“You see Nightmare Moon, when those elements are ignited by, uh, the Spark, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: The Element of Magic!” Twilight Sparkle shouted over the hum of magic gathering in the chamber. Her side of the room lit up flashily as the element shards coalesced around each of the bearers’ necks.
‘No. No! Not when I’m so close!’ Nightmare Moon thought as the final element settled into a crown on Twilight’s head.
A fraction of a second later, a rainbow of magic shot from the six gathered mares, straight toward where Nightmare was standing.
‘If I can just…’ Instead of standing and waiting for the magic to wash over her, she took flight, straight at the mares, and the rainbow shooting at her.
‘I have to stop this. If I can just disrupt their power for a moment, victory will be mine!’ She cheered mentally as her plan detailed itself subconsciously. Dodging the rainbow and hearing the magic splash over where she’d been standing, Nightmare gained some height.
Smirking, Nightmare fell into a dive horn first. Aimed squarely at the mares, she didn’t see the rainbow had turned, now tracking her.
The first signs she felt something was wrong was when her trajectory started to change. Instead aiming to stomp down between them and disrupt their connection, she was now aimed to fall directly in front of them. ‘What is–’ Sparing a glance backward, she spied the rainbow’s magic washing over her.
‘No. No, no, no, nononononono!’ Instead of banishing her back to the moon, the magic was turning her to stone! As the magic washed over her wings, they froze in place, further sealing her fate.
As she more fell than flew through the room’s remaining space, Nightmare grew more panicked. By the time she’d gathered enough of her wits to try to fight the magic with her own, everything up to her neck had been turned to stone. ‘Help! Anypony, please!’
As her horn lit, she could do little more than watch the ground come up at her, she couldn’t aim back at the magic behind her anymore. Everything went black before she hit the ground.
Twilight was the first of the mares to stir, struggling to sit upright as sunlight poured through the various holes and windows in the room.
“Well that happened,” she said as she rubbed her sore head with a hoof. The other five mares, her friends, she realized, were scattered around her, safe and sound, but unconscious.
After making sure they were okay, Twilight surveyed the rest of the room. Nightmare Moon was nowhere to be found, but there appeared to be a mess nearby, like a statue had fallen and broken to pieces.
Before she could investigate further, Pinkie stirred noisily. “Wowie zowie, that took more out of me than bathtime with with the twins.” The pink mare shuffled to her hooves and looked around. Spying Nightmare was gone she asked Twilight, “Hey Twilight, where did Black Snooty go? Did she run away because she didn’t like our magic rainbow thingy?”
Twilight shrugged, frowning as her ears pinned back. “I don’t know, Pinkie Pie. Maybe she was returned to the moon?”
Two more groans punctuated Applejack and Fluttershy returning to consciousness.
Sitting up, Applejack offered a hoof to Fluttershy to help her to sit up. “What in tarnation was that, Twilight? Ah feel like Ah got run over by Big Mac iffin’ he was tap dancing.”
Even Twilight chuckled at the mental image.
Pinkie giggled and quickly drew them both into a hug. “Now that would be a sight to see, Applejack!”
A blue hoof shot into the air, “Did… did anyone get the number of the cart that hit me? I oughta pulverize that guy…” Rainbow rolled over onto her back, letting her sore wings splay on the cool stone and she rested more comfortably.
“I have to agree there, darling. When I find that pony, I will give them something to be sore about…” Rarity stayed laying down on her belly, but quickly started checking over her makeup and hair. To her surprise, her tail had somehow regrown, and she hugged it fiercely.
A realization struck Twilight. “We’re all here. We’re alive. We won! We beat Nightmare Moon!”
Pinkie cheered. “Yay! When we get back I’ll have to throw a ‘We-Beat-Black-Snooty’ victory party!”
The other four mares groaned, muttering about being too tired and sore.
Pinkie thought a moment. “Tomorrow then?”
Dash nodded. “Hay yeah, Pinkie. Party tomorrow.”
A light almost like a miniature sun flew in from the window behind the throne. As the light died down, it coalesced into Princess Celestia.
Twilight shrieked, “Princess! You’re back!” She took off and ran up to the tall white mare. Springing up onto her hind legs, she hugged Celestia’s neck.
The others looked on shocked as Celestia returned the hug, wrapping a foreleg around Twilight’s back hard enough to lift the smaller mare off her hooves entirely. “I’m so glad you’re safe, Twilight.”
“We won, Princess, we beat Nightmare Moon!” Twilight squealed, excited to see her mentor once again.
“We?” Celestia somehow didn’t sound surprised.
“My friends and I used the Elements of Harmony on her!” Celestia let Twilight down and looked around, spotting the other mares.
“These are your friends?” At Twilight’s nod, Celestia smiled warmly. “Thank you, my little ponies, for keeping her safe, and showing Twilight true friendship.”
Celestia stepped back, looking about the room. “Where is Spike?” She fixed Twilight with a genuine, questioning look.
Twilight’s ears pinned back as if she’d done something wrong. “He’s back at the library. I left him there in case it was dangerous.”
Celestia nodded. “Good. I had thought something might have happened to him…”
A hoof stomped down on the stone loudly. Both ponies were surprised it was Twilight’s. “No, Princess. I would never let something happen to him!”
Celestia turned to regard the rest of the room. “What happened to Nightmare Moon? I do not see her here.”
“We don’t rightly know, Princess.” Applejack replied, joining Celestia in scanning the room. “We kinda just woke up ourselves.”
Twilight heard Celestia mutter under her breath, but didn’t question it. “She could be back in the moon, Princess. I don’t think she was turned to stone.”
“Um, Twilight? You may want to get over here…” Rarity’s voice drew them over to the mare. Both student and teacher approached Rarity and noticed at her hooves looked like the head of a broken statue. Nearby, the rest of its body was scattered in hundreds of pieces.
Twilight didn’t remember a statue in the room before the fight started, let alone it breaking apart.
She lifted the statue’s head and turned it to face her. As soon as she looked into its eyes, her own widened and she gasped loudly. Her ears pinned back and her magic cut out in surprise, dropping the head. Only Celestia’s quick action rescued it from being broken again as she caught it in her own magic. Absolutely terrified, Twilight whispered, “No, it can’t be true…”
It was Nightmare Moon’s petrified head. Her face was locked into a permanent state of fear and desperation.
Celestia looked at the head, feeling something wasn’t right. Something nagged at her mind. She quickly looked around at the rest of the statue, grabbing some of the larger pieces. The neck, forelegs, and wings were destroyed utterly, but there were larger pieces of its main body and hindlegs were in only a few pieces.
“P-Princess…” Twilight tried to interrupt Celestia’s concentration.
“Yes, Twilight?” She turned to see Twilight looking at the broken statue, much more pale than a minute ago.
“If a pony were to turn to st-stone, say from the Elements of Harmony, while they were flying, is there s-some kind of… protection from the petrified pony breaking when it hits the ground?”
Celestia quirked an eyebrow at Twilight’s question. “Not that I know–” it clicked, “–of.” The feeling of dread came back much stronger, joined by its siblings revulsion and grief. Exerting nearly all her not inconsiderable willpower, Celestia spoke softly, “Twilight.” She checked to make sure that she had the smaller mare’s attention. “Gather your friends and return to Ponyville. I wish to be alone here.” Almost as an afterthought she added, “Just to make sure that Nightmare Moon does not return.”
Twilight had noticed that Celestia’s carefully crafted mask had slammed down and covered her emotions up as she spoke. “Princess?”
Refusing to meet her student’s gaze, she pointed a wing toward the door. “Please, Twilight. Take your friends back to Ponyville.”
Twilight turned to the others, who had all gathered off to the side waved her over. “Alright, Princess.” She stood and the six mares made their way out of the building.
Turning to regard Twilight, Applejack cocked an eyebrow and asked, “Twi? Why’d the Princess want us to leave so quickly? I thought she’d be happy that Nightmare Moon is–”
Applejack was interrupted as the group left the ruins as a wail sounded from behind them. It was loud enough it drowned out all sound for several seconds. The mares were disoriented from the sheer volume and intensity. Once it faded, everypony’s ears rang.
Twilight instantly knew who it was. She took several steps toward the ruins again, then remembered Celestia’s orders. The crown fell off her head as she whipped back around toward her friends, then back toward the castle, clearly conflicted.
Applejack and Rarity recovered first, Rarity helped the others as Applejack tapped Twilight on the shoulder. Twilight’s head whipped around and stared the orange mare in the eyes. She was tearing up, torn beyond belief.
Applejack looked to Rarity, who pointed to Twilight and then the ruins. She nodded. “Go. We’ll be fine making it back on our own.”
“A-Are you sure?” Twilight threw up a last line of defense, flimsy as it was. She had to be sure.
Applejack firmly turned Twilight around. “Go.”
Twilight took off, running faster than she’d ever remembered running than before.
Twilight made it to the entrance from where she and her friends left Celestia just as another wail tore through her ears. It was much, much louder than earlier and shook her to her very core, and her hearing cut out.
Celestia’s eyes were closed, and she hugged the statue’s head to her chest. Her chest heaved and she cried, weeping despondently.
The ringing in her ears faded just in time for her to noisily step into the room. Celestia’s eyes shot open and the grief-stricken mare quickly stood up to her full height, wings spread, teeth bared, and horn lit. “WHO DARES–” Celestia’s eyes widened as she noticed Twilight. Relaxing only slightly, she spoke hoarsely, “Twilight, I told you to take your friends and leave.”
Ears pinned back, Twilight defiantly stepped forward. “No. I sent them back, because you need s-somepony here.” Taking a deep breath, she stared into Celestia’s eyes. “Nightmare Moon. She wasn’t just some villain. She meant s-something to you, didn’t she?” For the first time in her memory, Twilight noticed that Celestia looked terrified.
Tears continued to fall from her cheeks as Celestia replied, “Twilight. I do not wish to talk about it, I–”
A hoof stomped down on the floor. “Horseapples.” A step forward. “You send me off to find some friends after I ask you about Nightmare Moon. It just so happens that the prophecy comes true and she shows up in Ponyville, after I make several friends.”
“Twilight–” Celestia barely finished the word when Twilight stomped forward again, determined to have her say.
“Let me finish.” Another, much softer, step. “That was no coincidence. You wanted my friends and I to use the Elements on Nightmare Moon.” Celestia nodded. Twilight’s mind raced as took a few more steps. “What did you want us to do? Who is she to you?”
Celestia visibly trembled. “She… she was my biggest mistake. Her name was–” Celestia choked up, looking at the scattered petrified body around her. “Her name was Luna, and she was my little sister. And now I’ve failed her twice, in the worst way possible.”
Twilight faltered at the revelation, ears pinning back. “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t know–”
“OF COURSE YOU DIDN’T KNOW. I DIDN’T WANT YOU TO UNTIL AFTERWARD.” Celestia’s voice boomed, shaking the chamber as her temper flared. Twilight was pushed back physically by the Royal Canterlot Voice. “I-I had hoped the Elements could somehow free Luna from that creature’s influence.”
Celestia’s rump hit the ground as the tension released from her body. “I wanted my sister back. I used the Elements on my sister on this day, 1000 years ago.” Celestia set Nightmare Moon’s head down on the ground softly. She refused to raise her head to meet Twilight’s eyes. “The Elements banished her to the moon, and I thought I never would see my sister again.” She chuckled darkly. “Looks like I was right.”
A flash of light followed by a pop in the room and Celestia felt Twilight sit down next to her. Several wet spots appeared on the head before Celestia noticed it wasn’t her. She looked to see Twilight crying.
“Twilight, why are you crying?”
“I failed. I couldn’t bring your sister back.” Twilight’s body shook as she sobbed.
Celestia drew Twilight into her embrace. “No. You didn’t. The Elements chose another fate for her.”
“No, Princess. I failed, there’s no ifs-ands-or-buts about it.” Twilight looked up to meet Celestia’s eyes. “I will take whatever punishment you see fit. I deserve it, for killing your sister.”
In one small, very kept ‘under-lock-and-key’ part of Celestia’s mind, she considered actually punishing Twilight. For all intents and purposes, Twilight was right.
She quickly threw that thought away. Twilight may be technically correct, but that didn’t put her at fault for the Elements’ actions.
Celestia shifted and Twilight winced, closing her eyes. The smaller mare kept still as Celestia shifted and moved. She drew Twilight against her fully, holding Twilight against her barrel with both forehooves.
A small “Princess?” left Twilight’s mouth after a moment.
In a soft voice, Celestia responded, “Yes?”
“Are… are you going to punish me?”
“No, Twilight.” She looked down to see Twilight’s eyes wide. “As I said, it was the Elements’ fault, not yours.” After a moment she looked forward, away from Twilight. “Why did you come back, Twilight?”
Shifting in her mentor’s forelegs, Twilight’s answer was simple. “It sounded like you needed me right now, and I’m here.”
She wrapped a hoof around one of Celestia’s. “You told me you would always be there for me when I needed you, Princess. I told myself I would always be there for you if you needed me.” She paused to rear up and wipe some of the tears from Celestia’s eyes.
“So, Princess, if you need somepony to cry with you, I’m here. I’ll do my best to always be there. You don’t even need to ask.”
Celestia was stunned. This little pony was willing to help share her grief over a pony she’d never met. That thought reminded her of somepony else, and fresh tears came to her eyes.
“T-Twilight, thank you. Truly, thank you.” No sooner had she said the words, when she collapsed forward, Twilight scrambling almost free of the larger mare’s embrace. Twilight ended up on her back with Celestia’s head resting on her barrel, weeping openly.
Softly, as Celestia cried, Twilight murmured, “Let it all out, Princess…” She hugged Celestia’s head, softly stroking her mane.
Hours and hours later, as sundown neared, Celestia had finally cried herself out, and fallen asleep. Twilight was still pinned down by the larger mare’s weight, but she didn’t mind, as she had lifted more weight from Celestia’s shoulders than she had realized.
Author's Note
Written for the Tenth Bimonthly Twilestia Contest and as JKinsley's (late) birthday present.