The Eternal Storm 2 - Eternally Devoid

Chapters

Prologue - Set Me Free
One - The Insanity of Normality
Two - For You To See
Three - Quicksand Effect
Four - Nemesis
Five - Petrified
Six - The World Belongs To Us
Seven - Downfall
Eight - Retrogradation
Nine - Opened
Ten - The End

Prologue - Set Me Free

The Eternal Storm 2: Eternally Devoid
A My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fanfiction
Written by T. Darkchylde

Prologue - Set Me Free
"...And there is no way to go - I have seen it all. I have seen it all..."

Five years previous, the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony had vanquished the entity known as the Nightmare from Equestria for a second time.

They had given their all to free their friend and fellow Element Bearer, Rainbow Dash.

In the process, they had spared the city of Cloudsdayle from certain destruction.

Time passed. Though the bond of friendship still tied the Element Bearers together in spirit, time had marched on and created some separation between them.

Equestria was changing for the better as it transformed into a great utopia.

Discontent had become a thing of the past for most of its citizens. Life was good.

Always, there is an exception to every rule...

--==OOOO==--

It was a rainy night in a small village near a point where Pony, Griffin and Zebra lands met. Most of the citizens of New Harmony were simple folk, working together to try to live in peace in the new, fairly untamed village. Ponies, Zebras and Griffins all shared the village and worked side by side, each learning new things from the others on a daily basis. It was a town of new beginnings.

One of its denizens, however, refused to let go of the past. At one point, she was a famous showmare known far and wide for defeating an Ursa Major with her magic. She had a great life back then. Everyone knew her name and her legend. She was loved, admired and respected.

Then she made the mistake of visiting a small town named Ponyville. Two bumbling fools had awoken a sleeping Ursa and led it into town. With virtually everypony in town watching, her magic proved ineffective against the beast. Not only was she exposed as a fraud and a braggard, she was shown up at her own special talent by the town librarian, of all ponies.

...Never mind that the librarian was the bearer of the Element of Magic and one of Princess Celestia's personal students. She was unaware of this - and even if she were aware, it wouldn't have mattered. Her ego was so inflated at the time that she barely saw the Princesses as a worthy magical challenge.

She was further humiliated when the librarian had informed everypony around that the Ursa her magic had failed against was but a baby, an Ursa Minor. Seeing little recourse, she fled in disgrace.

In the years that followed, she couldn't even line up a gig to work foals' parties, much less book any serious work. She had gone from being the great and powerful unicorn who had vanquished an Ursa to being known as little more than an incompetent fraud. In this time, she redoubled her training and had actually become fairly competent at magic.

It wasn't enough. Her reputation preceded her everywhere she went. She soon found herself destitute with the hat and cape she wore as her only worldly possessions.

With no other place to go, she found her way to the land that would become New Harmony. She started to rebuild her life. Even when her reputation had caught up with her, enough of the townsfolk had seen her actions and judged her worthy to remain in town. She had her chance at the new beginning she needed.

It was a pity that the Great and Powerful Trixie's sole remaining motivation was revenge.

She soon arrived at her destination, an alchemical shop that sold various reagents and spellbooks for both Zebra and Pony magic. Fortunately for her, the old zebra who worked the shop was a night owl.

As she walked in, the old zebra waved at her. "Great and powerful one, I bear good news," she said. "The book you sought is here to view."

"You have it?" Trixie asked. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is pleased to hear this. As promised, Trixie has the remaining bits needed to purchase it."

"With those bits it is yours, young showmare," the zebra said. "However, my source sends a message along - beware."

"Your source is paranoid, Zephale," Trixie said as she levitated a pile of bits onto the counter. "The Great and Powerful Trixie knows that powerful magic must be dealt with... delicately. Rest assured that this book is in the best of hooves."

"Then in you, I trust enough to give the spells of the greatest mage ever to live," Zephale said as she placed the book onto the counter. It was a thick old black tome with a lock binding it shut.

Trixie levitated the book into her saddlebag and turned to depart the shop.

"Oh... one last thing, old friend," Zephale called toward Trixie. "My sister's child will soon turn ten. He is interested in magical spells. Could you spare some time and teach him well?"

Trixie stopped for a second to think. "Yes, The Great and Powerful Trixie believes she can spare some time to help out with that endeavor," she said, smiling. "She'll let you know when a good time happens to be."

"That is great news, powerful one," Zephale said, smiling back. "I'll inform them the time soon comes."

--==OOOO==--

Later that night, Trixie returned to her hut. It was not much, but it was far better than living on the streets. At the least, it allowed for the thing she needed most - privacy while she studied the dark tome.

The tome was written by a unicorn mage who lived a little over 1,000 years before. She was a relative unknown at least as far as history went, but at the time her power rivaled those of the Princesses. She was practically erased from written Pony history because she had been regarded by her peers and the Princesses as being somewhat insane. Some of her magic had evolved by the end of her life to include zebra alchemy and equine sacrifice. She had died a rather violent death when a spell went wrong - just as the Princesses had sent guards to her residence to have her detained.

Fortunately, some copies of the tome still existed in zebra lands. She would have never found it in any Equestrian library. Another fortunate thing was that the spell she had sought was crafted around the middle of the ancient unicorn's life, before she started using extreme methods.

It would be disadvantageous for a pony in a small village like New Harmony to go missing, after all.

As Trixie read through the book, she began to mentally file away some of the lesser spells in the book. They were all within her capability to perform, but they were not what she had spent six months' savings on.

Around the middle of the book, she finally found the spell she was seeking - Reclaiming My Lost Power. The spell was written so that the mage could reclaim the source behind her vast magical power if it were ever stripped away. It used zebra alchemical components, as the author had anticipated having her unicorn magic stripped away.

Trixie, of course, deduced this because the spell written immediately previous called for the blood of a newborn foal as a reagent.

As she continued to study the spell and cross-reference the list of ingredients with those she kept on hoof, a faint, ghostly voice seemed to call to her.

"Set me free..."

She dismissed the voice at first. While New Harmony was a town of cooperation and friendship, some less desirable elements in the Griffin and Zebra populations liked to use the town at night as a meeting point to conduct illicit activities. Trixie was sure she had heard cries like that off and on over the year she had lived there.

As she read on, however, the voice continued.

"Set me free..."

Trixie got up from her reading and walked over to a shelf of magical reagents, making sure she had everything she needed to bring the mage's lost power to her. The voice refused to let up, first speaking in a language she couldn't decipher.

"Is someone there?" she asked as she quickly ran back to the book.

The voice replied, "Set me free..."

Trixie began to think to herself. "Perhaps the ancient mage calls out to the Great and Powerful Trixie to free her power?"

She smiled as she started to make her preparations.

"Tonight is your lucky night," Trixie thought. "The Great and Powerful Trixie will set you free and claim your power for her own... and then she will become the greatest magical power Equestria has ever seen..."

"...Even greater than you ever dreamed of being."

--==OOOO==--

Within the Sun, a dark power stirred. It could feel a magical force on Equestria calling for it to return, and it latched on to that power.

As it grew stronger and prepared to escape its confinement, a single thought repeated itself.

"Set me free..."

One - The Insanity of Normality

Eternally Devoid - Chapter 1 - The Insanity of Normality
"...I want no one to escape..."

Twilight Sparkle awoke from her sleep and started going through the motions to start her day off. Over the years, her obsessive tendencies began to wane as she mellowed. Still, she tried to keep to the semblance of a routine. As she did most mornings, she started a shower after waking. She'd rush into the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast afterward, then brush her teeth, then gather whatever notes and materials she needed for the day.

She was making progress - some days she messed up the order of breakfast and tooth cleaning, but she never freaked out over it.

Her job was stressful enough that she didn't need the stress of adhering to a personal checklist anyway. She had landed what most unicorns would consider a dream job - she was a professor at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Unfortunately, her class was mostly made up of teenagers. While she could wow them some of the time, most of the time the students assumed they knew everything they ever needed to know.

Teenagers are much the same no matter the species, really.

The dream job came with one cost, however - she had moved back to Canterlot. Though she tried to keep in contact with her friends from Ponyville, it was not always easy. It was harder still to actually meet up with them.

=+*+*+*+=

The years were a little less kind to Rainbow Dash. Everything had been looking up for her. She was so close to achieving her dream of becoming a Wonderbolt. All that had remained was one final tryout, and all that would have been required was to perform the Sonic Rainboom in front of them.

Unfortunately for her, she had nearly hit a bird while practicing a few days before. She had twisted out of the way, but spun out of control. She impacted the ground at a very high speed, almost killing her. It took some time, but she had recovered and was still able to fly. Her days as a stunt flyer were over, however. Though her wings were as solid as they ever were, her brain was a different story.

After the impact, she began to have problems with vertigo. They were extremely slight, not enough to hinder her as a weatherpony - but enough for her days of stunt flying to end. At a high enough speed, she simply wasn't capable of flying in a straight line.

Still, the Wonderbolts respected her, especially after she had saved their lives in the past. Even if she could not fly with them during their performances, they could get her as close as possible.

"Spitfire!" Rainbow Dash yelled skyward. "You're not in sync with the rest of the team! Focus!"

"Sorry, Coach!" Spitfire replied as she shook her head and rejoined the others.

Rainbow Dash stood below on a cloud with a whistle tied around her neck. While she could not perform as a Wonderbolt, the stunt team had decided she could be part of the team in a different capacity - as a flight coach. She would train them through practices as well as observe possible new additions to the team.

While it was not everything that she had wanted, it was close enough for Rainbow Dash. Even as a coach, she was still a Wonderbolt.

Rainbow looked up and groaned. "Soarin, no!" she shouted. "Loop, twist, dive! Not loop, dive, twist!" She looked down. "Take five, guys. We all need a break here."

Being part of the team came with one cost - she was always with them. Most of the time that meant being on the road, but when she went home, it was at the Wonderbolts' home base in Cloudsdayle. Though she tried to keep in contact with her friends from Ponyville, it was not always easy. It was harder still to actually meet up with them.

=+*+*+*+=

All it took was one spark for Pinkie Pie to find a new passion in life, one that better fit her hyperactive personality.

That spark was being at one of DJ PON-3's live shows in Manehattan. She was hooked once the beats dropped. It would be a new way for her to party, and she embraced it.

It didn't take long for her to learn all she needed to know about being a DJ, and she became great at it. Now going by the stage name Hyperaktiv, she traveled far and wide spreading her own music to the masses.

The resounding reaction was approval. For a while she was the opening act for DJ PON-3, but eventually she moved on to headlining her own gigs. Life was good. No, it was better than good for her - it was awesome! Not only was she making other ponies happy with the music, she was making a great living and partying all the time.

With the bits she was bringing in from her shows, she was even able to buy her family an adjacent patch of land to expand the rock farm.

She was doing right by herself and her family, getting to see the world, and never found herself wanting for a good time. It was a dream come true for the pink party pony.

It all came with one cost, however - she never found time to settle down. She tried to keep in contact with her friends from Ponyville, but it was not always easy. It was harder still to actually meet up with them.

=+*+*+*+=

"What do you mean, 'sales are off?'" Rarity yelled at one of her employees.

"Calm down, dear, it's not my fault..." an earth pony mare whined. "Our stock just doesn't seem to be selling well in Appleoosa."

Rarity was not impressed with the earth pony's excuse. "Cross Stitch, when I hired you on to run the Appleoosa Carousel Boutique location, I expected you to be somewhat good at the job. Of course the same things that sell here in Manehattan would not do well in the frontier - I wouldn't expect them to. You need to learn to adapt to the local style."

"Yes, Miss Rarity, I know, but..." Cross Stitch sobbed.

"If I might make a suggestion, dear?" Rarity asked. "Your job may depend on it."

"Yes?" Cross Stitch asked.

"Play to your strengths, darling," Rarity said, regaining the calm demeanor she liked to present to the public. "You are great with technique and numbers, but you may need some help with design. Hire on a local who knows what works well in the area. Branch out some with the designs."

"But... then they wouldn't be Carousel material, Miss Rarity," Cross Stitch said.

"You don't have to simply mirror my designs, Cross Stitch," Rarity said as she walked over to one of her sewing tables. "Look at how well the Stalliongrad location does. That area is fairly far north as far as Equestria goes, yet they do well by selling a lot of winter wear. The New Harmony location's line incorporates a lot of Zebra and Griffin fashion elements to cater to the locals. Do you see where I'm going with this, dear?"

"Yes... yes, Miss Rarity, I'll do that," Cross Stitch said. She was trying to regain her composure, but tears were still trying to escape her eyes. "I'll bring on an Appleoosan to help design things that will sell there."

Rarity noticed she had driven her subordinate to tears, so she walked over to Cross Stitch and wiped a tear from her eyes. "Darling, I don't mean to be harsh, but I can't be at all the Boutique locations to personally check up on things and make them work. That's why I trusted you with the job. I still do. You just need to try to think outside the box, as it were. Hire a local pony. Observe what the townsfolk are wearing. Try to make some friends there while you're at it, you'll be glad you made the effort and business will improve as well."

"Okay, Miss Rarity... I'll give it a shot," Cross Stitch said.

"Good," Rarity said. "You'd best hurry along now - tonight's last train for Appleoosa leaves in an hour. I know you'd wish not to miss it."

Cross Stitch smiled as she departed Rarity's office. "You'll get far better numbers from my location next month, Miss Rarity."

"I know," Rarity said as she waved to her departing employee. As the door shut, she reflected on what had led her to this point.

It was a sheer twist of fate that her Manehattan location took off like it did - so much so that she had packed up a few years previous and moved her main operation there. She then caught a second lucky break when a fellow designer had sold her his own shop, a location in Fillydelphia. Within the year, she had opened more Carousel Boutique locations all around Equestria.

Her business had skyrocketed as a result, making the Boutique the biggest and best selling clothing business in all Equestria.

While she tried to balance both the financial and design ends of running her business, that left her little time for anything else.

She had become the most famous name in fashion in Equestria but at a cost - very little time to spend off the job. While she tried to keep in contact with her friends from Ponyville, it was not always easy. It was harder still to actually meet up with them.

=+*+*+*+=

A small green earth pony colt was bouncing around the Apple family ranch like the unholy spawn of a greased bolt of lightning and a superball. He was bouncing around happily and getting into everything.

Then he found himself stuck in an apple tree.

He couldn't get back down. He looked down as tears filled his eyes.

"MOMMY!"

Across the orchard, Applejack heard the colt's cry. "Dangit," she cursed silently. "Hold on, Applewood! Momma's comin'!" She raced across the orchard as Applewood's cries got louder.

She soon arrived at the offending tree and looked up. Applewood was indeed stuck in it, clinging to one of the high branches. "Boy, how do you keep windin' up in such bad spots?" she asked, unable to get mad at her young child.

"Boys will be boys, sis," came a deeper voice from behind her.

"Yeah, but you never was this much trouble as a colt, Big Macintosh," Applejack sighed. "Ah'm guessin' you heard him too?"

"Eeyup, sure did," Big Macintosh said. "Get under him, sis, Ah got this."

As Applejack lined herself up right underneath Applewood, Big Macintosh bucked the apple tree as hard as he could.

The shock of the impact caused Applewood to release his grip on the tree branch. A second kick from Macintosh sent the colt tumbling right onto Applejack's back.

Applewood started crying. "Ah... ah was so scared, Momma... Ah'm sorry..."

"There, there... Ah'm not mad at'cha, Ah'm jus' glad you didn't go an' get yourself in some real trouble," she said. "Bro, Ah'm gonna have to take the rest of the day to watch him..."

"Ain't a problem, sis," Big Macintosh said.

As Applejack cantered back to the house, she wondered why it was her lot in life to have to deal with a foal and try to run the ranch.

Applewood wasn't her foal by blood - at least, not directly. Three years before, Applejack had been visiting family in Appleoosa when one of her cousins had begun to give birth. While they managed to get her to the hospital and Applewood was born healthy, she didn't make it.

As her last wish, Applejack's cousin asked her to raise the colt as her own child - there was no one else to do the job, as her cousin's husband had died three months before in a mining accident. Applejack could not refuse the last request of one of her family.

It had been busy ever since as Applejack tried to balance the life of a hard-working farmer and the life of a mother. Most days, she was able to get the balance right. Sometimes, though, Applewood would find himself in trouble.

She had little help in taking care of the colt as well, for her sister had finally discovered her special talent and went on to run the Ponyville Carousel Boutique location. She was proud of Apple Bloom, but some days she wished she had a little more help.

Still, being the hard-working pony that she was, she made it work. Business didn't suffer any and Applewood was in a family where he'd be loved. All would work out and be well.

Still, it took a toll on Applejack's friendships. Most of her friends had moved on from Ponyville as life took them elsewhere. She tried to keep in touch with them, but they rarely were able to meet anymore.

=+*+*+*+=

Down the way from Sweet Apple Acres, Fluttershy went about her normal day. She took care of the animals as she always did. Whenever one got sick, she would nurse it back to health. When the day would come that the animal was ready to return to the wild, she'd release it.

Life was the same that it always was for her, at least as far as that went. Still, she missed her friends and their adventures, and their life's calling had taken them in different directions.

Twilight Sparkle had returned to Canterlot.

Rarity had moved to Manehattan.

Rainbow Dash was either in Cloudsdayle or on the road with the Wonderbolts.

Pinkie Pie's career as the party DJ Hyperaktiv had taken off.

Applejack had a family to take care of.

Fluttershy was happy for all of them, so she had no regrets there. They were all living their dream in some way or another, as she was at home with her animals.

Still, it made it hard for her to remain in contact with them. It was rarer for her to meet up with them, and rarer still that they could all meet...

=+*+*+*+=

"Students, turn your books to page 63," Twilight said as she wrote on the chalkboard. "Today, we're going to discuss..." She looked down at her own copy of the textbook. "...Healing magics... oh boy, this'll be fun... There are many schools of magic out there, and while most of you will end up specializing in one or two of them at the most, it is still important to learn the basics in other types of magic. You never know when your thrill-seeking pegasus friend will try an insane flying stunt or your earth pony friend will overdo it and break something, and you may not be close to a hospital. It is our responsibility as magic users to be ready for anything."

One of the unicorns in the back row raised her hoof. "Miss Sparkle?"

Twilight looked back at the class. "You have a question, Aria?"

Aria slowly lowered her hoof. "Yes... did something like that happen to one of your friends?"

Twilight sighed. She knew the answer - she had been present when Rainbow Dash had her accident, and luckily for her, rudimentary medical magic was able to keep Dash from dying. Still, she blamed herself for not noticing the brain injury and possibly costing her friend a promising career as a Wonderbolt. "I'd rather not go into details, but yes, knowing some healing magic has come in handy for me on more than one occasion," she said out loud. "If that's all, we'll go on to..."

As she tried to move the chalk magically to write down the first principle of medical magic, her magic blinked for an instant and the stick of chalk fell to the floor.

"Miss Sparkle?" one of the unicorn colts asked, seeing the momentary magical lapse from his teacher. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she lied, "I'm fine. I guess I didn't get as much sleep as I wanted last night." She picked the chalk back up and resumed writing. As the words were written on the board, though, she started to wonder to herself if something was wrong. She had never had problems with her magic before. As she continued her lecture, she silently made a note to check things out later on.

=+*+*+*+=

As the Wonderbolts continued their practice, they only seemed to be getting sloppier in their precision flying. It wasn't normal for them.

A whistle rang out from below. "Ok guys, that's it for the day," Rainbow Dash said. "Pack it in, get some rest. Tomorrow's our last day of practice before going to Canterlot for the Winter Moon celebration. I want you at your best!"

Spitfire spoke for the group. "Got you, Coach," she said as she descended to the clouds. "We'll nail it tomorrow, then nail it again for the celebration. Right, Wonderbolts?"

The others replied in unison. "Yes, ma'am!"

"That's what I like to hear!" Rainbow replied. "We'll meet here again tomorrow morning. Dismissed!"

The Wonderbolts departed to the locker room to get changed for the night.

Rainbow Dash started to fly back to her office, but something felt off. She was finding it hard to keep herself level. "I hope this isn't getting worse," she thought to herself. "It's bad enough I can't be up there with them... I don't want to be earthbound again."

Her previous injuries were making it harder on her than most, but most of the nearby pegasi seemed to be having some trouble flying as well. It was barely noticeable, but a keen eye like Dash's would have seen it if only she were observing that and not the stunt techniques.

=+*+*+*+=

As Applejack left the house to grab some apples for dinner, she could hear a sickening crack not too far away. She then heard Big Macintosh bellow in pain.

"Big Macintosh? Hang on bro, help's on the way!" she cried out as she ran over to see what was going on.

When she arrived, she could see Big Macintosh crumpled up in a heap near the largest tree in Sweet Apple Acres. "What happened?" she asked, concerned.

"Ah don't know..." Big Macintosh struggled to say. His face said it all - he was in agony. "Ah tried buckin' this tree - it was the last one for the day, then Ah heard a snap an' couldn't stand anymore!"

Applejack looked carefully over her brother. She soon saw the culprit - one of his front legs had broken from the violent force that shuddered through his whole body when he bucked the tree. There was no way he'd be walking back to the house. "Apple Bloom!" she cried, knowing her sister would be home from work by now.

Sure enough, Apple Bloom ran over to her siblings as fast as she could. "What happened, sis?" she asked before seeing Big Macintosh's damaged leg.

"Ah need you to run back to town an' get Nurse Redheart," Applejack said as she struggled to hold back her tears. "Big Macintosh is hurt an' Ah can't move him. You gotta get help!"

The gravity of the situation sunk in for Apple Bloom. "Ah'm already gone, sis! You gotta be okay, bro, you just gotta!" she cried as she started galloping towards Ponyville.

"This is bad, Sis," Big Macintosh said through the pain. "It hurts so bad... you have no idea..."

"Help's comin'" Applejack said as she tried to comfort her brother. "Help's comin'. You just gotta hang on."

=+*+*+*+=

Things were far worse in New Harmony than they were in the rest of Equestria. Unicorns there had completely lost their magic. Pegasi had lost the ability to fly. Earth ponies were becoming more fragile.

Everyone was at a loss as to why.

On the outskirts of town, a dark force had completely enveloped a nondescript hut...

Two - For You To See

Eternally Devoid - Chapter 2 - For You To See
"...'Cause I'm your biggest fan..."

"I had to wait a thousand years before, but that does not make me patient. At least the moon was cold. Five years in that damnable sun was a new form of torture. Even without a body, the sensation of being burned alive for that long is maddening."

"Still, this new host is... intriguing. The very fact that I can still think my own thoughts instead of a twisted version of hers is incredible."

"However, the fact that she is still capable of thinking for herself is also astounding. This host has an ego that even I cannot suppress. Still... I have other ways to bend her to my will..."

..::OoOoOoO::..

Rainbow Dash awoke to the sunrise. Tomorrow, she and the Wonderbolts would depart for their next show, but this day was special in more ways than one. Not only was it the final tryout day for the new Young Wonderbolt squad she had helped create, but an old friend of hers would be among those pegasi trying to become part of the stunt flying elite.

As she got out of bed, her wings still felt a little wobbly. "Gotta face facts, Rainbow... you need to get this checked out," she thought to herself as she started breakfast. "It's not just affecting you... it's going to affect the team."

"After practice," she decided. Today was much too important to blow off, but it was a short day. She'd have enough time to get herself checked out once she was done with the Young Wonderbolt tryouts and getting the team to perfect their new trick.

..::OoOoOoO::..

Being the one-time personal student of Princess Celestia had its perks, as Twilight Sparkle was pointing out to Spike.

The young dragon had a scroll and quill in hand, and was ready to pen a letter to the Princess. He had grown some over the years, but wasn't anywhere near full grown. He now stood tall enough where he would have stood eye to eye with Big Macintosh and his wings were beginning to grow in. His scales had grown as well, making him appear more menacing than before. Still, his personality had not changed a lot. He remained Twilight Sparkle's faithful assistant.

"I'm ready when you are," he said.

"Dear Princess Celestia," Twilight began. "I am requesting a day off from teaching class today, as I have an issue which I need to discuss with you in person. It may be nothing, but I've got a nagging feeling that it's far from nothing. Yesterday, I experienced a lapse in my magic. For a brief instant, it was simply gone. I have never felt anything like this. I can say for certain that it is not magical burnout. The rest of me is fine. I will be by to see you whenever you have a free moment."

"...A free moment," Spike repeated as he finished writing down Twilight's letter. "Got it."

"Always and forever your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. Send it, please," Twilight requested.

Spike lifted the letter in his claw. As he enveloped it in dragonfire and sent it on its way, he almost instantly burped up another flame. A second letter formed from the fire.

"That was... too fast," Twilight observed as she opened the letter.

To my faithful student Twilight Sparkle,

I have had to cancel classes at the School today. Many of the unicorns in Canterlot have been complaining of intermittent lapses in their magic. I request your immediate presence so that we may try to figure out what could be causing this situation.

...I am afraid that it may not be affecting just them. The first attempt to send this letter turned it into a giant rock. I am hoping this second letter makes it safely.

Signed, Princess Celestia

P.S.: Do not risk teleportation - if you are also having problems with your magic, you may hurt yourself or worse. Some of my pegasus guards are also experiencing some trouble flying, so I dare not send a chariot. I am afraid that you will have to walk. Please forgive the inconvenience.

Twilight sighed. "Looks like we're going to be hoofing it to the Castle today," she stated as she went back to her room to grab a few books and a scarf. "Pack a lunch."

"Way ahead of you, Twi," the young dragon said as he opened a nearby chest. It was stuffed with all manner of gems. He scooped a few into a small bag and headed into the kitchen to make something fast for Twilight.

A few minutes later, they were both out the door and making the long trek to the castle. Fortunately for Spike, his recently-grown wings allowed him to hover there.

"Showoff," Twilight sarcastically said.

..::OoOoOoO::..

As Rarity arrived at the Carousel Boutique headquarters, she went straight up to her office. She had spent the last month working on a new design for the winter season that she was sure would sell out within hours and be the talk of Equestria for a long time. She felt she had truly outdone herself.

Quietly, she looked over her sketches and prototypes. She did this for almost an hour before the finishing touch came to mind. There was one minor problem, however - she didn't keep any of it in stock at that location.

"Well, this could be a problem," she said to herself. She pressed a small button on her desk. "Please have the driver bring the coach around. I have to make a trip to the New Harmony location to pick up some materials for the winter line."

She paused to think for a moment. "Have two of my bodyguards come along as well. That town isn't exactly the safest place in Equestria."

A voice replied from a mechanical box on the desk. "They will be ready in five minutes, Miss Rarity."

"Excellent," she said. "I will be down shortly."

..::OoOoOoO::..

Back in Ponyville, Applejack and Apple Bloom had spent the night with Big Macintosh at the hospital. Applejack had been lucky that Fluttershy was willing to watch Applewood for the night. Macintosh was sleeping peacefully, though it took quite a few painkillers to calm him down enough to sleep.

The good news they had received was that the break wasn't as bad as it could have been and that Macintosh would be back on his hooves.

The bad news was that it would take at least a month to heal enough for him to walk without aid, and that he wouldn't be able to work for another month after that.

Applejack was devastated, to put it lightly. "Apple Bloom, what am Ah gonna do with Mac laid up for a month?" she asked.

"Sis... Sweet Apple Acres has had rough times in the past, and we've always been able to pull through," Apple Bloom replied, not taking her eyes off of Macintosh. "Granny Smith used to tell me that if a year passed without some kind of crisis, she'd be waiting for somethin' really bad to happen."

"Ah wish she was still with us," Applejack sighed. "Ah was the next in line, but Ah don't think Ah'm ready for somethin' like this."

"We got a big family, big sis," Applebloom pointed out. "Give the mailmare a muffin an' a letter, an' the next day, Ah bet there'll be five Apples at the door ready to help you out til Mac gets back out there."

"You got a good point there, lil' sis," Applejack said, hope returning to her voice. "Whenever did you go an' get good at knowin' the right thing to do to keep things on track?"

"Ah had to learn quick," Apple Bloom replied. "The Carousel Boutique don't exactly run itself. Ah don't know how Rarity managed considerin' how little we sell. Just look at all the ponies walkin' around town stark nekkid!"

Both Applejack and Apple Bloom took a quick look down at themselves. Even with winter approaching, the only stitch of clothing between the two was Applejack's hat.

"Guess we ain't helpin' matters, huh sis?" Applejack said as she erupted into laughter.

It was contagious, as Apple Bloom started to laugh as well. After a minute or so, she sighed. "Sis, Ah gotta get to work..."

"Ah know, sis," Applejack said. "One of us's gotta bring in some bits this week."

"You'll get it goin' again," Apple Bloom said as she hugged her sister. "Ah got faith."

As Apple Bloom left, Applejack sighed. "Makes one of us..."

..::OoOoOoO::..

Within a small, darkened hut in New Harmony, maniacal laughter could be heard... had its inhabitant not surrounded the hut with a silence spell.

"Incredible!" Trixie cried. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has never felt anything like this before! Surely now, there is nopony that can stand against her!"

"But there is," a voice inside her mind replied. "There is only one way that The Great and Powerful Trixie can be assured that she is the most powerful being in all Equestria."

"There's only one way she can be sure that nopony steals The Great and Powerful Trixie's spotlight ever again..." Trixie mused out loud.

"In order to truly be Great and Powerful... Trixie must ensure that she is the only pony left in Equestria with any magic at all..."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie remembers seeing an incantation in that book," she said as she pulled out the dark tome. As she opened it up, it turned right to the page she wanted.

"Yes... this is the spell The Great and Powerful Trixie was seeking..."

The book was turned to a page with a spell on it to erode the magical capabilities of all except its caster. It was not keyed just to unicorns - the innate magic of pegasi and earth ponies was also affected. Even the Princesses of the Sun and Moon were not entirely immune to it.

"No more magic shall be allowed to exist..." Trixie said out loud...

"...Except that of The Great and Powerful Trixie," the voice in her mind replied.

As Trixie began to cast the spell, the magical aura around her horn took on a sickly black hue.

What she failed to realize was that the spell had already been progressing ever since she gained her new powers...

..::OoOoOoO::..

Rainbow Dash looked up at the young pegasus in the air. She sighed. The filly's signature trick was freefalling, then righting herself at the last possible second. It was executed perfectly, but still...

"Not sure even being 20 percent cooler could have saved that move," she thought silently.

"That was pretty cool," Dash lied out loud. "We'll be getting back to you after the next tour stop, Afterburner."

As Afterburner departed the practice field, the last candidate stepped forward.

The orange filly wore her purple mane very short. Even though she was unrelated to the instructor, her cutie mark shared some similarities - a rainbow lightning bolt adorning a metallic heart. Still, Rainbow Dash would recognize her even if she hadn't introduced herself. "Scootaloo, ready to show her stuff!" she cried.

"I knew you'd make it here, kid," Rainbow Dash said appreciatively. "Still, even though we go way back, I'm not gonna cut you any slack! You've got to be beyond special to be a Young Wonderbolt!"

"All you need to do is watch," Scootaloo said confidently.

Rainbow Dash watched proudly as her biggest fan took to the air. Scootaloo was a late bloomer as far as flight was concerned, but she learned quickly. She lacked raw talent like Rainbow Dash, but her special talent for performance art and willingness to put in the hours made her almost a match for Dash at that age as far as skill was concerned.

Dash recognized the start of the routine as Scootaloo deftly maneuvered around some of the course's cloud columns.

"If anyone else can do it, it's you, kid," Dash silently thought as she wore a neutral expression on her face. She wasn't going to be impressed until Scootaloo earned it.

Nailing the aerial slalom, Scootaloo turned upward and worked her way around some high clouds. As she flew around them and picked up speed, they were left spinning. She looked down briefly at Dash, who was still refraining from showing any outward emotion.

"Fine, then," she thought as a smirk crept upon her face. "You're going to love this."

..::OoOoOoO::..

It took a couple of hours, but Twilight Sparkle and Spike eventually reached the Royal Palace. As she flashed the letter, the guards passed so that she could pass through.

They tried to stop Spike, but he came prepared as well - he was carrying his papers signifying him as an honorary Royal Guard.

Naturally, they allowed through one of their own.

Eventually, Twilight Sparkle and Spike reached Princess Celestia's throne room.

Celestia looked down at the two and smiled. Looking back up, she addressed the guards with a loud voice. "Gentlestallions, what We are about to say is not meant for your ears. Station yourselves at the door and give Us some privacy. We shall inform you when you may return."

"Yes, Your Highness," the guards replied as they left the throne room.

"I see you've reverted to using the Royal 'We' and Royal Canterlot Voice, Princess?" Spike observed.

"Sadly, it was necessary," Celestia lamented. "It was good for you to come on such short notice, my faithful student. I am glad that you brought Spike as well."

"Have you managed to figure anything out yet, Princess?" Twilight asked.

"I have had some of Canterlot's best minds trying to figure it out since last night, and the possibilities are not promising," Celestia said. "I do not wish to jump to conclusions yet, nor do I wish to alarm the public."

"Understandable," Spike said. "If the general public knew what you had written in your letter, there would be a full-blown panic."

"So, what are the possibilities?" Twilight asked, her own mind trying to figure out a cause to the problem.

"We have narrowed it down to three possible causes," Celestia said. "The first is that there could be a sickness spreading among the population."

"It's a possibility," Twilight mused verbally. "It could be isolated to ponies, seeing as Spike hasn't lost any of his innate magic yet."

"The second is that Equestria may have been poisoned as a precursor to an invasion," Celestia stated.

"Unlikely," Spike said. "Far as I'm aware, Equestria's been at peace with the Griffins and Zebras for several years, and the Buffalo don't possess the kind of magic needed for something like that. Dragons wouldn't bother either - if they wanted war, they'd just attack."

"Which leaves a third option..." Celestia said, sighing. "Evil magic. Powerful evil magic that could only come from one source..."

"If I may?" Twilight inquired.

Celestia nodded in the affirmative.

"When Nightmare Moon was imprisoned in the moon, there was a visible sign," Twilight said. "The Mare in the Moon."

"Yes, there was that," Celestia said, a worried expression starting to creep onto her face..

"When you imprisoned the Nightmare in the sun five years ago, did it leave a visible mark on it that you would be able to see?" Twilight asked.

"Sunspots..." Celestia stated, shocked, as she ran to a window and looked at the Sun. She soon dropped to her knees.

Twilight and Spike both ran to the Princess's side. "Are you okay?"

"There are no sunspots," Celestia quietly said, shaken...

..::OoOoOoO::..

Scootaloo prepared to launch into the final part of her audition. Looking back at Rainbow Dash one more time, she launched herself high into the sky.

It was getting harder with each passing second for Rainbow Dash to contain any outward signs of excitement.

Then, Scootaloo went into her dive.

Rainbow Dash walked over to the edge of the clouds to watch. Scootaloo was executing it perfectly thus far, but there had been only one pony who could ever perform the Sonic Rainboom. When Dash had to give up competitive flying, she lamented the most that nopony might ever see one again.

She was hoping against hope that someone else would be able to perform it.

As Scootaloo dove faster, she began to feel the tangible sound barrier start to give out before her.

She pushed harder.

It pushed back at her.

Rainbow Dash watched on, waiting for the inevitable to happen. If anypony besides her could break through, it had to be her onetime protege.

Scootaloo screamed. She was so close.

The sound barrier would not be overcome, as it snapped back at Scootaloo with a violent force. She went flying backward from the direction she came.

This was the point where Rainbow Dash would fly backwards for a few seconds, but eventually right herself.

Scootaloo knew this, and tried to correct herself. Her wings weren't working. She was flying out of control.

Dash threw her whistle to the clouds.

"RAINBOW DASH... HELP ME!" Scootaloo frantically cried.

Dash began to tense up. Her doctor's words flashed in her memory.

"If you try any kind of extreme aerial acrobatics or get up past a certain point of speed, you will spiral out of control and you may die."

"...You will spiral out of control and you may die."

"...You may die."

"PLEASE! I CAN'T STOP MYSELF!"

Scootaloo's frightened cry broke Rainbow Dash from the memory. Nopony else was around - the Wonderbolts were not scheduled to arrive for another ten minutes, and the candidates were all waiting inside.

She was the only one who could save Scootaloo's life.

That turned out to be the only motivation she needed. "I can't live by 'what ifs' anymore. I'm the only one who can do this," she thought as she launched herself into the air on wobbly wings.

"HANG ON, SCOOTALOO! I'M COMING!" Dash defiantly cried...

Three - Quicksand Effect

Eternally Devoid - Chapter 3 - Quicksand Effect
"...I can feel it slipping away, my precious grasp on reality
My little world and all I see is fading rapidly..."

"There's no way it could have been that easy. This mare is egotistical, yes... but she's also blind. She wanted to see a spell for what I've been doing all along.

"What I instead gave her was a spell that would make her controllable... and she went along all on her own. It's a pity that will be the last decision she'll ever make for herself..."

..:://=||=\::..

Scootaloo was spiraling out of control as her momentum began to arc towards the ground.

Well, she was actually arcing towards the ground. The spiraling was all in Rainbow Dash's head as her vertigo began to flare up. It didn't stop her.

"Now's not the time for this," she thought as she continued accelerating. As her velocity climbed, it became more difficult for her to keep herself flying in a straight line. The effort required to constantly correct her trajectory was affecting her speed.

Yes, she was going faster than she had any business going. It still wasn't enough as Scootaloo continued to fall faster.

Dash knew she had to risk it. "Eyes shut, Rainbow," she thought to herself as she elected to let instinct take over. It was a terrible risk. There was a chance she could spiral out of control herself if she took her eyes off of Scootaloo, but trying to focus was only slowing her down.

She truly had no other options.

Those down in Cloudsdayle could see a rainbow-colored streak erratically flying towards a pony hurtling through the air out of control.

As Rainbow felt her speed increase toward where she felt it needed to be, the sound barrier itself began to resist.

"You're... not... helping!" she struggled to silently protest as she continued to push herself forward. If her eyes were open, she would have seen the ground rapidly approaching. Still, somehow, she knew.

She knew time was short.

She knew it was now or never...

..:://=||=\::..

In a vault in the Royal Castle, the six Elements of Harmony were stored safely.

The Element of Loyalty began to glow with a warm magic.

In an instant, it was gone...

..:://=||=\::..

The sound barrier was trying to resist Rainbow Dash with everything it had, even after she had broken through countless times in the past. It was almost as though it could sense just how infirm Dash was at that point in time.

She pushed back harder as her concentration began to wane. She could feel her path deviating.

It was then that she felt a warm magic around her neck - one she had not felt in five years but knew intimately. A missing part of her had come to lend her its power in a moment of dire need.

Filled with newfound resolve, she flew straight and true. As she charged through the sound barrier, she opened her eyes.

Scootaloo looked back as she heard the Sonic Rainboom behind her, and saw the holder of the Element of Loyalty coming to rescue her one last time.

Rainbow Dash's eyes were open, and glowing as brightly as the sun. "I told you that I'd save you," she said as she plucked her protege out of her fall. Attempting a violent turn, she tried to ascend back towards Cloudsdayle.

It didn't work. All it did was send her and Scootaloo uncontrollably hurtling toward a familiar forest. Even the Element of Loyalty's magic was waning, and Rainbow Dash had burned through all of it.

"Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo asked, concerned.

"I'm sorry, kid," Rainbow said as she twisted her body. "You're going to be okay, though. I promise."

Just as Scootaloo tried to reply, the two pegasi collided with a small cottage at the speed of sound...

..:://=||=\::..

On a winding mountain road leading to New Harmony, Rarity was sipping tea within her coach. She looked out the side window to check out some of the scenery. "Driver, how much longer until we reach New Harmony?" she asked.

The sturdy old earth pony pulling the coach sighed. "Ten minutes less than when you asked last time, Miss Rarity. I'm sorry, but it is a long trip."

Rarity sighed as well as she went back to looking out of the window. Along the way, she saw a bright pink coach pulled over on the side of the road. One of its wheels was broken and one of its occupants was out front drinking an energy drink. She would have recognized that hairstyle anywhere... "Stop the coach," she ordered.

"Ma'am?" one of the bodyguards asked.

"That's an old friend of mine," Rarity said. "I mean it. Stop. She's in distress."

The driver pulled Rarity's coach over on the side of the road. She didn't even wait for it to come to a full stop before leaping out and running back toward the disabled pink coach.

The pink pony was leaning against the front of the coach in an unconventional manner. She looked up from her drink as she heard Rarity's approach. "Heya!" she shouted, waving.

"Pinkie Pie? I knew it was you, but..." Rarity began.

"But what? And it's been forever since someone's called me that!" the pink pony said, smiling.

"...But what are you doing all the way out here?" Rarity continued as she trotted up and hugged her old friend. "There's almost nothing out this way!"

"My next gig, silly!" Pinkie said. "Didn't you get the autographed copy of my debut album last year that I mailed you?"

Rarity thought for a second. There was a package from a "Hyperaktiv" that did show up at her offices a year previous. She put it away and didn't think about it. "Album? Wait..." Rarity started. She recalled a couple of her employees coming into work talking about Hyperaktiv, and the fandom had spread like wildfire. For a while she couldn't come into work without seeing everypony she ran into either listening to Hyperaktiv or wearing one of her shirts. She finally buckled and bought the rights to make official Hyperaktiv merchandise. Her profits doubled in a month.

It suddenly made sense. "...You're Hyperaktiv?" Rarity asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeppers!" Pinkie said cheerfully. "I'm actually pretty good, too... at least that's what the guys running the venues say when they see sellout after sellout when I perform.

Rarity looked as though she was about to faint.

Thinking quickly, Pinkie grabbed Rarity and poured the rest of her energy drink down her throat. "None of that, silly..." she said.

Rarity choked as the disgusting concoction slid down her throat. "What the..." she asked, incredulously. "Are you trying to poison me, Pinkie?"

"I know you too well, Rarity... and I didn't need you fainting on me," Pinkie said apologetically. "Actually... we need your help."

"We?" Rarity asked between spits as she tried to clear the last of the vile liquid from her system.

"Yeah," Pinkie said. "Hey Sweetie Belle, come on out a second!"

The door to Pinkie's coach opened and a beautiful young white unicorn mare came out. Her cutie mark was almost glowing against her coat, distinctive in its design being a musical note made from blue gems. "What is it, Hyperaktiv? You knew I didn't want to come out into the... cold..." Sweetie Belle said as she saw her sister. "Sister? What are you doing out here?"

"Sweetie Belle?" Rarity said softly. She hadn't seen her sister in a year, not after their last big fight. Somehow, upon earning her cutie mark, Sweetie Belle became too much of a diva for even Rarity to handle. "How... how have you been?"

"Fine, I guess..." Sweetie Belle said. "Hyperaktiv, I thought this might be something important. It's brutally cold out here."

"It is, Sweetie!" Pinkie said. "Rarity was just going to give us a lift so we could get to our shows in New Harmony... right, Rarity?"

"Huh... wha..." Rarity tried to say as her brain began to shut down.

"I doubt she's going that way, Hyperaktiv..." Sweetie Belle said.

"She is too!" Pinkie protested. "Nopony goes out this way unless they're heading to New Harmony or to Zebra or Griffin lands, and even then they've gotta pass through New Harmony, so we're all going the same way regardless!"

"Yes... yes... I think I could help you out..." Rarity stammered as her brain continued to short-circuit. "I needed... thread..."

"I'll grab our stuff, then... we don't have a whole lot, I like to travel light and Sweetie doesn't take much with her," Pinkie rapidly explained as she went back to the coach to grab her turntables and boxes of records. "I'm sure Vinyl can spare some speakers too... this is going to be wicked great!"

"Vinyl," Rarity said, still in shock. "You're opening for Vinyl Scratch, as in DJ PON-3?"

"No, silly! Vinyl's opening for me!" Pinkie said, smiling.

Rarity's poor brain finally gave out. Without any dramatics, she simply fainted on the side of the road.

..:://=||=\::..

As Trixie continued to focus on her spell, she heard a voice in her head again.

"There are two bearers of the Elements of Harmony near here..."

"What?" Trixie asked to no one in particular. "What are these Elements of Harmony? The Great and Powerful Trixie has never heard of them..."

"They are what oppose The Great and Powerful Trixie. They must be neutralized..."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is not concerned with some things that may or may not be nearby," she replied, starting to lose patience. "There is no force on Equestria that can stop the Great and Powerful Trixie's goal of being the single most powerful magical force in the world!"

The force pulling the strings was tiring of Trixie's ego. She was starting to go from being a boon to a hindrance. Fortunately, the spell Trixie herself had cast would take care of that problem soon enough. She would give herself to the force granting her its power... and by the time she was aware anything was amiss, it would already be too late.

Indeed, it was already too late, as Trixie's own body was beginning to undergo some changes...

..:://=||=\::..

Fluttershy was walking back home after going into town to pick up a new romance novel from the library. She had also grabbed a children's book to read to Applewood later on.

"But I want you to read that one to me," Applewood whined, indicating the novel.

"Oh, no, little one... That book isn't for little colts," Fluttershy responded. "You'll understand when you get older."

As Fluttershy rounded the last turn before her cottage, she saw a pile of debris in the distance.

It was her cottage... or rather, its remains.

"Oh no..." Fluttershy said quietly. "Applewood, stay here!"

"What's wrong?" Applewood asked.

"My house..." Fluttershy screamed silently as she ran towards the pile of rubble.

It was a complete disaster, yet incredibly localized. By some twist of fate, the rubble was strewn outward from the cottage's foundation, but away from all the animal pens. They were all unharmed.

"What... what could have done this?" Fluttershy sobbed.

She began to hear a voice from the rubble. It was badly muffled.

"Is somepony... in there?" she asked.

She could clearly make out the word "help."

Working quickly, Fluttershy began to toss away the few pieces of rubble she was capable of moving by herself.

"Help us!" the voice from the rubble called.

Fluttershy realized that there may be more than one pony trapped underneath the pile of rubble.

Bravely, Applewood trotted up to the pile and started moving what he could as well. It wasn't a lot but it still sped up the process.

It took several minutes, but eventually they were able to move enough debris to find two familiar pegasi. One was hurt but conscious. The other was battered, bloody, broken and barely clinging to life.

"Fluttershy?" Scootaloo asked, looking up at her rescuer. "Rainbow Dash needs your help... she took the worst of it! She's dying!"

Fluttershy's heart sunk. "Applewood, go run to the hospital quick," she said, not thinking clearly. The whole reason Fluttershy was watching over Applewood was that Applejack didn't want him seeing Big Macintosh hurt. That no longer mattered.

"Where is it?" Applewood asked. Despite his bravery and desire to help out, he was still a very young colt. He knew where home was and he knew where the cottage was. Everywhere else, he still needed to be taken to.

Fluttershy sighed, realizing her mistake. "Children..." she said softly. "Scootaloo, can you fly?"

"No... I don't know what happened," Scootaloo said sadly. "I can't fly right now and I don't know why. I can still walk, though."

"Everything I've learned is saying we shouldn't move her, but we don't have a lot of options," Fluttershy said, sighing sadly. "Put Rainbow Dash on my back. I'll fly her to the hospital. You and Applewood follow me."

With a plan decided on, the three ponies took their hurt friend to the Ponyville Clinic...

..:://=||=\::..

Twilight Sparkle and Spike were meeting with Princess Celestia's best minds. They had heard the three options, and were only realistically able to discount one.

Their accelerated research was going nowhere fast.

"Break time, Twilight," Spike sternly said as Twilight was struggling to turn a page with her waning magic.

"No, Spike..." Twilight protested. "We've got to figure out what the cause is for this..."

"Twilight..." Spike sighed. "I've been asking you every ten minutes for the last hour to take a break. You're draining what little magical reserve you have left. You've got to rest! Recharge!"

"That's easy for you to say..." Twilight said sorrowfully. "You still have your magic."

"Whatever's doing this obviously doesn't affect dragons," he said, "but it is affecting ponies. Specifically you. I get it. Your special talent is magic. Without it you might as well be a blank-flank. Obsessing over it isn't the answer, though. You've been doing so well lately. You can't let this problem cause you to slip."

"Obsessing?" Twilight said as her face twitched. Her rage with her assistant was growing. "I'm not obsessing! This isn't affecting just me, I know it! It's affecting a lot of ponies, but if I don't do something..."

"You'll still be doing something if you take a break!" the headstrong dragon shouted.

Twilight's rage reached a critical point, and she responded by backhoofing Spike in the face. He was knocked over by the impact.

He simply stared at her.

She looked back at him and didn't see her assistant. She saw the dragon that she herself had hatched as a filly. Her rage melted away as quickly as it had built up. "Spike... I..." she started to say, remorsefully. "I don't know what came over me..."

"It's... it's my fault, Twilight," Spike said as he got back up. "I was pushing you too hard..."

"No, Spike," she said. "It's my fault. You were right. I am obsessing over this. We should go back to the throne room and let Princess Celestia know what we've found out."

"You go ahead, Twilight," Spike said as he walked toward a different exit. "I need to get this looked at." He was lying - even in Twilight's rage states, she simply didn't have the physical strength to hurt him like that. His feelings, however, were a different story. He turned toward the private chambers of the Princess of the Moon.

Twilight walked into Princess Celestia's throne room a few minutes later. Celestia had not moved since discovering the sunspots were missing.

"Did you discover anything yet?" Celestia asked.

"Nothing so far, Princess..." Twilight said sadly.

Celestia turned to look back at her longtime student. "Something is troubling you, Twilight," she said. It was not a question. She simply knew.

"I... I snapped at Spike," Twilight said as she began shedding tears. "I... struck him, Princess. I don't know what came over me..."

"Frustration," the Princess said knowingly. "I know what you're going through right now, my faithful student... if this continues, I don't know if I will be able to put the sun away at the end of the day. It's disappointing... it's annoying... and right now, there's nothing I can do about it."

"I feel horrible, Princess," Twilight said.

"That's actually a good thing, Twilight," Celestia said. "It means you're truly sorry for doing that, and that you still care about his well-being."

"I still feel like a horrible friend, though..." Twilight sighed as she sat next to the Princess.

..:://=||=\::..

Rarity started to come to. She wasn't in her coach, though. She didn't know where she was. Looking around, she saw an unconscious Pinkie Pie chained to a wall next to her. As she tried to move to assist her friend, she found that she was also restrained by similar chains.

"Welcome to New Harmony, Element of Generosity," a vaguely familiar voice said. "Looks like the teleportation spell did quite a number on your friend there..."

"You're kidding, right?" Rarity asked, annoyed. "Do you honestly think simple chains can hold a unicorn?"

"Break them, then," the voice said, nonplussed.

As Rarity tried to focus on the locks, she found something odd. Her magic was completely gone. "...What..." she replied in shock.

"There's no magic here for you," the voice said, smugly. "Now just stay there and try to look pretty. You're on..."

..:://=||=\::..

"Is this thing on?" a voice called out within Celestia's throne room.

Celestia and Twilight Sparkle both turned around. What they saw was a ghostly image of a unicorn mare who appeared to be in the middle of some sort of physical transformation. While parts of her coat were sky blue, the remainder was jet black, and the black portions appeared to be encroaching on the sky blue portions. Her pale mane was nearly unmistakable, as was her cutie mark - a magic wand over what looked like a curtain.

"Guards!" Celestia called.

"Don't bother," the apparition said. "Nopony can hear anything that's being said in this room."

"What are you?" Celestia asked.

"Shut up," the apparition replied. "Twilight Sparkle is there."

"What of it?" Twilight asked, annoyed. Something about the ghostly mare looked familiar, but she couldn't quite put a hoof on it. "Who are you?"

"Surely you recognize the pony whose life and reputation you destroyed," the ghostly mare replied.

"Considering I've never done such a thing, I don't have any idea what you're talking about," Twilight replied.

The ghostly pony looked annoyed. No... she looked more than annoyed. She was pissed. "You mean to tell me that you do not remember showing up The Great and Powerful Trixie in Ponyville five years ago?!" she spat.

"Trixie?" Twilight said in shock. "But... I didn't..."

"You did," Trixie replied. "And because of that, The Dread and Omnipotent Trixie has decided to revoke the use of all magic in Equestria. She will be the most powerful magical entity that lives now and forevermore!"

"You're insane!" Celestia shouted. "We'll find you and put a stop to this!"

"Doubtful, Princess, but you are welcome to fail all you like," Trixie said smugly. "That said, The Dread and Omnipotent Trixie did not make this image to speak to you. She wishes to let Twilight Sparkle know that two of her friends are currently captive and that she is willing to release them on one condition."

The image soon changed to one of Rarity and Pinkie Pie, both chained to a wall. Rarity appeared to be yelling, but there was no sound. Pinkie Pie was out like a light.

"What have you done to them?!" Twilight shouted.

"Nothing yet - and if you turn yourself over to me by sunset tomorrow, nothing will happen to them," Trixie stated as the image changed back to one of her. "If, however, you refuse to turn yourself over to The Dread and Omnipotent Trixie, then they will be hurt. Badly. They might not survive my tender mercies."

Twilight felt a magical sensation as the image of a map was being pushed into her memory.

"You know where you must go," Trixie said. "Don't bother to try to tell anyone where you are going - any attempt to do so will turn out unintelligible, be it verbal, written, whatever. Remember, sunset tomorrow. Don't keep The Dread and Omnipotent Trixie waiting!"

With that, Trixie's image spell disappeared.

"...This is bad," Twilight said. "If I don't leave now, there's no way I'll make it to Fhrryt Eckspleghah in time!" She sighed. "Looks like she wasn't gloating... I can't say Fhrryt Eckspleghah..."

"There's more than one way to get around that," Princess Celestia said. "Go get your friends. I'll have what Royal Guards I can spare shadow you."

"Spare? Why?" Twilight asked, puzzled.

"Because while you were studying, the ponies of Canterlot began rioting..." Princess Luna said as she entered the throne room. "We have much bigger problems here. They're panicking because the magic here is dying."

Four - Nemesis

Eternally Devoid - Chapter 4 - Nemesis
"...Drum beats faster, crowd shouts louder, and chaos replaces order..."

"Dear Princess Celestia...

I'm back."

..:://=||=\::..

Chaos was starting to overtake the streets of Canterlot as more and more of the population found the magic that had permeated their lives since birth fading away. Discontent... that was putting it lightly. Ponies who had never had a thought of dissent in their lives were marching towards the Royal Castle.

"We demand answers!"

The chant itself was so benign, but it disguised a growing fervor. The crowd wanted to know why the magic was gone, yes, but they also wanted acknowledgement from the Princesses that something was wrong.

This one time, Princess Celestia's urge to keep an impending disaster a secret was threatening to blow up in her face. The protests were loud and boisterous so far, but nonviolent.

All involved knew there was simply no way that could last for long.

..:://=||=\::..

Sweetie Belle awoke inside Rarity's coach. Hours previous, a gas began to fill it. There was no apparent source, no explanation for it. She, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rarity's bodyguards had no time whatsoever to react before blackness overcame them. Now it was still black as night had long since fallen.

"Sister, what is the meaning of this?" she asked.

The bodyguards soon awoke. "Miss Sweetie Belle... what happened?" one struggled to say.

"Where... where are we?" the other bodyguard asked.

The driver was now beginning to stir. Some of the gas has seeped outside of the coach, knocking him out as well. He barely had enough time to pull the coach off of the road before blacking out.

"I have no idea, but we simply must get to the bottom of this," Sweetie Belle said. "Sister? Aren't you awake yet? Pinkie?"

One of the guards attempted to cast a light spell. His magic was very weak from a combination of the coach's proximity to New Harmony and his own inexperience, but the rudimentary spell cast a brief flash of light on the interior of the coach.

Neither Pinkie Pie nor Rarity were anywhere to be found.

"Sister? This isn't funny!" Sweetie Belle shouted incredulously.

"They're gone..." the unicorn guard said.

"Driver, stop," the other guard, an older earth pony said. "Go check around the coach, Blackout."

"Uhnnn... we're already stopped, Sentinel..." the driver said as he tried to remember where he was.

The unicorn guard opened the coach and looked around. He tried to fire up the light spell again, but to no avail. "My magic's gone, Chief," he said. "I can't see ten feet in front of my face."

"I didn't ask for an excuse, I said to go check around. Use those ten feet!" Chief Sentinel shouted.

"Sir, yes Sir!" Blackout said as he bolted from the coach.

"Are you injured, Miss Sweetie Belle?" Sentinel asked, concerned.

"...Aside from a dreadful headache, I'm fine..." Sweetie Belle said. "Something's not right, my magic's gone as well..."

"There's nothing out here, Chief!" Blackout called from outside, breaking a few contemplative moments of silence. "The coach is intact, there's nowhere anypony could have gone without being seen, and there are so many hoofprints on this road that I can't even tell which are ours."

"This is not good," Sentinel muttered. "Get back in, Blackout. We have to assume a kidnapping, possibly magical in origin. Whatever put us out may have also blocked our magic so we couldn't resist. Driver, how far do you figure we are out of New Harmony?"

"Ugh... maybe three hours," the driver said as he tried to fight past his own headache.

"Let's go then, we can get the local lawponies to help us search," Sentinel said.

With Blackout back in the coach, they slowly resumed their climb up the mountain.

..:://=||=\::..

Rainbow Dash was lying comatose at the Ponyville Clinic. She was not the only injured pegasus at the facility, but she was by far the worst off. She had undergone several hours of emergency surgery for a punctured lung and several broken bones. A hole had to be drilled in her skull to reduce fluid buildup around her brain. She was in grave condition.

It seemed that the only parts of her body that remained uninjured were her wings.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Fluttershy..." Nurse Redheart began. "We've done all we could. All we can do is wait and see if she makes it through the night."

"No... how could something like this have happened?" Fluttershy asked, crying.

"Your other friend may know," Nurse Redheart offered. "She'll be fine, but she needs to stay out of the air for a few days. Her left wing needs time to recover."

Just as that was said, Scootaloo came out from behind one of the curtains. "Any idea why I couldn't fly back there?" she asked.

"I don't have an answer for that, but quite a few pegasi have inexplicably fallen from the sky today," Redheart offered. "Thankfully, most of their injuries were minor."

Fluttershy tried to force a smile onto her face. "I guess I was lucky that I didn't fall either," she said.

"I'd like to think Rainbow Dash was luckier," Redheart said. "If you'll excuse me, I have other patients."

"Of course," Fluttershy said as she motioned for Scootaloo to follow her to the waiting room. "Thank you, Nurse Redheart."

Redheart nodded as the two pegasi walked away. She had a stubborn red stallion to check up on.

"So... um... if you don't mind my asking, how did my cottage end up destroyed?" Fluttershy asked.

"I don't know what happened," Scootaloo began. "I was at the Young Wonderbolts tryouts and I tried to do a Sonic Rainboom. It didn't work, and suddenly I couldn't get back in control. It was like my wings were dead."

"That's odd," Fluttershy said as the two walked into the waiting room. "I'd bet my wings still work..."

"You barely use them, Fluttershy!" Scootaloo protested. "Today was the most I've probably ever seen you fly."

"That doesn't explain the cottage," Fluttershy said as sternly as her quiet demeanor would allow.

"Rainbow Dash tried to save me from crashing into the ground," Scootaloo said. "She caught me, but her head must have started acting up or something. She couldn't control where we were going... she took the brunt of it for me..." At that moment, she lost it and started crying.

Fluttershy embraced the young mare. "There, there..." she said. "Let it out..."

"Ah never thought Ah'd see the day," Applejack said as she made her presence known. "What happened? Where's Applewood?"

Scootaloo was too hysterical with tears to answer.

"Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo crashed into my cottage..." Fluttershy offered. "Scootaloo's okay but... they're not sure about Rainbow Dash..."

"Dang it!" Applejack shouted. "Didn't the doctors tell her she had no business tryin' to stunt fly anymore?"

"She was trying to save me," Scootaloo protested. "I lost control at a tryout... she was the only one who could try to rescue me!"

"Rescue?" Applejack said, puzzled. "Ah thought you were good at flyin'..."

"It wasn't my fault... my wings just stopped working..." Scootaloo said as she turned back into Fluttershy's embrace.

"Applejack?" Nurse Redheart called from a nearby hallway. "Macintosh is awake, if you want to see him."

"Ah gotta run, Shy, Scootaloo," Applejack said. "Could you keep an eye on Applewood a little longer?"

"Yes... I guess I could," Fluttershy said. "Where did you leave him, Scootaloo?"

"When I came in, I saw Mrs. Cake waiting outside. I left him with her," Scootaloo said as she tried to regain her composure.

"Aw, heck, that's fine," Applejack said. "Mrs. Cake's good people. Lemme know if Rainbow Dash gets better. We gotta catch up."

"I'll let you know..." Fluttershy said.

Applejack went back to Macintosh's room with new worries on her mind.

Fluttershy went back outside to retrieve Applewood and figure out her next move. With everything that had happened, it had slipped her mind until that moment that she was now homeless.

Scootaloo just sighed as she walked away to look for another old friend.

..:://=||=\::..

Back at the Royal Palace, the sister Princesses were faced with a dilemma. The crowds outside were continuing to grow. It would only be a matter of time before things escalated beyond protests and shouting.

"You've got to do it, Sister," Princess Luna said as she looked down at the crowd. "You've got to try to calm them down."

"I know..." Princess Celestia said, sighing. "What do I tell them, though? I'm not even sure I understand all that is happening."

"The truth," Luna said. "Right now, they're panicking because they know nothing. The absence of information is the perfect breeding ground for misinformation. Even the little bit we do know could prevent a riot."

"How I wish you could just do this for me, Luna," Celestia said as she made her way to the balcony. "You were always better at delivering the tough news."

"I was away too long," Luna reminded her sister. "Even though I have been back for six years, they still don't trust me yet. They need you."

Celestia sighed softly as she walked out onto the balcony. "Luna is right," she thought. "These ponies know me. They trust me. I can't abandon them."

"Citizens of Canterlot," she began...

..:://=||=\::..

Twilight Sparkle was keeping up a moderate trot as she followed the mountain road to New Harmony. Spike was following her closely.

"It's so dark," Spike observed. "Are we going the right way?"

"We're on the right path," Twilight said. In her mind's eye, she could see the map Trixie had implanted in her memories, and she knew she was on course. "Just stay close..." With the lapse in concentration, she nearly ran off of the side of the road and off the edge of the mountain. Luckily, she was able to stop herself in time.

"We might be, but that doesn't make it any less dangerous..." Spike mused.

"Let me focus then, please..." Twilight said as she shook her head, hoping it would allow her to see easier but knowing it'd do nothing. "Rarity and Pinkie Pie are depending on me."

"You do know it's a trap, right?" Spike said. "If she's gone off the deep end like that, there's no guarantee that she'll let them go even if you do give yourself up to her."

"It's the only option I can see, Spike," Twilight protested. "She's somehow found a way to take away all of our magic. I don't know what to do without my magic, but it's a chance to save them. I've got to take it."

"Can we at least stop soon, then? You've got a little over a day left," Spike suggested. "You need to rest."

"I wish I could, but this road's very long," Twilight said, sighing. "It'll take almost a day just to get where we're going, and there's not a lot of wiggle room."

"Maybe if you were moving faster..." Spike verbally prodded.

"But the book said I've got to conserve myself to keep the energy I need to make it through," Twilight said. "If I burn myself out now, I'll never get there in time..."

"I can't win," Spike sighed as he continued to follow Twilight.

..:://=||=\::..

Scootaloo sighed as she walked up to a hill overlooking Ponyville. From there, especially in the middle of the night, it looked like very little had changed in the last five years. There were a few more lights on in the town and they spread further out than before, but other than that, little had changed.

"Why?" she asked.

There was no answer.

"Why did this have to happen, Rainbow Dash? Why did you save me?"

Again, no answer.

"I was counting on this... maybe too much, but it was my dream... but... what good is it if you can't be there to see me live it?"

Silence.

"You should have let me die... why didn't you? Why did you have to sacrifice yourself for me?"

Still, nothing...

"I'm not worth it..."

"That ain't true," a familiar voice said from behind her. "If you wasn't worth it, we wouldn't be friends."

Scootaloo turned around, tears welling up in her eyes. "How did you know I was here?"

A familiar yellow earth pony looked at her. "My big sis said you was back in Ponyville, an' this was your favorite overlook when we were younger. Ah thought you weren't gonna be back, though," she said. "You was goin' on about how you was gonna be this bigshot high flyer an' now you're back here..."

"I shouldn't be here, Apple Bloom," Scootaloo sighed. "I shouldn't even be alive. That should be me in that hospital on the razor's edge between death and life... not her. Why did she save me?"

"It's because she cares about you, Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said. "She's as loyal to you as she is to all of her friends."

"Why, though? Why was she willing to die for me?" Scootaloo cried.

"She ain't dead yet, an' thanks to her neither are you," Apple Bloom said, sternly. There was a time and a place to try to lighten spirits, and this wasn't it. Not yet. Scootaloo had a lot to let out first. "If you wanna ask why she did it, though, ask her."

"She's in a coma..." Scootaloo sighed.

"That don't mean she can't hear you," Apple Bloom said as she put a foreleg around her friend. "You got a lot to let out... wouldn't it be better to ask her all that stuff instead of the night sky?"

Scootaloo sighed. "Maybe... but I'm scared to face her with her hurt so bad."

"Come on," Apple Bloom said. "There's an all-night doughnut shop near the Carousel Boutique. It just opened up last week. They got the best hot chocolate there that you can get at this time'a night. We can wait there til you go an' get up the nerve."

"That could help..." Scootaloo said. "I'm glad we're friends, Apple Bloom. You always know what to say at times like this."

"Didn't always," Apple Bloom said, laughing. "Remember that time with the zipline?"

..:://=||=\::..

Rarity's coach arrived in New Harmony as the sun began to rise. It took a little longer than the three hours the driver had estimated.

Something about the town itself seemed a bit off. It seemed drained of its vitality. There was nopony on the streets - not even the undesirables Rarity had been concerned about enough to have bodyguards come along to deal with. It was almost a ghost town.

"Be ready for anything, Blackout," Chief Sentinel said. "I've got a bad feeling about this town."

"Gotcha," Blackout said as he pulled a knife out from under his seat. He instinctively went to sharpen it, but that proved impossible without his magic. "Guess this'll have to do..."

"When we get to the police station, stay put, Miss Sweetie Belle," Sentinel said. "I don't know what's going on here, but it could be dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Sweetie Belle said, laughing. "There isn't a single soul on these streets. This place is positively dead..."

"Looks aren't everything," Sentinel said. "Neither you nor Blackout have your magic. Miss Rarity may or may not be in the town. We know for a fact that this place has a reputation for lawlessness after dark and it should be a lot more active than it is. Something is wrong here, and it may make it harder for us to find her. Until then, we protect you, and it would make it easier if you stayed here."

"...Is this what my sister has to put up with?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Not everywhere," Blackout said. "Most places in Equestria are peaceful. Very little ever happens that she'd need a bodyguard for. The thing is, she sometimes requires exotic materials for her work. Some of them come from less civilized places. That's where we come in. After she was abducted in Zebra lands two years ago, we always check out where she's going. If it's dangerous, we tag along. Nothing has happened to her since..."

"...Until today," Sentinel said. "She pays us very well to ensure she remains safe. We intend to do our jobs. That means you're staying in the coach while we try to get information."

"...I always resented you for having me guarded..." Sweetie Belle said, wishing her sister were there. "I didn't know that bad ponies like that existed... were you worried they'd try to come after me to get to you?"

The coach skidded to a stop. "We're here," the driver said.

"Stay put," Sentinel said. "We'll be back shortly. Come on, Blackout."

..:://=||=\::..

Pinkie Pie came to in Trixie's hut. "Ohhhhhh, my head... this isn't fun," she complained.

"Welcome back to the land of the conscious, Element of Laughter," Trixie said. Her physical changes were nearly complete - most of her coat was now jet black, with only a small patch of blue remaining near her cutie mark. She was emanating a constant dark aura. "The Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare welcomes you to her humble abode. Rest assured, you won't be here too long."

"N-n-n-n-Nightmare?!" Pinkie stammered. "You're supposed to be in the Sun!"

"Well, The Dread and Powerful Nightmare got better," she said. "She just needs you awake for a brief moment."

Rarity awoke a few seconds later. "...This dreadful place gets worse with time..." she whined.

"Smile," Trixie said. Her horn glowed darkly as both Pinkie Pie and Rarity were enveloped in its magic.

For but an instant, both Rarity and Pinkie relived their entire lives - the good times, the bad times... everything. It was draining, to put it mildly.

"Done. Back to sleep with you two," Trixie said.

"Wha... what do you..." Rarity said as she fell back under the influence of the sleep spell. Pinkie slipped a moment later.

Afterward, Trixie looked up towards the ceiling. She scowled. "So, Father, you are free after all this time? No worries. Your power will soon belong to the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare as well..."

Five - Petrified

Eternally Devoid - Chapter 5 - Petrified
"...I hope you get your way... but what a price to pay..."

Identity is an odd thing, isn't it dear?

It's not a clear-cut division, it is more like a spectrum. Extremes exist at opposite sides. In the middle, you ponies firmly know just who and what you are. Most ponies are like this. At one time, you may have even been like this.

...Oh, do wake up, dear. This is somewhat important.

...Ughhh... what happened?

Welcome back, Trixie. Briefly, but still. The Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare was just explaining something that will prove very interesting to you.

Dread and omnipotent... what is going on? Why are you in the Great and Powerful Trixie's mind? She demands you leave at once!

Oh... you invited the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare into your mind when you made your plea for more power, remember? Do try to keep up. As it is, the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare will certainly not be leaving. Yet. The time comes soon, but hasn't yet.

Unacceptable! Leave The Great and Powerful Trixie before she destroys you!

See, dear, you are at one extreme of the identity spectrum. Your ego has grown so large and overbearing that you are attempting to move beyond it. You overestimate your own importance and ability... destroying The Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare is far beyond you. You tried to be something more than a pony... you tried to become a brand. Believe me, The Dread and Powerful Nightmare dislikes that trait of yours, but it won't be enough to drive her away.

"Her." In Father's name, do the words "I" or "me" even exist in your vocabulary?

How dare you speak to...

That's quite enough of that, dear. You belong to The Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare, now and forever. Observe your place.

...forgive this mare, Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare... she meant not to interrupt you... wait, why is this mare saying these things...

...And just as easily, you could end up at the other end of the spectrum. Your identity is gone - you are no longer a pony - you are but an object, a plaything to be used by The Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare as she sees fit.

...if that is how it must be, Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare... this mare will obey.

At this end of the spectrum, you are completely powerless... you are nothing. The Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare actually prefers you this way while she can stomach you being awake, so you shall stay that way. For now, though, your lesson is complete. Sleep.

...this mare obeys... The Dread and... Omnipotent... Nightmare...

...Broken so easily. She flew so high, which just left her further to fall. So be it. The Dread and Powerful Nightmare senses you, Element of Magic... and Father is on his way as well... this will get very entertaining in short order. The pieces are falling into place.

It is time for The Dread and Powerful Nightmare to set the next part of her glorious plan into motion...

..:://=||=\::..

Day broke over Equestria as Princess Celestia used the last of her magic to guide the sun over the horizon. "I could have spared myself enough magic to put it away tonight if that crowd of protesters hadn't distracted me with their chanting all night..." she lamented.

As if on cue, the crowd could be heard chanting. "Off with Celestia's head!"

"At least they haven't turned on you yet, Sister," Celestia sighed.

The crowd responded as if they had heard her. "Off with Luna's head!"

"Would you please stop giving the angry mob ideas?" Luna shouted.

"At least they don't know some of the things that have actually happened..." Celestia said as she tried to hide her head underneath a pillow.

"SEND THEM TO THE MOON!" the crowd shouted in reply.

"...Perhaps you should just be quiet for a while, Sister," Luna said, her irritation growing by the second.

Celestia sighed as her irritation also was becoming evident. "Perhaps you could try talking some sense into them, then?"

"You wouldn't be asking me to do that if you remembered what happened the last time I tried to talk sense into an angry mob," Luna retorted.

"Those poor griffins..." Celestia recalled in horror.

"...And they still don't trust us to this day," Luna said. "The best thing we can do right now is to let the guards continue to hold them back while Twilight and Spike try to put an end to this new Nightmare persona."

"...We both know we're running out of time, though," Celestia lamented. "I don't have enough magic to raise the sun again, and I don't imagine your magic is in much better shape."

"You're right..." Luna regretfully admitted. "I could probably put the sun away tonight for you, then raise the moon... and that would be pushing it."

"...And then... nothing..." Celestia said, shaken.

"Twilight will succeed," Luna said, though the tone of her voice betrayed that even she was not certain of the truth of her words. "...But surely, you have a backup plan in case she fails... right?"

"In time, the sun and moon would start to move on their own should neither of them be under our guidance..." Celestia began. "...However, if it should come to that, they would remain out of our control forever. No... unless the magic returns soon, we as a species may be doomed. Our way of life would be over."

Luna gasped as she realized the ramifications of the current crisis.

..:://=||=\::..

Scootaloo woke up as the sun ascended from the horizon. She quickly looked over at her mentor, who was still in traction and being monitored closely.

Thankfully, Rainbow Dash was still breathing. She had made it through the night. She was still in very bad shape and had not regained consciousness, but there was hope.

"...She isn't out of the woods yet, but we're hoping she'll make a full recovery," Nurse Redheart said cautiously from outside the door to Dash's room. "Honestly, I'm baffled as to how she could have broken every bone in her body except the ones in her wings..."

"Well, 'bout five years ago, there was an... incident," Applejack could be heard saying. "See, somethin' all malevolent-like took her over after she broke her wings. Somehow, it made 'em indestructible. If it weren't for her dizzy spells, she'd never'a stopped flyin'."

"Interesting..." Redheart said. "It's a pity most of my unicorn staff are having problems with their magic... this could be studied and used to help pegasi who injure their own wings. As it is, I can't take the time for something like that."

"Ah wish Ah could help you, but Ah don't know the first thing 'bout medicine..." Applejack admitted. "You'd want Fluttershy for somethin' like that."

"If this gets much worse, I might have to get her to help out here," Redheart said. "Another ten pegasi fell out of the sky, and more and more earth ponies are coming in with broken bones. I don't know what's happening. By tomorrow we'll be completely swamped and I may have to start turning ponies away."

Scootaloo got to her hooves and walked toward the door. She flinched as pain reverberated through her back. Glancing back, she saw the unwelcome reminder that she hadn't escaped completely unscathed - that of her left wing in a brace. It was broken badly, there was no way she would fly again for weeks. Still, she walked to the door and opened it.

Applejack turned to look at the injured young pegasus. "Scootaloo? What's the matter? Is... is somethin' wrong with Dash?"

"She's still breathing," Scootaloo sighed. "Actually... whatever's going on isn't just happening here. Our accident started near Cloudsdayle, we only landed here by chance."

"So... this could be happening all over Equestria?" Redheart asked, stunned.

"Ain't no way to know til we can check with someone else," Applejack said. "Don't Apple Bloom have a way to get in touch with Rarity in short order? If Manehattan's havin' problems too, then we know somethin's not right."

"I could run to the Boutique and ask," Scootaloo volunteered. "Please say yes. I can't stay here. I can't face Rainbow Dash right now... I'm too scared."

"Ah can't leave... Macintosh still needs me here, an' at least Ah can watch Dash while you're gone," Applejack said. "You're prolly the best one to go."

"Every fiber of my being says you should try to rest... "Redheart said, sighing. "...But if this is Equestria-wide..." She wrestled with her conscience for what seemed like an eternity, then finally acquiesced. "As long as you don't try to fly, there's not much else we can do for you here. Hurry, but be careful and I mean this - don't try to fly until your wing heals."

Scootaloo turned to run out of the hospital when Applejack stopped her. "Whoa there... one more thing," she said. "You can't avoid havin' to face Dash. If somethin's eatin' at you, you gotta tell her. She'll hear you even if she's still sleepin'."

"...How did you..." Scootaloo said, flabbergasted.

"Apple Bloom is my sister, Scoots," Applejack said, smiling. "We ain't got a lot of secrets from each other. Do what you gotta do now, but you gotta come back an' talk to Dash eventually. Who knows, it might wake her up or somethin'."

"I'll keep that in mind," Scootaloo said, weakly smiling. "Gotta run for now, though!" With that, she ran out of the hospital.

..:://=||=\::..

Twilight Sparkle sighed as she finally took a brief rest. Her mind and body were arguing with each other, and her body won by shutting itself down. "I guess we'll take a break here," she said as she pulled a bottle of water from her saddlebag. Opening it wouldn't be anywhere near as easy as grabbing it, however. "Ugh... it's so hard to do this without my magic..."

"Allow me," Spike said as he effortlessly opened the bottle with his claws.

"Lucky you," Twilight said snarkily. "You can grab the thing."

"So can earth ponies," Spike pointed out. "It's something they learn. Perhaps when this ordeal is over, you might take some time and learn for yourself."

"Maybe..." Twilight said as she took a sip of the water. "I don't know how things went so wrong... "

"It wasn't your fault," Spike said, trying to calm his friend down. "Maybe she's always had the potential to become a bad egg. You certainly didn't accelerate it."

Twilight would have none of it. "No... even in Ponyville she wasn't bad, just... a little full of herself. Remember? She didn't free the Ursa Minor..."

Spike cut his friend off. "No... but she did inspire those fancolts of hers to do it. Look, Twi... I don't know what's happened to her in five years, but we need to stop her before things get worse.

"No," Twilight said as she finished her water and got up. "We need to try to get through to her while there's still time. She's trying to fight the Nightmare... I just know it. If we don't hurry, though..." She looked up at the sky. The sun was about halfway up and she figured they still had about seven hours to go.

Spike facepalmed. "Yeah, yeah, ticking clock..." His wings carried him into the air slightly. "You still need to rest, though. Get on my back. I'll fly you for a little bit while you rest your hooves."

Twilight didn't protest as she got onto Spike's back. Though they were almost the same size now, Spike was still more than strong enough to carry one unicorn mare a little bit of the way.

With that, they flew upward, following the mountain road.

..:://=||=\::..

Blackout and Sentinel were finding absolutely no help in New Harmony. It was as if nopony wished even to open their door, much less talk to the two guard ponies.

"Hey, finally, ponies! Real live ponies! A sight for sore eyes," a voice called from behind them. "If I would have known this place would be this dead, I'd have told Hyperaktiv no thanks to coming here!"

Chief Sentinel turned around at the voice. "Identify yourself," he said.

"Whoa... whoa dude... no need to be so harsh," the white unicorn mare said as she backed away slightly. "Name's Vinyl Scratch."

"You're the one Miss Sweetie Belle was coming to meet?" Blackout said as he recognized the name.

"Well, Hyperaktiv was coming to meet with me... Sweetie was just along for the ride," Vinyl said as she looked around. "You seen her? Can't really miss her... she's pink all over and she's got this wicked curly mane..."

"We did..." Chief Sentinel said. "She went missing, along with our employer. We're looking for them."

"...And nopony wanted to come out and say a word," Vinyl said, knowingly. "They've been the same way since I got here. Still..."

"If you know anything that'd be helpful..." Blackout offered.

"I sensed a wicked vibe coming off this cottage on the hill over there," Vinyl said as she pointed to the west. "Course, now I can't sense anything, but you can't miss it. It feels like a bad trip."

"We'll keep that in mind," Chief Sentinel said. "Miss Sweetie Belle is in the carriage we left just south of here... she may need the company. Since you know her..."

"Yeah, sure, I'll head there," Vinyl said. "I'm sure you burly security stallions would be better off without me in the way anyway. Just be careful, okay? It felt like a really bad trip." She turned to head off to Rarity's carriage.

"Ugh," Chief Sentinel sighed. "Musicians..."

"She wasn't that bad," Blackout protested.

Sentinel just glared at Blackout in reply.

..:://=||=\::..

A malevolent presence made its way closer to New Harmony. It could have teleported there... but even its magic was being dampened by the force being created by the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare. He had to settle for flying.

"Stupid child," the presence thought. "While I appreciate being free again, stealing my magic is a quick way to get on my bad side. Chaos can wait... punishment comes first. Just wait until I get there, little Nightmare... you're in trouble."

He laughed, but he was so high in the air that nopony heard it. "And don't think you're getting away without a visit, little ponies... I'll see you after I get my offspring in line."

..:://=||=\::..

Apple Bloom was in the process of closing the Carousel Boutique so she could get an early lunch when the door opened. "Oh... Welcome to the Carousel Boutique, is there something I..." she began to say when she turned around and saw Scootaloo in the doorway. "Ah, it's you... what's goin' on?" she said as she reverted to her natural accent.

"...I honestly did not know you could speak like that," Scootaloo said between heavy breaths. "Not important, though... do you have a way to get in touch with Rarity?"

"Uh..." Apple Bloom stammered. "Well, there's the voice-throwin' talisman we use for contact between locations, but Rarity said we ain't s'posed to use it unless it's urgent."

"It's urgent," Scootaloo said. "You've seen that magic's failing here, and it's failing around Cloudsdayle too. It's not just unicorns, either... it's affecting all of us. We've gotta get in touch with Rarity in Manehattan and see if it's happening there as well... heck, we could ask everywhere there's a Boutique location."

"Ah got it, Ah got it..." Applebloom said, sighing. "Ah'm gonna be in so much trouble..." She waved a hoof over the talisman and activated it.

Within seconds, there was a reply. "Carousel Boutique main office, this is Thimblehoof, may I help you, Ponyville location?"

Apple Bloom replied. "Thimblehoof? Rarity's intern?"

"Yes... is this important business?" Thimblehoof's voice replied.

"We had something really important to ask Rarity," Apple Bloom said. "Is she gonna be in the office today?"

"No... Miss Rarity went to New Harmony a couple of days ago to pick up a shipment of Zebra-made threads," Thimblehoof's voice replied. "Is there something I might be able to help you with?"

"We're havin' problems here with magic," Apple Bloom said. "Are any of the workers at your location short of magic or anythin'?"

"A few of our unicorn seamstresses did call in sick today..." Thimblehoof said. "But loss of magic? If something like that's going on, it's the first I've heard of it."

"Ah see. Please, if Rarity comes back in, do let her know to call the Ponyville location," Applebloom said as she shut off the talisman. She then growled. "Ah never liked that guy... but yeah, looks like Manehattan's short of magic too."

"Then it may very well be Equestria-wide..." Scootaloo sighed as she turned to walk out of the door. "We've got to talk to Applejack and Fluttershy, and try to find the others. Something's not right, and when it's not right..." She dashed outward.

"Ah'll check the horn an' see if Ah can chase down Rarity," Apple Bloom said, sighing, now talking to the walls. "There goes any hope of an early lunch..."

..:://=||=\::..

Sweetie Belle just sighed as she sat inside the carriage, waiting for the guards to return with word of her sister and Pinkie Pie.

She was awoken from her fugue by knocking on the side door. "Hey, Sweet Stuff, you in there?" a voice called from outside.

"Vinyl? Vinyl, is that you?" Sweetie said, surprised.

"Who else would call you Sweet Stuff?" Vinyl asked, coyly.

"The same pony who knows how much I dread that pet name," Sweetie replied. "Come in, Vinyl... it's fine."

Vinyl opened the door and stepped into the carriage. She was in awe as she saw the interior. "Wow, girl... this carriage is downright swank. I didn't know your sister was this hooked up."

"Yes... yes, she certainly is that..." Sweetie Belle sighed.

"You're not still mad at her, are you?" Vinyl asked.

"I just... I don't know, Vinyl..." Sweetie said, looking almost on the verge of tears. "I hated that she had me protected by her guards after her business took off, but now, now that's she's missing... Celestia, I hope she's okay..."

"Well, those guards seemed to be on the ball," Vinyl said as she scooted close to Sweetie Belle. "I'm sure they'll find her and Hyperaktiv in no time, and we can get out of this freaky place. It's really giving me the creeps..."

"Vinyl..." Sweetie Belle said as she started crying. "Oh, I hope they're alright... I hate this place..."

Vinyl took Sweetie Belle into a hug. "Look, Sweet Stuff, it's gonna be okay. Everything will be okay..."

Sweetie Belle tried to laugh, but it was weak and mixed with sobs. "I told you I hated that name, Vinyl..."

Vinyl laughed softly. "Has that ever stopped me, though?"

She was quickly silenced as Sweetie kissed her. "Doesn't mean I'll stop complaining..." Sweetie said as she broke off the kiss.

..:://=||=\::..

Chief Sentinel and Blackout finally made their way to the hut Vinyl had earlier indicated.

"She was right, Chief," Blackout said. "This place does feel a bit off..."

"Doesn't matter," Sentinel said. "We have a job to do." He knocked on the door. "Hello in there! Can you come out for a second? We have some questions..."

A voice replied from within. "Questions? Oh... there may be answers in here. Do come in, the door's open..."

"I don't like this, Boss..." Blackout said.

"Suck it up, Blackout..." Sentinel said, chiding his subordinate. "We're coming in. Don't try anything funny..." He opened the door.

As the two guards went inside, the first thing they noticed was how dark it was inside. They could barely see past the noses on their faces.

"Ah... so glad you two could come in," the strange mare's voice replied. "Ooooh... a unicorn and an earth pony... just like the unicorn and earth pony that are already here... this could be good..."

"A unicorn and an earth pony?" Sentinel asked. "Two mares?"

"Yes... two mares..." the strange voice replied. "Not like you, though... you're a pair of stallions..."

"We are, but... what does that have to do with anything?" Blackout asked as Sentinel pulled out a baton.

"Oh... nothing... that can be changed, you see..." the voice replied once more.

Before Sentinel or Blackout could react, they both found themselves wrapped in fields of solid magic. Light began to return to the inside of the hut.

As the light hit the guards' eyes, they could see Rarity and Pinkie Pie hanging unconscious on the far wall, bound in chains. Then they saw a large black mare who seemed to be radiating magic. "What... what is this?" Sentinel asked, surprised he was still able to talk.

"Oh, this? This is just the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare's humble temporary abode... but don't you two worry yourselves. The Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare will not hurt you... permanently..." the Dread and Powerful Nightmare said as she turned toward the two stallions. "But rest assured, it will hurt in the short term. Luckily for you, you won't remember it..."

Blackout began to panic, while Sentinel just stared daggers into the Nightmare's eyes.

"...However..." the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare replied, "...you won't remember anything else, either. If you believe in any kind of celestial being, say your goodbyes now... too late. Goodbye..."

As the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare's horn began to glow, the two guards screamed in agony. They couldn't even form a coherent thought between them as their bodies were being crushed, twisted and reshaped and their selves simply ceased to be...

Six - The World Belongs To Us

Eternally Devoid - Chapter 6 - The World Belongs To Us
"...The time has come to take control..."

Twilight was taking the lead now as the sun crept closer to the horizon. "We're almost there, Spike..." she said as she and her dragon assistant passed a disabled carriage.

Spike looked at the carriage as he flew by. "Isn't that Pinkie Pie's cutie mark on that carriage?"

Twilight stopped in her tracks as she took a closer look at the carriage. She peeked inside one of the windows. "Nothing inside, but yeah... definitely looks like Pinkie's carriage," she said.

"Maybe she was on her way to wherever it is that we're going?" Spike asked.

"Trixie did show me that she had Pinkie... I guess this confirms it. We need to hurry... It's still three hours to... that place, and I don't know how much longer I can keep up a sprint," Twilight said.

"Let's go then," Spike said as he took flight. "I'll fly ahead, see if I can stall for time."

"You don't even know where we're going!" Twilight shouted.

"There's only two things down this road!" Spike shouted back. "There's foreign lands, but before that is New Harmony!"

"Yes! Fly on to New Harmony, Spike! Try to assess the situation, I'll be right behind you!" Twilight cried as she sprinted in her assistant's wake. She almost stopped in shock. "Hey... I was able to say it!"

"Maybe it's because I figured it out!" Spike shouted. "Don't worry... I'll try to wait for you, but get there as quick as you can!" At speeds even he thought impossible, Spike flew up the mountain path.

"I'm coming, Trixie... then we'll get this all figured out," Twilight thought as she increased her pace as much as she could. "And if you're up there, Pinkie Pie, I'll rescue you. Count on it."

..:://=||=\::..

Scootaloo sprinted back to the hospital as fast as her legs would carry her. Within moments, she was inside. Dodging doctors and patients alike, she ran to Macintosh's room.

"Eeyup, this is so frustrating, sis," Macintosh said, still laid up in the hospital bed. "Ah wanna get back to work so bad..."

"Can't be helped, bro," Applejack said, sighing. "Ah did send a letter out to Appleoosa... hopefully, Braeburn can talk some of the extended Apple Clan into comin' to help at the Acres."

"Applejack!" Scootaloo shouted from outside the door. "Something's wrong! Something big! I need you! I need the Elements!"

"What in..." Applejack said as an exhausted Scootaloo bursted into the room. "What do you mean?"

"It's not just here and Cloudsdayle," Scootaloo said as she tried to catch her breath. "It's everywhere... Apple Bloom checked... Manehattan, Canterlot, Fillydelphia... all the magic is gone! And on top of that, Rarity's missing!"

"Horseapples," Applejack cursed. "We got a problem, though... either Ah or Fluttershy can go to help you, but not both... somepony's gotta watch Applewood."

"Already talked... to Mr. Cake..." Scootaloo said, still out of breath. "He said... Applewood could come over... since he has Pound and Pumpkin for the weekend... one more can't hurt..."

"You gonna be okay, Mac?" Applejack asked. "Ah ain't gonna leave if you need me here."

"Go..." Big Macintosh said. "Equestria's more important... 'sides, if'n you don't get the magic back, Ah'll just break another leg..."

"That settles it, then," Applejack said. "Let's get Fluttershy an' head to Canterlot. We'll have ta' get them from the Princesses."

"What about... Loyalty?" Scootaloo asked as she slowly got her breath back. "Rainbow Dash is still unconscious and I'm not in the greatest shape either..."

"You did fine before," Applejack said. "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have Rainbow at all. Ah'm sure you'd be able to use it again."

"You get Fluttershy," Scootaloo said. "Meet me at the main highway in fifteen minutes. I'm gonna check in with Apple Bloom first... maybe she knows where Pinkie or Twilight went..."

"Yep!" Applejack said as she went to leave the room. "Mac, you better stay off that danged leg!"

"I'm not going anywhere," Big Macintosh said. "Hurry along!"

..:://=||=\::..

Rarity and Pinkie Pie awoke inside of Trixie's hut. "Ow... what happened?" Rarity said, wishing she could rub her temples. She took a look around and saw Pinkie still chained alongside her... the Nightmare was still present, and there were two other ponies laid out on the floor... then shock crept in. "No... that's not possible..."

"Geez..." Pinkie moaned. "Somepony get the number of that carriage? I think I got thrown for a loop..."

"Welcome back to the land of the conscious... albeit briefly, little ponies," the Nightmare said. "You've awoken just in time, though... the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare wishes to show you her newest and greatest creations." She poked the two ponies on the floor with her hoof. "Wakey wakey, little ponies. Showtime is drawing near."

The unicorn was the first to wake up. "Oh dear... my head..." she said.

Soon, the earth pony was awake as well. "Wow, that threw me for more of a loop than the first cider of the year from Sweet Apple Acres!" she said, giggling.

"Very good, slaves," the Nightmare said. "Do the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare a favor... state your names. It has been so long since she has used that particular spell..."

The earth pony replied nonsensically. "Uh... duh, Nightmare! I'm Pinkie Pie, just like I've always been!"

The unicorn followed suit. "And I, of course, am the world-renowned fashionista Rarity!"

"That... that's impossible..." Rarity stammered. "How did you..."

"Quite simple, Element of Generosity," the Nightmare began. "The Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare copied you... personality, memories, even your physical appearance... then she found two very willing subjects to make into perfect doppelgangers of you. And by 'willing,' she means 'totally unwilling, completely innocent, and now only existing in body, and even that can only apply using the loosest possible definition of the word.' Of course, the Dread and Powerful Nightmare had to erase their personalities and memories in order to make room for yours and the post-hypnotic commands... then reshape their bodies to make them look like you in all regards. Trust her when she says it hurt. Badly."

"You... you monster!" Pinkie cried as she tried to fight her way out of the chains. Suddenly, this whole situation had ceased to be a laughing matter. "You killed them!"

"No, dear..." the Nightmare said. "The Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare only destroyed the very essence of what made them individuals. Trust her... they are still very much alive."

"Yeah, silly!" the faux Pinkie replied.

"Shush, you," the Nightmare scolded.

"This is... simply unreal..." Rarity said as her mind started to break. "It's not real at all..."

"You meanie-pants, I swear to Celestia, if I get out of here..." Pinkie growled uncharacteristically as her hair flattened.

The Nightmare sighed. "Sadly... you won't, so the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare needs not worry," she said as her horn began to glow. A magical wall covered the bound Rarity and Pinkie Pie. "Your friend Twilight is coming for you, and the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare intends to release 'Pinkie Pie' and 'Rarity' to her as she promised... and you two will see every bit of the action, but be unable to tell her the reality of the situation... isn't it simply grand?"

Rarity, in her near-psychotic state, simply started to babble about unreality and dirt.

Pinkie sighed. "This isn't over..." The look in her eyes could kill...

..:://=||=\::..

Spike made his way into New Harmony, and immediately saw Rarity's carriage parked near the town entrance. "No... not her..." he said softly. "Twilight said she was here, but I didn't want to believe her... I'm coming!" He flew to the carriage and opened the door. "Rarity? Are you...?"

What he saw was not Rarity - instead, he saw her sister in the embrace of another vaguely familiar mare.

"Whoa... what the..." Vinyl Scratch stammered. "Not cool, dude..."

"Spike?" Sweetie Belle said, surprised. "Didn't Twilight Sparkle ever teach you to knock?"

Spike was taken aback. "Sweetie Belle? Vinyl? Where... where's Rarity?"

"Don't know," Vinyl said, surprisingly calm despite Spike barging into the carriage. "Her guards were looking around for her... not sure why they haven't come back yet, actually..."

"Where is she?!" Spike asked, his anger quickly growing - not at the two lovers, but at the fact that his own love interest could be in danger somewhere inside the town.

"West part of town... up a hill, there's a hut that was putting out some weird vibes," Vinyl said. "The guards went there... maybe you should check it out, dude..."

"I think I will... and Celestia have mercy if she's been hurt!" Spike growled as he flew off.

..:://=||=\::..

Applejack and Fluttershy were waiting at the highway leading from Ponyville over to Canterlot.

"I'm coming... hold on!" Scootaloo said as she ran up to the other two mares. "I brought... help..."

"Sis! Where's Applewood?" Apple Bloom cried as she followed Scootaloo.

"Never you mind that," Applejack said. "Why'd you come along?"

"You might need all the help you can get here, Sis," Apple Bloom said. "Scootaloo ain't exactly in no shape to fight..."

"What do you mean?" Scootaloo protested between hard breaths. "I'm good to go..."

"I hope it doesn't have to come to that..." Fluttershy said, meekly.

"Well, an extra strong set of legs ain't gonna hurt us none," Applejack said, smiling. "Let's go!"

With that, Applejack, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Fluttershy started running toward Canterlot.

..:://=||=\::..

Spike flew up to the hut that Vinyl had indicated. He could sense the magic inside, so he decided to fly around it until Twilight arrived or the sun had set.

Luckily for him, Twilight arrived in town just as the sun met the horizon. "Spike?"

"Up here, Twilight!" he shouted. "This hut! That's where they are!"

"Let's hurry, then..." Twilight said as she started climbing the hill.

A couple of minutes later, Spike busted down the door, Twilight in tow.

The Nightmare didn't exactly look pleased. "You're early... and you brought your dragon friend. How unexpected. The Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare absolutely despises unexpected..."

"Trixie?" Twilight asked as she laid eyes on the creature before her.

The Nightmare had twisted Trixie's body beyond recognition. Where she and Twilight once stood at the same height, this Nightmare now stood as tall as the Princesses. A pair of wings had sprouted from the being's back, though they appeared woefully undeveloped. Trixie's cutie mark was still present, but other than that, there was no indication at all that this pony ever was her.

Sprawled at her hooves were Pinkie Pie and Rarity. They were both unconscious, but otherwise looked unharmed.

"I'm here, Trixie... like I said I'd be," Twilight said. "Let Rarity and Pinkie go. It's me you want."

"Patience, Element of Magic..." the Nightmare said. "The last player in this performance should be arriving..."

A familiar voice called out from the sky above the hut. "Child... you have some explaining to do before I send you into oblivion..."

"...Now," the Nightmare said, unfazed as she walked outside. "Father, it is so good to see you again... how has imprisonment treated you?"

"...Father?" both Twilight and Spike asked.

"Much better than I shall be treating you, brat," the voice answered as it came closer. "How dare you steal my magic?!"

"The Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare dares because she can," the Nightmare replied.

Suddenly, the three were met with the visage behind the voice. "You dare to call yourself omnipotent, you whelp?" Discord said, none too happy with his child. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

The Nightmare laughed. "Twilight Sparkle... you can have your friends... they will do you no good now!" she cried triumphantly as her horn and eyes began to glow. "Father... shall we bond?" A black miasma began to seep from her body.

At the same time, magical chains appeared around Discord's body, binding him in place. "What is this insolence?!" he shouted.

"Brilliant, wasn't it, Father? A bit low according to the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare's usual standards, but brilliant nonetheless!" the Nightmare cried as her miasma began to cover Discord's prone body. "Remove all pony magic from the world... this includes your stone prison... then twist this pathetic showmare to the Dread and Omnipotent Nightmare's purposes... all for you, Father! She did this all for you!"

Discord tried to resist the magical chains, but to no avail. Even as a mystical, all-powerful being... he too was still part pony in some shape or form, meaning his own magic was stripped away as well. He had no way at all to resist his child's spell. "I commend you, child... well done..."

Twilight decided to take advantage of the distraction. "Spike! Grab Pinkie and Rarity and get them to Canterlot! Go!"

"What about you?" Spike asked.

"I'm not important compared to them, and I can handle myself. Go now!" Twilight ordered.

Spike sighed and flew into the hut. He emerged carrying the prone bodies of both Pinkie Pie and Rarity. "I'll come back for you!" he shouted as he took off from sight.

Discord slumped over in midair as the miasma completely overtook his body.

The Nightmare collapsed, and its modifications to Trixie's body soon began to fade.

Twilight ran over to Trixie. "Are you okay?"

Trixie rubbed her head as she looked up. "Owww... oh no... what has the Great and Powerful Trixie unleashed upon this world?"

Discord began to laugh maniacally as his eyes opened. "Finally... we are whole once more!" he shouted. "The greatest power Equestria has ever known, united with the most evil entity ever created... order and chaos united, we are unstoppable!"

The earth began to shake beneath Twilight and Trixie's hooves.

"We have not forgotten the indignities visited upon us by the Elements of Harmony, Twilight Sparkle..." Discord said. "Do you remember when we called out your hypocritical Princess of the Sun, Element of Magic?"

Trixie rose to her hooves. "What the... what do we do now?"

Twilight Sparkle looked at Trixie. "Run. Go to Canterlot. Find my friends, find the Elements! They're the only thing that can stop this now!"

Trixie didn't need to be told twice as she slid down the hill. "The Great and Powerful Trixie shall return for you!" she cried as she disappeared from sight.

"As we recall, we told her that we never turned ponies to stone..." Discord said.

Twilight felt the spark of her magic returning.

"We have decided to render that statement a lie. Farewell, Element of Magic!" Discord shouted as he snapped his fingers.

Before Twilight Sparkle could even react, everything went black as her body was petrified...

..:://=||=\::..

Back in Canterlot, Luna felt a familiar magic as she raised the moon into the sky. "Sister... my magic is returning... we may yet retain control over the sun and the moon!"

As Celestia felt her own magic returning, she felt a disturbing presence in the direction of New Harmony. "No... we're not out of the woods yet, Sister..."

Luna soon felt it as well. "No... impossible..."

"Sadly... it is... and we must assume the worst. Twilight Sparkle has failed and he... he has returned... and he is back at his fullest power," Celestia said as she got up from her throne. "Come, Sister... we must prepare."

Luna sighed as she walked over to her sister. "What can we hope to do? When we imprisoned him before, he wasn't nearly this strong..."

Celestia sighed as she motioned for Luna to follow her. "Assemble the Elements of Harmony, Sister... and pray to Mother and Father that they are enough..."

..:://=||=\::..

Applejack, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom stopped momentarily as they felt the earth tremble beneath their hooves.

Fluttershy stopped in midair when she heard it. "What... was that?" she asked.

"Ah don't know," Applejack said, turning to her friend, "but we gotta hurry. Ah feel somethin' wrong in the land..."

"You don't think...?" Scootaloo began to say.

"Ah don't know," Applejack repeated. "Come on, we gotta hurry. Fluttershy, if you can fly, go ahead of us an' let the Princesses know we're comin'!"

Fluttershy nodded as she took off ahead.

"What... what are we in for, big Sis?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Ain't nothin' good..." Applejack said as she resumed her gallop. The others quickly followed suit.

..:://=||=\::..

Discord laughed loudly, so loudly that it could be heard across all of Equestria. "The time has come to take control," he shouted. Everything in the world... ponies, zebras, griffons... everything heard his words at that moment. "Ponies of Equestria! The world belongs to us!" His laughter resumed into the night...

Seven - Downfall

Eternally Devoid - Chapter 7 - Downfall
"...I am responsible for actions that you'll never know...
...I am the instrument, when everything comes crashing down..."

Sweetie Belle and Vinyl Scratch remained huddled up together in Rarity's carriage hours after all of the chaos unfolded in New Harmony.

"...Do you think it's safe to go out there yet?" Sweetie asked, still curled up tightly in Vinyl's forelegs.

"...I'm guessing you'll make me check?" Vinyl asked, trembling.

Sweetie Belle simply nodded at her marefriend.

"Fine..." Vinyl said, donning her trademark shades. She went over to the door and opened it.

What she saw was unreal. The town was already desolate by most acceptable standards, but now the remaining ponies there were fleeing as if their lives depended on it.

"He has returned!" a stallion shouted as he ran onto the only road out of town. "We are all doomed!"

"My foals!" a mare cried, lost in the small crowd. "Where are my foals?"

"At least the Big Bad's gone..." Vinyl sighed as she indicated Sweetie could leave the carriage.

..:://=||=\::..

Inside the ruined remains of Trixie's hut, two ponies stirred.

"Bandages?" Rarity asked, her grip on reality long since gone.

Pinkamena Diane Pie growled as she finally worked herself free from the chains, her strength having returned with the rest of the magic. "Rarity..." she said, seething, "...you're lucky we're friends, or I'd hurt you right now..."

Rarity, still completely lost, only responded, "Peanut butter and thread sandwich!"

"Maybe she is actually the only sane one left," Pinkamena sighed as she worked to free her friend from her chains. The invisible wall that was hiding them from the world was gone.

As soon as they left the hut, they saw another friend of theirs... but she was trapped in stone. "Twilight?" Pinkamena shouted as she saw the statue that was once her friend.

"Bluebirds," Rarity replied nonsensically.

"Twilight... how did this happen..." Pinkamena sobbed as she hugged the statue. "You... you always save us... are we really doomed now?"

"Record player!" Rarity shouted as she looked down from the hill, seeing Vinyl Scratch among the crowd. She quickly turned to Pinkie and started shaking her. "Record player! Record player record player record player!"

Pinkamena snapped. "WHAT?!"

Rarity recoiled in shock. "...Record player?" she asked between sniffles, pointing down the hill.

The sullen pink pony looked as if she was going to batter her friend into unconsciousness before she glanced down the hill. "...Record player... Vinyl? Vinyl's down there?" she asked.

Rarity looked at Pinkie with her eyes wide open. "Record player! Fuchsia zebra, building camera salvation!"

"...I'm gonna just pretend you said I was right..." Pinkamena sighed before looking over the hill. "Vinyl! Up here!"

"Hyperaktiv?" Vinyl asked from below. "Are you okay?"

"Aside from a slight case of murderous rage, yeah..." Pinkamena said, perhaps too calmly. "Rarity's not okay, though, and another friend of ours is up here in really bad shape. Is Sweetie down there?"

"Yeah! She's at the carriage!" Vinyl shouted back.

"Get up here, quick... tell Sweetie to get the carriage ready for us. We're going on a little road trip..." Pinkie said.

Rarity just gulped.

..:://=||=\::..

As the sun rose over Canterlot, Applejack and her friends were making the long trek there. They had just reached the town gates.

Already, the city was under guard like it had never been before. Unusually, there were a pair of guards stationed at Canterlot's main gate.

"Well... this could be interesting..." Scootaloo said as she slowed from a gallop to a walk.

"Halt! State your business," one of the guards said.

"We ain't got time," Applejack said. "Equestria's in danger, an' we got urgent business with the Princesses."

"Identify yourselves, then," the other guard said.

"F-Fluttershy, Element of Kindness..." Fluttershy said softly.

"Applejack, Element of Honesty," Applejack said matter-of-factly.

"Scootaloo, acting Element of Loyalty," Scootaloo said, impatiently.

"Apple Bloom, manager of Ponyville Carousel Boutique and sister of said Element of Honesty," Apple Bloom said.

The first guard blinked. "Why didn't you say so in the first place?" he asked, flabbergasted. "Go in, quickly! The Princesses are waiting, as are two of your friends."

The four ponies ran into Canterlot proper and made a beeline for the palace. "Two of our friends?" Applejack asked.

"Well, Twilight lives in Canterlot now, so she'd have to be one of them... the other could be Spike..." Fluttershy said quietly.

"That just leaves Pinkie Pie and Rarity," Scootaloo said.

"Don't jump to conclusions yet," Applejack warned as she picked up the pace.

..:://=||=\::..

It took several minutes for Vinyl and Sweetie Belle to load Twilight Sparkle's lifeless stone form into the carriage. Neither one alone was anywhere near a Twilight Sparkle as far as telekinetic capability was concerned, and even combined they were barely up to the task. Rarity's own mental shock rendered her useless as far as magic was concerned.

"Ugh... take off a few pounds, girl... please..." Vinyl said, exhausted. "You know, I usually don't move anything heavier than a record..."

Pinkamena looked back at her, her patience long gone. Make no mistake, there was murder in her eyes, and she was barely able to control where she wanted to aim it.

"...I'll be quiet..." Vinyl said, defeated.

Sweetie Belle held her sister gently and helped her into the carriage once she finished her part of the task. "Rarity... what happened to you?"

"Street overland verbiage less talent..." Rarity said, still making no sense.

"She hasn't been able to talk right for hours," the angry pink pony said as she strapped herself to the carriage. "We saw things... things nopony should ever see."

"Where are the guards?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"...Things. Nopony. Should. Ever. See," Pinkamena repeated, agitated even more. "Hang on, ladies... next stop, Canterlot!" With that, she took off in a sprint, carriage in tow.

"Wait... what?!" Sweetie and Vinyl yelled as the carriage started moving at unsafe speeds down the mountain road.

..:://=||=\::..

As Applejack, Fluttershy, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom walked up to the palace gates, they were met with the flash of a teleportation spell. There was a bit too much flash to it, really.

While Apple Bloom managed to shut her eyes in time, the others were momentarily blinded by the pure brilliance of the magical output.

"Owwwwww..." Applejack moaned as she turned away. She was still seeing stars. "Ah guess that means the magic's def'nit'ly comin' back..."

Fluttershy squeaked in response, also blinded momentarily. She had shut her eyes just a split second too late.

Apple Bloom blinked. "Who're you?"

"You don't recognize the only pony who... sadly... has anywhere near the magic needed to save us all now?" a mare called out.

Applejack growled. "Y'all ain't Twi... Ah recognize that voice..."

The blue mare's horn glowed gently as a spell enveloped the eyes of the others, healing them from the blinding effects. "The Great and Powerful Trixie offers her apologies... she has never tried teleporting such a distance before. She fears she may have overdone the visual effects..."

"Less flash, more substance..." Scootaloo offered, annoyed. "I've heard of you... second-hand, mind. You came to Ponyville once when we were foals. Remember Snips and Snails, Apple Bloom?"

Apple Bloom nodded. "Yeah... those two weren't much as little colts, but Snips is at least decent at helping around the Boutique nowadays."

"Well, they worshiped the dirt this Trixie here..." Scootaloo started to say.

"...Great and Powerful Trixie..." the showmare offered, annoyed."

"...This. Trixie. Here..." Scootaloo continued, not intimidated in the slightest, "...walked on like she was one of the Princesses or a real role model like Rainbow Dash or something. Those two wanted to see her vanquish an Ursa like she had lied about, so they woke up a baby one and it chased them into town. Woulda destroyed the place if Twilight hadn't stepped in."

Trixie sighed, defeated. "Unfortunately," she said, "our pasts are irrelevant. Your friend sent The Great and Powerful..."

"Can the 'Great and Powerful' hogwash," Applejack said, fuming. "Get to the point already."

"Fine," Trixie said. "A great evil has been unleashed upon the land like none of us have ever so much as witnessed, and it has already claimed its first victim. Your friend, Twilight Sparkle, has been turned into a statue."

The others were stunned by this news, to say the least. Scootaloo fell to her haunches, silent.

Fluttershy started crying. "Twilight... oh no, this can't be..." She squeaked sadly as she looked to the ground, tears streaming from her eyes.

Applejack responded by driving a hoof through the cobblestones lining the ground beneath her hooves. "...We've gotta stop this..."

Apple Bloom, for her part, jumped backward as her sister's rage became apparent.

"That's why The Great... that's why I was sent here," Trixie said, sighing. "Twilight wanted me to help you out in any way I could. This is bigger than all of us."

"An understatement if we had ever heard one," Princess Luna said as she and her sister walked towards the others from the Palace. "This threat isn't just Discord."

Princess Celestia nodded. "Indeed... this is our two greatest foes united in a way we have never witnessed before."

"...Two greatest?" Scootaloo said quietly. "You don't mean..."

Celestia nodded sadly. "The Nightmare has returned, and has claimed Discord himself."

The four mares from Ponyville stood there in stunned silence.

"Unfortunately, it is true," Trixie said. "The... I saw it with my own two eyes."

"...That thing did a lot of damage when it had only Rainbow Dash under its control," Scootaloo said. "If we hadn't have stopped it, it would have flooded the world..."

"It would have done far worse when it had my power at its beck and call," Luna said. "If it would have used my magic to block out the sun, we wouldn't be here today."

"Unfortunately, now it has the powers of a reality-warping self-styled Chaos God at its command," Celestia said. "If what you said is true about Twilight... we don't have much time. A new Element of Magic must be found, and the Elements of Laughter and Generosity must be recovered. Otherwise, the fabric of space and time themselves could unravel."

"How're we supposed to find a new Element of Magic?" Applejack asked, flustered. "Unicorns with Twilight's power don't just grow on trees."

Celestia shook her head. "I don't have an answer for you, Applejack... I'm sorry," she said. "If we don't, though... this could be worse than simply all of us dying or Equestria being destroyed. Reality itself may never exist if the Nightmare learns to use Discord's power properly."

"...We don't have much of a choice..." Fluttershy meekly offered. "Trixie's the only one here with any kind of magical talent. She might have to step into Twilight's shoes... if that's a good idea, that is..."

Scootaloo sighed. "It worked before when I took over Rainbow Dash's Element..."

Applejack sighed also, her hat hanging low over her eyes as she walked into the palace. "Whatever. We still gotta find Pinkie Pie an' Rarity first, though."

Luna turned and looked towards the horizon. "I sense something... it's faint. It's not him. Sister, prepare the others, please. I shall investigate." She started to fly into the air.

"I trust you, Sister," Celestia said. "Do be careful, however. Even our nature is not enough to guarantee safety from Discord's power now."

Luna nodded as she took off in the general direction of New Harmony.

..:://=||=\::..

Pinkamena seethed as she stood hitched to the carriage, now disabled. All it took was misjudging one turn to snap one of the wheels...

"Chill... please," Vinyl said, trying to calm her friend and sometimes touring companion. "I'm sure Sweetie will be back with a wheel from your carriage soon enough. We ought to be back on the road in no time."

"There's no such thing as soon enough," Pinkamena said. "If Spike gets to Canterlot before we do, we're doomed."

"Balloon toast," Rarity confirmed from inside the carriage.

"Rarity... my friend... please be quiet right now," Pinkamena begged. "I'm barely hanging on to myself right now as it is and I don't want to hurt you. I want to hurt a certain someone or two badly right now as it is, and it's only getting worse."

Silence was the reply from all involved. There was nothing for a few minutes until a cry could be heard from up the hill. "I found it!" Sweetie Belle yelled.

"About time... did you grab the spare also?" Pinkamena asked.

"Got them both," Sweetie confirmed as she trotted down to the carriage, both wheels in telekinetic tow.

Vinyl quickly snatched one with her magic. As she floated the damaged one away, she sighed. "Would you at least let us get into the carriage decently this time before you take off like a madmare again?"

Pinkamena turned her head back towards Vinyl. "I'll think about it if you shut up and get that thing on there fast."

Vinyl gulped as she put the new wheel on. It wasn't quite a match for the one on the other side, but at least it fastened on easily enough.

Sweetie floated the other wheel into the inside of the carriage as she climbed in.

Vinyl finished her work and climbed in as well. "It's done, we're good," she said as she hung on.

Pinkamena wasted no time in taking off down the mountain again. "You're going to pay this time, Nightmare... you and your puppets..." she growled as she pushed her body and the carriage to their limits and beyond once more.

..:://=||=\::..

Spike was flying towards Canterlot as fast as his still-developing wings would carry him, clutching the body of Rarity in his talons while Pinkie was slumped over his back. "Pinkie... you really need to lay off the sweets..." he said, straining.

As he flew onward, he could barely make out a dark-colored pony in the skies ahead.

He blinked once or twice. "...Princess Luna?" he asked as her flowing mane came into view.

"Ah! I figured that might be you!" Luna cried in the distance. "You have the Bearers of Laughter and Generosity? Fortune smiles upon us in this dark hour!"

"Yeah, but Pinkie weighs a ton... I don't know if I can get all the way to Canterlot like this..." Spike said. He was taxing his body and starting to slow noticeably as Luna got closer.

"Where is Twilight?" Luna asked.

"I couldn't carry her... she was still in New Harmony..." Spike said, gasping for breath. "Maybe she teleported away..."

Luna sighed, not wanting to reveal the truth to the young dragon just yet. "I can carry her just fine when I find her," she said. "Come to me, I shall speed your way to Canterlot. There is no time to lose!"

Spike descended slightly to meet the Princess. "Are you sure?" he asked, slightly hesitant.

Luna started to focus her magic. "Worry not. I have practiced this plenty of times before," she said as her horn glowed brightly.

Spike stopped in midair as he felt magic starting to grip him and the others. "...Practiced? You mean you've never actually..." He didn't get to finish his sentence as Luna's teleportation spell caused him and the others to disappear in a flash of purple light.

Luna chuckled. "You worry too much, young dragon..." she said as she resumed her flight. "Now to retrieve the Bearer of Magic and hope there is a cure..."

..:://=||=\::..

Spike appeared almost instantaneously in the Palace just as the others were getting settled. "...done this before?" he asked, finishing the question he was trying to ask as Luna teleported him. He blinked, confused. At least this time he didn't feel like he had endured an inferno like he had with Twilight's teleporting. Luna spell was actually smoother, he silently noted.

His entrance caused Princess Celestia to turn around. "...Spike? Where did..."

"Ugh... your sister decided to use me as a field test for a teleportation spell," he said, trying to get his bearings. He looked underneath himself. "I've got Pinkie and Rarity!"

Celestia nodded and signaled a pair of unicorn Guards over. "They must be in shock from the teleport..." she surmised. "Get them to private rooms until they wake up, please."

The Guards each took a mare in their magic and made their way towards the VIP wing of the palace.

"No... they were unconscious when I found them..." Spike said, shaking his head. "Trixie... that thing controlling Trixie must have done something to them. Get them to the hospital ward."

The Guards looked to Celestia for orders.

She shook her head. "He is an honorary Guard of higher rank than you," Celestia pointed out. "Do as he requests, and quickly."

They saluted as they took the two unconscious Element Bearers to the palace infirmary.

"She... Trixie... ugh, I can't be mad at her," Spike said. "She's as much a victim of this Nightmare as Pinkie and Rarity and... and..."

"I know," Celestia said as she knelt next to the adolescent dragon. "She is here, she has told us everything she knows and has offered to help us out."

Spike stomped his foot. "I hate this. I couldn't carry Twilight out of there as well..."

"My sister will not fail her," Celestia offered. "Come. Rest if you can... we have bigger issues."

"You're telling me..." he said as he leaned against Celestia's body for support. "Discord's out, and now the Nightmare's bonded with him... it called him Father, Princess..."

"A story for later," Celestia said, trying to reassure the young dragon. "Specifically, when you have all recovered from your ordeals of today."

Spike sighed. "I'm not gonna argue that, Princess..." He slowly tried to make his way towards the VIP wing, but found himself exhausted to the point where he could barely walk.

Celestia sighed as well as she scooped the dragon up in her telekinesis. "I've got you, Spike. Just relax..."

..:://=||=\::..

Within the Everfree Forest, specifically near the ruins of Celestia and Luna's ancient former palace, a force of nature appeared in the dark flash of a teleportation spell.

"This place... this place is where it all ended for us..." he said. "It is most fitting that this place will become the epicenter of the end of everything. History is written by the victors. We have won and the Princesses do not even realize it yet. We shall rewrite history in our own way, Father..."

The bulky black draconequus laughed diabolically.

"We shall rewrite history by erasing it entirely!"

Eight - Retrogradation

Eternally Devoid - Chapter 8 - Retrogradation
"Shattered fragment, no longer whole... Tattered remnant, scrap of your soul...
Lost and hopeless creature so blind... Looking at your life with closed eyes..."

As the sun rose, Pinkamena Diane Pie was still trying to get down the mountain as fast as she could, but she could no longer maintain the breakneck pace she had intended. Her body was still plenty up to the task, that wasn't the issue.

The issue was that she and the ponies she was towing in the carriage were down to their last wheel after yet another one broke. She was growling, her distress growing. She could not go any faster without completely destroying the wagon, and a couple of the ponies within were in no shape to attempt a trek to Canterlot from there.

In her haste and diminishing lucidity, she did not notice the Princess of the Night flying overhead in the opposite direction...

..:://=||=\::..

Back in the Palace, the other Pinkie Pie and Rarity were resting comfortably in the Palace's infirmary ward.

Their friends started to file into the room as the morning passed. The first one was Applejack, unsurprisingly the earliest to rise. She shook her head as she looked over the bodies of her friends. "What happened to y'all?" she asked as she found a place to sit down and wait for some sign of consciousness from them.

The next ones to enter were Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, understandably leaning heavily on each other for support in these trying times. Neither one said anything as they too found places to sit.

Minutes later, Fluttershy entered. Uncharacteristically, she broke the silence. "...Any news yet?" she asked, meekly.

Applejack simply shook her head.

Silence took firm hold of the room for another few minutes until Trixie poked her head into the room. "Is the... ah... am I intruding?" she asked.

"Not really..." Scootaloo said. "It's not like you can make things much worse right now."

Those words stung Trixie. "...There was nothing the... I could have done to help Twilight..." she said sadly.

"Oh, we know that all too well," Scootaloo said. "You couldn't even clear out an Ursa Minor. How could we possibly expect you to be any help against not just the Nightmare, but the Nightmare bonded with Discord?"

"Scootaloo..." Apple Bloom said, concerned.

That didn't deter the young pegasus as she continued berating the showmare. "You? Expecting to be able to replace Twilight Sparkle, of all ponies?" she asked, laughing sarcastically. "The Cakes' daughter would make a better Element of Magic than you and she's only six."

Trixie didn't even so much as look up until Scootaloo finished her tirade. "...Are you done?" she asked.

Scootaloo just snorted as she looked away from the showmare.

"...I'll take that as a yes..." Trixie said. "Look... I know I screwed up before. It's my fault those two colts decided to wake a dangerous beast that tried to destroy your town. It's partially my fault Twilight Sparkle is now a statue. Is that what you want to hear so badly? Yes. I messed up, big time. I don't need you telling me that."

Scootaloo said nothing.

The others were actually in a bit of shock because of the words of both the showmare and the aspiring stunt flyer, and said nothing either.

"Let me at least try to make amends here and help us get as close to full strength as we can," Trixie said as her horn started to glow with a white light.

The same white light began to envelop the bodies of Pinkie and Rarity.

"What?" Scootaloo exclaimed as she saw what was happening. "What are you..." As she tried to leap up to tackle Trixie, Apple Bloom jumped upon her and held her down. "Let me go!" she screamed. "She's trying to hurt them!"

"Shhhhhhh," Apple Bloom said. "Would you quit actin' like Rainbow Dash fer a second an' try an' give her the benefit of the doubt?" She was starting to slip back to her natural accent.

Trixie continued to cast her spell, paying the others no heed.

Scootaloo looked on helplessly as she was pinned underneath her friend.

Slowly but steadily, both Rarity and Pinkie started to stir.

..:://=||=\::..

Miles away in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash was still in traction and still being kept in a medically induced coma.

Fortunately, Big Macintosh had been moved and the two were now sharing a room. "Gave you mah word, Sis... Ah'll keep an eye on her 'til you get back." He sighed. "Just make it quick..."

..:://=||=\::..

Spike was waiting in the throne room along with Princess Celestia. "I wish they'd wake up... especially Rarity..." he said, sighing.

"All we can do is wait and hope..." Celestia said, trying to calm the young dragon.

The moment was broken as Applejack came dashing into the throne room. She was panting. "Princess... Spike... come quick... Trixie woke 'em up!" she said frantically.

"Finally, some good news..." Spike said as his wings carried him into the air slightly and he took off toward the hospital ward. "Don't worry, Rarity, I'm coming!"

Applejack shook her head as the Princess joined her. "...Ah thought he'd have gotten over that crush by now..." she said.

"Love has a way of hanging on despite a myriad number of obstacles, my friend..." Celestia said, smiling. "I need to brief them on all that has transpired, though." She followed Spike down the hallway.

"Ah wouldn't know..." Applejack said as she followed the Princess.

..:://=||=\::..

As Luna reached New Harmony, she found the town completely abandoned. There was no sign of anypony... not even the statue of anypony. "Curious..." she said as she landed to take a better look around.

Indeed, as she continued to look around, there were no signs of life. As she reached the cottage on the hill, though... she started to sense a familiar magic lingering in the air. She stopped as she activated her magic so that she could be sure.

"...So, my old nemesis, you were here... and you were churning out a lot of magic..." she said as she continued to take stock of the area. As her scanning spell continued to work, she picked up traces of weaker magic just outside of the cottage. One was definitely Twilight's, but it was passive. Would have made sense, considering statues can't actively use magic. Two other signatures were more active. "Huh... unicorn magic..." she said to herself as she followed its trail.

This led her to the roadway below and a fresh set of hoofprints and carriage tracks... and a slightly chaotic passive magic she knew could only come from one pony she had ever met... one she had already teleported to the Palace. It was all leading down the hill.

"...More questions..." she said as she flew up slightly off of the ground to descend the hill. "...How do modern ponies say it? Ah! This does not pass the smell test..."

As she descended the hill, she activated a telepathy spell. "Sister? Twilight is not here. I am investigating further..."

..:://=||=\::..

"Oh, my dear ponies... you're trying so hard to stop me, but you've already lost..." Nightmare Discord said, smiling. In a short time, he had managed to rebuild the old throne of Princess Celestia into a more twisted one, much more fitting of the malevolent being now sitting in it - no longer two conflicting types of evil but a single omnicidal force of personality. He crossed his fingers. "It isn't quite time for me to make my appearance yet... but perhaps I should make my power known. Have a taste." He laughed and snapped his talons.

"I'll even let you remember this one so it drives you to want to get rid of me that much quicker."

..:://=||=\::..

As Princess Celestia was concluding her briefing of the assembled Element Bearers, she winced.

Spike was the first to notice. "Princess?"

"Ugh... something isn't right..." Celestia said, noticeably in agony but trying to hide it.

Just then, a pair of Palace Guards came running into the hospital room. "Princess! We have a situation..."

"Report..." Celestia struggled to say. She still couldn't quite place what was wrong.

"It's Canterlot, Your Highness..." the higher-ranked of the Guards said. "I don't know how, but it's gone..."

All present just went silent, except for the Princess. "...Gone? What do you mean... gone?"

"It just is..." the other Guard said. "We were standing watch just outside the Palace doors and... Canterlot just disappeared. Everything in the city outside of the Palace grounds is..."

"...I get the picture..." Celestia said, feeling a little faint. "Retrieve the Elements. We have to strike now."

Applejack, Scootaloo, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rarity and Trixie all stood. They knew full well that their foe was not playing around.

"You mean he just up an' wiped a whole city off the map?" Applejack asked.

"...Gone, just like that?" Scootaloo asked, slightly intimidated.

"...This is terrible..." Fluttershy said, shaking.

"You know, there's funny, there's chocolate milk cloud funny... and then there's the line he crossed twice!" Pinkie said, determined.

"I agree... even if it is a Nightmare driving his actions, he simply has gone too far this time," Rarity said.

"...He has to be stopped," Trixie said, gritting her teeth. "Now. My family was in Canterlot... now they're just gone... this has to stop!"

Celestia sighed as the Guards brought in the box holding the Elements of Harmony. "...You'll get your chance," she said as she unsealed it and passed around the necklaces. Then she floated out the tiara holding the Element of Magic. "Trixie. Since we don't have Twilight Sparkle here, and we no longer have any time to waste, I am left with no other choice than to entrust you with the Element of Magic." She floated it onto the showmare's head.

Trixie curtsied in front of the Princess. "I won't let you down, Your Highness."

"I pray you don't," Celestia said. "If this fails... we may not get a second chance, so listen carefully. The Element you wield is the strongest, yet it only functions as long as you are in harmony with the others. These five young mares have done this before. You will have to trust them... and they in turn will have to be able to trust you as well. The true power of magic lies in friendship, and sadly, you don't have a lot of time to become friends."

Scootaloo stepped up and put a hoof on the showmare's back. "...We have common cause, Princess. I'm willing to give her a chance if it means protecting the rest of Equestria."

Trixie smiled and looked back at the brash young pegasus. "Thank you..."

"Don't get us wrong, though..." Applejack said. "We ain't doin' this fer you or even ourselves. Everythin's at stake here. We'll hold up our end of it... you just make sure you hold up yours."

"...Well... I don't have any problems with you, Trixie..." Fluttershy said. "I hope that's enough to help..."

"Same here!" Pinkie said as she bounced over to the showmare. "Besides, I'm friends with everypony, so..."

Trixie couldn't help but laugh softly.

Rarity sighed. "I guess I can forgive you for turning my precious mane into something resembling a swamp hedge that one time..." she said. "...just as long as you don't try something like that again."

"...Of course," Trixie said, nodding to the seamstress. "What's our next step then, Princess?"

"I'm checking right now," Celestia said as she fired up her own telepathy spell. "Sister, I need a favor, and fast..."

..:://=||=\::..

Luna's scanning spell reached far and wide across Equestria until she picked up a pair of familiar magical essences intertwined together. "The audacity of the fiend..." she projected toward her sister. "He's using our old palace in the Everfree Forest as his lair. It's like he's mocking us!"

"We're leaving now," Celestia projected back from Canterlot. "I am hoping the team of ponies we have will be able to wield the Elements."

"Shall I break off my search and join you, then?" Luna pondered.

"No, Luna," Celestia responded. "If we fail... it is up to you to figure out a way to avenge us."

Luna gulped. She didn't like her sister's choice of words. "...Understood, Sister. I shall resume the search for Twilight." She sighed as she broke off contact, keeping the spell on silent standby. She then resumed her flight down the mountain path.

..:://=||=\::..

"Well, that certainly lit a fire underneath Princess Celestia..." Nightmare Discord said. "Come to me, then. Finish me off. You know you want to... you certainly must avenge your precious Canterlot." He began to laugh again, and it resounded all the way to Ponyville...

..:://=||=\::..

As the chariot sped through the skies above Ponyville, Applejack sighed. "Ah ever tell y'all how much Ah hate flyin'?"

"I know... I'm not a big fan of it either..." Fluttershy said as she stayed as close to the floor of the carriage as she could.

Trixie blinked. "You're scared of flying? You're a pegasus and you're scared of flying?"

Scootaloo laughed, not at her friends' misfortune of having to face the fear of flight, but to try to lighten the mood. She certainly needed it... she had left Apple Bloom at the palace. Where they were all going, it just wouldn't be safe.

"Oh no... I'm not scared of flying..." Fluttershy said as the chariot sped past the town center. "I'm scared of flying this fast..."

Pinkie and Rarity didn't seem affected by the rapid flight that much.

"Unfortunately, it couldn't be helped," Princess Celestia said apologetically as she was pulling the chariot herself. "The Palace engineers have been trying to build a chariot better capable of withstanding high speeds, and we're using the only prototype... sadly, it's unfinished." She had pretty much pulled rank on the Guards - not only were none of them as experienced as she was, they weren't as fast either. In fact, there were only three ponies that could possibly match her as far as raw aerial speed went. One was in the chariot with a broken wing, the second was still comatose in the Ponyville Hospital... and the third was still trying to find Twilight Sparkle.

After only a few more moments, the chariot was high over Everfree. "It should be a little less turbulent now, girls... get ready," Celestia said as she started to descend.

Trixie sighed. "Almost showtime..."

Applejack started stretching out. "Well, let's give this Nightmare an' Discord a show, all right..."

"Indeed," Rarity said. "His grand finale."

"I couldn't have said it any better," Trixie said, smiling.

..:://=||=\::..

Pinkamena had finally managed to get the carriage off of the mountain road. Now that she had a fairly straight and level path ahead of her, she was running as if her life depended on it. Dust kicked up in high trails behind the wagon.

It was all Sweetie Belle and Vinyl Scratch could do to just hang on for dear life. They had tried talking sense into Pinkamena the whole way down, to no avail.

Rarity was still hanging on as well, but she still couldn't string together two coherent words. "Grape mold!!!!" she screamed.

Unfortunately, Pinkamena had long since lost her grip on all rational thought save for one... reaching Canterlot. Aside from that, her only other concern was tearing a malevolent force of nature and a certain showpony limb from limb. If it would bring Twilight back? Yes. She would kill a Nightmare with her bare hooves, and the pony duped into helping it as well. Right and wrong no longer made the same sense to her that they would to a more rational pony. Right was helping Twilight. Anything that could even possibly accomplish that goal was right by extension.

At about that time, Princess Luna caught up overhead. Her scanning magic was going haywire. "So much latent magic... Twilight must be in that carriage!" she realized. She flew ahead to try to cut it off.

"Pinkie... please!" Sweetie screamed.

"I said no!" Pinkamena shouted back. "I've got to save Twilight! I can't watch my friend suffer like that and just do nothing!"

Luna sighed as she touched down far ahead of the cart. She took a deep breath, then... "We command thee to HALT." The Royal Canterlot Voice was as loud and forceful as ever.

So forceful, in fact, it broke Pinkamena's focus enough to cause her to stumble. "No!" she cried as she crashed into the ground.

The carriage broke free from its harness and began to flip in midair. The occupants started to scream as everything went out of control.

"NOOOOOOO!!!!! TWILIGHT!!!!!" Pinkamena screamed as she watched it go flying over her head. There was nothing she could do now...

"No..." Luna said, realizing her mistake. Thinking fast, she snatched the carriage out of midair with her magic. Everything... just... stopped. She exhaled, then righted it. It was then that the dust began to clear and she noticed the pony who was pulling it. Her hair was flat and her demeanor was crazed, but there was no mistake...

...The pony pulling it was one Pinkamena Diane Pie, Bearer of the Element of Laughter. "What... did you do THAT for, you blowhard?!" she shouted as she got to her hooves and walked towards the Princess of the Night. "You could have gotten us killed!"

"I... I was trying to find Twilight..." Luna said, still trying to get her bearings. Hadn't she just teleported Pinkie to the Palace?

Just then, Rarity started to make her way out of the carriage. "Cotton sky? Less sea cracker?"

Luna blinked. Despite the words coming from the white unicorn's mouth, there was no mistaking that one either. "...Rarity? Pinkie Pie? But I just teleported the both of you to Canterlot Palace along with Spike..."

Luna had been so fixed on Rarity, she didn't notice Pinkamena strike her across the face with her forehoof. "You idiot! Those were imposters!" Pinkamena said, growling with each breath. "That witch Trixie changed Rarity's guard stallions into copies of us! Couldn't you even see that?! That's just one of the things I plan to kill her for... give me a good reason why I shouldn't make sure your number comes up too, Princess. Please. Give me a good reason..."

"I..." Luna tried to say. She was in shock. She had wondered what could have happened to have driven a normally bubbly pony like Pinkie so far over the edge, and now she was starting to get an idea. "If you have Twilight with you... I think I can fix her... ow, that really stings, Pinkie..."

Pinkamena sighed and pointed toward the carriage. "You'd better fix her... or Princess or not, your number's next."

Just as Luna started to make her way towards the carriage, a message came from Celestia via the telepathic spell. Her eyes opened wide and her jaw went slack as she heard it...

"We are engaging Discord."

..:://=||=\::..

"Well, do go on... end it already," Nightmare Discord said as he towered over the ponies. Gone were Discord's slender and lanky features, replaced by dense and chiseled muscle. His jaw had changed to feature rows of well-developed and sharp teeth. His eyes were as black as pitch, with the exception of a red glow emanating from the center of each of them. The center of his body that was once brown was now as black as his eyes. He was also much taller than before, nearly standing as high as the trees in the Everfree Forest in which they all stood.

Truly, he looked every bit now like a demon.

"You heard him, girls," Trixie said as she stood in the center of the assembled Element Bearers. "Let's show him that Nightmare or no Nightmare... he can't stand up against the power of Harmony!" The crown upon her head began to glow as she started to channel her magic through it.

The other five nodded as they did their own parts. Their necklaces glowed as they began to levitate slightly.

Nightmare Discord appeared nonplussed by all of this. "Oh, would you just fire the thing already? I have a reality to erase and I don't have all day."

"Cocky to the end, huh? I could have appreciated that... if my parents weren't in Canterlot when you wiped it out!" Trixie cried. "Now, girls!"

A rainbow light exploded upward from the assembled Element Bearers. It was working. It was actually working. Trixie was compatible!

Nightmare Discord yawned as the rainbow dropped toward him, then he said three simple words.

"...Observe your place..."

Nine - Opened

Eternally Devoid - Chapter 9 - Opened
"Abre los ojos..."

The rainbow beam stopped just inches shy of Nightmare Discord's horns.

Trixie halted as soon as she heard the three words Nightmare Discord had spoken, as had Pinkie Pie and Rarity. Just three simple words, but they were all that were needed to turn the tide. Her horn began to glow with a sickening blackness, independent of the Element of Magic tiara she wore.

"What in the hay?" Applejack asked as she looked on.

"...I knew it... I knew she'd betray us!" Scootaloo said through clenched teeth.

Fluttershy, for her part, simply whimpered.

"What is the meaning of this?" Celestia asked, dumbfounded. She had rushed into the ruined palace after the Element Bearers once she felt Luna's panic over the telepathic link.

"...Forgive this mare..." Trixie began, "...she has no choice in the matter. She has never had any choice... she is just property of the true ruler of Equestria, the Nightmare... the threat you pose must be ended..." Her horn glowed more as the rainbow beam turned back on Applejack, Fluttershy and Scootaloo.

The three mares screamed as the power of Harmony's manifestation struck them, corrupted by three of its bearers.

Celestia did the only things she could think to do as the three legitimate Element Bearers were in trouble. Even she couldn't block the full force of the Elements, but she did try to throw up a shield anyway. As well, the Element necklaces and tiara disappeared, teleported far away.

As the beam ceased, Scootaloo and Fluttershy collapsed. The shield had spared them from banishment and their lives as well, but they were still too badly hurt to keep going. Applejack, however, only fell to one knee. Her Earth Pony constitution had allowed her to endure it better. "...How... how could y'all..." Applejack asked, struggling to remain conscious.

"Oh... you mean those two, right?" Nightmare Discord asked as he knelt down and stroked Rarity and Pinkie's manes. "These two aren't your friends, Applejack. They never were. They were just a failsafe in case Trixie proved to be more of a nuisance than I had anticipated. They're just two unfortunate ponies who were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Please, Nightmare... stop being so modest! You're going to make me smile myself into early wrinkles," the fake Rarity said.

The fake Pinkie just laughed, then said, "Surprise! I bet none of you saw that coming... oh, wait... two of you didn't! You're knocked out colder than ice cream!"

Nightmare Discord then looked over to Celestia. "...And don't think I didn't see that little stunt you pulled with the Elements, Princess. There is no place in Equestria you can hide them that I can't reach. I'll get them and destroy them before any more of your little ponies try to be heroes."

"They wouldn't be trying, fiend..." Celestia said as she tried to fire off another spell...

...However, just as Celestia's horn began to glow, Trixie's glowed as well. "This mare cannot allow you to interfere any more, Princess," she said flatly. She countered Celestia's attempt to cast with ease.

Nightmare Discord laughed as he sat back down in his throne. "Isn't it grand? Personally, I like her better this way. 'Great and Powerful Trixie' this, 'Great and Powerful Trixie' that, blah blah blah. Don't you agree that she is much more pleasant without a name?"

"...You're even sicker now than you ever were, Discord..." Celestia said defiantly. Her attempt to teleport the remaining Element Bearers back to Canterlot had failed. She was sure that the Nightmare's continued influence was amplifying Trixie's magic enough to allow it to counter hers with ease. Desperate, she used the one remaining spell she had in her arsenal... the still-active telepathic link to Luna. "Sister... we have been betrayed. We were being played for fools all along. I have sent the Elements to a safe place that only you know well. You are Equestria's last chance. We have failed here."

"What's this?" Nightmare Discord said as he sensed the ongoing magic. "A telepathic link spell between you and your precious sister?"

Trixie's horn began to glow again, but Discord held his paw in front of her.

"No, my pet. Don't disrupt it," he said as he smiled sickly and his eyes started glowing. He forced his way into the link. "...I want her to watch."

"Princess!" Applejack cried out. As she tried to move to shield her ruler, however... her body finally succumbed to the punishment it had endured. Everything went to black for her as her body hit the ground with a thud.

..:://=||=\::..

Luna was sweating and breathing heavily as Nightmare Discord forced his way into her and Celestia's private mental link. "What... what are you going to do to my sister?!" she thought frantically.

"Rest assured, little Luna... I'm not going to turn her to stone or force her to become a Nightmare version of herself. I have the best prize of all in Discord, after all," Nightmare Discord responded, not just projecting to Luna, but to all of the ponies near her. "Of course, if you give yourself back over to me, I might spare her some of the more creative punishments I have in mind."

"...Not that you'll be permitted to serve under me for long, mind you. When I erase reality, you'll be erased as well," he continued, this time only to Luna. "You know this, though. We would have been the only entity to survive Eternal Night, after all."

"Rooted?" Rarity asked as she walked closer to Luna.

"Do you honestly think I'd agree to that?!" Luna said out loud, still visibly in agony.

"Honestly, no. Still, I felt like making the offer." Nightmare Discord replied. The snap of talons could be heard, and the telepathic link not only expanded to include images, being seen through Celestia's eyes... it was spread to all of the ponies nearby.

Vinyl, Sweetie Belle, Pinkamena and Rarity all were to bear witness to the goings on in the ancient palace. The very first thing they were forced to witness was Nightmare Discord snapping his talons again. Scootaloo was lifted up off of the ground and forced back into consciousness.

"Wake up, little Loyalty wannabe... you're on," Nightmare Discord said.

Scootaloo howled in pain as her body was held fast by a field of solid magic. It didn't help that it was crushing her already injured wing. Worse... she couldn't even pass out from the pain. Nightmare Discord was forcing her to remain awake through all of it. Then the image went away.

"Oh dear... camera outage. We can't have that," Nightmare Discord said as his talons snapped again and the visual came back.

"What the...?" Celestia asked as her body was forced back against a wall and bound to it. She tried to shut her eyes again, but she couldn't. "Discord... what did you..."

"I can't have you shutting down the feed on me like that, Celestia, so I gave you no choice but to watch the proceedings," Nightmare Discord responded. "In other words, your eyelids are gone. Do watch carefully, little ponies..." He closed his paw.

Scootaloo screamed more as her entire body was being twisted, contorted and crushed. She was in so much agony she couldn't even form words.

"What shall I turn you into, hm? Perhaps a chicken?"

The change that Celestia, and the others through her, were forced to witness was not instantaneous, nor was it painless. Scootaloo's body was twisted and crushed even more, her mind rewritten... until floating in the air was a small white hen. The worst part of it all is that she was still painfully aware of all that was happening to her, and now she didn't even have a means to express herself.

"...Or perhaps I should revive the dodo species from extinction for a little while..."

The hen Scootaloo was changed into clucked frantically as the changes began again. When they finished, an orange dodo was left in her place.

"Actually... this isn't really that fun. Away with you." He snapped his talons once more.

In a flash, Scootaloo was gone.

"...Which of your friends shall I pick next?"

"Monster!" Pinkamena screamed. "Where are you? Where are you so I can come and kill you?!"

"Oh, a feisty one..." Nightmare Discord taunted. "You're no threat to me, but I don't even think I'll give you the satisfaction of even making the attempt. I tire of this game." With another snap, Fluttershy and Applejack were gone as well.

Rarity broke down in the middle of the road and started to weep.

Sweetie Belle and Vinyl were huddled up inside of the wagon, clinging to each other, scared out of their minds.

Luna just sighed, defeated.

The images stopped coming in as another snap was heard over the link. "Rest assured, I'll come for you when I feel like it... but for now, I'd like my privacy. Besides, it must be torture not knowing what is becoming of your beloved Princess Celestia..." Nightmare Discord said. The link was severed after that.

Pinkamena screamed loud enough that if there were still a Canterlot, the ponies there would have heard it clearly. Her sanity was barely there at that point... she was screaming, trying to vent all of the rage, hate and pain she felt, if only so she could think. She reared up on her hind legs before trying to break into a sprint.

Fortunately, Luna's magic held her fast. "Wait... I know you want to go after Discord. Believe me, there is nothing I would like to do more than to rip his smug face off and shove it down his throat... but we need a plan first. We need the Elements."

"...And just who are you to be giving me orders?" Pinkamena seethed.

"In my sister's stead, I am the ruler of all Equestria and always Princess of the Night... and don't you forget that." Luna said as she got right up in the psychotic earth pony's face. She turned and walked to the carriage, dragging a struggling Pinkamena along with her. "Rarity, come here please," she said as her horn started glowing.

Just as Rarity gathered herself and got over to the carriage, it and everypony in it disappeared in a flash of deep blue light.

..:://=||=\::..

Celestia screamed as she found herself wrapped in Nightmare Discord's magic. Her body wasn't being harmed... her mind, however, was a different story.

"Oh dear... such a tormented soul... first imprisoning me in stone, then banishing me... so many regrets. I know they're hurting you," Nightmare Discord said as he twirled a strand of her mane with one of his talons. "I think I may have found the best revenge... you may thank the showmare over there for what's about to happen."

"...This mare is pleased that Nightmare is pleased," the mentally broken showmare responded.

"...Did I ask you to speak?" Nightmare Discord snapped. He turned back to a quaking and screaming Celestia. "As for you... let's do a little rewrite, shall we?"

..:://=||=\::..

Apple Bloom and Spike woke up as Luna and the others appeared.

"What the... Princess? Did you... wait, is that Pinkie Pie and Rarity?" Spike said, confused.

"It is indeed... you were deceived," Luna said, sighing. "Quickly... alert the palace medics. Both of them have suffered extensive mental damage."

Spike didn't need to be told twice. He flew down the hallway as quickly as his wings would carry him.

Pinkamena was still struggling mightily against the Princess's magic, still screaming. She would scream the rage and pain out, then when she stopped to take a breath, her mind would fill with them once more.

"Forgive me..." Luna said as she reared up and bucked the pink mare in the head with both of her rear hooves.

Pinkamena slumped to the floor with an almost relieved look upon her face. For the first time in well over a day, she would have a little peace. Hopefully.

"Princess?" Apple Bloom asked. "Did you have to go an' do that?"

"Sadly, yes... it was getting tiring trying to restrain her," Luna explained as she walked over to the carriage door.

Sweetie Belle and Vinyl Scratch were still huddled tightly together within. "P-p-please don't hurt us..." Sweetie Belle said, frightened by the Princess poking her head inside.

Luna tried to crack a smile for their benefit. "That is not my intent at all, young one... I simply..." Her eyes widened as she saw Twilight Sparkle, or rather her petrified body. "...Found what I was looking for. All is not lost!" She took the statue within her magic and set it down on the palace floor.

This occurred with the most unfortunate of timing as Spike returned with a pair of medics and an orderly in tow. "No..." he said, falling to the ground and landing on his knees. "Princess... is that...?"

Luna nodded sadly. "Indeed. Trapped within this statue is Twilight Sparkle... and if we can't free her quickly, all of Equestria may be lost. I need to go to my study and retrieve a book of ancient spells... perhaps one of them will be enough for the task."

As the orderly dragged Pinkamena to a room, the two medics walked with Rarity to the back.

Luna turned and departed to her study.

..:://=||=\::..

"...What is your command, my Lord?" the white mare asked, kneeling at Nightmare Discord's feet as Trixie and the Pinkie and Rarity doppelgangers couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"The traitor who seeks to stop my rightful rule has been found." Nightmare Discord said, admiring his handiwork. "She is holed up in the Ruins of Canterlot. She has opposed me for the last time, Corona... you know what must be done."

"Your divine will shall be done," the fiery-maned mare said as she stood. She was dressed in full battle regalia, complete with a long and slender blade strapped to her side. "She has dishonored us all... especially myself with her defiance. You shall have her head, and I shall deliver it personally." She turned and leaped into the air, flying towards what remained of the Equestrian capital.

Nightmare Discord settled into his throne and snapped his talons. A crystal ball appeared before him, with the white mare in view within it as she flew off. "This should be good for one last laugh," he said as he watched it intently. He conjured a giant bag of popcorn and flipped a kernel into his mouth.

..:://=||=\::..

As Luna reached the study, she made a beeline to one of the shelves... finding the one specific book she needed. As she opened it, however... within it were the five Element of Harmony necklaces and the tiara of the Element of Magic. "Sister... while I commend you for finding a crafty hiding place... this was a priceless book, and the only one with the spell I needed!" She was so exhausted that she couldn't fly into a rage - instead, she shed a single tear into the book.

As the tear struck the Elements, they began to glow brightly. Within seconds, they turned into points of light. One flew off into the horizon towards Ponyville, while the rest streaked towards the throne room.

"What in Mother and Father's name...?" Luna asked, blinking and rubbing her eyes. In her magical grasp was her book, completely intact.

..:://=||=\::..

Big Macintosh sighed as he was awakened by a bright light. "Nurse... did the..." he tried to say as he opened his eyes... and was immediately blinded. He covered them with his hoof. "Nurse! Help!"

There was a single point of light hovering over the bed of Rainbow Dash.

She was still comatose.

Then a voice rang out... a beautiful, harmonious voice. "Rainbow Dash... Bearer of Loyalty... You are needed. Open your eyes."

Rainbow opened her eyes. They were glowing with a radiant white light, the same as the point of light, which turned into the Element of Loyalty necklace. "Wha... what's going on?"

The necklace wrapped itself around her neck and a warm light enveloped her body. Scratches and scrapes disappeared and bones reset themselves. Her internal organs that suffered damage were mending themselves. Even the equilibrium damage she had suffered previously was healing.

She nervously tested a limb, and there was no pain... no sign of any injury at all. She tested another limb and it felt the same. She arched her back, flared her wings... everything felt like it did years before... before she had ever heard of a Nightmare.

Nurse Redheart came running into the room and was shocked, to say the least. "Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow nodded to the nurse. Her entire body was still glowing slightly. "...I think I got better. Something's wrong. I need to go to Canterlot. I don't know how I know these things... but I gotta fly."

Redheart blinked. "This is unheard of, even with intense healing magics... I can't just..."

"Nurse..." It was Big Macintosh. "You gotta let her go. Ah don't know what's goin' on, but this is a miracle, an' it wouldn't be happenin' fer no reason. Please."

Redheart sighed and nodded as she started to undo the pulleys holding Rainbow Dash's limbs up. She sent for an orderly, who proceeded to enter and slice away the casts.

Rainbow jumped out of bed once she was able and the last cast was cut away. As she landed, there was no pain. "I don't get it... the Element spoke to me..."

"Just hurry," Big Macintosh said. "Don't think about it, just hurry. Yer friends need you. AJ needs you."

Rainbow nodded to Big Macintosh and Nurse Redheart as she opened a nearby window. "I just hope I'm not too late..." She glided out of the window, then with a single flap of her wings, she was up to speed... and then some as a sonic boom could be heard a moment later in the distance.

Macintosh laughed. "With speed like that, Ah don't think you could be late for anythin'..."

..:://=||=\::..

Back at the castle, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were suddenly finding themselves face to face with Element of Harmony necklaces.

"Apple Bloom... you are needed," a voice said. It sounded a little like her sister, but much wiser.

"...But what am Ah s'posed to do? Ah'm not an Element holder..." she said, trembling.

"You are now..." the voice said as the Element of Honesty became visible. "You speak with sincerity in your heart and you tell the ponies around you exactly what they need to hear. They may not want to hear it, it might hurt them in the short term... but it always helps them in the end. Accept the Element of Honesty... please."

At the same time, inside of the wagon, Sweetie Belle was facing the Element of Kindness.

"Sweetie Belle... sister of the Bearer of Generosity... you are needed as well," said a kind and soft voice that carried its own kind of power. "Your songs are gentle and soothing... your melodies soften hardened spirits. Accept the Element of Kindness."

"...I'm not kind..." Sweetie said, crying, remembering all of the times that she and Rarity used to argue when they were younger. "I hurt my sister..."

"That may have been true in the past, but your heart is in your singing, and there is no malice in those words, only a passionate and kind soul behind them. Please. You are worthy. Accept it..." the voice said.

Both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom nodded and the Element necklaces each appeared around their necks.

..:://=||=\::..

Rarity was facing her own element, Generosity.

"Such a shame, dear Rarity..." a voice said. It was youthful, kind... almost like Sweetie Belle's at a time long since past. "You did not need to see what you saw... you have had so much taken from you."

"Peanut butter..." Rarity said, softly.

"Allow me to give something to you," the voice said. "Allow me to give you the strength you need in this trying time."

Rarity nodded, a tear escaping her eye as the Element of Generosity appeared around her neck. "Thank..." She blinked. The word she actually meant to say finally came out of her mouth. "...Thank you..." She hopped down from the bed and slowly started to make her way back to the throne room.

..:://=||=\::..

Pinkamena screamed inside of a magically padded room. "LUNA!!! DISCORD!!! NIGHTMARE!!! I don't care, I'LL KILL YOU ALL! YOUR NUMBERS ARE ALL UP!"

Ethereal laughter could be heard inside of the room.

"...What's so funny..." Pinkamena shouted, growling loudly.

"You're overreacting, Pinkie... do you think your friends would want you to end up like this?" a voice asked as a bright light filled the room.

"My friends are gone..." Pinkamena said, her anger subsiding only for a moment as sadness welled up within her soul. "Twilight's a statue... Rarity's lost her mind... Applejack and Fluttershy may be gone... I don't even know what happened to Rainbow Dash, and the Princess... Celestia... she might be..."

"Well, sadness is a much healthier response..." the voice said. "But you're wrong on a couple of counts there... Rarity's going to be fine. Rainbow Dash is on her way... and you still have two other friends out there waiting for you. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sure don't want to see you like that..."

Pinkamena stood silent, tears filling her eyes. "Dashie's okay... Rarity's better?"

"Yes. Now, would you like to help Twilight as well?" the voice asked.

"Of course... but how?" Pinkamena asked, looking up to the light.

The light started to coalesce into the Element of Laughter. "Let Laughter back into your heart. It's the best cure for sadness and anger that there is, remember?"

"But..."

"No buts, Pinkie. Go save your friends, then throw a party and celebrate. There's still time to get them all back."

Pinkie sighed as her mane went back into its poofy state and her demeanor lightened. "You had me at 'party.' Let's go!"

The Element of Laughter appeared around her neck. Though the damage was done, healing was starting to begin. In a burst of magic, it teleported her into the throne room...

..:://=||=\::..

A short time later, the four Bearers of the Elements of Harmony stood assembled near the statue of Twilight Sparkle as Luna prepared a spell. Her horn began to glow, as did the statue. There was an intense magical pressure in the air for a few moments, then... nothing. It cracked in a couple of places, but Twilight was not yet restored. Fortunately for all involved, Vinyl and Spike had already went back into the Palace's VIP wing.

"That was the last of the spells..." Luna said in disbelief. "This transformation is just way too powerful for me to dispel..."

The Guards present perked as a sound could be heard at the doors. As they opened, a blinding flash of light filled the room and a lone pegasus walked inside.

The others looked on as the pegasus started to come into view. "How?" Apple Bloom said. "You almost died!"

"Huh... is that...?" Sweetie Belle said in amazement. She saw it, but she couldn't believe it.

"My heavens..." Rarity said. "You... you look stunning!"

"Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh!" Pinkie said, bouncing happily, stealing the pegasus's own typical gushing reaction.

Walking towards the four and the Princess was one Rainbow Dash, fully healed. Fully healed. Her body was still glowing from the aftereffects of the Element of Loyalty's mending spells. "In the flesh! You were expecting somepony else to come save you?" she said with a lighthearted arrogance.

Luna looked on in amazement. "Truly, the Elements are capable of wondrous things..." She began to think. "Perhaps they could help us with our current crisis?"

"What cri... oh no..." Rainbow said as she saw her friend, or rather what was left of her after Nightmare Discord's magic struck her. "Twilight... how? What could have done this? And where are the others... why are Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle wearing Applejack and Fluttershy's Elements? What happened?"

"It is a long story..." Luna began before she was interrupted by the palace doors exploding inward.

"LUNA, BETRAYER OF LORD DISCORD'S DOMINION, PREPARE TO MEET YOUR FATE!" a mare's voice cried out from within the dust. Most notably... she was using the Royal Canterlot Voice.

"What the hay?" Apple Bloom asked, turning away.

"Sweetie, Rarity, get Twilight out of here quickly... all of you, run!" Luna said as she began to realize the gravity of the situation.

The two unicorns quickly complied, lifting Twilight's prone form with their magic. The others quickly followed.

"Dear sister... what did he do to you?" Luna asked the figure.

"...You do not even recognize me? You're delusional!" the white mare cried as she stepped forward out of the dust. She was a white alicorn, heavily armored and armed with a formidable blade. Where her mane once gently flowed with pastel rainbow-like colors, there was nothing there now but raging flames. "I am General Corona, leader of Lord Discord's conquering army! You have been tried and found guilty of treason and other dishonorable acts... and the sentence is death!" She drew her blade with her magic. "Do me one last favor before I carry out the sentence... try to die with some honor. Defend yourself!" She jumped into the air and charged toward her sister...

Ten - The End

Eternally Devoid - Chapter 10 - The End
"We have reached the final chapter, we are almost at the end.
The time we have remaining is better wisely spent."

Corona lunged at Princess Luna with her sword drawn.

Princess Luna only had a split-second to react, conjuring a magical blade of her own to parry the incoming lunge. "Sister... I know you're in there... snap out of it! You're not like this!"

"Shut your traitorous mouth before you poison me with your blasphemy, please!" Corona cried as she tried to strike again.

Luna parried that blow as well. "I don't want to hurt you!" she cried. She was struggling from the start. To begin with, she was no match for Celestia magically on her best day, or Celestia's worst. Her magic was already severely drained. She had teleported Spike and the two false Element Bearers to the castle... then teleported herself and a carriage of ponies a few hours later. She had further drained her magic in several attempts to reverse the spell Nightmare Discord had used to turn Twilight Sparkle into stone. She'd had no time to sleep or recharge. On top of all of that, on a normal day, Celestia had 1000 years of additional practice with a blade than she had... and she had no idea just how much false experience Nightmare Discord had added to that when he twisted her into General Corona. She didn't even have a real blade handy to defend herself, she was forced to use a solid magic construct instead. As the final insult, she simply had no desire to harm her sister, even to save her own life.

This was going to be a long day for her, she realized...

..:://=||=\::..

The Element Bearers had taken Twilight's statue and retreated to the VIP wing with Spike and Vinyl. Even there, though, they could hear the fight going on in the throne room. They could hear Corona's blade colliding with items there, and bodies getting slammed against the walls and the ceiling... mostly Luna's.

Rainbow Dash was growing agitated. She shook her head. "I respect Luna and all... but we can't just sit here doing nothing. We've got to help her."

"Are you out of your mind?" Vinyl asked. "In case you didn't notice... those aren't normal ponies out there. They're the Princesses. Any one of us would end up getting splattered against the wall if we even thought of heading out there!"

Sweetie Belle sighed as an anguished cry and a thud resounded from the throne room. The entire palace seemed to shake from that one. "Rainbow's right, Vinyl... she can't do this by herself. She's our friend, and it's cruel to leave her out there all alone."

Vinyl shook her head. "Sweet Stuff... please... you can't honestly be considering this."

"Uhm... I think she did, Vinyl," Pinkie said. Another cry resounded in the distance. "I can think of some way better ways for those two to resolve their differences than a fight. Maybe we could get a race or something going instead. Dibs on the announcing spot!"

"Somehow... I don't think that's going to work," Spike said. "It sounds like they're trying to kill each other out there..."

"All the more reason we should try to give Princess Luna some support," Rarity said. "Even if we can't help in the fight, it she knows we are with her, it might give her enough morale to prevail."

Spike facepalmed. "Not you too, Rarity..."

Apple Bloom gulped. "Ah agree with Rainbow Dash and the others. She's done too much for us, we can't abandon her. Honestly, it's the only decision that makes any sense, even if it is crazy..." She was startled as her Element necklace began to glow, along with her body. "Huh? What's goin' on? Ah feel funny..."

She wasn't the only one. Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were all experiencing something similar.

The light soon reached a blinding point...

..:://=||=\::..

Nightmare Discord had managed to get halfway through his giant bag of popcorn as he watched the fight between the Princesses take place via his crystal ball. He was cheering the transformed and traumatized Celestia on with each strike she attempted.

He was the only one that knew the truth of it all... he hadn't erased the Celestia that was. She was trapped inside the mind of General Corona, forced to watch everything that was happening but completely helpless to interfere.

He laughed as Corona's blade finally met Luna's body. Though it was only a glancing blow, it still managed to draw some blood. "This is priceless! I should be charging for this fight!" he said, laughing.

Then, he felt a powerful magic in the direction of Canterlot. It wasn't Corona. It surely wasn't Luna.

The crystal ball began to crack as the image faded... then it shattered violently.

"Horseapples..." he said quietly.

Within his own mind, another voice replied... this of the real Discord. "What's wrong? Are those ponies proving themselves full of surprises? Why don't you just snap my talons and end all existence like you threatened to do already?"

"Shut up, old man," the Nightmare-driven version replied.

"Oh, that's right... you can't. I certainly could, but I simply have no desire to."

The Nightmare blinked.

"Did you honestly think you could control my power... the power of Chaos itself? I was only letting you do the things I had already wished to do." Discord laughed loudly within the recesses of his and the Nightmare's currently shared mind. "And don't think any of those ponies you think you killed are actually dead. I just sent them to a different plane of existence for a while. I do hope they appreciate the creatures there that are showering them with affection... strange though they are. I mean, sentient hairless primates? Even I couldn't come up with something as crazy as that, especially a planet ruled by them..."

"Get to the point already, old man... you're really starting to bore me," the Nightmare replied.

"Ah yes, I was rambling a bit there. Long story short, I might not be able to kick you out of my body, but I can still make the rules around here. I'm done enabling you. Unless it's something I'd want to do already, use your own damned magic, kid."

Nightmare Discord growled. "Pet. Are you done preparing the modifications to the spell I taught you?"

Trixie nodded. "This mare has done as you commanded... the spell she used before shall not affect you this time."

"It's about time something went right," he said. "Shut it all down."

..:://=||=\::..

Luna winced as she was thrown upwards into the ceiling by her sister. "Please... stop this madness..." she begged. She was already bloodied just from the body blows, and a well-timed hoof to the face had caused one of her eyes to seal shut from the swelling.

Corona flew upwards and was having none of her sister's pathetic begging as she knocked her upwards into the sky. She swung her blade once more.

Luna desperately parried, but she had reached her limit in the process. The magical blade she was wielding shattered. "You have to... come to your senses... please..."

Corona laughed as her sister started to fall, completely spent and defenseless. "You're beaten. It is time for your sentence to be carried out. Farewell, my traitorous sister..." She raised her blade... then everything went white as a teleportation spell went off right in front of her. "What sorcery is this?"

As the light faded, six ponies could be seen encapsulated in a bubble of magic. Five of them were wearing the necklaces holding the Elements of Harmony. Their eyes all glowed with a white light.

The sixth pony didn't even appear to be a pony at all. She instead appeared as an apparition of pure magic, tinted with a lavender glow. Her face was featureless except for two solid white eyes. Where there would have been a mane and tail, there was instead a flowing field of indigo-tinted magic. Atop the field that would otherwise have been a mane sat the tiara housing the Element of Magic.

"You did it..." Luna said weakly as she fell toward the earth below.

"Princess Celestia... it is time for this facade to end!" a voice said, originating from the pony made of magic.

The Elements all began to glow in concert, then a rainbow started to encircle General Corona. Another rainbow followed... then one more. Rainbows encircled the General like electron trails orbiting an atom's nucleus.

"No... I can't fail... I can't fail!" the General shouted. Her horn glowed as she tried to teleport out of the rainbows.

"Counterspell," the six ponies said in unison, quashing the spell before it could even be completed. "Be restored."

The rainbows closed in on the transformed Princess. As they passed through her, her entire body began to glow with a white light. A moment later, the light dimmed and Princess Celestia reappeared. "How... Luna!" She quickly flew down to grab her sister before she would hit the ground... but she was too high up and Luna was too far down already.

The six ponies inside of the magical bubble looked down. "Standing Sonic Rainboom." The resulting boom could be heard all the way in Ponyville. In the time it takes one to blink, the magical bubble was sitting near the ground. Princess Luna landed harmlessly on it.

"How did you..." Princess Celestia said as she reached ground level.

"Perfect Harmony," the Six said in unison. "Though it comes with a price, we cannot remain this way for long. One of us is already lost."

Celestia's eyes opened wide and her pupils shrunk as she got a good look at the six ponies... especially the one who seemed entirely comprised of magic. She started shivering as she began to truly understand what had happened. "Twilight?"

The magical pony simply nodded once.

Celestia lowered her head as she picked up her sister's battered body with her magic. "I'm deeply sorry, my student..."

"It's not your fault, Princess," the Six replied. "This was the only way. We have to hurry."

"...I understand... Twilight... goodbye," Celestia said as she moved her sister onto her back and flew into the Palace.

"Princess."

Celestia stopped at the Palace doors.

The magical pony pointed at her heart with one of her forehooves. "Always."

Celestia nodded, fighting back tears.

"Harmony shall prevail." With that, the Six disappeared in a flash of light.

..:://=||=\::..

Nightmare Discord growled as he felt his link to Princess Celestia terminate. "Well, there goes a waste of a perfectly good torture session..."

His day was about to get worse as a blinding light filled the Royal Sisters' old throne room in the Everfree Forest.

"Nightmare. It is time to end this," the Six said as the light faded and they came into view. They were still inside of their magical bubble. "Polymorph."

The doppelgangers of Rarity and Pinkie Pie standing guard at the door were wrapped in a multicolored light. They didn't even have a chance to react as the magic did its work. A moment later, Chief Sentinel and Blackout were restored to their normal bodies and left unconscious on the ground.

"They're using magic..." Nightmare Discord realized. He looked down at Trixie, who was still hard at work using her spell. "How are they using magic?"

"This... this mare does not know, Nightmare..." Trixie said, trembling and backing off underneath an unsteady column.

The tails of the Six began to twitch in unison as a small rock fell and landed on Trixie's head. "Sorry," they said. "Twitchy tail. We really should have warned you..."

Trixie's magical attempts ceased as she slipped into unconsciousness.

"This cannot be happening!" Nightmare Discord shouted as he moved his arm and prepared to snap his fingers.

"Dimensional Anchor."

As he snapped his fingers, nothing happened. "You ponies can't defeat me again! I won't let you!" Maddened, Nightmare Discord went for his last resort... sheer physical force. He swung his fists with everything he had, striking the magical bubble.

None of it was doing any good. He couldn't even get past it.

Nightmare Discord was panting as he continued to strike. Finally, his blows began to slow and weaken. Even a Nightmare-augmented Chaos God had his limits, and he was hitting them hard.

"Are you finished?" the Six asked. "Binding Chains."

Chains of rainbow magic burst out of the ground underneath Nightmare Discord and held him tightly. He bellowed angrily.

Inside his mind, Discord was laughing at his misfortunes. "Popcorn?"

The Six sighed collectively. "For all the ponies you've maimed, disfigured, mentally destroyed and killed... you are done, Nightmare. Once and for all."

Nightmare Discord shouted, "I can't be destroyed, even if you're somehow this powerful! Banish me and I shall return once more! You can never vanquish me for good!"

The Six said nothing as their Elements began to glow. For a few seconds, nothing happened... until the chains binding Nightmare Discord began to glow brightly.

The resulting magical explosion could be felt by anypony with a horn anywhere in Equestria.

"Au revoir, kiddo," Discord taunted mentally as the Nightmare lost its grip on his mind and body.

When the smoke cleared, the Nightmare was there in its true form - a black mist without form, next to a prone Discord. Frantically, it made a beeline for the unconscious Trixie.

The Six collectively shook their heads. "Sanctify The Wicked. Let's see how you like your own treatment of others."

There was no sound as the Nightmare's essence began to compress down and solidify. A few seconds later, a black gem fell harmlessly to the floor.

"Ow... those rainbows really hurt... bravo!" Discord said as he stretched out. "It feels good to be me again, really. You might want to keep that gem away from your pet dragon, though."

The Six stared at Discord without any sign of emotion on their faces.

"...Right, the whole statue thing," Discord said, sighing. "Let me at least try to undo some of the damage my misguided offspring caused..." He snapped his talons and Applejack, Fluttershy and Scootaloo appeared... then Scootaloo changed back from a dodo into a pony.

"...Ah had the weirdest dream..." Applejack said as she rubbed her head. "Ah was bein' mobbed by these weird hairless things, an' most of 'em kept sayin' Pinkie Pie was best pony... whatever that meant..."

Fluttershy was curled up in a ball. She squeaked as she noticed the change in surroundings and looked up. "...We're back? Yay..."

Scootaloo said many things, most of which are not suitable to be recounted here.

The Six just continued to stare at Discord.

"Right, right... Canterlot..." He snapped his talons. "There. Back where it should be, safe and sound. Not a single hair harmed on anypony's head."

Applejack walked over to the others. "...Sis? What're you doin' with mah necklace?"

Fluttershy shrieked as she saw the condition of the Six. "Twilight? Is that you? What happened?"

The Six sighed. "In a moment, girls," they said. "Restore these ponies' minds, too."

"Yes, yes... that's one thing I did agree with my kid on, Trixie is much better behaved without an identity, but so be it..." Snap. "There. When she wakes up, she'll be back to her charming, arrogant self," he said.

Scootaloo ran up to the others. Her wing was still broken. "Wow... that's so awesome! I wish I could have done that..." She then noticed that Rainbow Dash was among the Six. "...Just how long were we gone anyways? There's no way she could be walking this quick!"

The Six looked at Scootaloo, then resumed staring at Discord.

"...Oh, come on... I didn't even cause that one..." he protested.

They continued staring.

"No. You six are the standing pinnacle of magic, heal her yourself," he said.

The Six collectively sighed. "Heal."

A warm sensation crept into Scootaloo's damaged wing. She tested it gingerly as the sensation faded. It seemed as good as new.

"Is that everything? Can I go back to my statue now? You six are starting to creep me out with the whole legion voice thing..." Discord said, sighing. Yes, even he had limits to his patience.

"We don't trust you to stay in it if you put yourself there, silly," the Six said.

"Ugh, fine," Discord said as he struck a pose he thought was fairly heroic... in reality, it looked ridiculous. "Friend me... not like it'll stick."

"Back up, girls," the Six said as the Elements started to glow once more.

Applejack, Fluttershy and Scootaloo backed off as requested.

A rainbow beam fired upwards from the magical bubble, then sloped downward and hit Discord squarely. His body began to petrify from his feet upwards. "I'll be back, you know," he said.

"Yes, we know..." the Six said, sharing annoyance. "We'll be waiting."

"But of course!" Discord said as the stone spell finished petrifying his body.

With a final blast of magic, Discord's petrified body was teleported back to the Royal Gardens. With another burst of magic, the Six, Fluttershy, Applejack, Trixie, Chief Sentinel and Blackout were all teleported to Canterlot.

..:://=||=\::..

Princess Celestia had just gotten Luna into a bed as a bunch of ponies mass teleported back into the Palace... right into Luna's private bedroom, in fact. "What in the..." Celestia asked.

The Six were the first to their hooves, even getting back up in unison. "Sorry, Princess. That was less smooth than we had hoped for... it was the limit..." The magical bubble surrounding them dissipated and their mental union was broken.

"...Remind me never to do that again..." Rarity said.

"Are you kidding? That was awesome!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "I was using magic... real magic like unicorns and everything!"

"Uhm... we were all usin' it, Rainbow..." Apple Bloom said as she rubbed her head. "Ah got a real bad headache, though..."

"Let's do it again!" Pinkie said, bouncing.

Sweetie Belle yanked her hoof out of the way as Pinkie started to bounce. "...Watch it, Pinkie! You almost stepped on me..."

Twilight sighed as her own magic started to unravel, and her form with it. "It's time... without the Elements to sustain me..."

"Wait, what?" Applejack said, confused. "What happened now?"

"Twilight, no... please... you can't mean..." Fluttershy said sadly. She tried to run over to hug her friend, but there was nothing there to hug.

"When I got freed from my own stone imprisonment, my body wasn't able to be changed back, but the power of the Elements fused my mind with my magic and freed that," Twilight said, sadly. "...But my magic isn't infinite. It's about to run out, and when it does..."

"Twilight... no!" Scootaloo said. "There has to be another way!"

Princess Luna opened her non-swollen eye. "...Perhaps... the Elements freed her... maybe they can restore her as well..."

"Sister, you shouldn't be awake yet..." Celestia said, concerned. She turned to the others. "Still, she may be right. Hurry. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, give your Elements to their rightful Bearer..."

Wasting no time, they each slipped their necklaces off. Honesty went back to Applejack, Kindness to Fluttershy.

"Now, focus on Twilight," Celestia instructed.

"Wait... if her magic escaped the statue, isn't it still there?" Scootaloo asked.

"It shattered..." Twilight said. "I don't have a body to go back to."

Twilight's friends focused on her, and on the Element they each carried.

"...Nothing's happening..." Rarity said.

"They're spent!" Rainbow Dash observed.

Applejack growled. "We can't jus' give up! We can't... Ah'm sure as hay not gonna!" Honesty began to glow weakly.

"It just wouldn't be the same without you, Twilight... we were going to have this huge party that Ponyville would talk about forever and everything!" Pinkie said, sadly. Laughter, too, began to glow weakly.

"There's nothing kind about this..." Fluttershy said. She squeaked as Kindness began glowing.

"I would give anything to keep you here, Twilight... you know that, right?" Rarity said, pleading. Generosity glowed.

"I would take her place," Rainbow Dash said flatly. "I almost bit it already... I'm not scared to go." Loyalty glowed.

Magic glowed weakly atop Twilight's head. "What's this?" she asked.

"You really do care for one another, don't you?" a voice began to say. To those who had regained their Elements earlier, it sounded exactly like that to them. Fluttershy heard the voice Sweetie did, and Applejack heard the one Apple Bloom had earlier listened to. "You don't want to lose your friend... you're all willing to do whatever it takes."

"You're danged right..." Applejack said, softly.

The others nodded in agreement.

Each then felt a slight weakness within their bodies. "Well, she is the key to our power... we really don't want to lose her either, but restoring her will take more power than we have remaining. If each of you give a part of yourself, however... this will work. Are you truly willing?"

Each one nodded without hesitation. "Yes," they said in unison.

Just as Twilight's magical body began to fade, newfound magic wrapped around her. Light filled the room.

"Focus," the Elements guided. "Keep her in your hearts."

The magic continued to work. As it swept across Twilight's body, parts that were just magic were being replaced with flesh and blood. Sensation began to return as her nervous system reformed. Her senses became real as her head was restored. The bands of magic met up in the middle, and a flesh and blood Twilight Sparkle stood there, reborn.

"Ah don't believe it... it worked!" Applejack said as she poked at her friend's body.

Twilight winced. "Hey! Quit that..."

Each of Twilight's friends and the onetime Cutie Mark Crusaders closed in on Twilight and a group hug ensued.

Laughter resounded from the Elements' essences. "Looks like it worked... but it took a bit more than we had thought. The Elements of Harmony will have to remain inert for at least ten years to recharge after all of this. Between Perfect Harmony and rebuilding a body from scratch..."

Princess Celestia nodded. "We understand... at the least, Harmony is in our hearts."

"You know... I didn't even realize you were an actual thing..." Rainbow Dash said, dumbfounded. "I thought the Elements were either just pieces of supercharged jewelry, or something from within..."

"You learn something new every day, Rainbow..." Twilight said. "Still... I never realized it, either."

"Well, the Princess is right, in a way," the Elements replied. "Harmony is in everypony, and we are a focus for that. However... good magicians tend to leave a little of something in their work. Think of us as that little something left behind."

"...I think I understand..." Fluttershy said.

"Our time is almost up," the Elements said. "It was good meeting you again, Princesses. Friends. Until we meet again... which hopefully isn't too terribly soon."

"Indeed," Princess Celestia said.

The Elements went inert and their glowing stopped. For all intents and purposes... they were simply very fancy, well-crafted pieces of jewelry and would remain that way for a decade.

Epilogue - So... What Happened To Everypony?

It took a few days for Chief Sentinel and Blackout to physically recover from their ordeal. Mentally, however, it took a lot longer for them. Blackout would find himself not wanting to go anywhere for a while without a fainting couch, and Chief Sentinel got a little out of shape from overindulging on the sweeter varieties of baked goods.

Still, Rarity would argue it may have turned out for the best in some form or another, especially when an impromptu Pinkie Party broke out at the Carousel Boutique main office in Manehattan and Pinkie herself was nowhere near the place.

As for Rarity herself, her business continued to expand rapidly. Nearly every town and city of mention in Equestria has a location, and she even has stores in the Griffon and Zebra-run lands.

It took a lot longer for Trixie. She had to live with being the one who brought the Nightmare back to Equestria in the first place after it was imprisoned in the Sun. She was forgiven by Twilight and her friends, but never truly forgave herself. She moved back in with her family in Canterlot and went back to being a showpony... only she remained closer to home after everything that had happened. Despite how the Nightmare had twisted her, her sense of loss that drove her to command the Elements of Harmony was real.

Vinyl Scratch and Sweetie Belle became a couple... at least, musically. While Vinyl would drop the bass and keep the beats going, Sweetie's soothing voice provided the perfect foil. The combination would prove to become one of the most in-demand musical acts in Equestrian entertainment history.

Scootaloo went back to Cloudsdayle and finally executed that Sonic Rainboom. Rainbow Dash pulled one off right alongside her during the tryout.

Rainbow Dash herself went back to being an active Wonderbolt. When her equilibrium was healed by the magic of the Element of Loyalty, it stuck.

Eventually, Scootaloo blew through the Junior Wonderbolt ranks. She and Rainbow Dash were picked to lead a second squad. It was a huge success.

Big Macintosh's leg healed up enough for him to resume his work on Sweet Apple Acres. Of course, that required a fair amount of spiked cider and some heavy-duty rope so he would stay in bed long enough to fully heal. Sometimes, it even took a kick in the head from his sisters. It paid off in the end.

Applejack went right back to raising Applewood, but she decided to start making time for her own passions as well... her work and her friends. Overall, it led to a much happier farm pony... and better times for the farm.

Apple Bloom quit her job at the Ponyville Carousel Boutique location and started her own design business. She found it much more worth it when she decided to stop limiting her designs to just clothing. Her business eventually branched out and is now known for designing almost everything from clothing to roadways to buildings.

She even made a small fortune helping the Royal Guards complete that experimental aerial troop transport.

Fluttershy's house was rebuilt thanks in part to a charity record released by the reclusive Hyperaktiv. It sold like wildfire, to the point that Fluttershy was able to expand it to include an enclosed veterinary hospital.

As for Hyperaktiv herself, a.k.a. Pinkie Pie, she actually decided to cut back on her touring and workload. It was partially a business strategy, and it paid off. Her fans, driven by the newfound scarcity of new material, sold out every single show she did for five years running, and nearly all of her records made it through at least three reprint runs each. What did she spend the additional time doing, you might ask?

Partying, of course. She did have one minor scare with a doughnut overdose, but otherwise it was all good, clean fun.

Twilight Sparkle went back to her job as a professor at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns... for about three weeks until the head administrator abruptly retired to take care of family matters... something about a daughter that had moved back in after suffering extensive mental trauma. There was no opposition to Twilight being elevated into the job.

At first, she hated it. It was nothing but paperwork and number crunching, she felt. She learned to enjoy it more when she found out part of the job included reporting to Princess Celestia daily. In person.

Spike, with Twilight Sparkle's blessing, enlisted in the Royal Guard shortly after Twilight's promotion. A few ponies get startled by the dragon Guard as they go to the Palace to petition the Princesses, but all in all it worked out for the best.

Discord is still a statue. He hasn't made good on his threat to return yet. Whether that is because he cannot, or because he could but doesn't think the time is right... that is yet to be seen.

The gem the Nightmare was imprisoned inside of was placed in one of the most secure vaults in Canterlot Palace and promptly forgotten about.

Princess Luna recovered from her injuries and resumed her duties after a few weeks.

Princess Celestia took a vacation once Luna recovered for the first time in recorded history. She was gone for a year.

Equestria survived just fine. Luna even took over raising both the Sun and the Moon as her sister had for a millennium. Her subjects went from being afraid of her to respecting her, to actually liking her when she changed the yearly tax day to Annual Ponies in Socks Day. Sure, the populace still had taxes to get done, but now they can do so in socks.

Seriously, what's not to love about that?

The best part of all of it was that Twilight Sparkle, her friends and the onetime Cutie Mark Crusaders made it a point to all get together every once in a while back in Ponyville... sometimes once a week, but never less than once a month.

Their friendship was worth it, even though it still wasn't easy to coordinate the get-togethers...

THE END...
(at least until Eternal Storm 3...)