The Timeless Hollow

The Spark

"Well this certainly doesn't look good..." Diamond backed up slowly until she was behind both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, together the three fillies watched warily as the shadow creatures shuffled silently in front of them, to their back was the pond so they were completely cut off. Applebloom, Silver Spoon and Pip were still sleeping peacefully in the grass where they'd put them just a little while ago. Right between them and the creatures
"Careful Scoots!" Sweetie belle held out a hoof to stop Scootaloo who'd taken a few steps forwards which caused her friend to stop and shake her head, "I won't let them touch Applebloom, Pip or Silver! They're gonna have to force their way through me first!"
The orange filly spread her front legs and snorted loudly, eyes narrowed and deadly serious, ready to put up a fight if need be.
Sweetie looked to Diamond who was still shirking behind her and gestured for her to move forwards. "Scared or not you're gonna protect your friend...aren't you?"
Diamond looked over at the creatures and audibly gulped then nodden shakily, "y-yeah, there's no way I'm gonna let those filthy things dirty one hair on her."

The three of them crowded around their slumbering friends protectively as the creatures shifted and began forming a dark circle around them.
"Just try it!" Scootaloo shouted loudly as she flourished her small wings, next to her Sweetie Belle scrunched up her face and her horn shone even brighter than it's normal dull glow.
In that same moment, the shadows started their assault.
"Don't let them touch you!" Sweetie warned as she evaded a swipe and bucked the monster in the head causing it to explode into a pile of ash.
"Easier said than done!" Scootaloo headbutted a creature then leapt to the side and rolled out of reach of another, behind them Diamond just whimpered and backed away, she remained standing over Silver Spoon though, her legs trembling and eyes wide with terror as several shadows converged on her sensing her apprehension.
"S-stay back" she stammered, choking on her words, "I won't let you touch her!"
The closest creature lifted a wispy front hoof and reached towards her slowly and Diamond clenched her eyes shut in fear, prepared for the worst.
"Oh no you don't!" There was a loud crash followed by a grunt then a groan which cause her to pop her eyes open just in time to see Scootaloo pounce on a shadow angrily, with a swift smack to it's head the thing poofed and vanished.
"S-scoot! look out!" Diamond squeaked meekly but it was too late, two creatures had already gotten behind her and snared her in their grips.
She struggled for a moment but their icy hold had already started spreading the weird magic through her, her face flushed first then her head drooped low, the magic took effect much faster than normal this time, probably cause there was more than just one creature.
"H-help Sweetie..." Scootaloo pleaded, her eyes growing dull as her strength failed her and she collapsed to the ground, unmoving.
Diamond whimpered again and looked over at Sweetie Belle who was backing away from three shadows, by the looks of it one of them had already sapped her a bit. Her horn flickered weakly and she stumbled over her hind hooves as she backed away cautiously.

Diamond could feel her heart beating in her throat and felt like someone had dropped a ball of hot butter into her stomach, now it was sloshing around uneasily causing her to shake uncontrollably. She tried gulping but it got stuck and sat there making it hard to breath as she watched the white filly slowly run out of options.
"C'mon Tiara" she whispered softly with her eyes closed. "This is nothing, just some shadows, you've already dealt with them before, this should be easy...You can do it, for Silver, for your friends."
It was then that she felt a spark
The spark blurred her vision for a moment and and ran down her entire body. When she blinked it was gone, replaced by an image in the back of her eyelids, an image of a crown. The one Scootaloo had found specifically.
She looked to her side where Scootaloo was laying and saw that her saddlebag was shining softly.
"The crown..."
She looked around for any nearby shadows then ran up to Scootaloo who didn't budge, she got close to the fillies face and was relieved to feel her breath, at least she was still alive, just passed out.
Throwing open the saddle bag she dumped it's contents out and stared at the crown.
The black iron crown looked different now, it was glowing a beautiful midnight blue color and had a small gem inlaid on it's front, a sapphire by the looks of it.
"Here goes nothing," she muttered putting the crown on.
In a split instant her mind and body was flooded with emotions that caused her to coil her back then fall into a ball on the ground, feelings of sadness, anger and utter grief gripped her mind in a vice like grip until she felt uncontrollable tears rolling down her face. This sensation continued for several excruciating seconds then vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. Now more images flashed by her vision, still pictures of everyone present, like the crown somehow knew what was going on around itself, she was greeted by smiling faces of the fillies she went to school with and teased, even ones she secretly might have admired.
A new feeling took over her body now, but not one of fear for herself, it was the feeling of impending loss. The feeling she'd have if she allowed anyone in the Hollow to fall prey to the shadows.
Strength surged through her small frame and with the bright crown adorning her head she stood up confidently, ready to take action.

"HEY!" She bellowed, her voice commanding attention, which is exactly what she got, the three creatures who had be pursuing Sweetie Belle all stopped in their tracks and turned to her. Sweetie Belle collapsed on the ground and craned her neck to look at where the voice came from. What she saw amazed her.
It was Diamond Tiara, the snooty little filly who often laughed at others expenses and never had anything nice to say but she was different now. Taller and more mature looking, with a long flowing luminescent mane, she was graceful and strong looking. Topping off the look was an enchanting crown that sat above her eyes which were now shining a brilliant white color. White lightning crackled around her hooves, darting around her body before dissipating into the ground.
In unison all the remaining shadows turned and started towards her, acting as one body. They lurched awkwardly into each other, every individual shadow getting consumed by the one it walked into until it was one large shape.
"If you think I'm going to let you harm a hair on their heads then you've got another thing coming you disgusting abominations."
Diamond stomped a hoof on the ground and the lightning crackled loudly in response.
The large shadow remained quiet and unmoving, it just stood in front of her silently, it's intentions a mystery.
"Your hooves!" Sweetie yelled feebly, noticing what was happening first, "look at your hooves!"
Diamond looked down and saw a multitude of black tendrils snaking their way out of the ground reaching for her legs, before she could react she was snared and held down from each leg in cold strength sapping grips, but she was ready to fight this time.
"Not so fast" she growled, her white eyes flashed dangerously as bolts of lightning crackled around her, zapping every dark tendril out of existence.
Summoning all of her new found strength Diamond concentrated everything she had on the crown she was wearing, she could feel power brewing in it as she fed it what she could.
"You made a grave mistake attacking my friends, there's no way I could let you get away after that."
She closed her eyes and lowered her head so that the jewel in the crown which was humming softly now faced the large beast who remained still, not attacking anymore.
"Good bye."
There was a high pitch whining noise followed by a thin white bolt of lightning that shot out of the crown with the force of a firework, it flew in a straight deadly line before plowing into the shadow so hard that the entire being was lifted off the ground then promptly exploded.

Everything was silent for a moment then Diamond walked over to Sweetie Belle who had passed out from exhaustion, relieved that she was ok Diamond allowed herself to grin very slightly before checking to make sure the other four were alright.
Once she was convinced that they'd be ok she stopped and stumbled slightly, suddenly very tired. The crown slipped a bit cause it to fall off her head and into the grass.
Her vision blurred, consciousness fading fast and as her eyes closed she caught a glimpse of a midnight blue hoof walking past her and up to the crown.

Luna bent down and nuzzled the old crown with the side of her face, a look of peace fell over her and she smiled warmly as she looked around at the Hollow.
"So you could see the spark as well?" She mused quietly looking down at Diamond who was sleeping peacefully a couple inches away.
"It only shows itself to those in desperate need of friends, be it gaining them, protecting them or holding onto them. It figures that you of all people would be able to use it."
Luna took a moment to lift each of the small fillies and lay them down next to each other, once she'd finished lining them up a warm wind rushed through the normally still Hollow and a white hole opened up nearby, a portal, much like the one she had made earlier in the night for the children to walk through.
"Sister." She bowed her head then smiled at Celestia as the other princess stepped out from the gate.
"I felt the spark, I should have known it was you." Her older sister spoke quietly and her eyes fell on the old crown that Luna was now holding.
"It was actually this one here," Luna patted Diamond who murmured and rolled over in her sleep, curled into a little ball.
"You sent these six to retrieve that old crown? Why would you do that? There's no need for that old element now that the new six have been formed, I doubt it even has much power left in it."
"For the same reason you still wear your old element I suppose" Luna gestured to the crown on her sisters head. "Nostalgia, fondness... Sometimes I like to be reminded of the times before my banishment. Besides, it did have some power, enough to help these fillies fight the spirits of all those stallions lost when we...fought...so so long ago.... They can rest now, finally."

Celestia looked around slowly, her face an emotionless mask before walking up to her sister and resting her nose on the top of her head, "I understand, you should be allowed to keep an object from back then, especially your original crown." After a moment the white alicorn moved away from her sister and gazed out at the pond then around at the trees, a look of forlorn sadness tinging her brilliant purple eyes. She stood like that for a moment then shook her head and nearly stepped on something, a small vial filled with a dark blue liquid.
"A potion? I guess you had Zecora brew it up for the fillies?"
Luna nodded then giggled softly, "Zecora did actually make it but that's no potion, it's just a mix of sugar water and some energy boosting herbs. It was to make them think it was a magical cure-all, when really they managed to do everything here on their own. Whatever those feats might've been, they did it with their own wit and strength."
"If anything this journey would've taught these fillies a couple things then."
"I should hope so, they still have so much to learn as the grow but friendship and trusting their own abilities should be the first thing they master."
Luna looked down at the sleeping fillies one last time and smiled happily,
"I think they're well on their way."