The Legend of "The Darkside of the Moon"

Tink!

The last piece of the machine is in place. Shade marvels at her quick construction of the Gateway, a better version of the Mirror. Granted, Shade will have preferred the Mirror to be here and not in the Crystal Kingdom, another of Celestia's dumb decisions, but she had made something better. She smiles at the crystal she had just placed on a pedestal and wipes her brow.

Twilight, while not talking and wanting to help, did not annoy Shade as much as she had thought she would. The young princess is beyond intelligent and did help by bouncing around ideas. Shade also senses Twilight's untapped power and potential.

"Why did Celestia call you her 'student' instead of her 'daughter'? Did she think I would not find out?" Shade asks the lavender pony while tuning the last crystal.

"Because Princess Celestia is not my mother," Twilight answers after looking up from the parchment she is writing notes on.

Shade turns around and stares at the mare. "As long as you believe that," she finally scoffs and returns her attention to the crystal.

"And besides, Princess Celestia has never been married."

Shade raspberries and laughs. She falls to the ground, holding her sides, laughing out loud. Twilight watches with confusion on her face. Shade finishes her fit of laughter, gets to her hooves, heaves a sigh, and returns to channeling her magic to the crystal.

"What was that all about?" Twilight inquires.

"What was what about?" Shade replies, feigning ignorance.

"The whole rolling on the floor laughing."

"Oh." Shade chuckles, "Just at how naïve you are."

Twilight scowls at Shade.

"Celestia never was as chaste as Luna." Shade taps her chin in thought, "I always wondered about that. It's not like Luna did not have suitors."

"Do you have children?"

Shade chortles. "You have such a great sense of humor!"

Twilight rolls her eyes and returns to writing notes.

Shade removes her eyes off Twilight and heaves a heavy sigh.

"Have you ever thought about children, Shade?"

Shade sat up in bed and cocked an eyebrow at the mare beside her, "No. That would make me a pedophile, Sangria."

The cream vampony punched Shade's arm, "Not like that! I meant, have you ever thought about having children?"

Shade ran a hoof through her marefriend's electric blue mane, "No. Besides, one of us is lacking the second component required to produce a child."

"Aren't there spells for that?"

Shade laughed and kissed Sangria, "Not that I know of, babe."

Sangria's smile began to turn south. "I. . . I think about it from time to time," she shared.

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Shade input, "We could always adopt. . ."

Sangria smiled, "I would–"

Shade threw herself on top of Sangria and raised a crimson bubble just as the room around them exploded.

"What the BUCK!" Sangria exclaimed.

Shade snarled and jumped out of the bed to run to the edge of the destroyed apartment. What she saw made her gnash her teeth.

Sangria rushed over to Shade's side and gasped in horror. "What the buck is that thing?!"

The monster was the size of the Castle of the Two Sisters and was an amalgam of different creatures. Its red eyes focus on Shade.

"Whatever that thing is, it will regret pissing me off," Shade sneered.

"Shade," Sangria's voice echoed, "Shade!"

"Shade!" Luna calls.

"What?" Shade shakes her head and blinks her eyes. She notices a Luna who had not been in front of her a second ago.

"Is everything ready?" Luna asks.

Shade examines the Gateway and all the components.

"What's wrong?" concern carries on Luna's words.

"Nothing," Shade snips. "When your sister gets here we can begin the jump."

And just like that. . .

Poof!

"Get your sunbutt over to the yellow crystal. Luna yours is the blue crystal and Twilight you are in charge of the red crystal," Shade barks orders. The princesses go to their assigned crystals and await further instructions. "Channel as much of your magic to the generator to activate the Gateway."

Moments later, three beams of magic are firing at the generator beside the two arms of the Gateway. Within seconds, a blue portal appears between the two metal arms.

"Alright," Shade speaks and the princesses stop channeling their magic. Shade steps in front of the portal and ignites her horn to search for the orb. Five minutes pass by and she is still using her magic on the machine.

"What are you doing?" Twilight inquires.

"Trying to locate the orb throughout the multiverse is not as easy as," Shade strains. "Ah-ha!" she interjects. "Found it!" She then focuses her magic on the three crystals. She wipes her brow and huffs, "Now, you three keep using your power on the crystal when we enter for about five minutes. That should give us enough time to materialize on the other side."

"How will you get back?" Luna questions.

"The same way the thieves got here," Shade answers. "Alright troops, front and center," she orders the Servants of Shadow.

Dinky is the first to stand beside Shade, she barely can contain her enthusiasm. Diamond is next, equally as enthusiastic. Virga and Nettleglum make their way and stand ready.

"Do you know what's on the other side?" Twilight wonders.

"Not precisely. I have run through countless probabilities and different scenarios and have solutions for everyone of them." Shade informs.

"Let's get this show on the road!" Diamond exclaims, jumping into the air with flittering wings.

"No time like the present," Dinky adds.

"One small step for us," Shade begins to walk to the portal and disappears in the blue energy.
One Hell of a surprise for Mankind, Shade thinks to herself.

Beeping and yellow flashing lights sound throughout the laboratory. Scientists run around frantically and soldiers run to their positions. A stone faced, white haired scientist storms down the hallway. Research Room 18 doors hiss open in front of him. He walks inside and sees his colleagues running amuck.

"Settle down, everyone!" his voice booms.

People stop and look at the lead researcher as he descends the stairs. He crosses the concrete floor and heads to a console where a crimson haired woman taps wildly on the keyboard.

"What's the situation, Bloom?" the man asks gruffly.

"I don't know! The relic turned on somehow and it appears to be some kind of portal!" Doctor Bloom replies, still tapping on keys.

"Turn these damn—!" the man shouts and the alarms shut off. "Thank you," he sighs and rubs his temples.

The portal begins to expand and glow white. All the lights and computers turn off. Everyone watches and waits with baited breath the portal. The portal disappears in a blinding light. Then, someone jumps out of the portal and rolls to their feet. A second person jumps out of the white ball that the portal turns into, then a third and fourth!

Everyone stays silent.