Tears of Rain

Chapter 7

“Monsters and the innocent”

Prince Sun Dancer, Sunset and princess Celestia were now deeper in the lab. Princess Celestia picked up the elements of harmony as they passed the Alicorns in the test tubes and they enter a second chamber. This one had a large antechamber it was filled with a red liquid not blood it felt like water with red dye.

Floating above them was against shadow it spoke “Princess Celestia it’s been a hundred years.”

Princess Celestia replied, “So Abyss looks like your nothing more than a shade.”

The shadow then said, “I’ve become more powerful than all the Alicorn born before me and those yet to be born. I have gained true immortality. Now witness the beginning of the end.”

Then they heard screams and giant splashes echo throughout the chamber.

Then Prince Sun dancer shouted “Mother! Get behind me!”

Princess Celestia stepped forward then she  took up the elements of harmony and blasted them at the creatures the arena filled with light hit them but as they were blown back  they were revealed as pony creatures with red meat like bodies covered in scars. For hooves were claws they screeched as they clawed where their eyes should be,

Princess Celestia starred at them one shouted “Help me kill me!”

The shadow above then said, “They were once ponies but I forced their loved ones to sacrifice themselves when they tried to save the ones they loved. Instead they unintentionally forced their souls into these twisted bodies."

Princess Celestia shouted, “You were going to do the same to princess Esmerelda weren’t you!”

As the monsters attacked Sunset tried to blast of wind sending them back.

Prince Sun Dancer cut one of them and then severed the claw.

Then Prince Sun dancer replied “mom did you find a spell to save them?”

princess Celestia then said “No I didn’t I don’t think I can.”

The shadow above them chuckled and said “Their bodies are gone they have nothing left. You’re going to have to kill them to save the filly beyond this door either way you kill them or leave them in this cursed state.”

Prince Sun dancer shouted “listen to me”

the monsters screamed then they attacked again the prince Sun dancer stabbed one through the arm and threw it aside.

Then he shouted, “There has to be a way we can’t just kill them.”

As the monsters got up, one was screaming another was bleeding out and was still crawling forward princess Celestia starred into the red water.

Then the shadow said, “The answer is simple. The way to save them is to kill them. They’re not bound by shadow and their loved ones are dead tell me do they really want to live any longer? give them release show them your mercy.”

Prince Sun Dancer shouted, “Mom please tell me you found something, anything!"

Princess Celestia replied, “I’m trying. I need to focus can you somehow keep them still?”

prince Sun dancer watched as the monsters got up.

Prince Sun Dancer replied, “I’ll keep going.”

Princess Celestia got up with the elements of harmony focused she then focused on one she slammed her power into it. Then as it screamed she then stripped it of its rusted claws as the hooves appeared and then it’s eyes turned blue and his hair grew blue as well.

Then she swore as a horn appeared and then he fell into the water he was still screaming “Kill me! Kill me!”

He gets up as princess Celestia turned her attention to the rest. Prince Sun Dancer swung his sword with his magic keeping them at bay holding them off trying not to kill them. Prince Sun Dancer watched as one by one princess Celestia turned each creature into a normal pony. They all watched as the last monster’s body turns into a normal pony body. Then they got up as prince Sun Dance helped a female Pegasus.

Then princess Celestia then said,  “all of you I know that’s it’s been a hundred years take some time get out of this cavern and try to get use to your bodies. The ponies all trotted out of the room. Then prince Sun dancer looked deeper into the darkness."

He then shouted “You did it mom!”

He looked back at her she was exhausted but as she got up she then said “I’m fine we need to keep going. “

Prince Sun dancer nods then said “Alright let’s go.”

Prince Sun Dancer leads them down into the tunnel he could hear the rushing of the water like a waterfall. He came forward and saw the steps that lead to the final room a circular chamber with three giant orbs one was a deceased body of princess Esmerelda rotting in the far left. On the right was a new body one that had a pure black coat black mane and tail. And it’ eyes were closed in the middle was a small filly. On its other right was a tube with the body of a rotting body.

Prince sun Dancer saw the shadow hovering over them all then it said “princess Celestia and Prince Sun Dancer you both proven exactly how I expected you would.”

Princess Celestia then said “I knew it you would of used princess Esmerelda infect her soul into that new body.”

Abyss then said, “Of course I would of. I didn’t think princess Esmerelda would have succumbed to you.”

Princess Celestia then said, “Yet again you underestimated the will of other ponies. and Alicorns. We are one you can’t defeat us.”

Abyss then said “Yet I can. Prince Sun dancer I tried to make you see no other way forced you to come here use your selfless nature to save princess Esmerelda sacrifice yourself so she could be with her daughter and now I see that your mother decided to choose you over her.”

Prince Sun dancer then said “You killed her you used her tortured her and her filly! Tell me what else was left of her! Maybe I would have saved her maybe if your perfect plan worked I would be dead now and you would of won. But you didn’t because you underestimated her strength she saw your plan and knew what would of happened my mother convinced her I see it clearly now. Princess Esmerelda’s resolve to keep her daughter safe that’s the reason it failed.”

Abyss then said, “Yes I failed but now it comes down to one final choice I cannot enter this body I created I’m bound by this shadow that sustains my soul. But you can’t save any pony you know what’s going to happen you saw it.” Sun Dancer then said “what the hell are you talking about.”

Abyss then said “The pool of shadow is’nt evil it’s the force of nature that pulls from light it grants those who crave power knowledge and the means of understanding the universe. Sun dancer almost one hundred years ago you saw what ‘s going to happen and when it does the reckoning will happen and you will fail.”

Princess Celestia then raised the elements of harmony into the air and shouted “Enough! I’m going to send you back to Tartarus where you belong!”

She raised them then she shot the power into it then the shadow hit Sun dancer then his eyes went wide then he saw a planet while another world was being built. While their world was, being destroyed.

Then Prince Sun Dancer starred into the shadow then he saw it starring back with red eyes.

It then said, “Sun Dancer.”

Prince Sun dancer blinked then said “We met before?”

the shadow then said “when you were three I told you I killed your father. Destroyed cities burned civilizations to the ground and I will do so again. This time Abyss my greatest acolyte will succeed his plan is flawless.”

Prince Sun dDancer then said, “I don’t care how flawless his plan is I won’t allow it to happen.”

The darkness chuckled and said, “It won’t be up to you.”

Prince Sun Dancer replied, “What are you saying?”

The darkness replied “The elements of harmony will soon be given to others they will be my enemy. I will destroy them omega’s demise prolonged my plans but soon Abyss will finish them. What I ask is simple, give in let me in let me save your family and friends give them to me and they will be immortal. No other pony you know has to die I swear to you a life with no more pain, no more suffering, why do you still deny it?”

Prince Sun Dancer replied, “Sugar Cube told me how you offered him the same deal. Unlimited power with no consequence, he told me he wanted it he really did. But he met a pony named pinkie pie, he thought of his friends, and of his grandmother and of his parents who loved him. He even gave me a photo of pinkie pie and her friends. he told me that he realized that power can’t buy love.”

The shadow then said, “Sentimental garbage, power destroys love happiness and joy. That filly’s life was bought by the blood of dozens of ponies her family is dead and the world she will be born in will not understand what she is. Just like Luna she will fall.”

Prince Sun Dancer then said, “That won’t happen. I’m going to care for her with my mother we will raise her like our own and she’s going to enjoy a life where she will no longer feel the pain you put on her. I swear to that.”

The shadow snickers then said, “Alright you win this round Abyss will leave this place the visions will end your flashbacks will stop. But one day you’re going to regret forsaking my power.”

Prince Sun Dancer then said, “And I will continue to fight against you.”

The world became light and then everything went into focus.

The darkness faded away then the world went back into focus Sunset was in the corner motionless princess Celestia was standing over him in tears.

He asked, “What happened?”

Sunset replied “He’s alive!”

princess Celestia looked up, “Sun Dancer are you okay?”

He then said, “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Princess Celestia helped her son get up, “You went unconscious after I defeated Abyss”

Prince  Sun dancer then said, “Mom its okay I’m fine.”

Princess Celestia separates herself from Sun Dancer and said “I know I… was scarred you were..”

Sun Dancer hugged her she then hugs him back then he separates himself.

As Princess Celestia wiped away her tears then stowed away the elements of harmony then they all starred at the test tubes. Prince Sun Dancer turned to the one with the black Alicorn then he took his sword and slashed it through the body of the Alicorn and the glass broke and the body collapsed and the water drenched the ground with its dead corpse.

Prince Sun dancer said, “I bet he has more labs. I’m not going to stop, I’m going to make sure Abyss and the shadow fail.”

He looked over to the orb with the filly inside he then slammed his sword into the middle of it then as it opened the water fell out and then it opened all the way and then he saw her. She was a small thing with a grey coat, a small wisp of  grey mane and grey tail with two blue eyes. She woke and started to cry.

Her cries echoed throughout the chamber and sun Dancer sheathed his sword picked her up with his magic then as she came close to him he then said, “Hey it’s okay.”

She cooed as he placed her in his hooves. He sat down with her. He looked at her for a few minutes as did Sunset and princess Celestia then he cried and held her close.

Princess Celestia replied, “Prince Sun dancer you want to be her father?"

Prince Sun dancer then said “I don’t know.”

Princess Celestia replied, “If you do, you have to accept all responsibility for her. I will not get involved with her upbringing only if you want me too."

He looked at his mother then said, “I want to do this I want to be her father and you can help me whenever you want.”

Princess Celestia smiled, “Well what are you going to name her."

Prince Sun Dancer then said, “It shouldn’t be up to us. We should go back to the manor prince Mercury is still trapped and we should ask him It is his daughter. No matter what I’m going to tell her who her parents were, tell her of this place when she’s ready and I’ll help her through the pain.”

He looked at his mother she then said “that sounds like an excellent plan.”

Sunset said, “Prince Sun Dancer a neighbor of ours just had fillies as well. I can get you some diapers and bottles of milk for her.”

Prince Sun Dance replied, “Thank you that would be nice.”

He continued to stare at her and  said, “What about this lab?”

princess Celestia replied, “When were all clear of this place, I’m destroying it.”

He then gets up and he held the filly with his right front hoof.

Princess Celestia said, “I’ll teleport you two back to town then I’ll come back for the rest.”

Prince Sun Dancer nods then they teleport.

A day passes by Sun Dancer was no longer wearing his armor holding the filly in Sunset’s cottage sitting on one the chair on the left side of the hearth. He had a bottle in her mouth and she was wearing a diaper. She was fast asleep and he was just looking at her.

Princess Celestia came back inside the cottage then she smiled and said, “How’s she doing?”

Prince Sun Dancer then said, “She’s been napping most through the afternoon she should be waking up soon.”

Princess Celesta then said, “I went down the cellar the one at the barn. They’re all normal as well.”

Prince Sun Dancer then said “Good, there’s one more thing we need to do.”

Princess Celestia then said, “You want to do it now?”

Prince Sun Dancer then said, “After she wakes up.”

Princess Celestia nods then she sat across from her son she sighed and then said, “How are you doing?”

Prince Sun Dancer replied, “Fine.”

He just looked at the little filly as she kicked her legs then he took the bottle from her mouth then he placed the bottle on the table. He placed her on his shoulder.

Princess Celestia said, “She’s so adorable.”

Prince Sun Dancer chuckled then said, “So if I’m going to be called dad. I guess you’re going to be grandma.”

Princess Celestia laughed then said, “I don’t look that old?”

Prince Sun Dancer then said, “You don’t look a day older than three hundred. “

Then then the filly started to cry again then Prince Sun Dancer laid her across his hooves again then said, “Did you just wake up?”

He nuzzled her she giggled then she placed her front hooves in her mouth.

Prince Sun Dancer replied, “Let’s go see him.”

Princess Celestia nods and said, “Alright.”

She gets up and then the two teleported.

Prince Sun Dancer and princess Celestia enter the manor and then prince Sun Dancer looked around then they saw the black shadow.

Then it said “Is that her?”

Prince Sun Dancer then said “Yeah it is.”

Prince Mercury said, “She’s so beautiful.”

Princess Celestia then said, “I have to say how sorry I am for what happened to you and your family.”

Prince Mercury replied, “Thank you, princess Celestia and Prince Sun Dancer. Thank you for caring for her, for my filly.”

Prince Sun Dancer replied, “We haven’t named her yet we thought it best if you should.”

Prince Mercury then paused and he said, “Astra. My wife and I we though if we had a mare we would name her Astra.”

Prince Sun dancer nods then prince mercury replied “Prince Sun Dancer, are you going to be her adoptive father?”

prince Sun Dancer then said, “Yeah I will.”

Prince mercury said, “I just want you to know how thankful I am that my little mare is in the hooves of an Alicorn like yourself. You were right I was not trapped here because of what happened to my wife and Filly I was bound here because of my hate and anger. I now can finally rest in peace and it’s thanks to you and Sunset.”

Prince Sun dancer nods and said “Prince Mercury your wife she waited for a hundred years to try to return she wanted to raise your filly and I would have sacrificed myself for her. I had no idea that in actuality that Abyss would have cursed her soul and use her I do not deserve to ask you for your forgiveness it thought you should know."

Prince Mercury replied, “Prince Sun Dancer my wife and I are dead. Our lives were taken and we need to accept our deaths. All we can ask is that you treat our daughter as we would of giver her life worth living allow her to grow and when she learns of the tragedy that happened here. Tell her don’t let what happened here define her. If you do that then you have my love and my thanks.”

Prince Sun Dancer nods then said “alright.”

Prince Mercury replied “Astra you’re the love of my life. You may not understand what I am saying but I love you, I wish I could hold you and feed you and raise you. I just want you to know that I love you your mother loved you and I want you to be a good mare and listen to prince sun Dancer. He can be the father I wish I could be. All I can ask is your happiness and your love."

Astra babbled something and held out her hooves and kicked against Prince Sun Dancer.

Prince Sun Dancer chuckled, “I will raise her as my own as if she were my daughter and I will make sure that she knows what her parents sacrificed. I also won’t allow this gloom and sorrow to define her she will know the truth I’ll help her through the pain and she will be able to lean on me and my mother for support.”

Prince mercury nods then Astra started to cry prince Sun Dance hushed her then as she settled down.

prince mercury then said “she’s tired isn’t she?”

prince Sun dancer then said “She just woke up and is a but cranky. I just wanted you to see her.”

Prince Mercury replied, “How is she though is everything fine?”

Princess Celestia chuckled then Prince Sun Dancer said, “She’s perfect. Abyss may have taken her original body but her soul is as bright as ever. Your daughter is a happy filly right now she burps and laughs she cries, last night I barely got sleep, she cried all night but I didn’t care. She’s everything to me because I can never repay you and your wife for everything you’ve sacrificed.”

Prince Mercury replied, “Prince Sun Dancer, you’re going to be a great father.”

He then said “princess Celestia you’ll be a great grandmother.”

Princess Celestia chuckled and said, “I’ll try.”

Then the black clouds dissipated and then he was gone.

Prince Sun Dancer felt the tears coming down his face.

Princess Celestia hugged him then he said, “We should go back to Canterlot. Let’s set up my old room for the filly’s room.”

Princess Celestia nods then said, “We’ll have to buy a new crib and redecorate that room.”

Prince Sun Dancer then said, “It’ll be fine. After that we can  finally adjust and I’ll just have to adjust my duties as a member of the guard and my duties as a  prince and a father but being a father is going to be my first priority.”

Princess Celestia replied, “I’ll support you. You know that?”

Prince Sun Dancer replied, “Thanks mom. “

He then teleported with her and they went back into town.

That evening he had on his armor and, he was putting on his helmet he had a carrier on the front of him with Astra inside and a saddlebag full of diapers, bottles filly toys and gifts from the villagers. As he was looking at Astra who was cooing Sunset come in through the door with his son Orange Bright.

Orange Bright got excited and shouted “Sun Dancer how is Astra!”

Prince Sun Dancer smiled, “She’s doing great.”

Prince Sun Dancer bowed to Orange Bright’s level then Orange bright hugged Astra softly then said, “Bye Astra I’m going to miss you and you Sun Dancer.”

Astra babbled gibberish then Orange Bright laughed and then he galloped off to his room then Sunset came forward as Sun dancer got up then as he shakes Sun Dancer’s hoof.

Prince Sun dancer said, “ Thank you Sunset for everything.”

Sunset then said, “No thank you, you and princess Celestia are the reason our village survived.”

Prince Sun Dancer replied “well now on to my next journey fatherhood.”

Sunset smiled and said “You’ll do fine.”

Prince Sun Dancer nods then Sunset bows.

Then Sunset looked at Astra then said “bye princess Astra be a good little mare.”

She giggled then he brushed her mane then Sunset got out of his way as he got out of the cottage.

He saw Honey wheat she was coming down the road. She then light up when she saw princess Astra.

She went up to her then said, “Who’s the beautiful little mare.”

Princess Astra giggled again then Honey Wheat made faces and was making princess Astra laugh.

Then Honey Wheat got up and then said “prince Sun dancer good luck on being a father.”

Prince Sun Dancer bows then said “Take care Honey Wheat.”

She replied, “You take care as well.”

She went back into her cottage then prince Sun Dancer came to his mother who was talking to the villagers as they dispersed.

She came forward, “I was just telling them that storm was caused by dark magic and the power causing it has been destroyed.”

Prince Sun Dancer replied, “The lab is destroyed correct?”

Princess Celestia nods

She looked a princess Astra and said, “She is cute.”

Prince Sun dancer replied, “Yeah she is. The villagers were nice on giving us these gifts for her.”

Princess Celestia nods then said, “Is something else bothering you. You’ve been distant.”

Prince Sun Dancer replied, “No nothing is wrong I’m just thinking about everything that’s happened. I have learned to let go and I have learned to understand that my life affects more than my own. I learned that I have to be more than just a prince I need to understand that I can’t wallow in my self-pity and move forward to fight the darkness and love my family at the same time.”

Princess Celestia smiled, “You really have changed.”

Prince Sun dancer looked at princess Astra then said, “I have to learn to be a good father.”

The chariot came down from the sky with two guards and then she as they parked in front of them Prince Sun dancer and princess Celestia got on and they flew through the air together with princess Astra.