Elements of Heroism: Season 3

by Bahamut0

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, Alternate Universe, Human, Main 6, Nightmare Moon, Drama, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Adventure, Sex
Length: 35091

Burst's life is pretty good. He's got a literal goddess for a girlfriend, and tons of great friends. However, a face from his father's past has now dawned. For now, another son of Aether has arrived.

Ever since his first fight, Burst's been faced with some of the deadliest villains Equestria has to offer. However, he didn't expect the first one he fought to return. Things take another strange turn when some guy shows up at his old home in Canterlot claiming to be his brother. One thing is certain though. Burst's life is going to get a lot more interesting.

Note: Any gore in this story will be from fights, and will be mostly minor. Nothing too bloody. Sex refers to moments of intimacy and situations.

Published 2017-07-15 00:50:06 UTC
Last updated 2017-07-28 00:31:17 UTC

Prologue

Burst Stream rustled in the sheets of his bed. Ever since he'd started dating Celestia, she'd become a key part of most of his dreams. However, his dreams of her had become more intimate as of late. In particular, this night's dream. Luna noticed, and decided to connect his dreams with Celestia's. Fortunately, Luna made the dream lucid for the two of them. Burst soon found himself in Celestia's chambers. "Okay...this is new." Burst then saw a surprised Celestia enter the room. "But...not unwelcome." Burst took a moment to take in Celestia's figure. The night gown she wore hugged her curves, as well as her ample endowments. "So...I guess you weren't expecting me?"

Celestia slowly smiled. "Actually, I was hoping for some company. Who better to snuggle up against than my Dragon Knight?" She then noted Burst eyeing her body. "You know, I could just tell you my measurements. Take all the torment out of guessing."

"I could care less about your body. Your heart's all I need to know about." Burst said with a smile and a light blush as he noticed Celestia climbing into the bed as he slowly removed his coat. "But...it couldn't hurt to get more familiar during a little bit of alone time." Both Burst and Celestia smiled lovingly as they began to caress each other's bodies and ignited a passionate make-out session. The room growing hot with passion. Both of them were moaning in each other's embrace as their lips locked. They soon broke their kissing to catch their breath. "Also, I can't just pick one part of you to love. That hourglass figure, shapely legs, lovely magenta eyes, hair that looks like a rainbow of light, and your voice is pretty lovely too."

Celestia giggled as she wrapped her wings around Burst. "You forgot to mention my ample bust." Burst blushed at how casually Celestia made that remark. "No need to feel any shame about staring Burst. I'm literally a goddess. It's only natural I've got the body to match. However, there is one thing I can name about you that I adore."

"And that is?" Burst asked.

Celestia leaned into Burst's ear and whispered into it. "Your smile. It's always so warm and loving." Celestia sighed as she tightened her embrace around Burst and pulled him tighter. Pressing herself against him. "It always makes me feel so warm. Maybe I should have you move into the castle. I certainly wouldn't mind holding you close like this. You make such a good pillow if our past sharing of beds is any indication."

"I don't think I'd ever want to leave if that's an option." Burst said with a loving smile as he engaged with another kiss with Celestia. However, it was soon interrupted by Luna dragging the dreams apart because Celestia had to raise the sun. As both Burst and Celestia were jolted awake, they had the same thought on their minds.

"Right at the best part!" They both thought with disappointed sighs.

Episode 2: Return of the Crystal Empire Part 2

All of the Crystal Empire stood still in horror. Rabia, Leader of the Umbrum, was standing right before them. All one needed to do was picture a female version of Sombra, and much older looking. A wicked sneer was on her face as she gazed down at her son Sombra. Who she had just impaled. "It looks like missed. No matter." Rabia flicked her wrist, and Radiant Hope was trapped within a jagged prison of null crystals to prevent her from using her magic. "Much better. I shall tend to you later. But first, I'd like to chat with my son."

"Mother...why?" Sombra wheezed as he tried to keep himself together. Literally and figuratively. Rabia had impaled him with a jagged crystal while he was half-way between physical and shadow form. Needless to say, he was in excruciating pain. "I...I'm your child..."

Rabia sneered once again. "I may have bore you, but I don't recognize you as my blood. You could have been of greater use to me if you'd killed Princess Amore. But your heart is so pitifully soft. You are not Umbrum, nor are you human. An outcast on both sides." Rabia got right in Sombra's face. "All you are is a tool. One that has failed me and my people. But worry not. You shall not meet your fate alone." Rabia turned to Radiant Hope and gave her a wicked smile. "Once I am finished with you, I think I'll have a word with the little witch who's ruined my darling son. But first..." Rabia snapped her fingers. Back in Radiant Hope's stasis chamber, the remaining crystal shattered! The Umbrum started to surge forth from the hole in their prison! In only moments they were flying around the empire! Rabia then returned her attention to Sombra. "Farewell. Son." She spat as she readied a blast of magic that would vaporize Sombra at point blank! Only to be sent reeling to the ground by a blast of green magic! Chrysalis stood with her hand smoking from the blast she'd unleashed. Her body was trembling, but not with fear.

"You..." Chrysalis growled. "How dare you call yourself his mother! You never bothered to see him! Where were you when he needed comfort from those who hurt him?!" Chrysalis kept hurling blast after blast at Rabia! Her eyes seething with fury! "Where were you when he needed someone to raise him?! What kind of sick monster does that to their own spawn?!" Chrysalis was soon pinned down by a gigantic shadow claw!

"One who does whatever they please." Rabia answered as she slowly stood. With her concentration broken, the crystals she'd used to impale Sombra and imprison Radiant Hope dematerialized. Hope stood over Sombra with tears in her eyes.

"Stay with me Sombra!" Hope pleaded. "I just got you back! I can't lose you so soon!"

As Sombra lay wounded, a small stream of blood trickling from his wound, his thoughts reflected upon all he'd wrought. His eyes starting to close as his life began to slip away. "So. This is where it all leads to. I spend my life searching for my family, and they betray me. And my only friend, the one who wished to help me, who caused me so much pain, is the only one who actually stayed by my side. Ironic. That the one who hurt me so much proved to be my dearest friend to my bitter end. I guess it all ends in the same way I was born. Alone"

"Sombra." A new voice called out. "Do you hear me? Do you remember my voice?

Sombra's eyes widened. "It isn't possible. I shattered you. Your body is scattered everywhere."

"Though my body is separated, my spirit remains whole." Sombra gazed in awe as the spirit of Princess Amore materialized within his mind. "It has been so long since I last spoke to you. It does my spirit good to see you once again."

Tears welled up inside Sombra. "Why? What reason do you have to be happy to see me of all people?! I shattered you! Took over the Crystal Empire! Made it disappear for a thousand years! All for the sake of my blood family! Only for them to betray me in the end!" The former tyrant then broke down into a crying fit. "You were right. That stupid vision! It only showed what could be! And now I'm going to die alone! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry...

Princess Amore's spirit smiled kindly, and wrapped Sombra tightly in a hug. "I know you are Sombra. But you've spent so long searching for what you already had. The family, the belonging you've yearned for has always been right beside you. She slept for a thousand years just to see you again." Sombra's eyes widened at the sudden revelation. "Blood is fickle. Just because one shares the same blood does not mean they share the same intentions as you. True family is bound by souls. The soul will never betray you. But I have more words I should have said to you while I was still among the living." Princess Amore's spirit tightened her embrace around Sombra. "I love you Sombra. My Son. Now. Wake up and live. For my sake, and for Hope's."

Sombra's eyes snapped open and he slowly got to his feet. Rabia was slowly crushing Chrysalis with her shadow claw! Until a pillar of onyx knocked her away! Sombra stood with a red aura around his hand. His wound had healed, and a cross expression was on his face. "Consider that my disownment."

Rabia snarled as she crawled out of the crater her impact left. "So. You would side with the very same people who showed you fear and hatred?"

"They can hate and fear me all they want. I don't care anymore." Sombra shot a glance to Radiant Hope. "So long as I've got one person who I can call my family, I know I'll be fine."

Rabia sneered. "How touching. However, you're sorely outnumbered! KILL HIM!" A swarm of Umbrum rushed at Sombra, but they were blown away with a charge shot from a blaster! Once the smoke cleared, Sombra saw Burst with his one of his Twin Burst blaster pistols drawn!

"Maybe. But you're severely outclassed." Burst said with a smirk as the other Elements of Heroism sprang into action! "HEROES TO THE CORE!" Burst started blasting Umbrum left and right! Each one instantly vaporized by shots from his blasters! One Umbrum tried to sneak behind Burst, but Burst swung his sword and the being of fear and shadow was sliced clean in half! And soon disintegrated thanks to the Duelist Arms destroying only evil entities! "Let's show these shadow puppets we're not scared!"

Inferno kept hacking away at any Umbrum that were in his path, or trying to slash at him with their claws! Inferno promptly shot the closest one with his Blackfire blaster pistol. "Looks like you guys lack substance." Inferno noted as the Umbrum he'd blasted dissolved into nothing. "Guys! They've got numbers, but they're not packing much in strength! Keep on mowing them down!"

"Gladly!" Tyrannus said as he used his Veloci Claw Gauntlets to slash through a squad of Umbrum that had surrounded him! Where many Umbrum once stood, there was nothing left of them. Tyrannus then noticed a swarm of Umbrum surging toward him. In response, he calmly drew his Tyranno Magnum blaster and held the trigger to charge a shot. The unleashed charge shot decimated the entire swarm instantly! "How're things on your end Fang?"

"I'm goin' wild!" Fang hollered as he reaved his way through the Umbrum like tissue paper! "These guys have good bark, but lousy bite!" Fang then fired the claws of his Destiny Reaver gauntlet, and pierced an Umbrum nearby before using it to whack all the other Umbrum in the area! Dissolving once the Umbrum that Fang was facing down were destroyed. "Unfortunately for them, I'm packing in both!' An single Umbrum tried to strike at Fang, but Venus destroyed it with a single lash of his whip! "Hey! I knew he was coming! I could literally smell him!"

Venus chuckled. "I know. But I couldn't let him interrupt your celebration."

"Well played." Fang said with an amused nod. "Now back to kicking Umbrum butt!" At the same time, Ace and Shadow were fighting off Umbrum that had encircled them.

"Uh, Ace?" Shadow asked as he cut down enemy after enemy. "Where did Ice go?"

Ace grunted as he bashed an Umbrum with his shield! "I lost track of him when the Umbrum started swarming us! But he'd packing a claymore. Something tells me he'll be fine!" In the meantime, Indigo Zap was getting sick of running, and broke off a large piece of crystal. She charged at an Umbrum, and whacked it! However, the attack did little more than annoy the beast! It was about to slash at Indigo, and she braced for the worst! But the attack never came. Indigo Zap opened her eyes to see the Umbrum split down the middle, and dissolve as it fell to the floor. Ice stood with his claymore where the Umbrum once stood.

"Miss me?" Ice asked with a smirk.

Indigo Zap blinked. "In this mess? You're a sight for sore eyes. I gotta find my friends!"

"Get behind me." Ice said with a nod. Once Indigo was behind him, Ice smirked at the flurry of Umbrum headed his way. "Things are gonna get messy real fast." Ice hacked down all the Umbrum in his path! He spared them no mercy as he carved a path through their numbers. "It's like fighting a bunch of living ink blots." Ice noted as each Umbrum dissolved into nothing after being cut down. He soon found Indigo's friends, but also noted the Umbrum circling them. "Well, well. Looks like you lot are gluttons for punishment." Ice slammed his claymore into the ground! "COME ON! GET SOME!!" And with that, Ice's oncoming foes met their end.

Meanwhile, Chrysalis was holding off as many Umbrum as she could. However, since they were beings of fear and hate, their mere presence weakened Chrysalis. However, she didn't expect Shining Armor to jump in with a shield spell to block any blows directed at her! "You alright?" Shining Armor asked. Chrysalis nodded. "Good. Sit tight. They're mine. Time to get me some action! Can't let Burst and the guys have all the fun!" Shining Armor charged at the Umbrum! Cutting down any that tried to come at Chrysalis! All the while, Chrysalis couldn't help but blush at Shining Armor coming to her aid, as well as realizing the connection to his name. At the same time, Burst had made his way to Sombra to assist him in his fight against Rabia! Twilight pulled the Crystal Heart out of her bad, and Rabia instantly locked onto it!

"The Heart!" Rabia screamed as her shadowy form slithered over to Twilight! Summoning a cage of dark crystal trapped Twilight!

Twilight looked around frantically, and spotted Spike! "SPIKE! CATCH!" Twilight hurled the Crystal Heart over her prison, and Spike caught it! "Run for it! Head to the pedestal at the center of the empire! GO! NOW!" Spike took off sprinting! Carrying the Crystal Heart in his hands! Rabia snarled, and pushed Sombra and Burst away with a jet of shadow as she slithered across the ground in shadow form! That is, until she was met with a wall of onyx crystal! Sombra was standing once again. However, his eyes were green instead of red and his curved horn started to crack. And instead of the poison-purple smoke coming from his eyes, a more royal shade of purple was leaking out.

"I will not be denied my reign!" Rabia hissed at Sombra! She snapped her fingers, and a squadron of Umbrum set after Spike! Burst flew after them leaving Sombra to deal with Rabia!

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Sombra growled as he made a broadsword out of the onyx pillar beside him. His curved red horn shattering in the process. "I've lived as a monster. So if I fall here, I die as a man!" Sombra charged at Rabia! Using his sword to block any shadow tendrils that tried to rip into him! All the while sneaking glances at Burst guarding Spike all the way to the Crystal Heart's pedestal.

Rabia scowled as their clash went on! "Fool! Do you really believe you can win against me?! I made you. And now, I'll unmake you just as easily!" Sombra raised his onyx broadsword to block the incoming strike, but the force of the blow shattered it! Rabia then grabbed Sombra by the throat and gazed hatefully into his eyes. However, she was disturbed by the low chuckle coming from Sombra. "What's so amusing?"

"I never expected to win." Sombra said with a weak smirk. "I just had to distract you long enough so you wouldn't pay attention. You're already beaten."

Rabia turned around, and froze in horror as Spike placed the Crystal Heart back in the pedestal! The Crystal-Sapiens' hope ignited, and the channeled all their hope and love into the Crystal Heart! "NOOOOO!" Rabia screamed as she and the remaining Umbrum were sucked back into their prison! However, she used her shadow powers to snatch Sombra! "If we go, you go with us!" However, she no longer felt part of her arm! Burst Stream has severed it, and it fell to the floor! Dissipating into nothing! "On second thought, you're the bigger nuisance!" Rabia summoned a shadow tendril, and snatched Burst with it! Burst was sucked into the Shadow Prison, and an image was soon projected from the Crystal Heart. When Burst came to, he found himself surrounded by the remaining Umbrum. Rabia gazed spitefully at him. "You could have avoided this fate. All you had to do was let me leave with the traitor so I could dispose of him. What's the life of one person to that of an entire empire."

"You'll never stop at one." Burst said as he drew his Duelist Arms! "I'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON!" Burst charged at the Umbrum! Slashing and shooting down any in his way, and any that came at him! His friends looked in with both shock and awe. Never before had they seen Burst fight with such force before! Then it hit them. Burst was cutting loose. Dozens upon dozens of Umbrum fell to Burst's blasters and blade! However, Rabia was not a fair fighter. She slithered around in shadow form, and slashed Burst across the back! "AGH!" Burst fell to one knee, and found himself being swarmed by the Umbrum! Though he managed to fight them off, he did not escape unscathed! Burst was covered in scratch marks from where the Umbrum had cut him with their claws. But he wouldn't give in! However, he couldn't keep fighting forever. Being swarmed and fighting since the Umbrum escaped had started to take its toll. A factor which Rabia gladly exploited as she back-handed Burst into a wall of Umbrum that pushed him back into the fray!

As she watched the scene unfold, Twilight got an idea! "Everyone! Channel your hope to Burst Stream!" Twilight clasped her hands together in a prayer-like position. "You can't give up now Burst! You've faced down Equestria's worst! Nightmare Moon! Discord! Heart Eater! Every time you've been faced with a challenge, you always come out the winner! I believe in you! We all do! And I know you won't let us down!" Soon, everyone put their hands on their hearts as brilliant white lights shot out from their cores! In the shadow prison, Burst heard Twilight's cry. And soon, he felt something more. Hundreds of tiny white lights soon surrounded him, and voices from everyone seemed to be coming from them.

Burst was about to fall to his knees, but stopped himself! He lifted his head, and a small smile graced his lips. "Everyone...thanks for believing in me. I won't let you down. I'll be the hope..." The hundreds of lights soon gathered around Burst and covered him in a shining white aura of energy! "...THAT LIGHTS OUR DARKEST HOUR!" A pillar of brilliant blue-white light shot up around Burst! When the light faded, Burst stood in an armor similar to Chaos Form! However, this armor had a more sleek and metallic look to it. A blue orb was at the center of the armor, and it was white-silver in color!

Armor is based on this: http://alanmac95.deviantart.com/art/Neo-Blue-Eyes-Shining-Dragon-Render-637193847

"KILL HIM!" Rabia screamed! The Umbrum began to swarm Burst Stream, but he vaporized them with a field of energy generated from his armor! "I swear I'll extinguish you! YOU AND THAT ACCURSED LIGHT OF HOPE!"

Burst narrowed his eyes under his helmet. "The darker you make things, the brighter my light shines!" In response, a shining aura flared around Burst! Burst then fired beams of magic fueled by hope at the Umbrum! Instantly incinerating any unfortunate enough to get caught in his line of fire! The Umbrum had the advantage in numbers, but Burst held the edge in sheer power! "And right now, I'd say things are starting to lighten up." Burst then fired s gigantic stream of magic that sent Rabia reeling into a wall of her fellow Umbrum!

"You think you can keep this up?!" Rabia snarled as she stood once again! "Sooner or later, you will tire! And then I shall personally extinguish your life!" Rabia was about to hurl a blast of magic, but was shocked when Burst latched onto her! "What are you doing?!?!"

"Taking you all down at once!" Burst shot back as he gathered all the hope, love and joy that was coursing through him! Beams of light shot out from his armor! One piercing Rabia right through her core! "HERE I GO! SHINING HOPE NOVA!" An explosion of light stormed forth from Burst! The Umbrum screamed in agony as the light burned them to nothing! Rabia's cry was silent as the light burned her up completely! When the light faded, Burst's armor dissolved and he floated in the center of the prison with an exhausted smile. "I did it..." His senses soon snapped back into action when the spirit of Princess Amore appeared before him.

"Well done young hero." Amore said with a gentle smile. "You have done what most would consider impossible. You have aided my kingdom greatly. And now I shall repay that kindness by returning you to where you are needed. There is another who is waiting for you. One you are quite familiar with."

Burst was confused by Princess Amore's words, but didn't have time to ask any questions as he was wrapped in a sphere of blue light and rocketed towards a newly opened portal! The portal launched him out of the Crystal Heart, and the sphere flew him away from the Crystal Empire! His friends were concerned, but knew he wouldn't want them to worry. However, celebrating didn't feel the same without Burst there with them. At the same time, Burst found himself flying over Equestria! He soon found himself over the Everfree Forest, and the sphere was beginning to slow down as it seemed to be closing-in on its destination. However, Burst had no time to take it in as the sphere crashed into wherever he was supposed to land! Burst's vision was blurry as he looked to see where he'd crashed. What he saw brought back memories from his first major fight. 'This looks like the Castle of the Two Sisters. But...it looks like someone's been busy.' Burst fought to stay conscious when he heard what sounded like footsteps. 'Is...someone here?' As Burst started to lose consciousness, he caught one sight of one object. A single black feather falling from above was all he say before he fell into an unconscious state.

Episode 3: Nightmare's Return

Burst Stream groaned as he woke up. He took a moment to take in his surroundings. He was in a room, and he noticed that he'd been bandaged up. "The impact when I landed must've banged me up a bit. But who brought me to this room and patched me up?" Burst's memories after being launched out of the crystal heart were fuzzy at best. "I remember seeing the Castle of the Two Sisters as I started to slow down and land. So chances are, that's where I am. But who fixed me up? Not to mention the castle." Burst saw his coat and Duelist Arms waiting on a nearby table. "Time to find out." Burst slipped on his coat, and holstered his weapons. He winced as he did so. "Still smarts a little..." Burst opened the door to his room, and began to explore the halls of the ruined castle. As he journeyed, he heard someone singing. "It looks like I'm not alone." Burst decided to follow the source of the singing, and soon found himself in the throne room. Only to find nothing. "Weird." Burst froze when he heard a soft chuckle circle him.

"Here I was thinking I'd have to go to you. And lo and behold, you've come to me." A smooth, female voice called out from the darkness.

Burst narrowed his eyes, and kept his hands near his Duelist Arms. "Who or what are you? Show yourself!"

The voice seemed saddened by Burst's response. "You really don't remember me? I haven't forgotten our first meeting in the slightest. Of course, it would probably help that I give you a hint. 'The night shall last forever.'

Burst didn't need any further hints as he spun around and found himself face-to-face with Nightmare Moon! "It won't! And neither will you!" Burst quickly drew one of his blasters, and fired a charge shot point blank at Nightmare Moon! But when the smoke from the blast cleared, she hadn't been damaged at all! "What?!" Burst reached for his sword, but winced in pain from the injuries he hadn't fully healed from! "Agh!" Burst fell to one knee and clutched his side. He was about to try standing again when he locked eyes with Nightmare Moon. Burst was prepared to fight back, but he was utterly surprised at what the former Woman in the Moon did next.

"You really shouldn't be moving around so much after your rough landing." Nightmare Moon said with a concerned tone. Burst was shocked. First his Duelist Arms didn't do any damage, and now Nightmare Moon looked worried for him? Burst was about to ask why she was acting this way before he was hit with a sleeping spell. Nightmare Moon hoisted Burst onto her shoulder, and carried him. "Rest well Burst Stream. You'll reawaken soon enough."

About an hour later, Burst opened his eyes once again. Groaning in discomfort as he fully awoke. "Urrgh. Man. What a weird dream I-" Burst froze when he saw his coat and Duelist Arms on a nearby table. He then looked at his chest and saw the bandages. "Not a dream. DEFINITELY not a dream!" Burst tried to jump out of bed, but the pain in his side kept him from moving too fast. "Great. Injured and stuck with the avatar that tried to bring about eternal night. With my weapons being unable to do any damage to her." Burst then got to thinking out loud. "Wait. The Duelist Arms only do damage to evil beings. Even powerful defensive magic can't shield evil from their power. But still...how is Nightmare Moon even alive? She's just supposed Luna's dark side. Right?" Burst was startled for a moment when he heard footsteps. He then noticed the doorknob slowly turn. "Well, I guess I'll have my answers soon enough."

Nightmare Moon entered Burst's room still clad in her fearsome armor. However, Burst's attention was directed to the pleasant smile on her face. A sight Burst didn't think was even possible. "Looks like someone's feeling better." She greeted.

"You know? I'm surprised you're not upset that I shot you earlier." Burst noted. "But given how it didn't do any damage to you, I've got no reason to try and fight you. That and my condition doesn't leave me that good of a shape for fighting."

Nightmare Moon was slightly put-off by how quickly Burst had adapted to the situation, but accepted it all the same. "Well make no mistake. I still felt the blast strike me. Still, I was expecting a lot worse than merely feeling the damage."

"That's because the Duelist Arms can only harm evil entities." Burst explained. "They can't harm good or innocent souls. So if you're not hurt from that shot earlier, maybe there's more to you than meets the eye. But what I don't understand is how you're alive. If the Elements of Harmony didn't kill you, then what did they do?"

Nightmare Moon giggled. "Burst. When has it ever been said that the Elements of Harmony have destroyed anything? They can purify, seal, or imprison. But they can't kill. Don't get me wrong. Tanking a rainbow made from the magic of friendship hurts. A lot." A sad look soon appeared in Nightmare Moon's eyes. "But the pain was even worse because I was separated from Luna. And how the elements opened my eyes to how much I had hurt her." Nightmare Moon then held herself. "The one thing I swore I'd never do to her..."

"You said you were separated from Luna." Burst noted. "Aren't you just her darker desires brought to the surface and given form? The old story says that Luna turned into you."

Nightmare Moon's face had a hurt look on it. "Is that all everyone thinks I am?" A heavy sigh escaped her lungs. "I guess I really can't blame them though. Luna's negative thoughts and feelings did heavily influence me when she made me."

"Made you?" Burst asked.

"Yes. Made me." Nightmare said with a nod. "It was a little over a thousand years ago. Luna was extremely lonely since everyone loved Celestia so much. Luna was neglected, and wanted someone to keep her company. Someone who loved the night as much as she did. So, she set to work using her magic to create a best friend for herself. However, she was angry and jealous of Celestia as she made the being. And the negative thoughts flowed into the entity as soon as she was almost done creating her. But then, Celesita showed up to check on Luna. Luna cut off the magic, and told her that everything was fine. However, the negative feelings finsihed what Luna's magic began. And thus, the entity made itself known to Luna one fateful day. But, her intelligence wasn't anymore than an infant's. She wanted to make Luna happy. To have everyone love the night as much as Luna did. And there was only one way she knew how." Nightmare then looked sadly at Burst. "I think you know who that entity became, and what happened next in the story."

Burst cast a knowing gaze at Nightmare Moon, and looked down at the floor in shame. "...I'm sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry for?" Nightmare Moon asked.

"The old story's much sadder than I thought." Burst said sadly. "All you wanted to do was make Luna happy. But for all your good intentions, all it landed you was getting called a monster and exiled for a thousand years." Burst looked at the ground in shame.

Nightmare lifted Burst's head by the chin as she cupped his face. A small smile graced her face. "There's no need to feel sorry for me Burst. I regret what my actions caused, but not to where they've led. Luna's happy now, and everyone is starting to love her and her night. And you helped make all this possible." She then pulled Burst into a tight hug. "When you stood against me at the Summer Sun Celebration, you told everyone how Luna came to fuse with me. You were the first one to speak to me as a person. You gave Luna's story a happy ending. You were willing to give your life just so Luna could return home. Seeing you do that made me so happy."

Burst blushed. "Nightmare Moon..."

"You look so adorable when you're blushing." Nightmare Moon said with a giggle. "But I don't like being called Nightmare. Would...you call me Moon, please?"

Burst smiled. "Sure thing...Moon."

Moon smiled. "Thank you. But we better go to sleep if we want to accelerate your recovery."

"Wait. We're sharing a bed?" Burst asked in shock.

Moon giggled. "I might have fixed up this old place, but I haven't fixed everything yet. Besides, the recovery spell works faster with close contact. You and Celestia have shared a bed if I'm not mistaken."

"How...how did you know that?!" Burst demanded.

"I saw your dreams during Hearth's Warming." Moon replied. "And I was also that cool wind you felt on Nightmare Night."

Burst let out a sigh. "Well...I guess there's no getting around this. I do wanna get better faster." Burst climbed into bed, and Moon followed suit. He soon felt himself being pulled into Moon's embrace. Burst opened his eyes to look at Moon, and nearly jumped out of bed!

Moon pouted as she sat up. "What's with you? I thought you wanted to heal faster."

"Moon! Y-You're naked!" Burst shouted!

Moon looked herself over and smiled. "You didn't think I was going to sleep in all that armor did you?" A sultry smirk then slipped across her face as she caressed her body. "Besides, I've got you to keep me warm. And my body and Celestia's are quite similar. You could take the chance to get more...familiar."

Burst was blushing uncontrollably as he found himself climbing back into the bed. "Just...don't try anything while I'm sleeping." However, Burst's pillow was hard no matter how hard he tried fluffing it.

"Let me help you with that." Moon said with a giggle as she turned Burst toward herself and rested his head upon her chest. "Is this any better?"

Burst's face flushed red for a moment, but he soon calmed down as he felt how soft Moon was. "Y-Yeah. I didn't expect you to be so soft." Burst soon closed his eyes. "Good night Moon."

"Sweet dreams. My Precious Light." Moon said as she slowly wrapped her wings around Burst and they soon fell into slumber. Burst slept soundly, but stirred slightly when he heard felt something brush against his face. He opened his eyes to find Moon snuggling against him. A low purr escaped her lips as she did so, and a blissful smile graced her face.

'How about that? Nightmare Moon looks cute when sleeping.' Burst thought as sleep soon overtook him again. 'Maybe this nightmare...isn't such a bad thing after all...' As Burst slumbered, Moon had just finished doing a sweep of the dream realm taking care to mask her presence from Luna. Upon her return to Burst, she gazed upon his dreams. In them, Burst was worrying about all his friends and what they were going to do if they couldn't find him. Moon had also seen their dreams. All of them missed Burst dearly, and were concerned for his welfare. Moon then linked the dreams of the Elements of Heroism and Elements of Harmony. Giving them a shared dream of Burst in the Castle of the Two Sisters. Moon soon awakened, and got out of bed.

"Dreams will only do so much." Moon said as her hands glowed with the dark blue aura of her magic. She made a series of invitations. One for each of Burst's friends. The envelopes were black, and their seal was her cutie mark. Moon took a moment to admire her handiwork before she sent the invites flying off to the homes of both sets of elements. "Now all I need to do is wait." Moon returned to bed and smiled down at Burst's sleeping form. She planted a small kiss, and quickly returned to her own slumber. Happily nuzzling against Burst as she did so. 'Until then, I'm not letting you go My Precious Light.

Episode 4: Confrontation

Both the Elements of Heroism and Elements of Harmony awoke the next morning. All of them had one thing on their minds. They all had the exact same dream about Burst last night. And they'd all received black envelopes. "So we all had the same dream, right?" Inferno asked. "Burst being in the princesses' old castle."

Twilight nodded. "Yeah. All of us had the exact same dream. And then there's these envelopes. They're what worries me." Twilight picked up the envelope. It was black, and had a seal all to familiar. "Time to find out just what's in these things." Twilight opened the envelope, and read the paper inside. "To the Elements of Harmony and Elements of Heroism. You will be pleased to know that Burst Stream is alive and well. Currently, he is in my care in the Castle of the Two Sisters. He eagerly awaits to see you. As do I. Sincerely..." Twilight screamed at the top of her lungs when she read who had written the letter. "NIGHTMARE MOON?!?!?!?!" Everyone instantly flipped out when they heard who had sent the letters. "But...but how?! Princess Luna was purified by the Elements of Harmony! Nightmare Moon shouldn't exist! All the same, we've gotta get Burst back!" The group summoned their weapons. "But first, we're going to need some serious backup." Twilight got a scroll ready and began to write. In a flash of magic she sent the letter. A few seconds later Princess Celestia stood before the entire group.

"Where. Is. She?" Celestia asked coldly as she looked to Twilight.

Twilight hadn't seen Celestia look so angry before! "She's residing in you and Princess Luna's old castle. Also.." Twilight looked at the letter once again. "P.S. Bring both princesses. I have much I'd like to discuss with them."

"Trust me." Celestia said as she summoned her Celestial Arms. "Luna and I have more than a few words for her. Tonight, the nightmare ends. I'll wait until Luna's awake. If Nightmare Moon's returned, we'll need all the might we can gather." Night soon fell, and the group made their way to the Castle of the Two Sisters. Any monsters they met along the way were easily dealt with. But when they came to the ruins, they were greeted with a sight they weren't expecting. Most surprised by the vision before them were Celestia and Luna. "It can't be..." Celestia was gazing upon her old home. But instead of the ruins wrought by her battle with Nightmare Moon, the castle stood in its original glory. Luna snapped her sister out of her dazed state. "Right. We're here for Burst. And none of us are leaving without him." The group marched into the castle, but came to halt when they heard footsteps heading in their direction. All of them readied their weapons. However, the figure advancing toward them was far from hostile.

"Hey everyone!" Burst Stream greeted with a smile. "Took you long enough to get here." All of Burst's friendsgave cheers of joy and sighs of relief. Burst was about to move when he almost got tackled by Celestia pulling him into an embrace. "Whoa! Easy there Celestia! I'm still a little sore from my wounds!"

Celestia loosened her hold on Burst, but pulled him closer to her. "Oh Burst..." The ruler of Equestria let out a heavy, relieved sigh as she embraced her beloved. "Don't worry me like that ever again." Celestia then gripped Burst by the shoulders. "I swear if Nightmare Moon's hurt your or done anything I'll-"

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Burst exclaimed as he held Celestia's hands. "She didn't do anything to me. In fact, she helped patch me up. You all did get her letters right? She sent them to you all so you could pick me up. Oh. And she prefers to be called Moon." Needless to say, Burst's friends were shocked at Burst's response. Luna and Celestia however, were another story entirely.

"As if." Luna said with a scoff, and her wings flared out in anger. "Most likely, she's planned on imprisoning me and Celestia and sealing away your friends. And chances are she's using you! And call her what she is! A nightmare!"

Celestia put a hand on Luna's shoulder. "Calm yourself Luna." Celestia took a deep breath as Luna let out a groan. "You're unharmed Burst. And furthermore, Nightmare Moon has no interest in fighting as her letter suggests. But should this prove to be a trap..." Luna opened a case, and the Elements of Harmony were revealed. "We've come prepared. Now. Where is our host?"

"In the throne room." Burst answered. "She's been waiting for you." Burst led the group to the throne room, and let them inside. As they entered, they caught sight of Nightmare Moon. She was clad in her armor and gazing out through a window at the night sky. A peaceful look on her face as she stared at the evening heavens.

"A beautiful night. Isn't it?" Moon asked as she turned her attention to the group. "I see you all got my letters. To be honest, I didn't think any of you would actually come here."

Celestia stepped forth with a stern gaze. "You have my thanks that Burst is unharmed. But I have one question: How are you here?"

"Fair enough. But let me ask you a question in return." Moon retorted. "What do you think I am in relation to Luna?"

Celestia's calm held as she answered. "You're the worst of Luna. Her inner darkness given form and life." Celestia steeled her gaze. "A monster that took her away from me for a-"

Moon slammed her fist on the arm of the throne she was sitting upon. However, her face held no rage. All the same, a scowl dawned on her face. "Don't you DARE pin all of the blame on me Celestia." Moon got up, and stared Celestia directly in the eye. "Has your own light blinded you this much? Or have you simply forgotten since Luna was returned home? It was YOUR ignorance and neglect that made Luna feel isolated. All that attention you received while she was ignored and cast aside! It's your fault that I was made!"

"ENOUGH!" Luna shouted. "I won't have you assault my sister with your twisted views! I never made you! I became you! But you're not me!"

Moon flared her wings. "You're right. I'm not you." Luna was shocked at Moon's statement. "But you're wrong. You DID make me. Remember that project you made so long ago? About making a best friend for yourself through magic?"

"A foolish endeavor." Luna said with a scoff. "One that I made in a fit of frustration. One that I also aborted promptly when Celestia came to check on me. But only a few years later, I began to hear..." Luna froze with realization. "...your voice in my head." Luna backpedalled. "No..you can't mean...that being became..."

Moon nodded. A pained look in her eyes. "Yes Luna. I'm the same friend you tried to make those many years ago. You were so angry and jealous of Celestia that you wanted a friend who could give you the time you never could. To love the night just as much as you did." Moon seated herself on the throne again. "But what you didn't know is that where your magic failed to finish the process, your negative emotions more than compensated for the final stages. All that rage I had, all that jealousy came from you." Both sets of elements were in shock at hearing Moon's true origins. Save for Burst. "But when I was fully formed, I found myself inside your shadow. I was guided by the only purpose you gave me. To make you happy. I was the equivalent of an infant at the time, and your negative emotions heavily influenced me to find a way to carry out my purpose. I figured if Celestia didn't raise the sun anymore, then the day would never come. People would have to pay more attention to you. Everyone would love your night because you'd be the only princess. I swore I'd never do anything to hurt you." Moon hung her head in shame. "But in the end, I'm the one that caused you the most pain. I couldn't face you during our imprisonment, but I was still filled with the jealousy and anger you had when you first created me." Moon let out a sigh. "The fact is, none of us are innocent. We all hurt each other. But now?" Moon looked to the Elements of Harmony and Burst Stream. A small smile graced her face. "Now things have been made right."

Both of the royal sisters were stunned at this revelation. All this time, they'd thought Moon was little more than a darker side to Luna. And now? Now they knew that she was her own being. And they were filled with guilt. "So...how are you here now?" Celestia asked.

"I never did answer that, did I?" Moon asked with a small smile. "Getting hit with friendship magic hurts. A lot. But the pain is a part of the healing process. The Elements of Harmony can purify or imprison, but they can't kill. They opened my eyes to how much pain I caused, and I consciously let them separate me from Luna. However, the Elements of Harmony weren't done with me. I was little more than a pile of magical essence with a consciousness. However, I still had the ability to enter the dream world. Sometimes when Luna would finish her patrols, I'd inspect the dreams of those she visited. It was...the one place everyone was happy. Luna had gotten her happiness, so I figured I had to get a new purpose. And it was staring me right in the face. I think my proudest work was the dreams I crafted for the elements during Hearth's Warming. As well as that young changeling who Luna gave the vision of his true love to. And as I made people's dreams happy, I found myself becoming more complete. And after the events of the wedding, I stopped by Burst's dreams to give him my thanks. That night, I was made whole. And I also found something interesting in this old castle. In specific, Luna's old room." Moon reached out her arm, and summoned a broadsword. The blade looked like it was made from the night sky itself! "This weapon called to me. It's similar to your weapons and Luna's. I've named it Lunar Eclipse."

Luna stepped forward. "I was wondering why I no longer felt any connection to this Celestial Arm. Maybe it wasn't meant for me." Luna then inspected Moon. "Do you mind if I test something with this new body of yours?"

"Go ahead." Moon said with a shrug. Everyone was shocked when Luna unsheathed her katana, and struck Moon right in the heart! However, Moon didn't look fazed as she pulled the blade out! Not even a drop of blood spilled from her wound and a beam of midnight blue light shot out of it! Instantly, the wound healed. "That kind of stings you know."

Luna shrugged. "Don't be such a baby. You're immortal and ageless like me, Celestia, and Cadence now. It looks like the Elements of Harmony rebirthed you as an avatar." Luna then gulped. "One more thing I must ask. Do...you hate us?"

Moon blinked and let out a sigh. "Don't get me wrong. I was pretty upset all that time there on the moon. Upset that Celestia refused to admit the truth of that night. It filled me with more anger than I thought possible." Another sigh escaped her lungs. "But as I watched from our lunar prison, I found that I couldn't fault her. If she so much as showed any sign of weakness, she'd be torn apart by the nobles who desired to expand their power. She had to deal with leading an entire nation, and she had no one to confide in. She didn't have you." Moon's face saddened. "Seeing all that...really makes me regret all I've done."

"Nightma-...Er, Moon," Celestia said. "Did you call us here because you seek forgiveness?"

Moon smirked and stood up. "I regret my actions. But I don't seek forgiveness. Luna's happy, and that's all that matters. The rest of the world can go on hating me if it wants to. I don't care." Moon closed her eyes and slowly opened them. A confident smile was on full display. "I'll bear the sin if it means everyone else can keep on smiling."

"SO...AWESOME." Rainbow Dash said as she fainted.

Celestia managed a small smile as she returned her attention to Moon. "I suppose...I could 'reveal the truth' to the public. Have you make a grand entrance as I pardon you?"

"That would be nice." Moon said with a giggle. "I'll go along with your plan. But on one condition." Moon walked over to Burst. "I get to stay with him."

Burst blushed! "WHAT?! WHY ME?!"

"You're my first real friend." Moon said with a sweet smile. "And there's so much more I want to know about you."

Celestia frowned slightly. "I'll allow it."

"But can we get dinner first?" Luna asked. "I'm starving!" Everyone shared a laugh, and returned home. Eager to fill their stomachs.

Episode 5: Acceptance

Celestia took a peek over the iconic balcony on which she'd usually made important declarations or announcements. As per usual, a huge crowd had gathered on the ground below. All of them anticipating the words their beloved princess had to say. 'I just hope they don't think I'm crazy.' Celestia let out a sigh as she contemplated the uncertain outcome.

"Troubled sister?" Luna asked. "Our people love us." She then put a hand on her older sister's shoulder. "It will be difficult, but..." Luna looked to Moon sitting happily next to Burst. "...something tells me they'll come around to her soon enough."

Celestia took a deep breath. "I hope so." Memories of the last night were still racing through Celestia's mind. As well as the guilt she felt for harboring so much prejudice towards Moon. "Because I don't know what they'll have a harder time accepting. Us for forgiving Nightma-...Moon, or Moon herself for walking among them." Another sigh escaped the lungs of the sun princess. "But I suppose there's no use in delaying this moment. Let's go." Celestia and Luna stepped out onto the balcony, and addressed the crowd below. "Citizens of Equestria, hear me!" The entire crowd's ears were instantly trained on Celestia. "As you know, my dear sister Princess Luna was returned to me after being purged of Nightmare Moon. However, I learned of another truth of this matter from Luna herself. Luna did not transform into Nightmare Moon. Rather, she became one with Nightmare Moon. The avatar that tried to bring about eternal night was not my sister's dark side made physical, but another entity entirely." All of the crowd was in shock at the announcement. "But there is more. Nightmare Moon was an entity Luna created because of my neglect of her and my own ignorance of her isolation. But my sister's negative feelings heavily influenced the new being she created. Whose sole purpose was to make her happy, and was still incomplete. Lacking in intelligence and heavily driven by Luna's negative thoughts, she knew of only one way to make everyone love the night as Luna did. To make it eternal." Celestia saw looks of sympathy in the crowd, but she wasn't sure who the looks were for. "And upon her and Luna's return, she had great regret for her actions. However, it was buried under all the rage and envy. That is, until the Elements of Harmony separated and purged the dark intent from her. And now, here she stands." Celestia moved aside, and Moon stepped forth. "And so, Luna and I have pardoned her."

As moon looked over the crowd, she noted the mixed reactions on their faces. Some had uneasy smiles, others had confused looks, some had fearful expressions on their faces, and some. She had expected such an outcome. "Listen well." Moon said as she addressed the crowd. "I truly do regret my actions. However, none of you have to like me just because your princesses pardoned me. I didn't expect any of you to have any sympathy for me. And you don't need to. If you still hold me responsible, if you still want to blame me, go ahead. Just know that I don't care. Luna is happy now. That's all I care about." Moon looked over the shocked and awed looks of the crowd. "That's all for me. Peace out!" Moon smiled as she went back inside, and grabbed onto Burst. "So. Care to show me around your place?" As the group left on the train home, news travelled fast about Moon's true origins. And understandably, many of Equestria's citizens were uneasy about Moon being alive. Let alone living among them. However, the one fact that gave them comfort was that she was under watch by the very being who fought her off upon her return. As the ride went on though, Moon struck up a bit of a conversation with Rarity. "You've been eyeing my armor for quite some time. Rarity, right?"

"Indeed Miss Moon." Rarity said with a nod. "While I was certainly...uneasy about you living in Ponyville with us, I must nonetheless show some courtesy to you. I am a lady after all. As for your armor, I must say it certainly does have both style and function."

Moon let out a small chuckle. "Well, you'd be the first to say that."

"I've got a question." Twilight interjected. "You healed up Burst pretty fast. But even the most advanced healing spells I know of don't work that quickly."

Moon smirked. "I thought you were the smart one Twilight. You are the one who beat me when I returned. The effectiveness of healing spells amplifies with the more contact they have with their target. Burst healed so fast because I was snuggling with him the night that he crash landed in the old castle."

"I can't imagine snuggling against an armored avatar being all that comfy." Rainbow Dash said as she crossed her arms. "I know I haven't tried snuggling Steel with his Elite Guard armor on."

Steel chuckled at Rainbow Dash's remark. "And I never figured you as someone who enjoyed snuggling. But our time on the couch during Hearts Day would suggest otherwise."

"Excellent counter strike." Moon said with a giggle. "But who said I was wearing anything at all when I was holding Burst close?" All the girls' faces flushed red as they caught onto the meaning of Moon's phrasing. "I can see why Celestia had Burst stay with her on Hearths Warming. He makes such a lovely pillow."

Rarity was the first to find her voice. "Well...I certainly can't have you going about with only one outfit available to you. If you don't mind, I'd like to have a few outfits made for you."

Moon smiled kindly. "Sounds perfect. In fact, I'd like to get to know all of you this week."

"You sound mighty sociable for gettin' friendly with us." Applejack noted. "Especially since we hit ya with the Elements of Harmony when ya came back."

"Hey. I need to get other friends besides Burst, don't I?" Moon asked.

"Well if you're looking for the total package of awesomeness, I'm your girl!" Rainbow Dash boasted.

Moon giggled. "I like you already." The train soon arrived in Ponyville, and the group split up. Each of them heading for their respective homes. Moon noticed the stares she got as Burst led her to his home. "I think they feel a bit safer knowing you're standing guard over me."

"I hate that you see that in them, but I guess it's kind of true." Burst said with a shrug. "I've got an extra room for you, so that'll be where you sleep."

Moon frowned. "Does it bother you that much that we slept in the same bed?"

"What? No!" Burst shot back. "Well...kind of." Burst scratched his head. "Look. The only other person I've had contact that intimate with is Celestia. It's...not something I'm used to. Let alone doing it with someone who tried to kill me. But can I ask you why it bothers you that I don't want to share a bed?"

Moon held herself. "Luna was on the moon with me, but she couldn't stand to look at me. I felt alone during our entire imprisonment. Only able to take comfort in the fact it was just a matter of waiting until we returned." Moon then looked Burst right in the eye. "That night at the castle, when I was healing you, it felt so nice to hold onto someone. It made me so happy to know some form of togetherness. I...guess you could say I'm afraid of feeling alone again."

"Oh man..." Burst said with a sigh. "I guess...it'll be alright if we share my bed. BUT we're having Rarity make you some sleepwear first thing tomorrow." Burst was knocked to the ground as Moon pounced on him happily! Wrapping him in a tight hug. Still, Burst couldn't help but smile a bit as he saw the happy look on Moon's face. 'Well, it's not like she's trying to come onto me.' Burst set to work showing Moon how the various appliances in the house worked, as well as the entertainment devices he had lying around. He made a quick dinner, and the two headed off to bed after cleaning their dishes. However, Moon had decided to hold off on snuggling Burst this time around. 'Well, at least she's respecting the boundaries I have. Though...she is really nice to hold on to.' Burst snapped the latter part of his thought out of his mind, and quickly went to sleep. The next day, Burst took Moon to Carousel Boutique to have Rarity get some more clothes for her.

Needless to say, Rarity was in awe of Moon's figure. Fortunately, this excitement pushed Rarity to finish some undergarments for Moon within the hour. "Now that we've taken care of that darling, what sort of outfit did you have in mind?"

"Hmm." Moon gave the types of garments she'd wanted some careful thought. "I want...something that displays my looks. But at the same time also showcases my warrior-type spirit."

Rarity was practically beaming. "I've got just the thing!" Rarity zipped off, and soon returned with the outfit she had in mind. "Do try it on first to see if you like it."

Moon took the outfit, and went into the nearby changing room. When she emerged, she was decked out in the outfit Rarity had provided for her. The top was an azure tank top followed by blue jeans, black boots, and a black jacket that she wore over the tank top. "I must say..." Moon said as she looked over her reflection. "You certainly know how to make outfits that speak to their wearers. This exactly the look I wanted. Beautiful, but fierce at the same time. Could you call Burst in? I'd like to know what he thinks of it." Rarity called Burst in, and Moon struck a pose in her new outfit. "Well? How do I look Burst?"

"You really know what you like." Burst said with a smile. "Don't be afraid to take some time to look for other potential outfits."

Rarity nodded. "You needn't worry about size darling. The fabrics I've used for my garments can be magically altered to fit the wearers. Just show me the garment you're interested in, and I'll literally work my magic."

"All right." Moon said with a small smile. She soon returned with more garments in hand. Rarity soon cast a spell on the garments, and they were adjusted to Moon's size. "So how much do I owe you?"

Rarity waved her hand. "Please, darling. It would be a crime to charge you anything since your wardrobe is so sparse! These are on the house for today."

"Your element chose well." Moon said with a kind smile. "I've got no shame that you and your friends defeated me. You all embody your elements quite well." Rarity giggled at the compliment. "So where to next Burst?"

"First we'll drop off your extra clothes back home." Burst answered. "Then we're headed to Sweet Apple Acres. Something tells me Applejack wants to make sure she can trust you." One quick trip to Burst's house, and the two were then off to Applejack's home. As per usual, the farm girl was busy kicking away at the apple trees. "Mornin' Aj!"

Applejack tipped her hat. "Howdy Burst." She then shot a suspicious look at Moon. "Moon."

"I said you didn't have to like me back at Canterlot." Moon said calmly as she answered. "Besides, I figured I shouldn't waste any time with words. You seem more like the type who'd rather see actions speak for someone."

Applejack nodded. "Ah still don't trust you. If you ask me, you've got a long way to go before you earn mah trust and the rest of the girls'. Now you'll excuse me, Ah've got more trees ta buck." Applejack then let out a sigh. "It's a shame Big Mac is busy in the other fields right now. Some of the trees here are real stubborn." Applejack was about to speak to Moon, but noticed she had left Burst's side. She looked around, and saw Moon eyeing one of the stubborn trees she had mentioned. "Heh! She'll probably break her foot she's so used to using magic!" Applejack's jaw then dropped when she saw Moon kick the tree, and all the apples shook loose! Moon then walked over to Applejack. A triumphant smirk on her face.

"Surely you noticed my first fight with Burst?" Moon asked as she feigned a puzzled look on her face. "I've made it clear I prefer the hands-on approach." She then cracked her knuckles. "So. How many stubborn trees have yet to meet me?" Applejack just pointed Moon in the right direction. "Thank you." Moon then got to work hitting the trees and bringing back massive loads of apples.

Applejack nodded. "All right. But Ah'm not done with you yet." Applejack brought out a table, and set her arm in it. "Ah wanna test yer mettle."

"Well then," Moon said as she removed her jacket and sat down. Locking her hand against Applejack's. "Let's see what we're made of." The two arm wrestled. For a second it looked like Applejack was going to win. That is, until Moon put in a tiny bit of effort. "So? How did my actions speak?"

Applejack blinked before letting out a chuckle. "Loud and clear sugarcube. Though, Ah guess Ah should've expected this from arm wrestlin' an Avatar. But if yer so willing to prove yourself, Ah think Ah can say you've changed for the better Moon. And that ain't a lie."

"It...means a lot. Especially coming from you." Moon said with a grateful smile. The moment was soon interrupted by Moon's stomach growling. "Heh! Guess all that work built up my appetite."

Burst chuckled. "C'mon. I know just the place for a quick fix." Burst led Moon to Sugar Cube Corner. And as expected, Moon was ambushed by Pinkie Pie.

"HI MOONY!" Pinkie greeted! "How're you today?"

Moon recovered from the shock of her welcome and managed a smile. "Just fine. Pinkie, right? You have any cupcakes..." Moon was soon awestruck when Pinkie instant presented a chocolate cupcake with purple frosting and star sprinkles. "...Ready?" She was about to question how Pinkie Pie had gotten the treat ready so fast,

"First one's on the house!" Pinkie said cheerfully. Moon was about to question how Pinkie had gotten the treat out so fast, but was halted when Burst put his hand on her shoulder.

"Trust me. You're better off not questioning her." Burst cautioned. "Twilight learned the hard way."

Moon giggled at the notion of Twilight trying to understand Pinkie Pie. "Well, sometimes the best things in life can't be explained. Oh, and Pinkie?"

"Uh huh?" Pinkie asked.

Moon grabbed Akage and pinned him to the ground. "Do keep an eye on this one will you?"

"How did you know I was coming?!" Akage exclaimed as Moon released him.

"I'm tried to bring eternal night." Moon said with a smirk. "Did you think I wouldn't know when someone's trying to hide their presence? Much less trying to sneak up on me?"

Pinkie giggled at the whole scene. "My boyfriend the ninja."

"Guess I should've seen that coming." Akage said as he scratched his head. "But I was just coming to surprise Pinkie with a quick hug." Akage was then wrapped up in a hug from Pinkie. "Though I guess it'd be hard to surprise a girl who's surprising to everyone." He then returned the hug.

Moon smiled at Pinkie and Akage's moment before Burst motioned for her to follow him. She quickly devoured her cupcake, and immediately followed Burst to Fluttershy's cottage. "Are you sure it's a wise idea to introduce me to the shy one?" Moon asked. "From what I saw on the train, she still finds me fairly terrifying."

"Well..." Burst sighed. "You're right. But she's getting better." Burst knocked on the door, and Fluttershy opened it. She immediately slammed it shut when she caught sight of Moon. "Well...at least she didn't scream the second she saw you."

Moon sighed. "No. I figured she'd be the most difficult one out of all of them. But I think I know a way to get her to warm up to me." Moon shifted into her mist form, and slid through the crack under the front door. The second she rematerialized, all the animals and Fluttershy huddled together. Moon just stayed still and stared at them. Several minutes passed, and neither side made a sound or moved an inch. That is, until Fluttershy decided to break the silence.

"Um...why are you staying like that?" Fluttershy asked nervously.

"Because I want you to come to me in your own time." Moon answered. "I can keep this up as long as I need to. Were you expecting me to come in and demand that you get to like me?"

"Um, yes?" Fluttershy answered.

Moon chuckled. "Trust me. If there's anything I learned by spending a thousand years on the moon, it how to be patient. I've got experience waiting for things to come to me. This time is no different." Moon then noticed a spider dangling down towards her. "It seems you hold a place in your heart for all creatures." She then looked at the mass of animals huddled around Fluttershy. "But I guess you wouldn't be the Element of Kindness if you didn't have a soft-spot for all living things."

Fluttershy slowly smiled. "Oh...thank you." She toyed with her hair before looking Moon in the eye. "Would...you like to help me take care of my friends?"

"I'd love to." Moon said with a warm smile as she helped Fluttershy tend to the animals. Surprisingly, most of the animals warmed up to Moon quickly. Namely because Moon waited for them to come to her coupled with Fluttershy reassuring them that Moon wasn't a threat. As soon as they were finished, Moon was caught off guard by Fluttershy hugging her.

"I'm sorry for being so scared of you." Fluttershy said as she looked Moon in the eye as she released her. "You're actually very nice now that I've gotten to know you now

Moon smiled. Her eyes tearing up slightly at Fluttershy's kindness. "You six are lucky to be such good friends." Fluttershy offered Moon a tissue to dry her eyes. "It was nice meeting you as well." Moon waved goodbye as she left the cottage. Only to be ambushed by Rainbow Dash nearly tackling her to the ground! "I was wondering when you'd show up. You're the one that charged at me when Luna and I returned."

"Heck yeah I am!" Rainbow Dash boasted!

Moon smiled. "You got guts. I like that. You'd fit right in with the Wonderbolts."

"Thanks!" Rainbow Dash said with a grin. "Easy to see why you tried to lure me with that Shadowbolt trick back at the Summer Sun Celebration!"

Moon nodded before smirking. "So? Care to see how fast you are compared to me?"

"You're on!" Rainbow Dash said as she got into a starting position. "All the way to the town square and back!" Moon nodded, and got into a starting position beside Rainbow Dash. "Ready...set...GO!" Both of them took off like rockets! One a rainbow blur, and the other a pitch black blur! They both seemed neck-and-neck, but Moon poured on more speed and soon gained the advantage over Rainbow Dash! When the two returned, Moon was victorious. "Man! I didn't think I'd keep up with an Avatar so easily!"

Moon chuckled. "Well, now you've seen the 'speed of the night' first hand." The two fist-bumped. "But my speed can't compete with your famous Sonic Rainboom. I'll be sure to make sure you've got a whole crowd cheering in your dreams tonight."

Rainbow Dash blinked before grinning. "Niiiice."

With that, Moon and Burst took their leave and decided to stop by Twilight's home. Burst knocked on the door, but Spike was the one who answered. The little dragon was shaking as he greeted the two of them. "H-Hi Burst! M-Moon."

"I...think I'd better go." Moon said as she took not of the drake quaking in front of her. "I'd almost forgotten you were present when Luna and I returned." Moon was about to leave when Spike called out to her.

"Wait!" Spike walked forward a couple steps. "Look. I know you're not the same person you were when you returned. And that what we knew about you was completely wrong. So...I'm sorry for being a bit scared of you. It's...gonna take some time to get used to you."

Moon looked around, and saw all the looks the people were giving her. "Trust me. I'm quite aware of that fact."

"So...what's up with Twilight?" Burst asked.

Spike sighed. "As usual, up to her nose in books or knee-deep in magic." Spike's face then lit-up. "Hey. Since she's so busy..."

"Yes." Burst said with a grin. "C'mon. It's time." Burst led Spike to field outside of town and got into a fighting stance. "You ready buddy?"

Spike nodded as he charged at Burst with a fist ready! "Here I come!" Spike swung at Burst, but Burst caught the fist! Spike wriggled his arm loose, and ran up Burst's arm! Burst twisted his arm, and caught Spike by the tail!

"I gotta ask you this Spike. Why do you want me and the guys to train you?" Burst asked.

Spike sighed. "You know back in the Crystal Empire? Everybody was cheering for me when I put the Crystal Heart back on its pedestal." He then folded his arms. "But you're the one who destroyed the Umbrum. You slugged Sombra. You and the guys...you're just so awesome. I just...want to help people as much as I can. It's the whole reason I like being Twilight's assistant."

Burst silently stood up. "Spike. You may be an assistant to Twilight. But you're like a little brother to me and the guys. Now, the time has come. Follow me." Burst dialed up Inferno on his phone. "He's ready."

"Burst? What's it time for?" Spike asked.

Burst just smiled. "You'll see." Burst led Spike to where the other Elements of Heroism gathered. They had all formed a circle with Spike in the center. "Kneel." Spike did so, and Burst drew his sword and tapped Spike on the shoulders and head. "We've been watching your for a while now Spike. You are one who has great care for the people in your life. One who lives to help others as best he can. And so, I grant you the title of Honorary Element of Heroism." Burst then sheathed Bahamut Edge. "Rise. Spike the Dragon. Element of Dedication. Welcome to the family little bro." Spike grinned as he rose and jumped for joy. "Well, I think I know what this calls for. Time for some ice cream." Burst hoisted Spike onto his shoulders, and the group went to Sugar Cube Corner. As Spike chatted with the other guys, Burst looked on with a proud smile. He turned his attention to his ice cream, but caught Moon gazing at him. "Are you looking at me? Or the ice cream ?"

"Hard to tell." Moon said with a shrug before smiling and taking a bit out of her ice cream. "You're both so sweet."

Burst blushed at the compliment. "Well...me and the guys look at Spike as a little brother. There's not that many guys for him to hang around with, so we try to make him feel like he's part of a family. The girls are fine and all, but they're pretty busy with their work. So me and the guys figured we'd hang with Spike when the girls are busy. Besides, Twilight won't let Spike have any video games in her house." Moon laughed at the closing remark, and they soon headed home.

"I think I'll try sleeping in that spare room you have." Moon said after changing into her sleeping clothes.

Burst blinked. "Why's that?"

"Well..." Moon blushed a little as she remembered the events of the day. "...I guess I don't feel so alone anymore." Moon saw a warm smile on Burst's face as he hugged her good night. Moon let out a happy yawn as she awakened the next morning. "Maybe today Twilight will be free today." Mon got dressed, and stepped outside. Only to be greeted by a sight that shocked her. Rarity had been placed in an ugly dress while being carted off by Applejack and Pinkie Pie. Moon narrowed her eyes at the person who had cast the spell. The girl was a Magi like Twilight, but something felt off about her magical aura. Almost like it was being amplified and altered. It didn't take long for Moon to recognize the amulet hanging around Trixie's neck. Moon watched Trixie fire a spell that made one of Rainbow Dash's wings grow to twice its size and send her falling to the ground! Watching who Trixie was targeting and how she's reacted to Twilight, the motives for Trixie's actions were clear. And very familiar to Moon. 'Revenge. Such a poisonous thought.' Moon held herself as memories of her imprisonment and the vengeful thoughts that once brewed within her head came back. 'One I know all too well.' Moon payed attention to Trixie boasting, and an idea came to her. "Indeed. Your magic does exceed Twilight Sparkle's." Moon called out from the crowd. Everyone had already noticed her and kept their distance. But hearing Moon engage Trixie made them back away as much as possible.

Trixie smugly basked in Moon's false praise. "Well. It seems there is someone in this town who recognizes how great and powerful Trixie is! And I'll testament that fact by beating Twilight Sparkle!"

"You're kidding right?" Moon asked as she silently positioned herself behind Trixie. "With your current magical strength, I'd say you'd barely need to put in any effort to best her." Twilight was paying attention to Moon stroking Trixie's ego, and decided to remain quiet. She was still the least bit doubtful that Moon had truly changed for the better. "In fact, I'd say that you could at least stand your ground against an Avatar now."

Trixie grinned smugly. "Well, I WOULD like to dazzle the princesses with a display of my skills."

"Well they're not available. So..." Moon made her presence known by flaring her wing and standing not but a few inches away from Trixie. "...How about I see what you're made of?" Trixe turned around, and the smug grin on her face immediately disappeared. It had been replaced with a sense of complete and utter dread. Moon stood with her wings still flared out and her arms crossed. A smirk present on her face to show some of her teeth that were fangs. "I had hoped to challenge Twilight Sparkle to a little magical spar. But it seems I've found a more worthy opponent." Moon got into a dueling stance and flared a few sparks of midnight blue magic. "So would you care to give me the honor?"

Trixie was slightly quaking at Moon's proposal. "S-Sure! J-Just let Trixie st-stretch!" Trixie feigned a sore area in her arm.

"Are you afraid?" Moon asked with a chuckle. "You surely seemed ready when you wished to challenge Twilight Sparkle. Surely you can handle one of her previously defeated foes?" Moon noticed Trixie starting to truly tremble. Trixie got into a dueling stance. Moon then raised her hand as to cast a spell, and Trixe caved!

"Trixie forfeits!" Trixie cried out as she ripped of the Avatar Amulet! "I wasn't even using my real magic! I just wanted to get back at Twilight for ruining my show! Just please don't eat me!"

Moon snatched the Avatar Amulet and looked down at Trixie. "You're sorry. I'd say that more than qualifies as a reason to spare you." Moon then looked to Twilight, and saw the uncertain look in her eyes. Moon then tossed the amulet over to Twilight. "Here. It's way too tacky for my tastes. Just make sure you give it to someone who knows how to keep it safe." And with that, Moon walked off to the park and sat alone. Just listening to the sounds of the town as it resumed its normal life. Hearing everyone go about happy brought a smile to Moon's face as she closed her eyes. Only to be stirred from her peace about an hour later by Twilight. "Oh. You again. Come to learn all my dark secrets?" Moon joked.

"No." Twilight said as she shook her head. "There's...something I'd like to do for you. Follow me please." Moon got up, and followed Twilight to Sugar Cube Corner. "You head in first." Moon was slightly wary of why Twilight wanted her to enter first, but went along with it. She was then promptly greeted with a blast of confetti to the face. Once her vision was clear, Moon saw the rest of the Main 6 gathered in front of her and a banner that read: Thanks for Saving Ponyville Moon!/Welcome to Ponyville Party!

Moon was awestruck by the sight before her. "But...why did you all go this trouble?"

"Shoot, it wasn't any trouble sugarcube." Applejack said with a grin.

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Yep! You totally owned Trixie out there by using her ego against her! That was awesome!"

"Uh huh!" Pinkie chirped. "Plus, you totally saved out butts out there by getting her to take off that weird amulet!"

Rarity smiled. "I must thank you darling. That awful dress went away the second Trixie got rid of that awful amulet."

"The point is..." Twilight said as she approached Moon. "We're sorry for doubting that you changed. Even after we heard the truth about your origins. I guess we all had a little bit of prejudice from when you returned. What I'm trying to say is...I hope we can be friends."

Moon blinked, and smiled. Her eyes tearing up as she scooped up Twilight into a bone-crushing hug. "No need to hope. We already are." And from then, Moon truly felt that she was welcome. Like she finally had a place to call home.

Trixie watched the display of friendship, and sighed. However, a certain ice-winged Skyborn took note of her distressed mood. "Feeling alright?" Ace asked as he walked up to Trixie.

"Yeah. Fine." Trixie grumbled. "Just leave me alone."

Ace frowned. "In my experience, that's what people say when they really need someone to talk to. And I'm willing to listen if you're ready to speak."

"Whatever." Trixie turned to face Ace, and she soon recognized him. "Hey, you're that guy from the crowd that had Twilight upstage me!"

Ace sighed. "I knew that would come back to bite me. Look. I apologize. For my actions and my friends mouthing off at your performance. You're an entertainer. It's your job to put on an image of bravado to keep the audience engaged. My friends and I should have just left since we didn't like your show."

"Well...I suppose I should have seen the consequences." Trixie said with an embarrassed smile. "In truth, all I had was the image I made. It's lonely travelling all around Equestria. Never staying anywhere long enough to make friends."

Ace smiled. "Well, maybe now's a good time to go on hiatus." Ace put a hand on Trixie's shoulder. "And I'd be happy to e your first friend. Call it compensation for crashing your performance."

"Trixie...I mean, I...would like that very much." Trixie said

Meanwhile, at Zecora's Hut

Zecora suspiciously eyes the figure who stood before her. "You say you have come for the amulet. But might I ask, what is your intent?"

"My master intends to make sure that such an evil thing is properly contained." The figure said. It was a woman with white skin, white hair with pink streaks, and red eyes. She was wearing a pale gold tunic and white pants with light gold greaves. "He wishes to confiscate any artifacts that have ties to darkness for the good of Equestria."

Zecora hesitantly handed over the Avatar Amulet. "Your request I must say, seems quite sane. Would it be a trouble to ask your name?"

The woman smiled. "Nova Flare."

Episode 6: Brother of the Hero?!

A familiar scent lingered in the air of Burst's house. Stirring the Element of Power from his restful slumber and leading to him getting dressed. The sight that greeted Burst truly astounded him. "Moon?" Burst saw Moon in his kitchen, and a plate of pancakes and bacon on the table. "You made breakfast?"

"It's my way of saying 'thank you.'" Moon said with a giggle. "You helped introduce me to the girls and gave me six new friends to have. Not to mention how much you've been by my side during my time here so far. Heck, the girls are even willing to spar with me for weapons training."

Burst blushed lightly. "Gee. You didn't have to do this for me. It's not like I'm slaving over a hot stove to get our meals ready."

"All the same..." Moon kissed Burst on the forehead! "...I thought it would be something nice to do for you."

Burst blinked, and comprehended what had just happened before shrugging and polishing off his breakfast and checking the mail. "Huh. Didn't expect to hear from Celestia so soon." Burst filed out Celestia's letter from the bunch. They had each other's numbers, but Celestia felt it was more personal that she send him letters. A sentiment Burst greatly returned as he read her letter. "Can't believe I forgot to have her meet my parents. Well, I guess now's as good a time as any. Things have calmed down with the Changelings becoming friendly and integrating into society. Moon's accepted among Twilight and the girls. And Sombra's off on his quest to restore Princess Amore." Burst threw the mail that didn't pertain to him in the trash, and called out to Moon. "I'm headed to see Celestia. Try not to erase my console data!"

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Moon called out as Burst flew off to Canterlot! "I'll just start a new game in any extra save slots in his games." And with that, Moon set to work familiarizing herself with Burst's gaming library.

Burst soon arrived in Canterlot, and teleported to Celestia's throne room in a flash of magic! "Good thing you don't have to worry about looking nice." Burst joked as he greeted Celestia. "So is My Little Princess ready for a tour of her dragon knight's lair?"

"I did wonder what Aether's been up to ever since he left my mother's service." Celestia said with a giggle as she got up and approached her boyfriend. "I take it we'll be flying the friendly skies?" Burst nodded, and the two of them took off from the iconic balcony Celestia stood on to give speeches or make announcements. A few minutes later, they landed near Burst's house. However, they were greeted by a sight Burst hadn't thought possible. A group of reporters were swarming near the entrance of Burst's house. "Oh my..." Celestia said as she took in the gathered crowd. "I didn't think you'd get media mobbed like this. Especially since it's known we're already dating."

Burst sighed. "Well regardless, we're gonna have one heck of a time getting through them." Burst then held onto one of Celestia's hands. "Wouldn't want to get separated would we?" Burst and Celestia squeezed through the crowd, and eventually made it to the door. Their appearance only further exciting the media. "Better get in before we got swarmed!" Burst took out his old house key from his pocket, and quickly unlocked the door before scooping Celestia into his arms and slamming the door shut before locking it. He and Celestia breathed a sigh of relief at escaping the media mob. "That was close." Burst led Celestia to the living room. "Come on. My parents can usually be found...." Burst froze in his tracks at seeing his parents faced with a guy he'd never seen before. The guy had pale gold hair and eyes, white skin, and his wings had feathers all the colors of the dawn sky. And judging by the extravagance of his outfit, this guy was clearly on the level of royalty or nobility. A broadcast orb was floating by him. One that the guy had no doubt conjured up. The new figure turned, and smiled at Burst.

"Ah! At last we meet little brother." The figure greeted. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Shining Dawn."

Burst stood shocked at Shining Dawn's introduction, but he soon found a new focus. The enraged look on his father Aether's face. "I'm guessing Dad doesn't like to talk about you?" Burst asked with a frown.

"Quite so." Shining Dawn said with a frown. "Here I am. Trying to build ties with my father after a long absence of him in my growth, and he stares at me with the greatest of contempt." Shining Dawn faced Aether. "Did you not share a night with my mother? Radiant Dawn? Am I not the product of you and her union?"

Aether scowled. "You're a product all right. But there was no union." Aether stood up. "The second she knew she was carrying you, that witch broke off all connection with me. All so she could groom you into what you are now. I accept that you're a child I made." Aether steeled his gaze. "But I REFUSE to acknowledge that you're my son. Because while I bared all the love in my heart to your mother, she only wanted my blood to merge with hers. So how is that hag in a maiden's clothing anway?"

"Hmph." Shining Dawn scoffed. "If you must know, mother dearest passed on during my time as a young adult." He then cast a look at Burst, and then turned his eyes to Burst's mother Lumina. "But I see you've not let your encounter with her impact your love life. You've found quite a lovely wife, and produced an excellent son. I've heard about Burst's exploits in the paper and media. The Element of Power. It suits him quite well." Shining Dawn then smirked. "Even if he is a mongrel Avatar born of mixed bloodlines. And you sullying your pure Avatar blood by joining with a powerful sorceress from the Dragon Lineage. My noble Magi mother produced a far more acceptable offspring. Like you, I am an Avatar. Of course, a far superior one due to the joining of two pure bloodlines. All the same, I must applaud you for your accomplishments."

Celestia noticed Burst's eye twitch and his fists clench. However, a calm exterior was still held on Burst's face. She could tell Burst felt enraged by Shining Dawn's comments on Burst and his parents. And she could tell it was taking a lot for him to restrain himself from punching Shining Dawn's lights out right there, right now. All the same, she'd be lying if she told herself that she wished Burst wouldn't teach this arrogant snob a lesson or two. "I believe that we've all heard enough of what you've had to say on the matter." Celestia said sternly. "You've no right to criticize who Aether loves. Or the wonderful being their marriage wrought."

"Ah." Shining Dawn said as he turned around to face Celestia. "The lovely Princess Celestia. I must apologize." Both Celestia and Burst were put-off by the sudden humble attitude displayed by Shining Dawn. "It appears that once again I have let my blood go to my head. You're indeed an illuminating presence on matters. In truth, I've come to Canterlot because there is a proposal I wish to discuss with you."

Celestia had a puzzled look on her face. "I'm...impressed that you're easy to admit fault. All the same, I do find the remarks you made quite disrespectful. Also, what is this proposal you had in mind?"

"My dear princess..." Shining Dawn took Celestia by the hand. "I have long searched for a woman whom I could spend eternity with. One who knows what it is to rule. And such is the reasoning for my proposal." Shining Dawn knelt on one knee. "Princess Celestia. Would you honor me, Lord Shining Dawn, by becoming my bride and future queen?"

Celestia smiled kindly, and yanked her hand away. "Your proposal is quite generous." She then cast a loving gaze at Burst as she returned to his side and wrapped her arms around him. "But I'm afraid that my heart has already been claimed."

"I see." Shining Dawn said with disappointment laden in his tone. "Well then. I anticipated that response. Which brings me to the business I have with you little brother."

"And what's that?" Burst asked with a frown.

Shining Dawn pointed at Burst Stream. "I challenge you to a duel for Princess Celestia's heart! The winner shall walk away with the prize of her hand, and the loser shall have to search for another love to fill their heart. What do you say?"

Burst took a deep breath as he approached Shining Dawn. Stopping when he was roughly a foot away from him. Burst's sapphire eyes glared against Shining Dawn's pale gold. "No."

Shining Dawn blinked. "'No'?" He then burst out laughing. "AH HA HAH HA HA! Is the great Element of Power afraid to lose to an opponent who may be his equal? Or are you really just a coward wearing a hero's mask?"

"Neither." Burst said flatly. "I'm not dueling you because I'm not insecure." Burst crossed his arms. A gaze that held fury directed at Shining Dawn. "I know that Celestia is mine because she holds my heart just as I hold hers. There's nothing that I need to prove to her. And I've fought for her before back at the Canterlot Royal Wedding, my battle with Discord, and when I destroyed Night Terror. She's seen how far I'd go, and she'd do the same for me. And as long as I know that, I don't have to do a thing to prove it to her or anyone else. You've insulted me and my parents, and I think we could all do without your presence." Burst pointed at the front door. "The door is right there. Move, or be moved by me."

Shining Dawn let out a sigh and bowed. "I can see my presence is not wanted. But make no mistake. Our business is not yet concluded."

"Wise choice." Burst said with a nod. "Now get out of my home you bastard." Burst nodded in satisfaction as Shining Dawn left. "Good riddance."

Celestia smiled. "That was quite the display of restraint out there." She then giggled as she planted a kiss on Burst's cheek. "Still, some part of me wishes you had decked him right in the face. But was the cursing really necessary?"

"No." Aether said with a sigh as he shook his head. "He really IS a bastard." Another sigh escaped Aether's lungs. "It all started thirty two years ago. I was a late bloomer when it came to the dating game. So I foolishly put all of myself on display. Avatar status and all. As well as my title of Knight of Faust. My first few dates didn't go too well since most of them were just trying to see if they could get in my good graces and score a position in the nobility. Or some nobles trying to further enhance their status by bagging an Avatar as their partner. Soon enough, I met a Magi noble woman who had hair in the colors of the dawn. Radiant Dawn. At first, I thought she'd be just like the others. But she told me how disgusting it was that people would search for a partner for such pathetic reasons. We got along great from that moment, and we started dating. Sure enough, she convinced me to seal our love in a night of passion. And about nine months later, she told me she was pregnant. Followd promptly by her telling me that I was no longer necessary." Aether let out a bitter chuckle at the memory. "Heh. She said I was 'a means to an end'. All that she wanted was an heir who could stand above others. So what better way to achieve that than by joining with an Avatar?"

Lumina held her husband tightly. "It's true that she wounded your heart. But I suppose without her breaking it, I'd never have the chance to help you mend it once again."

"True enough." Aether said with a small smile as he embraced his wife. "And we wouldn't have our son." He then smiled. "And I do believe you couldn't find a more perfect girlfriend even if you tried Burst. It looks like you've inherited your old man's charm as well!"

Burst chuckled. "I guess my girlfriend needs no introduction at all since she's the most beloved person in Equestria. All the same, I'd like you to meet her. Mom and Dad? Meet Celestia."

"You've raised a fine son." Celestia said with a smile. "It's lovely to see you again Aether."

Aether smiled fondly. "You've really done some growing up Celestia. I remember when you ran all over the castle. You and Luna used to drive everyone crazy!"

"Those were the days!" Celestia giggled. "And it's thanks to Burst I have her back." She and Burst then shared a tight hug. "He's also the reason why I feel like I have so much more now."

Lumina giggled. "In that case, I think it's time you get to know how Burst's early days were." Lumina pulled out a photo album. She promptly showed Celestia Burst's baby photos. "Here he is snuggling with his favorite blanket."

"Awww~!" Celestia cooed. "You were so adorable!"

Burst smirked. "What do you mean 'were'?"

"Oh! Here's my favorite!" Lumina said as she pointed to another photo of Burst in his childhood years. "It was Burst's first costume. The Red Ranger! Oh, you used to run around the house with a toy sword and pretend to fight monsters! He'd set up boxes, and pretend to be trash them like Godzilla sometimes. "

Aether chuckled. "Let's not forget when Burst and I would have lightsaber duels."

"I still remember you milking the 'I am your father' line for all it was worth!" Burst chimed in. "Heck, you STILL did it whenever we'd watch Star Wars together!"

Aether smirked. "Coming from the one who knows every single Power Rangers theme?"

"What can I say? I'll never truly grow up." Burst said with a shrug.

"I guess that's another addition to your charm." Celestia said with a giggle. "It was lovely seeing you both, but I'd better return to the castle before the guards scour the city for me." Celestia kissed Burst goodbye, and took to the air as she exited Burst's family's house.

Burst smiled as he watched her fly off. "Can't wait until next time." He then turned to his parents. "You two call me if Shining Dawn stirs up anymore trouble. I'll come flying right over." Burst then flew back to Ponyville, and found Moon playing on his PS3. "I see you've familiarized yourself with my consoles."

"Uh huh." Moons said with a nod. "So how'd your time with Celestia go?"

Burst smiled. "Pretty good. I took her to meet my parents. With her wardrobe, she doesn't need to worry about looking nice." He then frowned and sighed. "But, there was an unpleasant surprise waiting for me. Apparently, I've got an older brother named Shining Dawn."

"Burst." Moon said as she paused the game she was playing and walked up to Burst. "Are you mad because he's someone your parents never told you about?"

Burst shook his head. "No. I'm upset because the creep insulted my dad for marrying my mother. That it 'sullied his pure Avatar blood.' He called me a mongrel because I've got mixed-up bloodlines running through me. But the worst part of all, is that he had the guts to ask Celestia for her hand in marriage RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. Immediately after he'd insulted my family and Celestia called him out on it!" Burst let a heavy sigh escape from his lungs. "Jerk even challenged me to a duel. But I refused because I knew he wouldn't be any trouble. I could sense he wasn't a real avatar. He had wings and magic, but whatever magic he has is pathetic."

"So...you're OP?" Moon asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"Not really." Burst said with a shrug. "In terms of magical power, I'd be above Twilight's level. Enough to hold my own against Avatars. The only difference is that I was trained in combat magic mainly, and I've had to use it more. Not to mention the Dragon Lineage and Avatar blood in me gives me a significant boost in strength, speed, senses, and durability. So in terms of physical strength, I'm definitely pretty strong."

Moon smiled. "I think the only strength you have that outweighs it is inner strength." Moon put a hand on Burst's shoulder. "Despite all the insults Shining Dawn hurled at you and your family, you kept control over your anger. No matter how satisfying you would have found punching his lights out. Not to mention proving you value Celestia as a lover and not a prize by refusing his challenge. Truth be told, that's one of the reasons I wanted to recruit you upon my return. Especially considering you managed to hold your own against me."

"Gee. Thanks Moon." Burst said with a small smile. "I didn't know you thought that highly of me."

"You're the first one to be my friend Burst." Moon said as she pulled Burst into a hug. "To me, you mean so much." Moon then looked into Burst's eyes, and felt something stir within her before releasing him. "And you've given so much to me in such a short time."

Burst chuckled. "Funny. Celestia said the same thing to me when she gave me my first kiss." Burst then stretched. "I don't know about you, but today's been emotionally exhausting for me." He then noted the slight red tinge on Moon's cheeks. "You alright Moon? You're looking a little hot."

"Oh! I-I'm alright." Moon said with a nervous smile. "Anyway, your console's all warmed up! I started a separate file on some of your games. You know."

Burst smiled. "I wouldn't have figured you for a gamer. Maybe next time you can be my player 2." As Burst picked up a controller, Moon couldn't help but smile at him before she went out to Twilight's library. Hoping to check-out a few books to get her mind off of Burst and the feelings toward him that she was starting to develop.

The next day came, but Burst was rudely awakened by a knocking on his door. Burst mumbled as he slid out of bed still in his pajamas, and headed to the door. Needless to say, the sight before him was none to pleasant. "Come on dude. Don't you have better things to do?"

Shining Dawn frowned. "I would say this counts as matter worth my time. You insulted me by calling me a 'bastard'. And now, I demand satisfaction from you. I also wish to challenge your claim to Celestia's heart. Thus, I once again challenge you to a duel!"

"Listen bud...this isn't the Medieval Ages." Burst said with a tired frown. "You either accept the fact that a girl likes someone else and respect it. Plus, you're not worth being an opponent."

Shining Dawn scowled. "And why not?!"

"Because..." Burst steeled his gaze. "I know a young drake who's more mature than you could ever be in a thousand years. That's all I've gotta say to you." And with that, Burst calmly closed the door and locked it. A sigh escaping his lungs as he slid to the floor. "Well, there goes my morning. Might as well get the day started." Burst got changed into his usual clothes, and ate a simple bowl of cereal before heading out. However, he noticed that Shining Dawn was still tailing him. All the while, he was pestering Burst about dueling for Celestia's hand. "You must have a pretty empty mansion or castle if you're wasting your time following me around. Just what does this duel mean to you anyway?"

Shining Dawn scoffed, but kept a calm tone. "I don't see why that concerns you so much. My affairs are my own. I need not explain them to you."

"Aren't you the thin-skinned one." Burst said flatly. "Fine. You want your fight? I'll give you one. Right here, right now." Burst summoned his sword, Bahamut Edge. "After you get equipped of course." Shining Dawn snapped his fingers, and a sword with a golden blade materialized in a flash of dawn-colored magic. "Bring it!" A crowd had gathered, and all of Burst's friends attended the spectacle.

Shining Dawn had a cocky smile on his face as he got into a formal dueling stance while Burst got into a regular fighting stance. 'Hmph! This should be effortless. The commoner has a stance more akin to a brawler than a duelist. I should be able to-?!?!??!?!?!' Shining Dawn saw a streak of white zip by, and the next thing he knew he was on the ground with his sword dropping out of his hands! Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Burst sheathing Bahamut Edge. "How...how did you beat me so fast?"

"Dad raised me." Burst answered as he turned to face Shining Dawn. "And he also trained me for five years with all kinds of weapons. All your fancy duel training pales in comparison in learning to take on enemies that make entire armies tremble in fear. Like I said. You weren't worth a fight. At least not one where I needed to try."

Shining Dawn got up, and bowed. "You have won this battle Burst Stream. Farewell." And with that, Shining Dawn left. Burst's friends came to congratulate him on winning the duel.

"So who was that guy?" Inferno asked.

Burst took a deep breath before answering. "You're all in for one heck of a story...."

Shining Dawn's Mansion

Shining Dawn sat alone in his room, and immediate slammed his fist on the table! A furious scowl present on his face and anger present in his pale gold eyes. "You have indeed won the battle Burst Stream. But the war for Celestia's heart is not over." He then spotted a picture of Burst and Moon in the newspaper. "And now, I do believe I've just found a suitable weapon..."

Episode 7: (Not) a date

Burst stirred from his slumber. The last two days had been pretty exhausting for him. His illegitimate older brother, Shining Dawn, showed up and insulted his parents and made a move on Celestia right in front of him. Then the creep pestered Burst about the duel. Granted that when Burst did accept Shining Dawn's challenge, he beat him easily. But the fact remained, Burst was through with excitement for at least the rest of the week. Moon noticed Burst's mood, and an idea came to her. "Hey, Burst?"

"Yeah?" Burst asked as he munched on a piece of toast. "Something on your mind Moon?"

Moon scratched her head. "Well, since you've got nothing planned today, would you like to hit-up the arcade? You don't have too many fighting games, and I'd like a chance to spend some time with you. Plus.." Moon smiled. "...You could use a little mindless fun after all the drama you've gone through the last two days."

"You know? I think that's just what I need." Burst said with smile. "We'll hit the arcade as soon as we're done with breakfast." That being said, it wasn't long before the two polished off their plates and headed out the door.

Moon smiled happily as she and Burst walked off to the arcade. 'It's nice to see Burst smiling again. He's done a lot for me, and I'd hate to see him miserable. Plus...' Moon blushed slightly when Burst smiled at her. '..That smile of his is so adorable.' Moon was snapped out of her thoughts when she and Burst arrived at the arcade. "So what should we play first?"

"I'm always up for a round of Street Fighter." Burst said with a smile as he led Moon to the machine. "Each character's special moves are listed under their picture on the screen. Just pick the character you want, and the round begins!" Burst selected Ryu while Moon chose Cammy. They opted to do the random stage, and their match was underway! Moon had only needed to ready each button combo for a few seconds to master all her character's special moves, but Burst had a slight edge with his greater amount of gaming experience. However, the special moves of Moon's character allowed her to dodge projectile attacks. The two went at it pretty hard with the first round ending with Moon being victorious, the second ending in a double K.O., and the third ending with Burst on top. One final round would determine who won the match. Neither Burst or Moon was giving the other any ground. Both were using any and all special moves possible until they were both down to little more than a speck of a life bar for their characters. One attack would settle the match. Burst's character jumped over Moon's and pulled off one final shoryuken! Winning the match for Burst. "I guess I should've expected that." Moon said with a smirk. "You DID kick my butt when I returned. Even if it was a little bit of a cramped space."

Burst smiled kindly. "Thanks. Though if you'd rather fight alongside me than against me, there's plenty of shooting games to play here too."

"I'm game." Moon said with a giggle. "This time I'll pick out the game." The two spent the last of the bits Burst brought so they could play, and soon went out for lunch. "So are you having a good time?"

Burst nodded happily as he took a bite out of his burger. "Sure am! Just what I needed to lift my mood from the past two crazy days." A content sigh escaped Burst's lips as he slouched a little in his chair. "Thanks Moon. You've really brightened up my day."

"Well, today was my way of saying thanks for what you've done for me." Moon said with a sincere smile. "Celestia's lucky to have someone like you as her special someone." Moon's smile then saddened for a bit. 'Makes me wonder...what it would be like if I had you.'

Burst smiled kindly. "You really don't need to thank me Moon. In fact, you don't owe me a thing." Burst put his hand on Moon's. "But, it does mean a lot knowing you like to make people happy." The two headed home and went about the rest of their day either reading, or playing videogames.

Meanwhile at Canterlot

Celestia sighed as she sat upon her throne. It had been far too long since she'd last spent some decent time with Burst. Sadly, the life of a ruler of an entire nation didn't leave too much room for free time. Today was on exception, but Celestia took comfort in the fact she had only one person left on the list who wished to speak with her. "Send them in." She immediately regretted saying those very words when she saw Shining Dawn enter with a woman who had white hair with pink streaks in it. "Might I ask what business you have here Shining Dawn? I've made it clear I've no intent on accepting your marriage proposal."

"Princess." Shining Dawn said as he bowed. "I am here to say that I am breaking off my plans for marriage. Just yesterday, Burst finally accepted my challenge and bested me. It is my hope that if we cannot be joined as spouses, then we can at the very least be friends."

Celestia was cautious at Shining Dawn's humility, and warily accepted. "It seems...you're one who easily finds fault in himself."

"There is yet another matter that I wish to discuss your highness." Shining Dawn added as he produced a newspaper from the folds of his coat. "It's regarding Burst. In specific, his guest as of late." He then pointed to the picture of Burst and Moon together on the front page. "Are you not the least bit concerned that she'll revert to her old ways? Or worse, try to steal Burst from you?"

Celestia sighed. "I won't lie. I am still wary of Nightmare Moon. But as for the first one, no. I can tell she has no intent on wasting her newfound existence on a doomed conquest. The latter however, does worry me sometimes. But I have faith in Burst. A faith that has not yet been betrayed."

"All the same," Shining Dawn said with a shrug as he pointed to the woman accompanying him. "I'll have Nova Flare keep close tabs on the both of them. Without being intrusive to their lives and to give you peace of mind, of course."

Reluctantly, Celestia agreed. "If it makes you sleep soundly...so be it."

"Thank you Your Highness." Shining Dawn said with a smile as Nova teleported off, and he walked away. 'All I need do is wait...'

Episode 8: Thawing Ice's Heart

Ice hummed to himself as he packed his bag. He grabbed the train ticket he'd left by the main table in the house, and was about to head out the door when Ace and Shadow stopped him. "Oh....hey guys! What's up?"

"You sure look happy." Ace noted. He then spotted Ice's suitcase. "Going off on a trip? Because if another threat shows up that needs all of us, we'll need to hold out for as long as we can until you show up."

Ice rolled his eyes. "I texted Burst earlier that I'd be gone for a couple days. I'm headed for the Crystal Empire."

"Why would you-Oh man!" Shadow gasped in realization! "You're seeing that girl you met aren't you? Indigo Zap! Big Bro's got himself a possible girlfriend!"

Ice sighed. "And here I was hoping to leave before you two made a big deal out of it. That being said, it's too late for that last part. So if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get to my train on-time." And with that, Ice headed for the train station and hopped on the train to the Crystal Empire. He was thankful that the tracks headed inside the Empire where it was nice and warm. 'Good thing I don't need to worry about breaking out the winter clothes inside the Crystal Empire.' Ice thought as he stepped off the train. However, he soon had another weather problem to worry about. Rain started to pour down. No doubt the work of any Skyborn living here as the weather team. Ice raised his suitcase and tried to find some shelter. He didn't expect to run into the very person he was looking for.

"Dark Ice?" Indigo Zap asked as she soon landed. "What're you doing here?"

Ice smiled. "Just thought I'd come visit. See some sights." He then chuckled at his current situation. "Get rained on in the process of doing said activities."

"C'mon." Indigo said with a giggle. "Let's get indoors. My house isn't that far from here." Ice and Indigo soon found themselves safely indoors, and out of the rain. "You and your friends are pretty popular around here. What with that Burst Stream guy straight-up annihilating the Umbrum and the rest of you protecting the people from any Umbrum that got loose." She then smiled at Ice. "If you ask me, you were pretty badass with how you cleaved down any Umbrum that tried to get at me and my friends. Some of them STILL are freaking out over how hard you fought."

Ice chuckled. "Great. Now I've got fangirls." He and Indigo shared a laugh as the storm soon came to pass. "Hey, uh, are you wanna grab a bite? The train ride got my stomach chatting."

"I'm down for lunch." Indigo said with a smile. "I didn't get to grab anything before the rain, so I guess now's as good a time to head out as any." As soon as they arrived at the restaurant, Indigo decided to strike up a conversation. "So...how're things back in Ponyville?"

Ice shrugged. "More or less the same. I'm still living with my younger brothers, and they still like to drive me nuts from time-to-time. But hey. That's family for you." Ice then took a sip of his soda. "How about here? Shining Armor and Cadence doing a good job?"

"I don't think we could ask for better rulers." Indigo answered with a smile. "Chrysalis however is a bit shy. She doesn't leave the Crystal Palace very often, but she's pretty nice to everyone she talks to when she does venture out. Heck, Changelings are flocking here because of all the love. Oddly enough, most say they don't need to feed now and they look more friendly than from what their original forms were."

Ice let out a chuckle. "Trust me. I know how much a personal change can affect people." Less than pleasant memories started to come back. "I know all too well..."

"Did...something happen to you?" Indigo asked with a concerned tone.

Ice sighed as he set his drink down. "It's a long story. And there's plenty of sad parts." A small smile crept onto his face. "But at least it's got a happy ending." And so, Ice recounted the events of his past. Everything from the storm, to his recruitment by the Nightmare Forces, and to him awakening as the Element of Courage as well as the adventures he and his friends went through up to now. "So, here we are. Me spilling everything I know about myself all to one girl. Pretty crazy, right?"

"Ice..." Indigo said as she put her hand over Ice's. "...I wouldn't have guessed you'd gone through that. No wonder you took down the Umbrum so easily. You're probably not scared of anything now."

Ice smiled sincerely. "Actually, I was plenty scared. Scared of what might happen if my brothers got hurt." He then gazed deeply into Indigo's eyes. "Scared...if anything happened to you. But I used that fear to strengthen my resolve to make sure that didn't happen. Up until now, I've only fought because it was right. Now I've got a new reason." Ice then felt his face being cupped.

"I'm guessing that's me?" Indigo asked with a smirk as she planted a kiss on Ice's lips! "You're my first boyfriend in a thousand years. It'll be a bit of a long-distance relationship, but just be sure to visit me when you're not off saving the world."

Ice smiled as he put an arm around Indigo. "I think we'll make it work." And he returned the kiss with as much love as he could put into it. "You're the first girl to melt my heart."

Indigo just smiled as she nuzzled Ice. "Sweet. A little too sappy, but sweet."

Episode 9: A Time of Change

Narico was sitting on the couch in his and Fang's house. He was reading a book he'd checked out from the library when he heard a knock on the door. He smiled when he saw Silk Snare, Constrictor, and Carapace. "Hey you three! How's it going?"

"Pretty good." Silk said with a shrug. "Finally got a gaming console set up in the house. Care to help us break it in?"

Narico nodded and told Fang he'd be out with his friends. "Game on!" And with that, Narico went on over the his Changeling friends' house. "So how are you all settling into Ponyville?"

"Well, I got a job at Carousel Boutique." Silk Snare said with a smile as she twisted around trying to find a comfy position on the couch. "Apparently, the webbing I can produce from my hands is super light and very sturdy. Not to mention very comfortable as web hammock outside would suggest. So Rarity cut a deal with me to make silk for her and she takes care of dyeing it."

Carapace chuckled. "Me and Constrictor got jobs in demolition. He handles the toppling, and I take care of the crushing."

"Cool." Narico said with a nod. "From what I've heard, a lot of Changelings got job as stunt doubles, actors, or match makers. Good thing shape-shifting gives us plenty of options for jobs. Some even joined the guard and formed a special stealth and infiltration wing. Plus, we don't need to feed anymore. Except for the drones under Heart Eater's control." Narico then scratched his chin in thought. "Hmm. Seeing the rest of our race doing well makes me wonder how Chrysalis is faring."

The Crystal Palace

Cadence was worried. Ever since the destruction of the Umbrum, Chrysalis had been keeping to herself. She was still friendly towards everyone, but she steered of herself and Shining Armor. Most of all her. "Maybe the events of the wedding are still on her mind." Cadence walked over to Chrysalis' room, and knocked on the door. "Chrysalis? It's Cadence. I know you've been keeping to yourself a lot." A sigh escaped her lungs. "Look. I honestly want to help you. But I can't if you go about this all alone." Cadence heard the doorknob turn from the other side, and saw Chrysalis had a sad look in her eyes.

"Are you sure you want to listen?" Chrysalis asked.

Cadence nodded. "Yes. Are you willing to talk?"

"I can't guarantee you'll like what I have to say, but I might as well spill it. Come in." The two headed inside the room, and sat down. "So you've noticed that I've been steering clear of you and your husband after the Umbrum were destroyed right?"

Cadence nodded. "Yes I have. But why do you make a greater effort to avoid me? Chrysalis I-"

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Chrysalis screamed! Her lungs heaving as she expelled the hidden thoughts she'd bottled inside her. "It started that night before the wedding. When you broke the enchantment I put on him under Heart Eater's suggestion. At that time, I thought he went along so easily with the enchantment because he was a fool But that night...when he held me close...I realized my error." Chrysalis looked at Cadence. Her eyes tearing up. "He trust you completely, and you share that level of trust with him. That attack the two of you fired that repulsed Heart Eater back to the Badlands was the powerful love between the two of you. Then when the Umbrum were released, he saved me. And feelings I felt from the night before the wedding started to come back to the surface." Chrysalis held herself, and closed her eyes. "I feel...complete with him. That he'll keep me safe. Seeing him in action made me wish I had shown my true self to him. Just so I can keep having that feeling. But when I see him with you, I feel so empty and disgusted. Because I know I shouldn't want to take away what you two have! But I feel so alone and empty when I deny these feelings in me!" Chrysalis then gripped onto Cadence's shoulders! "WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!"

Cadence took a deep breath as she grabbed onto one of Chrysalis' arms. "The answer is simple Chrysalis." A genuine smile graced Cadence's face. "These feelings you have around Shining Armor, that sensation of wholeness. It's love. What you're experiencing is true love for the first time."

"That...that's not right!" Chrysalis cried. "I can't love him! I just can't! He married you! He loves you! He can't love me! There's no room in a person's heart for more than one true love!"

Cadence smiled. "No Chrysalis. You're wrong. I am the Princess of Love. That means I can sense the love between all, and all of its forms. And in all the love I've seen, I know this. True love never changes." Cadence then helped Chrysalis stand up. "But it can change a person's heart. Please Chrysalis. Accept it."

"But...but it's wrong." Chrysalis said with a sniffle as tears ran down her face. "To steal the mate of another...is a crime we Changelings find deplorable. But...I want to feel that wholeness. It saddens me so much when I try to ignore it. And I feel worse because having it would mean stealing it from you. The happiest day of your life was almost ruined because of me. I couldn't live with myself if I found myself putting you through something like that again."

Cadence smiled. "Actually, I think Shining Armor would beg to differ on the matter." Chrysalis gasped as Shining Armor opened the door, and stood between her and Cadence. "I'd been speaking to Shining about your avoidance, and he noticed that you seemed pretty nervous around him. So I took the liberty of sensing any budding love in the Crystal Empire. And I found quite a strong love brewing inside of you for him."

"Chrysalis," Shining said with a kind smile. "I should be honest. I've found myself thinking of you. Especially after the wedding. You cared greatly for your people, and made a choice that changed how all of Equestria for the better. And..." Shining Armor blushed a little. "...I think you're pretty badass. Especially after you gave the Umbrum Queen a piece of your mind." Chrysalis' heart was pounding as she heard Shining Armor continue. "And for what it's worth, I think you're a wonderful mother to your people. Even though you're not tied by blood to them, you're a family by soul. The point is, we've already accepted you as our friend. But if you're ready, I'm willing to accept you as so much more."

Cadence smiled. "It also helps that marriage laws are loose in our lands. Mutliple marriages are allowed so long as all parties are willing and accepting of them. But I have one condition that you must agree to before we go through with this."

"Name it." Chrysalis said almost desperately. "Anything."

Cadence smiled warmly. "That you love him with all of your heart."

Chrysalis threw herself into Shining Armor's arms and wept tears of joy. "My heart's not enough." She then buried her face against Shining Armor's chest. "My soul has bound to him too."

Shining Armor looked down at Chrysalis lovingly, and pulled Cadence in as he wrapped one of his arms around Chrysalis. "And I promise to love the two of you with both of mine."

Episode 10: Chaotic Tolerance

Celestia gazed at the statue of Discord, and memories started to flow from Burst's past battles. "Maybe...he deserves a chance too." And with that, Celestia ordered that Discord be moved to Ponyville with the Elements of Harmony. "I just hope that I'm making the right decision..." Celestia soon arrived in Ponyville, and announced her plan to reform Discord. "I would like Fluttershy to oversee Discord's reformation. I have complete faith in you my subject." Twilight and the girls reluctantly agreed, but their doubts were put to rest when Celestia informed them that she had cast a protection enchantment on the Elements of Harmony. "Besides..." Celestia noticed Burst and the Elements of Heroism had summoned their Duelist Weapons. "...I think you'll have the worst case covered thanks to Burst and his friends."

"My fist's ready to slug him." Burst said as he cracked his knuckles.

However, Tyrannus put a hand on Burst's shoulder. "If she truly believes Discord's earned this chance, I say we at least give him a chance." That didn't stop Burst from slugging Discord the second he was free!

"OW!" Discord whined as he fell to the ground! "This is going to be a running gag with you and me, isn't it?"

Burst shrugged. "Only if you give me a reason."

"Well, take this!" Discord fired a beam of magic, and Burst was in his Chaos Form Armor! "Consider this a goodwill present. I've toned-down the chaos in it so that you can transform anytime you wish. Plus, it really does go well with that arm cannon of yours."

Burst reverted to normal and eyed Discord suspiciously. "Thanks. I guess..." Discord was then taken to Fluttershy's cottage with Tyrannus watching him very closely.

"Say..." Discord said as he scratched his chin. Closely inspecting Tyrannus. "Aren't you the one who squished me when I took the form of a butterfly?"

Tyrannus nodded. "My name is Tyrannus Thunder. Call me Ty."

"Well, that incident is in the past!" Discord said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "So put 'er there pal!"

Tyrannus frowned. "We're not friends." Tyrannus retreated to the couch, and went about reading his manga. "I thought you should know, I'm pretty mad at what you did with Fluttershy back when you broke free and set that trap in the labyrinth."

"Odd." Discord said as he once again inspected Tyrannus. "You certainly don't look angry. And is she that good a friend of yours?"

Tyrannus sighed. "She's my girlfriend if you've really gotta know."

"Oh." Discord's face went pale. "Oh no....no no no!" Discord then slapped himself on the face! "I MESSED UP! I MESSED UP BAD!"

Tyrannus cocked a brow at the behavior that was odd even for the Spirit of Chaos. "Um...what are you freaking out for?"

"Even during my reign, there were certain areas that I made sure NEVER to tamper with!" Discord said a frantic tone! "One of which was making sure to never kill anyone. And the other was to never, under any circumstances, mess with someone's love life!" Discord clutched his head in distress.

Tyrannus blinked. "Well, you've got about four others to apologize to. Some of us Elements of Heroism are boyfriends to Twilight and her friends." And with that, Discord took off and promptly apologized to Pinkie and Akage, North and Applejack, Inferno and Rarity, and Steel and Rainbow Dash. Sure enough, Fluttershy began her work in reforming Discord. Tyrannus stayed at home to make sure Discord didn't go too far. Discord teasing Angel wasn't too bad. However, Discord then put the whole cottage on rotate! Everything was spinning around! Yet despite the chaos ensuing, Tyrannus kept a calm demeanor. Much to Discord's befuddlement. "I'm built as tough as I look Discord. Besides, that was kind of fun."

"You're serious?" Discord asked with a frown. "I thought for sure you'd be driven crazy by me uprooting Fluttershy's house."

Tyrannus shrugged. "If she's got a good reason to trust you, then I do too. Besides, I'm sure you're mainly planning on messing with Twilight and the other girls." Discord just rolled his eyes and floated back to the couch. Later, Discord held a dinner party and pulled all manner of pranks on Twilight and the other girls all while Fluttershy still defended him. He was shocked to hear that Fluttershy actually thought of him as a friend. He was further surprised later when Tyrannus looked on indifferently when he made Fluttershy promise not to use her element. A final realization came to Discord. Despite all the words coming from her friends, Fluttershy kept her promise to not use her Element of Kindness.

"I'd lose the only friend I'd ever had..." Discord said sadly as he looked at the pair of skates he'd conjured up for Fluttershy. He then panicked as he saw ice start to crack under Fluttershy's feet! Fortunately, Tyrannus spotted it and quickly leaped into action! Scooping up Fluttershy and sliding across the ice over to the others! "That was a close one! Good thi-" Discord was cut short when he noticed the stare Tyrannus was giving him. For the first time since his fight with Burst Stream, Discord felt scared.

"A word. Alone." Tyrannus said flatly as he led Discord. As he and Tyrannus went over to the other side of the river, Discord had a nervous look on his face as Tyrannus took a deep breath. "Don't worry. I'm not angry. I'm just disappointed."

Discord blinked. "You're...not? I thought for sure all the chaotic things I did today would have set you off."

"Nope." Tyrannus said as he shook his head. "Not in the least. I'm the Element of Tolerance for a reason Discord. Ever since I was little, everyone labelled me as a bully or thug simply because I was bigger and stronger. But I paid no mind to it because I knew I was nothing like that on the inside. I tolerated it, and became stronger as a result. Slowly, that led me to understand the people who were calling me names. Through understanding, I got to know them better. And by knowing them, we became friends. It's why I put up with your antics Discord." A small smile spread across Tyrannus' face. "Because I'd hoped I could become friends with you like Fluttershy has." Tyrannus then let out a sigh. "But the one thing I won't tolerate is having the people I love put at risk. Something you did today even if it was unintentional. I know you can't die Discord..." Tyrannus then punched a hole in the tree next to him! "...But that doesn't mean I can't make you wish you could. Just remember this if you're not paying attention to what I've said. Every action has a price. Always ask yourself if you're willing to pay it."

Discord was honestly touched by Tyrannus' words. A grateful smile crept across his face. "Your element chose well indeed Ty. And I don't think Fluttershy could ask for a better boyfriend."

Tyrannus smiled. "Then welcome to the fold. My friend." Suddenly, he was engulfed by a ball of light! When Ty opened his eyes, he found himself in a cosmic area! "What is this place?"

"One known only to myself and the princesses." A voice said. Tyrannus turned around, and saw a man who looked like an older version of Burst! "Nice to meet you in person Ty. My name is Aether. I'm Burst's dad."

"So...what am I doing here?" Tyrannus asked.

Aether smiled. "You are here because you've devoted yourself to your element. By tolerating the antics of the spirit of chaos, and doing so in the hopes to truly befriend him. Your time has come." Another orb of light surrounded Tyrannus! When Ty opened his eyes, he saw that his hands were covered in a green magic aura and that he'd sprouted pterodactyl wings!

"Ty...you're an Avatar!" Burst called out! "You've lived up to your element!"

Tyrannus smiled, and chuckled when Fluttershy leaped into his arms! "I'll always watch over you."

"I know you can now." Fluttershy said as she nuzzled Tyrannus. "My Guardian."

"Ohhh! GROUP HUG!" Discord shouted as he scooped both Fluttershy and Tyrannus into a hug! Everyone shared a laugh at the odd trio before them.

Episode 11: Longing

Nightmare Moon woke up with a smile as she stretched. Oddly enough, the Avatar that tried to bring eternal night was quite the morning person. Of course, she now had plenty of reasons to wake up. She'd told the truth of her origins, people were beginning to accept her, and she had become friends with the same six girls who had bested her. And to top it all off, she was living with the person who had made it all possible. Burst Stream had become a large part of her life.

"Morning Moon." Burst said with a smile. "Guess what? It looks like you won't have to worry about getting blasted by the Elements of Harmony anymore."

Moon cocked an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"Turns out, Discord had a back-up plan when he was first defeated." Burst said with a shrug. "He'd planted these things called Plunderseeds that would have stolen the energy from the Tree of Harmony. The only way to restore the tree was for Twilight and the girls to return the Elements of Harmony to the tree. Twilight and the girls were pretty torn up about it though."

Moon smiled. "The Elements may have brought them together, but those six are bound by their friendship."

"Nice words. But Discord wound up making them a set of synthetic elements so that way they can always have the memories." Burst said with a smile. "Speaking of friends, they want us to celebrate with them. You interested?"

Moon nodded. "I'd love to." As she watched Burst, Moon started to recall dreams she'd been having about him. Burst had been her first friend, but something was sparked within Moon when she held him close that night he'd crash landed in the old castle. She found him attractive, but then she got to know him more. She'd spent more time with him. And he'd given her so much in such a short time. And in her dreams, she saw herself and him together. A dream, which she hated to admit, couldn't be real. 'I won't ruin his happiness when he's already given me mine.' Moon thought sadly. 'But I can't deny this fact. My heart wants him.' Sure enough, the time came to meet with the rest of Burst's friends. But the sight before Moon made her realization solidify. Rarity and Inferno, Steel and Rainbow Dash, Akage and Pinkie, Tyrannus and Fluttershy, and North and Applejack. The five couples all looked so happy together. So content. So complete. Something Moon knew she couldn't have with the one she wanted. And watching them built the pressure to the point where she couldn't take it anymore. "Excuse me, but I have to go." Burst had no time to ask what Moon meant before she took off flying.

Canterlot

Celestia sat upon her throne with a serene look on her face. Her court was almost over. Or at least, it would be if a guard hadn't informed her about one last person who needed to speak with her urgently. "Send them in." Celestia was shocked to see who needed to talk to her so urgently. "Leave us." Celestia looked Moon right in the eyes. Her face holding the serene look it usually displayed. "So what seems to be your problem?"

"It's Burst." Moon said with a sigh. "He's the whole reason I've come to speak with you."

Celestia blinked. "Well, what could be the-?" She was cutoff by Moon.

"I love him." Moon said before heaving heavily to catch her breath from her declaration. "But at the same time...I can't. Not if it means making him unhappy." She then held herself as unpleasant memories started to return. "Not if it means hurting him like you and Luna. I...I can't stand to see anyone know pain like that." Moon sighed. "I...I just needed to vent all this. You deserved to know. You're the one who holds his heart as he holds yours."

Celestia took a deep breath, stood up, and walked over to Moon. Putting a hand on her shoulder. "Walk with me." As Celestia started to move, she noticed that Moon was hesitant. "What's wrong? I'm not going to exile you or anything."

"Then why do you want me to follow you?" Moon asked. "Aren't you mad?"

Celestia shook her head. "No. But if you come with me, I'll explain myself." A small smile graced Celestia's face as Moon started to follow her. "So. When did these feelings for Burst start to stem?"

"I guess you could say...it was love at first fight." Moon said with a faint smile. "When Luna and I returned, Burst was the only one who tried to talk to me. To reason with me. He...saw me as a person. Not a monster." A small chuckle escaped her lips. "Of course...it also helps that he's quite adorable. And when we met again, he regretted that he assumed I was just Luna's dark side. Then there was when he helped me become accepted by Twilight and her friends. Burst was by my side every step of the way. Even when everyone still eyes me cautiously, he stood by me. As I got to know him more, the more I found myself wanting him to be with me. When I'm with him...I don't feel alone. He-"

Celestia giggled. "Completes you?"

"How...how did you know?" Moon asked in shock.

Another giggle escaped the princess of the sun's lips. "He makes me feel the same way. In some ways, I guess you could say you and I love him for the same reasons. I first met Burst when he was a child. He'd heard about the story of you and Luna, and he couldn't stand the ending. So he made a promise to me that he'd one day give that sad story a happy ending." A musical laugh escaped Celestia's lips. "He told me about his promise when he first met me, and he had no clue he was talking to me. Then he gave me a plushy Optimus Prime because he said I looked like I needed it. Sixteen years later, I met him again after your return. He'd grown so much, and he'd followed through on his promise. He always keeps his word. When I saw him again, I couldn't believe what he'd accomplished." Celestia then blushed. "And how handsome he'd become. He also didn't see me as royalty or a goddess. Just as a person. So...I decided to get to know him better. I invited him over to the castle a few times just so I could speak with him more. And in our battle against the Nightmare Forces, I realized something else. Burst's someone who will never give up on his friends. No matter the danger or the risk. He'll keep on fighting for even the chance to save the people he cares about."

Celestia then smiled fondly. "And then, at the Grand Gala, he confessed that he'd been harboring feelings for me after we shared a dance. And then..." The co-ruler of Equestria blushed as the next memory played in her head. "...then I gave him his first kiss. It was probably the most romantic and magical moment I've ever had. And from there, we started dating. On our first date, a bunch of photographers soon showed up and started snapping pictures. But Burst was determined to show me a good time. He protected me from my own doubt that time. Then there was the wedding incident. Heart Eater was about to attack me as I charged up my magic, but Burst sent her flying through a wall and held onto her. All while firing many shots from his Twin Burst blaster right in her face. Both times, he made me feel safe. And because of that and his wings, I call him My Dragon Knight."

"I guess...you could say he makes me feel safe too." Moon said with a smile. "With him, I always feel accepted. Like when the world seems against me, I can always find him. That he'll always be there for me. A light in the darkness for me. That's why I call him My Precious Light."

Celestia giggled. "He does look rather cute when he's asleep. I should know. The two of us shared a bed during Hearth's Warming." The two Avatars shared a laugh. "It's odd. I know what you really are now, and I still know so little about you."

"I guess now's a good time to rectify that." Moon said with a genuine smile. "I love the night like Luna does. But I'm especially fond of dreams. They're the one place everyone can be happy. And they give people a good reason to wake up. I've also become quite the gamer ever since I got my hands on the consoles Burst has in his house." Her smile soon saddened a bit. "But above all, I love this world. The banishment was tough, but at least Luna and I had something pretty to look at. When Luna and I returned, the first thing we did before capturing you was take in the air." She then looked over to Celestia. "I know why you didn't resist when we returned. And I'm glad that you didn't."

Celestia blinked. "Yes. Because Luna returned with you. But why are you glad that I didn't put up a fight?"

"Because I saw you Celestia." Moon said sadly. "I saw you all the way from the moon. Luna was mostly unconscious, so I decided to see how things went on. And I've never seen a more painful smile than the one you had to wear so Equestria would be at peace. I saw your tears, and when you'd stare at the moon at night. I knew your pain. Because I was alone too. Luna wouldn't talk to me, and she kept mumbling that it was her fault she was banished. She missed you so much." Tears fell down Moon's face. "I already caused enough pain for you and Luna. No physical harm could ever wound you as deeply as that isolation." The two shared a meaningful gaze. "And to take Burst from you would be even worse."

Celestia smiled at Moon. "I guess it's my turn. I'm the beloved co-ruler of a kingdom. I've got a major sweet tooth. And I love my subjects and my family." Celestia's own smile then saddened. "And I've also made mistakes that have hurt the people I love. Luna was the first. You weren't wrong when you asked if my own light blinded me. I thought as long as I loved Luna, that if she had at least me, then she wouldn't need everyone else. But I was wrong. Something your second return made very clear. I won't lie. I still held some prejudice towards you when I saw you then. But now that I know your actual origins, I can see you for who you are." She then surprised Moon by pulling her into a hug. "A kind soul who only wishes for the happiness of others. One who cares greatly for the ones she loves. And one who I'd be honored to share the one who completes me the same way he completes you."

Moon gasped. "Wait. You mean..."

"I do." Celestia said with a warm smile. "I must admit. You and Burst do contrast nicely in terms of color."

Moon face then broke into a smile as she returned the hug. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome." Celestia said with a giggle. "You know? I always wondered why you look like a dark version of me."

Moon beamed. "Well, Luna was picturing your figure in her mind when she was making me. She wanted what you had, and a friend who could be there when you weren't. I guess that's why I look the way I do."

"True. But you can pull off a suit of armor better than I can." Celestia said with a smile. "I enjoyed getting to know you more."

Moon smiled as she hugged Celestia goodbye. "Me too." Moon flew off with a joyful smile on her face. Seeing her fly so happily made Celestia smile in return as she watched Moon leave. However, her mood soured a bit when Shining Dawn came in.

"Celestia." Shining Dawn said with a bow. "I believe that Nightmare Moon harbors feelings for Burst." He then produced photos from the folds of his coat. "Nova's been taking photographs of them together, and I must say that it looks like she's winning him over."

Celestia smiled. "I just spoke with her about it. And I'm fine with it. In fact, we're more than happy to share the one who completes us."

"Interesting." Shining Dawn said with a nod. "But I do have something at my estate that I believe you must see. You wouldn't mind accompanying me, would you?" Celestia hesitantly nodded. "Wonderful. I've a ride prepared." The two soon arrived at Shining Dawn's mansion, and he led her to a large door. "I think you'll be quite impressed." Shining Dawn opened the door, and a whole army met Celestia's gaze. All the soldiers were covered in armor colored similar to the feathers of Shining Dawn's wings. "I call them the Dawn Treaders. My own army. Armed, efficient, merciless, and ready for the coming battle."

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "What battle would that be?"

"Why...our march on Canterlot of course." Shining Dawn said with a dark smile. "I've come for your hand Celestia. And I will not be denied. However, your attachment to Burst posed a problem. I can't marry a taken woman. But if such an attachment were to be severed, I think I could come around." A wicked smile then spread across Shining Dawn's face. "Break Burst Stream's heart, or see Canterlot crumble. I hope you make the right decision."

Canterlot. The next day.

Burst was confused as to why Celestia summoned him, but decided it would be best that he find out for himself. He soon found himself in the throne room. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes." Celestia was doing her best to keep her calm demeanor intact. "Something's come to my attention. You have grown close with Moon."

Burst scratched his head. "Well, yeah. We spend a lot of time together and she's fun to hang out with."

"That's why I'm leaving you." Celestia said. And as much as it hurt her to say it, she had to. For Burst and Canterlot's sake. "She's giving you what I couldn't...and I realize that I can't do the same for you. It's made me rethink Shining Dawn's proposal, and I've accepted it. I don't want you wasting your life on me when I can't spare even a whole day for you."

"Celestia...no!" Burst cried out! "You're wrong about Moon! I love you! You're the thing in this world I can't see myself without!" He then fell to his knees and grabbed onto Celestia's hand! "Please! Don't do this! You're everything to me!" Burst's eyes began to tear up. "Please...don't leave me..."

It took everything within Celestia to hold back her own tears and keep her voice stable. "I'm sorry. But this is best for everyone. I must go. My future husband awaits me." Celestia left the throne room. Trying desperately to hold back the tears. But she wasn't prepared for the most painful sound she'd ever heard. Burst screaming in sorrow.

"AUUUUUGH!"

Episode 12: A Dragon's Sorrow, A Nightmare's Love

Burst's flight home was the equivalent of a crawl. The second he set foot on the ground, he sulked all the way back to his house. All of his friends gathered around him. Concerned for the emotional state of their friend. "Burst?" Inferno asked. "Hey...what's got you down man? You look so dead inside. Like your heart just got shattered."

"...It was." Burst said as he turned his head to look at Inferno. Burst's eyes were red from crying and the normal sapphire blue of his eyes looked more pale. "Celestia broke up with me to marry Shining Dawn." A bitter chuckle escaped from Burst's lips. "It's odd. I've gone against and beaten the worst villains in Equestria. Yet the one to actually wound me, the one who managed to truly make me feel defeated was the one person who held my heart." Burst's head dropped so that his bangs covered his eyes. "Heh. I guess that's what I get for being too close to the sun."

"Burst..." Steel said as he put a hand on Burst's shoulder. "Look. Things happen in relationships. You'll hit a rough patch or two along the way, but that's a part of love."

Burst swatted away Steel's hand! His face a mix of sorrow and anger. "You've never been dumped! None of you know what this pain feels like! To feel your very heart be ripped from you! Broken by the one you entrusted it to!" Tears started to stream from Burst's eyes. "None of you understand."

"Burst..." Twilight began. But Burst put his hand up for silence.

"All of you...please." Burst said as his voice trembled. "Just leave me alone..." And with that, Burst headed inside his house and locked the door. He removed his coat and sat down on the couch. "...Is this my fault?" Burst then scrolled through some pictures on his phone. In specific, he focused on pictures of him and Nightmare Moon. "Was it wrong of me to give her a chance? Was I wrong to be her friend?" Burst laid his phone on the table and groaned as he clutched his head. "First my heart is broken, now my mind's torn." He got up, and headed to his bed. Slowly slipping under the covers much like how he'd fallen into his sorrow. "Maybe things will be clearer once I wake up. Because part of me keeps hoping this is all a bad dream..." Burst drifted off into sleep, but his slumber was anything but peaceful.

Meanwhile, Moon had met with Burst's friends. "This isn't right..." Moon said as she processed the information. "Celestia would never break up with Burst!"

"Darling...I know this is upsetting." Rarity noted. "But what makes you deny this has happened?"

Moon narrowed her eyes. "Because Celestia and I just agreed to share him!" Needless to say, all of Burst's friends were shocked at the announcement. "Yesterday, I confessed to Celestia that I loved Burst. And because she knows the truth of me, because we bonded over Burst, she agreed to let the both of us love him. But then...why would she do this to him? She would never do something this hurtful. She could never be this cruel. Not unless-!" Moon gasped in realization. "Unless...she had no choice."

"Moon?" Twilight asked. "What are you talking about?"

"I think Celestia's been forced to put Burst in this position." Everyone could feel the anger starting to boil within her. "And I think I know who's responsible for Burst's suffering. Looks like Shining Dawn's got a dark heart. I could tell Burst and I were being observed. I tried to bring eternal night. So I know when someone's hiding or when someone's watching me." Moon's expression saddened. "But he'll have to be dealt with later. Right now, I must tend to Burst." Moon took her key out, and unlocked the door and slowly closed it. "Burst?" Moon slowly closed the door and locked it. She soon found Burst lying on his bed. Trying to use the sheets as a shield against the outside world. Moon saw Burst shivering. Tears had stopped flowing from his eyes, but he was shaking all over. The look on his face showed he was struggling. No doubt with the recent heartbreak. "Oh, Burst..." Moon sat down and gently ran one of her hands across Burst's head. "What is it that troubles your slumber? I'll know soon enough." Moon draped herself over Burst, and closed her eyes. Entering the dreams that were tormenting Burst.

Burst's mind had been replaying memories as he slumbered. Memories of happier times that he and Celestia shared, as well as the time he had spent with Moon. In his dreams, Burst was watching these memories play on. And they soon stopped at Celestia breaking up with him. Burst fell to his knees as her words rang out from all around him. They surrounded him, and amplified the great sorrow filling his heart. "It's not your fault you know." A voice called out. Burst sprung to his feet, and was shocked at the figure who was speaking to him. It was himself. "You're not to blame for Celestia breaking up with you. It was nothing you did."

"What...what're you talking about?" Burst asked.

The look-alike smirked. "Think about it. Who did Celestia say gave you so much time? Who did she say you were growing close to?" The look-alike then got not but three feet away from Burst. "Who was the one that shared a bed with you that fateful day you crash-landed in Celestia and Luna's old castle?"

"Moon..." Burst said almost breathlessly.

The look-alike smirked. "Yes." He then waved his hand, and an image of Moon appeared through a swirling portal. "She's the one you've been getting to be such good friends with. The Avatar that tried to bring about eternal night, and who you gave another chance. The one who spilled her true origins to you." The look-alike then sneered at the image of Moon. "And the same one responsible for Celestia leaving you. All because you were willing to let her into your life." The look-alike then turned to Burst. "You see? You don't need to take any of the blame. You don't need to hold onto the pain. All of it is because of her." The look-alike watched as Burst slowly got to his feet. "Just say it's her fault, and then all the pain, the guilt, will wash away. It's so easy."

Burst walked up to the image of Moon. His face remained completely for a full two minutes before his eyes narrowed in determination. "No."

"No?" The look-alike asked with a cross expression on his face. "What do you mean 'no'?!"

Burst took a deep breath before turning to face the look-alike. "Because it's not fair to her. I'm the one who gave her a chance. The one who stood by her when she wanted to be accepted by everyone. I was, and still am, her first friend. And I won't turn on her! She's suffered enough...and I won't put her through anymore pain!"

The lookalike scowled, and an aura of darkness exploded around him! Burst then realized who this was. It was a side of him that rarely spoke out. A side that was absent, yet always present. This was his dark side. And now, his dark side's appearance reflected that. Dark Side's skin had turned black, his wings looked sharper and fiercer, and his pupils became slits while the white of his eyes turned into a lighter shade of blue than his irises. "FOOL!" He then grabbed Burst by the throat, and slammed him against one of the invisible walls! "You could've made this so easy! Could have avoided all the pain! But no!" Dark Side punched Burst in the gut! "And all you had to do was blame it on her!" Dark Side pointed at the image of Moon. "She's the one responsible for your pain! Including the pain I inflict on you!" Dark Side then flew over to the image of Moon, and tried to press Burst's face against it! "Hate her."

Burst groaned as he used his arms to keep him from being pressed against the image. "Ngh....!"

"Hate her!" Dark Side shouted as he once again tried to force Burst's face against the image! "HATE HER!"

Burst slowly opened his eyes, and stared at the image of Moon. "NOOOO!" Burst screamed as he kicked Dark Side in the stomach! "I won't! Even if you beat me to a pulp...if I never wake up...I swear...I won't hate her!" Burst then slugged Dark Side right in the face! As Dark Side recoiled in pain, Burst continued to speak. "I know you were going to get some words in. Someday, I knew I'd have to face you. You're a part of me. I won't deny that. But you're not all there is to me. You're not what makes me strong. Not alone at least. We need each other." Unbeknownst to the two sides of Burst, Moon was watching the whole scene unfold. Her hands upon her heart as she heard every word Burst spouted to his dark side. "Come on. Let's get back to being whole." Dark Side's body then dissolved, and a black orb of essence floated in front of Burst. "You really wanted some time outside didn't you?" The orb seemed to nod. "You going to behave from now on?" Once again, the orb nodded. "Good." The orb then shot inside Burst, and a flash of light went off. "There we go. Feels like something's going on inside me. Like I got a boost or something."

"Well done Burst." Moon said as she entered Burst's dream. "No need to speak to me here. We'll talk in the real world as soon as I'm changed. But you'd best wake up."

Burst woke with a start, and found his face covered in sweat. He walked over to the kitchen sink, and rinsed his face before settling back on his bed. He then saw that night had fallen, and Moon was walking out of the bathroom. She was wearing the dark blue garment Rarity had made for her sleepwear. The moonlight seemed to bathe her in a silvery glow, the purple hue to her starry hair was made clear, and her eyes seemed to glow as well. "I...guess you heard and saw everything that went on, huh?" Burst asked as he averted his gaze.

"I did Burst." Moon said with a nod as she slowly turned Burst's head to face her. "Your element suits you. Not because of your training or physical power." Moon slowly placed a hand over Burst's heart. "Your heart has such great strength within it. No matter what, it always gives you a reason to keep on fighting." She then touched her forehead to Burst's. "It means so much to me that you were so willing to be my friend. Thank you."

Burst smiled, and then broke into tears as he pulled her close and buried his head against Moon's chest. "I'm sorry..." Burst wept. "I'm so sorry! Part of me wanted to blame you! Wanted to hate you! Part of me held you responsible for my pain!" Burst slowly looked Moon in the eyes. "But I couldn't. Once I got to know you...I couldn't bring myself to hurt you like that. You're so kind. And you were so happy. I-I just couldn't be the one to put you through more pain. You've already suffered so much. And now? Now I can't help but love you. You and Celestia are so alike, and I guess part of me grew to love you because of that. Now, all of me just wants to hope that you love me too."

"Oh, Burst..." Moon cooed as she rubbed Burst's back to soothe him. "I already do. I have ever since you first took me into your home. We have grown to love you over the time we've known you."

Burst ceased his crying, and managed a small chuckle. "Some part of the old royal tongue coming back to make this more romantic?"

"No Burst." Moon said as she shook her head. "I mean me and Celestia. Both of us hold you in our hearts, and we would never hurt you. Not intentionally. No, Celestia did this to you because she was forced to."

Burst sniffled before asking. "What do you mean?"

"Shining Dawn must have forced Celestia's hand." Moon said as she stroked Burst's hair. "No doubt he gave her an ultimatum that held someplace significant hostage. Most likely Canterlot. Celestia and I had agreed to share you, to have the both of us love you only yesterday. That being said, it looks like you have a wedding to crash in two days from now."

Burst chuckled before he found himself gazing at Moon. This time of day really made her beauty evident. "You know? When I first saw you, I couldn't deny that you were beautiful. Those eyes, that hair like the night sky, and those black wings of yours." Burst then smiled lovingly. "But here, in this moment, I can really see how beautiful you are. I've truly come to love you. For someone named Nightmare Moon...you've got beauty that surpasses any dream." Moon smiled lovingly at Burst's compliment. "And...you're about as unbearably sexy as Celestia."

Moon giggled before she released Burst and caressed her own body. "Sexy am I?" She asked with a seductive smirk. "I must admit, my attraction to you on our first encounter was purely physical. But this time we've spent, it's been so magical." She then leaned into Burst's ear, and whispered. "I've come to love you for who you are too. And I'm just dying to get a taste." Moon pulled away from Burst's ear, and planted her lips against his. Cupping his face with her hands. The two shared a tender, passionate kiss as the moonlight lit up their bodies. "Mmmmh." Moon purred as she pulled out of the kiss. "You taste so sweet beloved." She then wrapped her arms around Burst. "Holding you tight like this makes me feel complete."

"You know? I feel whole too." Burst said with a loving smile as he engaged in another deep kiss. "I love you...Dream."

Moon smiled lovingly as she then wrapped her wings around Burst. Using them as a blanket from the outside world. "I love you too my Precious Light." She then nuzzled Burst's face. "With all of my heart." The two shared one last kiss before snuggling each other as sleep claimed them. "Sweet dreams."

Episode 13: Dragon Unbound

The next day, Burst and all his friends bore witness to Twilight's ascension. She had written her own magic, friendship, and became an avatar. As the lavender wings upon her back now suggested. She'd even seen Celestia congratulate her. "Welcome to the club." Moon said with a smile as she hugged Twilight.

"Burst?" Twilight asked. "Celestia asked if she'll see you at the wedding. Something about making an entrance?"

Burst smirked. "Trust me Twilight. I'll definitely be making an entrance." The rest of Burst's friends wondered what he meant, but decided they'd find out tomorrow.

Shining Dawn's mansion

Celestia had just received a message from Luna via magic. Shining Dawn's army of Dawn Treaders had just camped right outside of Canterlot. And then who should come in but Shining Dawn himself. "You know that wasn't our agreement." Celestia said sternly.

"Call it an insurance policy my dear." Shining Dawn said with a wicked smile. "Besides, I didn't attack Canterlot yet."

Celestia scowled. "You know you won't get away with this."

"Please." Shining Dawn scoffed. "I have your city held ransom, I've got your hand locked down in marriage, and..." A cruel smile crept onto Shining Dawn's face. "...I have crushed Burst Stream through you. And once we are bound, I'll have the right to claim my godhood." And with that, Shining Dawn left. Only for Cadence to come see her aunt.

"Oh, auntie.." Cadence sighed as she hugged Celestia. "Luna just told me about the army outside Canterlot. I sensed the love in Shining Dawn's heart. He has none. I knew you wouldn't leave Burst unless you had no choice."

Celestia sighed. "True enough. But I'm not worried." Celestia went over to her bed, and picked up the Optimus Prime plushy that Burst had given her those many years ago. "Because I know he's not even begun to fight yet."

The next day, Burst awoke and took a deep breath before slipping into his clothes. He stood clad in his iconic outfit, and holstered his Duelist Arms. "It's time." He was about to leave when he saw Moon clad in her armor. "Looks like you've gotten dressed for the occasion too."

"Different destination." Moon said with a smile as she slipped on her helmet. She then pulled Burst into a hug. "Don't you dare come back without her."

Burst smiled lovingly. "And don't you dare lose either." The two shared a kiss, and flew off in their separate ways. Moon landed in Canterlot, and noticed all the people were nervous about Shining Dawn's army. She steeled her gaze and walked calmly out the front gates of Canterlot. Nova Flare noticed Moon, and bolted to her feet!

"You! Accursed Avatar of the dark!" Nova Flare cried out! "What business do you have with us?!"

Moon took a deep breath. "I'm here to give you a first and last warning. Pull out your forces and leave Canterlot. Or else I'll deal with you accordingly. Know that whatever happens next is on your conscience."

"I shall never yield to one from the dark!" Nova Flare cried out! "Dawn Treaders! Eliminate her!"

Moon sighed as the soldiers charged at her. "Very well." Moon summoned her broadsword Lunar Eclipse, and cleaved the five Dawn Treaders that had charged at her. "Forgive-?!" Moon noticed that the Dawn Treaders' bodies faded in a flash of light. Leaving only their armor. "...Me?"

"Sorry. But your bloodlust won't be quenched today." Nova Flare said with a smirk on her face. "The Dawn Treaders are all golems Lord Shining Dawn created so that he may never risk losing a life in battle!" However, the chuckle coming from Moon wiped the smirk off of Nova's face. "What...what do you find so amusing?"

Moon smirked at Nova Flare. "No. This is good. This is really good." Moon then got into a fighting stance. "Now I can truly show you why they call me a nightmare. And it'll still be PG-13." And with that, Moon threw herself at the Dawn Treaders! All of the guards standing watch looked on in awe as she tore her way through the Dawn Treaders! She struck with such power and moved with swiftness and grace, it was almost like she was dancing on the battlefield! Many Dawn Treaders fell to her blade. And any that did not were soon destroyed by her magic! No remains, save for armor, remained once she was through with them! Moon kept going at them with no mercy. The battle, if it could even be called one, was over in a matter of minutes. One of Moon's hands had smoke trailing from it with the last magical attack she'd used. A confident smirk on full display as she gazed at Nova Flare. "Perhaps now you'd like to reconsider your options?"

Nova flare was trembling in fear as she reached for her sword. "N-Never...NEVER!" She charged at Moon with her sword only for Moon to simply lean out of her way. Nova kept swinging wildly, and eventually pierced Moon's chest! But to her shook, no damage was done! "But..but how? My sword burns the evil darkness!'

"Maybe it's not as evil as you believe it to be." Moon said with a frown. "Pure light and pure darkness are equally blinding. Let me illuminate you." Moon's hand glowed with magic as she pulled the sword from her body. Her wound instantly healed, and she gripped Nova's head with the hand glowing with her magic. "Sleep." Nova Flare then fell to the ground unconscious. "She'll be fine." Moon said to the guards as she removed her helmet. She then found all of Canterlot cheering for her. "So anyone want to help with clean up." A squadron of guards came to sweep up the armor that laid across the battlefield while two guards took Nova Flare into custody. "It's all you now Burst."

Burst had just arrived at Shining Dawn's mansion, and texted Inferno if the pastor had said the 'Speak now' line. Inferno replied saying it was almost time. "Perfect." Burst threw the doors open the second the line was spoken! "Yeah. I've got an objection or two!" Burst then pointed at Shining Dawn. "He doesn't love her. And he stole her from me!"

"Bravo Burst." Shining Dawn said with a smirk as he snapped his fingers. A remaining squad of Dawn Treaders surrounded Burst. "It's true. I only wish to make Celestia my bride so I may lay claim to being a true avatar. Though Aether did play a part in my birth, my magic is pitiful. So I sought to lay claim through the most binding form. Marriage. And who better to marry than the beloved Princess Celestia?" All the guests were in shock at this revelation! "But you were in the way. So I had to make sure you were removed. You shouldn't have come here Burst. Now Canterlot falls!"

Burst smirked. "I wouldn't be too sure about that." He then pulled out his phone to reveal a recent text. "Moon just texted me she's wiped the floor with your army." The crowd was once again shocked, but not before Celestia started to laugh as she turned to face Shining Dawn.

"Gotcha!" Celestia said with a smirk. The audience was confused, so Celestia decided to explain. "I knew you'd have something like this planned Shining Dawn. But I also knew that Burst wouldn't stay down for long. He never gives up. So I 'broke up' with him just so he could storm in and object to this marriage as much as I do. Did you really think you could get away with threatening Canterlot on my watch? And now you've just blabbed your plan for everyone to hear. Because you were so sure you'd won." Celestia then gave Shining Dawn an epic thumbs-down. "But it's game over for you." Celestia was about to teleport to Burst's side, but she couldn't! She then saw the ring on her finger glowing. It was cancelling out her magic! She then saw Shining Dawn about to strike her when a blast flew by them! Celestia saw one of Burst's blasters smoking from the recent shot, and the squad of Dawn Treaders was nothing but armor on the ground.

"You won't lay a finger on her." Burst said coldly. "Your fight's with me." He then looked to his friends. "Guys? I suggest you clear everyone out. Things are gonna get crazy." The remaining Elements of Heroism and Elements of Harmony set to work evacuating the wedding guests. Soon, it was just Burst and Shining Dawn with Celestia bearing witness to the imminent clash. "I told you that I wasn't trying last time." Burst then activated his Chaos Form armor! "Now I am."

Shining Dawn sneered. "As am I." The two charged at each other, and their fists collided! A massive shockwave rang throughout the room! Both of them began trading blows! However, Burst was concerned as their battle waged.

'There's no way he could get this strong so quickly! When I first sensed him, his power wasn't even on Twilight's level! So what could boost him this much so fast?!' Burst thought as he continued firing blasts of chaos energy and unleashing a series of kicks and punches at Shining Dawn!

"I think I'm done toying with you." Shining Dawn said with a sneer as a red tinge became evident around his pale gold eyes. A massive blast of magic knocked Burst into a wall! Shining Dawn then flew to Burst, and unleashed a merciless flurry of punches against Burst! Burst's Chaos Form armor started to flicker on and off due to Shining Dawn starting to overpower him! Burst soon landed on his feet, and his armor had de-materialized. "I'm not done yet." A black bolt of lightning shot from his hand! Burst screamed in agony as the bolt hit him! "This spell is supposed to make you writhe in agony." Shining Dawn said with a cruel smile as he zapped Burst again when Burst tried to take flight. "What made you think you would get the girl? Don't you know how the fairy tales end? The dragon is always slain." Shining Dawn then revealed the Avatar Amulet from under his shirt. "Of course, the slayer must be properly equipped. Now where was I?"

Celestia watched in horror as Shining Dawn continued to torture Burst with the same spell. Her heart ached when she saw Burst slightly scorched from the multiple times the spell struck him! "STOP!" Celestia screamed. "You've made it clear that you've won! Just, please, don't hurt him anymore."

Shining Dawn slowly removed the Avatar Amulet. "You're so right. And you dear brother," Burst's eyes shrunk when he saw a blade sticking through him. Shining Dawn smiling wickedly. "It is about time to put you out of your misery." Shining Dawn watched with satisfaction as Burst fell to his knees. Blood starting to trickle down from where he'd been impaled.

"BURST!" Celestia screamed as she flew over to Burst's reaching hand. Only for a barrier to get in her way. "No..please no..."

"So close, yet so far." Shining Dawn said with a sneer as he grabbed Celestia. "And now my dear, I shall teach you a lesson as well. One you will not soon forget."

Burst's vision was starting to blur, but he could still make things out and hear clearly. And what he saw and heard angered him. He staggered to his feet and charged up as much magic as he could muster. He couldn't let Shining Dawn hurt Celestia. He wouldn't! "NOOOOOO!" Burst screamed as he fired a blast of white lightning that shattered through the barrier! Striking Shining Dawn dead on! Burst then felt a surge of power flow through him. Similar to the presence his dark side had in his dreams. But now? Now Burst owned it. And it would now be unleashed. Burst's pupils turned into slits while the white of his eyes was tinged with a lighter shade of blue. "RAAAAAGH!" An aura of blue energy engulfed Burst! Forcing both Shining Dawn and Celestia to brace themselves as the waves of power went crashing down! When the waves ceased, a cloud of dust stood before them. They heard barely audible footsteps. "You know? I always wondered why the dragon was slain in all those old stories." Burst's voice came from the cloud. However, it sounded more mature. "Now I think I know why." Two white dragon wings shot out from the dust cloud, but the looked sharper and fiercer. "Because when something precious, their treasure, is taken from them, they'll never stop searching for it." Twin glowing orbs of blue seemed to shine through the dust as the footsteps drew closer. "And they'll suffer any pain, or fight any enemy just for the chance to reclaim what they hold dear! Because a dragon's spirit-" Burst's form broke through the cloud for all present to see. Celestia's eyes went wide. Burst appeared more muscular than his original form, but that wasn't what had shocked her. What shocked her was that Burst's skin was now black. "IS INDOMINITABLE!"

"Impossible...impossible!" Shining Dawn fumed! "You're a False Avatar like me! How did you gain such power?! You're no better than me using dark power like that!"

Burst chuckled. "Because I was born out of a mutual love my parents had. And because I love Celestia." Burst shot a glance at Celestia who blushed slightly at Burst's new form. "Besides, the Avatar Amulet didn't corrupt you. That heart of yours is as wicked as they come. Sure. I've got a nightmare form now. But my heart's not changed a bit. Where the power comes from doesn't matter. It's how you use it that counts." Burst then drew his sword. "And I'm gonna use this power to kick your ass!" Shining Dawn barely had any time to move before Burst rushed him and scored a slash across his chest!

"Wh-What are you?!" Shining Dawn gasped as he clutched his chest will desperately getting the Avatar Amulet around his neck.

"Your worst nightmare." Burst said flatly. The two then let the silence speak for them as their gazes locked. Shining Dawn's now red eyes thanks to the full power of the amulet screamed no mercy. While Burst's slit-pupiled eyes defiantly proclaimed no surrender. The two power houses clashed! Locking blades! "Well I'll be. You're actually a decent opponent now." Burst quipped as his Bahamut Edge clashed with Shining Dawn's sword!

Shining Dawn glared at Burst! "I underestimated you last time. And I knew I could never match your power! But the amulet will give me the strength to destroy you! And only I can remove it! My sword, Dragon Slayer, will be the marker of your grave!"

"Then I'll just have to remove you and the amulet!" Burst shot back as he slipped out one of his blasters, and shot Shining Dawn point blank! Shining Dawn was sent reeling from the blast, and skidded to a halt! scorch mark present from where he'd been blasted! "I'm not through with you yet!" Burst dashed up to Shining Dawn, and unleashed a series of powerful strikes that launched him into the air! "First I set you up...!" Burst then took to the air and continued his assault! "Then I knock you back down!" Burst sent Shining Dawn crashing to the ground with one powerful swing! He then sheathed Bahamut Edge, and drew his other blaster pistol. Burst charged both blasters, and fired a charged blast stream at Shining Dawn! When the smoke cleared, Shining Dawn was on one knee and in a crater made from the blast. He was about to charge, but Burst shot out a stream of magical lightning from one of his hands! "You keep getting up, I'm just gonna keep zapping you." Shining Dawn paid no mind and foolishly tried to charge at Burst again! Burst once again let a stream of lightning flow, and Shining Dawn writhed on the ground! Burst nodded when he saw that Shining Dawn was slipping in and out of consciousness. He then turned around to face Celestia.

Celestia's mind was frantic. She didn't know whether to be happy that Burst was alive, frightened by the power he now possessed, or attracted to the new form he had. She was about to back-peddle, but lost her balance! Only to see a black a blur race by and catch her. Celestia found herself being carried bridal-style by Burst. "I didn't expect to see you in a wedding dress so soon." Burst joked. When she looked Burst in the eyes, all fear melted away. His body may have changed, but it was still Burst. "So you knew I'd come for you?"

"You promised didn't you?" Celestia asked with a loving smile. "And from what I've seen you always keep your word." Burst smiled lovingly as he made his way to the exit. However, his exit didn't go unnoticed. Shining Dawn's vision began to clear, and he glared hatefully at Burst as he exited. Burst had just made it outside and saw that Moon had joined his friends in waiting for him. Some of his friends were nervous around his new form at first, but instantly abandoned their doubts when they saw Celestia resting her head against Burst's chest. However, the celebration was interrupted when a loud crash was heard! A lone figure floated in the sky. Shining Dawn was covered in a blood red aura as the Avatar Amulet's gem started to crack!

"BUUURSSST!" Shining Dawn screamed! "I REFUSE TO SEE YOU WALK AWAY WITH MY KEY TO GODHOOD! I SWEAR IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO, I'LL WIPE YOU OFF THE FACE OF EQUESTRIA! RISING DAWN...."

Burst narrowed his eyes, and got into a stance! "THIS HEART OF MINE IS BLAZING WITH FURY! ITS FURIOUS BEAT TELLS ME TO DEFEAT YOU! TAKE THIS! MY LOVE! MY RAGE! AND ALL OF MY POWER! WHITE LIGHTNING!" Burst charged up his signature magic attack, but at the same time he began to pour his energy into another attack in the center! "KA...ME...."

Shining Dawn scowled! "....CANNON..."

"HA....ME...." Burst continued!

"FIRE!" Shining Dawn screamed as a blood red blast of magic shot out from his hands!

Burst snapped his eyes open! "HAAAAAAA!" A beam of energy fused with white lightning shot out from Burst's hands and collided with Shining Dawn's! Shining Dawn tried to match the power of Burst's attack, but the gem of the Avatar Amulet cracked and shattered! Instantly cutting off the beam! Burst noticed, and poured more energy into his attack! The White Lightning Kamehameha engulfed Shining Dawn completely! A silent scream escaping the villain as he was completely obliterated! When the beam died down, only a wisp of smoke remained of Shining Dawn that immediately wafted away. Burst lowered his arms, and breathed a sigh of relief. "And that was the fall of Shining Dawn." Burst then saw his friends cheering for him, and soon got rushed by Celestia and Moon. "C'mon. My new form doesn't look that attractive, does it?"

"I beg to differ." Celestia said with a giggle as she kissed Burst and wrapped her arms around him. "I missed being back in your arms."

Moon giggled. "And I bet he missed holding you." She then put her arms around Burst too. "All this makes me wonder when our special day will come."

"It'll come soon." Burst said with a smile. "But if you two will excuse me..." Burst reverted to his regular form, and fell asleep in Celestia and Moon's embrace. The two goddesses smiled down at Burst as they flew back to Canterlot with him in tow. Night fell soon enough, and Celestia caressed Burst's sleeping face as he rested upon her bed.

"He looks so precious when slumbering doesn't he?" Moon asked as she entered the room. "You had quite the plan set to expose Shining Dawn."

Celestia smiled. "Thank you. For defeating Shining Dawn's army. And for mending Burst's heart. I regret that I had to put him through pain like that for the sake of Canterlot."

"It just shows how strong you are." Moon said with a kind smile as she sat down next to Celestia. "You had to consider the best interest of the many. Much like you did when you banished Luna and me. And you've grown even stronger since then. It's what I admire about you. I don't know if I could ever make the call you made even if it was life-or-death."

"And I admire the confidence you have." Celestia said. "How sure you are in your decisions because you know your heart is in them."

Moon beamed as she put her hand on Celestia's. "Thanks. You know? When you mentioned Burst and I contrasted nicely, that got me to thinking." Moon then gazed into Celestia's eyes. "You and I contrast quite nicely too. There's another reason why I look so similar to you. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery."

"Where's this coming from?" Celestia asked.

Moon giggled. "A thousand years on the moon really teaches you how to appreciate both sexes. Especially prime examples of attractiveness from either."

"Then it's a shame Burst's not awake to see this." Celestia said with a giggle. "If you're wondering why I'm not freaking out about this, lets just say the royal harem I used to have had the best of both sexes too."

Moon blinked before smirking. "Maybe he's the one who needs a wake up kiss." Both Moon and Celestia kissed Burst, and saw him stir before opening his eyes. "I take it you liked your wake up call?"

"You have no idea." Burst said with a smile as he pulled them closer. "Now this is what I call a happy ending."

Celestia giggled. "Oh it's not over yet. The rest is waiting for you tomorrow. But right now...." Celestia and Moon both grabbed onto Burst. "...I wouldn't mind feeling safe in your arms for the rest of the night." Burst smiled as he soon found himself between two literal goddesses and making out with the both of them before sleep once again claimed him.

The next day, Burst found a note telling him to head for the throne room. When he arrived, he was shocked to see his friends and family waiting for him. Celestia beckoned for him to come towards her. "I give you Burst Stream! The Prince of Heroism!" The whole crowd cheered! "This moment more than crowns you." Celestia said before she and Moon embraced Burst. Burst just smiled. This truly was a happy ending.

Episode 1: Return of the Crystal Empire Part 1

As most mornings, Burst checked his mail box. However, one letter he'd received was of grave importance. It was an urgent summons from Princess Celestia, and it told him to bring the other Elements of Heroism. Wasting no time, Burst gathered his friends and met with Twilight and the others. They soon arrived in Canterlot Castle, and Burst followed Twilight with Inferno tailing close behind. Celestia had a serious look on her face. "Thank you for coming. Please have a seat." An image of a grand crystal city was soon displayed on the nearby table. "After a thousand years, the Crystal Empire has resurfaced."

"So...what made it disappear in the first place?" Twilight asked.

Celestia's face soon turned grim. "The Crystal Empire was ruled under the cruel fist of King Sombra. A magi king whose heart was as black as night. Luna and I defeated him, but he placed a curse on the empire. If he should be defeated, the empire would vanish with him."

"So what's his story?" Burst asked.

Inferno nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Just what made the guy such a megalomaniac in the first place? I mean, Nightmare Moon was brought on by Luna feeling alone and unloved. Discord's the lord of chaos, so that's just what he does. Then we've got Chrysalis who had to deal with caring for her people and was in mental battle against a rival queen whose heart slowly warped her mind. So what's Sombra's story?"

"I suppose it was wrong of me to withhold how he became what he is." Celestia said with a sigh. "You see, Luna and I did not stop Sombra because he attempted to take over Equestria. We were informed of Sombra's rule over the Crystal Empire because of his only friend. Radiant Hope. Sombra wasn't even human. He was half Umbrum. A race that ruled the Frozen North with fear until they were sealed away. However, even prior to this knowledge, Sombra was an outcast. Radiant Hope was the only friend he had. She pleaded for Luna and I to find a way to save him...but he was too consumed by fear and hate. All because he saw a vision of what he might become and took it to mean that his destiny was set in stone."

Burst's face went solemn. "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. And now? Something tells me he's using all that rage and fear to hide something very important."

"What's that?" Celestia asked.

"He's suffering. Those who make others unhappy are usually unhappy themselves." Burst said sadly. "Like Luna becoming Nightmare Moon. You were right to bring me and the guys into this Celestia. I've got another sad story to give a happy ending to."

"That's good and all Burst. But what's so important about the empire?" Twilight asked. Celestia explained that if joy and hope are reflected across the empire, they spread through all of Equestria.

"Princess? Can I try something?" Inferno asked. "I think I know what'll happen if fear and despair are reflected." Inferno's hand crackled with black and green lightning, and a blast of dark magic was fired at the projection of the Crystal Empire! Creating a polar opposite image of the joy and hope vision. "Wow. That's bad."

Celestia was in awe. "I'm surprised you can use dark magic without any drive like that."

"Well, I guess that's thanks to my mom. She's an avatar like you. Her name's Seraph Flare. She's the Avatar of Passion." Inferno said with a proud smile. "Passion's a darker positive drive, so I just focus on the things that I'm most passionate about." Inferno then tapped his forehead. "There's a lot of Rarity in here." Inferno was then surprised to see Twilight pounce on him!

"PLEASE TEACH ME!" Twilight screamed in his face!

Inferno chuckled. "Easy there Twi. All you gotta do is picture the thing you love the most. The one thing that gives you the most reason to wake up in the morning. Close your eyes. What do you see?"

Twilight took a deep breath, and a single image came into her mind she opened her eyes and black and green lightning crackled around her hands. "Wow. All I needed to do was picture books."

"Just make sure not to overdo it Twi." Inferno cautioned. "Positive drive or not, dark magic can still take a lot out of you. Burst and I can teach you to be even more OP later. Right now, we've got a train to catch."

Before they left, Burst was stopped by Celestia as she wrapped him in a tight embrace. "Please. Come back to me safe."

"Don't worry My Little Princess." Burst said as he kissed her. "I plan on coming back no matter what." And with that, the group of friends boarded the train bound for the Frozen North. Seeing the tense mood of the others, Akage decided to try and make light of the situation.

"So here we are. Going off to save an empire and all of Equestria in the process of taking down yet another crazy super villain." Akage stated before a smile graced his face. "Looks like another typical Monday."

Steel chuckled. "Well, this is kinda our job."

"If heroes run away, who's left to help?" Tyrannus asked with a shrug.

Ace nodded in approval. "Well said Ty."

"A thousand years with nothing but bad memories of fear." Ice said sadly. "Kind of reminds me of how the Nightmare Forces made me relive that helpless feeling I had from all those years ago." Ice then narrowed his eyes. "And something tells me Sombra himself is the most afraid of all."

Shadow scratched his chin in thought. "You just might be right. Princess Celestia said Sombra wound up like this because of some vision of a possible future. Right Burst?"

"That's it all right." Burst said with a nod. "Celestia was also kind enough to tell me where Radiant Hope is in stasis. This is why I don't worry about the future. I don't care what lies ahead. No time to worry about what might happen, or I'll miss out on enjoying everything I can clearly see."

In response, Tyrannus gathered all the guys into a group hug. "No bros I'd rather be friends with than you guys." The girls collectively 'aawed' at the scene. Soon enough, the train came to a stop and the group was met with Shining Armor.

"We'd better hurry." Shining Armor said gravely. "The blizzards around her tend to get worse as time goes on. We think the magi king that caused the empire to disappear is behind them!" Soon, an unearthly howl ripped through the air. Black clouds gathered over the sky, and a pair of red eyes with green irises and purple smoke flowing out of their corner appeared out of the clouds. "We've gotta run! NOW!" Burst and the guys however, had no intention of running as they summoned their Duelist Arms!

Burst drew his Twin Burst blaster pistols and aimed them right at Sombra! "We'll keep him off you! GO!" Akage and Magnet North went to help Shining Armor led Twilight and the other girls to the Crystal Empire while Burst and the rest of the guys stood their ground! Burst fired off shots from his blasters! Sombra sneered. However, that sneer was soon removed as the blasts struck him and he roared in pain!

"GRAAAAUUUGH!" Sombra's eyes were burning with rage as he stared down Burst! The shadowy tyrant's cloud form lunged down at Burst, but a fiery blast from Inferno's Blackfire blaster pistol diverted his attention! Tyrannus continued the assault by firing a shot from his Tyranno Magnum! Sending Sombra reeling back! Steel, Ice, Ace, and Shadow followed up with energy projectiles from their melee weapons! Venus' whip Rose's Wrath sent out a coiling jet of flame Sombra's way while Fang's Destiny Reaver Gauntlet configured itself into a plasma arm cannon! They kept up their barrage as they soon made a break for the empire! Constantly firing back at Sombra to keep him at bay! They made a leap for it, and landed safely on the other side of the empire's barrier! The guys breathed a collective sigh of relief as they holstered their weapons.

"That was NOT fun." Akage said as he dusted the snow off himself.

Magnet North groaned. "Well, at least we're safe for now lads. Best see what the new royal couple's up to." And with that, they made their way to the castle where they saw a tired Cadence striving to maintain the spirit of love among the Crystal-Sapiens. The light blue aura of her magic looked just as strained as she was. "You don't look so good lass."

"Love takes a lot of effort." Cadence said as she tried to lighten the mood. "But Chrysalis seems out of it the most." The group turned to see Chrysalis visibly shivering as she gazed out onto the horizon. "Chrysalis? You've been like this ever since we got here. Are you alright?"

Chrysalis turned to face the group. "No. I'm not." She then sighed. "You know how we changelings feed on love?" The group nodded. "Well, we feed on positive emotions. And due to feeding on emotions, we've gained empathic abilities. We can sense emotions. But negative emotions..." Chrysalis shivered. "...They scare us. Nothing more so than one who seems consumed by those negative emotions. Like Sombra out there. On our doorstep. Negative emotions are also so scary for us because they can cause the one who harbors them pain. Great pain. I can hear some part of him screaming for the pain to end."

"That's why we're here." Burst said with a nod. "I'm going to search for Radiant Hope's stasis chamber. The rest of you guys try to find out all you can about the empire. We meet back in the center once we find all we can." The guys nodded. "Twilight? You and the girls see if there's anything you can do to lift the spirits of the Crystal-Sapiens." And with that, they went their separate ways. Most of the guys spent their time inspecting their Duelist Arms. Making sure they were in proper condition should worst come to worst. As Ice was inspecting the blade of his claymore, Archfiend Dragon's Tenacity, he noticed a group of five girls eyeing him and the guys and whispering. Ice decided to investigate just what they were talking about.

"There something I can help you with?" Ice asked.

A girl with light peach skin and blue hair stepped forward. "We heard about you guys fighting King Sombra out there. You actually managed to hurt him. We were wondering...did you come here to destroy him?"

"If we need to, we will." Ice said with a shrug. "Being a hero's not about destroying the bad guys. It's about fighting hard to protect those who can't fight for themselves."

The girl smiled. "Deep. Name's Indigo Zap."

"Dark Ice." Ice said with a nod. "Nice meeting you too. It'd be fun to hang with you once this thing's over." Ice smiled as he rejoined his friends.

Shadow smirked. "Looks like someone's got a love interest."

"C'mon bro." Ice said as he rolled his eyes. "I don't like her like that. Yet."

At the same time, Burst was searching the crystal castle for Radiant Hope's stasis chamber. "Where could it be?" He soon realized that he'd been followed. "No need to hide Chrysalis. I sensed you ever since I started my search." Chrysalis stepped out of the shadows. "So. What's giving you a reason to follow me?"

"You were saying that you needed to find this 'Radiant Hope'. Who is she?" Chrysalis asked.

Burst sighed. "She is, or was, Sombra's only friend. And she's also the one who told Celestia and Luna about him. So, it's a safe bet she can probably reason with him. Or at the very least, get him to surrender peacefully. If not..." Burst tapped the handle of Bahamut Edge. "...I'll do what I have to."

"Maybe I can help." Chrysalis said with a small smile. "Love exists on many levels. Be it romantic, or platonic. If Hope really cares for Sombra..." Chrysalis' horn glowed with a green aura. "...She'll be easy to find. This way." Burst followed Chrysalis to a giant amethyst crystal. Inside was a woman with light purple skin, and cyan hair. "So this must be her. Now all we need to do is wake her up."

Burst took a deep breath. "Now comes the tricky part." Burst's hands glowed with the blue aura of his magic as he focused on the crystal in front of him. He focused so that his magic ran through the lines in the crystal. Slowly, blue light began to emit from the lines. "Almost there..." Burst poured more focus, and they crystal soon began to open up. "...Got it!" They crystal soon fully opened, and Radiant Hope groaned as she started to awaken. "Radiant Hope?"

"Yes?" Hope asked. "Who are you? Am I still in the Crystal Empire?"

Burst nodded. "My name's Burst Stream. Yes, you're in the Crystal Empire. It's just returned a thousand years after the spell Sombra cast that made it disappear. And since the empire is back, so is Sombra. Here's your chance to make up for messing up last time."

"I'll do it." Hope frowned. "Because in a way, this is all my fault." Hope took a deep breath. "Long ago, there was celebration in the empire. The Crystal Fair. It was also said that if one looked into the Crystal Heart on that day, your future would be shown to you. When I looked upon it, I saw a vision of myself becoming a princess. But Sombra..." Hope shivered at the memory. "He saw what he is now. But I wrote my own destiny. I never became a princess, and went to Canterlot to warn Princesses Celestia and Luna in the hopes they could stop Sombra. They did, but the empire was sealed away for a thousand years. I met with the Umbrum, Sombra's people, and they put me in stasis for their plans to revive him."

Burst frowned. "You're kidding right? The Umbrum are the reason Sombra went bad in the first place! They used to rule the Frozen North with fear and hate before they were sealed away! How did you miss that?!"

"Gee...it's kinda obvious now that I think about it." Hope said with an embarrassed blush on her face.

Burst's frown soon vanished. "Well, here's your chance to make things right. Because I've got a really crazy plan. But before that, what's the Crystal Heart?"

"It's the artifact keeping the Crystal Empire from being buried under the snow." Hope answered. "It's here in this castle. However, I'd say Sombra didn't make it easy to retrieve."

Burst smiled. "I've got a friends who lives for challenges. I'll be back soon." Burst soon returned with Twilight in tow. An eager smile was plastered upon her face.

"So where do we begin?" Twilight asked eagerly. Hope explained that Sombra hid the passageway to the Crystal Heart in the throne room. And that two of the obstacles planted had to be dealt with dark magic. "This is perfect! Time to see just what my dark magic abilities can do." The group moved to the throne room, and Twilight focused on her passions. Sure enough, black and green lightning crackled around her hands as she fired a beam of dark magic at the throne. A hidden staircase was revealed.

"I'd better see how Cadence and Shining Armor are holding up." Chrysalis said as she looked to Burst and Twilight. "But something tells me you two can more than handle anything." And with that, Chrysalis left.

Burst, Twilight, and Radiant Hope made their way down the long staircase, and found themselves at a door. "Seems simple enough." Burst said as he reached for the handle. But as soon as he was about to grab the doorknob, the door slid away! "What the heck?!"

"I got this." Twilight said as she fired another beam of dark magic to freeze the door in place. "Hmm. Better keep my dark magic primed. No telling what could be on the other side of the door." Twilight opened the door, and froze for a minute before snapping out of it. "Wow. A doorway that shows your worst fear. Sombra certainly didn't spare any expense with his security system." Twilight fired a beam of regular magic, and the door opened to the true pathway. However, the trio was soon confronted with a seemingly endless staircase. But for Twilight, there was another solution. "Hey Burst? You remember how you were able to catch onto Discord's riddle so easily?"

Burst nodded. "Yeah. I just thought outside of the obvious solutions." Burst then smiled at Twilight's realization. "I've rubbed off on you. Haven't I?"

"Yep!" Twilight beamed as she fired a beam of magic that flipped them upside down! Turning the staircase into a gigantic slide! "WOOOHOOOO!" The three of them soon landed at the top of the staircase, and Twilight returned the staircase to normal. They went through a door, and found the Crystal Heart before them. Twilight was about to reach out to it, but paused. "Wait. This is too easy." Twilight once again used her passions to bring out her dark magic. She fired a beam at the floor, and a crystal prison trap was disabled. "I figured I'd pass the test." Twilight grabbed the Crystal Heart. "So...what do we do now?"

Radiant Hope scratched her head in thought. "If we just put the heart back where it needs to be, it'll kill Sombra. But if we don't, he'll probably storm in and enslave everyone again."

Burst stroked his chin in thought, and an idea came to him! "We need to see Cadence and Shining Armor. I've got a crazy idea, and I'll need their approval." Twilight teleported the three of them to Cadence and Shining Armor, and they explained what the Crystal Heart did and why it was so important.

"So what's your plan Burst?" Shining Armor asked. "I owe you twice for saving my hide. Back at the wedding, and earlier out in the snow. So I'm all ears."

Burst sighed. "It'll sound a bit crazy, but I promise it'll work. I need Cadence to drop the shield over the Crystal Empire." Burst took note of the shocked expressions on Cadence, Shining Armor, and Chrysalis' faces. "I know it sounds insane, but it's part of my plan to save Sombra." Burst then looked to Radiant Hope. "And I'll need you to be present for this. It's your one chance to make things right."

"I messed up bad last time." Radiant Hope said with a nod. "I'm not going to mess it up now."

Burst took a deep breath. "Let's hope your old friend's mellowed out by now." Burst led Hope and Twilight to the main square of the Crystal Empire, and gave the signal for the shield to drop. Sure enough, the Crystal Empire was open to Sombra. But before the phantom tyrant could charge forth, Burst cried out! "SOMBRA! COME AND FACE ME!" Burst soon found himself face-to-face with the former tyrant of the Crystal Empire. He looked just as fearsome as the old image of him suggested. His wild black hair, glowing red eyes, and curved horn that was a result of his Umbrum half coupled with the battle armor made him the textbook example of intimidating.

"You." Sombra growled. "I recognize you. You are the fool who managed to damage me back in the blizzard field. Tell me boy. What makes you think you can beat me simply because you merely scratched me earlier?"

Burst kept a calm expression on his face as he answered. "I didn't come to beat you. I came here to give you another chance. I know your story. And I know you weren't exactly treated the best before you took control. I can't say you aren't in the wrong with being angry at everyone."

"They claimed to be a people of love and hope." Sombra said coldly before his anger exploded! "HOW AM I TO SHOW THEM ANY OF THAT WHEN THEY SHOWED ME NOTHING BUT HATE and FEAR?!?!?! Ever since I was a child, I was seen as an outcast! Treated like dirt simply because I wasn't a Crystal-Sapien like all the rest of them! That vision in the Crystal Heart showed what they all saw me as! A monster! So I gave them what they wanted! I made them suffer the same hatred and fear I endured for so long!" Tears and dark magic leaked from Sombra's eyes. "And yet I gained no satisfaction from it. I still feel the pain! And it's only grown! WHY HASN'T THE PAIN GONE AWAY?!"

Burst sighed. "Because you miss the one person who treated you right. Radiant Hope didn't think you were a monster. She saw you as her friend."

"Don't you dare say her name!" Sombra snapped! "She turned on me! She chose to live out the destiny that she saw in the Crystal Heart!"

"Did I truly hurt you so badly?" A voice asked. Sombra froze when Radiant Hope came out from behind Burst Stream. Tears were in her eyes. "It really is my fault you're like this..."

At that moment was a sight the citizens of the Crystal Empire never thought they'd see. Humanity returning to Sombra's eyes. "Hope...how is this possible?!? You had left when I saw you last to be trained as a princess. What happened?"

"You did...you dummy." Hope sniffled. "After you were gone, I abandoned everything I had been working on for you. To help you. To get you back. You were my only friend. Much like I was yours. But it's all my fault you're like this." Tears were flowing down Hope's face. "Do I look like a princess to you now?"

Sombra felt like he'd been punched in the gut. "Hope...I never meant for that! I only wanted you to hurt for turning on me. I never wanted to strip you of your destiny! I...I..." Guilt started to gnaw at the former tyrant. "I didn't want to hurt you like this."

"Sombra you dummy!" Hope shot back! "I already hurt when I turned you in! I caused the Crystal Empire to disappear for a thousand years! I lost you for so long! But you never robbed me of my destiny! I abandoned my path of my own will! All because I wanted you back."

Sombra almost sank to his knees. "Hope..." he gasped. "What have I done?" Sombra was about to wallow in self-loathing when he was surprised by an unexpected event.

"SOMBRAAAA!" Burst screamed as he ran up to the former tyrant! "LET'S SEE YOU GRIT THOSE TEETH!" Burst then slugged Sombra right across the face! Jolting him to his feet and into a state of shock! The whole empire's jaws dropped!

Sombra blinked. "Why did-?" He was cut off when Burst grabbed him by the cape.

"Listen up. If there's anything I don't believe in, it's destiny and fate." Burst said sternly. "Hope made her own path and decisions. All because she couldn't bear to be in a world where you weren't in it! Are you really gonna be a wuss and show her that all of that was for nothing?! That you weren't worth it?!" Sombra was about to counter, but Burst slapped him! "We're at the climax of your story Sombra! This is where everything hangs in the balance! Are you going to stick to the script? Or are you going to write your own ending?!" Burst let go of Sombra and pointed to Radiant Hope. "You mean everything to her. So the real question is what does she mean to you?"

Sombra was silent for a full moment before he fell to Radiant Hope on his knees. Wrapping his arms around her. "Everything..." Sombra lifted his head to see Radiant Hope smiling down at him. He returned the smile, but it soon faded as he pushed her away! A sharp, jagged spike of crystal pierced through Sombra! A shadowy figure slithered forth, and Sombra gasped with what breath he had. "Mother..."

"Hello. Son."

Epilogue

A young man sat reading the latest newspaper. In specific, the article that caught his interest was the one detailing Burst's victory over Shining Dawn. "It seems the prophecy was wrong." The young man said with a small smile. "There were three of us." He then paused and looked at the photo of Burst's regular form and nightmare form. "So just where do you stand Burst Stream? More importantly, do you stand in my way?" He was then snapped out of his musings when his mother, a woman with white skin and pitch black hair came in. "Have you seen the latest news mother?"

Abyss nodded. "It seems Aether has raised this child well. In some ways, Burst Stream is like you if Aether had decided to stay with me. You were not born naturally, but that doesn't mean you deserve any less love my son."

"Be that as it may," The young man said as he once again looked at Burst's picture. "Time will tell if Burst Stream should get in the way of my path."