I won’t go anywhere until you and Aunty Twilight have made up. I promise.”

Luna looked up at Flurry gratefully. “Thank you, I was hoping you and Spike would both agree to such an action. She needs us all right now, and we need to find out what Sombra showed her. He sowed my initial seeds of darkness when he showed me Tia’s fear and exploiting my early jealousy that I already held by that point, and I believe he may have done something similar to Twilight.”

“Sombra has already taken one member of my family,” Flurry said bitterly. “He won’t take another, I promise.”

A knock on the door drew their attention, and Luna wiped away all signs of her turmoil as she called them in.

"Your highness," the Lunar Guardspony saluted. "Dragon Lord Spike has arrived."

"Thank you, you may go," Luna nodded.

"We better go meet with him," Flurry said.

"Agreed," Luna said. "Tonight, when her duties come to an end, we will confront Twilight together. I just hope we aren't too late, or else my love will soon be lost, possibly forever."

20 - Broken

Princess Twilight Sparkle walked through the castle hallways towards her personal chambers, the moon had been raised and the darkness of night spread across the land. Where once the stars and the night itself had once filled the alicorn with fascination and wonder, now it only brought disdain and a sense of loathing. She was left wondering what she ever saw in the night and its mistress, the sun was far greater and more powerful…

Twilight sighed, and turned her head away from the view of the night out the windows and continued on forwards. She wove her way through the castle’s endless hallways passing by many servants and guards as she went.

Her subjects.

Her loathed, and most hated subjects…

She saw the way they looked at her, even when they believed she did not. The stares, the looks of nervousness and fear. How much had she sacrificed for them? How much had she lost for their sake? And yet they didn’t care, and to so disrespectfully view her with such fear and apprehension.

They didn’t deserve her or her day. It would be so easy to give them a true reason to fear her and the sun, to cast of the protecting and merciful Princess and be the monster they seemed to think her to be…

And yet she didn’t. She persisted.

Why?

Twilight had asked herself that question many, many times. Why did she still care for them? Because despite all her hatred for her subjects a part of her did still care, was still the unicorn that started out all those decades ago.

Why was that unicorn still there? Why did that voice in her mind restrain her and keep her balanced.

Her friends were dead, and she had no family or friends…

No… that wasn’t true.

Spike.

She had Spike.

He still cared for her, he still visited and comforted her when she needed it most. Her Spike was always there, and how would he look at her if she did something regretful? Despite it all as long as there was that dragon by her side it was worth it, reminding her of why she did what she did.

She had nopony else.

Twilight finally came to the door to her personal chambers, her guards were standing stoically outside as usual.

“Gentlecolts,” she gave them a nod as she entered the room, both standing smartly to attention as she passed.

She closed the door behind her, and the welcoming sight of her own bed greeted her where her own dreams awaited. Princess Luna had tried entering them many times, but she had not right to do so, and thus Twilight had blocked her out. She was just like them, no matter how much her heart ached to think about it, that was the truth.

Twilight levitated off her regalia, all six pieces floating from her body towards a large alicorn shaped mannequin at the other end of the room. The regalia pieces attached neatly onto the mannequin as Twilight stretched out her wings and her horn blinked out.

Twilight was just about to head over to her bed to turn in for the night when a cough caught her attention. Twilight spun around, her horn ablaze as she went to face the intruder who dared intrude on a Princess of Equestria’s personal chambers! Her horn blinked out once more however when she caught sight of a purple and green dragon, who looked oddly smaller than she was used too.

“Spike?” Twilight called out.

“Twilight,” Spike greeted. “Sorry to intrude, I’ve just been waiting for you to get of duty. We need to talk.”

“Spike?” Twilight called out again in disbelief. “What happened to you? Why are you so… small?”

“Hey, I’m pony sized!” Spike protested. “It’s a temporary spell cast by Flurry Heart and Luna to allow me to walk around the castle normally. It’s more convenient than clinging to a tower for hours on end or something.”

“I see…” Twilight raised an eyebrow, though with a smile at seeing her oldest living friend and family. “Well it’s good to see you Spike, I’m always happy to host you her in Canterlot.”

“I know,” Spike assured.

“You said you wanted to talk to me about something?” Twilight questioned.

“Correction, something we want to talk with you about?” Spike stated.

“We?” Twilight asked in confusion.

Then the Sun Princess’ attention was caught by some commotion outside, followed by the door slamming open.

“You can’t go in there!” one of Twilight’s guards protested.

“I am the Princess of the Night! Don’t presume to tell me what I can and cannot do, I have business with my counterpart and it cannot be delayed!” Luna shouted as she brushed past the dumbfounded guard.

Flurry Heart shrugged. “What she said.”

“What is the meaning of this?!” Twilight shouted angrily. “Barging in here, uninvited!”

“Aunt Twilight, please hear us out,” Flurry Heart pleaded.

“Hear you out?” Twilight scoffed. “I haven’t seen or heard from you in years, and now suddenly you now show up and want me to ‘hear you out’?!”

Twilight turned her piercing gaze towards Luna next. “And you, you have some nerve Princess Luna. What right do you have to intrude upon my domain?”

“Twilight, please,” Spike spoke softly. “All three of us are here together, just hear us out, for me?”

Twilight’s angry stare turned on Spike, but faltered under his pleading eyes.

The Princess sighed, turning towards the guards. “They can stay, for now. Return to your posts.”

The two guards saluted, closing the door and leaving the three alicorns and one dragon alone. However, all regal masks and pretences were abandoned, it was just them.

“Thank you, Aunty,” Flurry Heart said.

“I’m not doing this for you,” Twilight spat, causing Flurry to recoil.

Flurry Heart sighed sadly, nodding towards Spike to begin.

“Twilight,” Spike started. “We’re worried about you.”

“Are you now?” she deadpanned.

“Yes,” he responded. “You’re becoming agitated, aggressive and reclusive. It’s just not you.”

“Ponies change,” Twilight stated. “You presume a lot in making such claims.”

“I know you, Twilight,” Spike said sadly. “And I want you back.”

“All the signs, your actions…” Luna spoke up. “They remind me of myself shortly before the rise of Nightmare Moon.”

“Don’t you dare compare me to your failures, Princess Luna,” Twilight spat.

“You misunderstand,” Luna said softly. “I know what it feels like to be alone, to feel as if the world is turning against you. It’s a dark and lonely place, but we are here for you. You aren’t alone.”

Twilight snorted dismissively “Really? That’s not the impression I got one of the last times we spoke. You know what I’m talking about.”

Luna’s face was filled with regret. “Twilight… I…”

“Don’t bother,” Twilight growled. “You made your position clear."

Twilight turned to her niece. “And you, Flurry Heart. Where have you been?”

“I- I’ve been overseeing the empire and looking after my mother,” Flurry stuttered. “I know I should have talked with you more, and I greatly regret us drifting apart. That’s why I’m here now, Aunt Twilight, I love you.”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “When my friends dropped dead around me, where were you? I haven’t hear a word in years, and yet you pretend to love me still?”

“It’s not pretend,” Flurry Heart said quietly. “I do still-“

“Spare me,” Twilight growled. “The only one here who has been there, who I can truly call family, is Spike. But I’m left wondering what kind of game he is playing bringing you two here,” she stated, looking towards the Dragon Lord.

“Twilight,” he reached out towards her, placing a claw on her shoulder. “I know you’re angry and upset, but everything Luna and Flurry are saying is true. They want to help you.”

“You defend them still?!” Twilight shouted. “What is with you?!”

“Twilight… what did he show you?” Spike asked.

“What?” Twilight asked, not understanding what was being asked of her.

“That bastard Sombra, what did he show you?” Spike asked again. “All of this stems from that day.”

Twilight scoffed. “What? You believe I’m under some sort of outside control.”

“Not at all,” Luna said. “All your feeling are real, and were already emerging when your brother died. But like he did to me so long ago, he encouraged those feelings… didn’t he? He said something or showed you something that only caused those feeling to explode. Just like he did to me, so long ago.”

“Do not blame Sombra for your own shortcomings,” Twilight snarled. “No matter how evil he was.”

“Answer the question, please,” Luna asked of her.

“What I saw is none of your business,” Twilight said.

“Please don’t hide from us,” Spike pleaded. “What did he show you?”

Twilight met Spike’s eyes. “The truth,” she stated.

All three of their eyes widened at the venom in her voice.

“Everything he showed me came to pass. Why would he need to bother lying when the truth was far more damning,” Twilight stated slowly. “That’s all you need to know.”

The pain in her eyes was evident, as was the way she looked at Luna as she spoke that sentence.

“Twilight,” Spike spoke. “You can tell us, what exactly did you see?”

“No…” Twilight whispered.

“Excuse me?”

“I said… NO!” her Royal Canterlot Voice violently filled the room.

“You all dare to come in here and interrogate me? You want to know ‘what is wrong’ with me?! Well maybe you should look in a mirror! The answers will become clear!”

“Twilight…” Luna muttered in shock.

“GET OUT!”

Twilight’s horn crackled menacingly, and the three were forced to retreat from her room quickly. What they didn’t see, however, was that once Twilight was alone the giant alicorn collapsed onto her bed, and her pained sobs began to fill the air.

Spike, Flurry Heart and Luna sat quietly in the latter’s study. A sombre feeling was in the air as the three stuck to their own thoughts.

“How did it come to this?” Flurry Heart muttered. “How did we let things get this bad?”

“I think I finally understand Tia’s point of view when I became Nightmare Moon,” Luna stated sadly. “But she isn’t that far gone yet. She’s in pain, but we can still heal her.”

“How?” Flurry heart asked.

“It was foolish to believe one conversation could even make a dent in that much pain,” Spike said. “These things take time. And so we make the time.”

“Agreed,” Luna nodded, before looking away. “Though I don’t think I can ever reclaim what I so foolishly gave away…”

Flurry placed a hoof on the Princess of the Night’s shoulder. “Don’t say that. It may not be too late.”

“It’s nice of you to say, Flurry Heart, but I believe it is.”

“Don’t lose hope,” the younger alicorn encouraged. “Things will get better.”

Luna hummed in contemplation. “I suppose only time will tell. For history to repeat itself in such a way…” Luna began to tear up. “Am I destined to bring misery to those I care for? Whether it is as Nightmare Moon, or just some foolish mare who didn’t listen to her heart.”

“Celestia must have asked similar questions after she lost you,” Flurry Heart pointed out. “But she use her pain to craft a better Equestira, one that would accept you on your return.”

Luna chuckled to herself. “My sister was always tenacious. If she were here she would know what to do… but I am not her. I’m not as strong as her…”

“You sell yourself short,” Spike said. “Celestia believed in you, you must do the same. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit.”

Luna’s breath was laboured as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I miss you… Tia…”

Flurry Heart wrapped a wing around Luna comfortingly as she let her sorrow flow out, shedding unspent tears wrapped up too long behind the image of the unshakable night.

Spike sadly watched the two from where he sat, contemplating exactly how to help the pony to whom he was closest. It wouldn’t be easy, but he was one determined dragon.

A knock on the door caught their attention. The three quickly wiped away their tears and the alicorns returned to their regal pastures as Princess Luna called whoever was waiting inside.

“Your highnesses, is Dragon Lord Spike present?” a guard asked as he entered.

“That’s me,” Spike stood up. “What do you need?”

“Your presence is required, urgently.”

Spike sighed, turning to the princesses. “Seems duty calls.”

“What is this about?” Luna asked the guard.

“We have received reports of a dragon circling a small Earth Pony village, and I was just ordered to collect Dragon Lord Spike.”

“And you want the Dragon Lord to tell him to buzz off,” Spike groaned. “My work is never done it seems, I promise to be back soon.”

“Be safe, Spike,” Flurry Heart asked of him.

“Always.”

21 - Nova

Equestrian Countryside

Dragon Lord Spike, now back to his usual size, flew over the vast Equestrian Countryside as his vast shadow swept over the land below. The first light of dawn was creeping over the horizon, ushering the new day as the night was banished away for the time being.

Banished.

With prejudice, Spike figured, given Twilight and Luna’s rocky relationship at the current time. He knew she was in a bad way, but he had no idea how bad until the night before. Spike had never seen Twilight like that in his entire life. He, like the others, was worried for her. However, he was confident that time mixed in with their support could heal her wounds. It wouldn’t be easy, but as the saying goes, things that are worth it never are.

Still, he couldn’t think of that right now, for he was approaching the village where the sighting of the other dragon had been reported.

And it was on fire.

The ponies inhabiting the settlement screamed as a large red dragon swooped down and unleashed a torrent of lethal flames down onto the small village. Ponies scrambled to escape, grabbing family members and what little they could carry as they tried to flee the village and the attacking monster.

One family had to slow when their child tripped up and fell to the floor. They doubled back to help them, only for their eyes to widen in horror as the fang filled more of the dragon bared down onto them, intent on swallowing them whole. They shut their eyes and held tightly onto one another, waiting for the embrace of death.

But it never came.

Just as the dragon reached them, Spike rammed himself full force into it and they both tumbled and rolled down the street and through a few burning buildings. Finally their momentum ceased and they came to a painful stop, both groggily getting to their feet afterwards.

“What is this?” the red dragon shouted in anger.

“It is I,” Spike growled. “I am your Dragon Lord, and I demand to know why you have done this!”

“Ah,” the dragon smirked in recognition. “Dragon Lord Spike, an ‘honor’ to make your acquaintance,” he sneered.

Puffs if boiling steam shot from Spike’s nostrils. “Have some respect, and answer my question!”

“Why should I take orders from you?” the dragon asked. “You’re pathetic, ‘Dragon Lord’. You and Ember both, you coddle the ponies and want ‘peace’ with them. They are prey! We and the predators! We should not be at peace, we should torch their lands and take what we please!”

“Ah,” Spike sighed. “You’re one of those dragons. That… I cannot allow. And if you will not stand down, I shall do what I must as is my duty as Dragon Lord.”

Spike shot forward, using his wings to propel him as he flashed his own fangs in the other dragon’s direction. The dragon retaliated by swinging his tail around and knocking Spike wildly to the side with it, shooting off after him a moment later.

The two grappled with one another, Spike’s priority at the time being to keep him busy while the remaining ponies fled the village. He kept the dragon in the grapple until he could spy no more little ponies in the vicinity. Then, he pressed his claws against the ground, lifted his legs up and bucked hard against the other dragon like a pony apple farmer tending their crop. The red dragon was winded by the impact, and flew through the air into some more building in a painful heap.

“Thank you, Applejack,” Spike smirked, he learnt many things from his pony friends.

The red dragon arose from the heap, blind rage in his eyes. The two eyed one another from a moment, before both charged violently towards one another.

The fight had only just begun.

Canterlot Castle

Princess Luna walked with Princess Flurry Heart through the halls of the castle, both were in a foul mood.

“Any sign of Twilight?” Flurry asked.

“None,” Luna sighed. “She’s retreated to her room, there shall be no court today.”

“Oh, I feel terrible,” Flurry sadly said. “I should have been there, I should have-”

“Do not blame yourself, Flurry,” Luna said. “You had your mother and the Crystal Empire to take care of, I know it hasn’t been easy for you.”

Flurry Heart sighed. “I know, I just… I just want to help.”

“And we will,” Luna assured.

Flurry Heart looked at her meaningfully. “Perhaps you should take your own advice.”

“What?”

“When you said what you said to her, you were trying to protect her from yourself. But you didn’t need to, Luna. You’re not Nightmare Moon anymore,” Flurry put a hoof on Luna’s shoulder.

“And yet I still harm those I care for…” Luna sighed dejectedly.

“Only because you still cling to who you were, and reject it instead of embracing it.”

“You want me to embrace Nightmare Moon?!”

“You and her are the same pony, you need to accept that part of yourself, and allow yourself to move on.”

“It’s not that simple,” Luna stated. “Others have tried to help, and they made it easier to live with the burden. But it never left, not even after the Tantabus fiasco.”

Flurry gave her a supportive smile. “One day, you will. And somepony who knows how you felt now could even help you, and you her, if you would let each other.”

Luna suddenly found the floor tiles very interesting, moving away from Flurry’s gaze as she thought things over.

“Listen,” Flurry spoke. “I’m going into the city for the day, it’s been far too long since I’ve been in Canterlot.”

“You go on ahead,” Luna said. “I have business to do in my study, paperwork to catch up on.”

“Fun,” Flurry deadpanned. “I’ll see you later, alright?”

“Alright,” Luna nodded, watching Flurry leave.

Luna turned back towards her study further in the castle, she doubted she would get much paperwork done that day.

She needed to figure out how to earn her love’s forgiveness.

Princess Twilight had cancelled her royal duties for that day, including her court. The night before kept playing in her mind over and over again, the things said to her, and the things she herself shouted to them.

She felt horrible.

She meant every word, and still meant them. But how she acted was not becoming of a princess, she should have shown restraint as her mentor would have done.

Twilight kicked over the mannequin in her room out of frustration, moving out onto the balcony to receive some fresh air. She took several deep breaths, trying the technique Cadance had taught her as a filly to calm herself. However, this time it had little effect. Her mind was at war with herself, part of her wanted to find the others and apologise profusely, the other felt they deserved what they got. The latter was winning, and that concerned the Princess of the Sun.

“I should apologise,” she said to herself. “I should have shown restraint.”

“Why?” another voice spoke, sounding so much like her own, and yet had a sinister quality about it that was reminiscing of another, an adversary from so long ago…

“What?” she called out, but nopony was there.

“Why should we apologise? We only told the truth. Isn’t that one of the elements? Honesty? They deserved everything we gave them.”

“But…”

“Luna rejected us in the worst way possible, she showed her true colours that day. Why did she even kiss us? Was it just to make the sting worse? I find that most likely. And Flurry Hear stopped caring for us long ago, likely only involved because the others convinced her despite what she said, she’s a liar,” the voice sneered.

“But… Spike? He would never do anything to hurt me, he only wanted to help.”

“True,” the voice conceded. “But he should really choose better allies. You want your time with him to be untainted by the other two… in what time we have left with him.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.

“We already know the truth, do we not? As with our other friends, Spike will die eventually, and we shall live. We are doomed to be alone… forever.”

Tears flowed down Twilight’s cheeks as she acknowledged the words spoken to her… her own words.

“I know. And it’s their fault…”

“Yes,” the voice agreed. “We gave up everything for them, and this was our reward?”

“They’re ungrateful pieces of filth,” Twilight spat. “After all I have done… all I have lost… they keep on taking for nothing in return. I’ve always strived to uphold harmony, and peace in Equestria. To be selfless… but where has that gotten me. When Celestia died her family stayed by her side, but what about me? What reason do I have to continue with this?”

Twilight wiped her tears away, walking back into her room. “Very little, but… I must continue. It is my duty…”

Twilight sighed, she had been wearing her regalia up to now despite not carrying out her duties that day, but now she levitated them off and discarded them onto the floor carelessly.

Perhaps a stroll was in order? A day to herself, to be herself. Not some figurehead princess, just Twilight Sparkle. Perhaps near the town Ponyville, through the rolling green hills and countryside. A walk through Sweet Apple Acres, she wouldn’t have to talk to anypony, but she could just enjoy the memories. It would be good, she could clear her head, calm down. It would be perfect.

But then a knock on the door caught her attention, and with an annoyed groan she opened it to find a guard standing there.

“I thought I said not to be disturbed today, under any circumstances?” Twilight asked angrily.

“I-I’m sorry, your highness,” the guard bowed. “But this letter came in urgently, it’s the initial report from the dragon attack that Dragon Lord Spike went to intercept. The report is a bit muddled due to conflicting accounts and a finalised version shall exist later, but most of the information is here.”

“I see,” Twilight said. “And? Couldn’t this have waited until tomorrow?”

“No… your highness,” the guard said regretfully. “You have my deepest condolences.”

That got Twilight’s attention.

“Condolences? What are you talking about?!”

The guard passed the letter over to Princess Twilight. “You may want to read this privately, your highness.”

The guard bowed again, dismissing himself from the princess’ presence.

Twilight quickly slammed the door shut and tore the letter open, her eyes hastily moved over each and every single word. She read it once, twice, three times to make sure what she was reading was accurate.

It was.

The letter tumbled from her grasp to the floor, dark magic slowly eating it up until there was nothing left.

Spike was dead. He had stopped the dragon, but gave his life doing so.

She had lost him.

She had lost everything.

A terrifying scream reverberated throughout the castle, the Royal Canterlot Voice carrying it far and wide.

“They’ve taken again!” she shouted in her normal voice, though it began to morph. “Again and again they take everything I hold dear! It has no end, the suffering is eternal. I protect them, and this is my reward?!”

Dark magic began to swirl around the room, all originating from the lavender alicorn.

“Well, enough! They take everything from me… two can play at that game.”

Her fur began to turn a darker shade as her mane turned from her ethereal bright blue with pink highlighting to a more smoky and dark cloud while keeping the same, albeit darkened, colours; armour formed around herself and her voice had morphed into the same voice she had heard within herself mere minutes earlier as she shut her eyes tight, holding back the coming tears.

Outside, the sun turned a mixture of red and black as the heat began to rise. Ponies moved on out of their homes and other buildings to witness the sight, reacting with a mixture of awe and fear. The guard in the castle scrambled to inform Princess Luna, while Princess Flurry Heart, who was in the city itself, saw the sun change with her own horrified eyes.

“If they’ve taken everything from me… so shall I take everything from them! The world shall burn, and the day. Shall last. FOREVER!”

Sinister cackling emerge from the alicorn as her eyes shot open, her pupils were sharp slits that, as she moved to her balcony, gazed down onto the city hungrily.

“Your Princess is no more, my little ponies,” she chuckled evilly. “Your destruction begins now, and Nightmare Nova shall see it done!”

Her wings opened wide as she took to the air, her horn charging viciously as she shot forwards towards the city below as the heat continued to rise.

Author's Note

For a year now (I've been a brony since July 2015) I've had a headcannon I've stuck with for all the princesses' nightmare forms.

Celestia = Nightmare Star

Luna = Nightmare Moon (Obviously)

Cadance = Nightmare Lust

Twilight = Nightmare Nova

Below is a closest image I could find to how Nova looks (just with added wings), it is by Siansaar:

22 - Of Love And Loss

Canterlot Castle

Princess Luna sat alone in her study, laying on top of some dark blue coloured cushions in front of the welcoming warmth of the fireplace. Paper and scrolls were scattered atop of her nearby desk, left where she had cast them aside. Luna had tried to press on with her work, but her thoughts and her soul just wasn’t available to them, her mind was elsewhere.

‘Was this really how Tia felt all those years ago?' Luna thought sadly to herself. ‘All that believing that she hated me, and cared not for me. Twilight must believe something similar, and I now understand both sides of the coin… and I don’t like it very much.’

Luna gave a sad sign, bringing up and taking a sip from her nearby coffee.

‘Oh Tia, I wish you were here. You would know what to do.’

Luna stared down into the boiling liquid within her cup, watching it swirl gently around. All the misery and suffering, it had to stop. Luna just wanted things to go back to the way they were.

“The way they were?” Nightmare Moon questioned, sitting to Luna’s right. “We know it’s far too late for that.”

“What are you doing here?” Luna spat.

“There is no you or us, only I,” Nightmare said solemnly, looking into the fire. “We are one and the same, and we always shall be.”

Luna snarled. “I am not-”

“Luna,” Nightmare Moon interrupted. “It’s time to let go, it’s time to accept who you are and what you were. Nightmare Moon shall always be a part of you, and that is a part you need to embrace.”

“And what? Bring about an eternal night?” Luna scoffed.

“No,” Nightmare Moon shook her head. “We are long past that. But our denial of ourselves has led our love down this terrible path… She can only heal if we allow ourselves to heal…”

Luna looked over at herself, looking Nightmare Moon straight in the eyes.

“What if it’s too late?” she asked shakily.

“Even if she does succumb,” Nightmare started, placing a hoof on Luna’s shoulder. “Celestia never gave up hope in us, and neither should we in her. We can save her, but we cannot do it if we are in constant conflict with ourselves. Our inner conflict caused the Tantabus to run amuck and distress to our friends and family, and it denied us our love. It is time to end this.”

Tears slid slowly down Luna’s cheeks. “For so long I have tried to perceive Nightmare Moon as a different entity, another pony. A parasite, or curse of Sombra’s design. But that was never the case. Our jealousy was there long before the Crystal Empire, and Sombra exploited that. He accelerated my fall, but it may have been inevitable either way. My jealousy tore my family and Equestria apart, I broke both Celestia’s heart and my own.”

“But Celestia was at fault too,” Nightmare stated.

“Perhaps, she acknowledged as such in the long talks we held after my return,” Luna said with a small smile. “But while I had though her love for me had faded, it had not. And it took a wonderful mare, and her friends, to allow me the opportunity to retake what I had so foolishly cast aside.”

Luna’s smile became peaceful, and she was alone in the study.

“I am Nightmare Moon. And I am Luna. Our life experiences creates who we are, and to deny even our darkest days is foolish.”

As she spoke, her eyes morphed into familiar teal slits, but there was a gentle softness to them.

“Twilight,” Luna spoke softly as she levitated a picture from her desk, the picture displayed all four princesses on the day of Twilight’s coronation, the mare in question standing right in the centre. “I’m so sorry, for everything. But I will make things right, my love.”

Luna’s eyes returned to normal, and she placed the picture lovingly back onto her desk.

The Mare of the Moon looked up out of the window, the day was bright and hopeful. She would help her family, Cadance too if she could. And in her acceptant of herself, her determination was renewed.

But it was then that she felt it.

All of her prior bravado seemed to evaporate as the bright sun outside seemed to turn, the world outside the castle being bathed in a red tint.

And then there was the scream.

A terrifying scream of anger and colossal pain echoed throughout the castle, assaulting Luna’s ears as it was carried by the royal Canterlot voice.

“Twilight?” Luna’s voice was filled with horror.

The temperature began to rise, and a sense of dread overcame the Lunar Princess.

“I’m too late…”

Crystal Empire

Throughout the Crystal Empire, screams and gasps of shock spread throughout the populace as the sun began to shift and change. A great amount of fear invaded each and every pony within the city and beyond, and for the first time in a very long time Princess Mi Amore Cadenza had left her room.

Cadance now stood on the palace’s central balcony eyes moving over everything that was occurring outside.

She had felt the moment it had happened, the moment Twilight’s heart had shattered into billions of fragments, and then was put back together as something dark and dangerous. When she focused in on the sun, Twilight’s heart felt… hollow. Like there was nothing left to combat the dark.

She had succumbed.

“Twilight, no…” Cadance was shaking from the horror of it all, disbelief running through her being.

And then she saw her panicking subjects, fearful and lost.

She knew her daughter was in Canterlot, and could handle herself. Flurry Heart would be there to deal with what Twilight had become, but right now the crystal ponies needed somepony to look to for guidance.

With a focus and purpose that had been lost to her for so many years reasserting itself, Cadance spread her wings and flew down towards the city, intent on calming her ponies during the crisis at hoof.

And seeing their previously despondent princess back in action, coming to them in their time of need, the morale of the Crystal Empire quickly rose back up.

The Crystal Heart remained strong through their efforts, and the barrier keeping out the frozen north would also keep out the rising heat.

As long as the ponies remained strong, the empire was safe.

Canterlot

Princess Flurry Heart flew above the city, eyes on the sky as the sun continued to heat up the planet. Civilians were either running amok in a panic in the streets, or retreating back into their homes. She imagined the rest of Equestria, and in fact the world was having similar reactions. She could only guess at the panic and confusion spreading in the Griffon Empire, Zebrica, Minos, Saddle Arabia and other nations.

“Princess!” a Pegasus guard flew urgently up to Flurry Heart, followed by several others. “What is happening?!”

Flurry Heart knew only one reason why the sun would act in such a way.

“I want you to organise with the other guard, all divisions including the Lunar Guard and the few Crystal Guardsponies that accompanied me here,” Flurry Heart ordered. “You will be on damage control, and protecting the civilians.”

“Damage control?” the guard’s eyes widened.

“There is about to be a battle, but for now you must not engage. You will be outmatched in every way.”

“Y-yes, your highness!” The guard saluted, and quickly departed with his fellow guards following closely behind.

Flurry Heart looked back down upon the city, mentally preparing herself for what was about to happen.

And then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw her.

Nightmare Nova sped down towards the city, horn already charged and ready. The moment she came into range, she unleashed a devastating beam of magic that ripped through several buildings as she flew by.

Screams began anew as ponies scrambled to flee away from the alicorn as she came around for another pass.

Several more bolts were unleased down unto the city as she weaved between the buildings. Nova then flew up high into the air, and her eyes lit up with dark magic as her horn began to bubble. Black and green flames was unleashed from her horn, and was hurtled down towards the city right where a large group of civilians was attempting to flee. They saw the dark magical flames closing in on them, and held onto one another tightly as they waited for the end.

Only for a golden shield to form around them, absorbing the flames as Nightmare Nova gave an angry shout.

Nova looked around for the source of the shield, and a short distance away found her own niece hovering in the air, gazing directly at her.

“Ah, Flurry Heart,” Nova smirked. “I was wondering whether you or Luna would be the first to show. Though it may have been wise to come together… no matter.”

“Aunt Twilight, why are you doing this?!” Flurry shouted out in anguish.

“That’s not my name!” she shouted back. “I am Nightmare Nova, and I am Equestria’s end!”

“I know you are hurting, but please stop this! You don’t need to-”

She was cut off when she was forced to avoid a lavender beam of magic hurtling directly towards her.

“It is far too late to stop!” Nova shouted in anger. “This ends here!”

Flurry hastily dodged two more magical attacks before being intercepted by one, which she placed up a quick shield to absorb. However, the impact sent her falling from the sky momentarily before Flurry Heart able to get her bearings and fly back up.

“I’m sorry,” Flurry whispered with tears in her eyes, horn charging up.

Golden magic lanced out towards Nightmare Nova, who flew to one side as Flurry’s attack trailed after her.

The acrobatics display that followed would have made the Wonderbolts envious as each alicorn dodged and weaved to avoid each other’s strikes. Flurry Heart flew down low through an empty section of the city and dodged through several buildings as Nightmare Nova pursued. Nova fired several bolts in quick succession, which Flurry Heart managed to avoid, but caused one thankfully empty building to collapse into rubble. Flurry then shot up into the air again, did a flip and shot back down directly towards Nova. She released several short bursts of her magic which was met precisely with Nova’s own, and just as the two barrelled into each other both created a shield bubble around themselves.

They kept their shields raised as they disengaged, and then struck each other over and over again in mid-air, their shields deflecting one another as each tried to break down the other. The golden and lavender spheres danced around a few moments more, before both shattered and Nova quickly unleashed some dark magical fire towards her niece, which she only just managed to avoid. Flurry flew close and attempted to buck the side of Nova’s head, but it was largely deflected by her helmet. Nova responded by lashing out with one hoof and catching the side of Flurry’s muzzle, causing a small yelp of pain. Flurry flew back a little, and spat out some blood from her mouth caused by the blow, before firing more magic in Nightmare Nova’s direction.

In the castle, Luna ran through the many hallways as guards hurried about around her. She could hear the sounds of a furious fight in the distance, and she stopped out a window that held a view of the city below.

Her eyes widened as she saw Flurry Heart locked in a confrontation with her aunt. Both were giving it their all, but Flurry Heart was seemingly being forced onto the defensive as her spells began to be overpowered. Not wasting any more time, Luna charged her horn and shattered the window with a single blast of magic, taking a run up and jumping out of it and she raised her wings and took to the air.

Flurry Heart did a quick teleport to avoid a beam of pure dark magic, which hit an unfortunate hay burger stand and melted it into nothingness. When she reappeared Nova was quick to press on the attack, a normal beam of destruction magic chasing after Flurry Heart as she quickly flew to avoid it. When the beam stopped, Flurry Heart did a quick spin in the air and called on the largest and most powerful beam she could, the golden lance striking out towards her corrupted aunt.

Nova had similar plans, and unleashed a lavender beam of her own simultaneously, the two colliding mid-air. Where the lavender and golden magic collided a huge maelstrom of magical energies formed amidst a large bright light. The two beams fought for dominance over one another, both gaining and losing ground. However, a mix of Flurry Heart’s continued reluctance to fight her aunt, and Nova’s rising anger caused the latter to quickly gain ground over the former after a few moments. Dark magic mixed in with the light, and the deadly combination pushed back against Flurry’s own magic until it reached her horn, and the ensuing explosion knocked the injured Flurry Heart from the sky where she fell rapidly down into a small market square below.

Flurry rolled along the concrete before painfully coming to a stop. The alicorn tried to get to her hooves, but didn’t get very far before she fell back to the ground.

Nightmare Nova landed a short distance away, and began to approach with a fang-filled smirk on her face.

“A valiant effort, my dearest niece… but not enough,” she taunted. “The heat shall rise, and the world shall burn along with all who live in it.”

“You’ll… you will kill yourself too… in the end,” Flurry Heart spoke, she was in a lot of pain.

“Not before all of you have long since perished,” Nightmare Nova stated. “My death is inevitable to be sure, but I don’t care. My last moments will be of victory as the charred corpses of you all lay at my hooves.”

“That’s not going to happen,” a voice calmly stated from behind Nova.

Nightmare Nova’s smirk widened viciously as she turned around to face Princess Luna. Luna looked at Nova with not contempt, hate or even pity. Her gaze was soft and understanding, and that caused Nova’s smirk to fall away.

“I won’t let it,” Luna told Nova.

“Princess Luna,” Nova greeted. “Come to meet Flurry Heart’s fate?” she taunted, unleashing a beam of lavender magic at the Lunar Princess.

Luna met it with a beam of her own just before it hit her, she tensed for a few moments before she was able to push the beam away from her, before knocking both attacks to the side and disengaging them. Luna quickly shot an individual bolt at Nova, which the latter met with a shield, standing completely unfazed.

“Not bad,” Nova stated. “You may be somewhat of a challenge.”

“Your power is great,” Luna noted. “But I have lived a very long time, and have walked paths light and dark. I will not fall easily.”

“I should hope not, Princess Luna. For that would take the joy out of standing over your lifeless body when all is said and done, ruin the taste of victory over you,” Nova stated, her pupils narrowing dangerously.

Luna sighed. “Deep down, you don’t mean that.”

“I beg your pardon?” Nova growled.

“You’re screaming in pain, you’re fractured and broken and believe you have nopony to turn to. You’re lashing out at a world you believe has abandoned you, that has taken so much from you. And I don’t blame you. We alicorns are just ponies in the end, not gods and goddesses, and there is only so much a pony can take.”

When Nova flinched, Luna knew she was getting somewhere.

“I know… Twilight,” Luna spoke softly. “I know how you feel.”

“You know how I feel?!” Nightmare Nova raged, stamping both hooves into the ground. “You insolent bitch! You speak such nonsense to me, claiming to know my inner thoughts and feelings… but how you could you?! You dare claim to know such things?!”

“TWILIGHT SPARKLE!” Luna shouted in her Royal Canterlot Voice. “DO YOU FORGET TO WHOM YOU SPEAK?”

Luna’s blue coat shimmered and shifted into a black colour as her starry mane became smokier in nature, her teeth morphed into sharpened fangs as familiar armour formed around her. Finally, her eyes shifted as her pupils became narrow slits that gazed on at Nova.

“Does this remind you?” Nightmare Moon asked Nightmare Nova.

The moon raised high into the sky at the command of its master, moving to block out the sun and cause an eclipse. The sky darkened and stars became visible as night began early, the heat immediately beginning to drop to something more manageable.

Nova snarled, and released a torrent of dark magic towards Nightmare Moon. Nightmare opened her wings and took to the sky to avoid the dark magic, while shooting a few quick weak bolts at Nova to keep her attention, and draw her away from Flurry Heart.

Nightmare Moon flew rapidly away from Mount Canterhorn and the city that sat upon it, Nightmare Nova following closely behind. Nightmare strafed from side to side to avoid incoming spells, spells that hit down safely onto the countryside below them.

With the city left far behind, Nightmare quickly decelerated and spun around to face Nova, who charged into her. The two grappled with one another in mid-air, plummeting from the sky and down to the ground below.

The two smacked painfully to the ground, the impact separating them as they rolled away from each other. They were a short distance away from the mountain on an open plain with the only notable feature being a nearby hill with a single tree sat atop it.

“It’s not too late to stop this!” Nightmare Moon shouted as they both got to their hooves. “You can still come back from this!”

“What do you care?” Nova scoffed, launching another quick attack that Nightmare Moon sidestepped. “I admitted my feeling to you, and you spat it back in my face, Nightmare Moon!”

Nightmare Nova launched another strike at Nightmare Moon as she began to approach with tears forming in her eyes, the Lunar Princess staying where she stood as she deflected it with a shield she formed around herself.

“Sombra showed me your rejection!” She launched another bolt. “And he was right! He showed me the deaths of those I hold dear… and he was right!”

Another shot was fired as Nova came closer still.

Tears rolled down Nova’s cheeks, and yet she continued to speak amidst the sobs

“I lost my friends!” Another shot. “My family!” She fired again.

“Everything!” she shouted in anguish, firing one big bolt of magic that finally shattered Nightmare Moon’s shield, and yet the she remained where she stood.

Nightmare Nova was right in Nightmare Moon’s face now, her horn charged violently with her magic. Only now, Nova’s tears were joined by Nightmare Moon’s own.

“So tell me, Luna! What do I have to live for, huh? What… do I have… TO LIVE FOR?”

Nightmare Moon’s breathing was shaky as she looked into Nightmare Nova’s pleading eyes, her mind long made up.

“This,” she responded simply, grabbing Nightmare Nova and pulling her into a loving kiss.

Nova’s eyes widened in surprise, before they slowly closed and she melted into the kiss, returning it with equal love.

Both mares shimmered as their nightmare forms fell away, leaving Luna and Twilight behind still locked in their embrace.

Finally, the kiss was slowly broken off. And Twilight Sparkle looked into Luna’s equally tear filled eyes.

“B-but… I thought…”

“Shh,” Luna cooed, gently pulling Twilight into an affectionate hug. “I know, but I’m here now. And I love you so, so much.”

“I love you too, Luna,” Twilight buried her head in Luna’s chests as their sobs, which were both sad and yet full of joy, filled the air around them.

Flurry Heart flew through the air away from Canterlot. Her injuries were painful, but she needed to find her aunt and Luna, and nothing would prevent her from doing so.

She had been searching for a good hour, ever since the moon lowered and the sun returned to normal. She had left the guard to keep the peace and help any ponies in need.

Now she was flying over the plains not far from the mountain, scanning both the sky and the ground. And that was when she finally saw them...

Down below under a tree atop a hill, a lavender and blue alicorn lay together contently in the shade of the tree. They appeared to be asleep and the blue alicorn had her wing wrapped around the lavender alicorn, both held smiles on their faces as they enjoyed whatever dream Luna had conjured up for them both.

Seeing they were both fine, and with a particularly satisfied smile, Flurry Heart turned around and headed back to Canterlot.

Maybe, just maybe, things would get better after all...

Author's Note

Things are coming to an end.

Two more chapters, and then the epilogue, so two more weeks and this will be over... :fluttercry:

It's been a hell of a ride!

23 - Reconciliation

Canterlot Castle, three weeks later

Twilight wished she could say that things had gone back to normal following the ‘incident’, but that would be a lie. Outside of raising and lowering the sun, Luna had pretty much taken over all of Twilight’s royal duties for the time being, Twilight herself in the meantime had disappeared from the public eye while the political nightmare resultant from her rampage cooled off. Still, Twilight couldn’t complain. She had a loved one with whom which she shared her bed, and plus she couldn’t remember the last time she just sat down and had a rest. Years? Decades? Everything back there was a maelstrom of darkness and sorrow, she was glad to put it all behind her.

The whole Nightmare Nova situation was also made a little awkward by the mere presence of the individual sitting next to the Solar Princess as they viewed the city from Twilight and Luna’s bedroom balcony.

“Anyway, you’re looking good for a dead guy,” Twilight smirked.

“Reports of my death were greatly exaggerated,” Spike responded, miniaturised to the size of a pony once again. “Honestly, I was injured, but not that seriously! Talk about miscommunication.”

“This is why you need excellent organisation,” Twilight stated. “Otherwise, somepony might turn into a demon bent on burning the planet to a crisp by turning the sun into a dark magic infused red giant…”

“Until said demon makes smoochy faces with Woona,” Spike teased, earning him a smack with Twilight’s tail. “Turnabout Kiss, that’s what history should call it.”

“Who are you, Phoenix Wright?” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Who?”

“Oh, it was an interactive novel thing Sunset Shimmer showed me once about a lawyer,” Twilight stated with a shrug.

“Hold, I think I remember,” Spike said. “That time you took a few of Sunset’s personal items back from the human world to ‘study’.”

“Oh shush you!” the Princess said with a grin. “It was in the name of science!”

“You built a device that breached the boundaries of reality to pick up, what was it called, the internet?”

“That was it.”

“Right, well you spent the entire time on Sunset’s phone and playing games on those other devices.”

“And I learnt a lot in that time,” Twilight stated. “As I said, for science.”

“Uh-huh…” Spike didn’t buy the lie in the slightest. “Your science didn’t stop a rather annoyed Sunset barging through the portal and demanding for them back.”

“Ah, but it did allow me to introduce her to Starlight and get her and Celestia to reconcile,” Twilight stated. “Considering that shortly afterwards Celestia… passed away, it was a good thing I did in the end.”

Spike heard the door opened behind them. “Speaking of reconciliation,” he muttered, knowing who it would be.”

“Luna?” Twilight called out expectantly, and she was indeed there, but she was not prepared for the alicorn next to her love.

“Hello, Twilight,” Cadance said quietly, standing in the doorway. “It’ been a long time.”

“Cadance?” Twilight muttered in disbelief.

“I’ll make myself scarce,” Spike said, slinking out of the room.

This left only the three alicorns standing there, Luna moving to one corner to give the other two some space.

“You got old,” Cadance said with the barest hint of a smile.

“It had to happen sometime,” Twilight responded. “Why are you here?”

Cadance looked down at the floor. “I’ve been hiding for too long, Shining wouldn’t have wanted that and… I’ve neglected you. You, my daughter, my subjects, all of them. But you especially, I felt what was growing in your heart, and I did nothing. I sat there and felt sorry for myself.”

Cadance sighed. “It took you losing yourself to Nightmare Nova for me to realise this, and get off my ass and do something.”

Twilight stared at her, blank faced.

“Twilight, I’m so sorry,” Cadance whispered. “I wish I could change us drifting apart, sister. But I can’t, and if you don’t want to know me after this then I understand but-”

“Sunshine, sunshine ladybugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake!” Twilight chanted, and pulling Cadance along after the second sunshine, joy mixing in with surprise and confusion.

“Cady…” Twilight hugged her sister. “I should have done more to help you, too. We’re both to blame.”

“There are many avenues of blame,” Luna spoke up. “Perhaps it would make for a good friendship report?”

“Perhaps,” Twilight laughed. “A fitting end to this chapter of our lives, before the next one begins soon,” she stated, looking lovingly at Luna.

“Erm, am I missing something?” Cadance asked. “I know you’re together now, which I am barely holding in a massive squee for right now, but there’s something else?

“Well…” Twilight twirled a hoof. “Luna came to me the other day…”

“And I asked Twilight a question,” Luna stated casually, nuzzling the lavender alicorns neck.

“A question that led to this,” Twilight finished, using her magic to pick up something from a nearby desk.

A ring.

Outside the Princess’ chambers, a guard was going about his duties loyally, patrolling the corridors with complete focus on the task at hoof.

*SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*

The Royal Canterlot Voice enhanced squee made the guard stop in place before, like a statue, he fell over to his left and clattered to the floor.

It took nearly an hour for Twilight and Luna to calm Cadance down as she began expressing her joy at the couple’s engagement. Even after she stopped bouncing off the walls, her excitement was still there.

At least her speech was understandable now, rather than the babbling of a madmare.

“You’re getting married!” Cadance pranced like a filly.

“Yes, that is the idea,” Luna cringed at the Princess of Love, wondering if telling her was a bad idea after all.

“This is the best thing ever!” Cadance exclaimed. “When are you planning it to be?”

“We’ll wait for things to calm down first,” Twilight stated. “Then we’ll see.”

“My love is trying to stay in the shadows for the time being,” Luna informed Cadance.

“Understandable,” Cadance conceded. “Still, I can’t wait!”

“Whose wedding is it again?” Luna deadpanned.

“One moment,” Twilight interrupted. “Cadance, can I ask you something?”

“Of course! Anything!”

“When the time comes, could you marry us?” Twilight asked. “I could think of nopony better suited for the task.

Cadance froze.

Slowly, her mind began to process the words that had just been spoken to her, and a massive grin slowly formed on her face.

“You… want me to…”

There was a loud bang as the pink alicorn slumped to the floor, having passed out. Twilight and Luna could only stare at the sight, both at a complete loss for words.

“I… think that’s a yes?”

The next day

The very next day, something that had been said between the three alicorns wouldn’t leave Twilight Sparkle’s mind. She kept thinking it through over and over, wondering whether she should.

But in the end, there was only really ever one choice in that particular matter.

So when Luna was off doing her royal duties, and Cadance was spending time with her daughter, Twilight picked up a quill and parchment and got to writing. Taking a long look up at the sun as she did so; even after so many years of it being hers, a part of another mare still remained, a part that if Twilight concentrated she could feel. When she did so, she pictured a warm motherly smile on a mare whom, as a filly, Twilight had considered perfect.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Normally I would say what I learnt today, but this isn’t a lesson learnt in a single day, but one I’ve learnt over a mortal’s lifetime.

I have learnt that life can sometimes take cruel and unexpected turns, events can happen that you’re unprepared for and can change you as an individual. You may lose hope, allow yourself to slip away into a pit of despair and agony. But it doesn’t have to be that way, because even in those darkest of hours you will always have somepony there to lend you a helping hoof. Whether it’s a friend, or one whom you love, they will be there for you as you should always be there for them.

And while those friendships may be tested and sometimes even broken, you shouldn’t blame yourself and others. There are normally many avenues of blame, and you shouldn’t focus on them. Instead, talk to you friends and loved ones and move past it by providing strength to one another, just as my friends, family and love of my life do so for me. The nightmare has finally ended for us all.

Because that is the power of friendship.

Always your student,
Twilight Sparkle

Twilight looked down on the letter in satisfaction.

“Friendship report?” Spike asked, coming up from behind.

“Yes,” Twilight said, not even jumping at his surprise appearance, having heard him approach again. “One final report.”

“Do you want me to send it?” Spike asked.

“Huh?”

“I can send it, it might end up in the tomb but it shall be with her,” Spike suggested. “Just to finish things off.”

After a few moments of though, Twilight nodded. She gave Spike the letter, and with a huff of green flame it disappeared in a flash.

Through the magical vortex the letter ducked and weaved, but not towards Celestia’s tomb. Instead in was whisked away far away from Canterlot and into wild and untamed lands. There sat an old ruin, and in that ruin sat a chamber with a pulsating obelisk at its centre.

The letter popped into existence and fell to the floor, the room remained empty and silent.

Then, a mist began to form and morph into the shape of an alicorn. The shade, who had developed some clearer features such as a mouth and eyes while still appearing to be made from shadows, slowly approached the letter and picked it up.

Seeing who it was from, and the content of the letter, she couldn’t help but smile.

Author's Note

One more chapter and the epilogue remain.

24 - Wedding

One Year Later…

It had been a little over a year since the sun turned red and Nightmare Nova had nearly caused the apocalypse, and just like Tirek, Sombra and other threats to Equestria it was quickly placed and left behind far into the past. In fact, the past year had by far been one of the most prosperous years Equestria had undergone in a long while.

After Princess Twilight had returned from her duties she, to the generation of ponies who had only knew her after the death of Celestia, seemed to be a new mare. There was a brighter, and almost younger outlook she displayed. Her once serious posture had become host to a warm motherly smile which she graced upon all her subjects, and the warmth of the sun seemed to become more welcoming than it had previously.

On top of that, Princess Cadance had finally come out of her self-imposed exile. She took a more active role in the duties of the Crystal Empire, taking some of the weight off of her daughter’s shoulders. The Crystal Heart also seemed healthier after the return of its master.

All of Equestria had undergone a change, and the dawn finally arose from the darkness.

The icing on the cake, of course, was the announcement of Princess Twilight and Princess Luna’s engagement, and the coming royal wedding that would stem from it. The announcement had come several months after the event had happened, after things had settled down and Twilight had returned to her duties. Many more months had past afterwards before the planning of the wedding finally began, and before anypony knew it a whole year had gone by.

But they had finally reached the journey’s conclusion.

Twilight was performing the breathing technique that Cadance had taught her as a filly, trying desperately to calm her frayed nerves as the ponies around her made the final modifications and adjustments to her dress.

She was currently in her personal study, which had been radically changed and cleared out to make way for those helping with the wedding preparations while Princess Luna was being prepared in their chambers.

The dress itself was a long, beautiful alabaster with some lavender added into the design to match the Princess’ coat colour. Her headdress was an assortment of various beautiful flowers crafted by the finest fashionista in Equestria.

The fashionista in question, the one who had designed the entire outfit was in fact Rarity’s granddaughter, Ornate. While Ornate’s mother, Rarity’s daughter, had taken more after Sweetie Bell than her own mother, Ornate was practically Rarity’s reincarnation with similar mannerisms and even hairstyle. Her coat was a light pink while her mane was similar to Rarity’s but in a lighter purple than hers had been.

Ornate had always looked up to her grandmother when she was alive, and had taken over the business when the time came.

“Come now, darling,” Ornate said with a smile. “There is no need to be nervous, this ought to be the most important and fabulous day of your life!”

“I know,” Twilight stated. “B-but what if something happens? What if changelings invade or… what if I’m a changeling infiltrator and I forgot?!” Some of her old tendencies for overreacting were coming to light after a very long dormancy, understandable considering the occasion.

Orante simply chuckled, and continued to place the final touches on the dress.

“I assure you that you are not a changeling, darling. And I assure you that you other half will be just as nervous as you are, if not more.”

Twilight shook her head with a small smile. “I doubt it, after everything that’s happened this will hardly faze her…”

In the royal couple’s personal chambers

“I can’t do this!” Luna shouted in panic, trying to climb out of the window.

“Yes, you can,” Cadance insisted, grabbing onto the frenzied alicorn with her magic and trying to drag her back as gently as possible so not to ruin the dress she wore, which was similar to Twilight just with a blue patterning instead of lavender.

Cadance sighed as Luna continued to resist like a naughty foal. “You’re letting you nerves get the better of you.”

“Of course I am! I’m getting m- ma- Oh by Tartarus I’m getting married…” Luna finally stopped resisting when she dropped to the floor in a daze.

Cadance offered her a warm smile as she gently guided Luna back to her hooves, the mare in question looking off into space as she let the reality sink in.

“It doesn’t feel real yet… I can hardly comprehend it…”

“I know the feeling, and I went through it twice,” Cadance stated as she continued on the dress. “It will all work out, I promise.”

“How can you be sure?” Luna whispered. “What if I mess it up? What if I do something wrong and she hates me and turned back into Nightmare Nova and it’s all my fault and-”

“Aunty…” Cadance just rolled her eyes in amusement. “For one who used to be the Terror of the Night, you are just as much of a drama queen as Twilight is.”

“In my long lifetime this is a first for me, excuse me for being a little nervous!”

“A little,” Cadance deadpanned with a raised eyebrow.

“Alright, a lot,” she admitted.

“You should try the technique I taught Twilight, just take deep breaths in and out with a hoof on your chest.”

“I’ll pass.”

Cadance shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

After a few more minutes of silence, Cadance finally took a step back and examined the dress Luna wore in excited satisfaction.

“All done!” she sung happily. “Oh my goodness, you look amazing.”

Luna blushed as she looked at herself in the mirror her niece had provided for her. “You think so? Do you… think Twilight will agree?”

“Without a doubt.”

Luna allowed her nerves to cool, and a smile to grace her face.

“Thank you, Cadance. I’m glad you were here to help…” Luna’s face became sullen. “I just wish Tia was here.”

Cadance gave the alicorn a sympathetic smile, before taking hold of her in a brief, soft hug.

“Now now, let’s not have any sad thoughts on this day of all days. Come on, the wedding will begin soon.”

Luna acknowledged her point, some nerves creeping back at the mention of the word ‘wedding’.

In the hall where Cadance and Shining Armor had married so many years prior, a crowd of close family and friends along with the typical Canterlot nobility were seated in neatly organised rows. The hall, and the entire city, if not all of Equestria had been outfitted with motifs of the moon representing Luna and the six pointed starburst that was Twilight’s cutie mark. All of the former element bearers’ families were seated on the front row along with Dragon Lord Spike and a slowly recovering Ember, whose illness was finally passing mostly due to the dragoness’ pure stubbornness and will to live. Both dragons had been magically shrunk down to fit in the hall.

Spike, as he had done many years prior, was acting as ring bearer for the two mares. Flurry Heart was standing near the front as best mare, while Cadance stood behind the pedestal where Celestia had performed the ceremony for Cadance and Shining during their own wedding.

And, of course, there was also Luna. She stood trying to control her boiling nerves in front of Cadance, waiting for the arrival of her beloved.

A moment that didn’t take long to come to pass.

Music began to play as the doors opened and Twilight Sparkle slowly made her way in. As ‘Here Comes the Bride’ was softly played throughout the hall all eyes were on the former Princess of Friendship, and current Princess of the Sun as she made her way down. Cadance couldn’t help but give a child-like grin as Twilight took her place beside Luna, and the two finally saw each other in their dresses. Awestruck is a word that wouldn’t do it justice.

“Y-you look…” Twilight whispered. “Beautiful.”

Luna blushed. “I could say the same for you, my love.”

Cadance cleared her throat, and began to speak.

The crowd listened intently as the vows were shared, both mares announcing their love for one another and making their promises to love and protect one another as long as they would live. Which, being alicorns, would be a very long time should fate permit it.

And, at last, the fated moment came at last.

“Princess Luna, do you take this mare to be you wedded wife?” Cadance asked cheerfully.

“I do.”

Cadance nodded happily, and then turned to her sister-in-law for the moment she had waited to perform ever since she had foalsitted Twilight when she had been a little filly.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle, do you also take this mare to be you wedded wife?”

Twilight met Luna’s eyes, and the words swept from her muzzle with no hesitation.

“I do.”

“Then,” Cadance announced. “You may each kiss the bride.”

Cheers erupted throughout the hall as Twilight and Luna’s lips met and the world melted away around them. Cadance could feel their love for one another enter a whole new domain as one age for both the newlyweds and Equestria came to an end, and another began.

And little did they know, the whole thing had been watched by outside eyes.

The shade smiled with unparalleled joy at the image her friend was displaying to her. Watching that ultimate kiss of Twilight and Luna as their marriage finally became official, it was one she had been desperate to see.

“All’s well that ends well,” Discord stated. “It only took a few sun-boiled eggs to happen too. I cannot complain, the chaos of that day was quite filling to say the least.”

The two watched as the kiss was broken off, and their friends and family quickly rushed to congratulate the couple.

“Perhaps the scars left by Celestia’s demise can finally heal,” Discord noted. “It’s about time, wouldn’t you agree?”

He turned to find the shade in a world of her own.

“Are you listening to me?”

“Yes,” the shade responded. “I’m just… thinking.”

“Oh? About what?”

“Discord…” The shade turned to look at him in the eyes. “Could I ask a favour?”

The reception after the wedding had gone on well into the night as the country wide celebration had carried on. Many had come up to congratulate the newlyweds, and the moon was high into the sky having surpassed midnight by the time things began to calm down.

Many would continue to celebrate well into the morning, but others began to retire for the night.

This included Twilight and Luna, but they had little intention of sleeping.

Excited giggling could be heard throughout the castle as the two quickly made their way to their personal chambers. Twilight practically bucked the door open as they rushed their way inside. They slammed the door shut behind them and locked into a deep loving kiss.

“So, what do you want to do now?” Twilight asked playfully.

Luna practically purred. “I can think of a few things…”

“Oh please,” a voice scoffed. “You should really wait until you have privacy for that kind of thing.”

Both mares jumped, eyes wide as they looked for the source of the voice.

Both were surprised, and a little annoyed, to witness Discord laying on their bed with a pocket watch being held up.

“Honestly, I’ve been waiting for hours and you only now have the decency to show. How rude!”

“Discord?!” Twilight exclaimed in both embarrassment and surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“What? Am I not allowed to congratulate the happy couple? Then again, I didn’t get an invitation…”

“Nopony could find you!” Twilight objected. “Where have you been?”

“Oh… this and that,” he dismissed. “You know me, so much chaos to spread and so little time. Then again, you’ve done a wonderful job at spreading some chaos without me.”

Both alicorns glared at him.

“And where were you when my love needed assistance?” Luna growled. “We could have used your help.”

“And deny you the chance to rekindle your love?” Discord shook his head with tuts of mocking disapproval. “Now what kind of a friend would do that?”

“So, are you here to congratulate or annoy us?” the Lunar Princess asked.

“Why not both?” Discord asked. “But, there is also another thing…”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “And what might that be?”

Without giving an explanation, Discord clicked and the whole world seemed to shift. The next thing the princesses knew, they were in a dark chamber with an ominous, pulsating obelisk in the centre.

“Where are we?” Twilight frantically looked around. “Discord! Where have you thrown us?!”

“The machinations of that fiend,” Luna said with an irritated sigh. “It had no end!”

Twilight continued to examine their surroundings, until her nervous gaze rested on the obelisk itself.

“Luna, does that thing remind you of anything?”

Luna too examined the object of interest. “Indeed, it is worryingly similar to the artefact found in the Crystal Empire on the day your brother died. The fact there is another is… troubling.”

“Despite its dark magical nature,” the shade spoke. “Its intention is far less evil, if a bit morally controversial.”

Both alicorns swing around to face the shade, horns blaring to life with lavender and blue magic respectively.

Its body was made up of shadow, and it held the vague shape of an alicorn. Dark energies seemed to spit off of it and the appearance of the creature only served to increase the princesses’ alarm.

“Who are you?” Twilight demanded to know. “And where are we?”

“This place is older than the rule of the two sisters, created by a long deceased necromancer of whom I have little knowledge. This room was specifically designed to communicate with the dead.”

“The dead? Does that include you?” Twilight questioned the mysterious being which held the shape of an alicorn.

“Yes,” the shade confirmed. “And I’ve been watching you, with the help of Discord.”

“Discord?” Twilight tilted her head in confusion. “But why would he help you?”

“Why wouldn’t he?” The shade smirked. “We are old friends, after all.”

The shadow making up the shade’s form seemed to melt away, giving way to alabaster fur and a rainbow coloured ethereal mane. Her eyes were lavender, her cutie mark the image of the sun and her face held the motherly smile she was well known for.

Princess Celestia stood before her sister and new sister-in-law, both of whom froze up as their horns became silent.

“S-sister?” Luna called out shakily, tears threatening the burst through the dam. “How can this be?”

“As I said, Lulu, this obelisk was designed to communicate with the dead. As long as it is here, I can exist in the real world,” she explained, though with tears beginning to make themselves known from her also.

Luna took several slow steps forwards, until she was directly in front of her sister. She timidly placed a hoof on Celestia’s shoulder, and when she made contact, she could hold in the tears no more.

“Tia!” Luna flung herself at Celestia, clinging on for dear life.

“Shhh, Lulu. I’m here…” Celestia said through her own sobs, nuzzling lovingly into her sister’s neck.

“All this time…” Twilight spoke without emotion. “All this time you were here, and you didn’t tell us?”

Celestia looked up at Twilight, who was barely holding it together. “I couldn’t interfere. I shouldn’t even be here. But I always knew you two would pull through, and I can’t even begin to say how proud I am of you both.”

Twilight couldn’t take it anymore, and she slumped to the floor as her motions broke down into a fit of hysterical sobbing.

Celestia and Luna were quick to rush to Twilight's side, and all three alicorns spent a very long time just sharing in their tears of both sadness and joy.

“Ah think this went pretty well,” Applejack stated, her and the other Element Bearers standing to the side watching the three alicorns’ reunion after using the obelisk to materialise. “How long till we should make ourselves known?"

“We should give them a little while longer,” Rarity stated. “The poor darlings have been waiting a long time for this."

“I like happy endings,” Fluttershy said as she smiled happily. “It makes me feel all happy and warm inside."

“I’m not usually into this kind of sappy stuff, but I can dig this,” Rainbow Dash stated. “Just because it’s the egghead and Luna.”

“You know what this calls for?” Pinkie squeed excitedly.

“A party,” the others said in unison, all rolling their eyes.

“A PARTY!” Pinkie shouted with a burst of confetti, unwittingly drawing the attention of the alicorns, Twilight nearly fainting immediately at the sight of her friends.

“Oops,” Pinkie grinned sheepishly. “Quick, move to the epilogue!”

Author's Note

The epilogue is out now, proceed to the next page!

25 - Epilogue

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria.

There were once four alicorns who ruled Equestria during an age of harmony and peace. The four alicorns were Celestia, keeper of the sun. There was also Luna, Celestia’s sister and caretaker of the moon. The youngest were Mi Amore Cadenza, alicorn of the heart, and finally Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and bearer of the Element of Magic.

Princess Twilight and her friends protected Equestria from many threats, their unbreakable bond shielding the land from many evils.

But one day, tragedy struck. One such evil succeeded in striking down Celestia, bringing on a darkness that would increase over the years to come.

Cadenza would become reclusive, leaving her duties to her daughter, Princess Flurry Heart. The Element Bearers would be claimed by time, and the darkness in Princess Twilight’s heart wold grow.

Then, one day, it grew too much. The visage of Twilight Sparkle was stripped away, leaving behind a mare of darkness and destruction.

Nightmare Nova.

Nightmare Nova, in control of the sun, strived to bring Equestria under an eternal day of fire and destruction.

But alas, it was never to be. For the love between Princess Luna of the night and Princess Twilight proved too powerful. Nightmare Nova was vanquished, and Princess Twilight was restored.

And so, Equestria would enter a new age of friendship and harmony. Cadenza would return, and Twilight and Luna would be joined in matrimony.

With love victorious, the four alicorns continued to rule Equestria benevolently, and harmony has been maintained throughout the generations ever since.

Canterlot Castle, a thousand years after Nightmare Nova

Twilight closed the book she had been reading to the small foals snuggled soundly into the bed. Twins, one a filly and one a colt, both alicorns.

Twilight’s children.

Both foals had drifted to sleep as Twilight read them their bedtime story. They were snuggled against one another as their soft snores signified their departure into the realm of dreams where Luna would likely frolic and play with her children in the most wonderful dream she could conjure for her little ones.

Twilight herself would likely join them, but first she had some things to take care of.

“They look peaceful,” Celestia smiled, standing behind Twilight.

“They are so well behaved,” Twilight stated with a soft smile. “Most of the time anyway.”

Twilight got up and walked out of her children’s room and into the corridor, passing by guards who nodded to the pair.

“I take it there are no problems with the obelisk?” Twilight asked, thinking of the artefact they had painstakingly transferred to Canterlot Castle centuries prior. Even if they couldn’t be around all the time due to it being quite taxing to do so, it was nice that Celestia and her Ponyville friends could visit every now and then.

“No,” Celestia confirmed. “It’s working fine again, though we should be more careful with the amount of time we spend in the world of the living.”

Twilight stopped in the middle of the corridor, giving Celestia a light nuzzle. “We’ll work something out. Anyway, I’ve got some things I need to sign, and then I’m going to bed.”

“Then I will leave you to it, my faithful student,” Celestia said with a nod. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Twilight said in return, Celestia fading in a small flash of light a moment later.

Twilight smiled, continuing along the castle corridors. When they had first brought the artefact back, she had suggested Celestia retake her title of princess. But due to her limited time she could spend in the world each trip, needing a relatively close proximity to the artefact and her own insistence that her time had passed, it never happened.

She was just Celestia now.

Still, through all the tragedy and suffering it had all worked out in the end. She was married to the mare of her dreams, had two lovely children and was even in contact with those she lost every now and then thanks to the obelisk. Celestia, her brother, her friends… they couldn’t be there all the time but the time she did have with them was more than enough. It was a bonus that she would treasure for every moment it lasted.

All in all, Princess Twilight Sparkle was happy.

Author's Note

It's over! :fluttercry:

Thank you guys so much for reading this story! It was quite a fun side project while I wrote Change (which shall also be finished soon).

Thank you guys again, and see you in whatever I work on next!

6 - A Day In Canterlot

Princess Twilight Sparkle moved through the pristine hallways of Canterlot Castle, her home. The hallway she was walking through led to only one destination.

Pushing open the large set of double doors with a hoof, Twilight was met with dozens of immaculately designed windows displaying many notable events that had occurred in Equestria over the past twenty years.

The most recent was Princess Flurry Heart saving the Crystal Empire from the Wendigos while her parents were in Canterlot. She had done this by inspiring the ponies of the empire and bringing out the fires of friendship once more. This was despite them witnessing the reality of the Wendigo species, which was far more horrific than the legends alluded to.

Further down you had mages performing great magical feats, heroes saving foals from vicious monsters of the Everfree Forest and anything else of particular note.

And at the beginning two windows was what held the princess’ attention.

The first depicted a sombre scene. The old castle in Ponyville was in ruins, and a depiction of an alabaster alicorn sat in front of it, a tear running down her cheek. Two another alicorns were positioned either side, one lavender and one blue, angrily striking down a demonic goat.

That had always irked Twilight, since it was Celestia that had killed Grogar, not herself and Luna.

The second was a happier scene. It featured bright colours capturing the feeling of the warm day’s sun, and a regal alicorn rose up into the sky as if to greet it as a crowd of ponies watched below, the crystal heart in among them.

Twilight sighed as she looked upon the two scenes, a twang of pain echoing in her heart as her ethereal mane gracefully blew in the wind.

“Bit for your thoughts?” A voice called out.

“Luna,” Twilight greeted, turning to the lunar alicorn.

“Twilight, how are you this morning my friend?"

“Fine. Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

“I was on my way, when I saw you enter this room, there is only one time you would ever subject yourself to these,” She motioned to the first two windows, “You’re contemplating.”

Twilight snorted, “You know me too well.”

“You and my sister are so much alike, Twilight. It took me a long time after my return to get her to stop apologising for neglecting me all those years ago. I had already forgiven her, but it took far too long for Tia to forgive herself.”

“Your point?”

Luna gave Twilight a small smile, “It’s not your fault Twilight. You may place on a mask in front of our subject but you can never fool me, just as Tia could never fool me. I know you aren’t happy, and it pains me to see you like this.”

Luna moved in and gave her counterpart a wing hug, “I care for you Twilight, and I’m always here if you need to talk.”

Twilight hid a blush, her thoughts going back to the moment they shared in the empire twenty years prior. A moment that had stayed with her all this time.

Twilight looked Luna in the eyes, them being at equal head height, and said meaningfully, “And I care you too Luna, truly. It’s just still difficult sometimes, I don’t think I was really ready for this at first.”

“Neither were we,” Luna smiled, “I don’t think you can ever be ready for this. Our first years ruling Equestria weren’t the smoothest. I mainly coped by pranking the nobility.”

Twilight laughed, “Yes, we all saw your masterwork in the old castle in Everfree.”

“Indeed. The culmination of many sleepless nights of planning and mischievousness. Sometimes I wonder if I should build something similar here.”

“You should do that, as long as I can help. I enjoy spending time with you Luna.”

“You… do?” Now it was Luna’s turn to hide a blush.

“Yeah. You're funny, you have a kind heart and-” Twilight suddenly stopped herself mid-sentence, not even trying to hide her rose-red cheeks this time around.

Both mares just stood there for a few moments, shuffling. There may have even been an awkward cough from one of them.

Luckily they were saved from the silence when Twilight’s niece decided at that moment to enter the room.

“There you ar Aunty Twilight!” Said Flurry Heart happily, “I thought I might find you- um, am I interrupting something?”

“No!” Both Twilight and Luna shouted simultaneously.

Flurry only raised an amused eyebrow before continuing, “Well, either way can I talk to you for a moment aunty?”

Leaping at a chance to escape the awkwardness, Twilight replied, “Of course! Anything for you my niece.”

“In that case then, I shall retire to my bed until it is time for the moon to rise. Farewell Twilight, Flurry Heart,” Luna nodded to the two, before hastily retreating from the room.”

A sly smile grew on Flurry’s face, “So… kissed her yet?”

Twilight eyes widened at the speed of light, “W-what?”

“Princess Luna, have you kissed her yet?” Flurry gave her aunt a knowing look.

“Flurry, we are just friends, nothing more,” Twilight deadpanned.

“Uh-huh. Sure you are.”

Twilight’s eye twitched at her niece’s tone, “What do you know of it anyway?”

“My mother is the Princess of Love, I know a thing or two.”

“Reading trashy romance novels doesn’t make you an expert!” Twilight nearly shouted in protest.

“They aren’t trashy! They are works of art!” Flurry proclaimed.

On the verge of a conniption, Twilight slowly tried to pry a regal mask back onto her features, “Dearest niece, did you just come here to tease me? Or is there something else you wanted?”

Relenting, but keeping her smile on her face, Flurry complied, “I just wanted to come and see my favourite aunt before I left.”

Twilight’s features softened, “Ah, I see. Are you sure you want to be going? It could be dangerous.”

“Aunty, you faced down so much worse when you were still a teenager. I’m sure I can handle an expedition into some dingy ruins.”

“You could be away from home for a while,” Twilight pointed out, “It’s quite a trip, and then searching the entire thing... you could be gone months.”

“I’ll be fine,” She said as she gave her aunt a light nuzzle, “It’s your fault you know. I might have never gained such a fascination with history if it wasn’t for your lectures when I was a kid.”

“They weren’t lectures, they were educational games.”

“That involved a lot of you talking for hours on end,” Flurry laughed, “Fond memories, either way.”

Twilight smiled at her niece, “Then I wish you luck Flurry. Make sure to write every now and then, you’ve still got the dragon-fire candle right?”

“Yes, it’s with the rest of my things. I promise to write whenever I can.”

“Good, I love hearing from my favourite niece,” Twilight now gave Flurry an affectionate nuzzle on the head, “Just be safe, alright?”

“I promise.”

Princess Luna hastily entered her chambers, her cheeks beetroot red as she though back to her encounter with Twilight a few minutes prior.

‘Does she…’ Luna began to ponder in her head, ‘No, don’t be silly Luna. She was just giving you a compliment, that’s all…’

And yet she couldn’t shake the flustered feeling from herself. Thinking some fresh air might help her, she decided to walk out onto the balcony.

The pleasant breeze immediately rolled on through her soft blue fur. The lunar alicorn gave a content sigh as she leaned against the balcony, letting her thoughts linger away from Twilight. Looking up she could see the bright sun high in the sky, smiling brilliantly on the land below. The rays of light met Luna, and in them she could feel the presence of Twilight Sparkle, and it brought her great comfort.

“Damn it…” Luna moaned as her thoughts snapped back to the lavender alicorn, to her bright eyes and her lovely lavender coat.

She could almost hear her sister’s teasing in the wind.

“This is not the time to be falling in love Luna,” She chided herself, “I can’t trust myself, I can’t get that close to… she needs a friend, that’s all.”

Luna sighed sadly, “I can’t trust myself,” She whispered, “And I will not break her heart.”

She spoke to Twilight about how she had forgiven Celestia for their feud, and how she wanted her sister to forgive herself. Luna never mentioned anything about forgiving herself for Nightmare Moon.

And despite the encouragement, the Tantabus incident and no matter how hard she tried to do so…

She still couldn’t forgive herself, even after all these years.

17 - Twilight And Luna

The beating of large, leathery wings filled the air as the purple and green dragon set his sights on the oncoming city of Canterlot. It had been a great many years since he had last been to Equestria, his duties as the Dragon Lord keeping him far too busy. The last time was about three years ago… at that funeral.

The funeral of former wonderbolts captain Rainbow Dash.

The last fifteen years had been rough, starting from the death of Applejack. In those fifteen years since, time has slowly crept along his old Ponyville friends like the silent killer it is.

After Applejack, Rarity was next. That was not a day remembered fondly for the dragon, his affection for the fashionista never dwindling for a single day. Pinkie Pie was next, her death was unexpected, and yet she died still smiling; Pinkie Pie right to the end was determined to make her friends laugh. And then, of course, came Rainbow Dash. The Pegasus had lasted four years longer than Pinkamina, fighting for every breath out of loyalty to the friends that remained, not wanting to leave them.

Her defiance bought her time, but the inevitable still came in the end.

And now only Fluttershy remained.

Quiet, kind Fluttershy. Unlike Rainbow, she does not struggle or fight against what is to come. Instead, she waits, and enjoys what time she has left. Perhaps, as a reward for her patience and kindness, time decided to leave her be for the time being.

Rumour has it that Discord regularly visits her, and it is well enough known that Princess Twilight would always find time to visit when she was able. Of course she was also surrounded by her animal friends and her family, she was happy. And in your old age that is all that you can truly wish for.

Spike would also be visiting her before returning to the Dragon Lands, but first he had to visit another friend who was ailing. Not from time, but from something far worse.

His immense shadow passed over the city, and Spike took some amusement at seeing some of the ponies beneath jump in surprise.

If it were any other dragon they may have been more worried, but most knew of Spike and his relation to their Sun Princess. They knew he was a friend and ally of Equestria, and that he was more pony at heart than dragon.

He quickly appeared above the castle, flying up to one of the tallest spires where he would usually meet with Twilight.

At the spire’s peak he gripped onto the side, and opened up a window large enough for him to see clearly through, and even poke in his head if he so wished.

Inside was a radiant looking lounge, and not far from window silk covered sofas surrounded a highly polished oak table with gold detailing. On one of the sofas Princess Twilight sat reading, big shocker, a book.

“Come in,” Twilight nonchalantly called out as the structure tremored slightly from Spike’s impact with it.

“Funny,” Spike deadpanned. “It has been three years and that’s all you have to say?”

Twilight smiled, placing down her book and moving towards the large dragon. On reaching him she quickly reached out and grabbed his muzzle in a loving embrace.

“I missed you Spike,” Twilight near-whispered.

“I missed you too, Twilight,” Spike responded, wishing dearly he could reach in and hug her back.

Something, Spike figured, Twilight sorely needed.

Twilight pulled away, a sheepish smile on her face. “So, how have you been? Are things well in the Dragon Lands?”

“I’m fine,” Spike assured. “And things are relatively quiet in the Dragon Lands, only the occasional dispute over who gets to add what to their hoard.”

“Have you yet taught them the concept of sharing?” Twilight asked with an amused smirk.

“Baby step, Princess. Baby steps,” Spike responded with a smirk of his own.

Twilight chuckled, taking her place back on the sofa. “What of Ember?”

Spike’s smile faltered slightly. “Still holding on. Her illness should have killed her decades ago, and yet she somehow hangs on. But she is in constant pain, though… I think she takes it as a challenge.”

Twilight sighed. “She always was strong willed, that one. Give her my best wishes, will you?”

“Of course,” Spike said. “Now, there is something I’ve wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh?” Twilight raised a questioning eyebrow. “And what is that?”

Spike considered his words a few moments. “I’ve heard some… troubling things.”

“What things?” Twilight asked darkly.

“Twilight, Luna is worried about you. So is Flurry Heart and even Cadance.”

“I haven’t heard a peep from Cadance in years,” Twilight spat venomously.

“She’s still hurting, Twilight,” Spike said sadly.

“Well so am I!” Twilight shouted, a wave of heat flashing from her. “And yet I don’t hide away in my room and mope! I get on with it, I do after all have a country to run.”

Spike flinched back at Twilight’s hostility, though after a few moments she calmed down and a look of horror and realisation rolled over her.

“Spike… I’m sorry I-“

“This is what I mean,” Spike interrupted her. “Luna’s noticed it too, once you never would have snapped like that, but now… It has been happening for a very long time, ever since Celestia passed I’d wager. But recently it has gotten really bad over the past fifteen years, ever since Applejack died. And now with Rarity and the others… we’re worried for you.”

At that moment Twilight’s regal mask slipped, and the tired, pained look she held confirmed all that Spike had claimed. It was only for a moment, but Spike saw it all.

“Speaking of Luna…” Twilight went to start a new line of conversation.

“Don’t change the subject,” Spike said.

“Please Spike, this is something I’ve been wanting to talk with you about.”

Spike groaned, but ultimately relented. “Very well, shoot.”

Twilight offered him a grateful smile. “I’ve been thinking things over and I’ve decided… that I’m going to tell her.”

Spike looked confused. “Tell… who what now?”

“Luna,” Twilight explained. “I’m going to tell her how I feel.”

Spike did a double take. “You are? It’s about damn time!”

“Yes… well…”

“You’re not getting cold hooves, are you?” Spike deadpanned.

“I’m just trying to think of what to say!” Twilight protested.

“Twilight, do I really need to have this talk with the immortal sun goddess?”

Twilight tilted her head in non-understanding.

Spike rolled his eyes. “Oh dear, I do have to have this talk with the immortal sun goddess. Twilight, just be yourself, and tell her how you feel. It’s not difficult!”

“You’re not the one telling her!” Twilight pouted.

“Twilight, everything will be fine, I promise.”

“If you say what could possibly go wrong, I will not be happy,” Twilight narrowed her eyes.

“Oh I wouldn’t dream of it,” Spike said mischievously. “After all things could go so terribly wrong it’s unreal.”

“Spike! Not! Helping!”

That night

Princess Luna sat on the balcony connecting to her royal bedroom, the moon raising up to the soft glow of her horn.

Soon enough, the majestic orb sat in its proper position in the sky and the stars came out to play. Night time had arrived.

Luna breathed a sigh of satisfaction. A long time ago by this hour the streets would be bare as ponies fled the night they held so much hatred for, a night which ended up hating them back as a result.

Luna shuddered as she thought back on that dark time. It was a time where she had felt alone against the world, that Celestia and all others had abandoned her. Where the pain grew too strong, and her mind snapped.

Nightmare Moon was the result.

But now… laughter could be heard in those streets. Ponies smiled and danced under the moonlight, and life continued on as if day had never left. And this time it wasn’t just the thestrals, but all ponies experiencing the joys the night could bring.

Luna had purpose again, she had a reason to go on.

Which led her thoughts directly back to the pony whom which she loved. Twilight was going through the pain she had once endured, different circumstances, but the same none-the-less. She could see much of Celestia in Twilight Sparkle, but that wasn’t what scared Luna the most.

What scared Luna was that she could see too much of herself in Twilight.

‘Which is why I can’t be with her. I will only make things worse,’ Luna thought to herself sadly.

The door behind her swung open as her Lunar Guardsponies admitted somepony to see her. The sound of hooves got closer until the figure of Twilight Sparkle was right beside her.

‘Speaking of,’ the lunar alicorn mused.

“Twilight, how are you this fine evening?” Luna asked.

Twilight smiled gently. “I’m fine, and a fine evening it is. I shouldn’t expect anything else but perfect beauty from you, Luna.”

Luna couldn’t hide a blush, but quickly regained her composure.

“How was Spike? He did come to visit, did he not?”

“He did,” Twilight confirmed. “What? Did you miss the giant dragon attached to the tower?”

Luna chuckled. “Twilight, nopony missed the giant dragon attached to the tower. Dragons aren’t known for staying incognito.”

“No… I suppose they aren’t,” Twilight stated in amusement. “He does try though, bless him.”

The two alicorns chuckled light-heartedly, both unconsciously moving closer to one another. They stared up at the distant stars in awe, each other’s company providing untold comforts.

All of Luna’s previous thoughts seemed to vanish, and for Twilight for the first time in a long time she felt completely at ease.

“I’ve always loved the stars,” Twilight said softly. “Ever since I was a filly I loved stargazing. And the moon… it always looked beautiful up in the night’s sky.

Twilight turned to look at Luna, and their eyes met.

“But even that couldn’t have ever prepared me to meet the moon face-to-face, and how breathtakingly beautiful she would be… and how wonderful she would be.”

“Twilight…” Luna whispered.

“I love you, Luna,” Twilight admitted. “I have for so long…”

A peaceful silence fell between the two, and the stars and moon seemed to shine brighter than ever before as the two leaned gently towards one another.

And that was when their lips met.

At that moment nothing else mattered, and both felt a sense of happiness they had never even dreamed of. The moon captured the moment in all its glory, and among the stars it was immortalised forever more.

Time slowed. At that moment nothing else existed but the two lovers partaking in the gentle kiss.

But time had to continue and that moment, tragically, had to end.

“No!” Luna shouted as her brain caught up with her heart, pulling away quickly from Twilight.

“L-Luna?” Twilight called out gently, and shakily.

All those dark thoughts Luna had banished only moments earlier came back in force, a pain expression descended down upon her. She felt a familiar presence next to her, and a helmeted head came into her peripheral vision.

“Why not commit to this? We both know you, or should I say I want to,” Nightmare Moon said as the apparition peered over Luna’s shoulder.

“Luna?” Twilight asked fearfully. “What’s wrong?”

“Selfishly take her as you own,” Nightmare taunted. “Let your past mistakes, your burdens be hers too. Lead her further off the path, until she is destroyed!” Nightmare Moon cackled, the sinister laughing assaulting Luna’s ears as she closed her eyes tightly shut with a violent grimace.

“Lulu?”

“DON’T CALL ME THAT!” Luna snapped, inches off of her Royal Canterlot Voice.

Twilight’s eyes widened. “I’m… I’m sorry I didn’t mean to offend you,” Twilight said, hurt evident in her voice.

“I…” Luna stuttered, trying to keep her angry façade and not break into the tears she wanted to shed. “I can’t love somepony like you.”

Twilight took a sudden step backwards. “Luna? How could you say that? I love you!”

“Don’t… just… don’t,” Luna said viciously, while in actuality her soul was crushed as her love began to cry.

“Luna… please don’t say that!” Twilight pleaded. “You can’t mean that!”

“It is beneath you,” Luna said coldly, forcing herself to say what she was about to say.

“W-what?” Twilight uttered, wide eyed.

“You are a princess of Equestria, love is beneath you. If you seek such frivolous pastimes instead of pursuing your duties, then you do not deserve that crown. If Tia was here, she would be as ashamed as I.”

Twilight’s heart shattered.

Realisation hit the Sun Princess, and she remembered just where she had heard Luna say those exact words before.

The vision.

Sombra had shown her a vision… and it had all come true.

Luna had abandoned her, just like all the others.

“I should have known,” Twilight said tearfully, quickly lighting up her horn and vacating the room via teleportation spell.

Luna stared at the space where her love had just been, her heart breaking into two. Her cold mask broke and tears of her own began to fall as the past few minutes played through her mind in excruciating detail.

‘I did it for you, Twilight! Please understand, I did it for you!’

Luna collapsed where she stood, her sobs filling up the night as the stars wept with her.

And just like that, another thread connecting Twilight’s sanity came undone, despite Luna’s opposite intentions. And just like that, the only remaining threads of Twilight’s sanity went from three to two. Spike and Fluttershy were all she had left.

And one was not long for the world.