EoH Evolution: Recovery

by Bahamut0

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, Main 6, Slice of Life, Dazzlings, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Human, Sad, Nightmare Moon, Drama, Original Character
Length: 16435

A short period of time has passed since the destruction of Tirek, and Burst Stream's departure from the world. But the teams of elements aren't the only ones recovering from loss.

Being a hero means making the ultimate sacrifice so that others don't have to. But now that my best friend is seemingly gone forever, I can't help but wonder if the price to pay was too high. Some of us are still hurting. Some far more than others. Time's supposed to heal you, right? Well, nobody ever said how long the healing process took. My name is Inferno Flare. And now, I'm the leader of the Elements of Heroism.
(NOTE: This story takes place after EoH Evolution Season 4, AND the Rainbow Rocks special. I don't know how to link multiple prequels to a story! Please help!)

Published 2019-05-17 06:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2019-06-09 18:48:51 UTC

Prologue

Inferno Flare took a deep breath as he concentrated his newfound magic into his index finger. It had been a week since he had ascended into an Avatar after destroying Tirek, and started training with his mother to learn how to handle his magic in addition to learning attack and defense spells. However, such a feat was not possible without great cost. Twilight Sparkle had lost her library, and both teams of elements watched in sadness as Burst Stream sacrificed himself to critically wound Tirek. Reflecting upon these events, Inferno let out a sigh.

"None of this would have been possible without you buddy." Inferno said sadly as he reminisced of his friendship with Burst Stream. From the times they would just spend a day playing videogames, the massive sleepovers they'd hold whenever a new member of the Elements of Heroism awakened. And then there were the battles. Time and again, Burst Stream was always leading the charge against whatever evil forces dared to attack Unity. And every time, Inferno Flare was right by his side when they threw themselves into the fray! "And now, it's my turn to lead that charge now. You made me your second-in-command because you believed in my potential."

Inferno was about to continue his thinking out loud when he received a buzz on his wrist communicator. Wasting no time, Inferno immediately answered the call.

"What's up Nightfall?" Inferno asked as an image of Nightfall Silver, the Element of Heart, was displayed in the communicator's screen. "I've got a pretty good handle on my magic, so we won't have to worry about me accidentally torching Unityville."

"You're gonna want to bring the heat." Nightfall said from the other end. "We've got a bug problem back in town."

"How big are we talking?" Inferno asked with a serious gaze.

"Queen sized." Nightfall replied with a frown as he looked away from his communicator to see Queen Chrysalis parading around town with a small force of drones at her command. "How long do you want us to hold her off for your hot entrance?"

"Enough with the fire puns." Inferno said with a smirk as he ended the call. He then turned his attention to a nearby hanging coat. "Time to break in Rarity's latest creation."

Meanwhile, back in Unityville, Chrysalis had a smug look on her face as she strolled up to a recently built statue. Both teams of elements had placed a protective barrier around the nearby citizens, and had their weapons at the ready. All of them just waiting for the instant Chrysalis let loose her swarm on them. The most tense among their numbers being Night Fang and Narico. Night Fang couldn't help but let out a growl with Chrysalis being in his sights. The Element of Determination remembered all too clearly the numerous occasions where Chrysalis had tried to capture his adoptive changeling brother.

"You can tell your mutt to stand down." Chrysalis said with a smug giggle as she turned to face both teams of elements. "In fact, there's no need for you to whip out those toys of yours. I haven't come here with any intention of fighting."

"Coming from the queen of all liars?" Applejack snapped. "Ah don't trust you as far as Ah can throw ya!"

"Forgive us if we're a bit defensive, but you don't exactly have the best track record with encounters." Twilight added as she narrowed her eyes. She then flared out her wings in a display of dominance! "If you didn't come to fight, then why'd you bother to bring along a few grunts? You know that you don't stand a chance since I'm not the only Avatar staring you down. But then again, you're the 'great' changeling queen who almost ruined a royal wedding and took Castalot. Until, you know, me and Burst Stream wrecked your scheme due to you being a horrible actress."

"Where did you get this sass from?" Nightfall whispered to Twilight. "It's kind of cute?"

"Oh, you know." Twilight said with a slight blush. "Came to me in a dream."

'I've taught you well padawan.' Nightmare Moon thought to herself with a silent smile as she folded her arms.

"Yes. . . THAT pleasant little memory." Chrysalis said through gritted teeth as one of her eyes twitched. However, her aggravated expression soon changed into a wicked smile. "But it's funny you should mention that particular pest. I'd heard that he'd blown himself up in a last-ditch effort to destroy Tirek. And judging by this statue, it appears the rumors were true."

"Ah, such a pity." Chrysalis said with a fake sigh. "If he were smarter, he could have lived a longer life. Especially if he were to take me as his beloved."

"Keep talking insect. . . " Nightmare Moon growled as she tightened her grip on her sword. "And I swear that you'll never wake up from your next slumber."

"Oh?" Chrysalis asked as she sneered at both teams of elements getting into fighting stances! "How odd of you to say that Nightmare. You make it sound like the two of you were an item. Hmm. Or were you just a rebound after Celestia crushed his heart? I'm surprised you didn't snatch him up when he was hurting. It would've been easy to work your way into Burst Stream's heart."

"Unlike you, I actually have a heart." Nightmare Moon spat. "For one who feeds on love, you don't have a single clue about what it really is."

"You think that a fallen princess such as yourself has any right to lecture me?!" Chrysalis hissed as he wings began to buzz! A slime-green magical aura enveloped her hands! "You don't scare m-GAH!"

Chrysalis staggered as she was hit from behind by a blaster shot! Both teams of elements looked up to the statue of Burst Stream, and smiled when they saw a familiar figure standing with a smoking blaster on the statue's shoulder! A passing breeze made the figure's red coat billow briefly in the wind.

"Feeling the burn Chrissy?" Inferno Flare asked with a smirk as he glided down. His spread out black dragon wings covered in black, feather-like scales. Giving them the appearance of a dragon and angel's wings fused together. "I'll say this once: You've only got one chance to leave peacefully."

"Or what?" Chrysalis hissed as all of her drones buzzed aggressively! "My forces outnumber yours! I have a squadron!"

"We have a Ty Rex." Inferno said. "Do your thing buddy!"

"I've been waiting for this!" Tyrannus Rex said with a grin. The Avatar of Tolerance cracked his knuckles, and leaped into the air above the Changeling drones! Ty clapped his hands together, and sent out a shockwave! Forcing the drones to the ground before landing and sending out another shockwave! "TY SMASH!"

"Must I do everything myself?!" Chrysalis screamed as she fired a blast of magic at Inferno!

Inferno teleported in a burst of flame, and lifted a side of his coat! Launching three fireballs right at Chrysalis! Being from an insectoid race, Chrysalis didn't fare too well against the flames! The Changeling queen put up a magic shield around herself, but Inferno had a way of popping her bubble! Inferno's hands glowed with the fire-red aura of his magic!

"Meteor!" Inferno cried out as he fired a blazing meteor from his hand! The blazing rock smashed through the bubble shield and right into Chrysalis! Scorching the Changeling queen! "Time to finish this in style!" Inferno concentrated his magic into his index finger, and pointed his hand like a gun aimed right at Chrysalis! A ball of fire with a black inner cone and red outer cone formed!

"BLACK FIRE BULLET!" Inferno cried out as he fired his attack right at Queen Chrysalis! The Changeling queen screamed as the black flames did massive damage! Scorching her chitinous skin! Inferno walked over to the writhing queen, and drew his sword! Pointing it right at her head! "Get out of my town. Or next time, I won't even leave ashes behind."

Chrysalis hissed at Inferno before she and her soldiers teleported away in flashes of green fire! All of Unityville cheered at Inferno's victorious battle! Within a few minutes, everyone went back to their daily lives. Save for Twilight, who had received an urgent message from Sunset Shimmer.

"You did a good job out there Inferno." Arctic Ace said with a cool smile. "You sent Chrysalis packing with no problem."

"Yeah. But I should've asked you to put her and her cronies on ice." Inferno said with a sigh. "Could you leave me alone for a moment? I need to talk to someone."

Arctic Ace nodded, and left his new leader to his own business. Inferno had a sad smile on his face as he looked up at the statue of Burst Stream that had been erected in honor of the Element of Power making the ultimate sacrifice.

"I miss you buddy." Inferno said as his eyes started to grow misty. "It's not the same without you here. I know you entrusted me to step up if you couldn't. Wherever you are, I hope that I've done right by you."

"As I thought." A female voice said. Inferno looked behind him, and saw Rarity smiling at him lovingly. "You look absolutely dashing in that coat I made you."

"Thanks babe." Inferno said with a small smile. "It's nice to know I've got my treasure to lift my spirits."

"I always will, darling." Rarity said as she wrapped her arms around Inferno. "And I know he would be proud of you." The couple gave one last glance to the statue of Burst Stream. It depicted him stand with one of his blasters drawn, and his hand on his sword. His signature smile ever-present.

New Arrivals

Twilight took a good look at the three girls sitting across from her on the train. One had light purple skin and purple hair with green streaks styled in twintails and wore a punkish outfit. This was Aria Blaze. Another had pale blue skin and medium blue hair with dark blue streaks in it while wearing a mostly pink outfit that seemed to highlight her cuteness factor. This was Sonata Dusk. The two of them were flaking a girl with yellow skin that had a mane of orange hair with a streak or two of yellow in it and gave off the aura of leader with how the other two girls flanked her. This was Adagio Dazzle, former leader of the Dazzlings.

"So," Twilight began in an effort to break the silence. "I bet you're happy to be back home, right?"

"Hmph." Aria scoffed. "We wouldn't have ever had to leave if Adagio here hadn't gotten blinded by her ambition and decided to make all three of us public." Aria pointed her thumb towards Adagio for emphasis.

"We GET it Aria." Adagio said with a scowl. "I don't know what's worse. Being stuck in a world without magic, being stuck in our home WITHOUT any magic, or the fact that through both of the prior scenarios I was stuck with you two!"

As the elder siren siblings argues, Sonata just tucked her legs in towards her chest and looked towards the floor sadly. Twilight had noticed the youngest siren's behavior, and turned her attention to Sonata.

"With the way those two bicker, you'd think they were siblings." Twilight said with a kind smile in order to try and lift the mood. "It's pretty easy to see you as the little sister of the group."

"We are sisters." Sonata answered. She wasn't staring at the floor now, but she didn't really sound all that much happier. "Do all siblings fight like this?"

"Not really." Twilight answered with a shrug. "Me and my big brother were, and still are, the best of friends. The two of us get along really well with each other."

"Must be nice. . . " Sonata said glumly as she looked out the nearby window. "To have a sibling that you get along with."

"Well, that doesn't mean that your sisters don't love you." Twilight said as she gave Sonata a comforting smile. The tiniest of smiles soon crept across Sonata's face. "I already contacted Princess Celestia and informed her of the prior events, and I got a reply from her recently. The three of you will be staying in Unityville to undergo rehabilitation."

"So, what's that gonna include?" Aria asked. "There some kind of program, or are we going to be doing community service for a while?"

"Such work is beneath one like myself." Adagio said with a huff.

"Well, it's not exactly community service." Twilight answered. "It's more like seeing if your talents can have more benevolent uses. That way you can still have lives revolving around what you're able to do best."

"Spare us your pointless charity." Adagio snapped! "What we did best was taken from us by YOU. Our singing ability granted by our gems was the only talent we had! And now that they're gone we might as well be dead!"

"Y-You don't mean that, right Adagio?" Sonata asked meekly.

"If your gems were the only reason you were able to gain so much adoration, then it's no surprise that you lost." Twilight answered. "You relied on a crutch instead of working to improve your actual talents. No wonder your actual singing voices sound so awful."

". . . Okay. Where did you learn to be a badass?" Aria asked with a dumbfounded expression on her face.

"A friend of mine taught me a thing or two." Twilight answered with a small smile. "And I'm pretty sure some of my friends would be more than happy to help you all learn to be more than you were too. In fact, I've already made arrangements for you three to be split up and housed with three of them."

"So which of the girls' counterparts are each of us shacking up with?" Adagio asked.

"Actually, you'll be housed with some of the Elements of Heroism." Twilight answered. "They'll be waiting for you at the station when we arrive."

Not long after, the train soon pulled into Unityville's station. Waiting for the Dazzlings were Night Fang, Venus Bloomer, and Arctic Ace. And when they gazed upon the Dazzlings, they felt as if Cadence had hit them with love arrows. The three each led one of the sirens to their homes.

"Hey. Fang, right?" Aria asked as she entered Fang's house. "I got a question."

"Shoot." Fang said with a shrug.

"Those ears on your head. They the real deal?" Aria asked.

"You can feel them if you want." Fang answered. Aria walked over to Fang, and rubbed his ears. The siren got so lost in feeling Fang's ears that she seemed to actually smile. "Uh, you can stop now."

"O-Oh! Right!" Aria said as her cheeks flushed red at the realization of her actions. "D-Don't read too much into that."

'Riiight' Fang thought to himself with a small smile. 'For the briefest moment she actually seemed happy. She's a bit rough looking, but I get the feeling she's softer on the inside than she lets on.'

Meanwhile, Arctic Ace was showing Sonata around his house. He noticed that the youngest siren sister still looked a bit glum, and decided to try and cheer her up a bit.

"Hey Sonata. How about we head to Sugar Cube Corner?" Ace asked with a kind smile. "Something tells me you could use a little pick-me-up after your long train ride from the Crystal Empire. So how about it?"

"O-Okay." Sonata said with a shaky nod.

Upon the pair arriving at Sugar Cube Corner, Sonata was greeted with a face full of Pinkie Pie who immediately presented Sonata's favorite dessert to her.

"Cookies!" Sonata sang happily as she started munching away! "Soooo good!"

"Thanks!" Pinkie chirped. "The only thing more fun than eating them is making them!"

"I know, right?" Sonata said with a bright smile.

"Well, we're always open to having more cooks in the kitchen." Akage said as he manned the register. "Especially with the Cakes being parents now."

"So?" Pinkie asked with a smile. "Wanna sign up?"

"Uh, I'll think about it." Sonata said with a shy smile as she and Ace took their leave. ". . . Thank you."

"For what?" Ace asked.

"No one's ever really tried cheering me up before." Sonata said with a blush as she looked Ace right in his icy blue eyes. "That's probably the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me."

And with seeing Sonata's smile, Arctic Ace's heart totally melted.

'So. Freaking. CUUUUUTE!' Ace thought to himself as his cheeks turned slightly pink. "I-It's no trouble at all. I've had a lot of practice cheering up my younger brother when he was little. I've been doing it a good portion of my life now anyway."

"You have a sibling too?" Sonata asked. "Me too. I've got two older sisters. All they ever do now is bicker though."

"Trust me. I've had a few disagreements with my older brother." Ace said as he remembered Dark Ice's run with the Nightmare Forces. "But in the end, we ultimately patched things up."

"That sounds nice." Sonata said as she let out a yawn. Ace took note of this, and immediately put Sonata upon his back. The youngest siren snoring peacefully all the way home.

Venus had just brought Adagio into his house. The eldest siren took in her surroundings, and had also noted the large amount of female attention Venus had gotten on their way. Adagio smirked as she decided to have a bit of fun with the Element of Spirit.

"It seems like you have lots of appeal with the fairer sex." Adagio said in a sultry tone. "I bet you've gotten yourself your own little harem by now."

"Nope." Venus answered. Shocking Adagio. "I don't pay them any mind because I don't intent on stringing them along. Especially since they only wanted to be with me because of my looks. I've been cursed with beauty since I was born."

"Come now." Adagio asked with a smirk as she crossed her legs and winked. "Surely you can see something you like."

"Nope." Venus said bluntly.

Adagio's jaw nearly hit the floor at hearing this! She was a master of the seduction tactic! Any other guy, even girls would have been putty in her hands with the slightest of glances! And yet, this guy in front of her wasn't even fazed in the slightest! Adagio's panicked thoughts soon came to a screeching halt when she felt something being placed in her hair.

"There." Venus said with a kind smile. "Now I see something really lovely."

Adagio blinked, and felt around her hair before pulling a flower free from it. She looked at the flower, and then to Venus Bloomer's face. Normally most men's gazes were filled with either blind adoration due to the magic of her singing voice, or lust towards her body. And it was also fairly typical for most people she flirted with to instantly swoon or blush. And before her was one who wasn't fazed by her flirts!

'Not to mention, he's quite the attractive specimen himself.' Adagio thought. 'Wait what?!'

"Are you alright?" Venus asked as he waved his hand in front of Adagio's face. He sighed when she didn't respond. "Well. Only one thing to do." Venus removed his shirt, and exposed his bare chest to the siren!

"Huh?" Adagio blinked rapidly. "What happened?"

"You bluescreened when I wasn't fazed by your flirts." Venus answered. "By the way, do you like what you see?"

". . . You win this round." Adagio said with a pout. 'I think I finally found someone who can match my flirt skills.'

A Day-Off for Dark Ice

Dark Ice was working up a sweat as he was practicing fighting unarmed. Swinging a claymore modeled after a demonic-looking dragon was all well and good, but it meant squat if he couldn't fight if he was disarmed. Most members of both teams of elements had never been disarmed before, but it was better to be safe than sorry. In the girls cases, Applejack had practice kicking trees, Fluttershy grappled with a bear just to massage it, Rainbow Dash was a karate black belt, and Rarity had the uncanny ability to unleash flurries of blows while looking completely flawless. The girls made sure that Twilight got to learn such techniques after ascending.

But back to the guys, Dark Ice was currently sparring with Steel Edge. Needless to say, the former captain of the Elite Guard was one of the best fighters armed or unarmed. Meaning that Ice's chance of winning this round were significantly slim as a quick kick to the side suggested.

"I think that's enough for today." Steel Edge said as he wiped some sweat from his brow. He looked towards Tyrannus Rex standing in an immovable defensive stance. Fang, Venus, Spike, Nightfall, and North hadn't even made Ty budge in the slightest! "Glad to see you can tolerate so much damage Ty."

"I've got thick skin." Ty said with a smile. "Comes with being the Element of Tolerance. Not being easily swayed or moved."

"And yet you fall apart when Fluttershy gives you the puppy eyes, lad." Magnet North said with a chuckle as he fell onto his rear exhausted. "I'd say that moves you pretty well."

"I've yet to go steady with Twilight." Nightfall Silver chimed in. "Care to give me any pointers?"

As a good number of the guys who were in relationships went to Nightfall's side to aid his quest for getting together with Twilight Sparkle, Dark Ice let out a sigh.

"Something up Ice?" Inferno asked as he paused halfway towards Nightfall. "You're looking a little down in the dumps."

"Well, I'm kinda jealous." Ice said with a sigh. "The rest of you all have relationships here in town. Meanwhile, I've got a long-distance relationship an entire region away. People say distance makes the heart grow fonder. But for me, it just makes me hate how far away I have to be. The easiest solution would be to just move to the Crystal Empire, but I've got responsibilities here to you guys and my brothers."

"Actually, your burden's become a lot less heavy." Inferno countered with a smile. "Steel, Ty, Ace and I have all ascended. We can't die, and we're easily the most powerful current members. Nightfall's busy rebuilding and upgrading his suit, and Akage's finally got his Duelist Arms. Couple that with everyone training like never before, and we've got things pretty well handled if you were to take a little absence."

"Your point being. . . ?" Ice asked.

"Take a vacation Ice." Inferno said as he pat the Element of Courage on the back. "Faust knows we've all earned one after the last few battles we've had. And out of all us, no one deserves it more than you. You've had a long road to get where you are now. So I think if anyone deserves a little break, it'd be you."

"Thanks Inferno." Dark Ice said with a small smile. "Hey. You remember when I tried to drive a wedge between you guys when I was rolling with the Nightmare Forces?"

"Yeah." Inferno said with a nod. His expression saddening as that particular memory was of a time that had helped cement his and Burst Stream's friendship. "You tried to convince me and take the spot of leader."

"Well, for what it's worth, I think you've done a good job stepping up so far." Dark Ice said with an encouraging smile. "Well, thanks for the vacation, boss! I've got bags to pack!" And with that, Ice set about packing his bags after purchasing a ticket to the Crystal Empire. He couldn't help but smile nervously at all the whispers he heard when he got off of the train. "You beat the crap out a tyrant ONE time and everyone's talking about you."

"Hey. I can't blame them." Indigo Zap said as she landed next to Dark Ice. The crowd's murmuring growing as the Topaz Gem Maiden arrived on the scene. "But that's part of hero work, right?"

"No. But it's still nice sometimes." Dark Ice said with a smile as he hugged Indigo. "It's been too long Zap. I was worried when Tirek was on the loose. I thought for sure he would've hit up the Crystal Empire."

"We were probably next on his list after taking the Avatar magic." Indigo Zap said with a sigh. "But thanks to that friend of yours, he won't be causing trouble any more. But enough about me. How're things going with you?"

"Pretty much the same." Dark Ice shrugged. "Shadow is thinking of making a group called 'Club Single' because he's one of the guys in our group that doesn't have a girlfriend yet. It all sounds silly, but that's what makes him my baby brother."

"I'd love to meet your family sometime." Indigo Zap said with a smile. "So when are you gonna take me home?"

"C'mon Zap!" Dark Ice said in his best whining tone. "I JUST got off the train! I don't think my butt's going to have any feeling left in it if I gotta sit for another couple of hours on the trip back!"

"Oh?" Indigo Zap said with a smirk. "Is the Element of Courage afraid?"

". . . Not cool." Dark Ice said with a frown. "But well-played."

"Hey. I've only seen you for a few hours at a time." Indigo Zap said with a pout. "I need to banter with you as much as I can."

"Then you're gonna love the fact I'm on a little vacation right now." Dark Ice chuckled. "So I just gave you a whole lot more banter opportunities at my expense."

". . . I did say I love you, right?" Indigo Zap said with a loving smile as she kissed Ice!

"That can never be said enough, Indigo." Dark Ice said as his face flushed red! "So. Your place?"

"Actually, I got a bit of an upgrade after awakening as a Gem Maiden." Indigo Zap said with a grin as she gestured to the Crystal Castle. "I've been crashing at the castle for a while now."

"Sweet!" Dark Ice smiled. However, the two were interrupted by the sound of their stomachs growling. "How about we fuel up before we crash?"

"You read my mind." Indigo Zap said with a giggle. "I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship."

"Fair warning: I sleep shirtless." Dark Ice said with a smirk. Causing Indigo Zap to blush fiercely!

". . . You win this round." Indigo Zap said with a pout that quickly changed to a smirk. "Of course, I get a nice view. So I guess we're even."

Inside the Crystal Castle, Cadence smiled to herself.

"Now all that remains is to get Shadow Thunder out of Club Single. . . " Cadence said with a happy smile.

Author's Note

Don't worry about Shadow. He'll get his special someone next season.

Moving In

Nightmare Moon hadn't been sleeping well lately. Luna kept pushing her aside whenever she entered the dreamscape, so she couldn't fully perform her duties as Princess of Dreams efficiently. But that was more of an annoyance than a genuine trouble. No, what truly disturbed her attempts at slumber was the fact that she would wake up without her beloved.

'Celestia probably knows he's gone to a better place if my eavesdropping is any indication.' Moon thought to herself as she dragged herself out of bed. 'But that doesn't make this hurt any less. Burst Stream, I miss you so much. All of us do. We're all moving on in our own ways, but I just can't seem to move on as fast as everyone else seemingly has.'

'Maybe that's because I'm still staying here. In your house.' Nightmare Moon sighed as she changed into her usual outfit. 'I know that I should probably leave this house, but this is where I first felt like I had a home. The first place where I felt acceptance. But most of all, where I fell for a third time. Where I fell in love. You gave me so much. Things that I never thought I'd never have or deserve. When everyone else was so quick to condemn me or celebrate my defeat, you expressed sorrow that reasoning with me hadn't succeeded.'

"And now that you're not here. . . I feel like I'm back in my lunar prison. Alone" Tears began to fall from Nightmare Moon's eyes. Loneliness. It was a feeling that Nightmare Moon had grown to despise throughout her entire existence. She was far less alone now due to having made good friends out of those who had bested her. However, the departure of Burst Stream made her feel more alone than she had on the moon. "It hurts so much to know you're gone. But in the end, it's good I have this pain. It means that I loved you. And I could see in your eyes during your last moments that you loved me too."

A sudden knocking on the door snapped Nightmare Moon out of her thoughts, and she went to answer it. When she opened the door, Nightmare Moon was met with the sight of Unityville's mayor. The mayor had an uneasy look on her face as she locked eyes with the fallen princess.

"G-Good morning Princess Nightmare." She said in a nervous tone. "I-I've come here because the current owner of the house is-"

"You're here because Burst Stream is no longer with us, and his house is therefore no longer claimed. Correct?" Nightmare Moon asked. "No need to be so tense. You act as though I'd give you nightmares for a week if you came to take the place back."

"Well, I understand that you might not want to let go of this place." Mayor Mare said as she calmed down. "This house does hold many memories for you."

"It does." Nightmare Moon said as she crossed her arms. "But it just isn't as dear to me without Burst Stream. I'll be gone shortly. Just, let me remove Burst's possessions first?"

"Of course." Mayor Mare said with a respectful bow. "If you need any assistance-"

"I already have some people in mind." Nightmare Moon answered. "I could easily take care of this by myself, but I think it would do us all some good to do this together." And with that, she texted a few of her friends about the task she was undertaking. Inferno Flare and Twilight Sparkle arrived mere seconds later.

"We came as soon as we got your text Moon." Twilight said as she and Inferno headed inside. "So. Where do we begin?"

"His consoles." Nightmare Moon answered. "We can gather everything outside after packing it." And so, the three Avatars set about packaging Burst Stream's belongings. With their combined efforts, it took little more than a couple hours to complete their task.

"Hey, Inferno?" Nightmare Moon asked. "Do you have an extra space at yours and Rarity's place? You were Burst's best friend. I think it's only fitting you hold onto what was once his."

"Burst always joked that he'd entrust his consoles to me." Inferno said. "Unfortunately, Carousel Boutique doesn't have enough room because Rarity's supplies take up a lot of room."

"We could store it all at my castle." Twilight suggested. "I've got plenty of space that I'm not using, and I'm still finding some rooms there. I'll just send it there with a teleport spell." Twilight fired the spell from her hands, and the belongings of Burst Stream were "poofed" to her castle. However, Twilight soon came to an unfortunate realization.

"OH NO!"

"Twilight?! What's wrong?!" Nightmare Moon asked as she got into a defensive stance!

"I just realized something!" Twilight gulped. "Now that you're no longer living in Burst's house, you've got nowhere to stay!" And she slipped into another one of her signature freak-outs. "How are we going to fix this?! Everyone in town would probably kick themselves out of their own homes just to try and accommodate you!"

"Actually, I've got a place that I'm considering staying at." Nightmare Moon chimed in. "Care to help me pack my bags?"

"Oh thank Celestia!" Twilight said with a sigh of relief. "So! Where to?"

"Funny that you mentioned Celestia." Nightmare Moon said with a smile as she and Twilight packed up her clothes and hygiene items before using a teleporting spell to arrive at the gates of Castalot Castle. "I actually need to talk to her about any vacancies she has in her castle."

"Want me to try and help appeal to her?" Twilight asked.

"No." Nightmare Moon shook her head. "This is something I've got to do myself." And with that, she entered the castle and headed towards the throne room. Needless to say, Celestia was surprised to see her of all people.

"Oh. Nightmare Moon." Celestia hid her shock quite well. "What brings you here?"

"Burst Stream's house just got repossessed." Nightmare Moon began. "And I figured it wasn't healthy for me to just shut myself away there. Especially since I've had more than enough alone time on the moon. So, I was wondering, if you had any room here in the castle. I'm not expecting anything luxurious. We might not be enemies or at each other's throats anymore, but we're not really friendly with each other either. So I'll take what I can get."

"Come with me." Celestia said in a serene tone as she rose from her throne. The solar princess lead the former fallen through the castle's halls and came to a stop near her own chamber. "Here we are. This is a recently built room. It's nothing too fancy, but I do hope you'll find it comfortable."

Nightmare Moon's eyes went wide as Celestia stepped out of the way to show the door to Nightmare's new room. On the door was a symbol that looked exactly like her Talent Crest!

"Celestia. . . that's my emblem on the door." Nightmare Moon said as she pointed to the door before hesitantly opening it. She gasped when she saw the inside. Her new room looked every bit as fit for a princess as Celestia or Luna's room would. "Why? Why did you have something so nice made for me of all people? I don't-"

"Thank you." Celestia said as she wrapped both her arms and wings around Nightmare Moon in a warm, comforting embrace. "Because of you, Luna and I have a stronger bond than ever before. While it's true that you were why I was separated from her for a thousand years, it's because of that separation that I realized how much Luna meant to me and how she had been ignored. And that I had contributed to that issue without even trying to make her happier. I thought that as long as she had my love and recognition, that was all that would matter. But most of all, I never would have been reunited with Luna or met the love of my life without you. So thank you."

"I. . . really don't know what to say." Nightmare Moon said as she processed all of what Celestia had told her.

"I forgive you, Nightmare Moon."

And at hearing this, it wasn't long before Nightmare Moon broke down in tears.

"I-I only dreamed of ever hearing those words from you." Nightmare Moon sobbed as she held onto Celestia tightly. "Especially since you used to only see me as Luna's worse side. As a monster born from her negativity."

"The Nightmare Moon I see before me isn't the same creature that took Luna from me." Celestia said with a kind smile as she tightened her embrace. "I see a proud warrior princess who has stood to defend her home and the people she cares for. Even if the whole land thinks bad of her. A goddess who worked to prove that not all who come from the dark are wicked. Rather, you are the darkness that guards the light and paves the way for it to shine."

"Any more compliments, and I might start thinking you're trying to woo me." Nightmare Moon said with a chuckle as she dried her tears. "Thank you, Celestia."

"Call me Tia, please." Celestia said with a small smile. "I do hope you'll join me for lunch."

"Just let me get some of my things unpacked." Nightmare Moon said with a smile as she set her bags down in her room. She had unpacked a few of her outfits, and took great care in setting her princess regalia on her dresser and storing her old armor in her closet. "I'll take care of the rest of my things later."

Nightmare Moon hadn't even left her room for a minute when she ran into Luna. And the lunar princess had a far less welcoming look on her face.

"You don't belong here." Luna said coldly.

"I could always crash at Twilight's castle." Nightmare Moon replied calmly.

"I mean, you don't belong in this world." Luna said as she glared at Nightmare Moon. "All your existence has ever wrought is pain, isolation, sorrow, and regret."

"Funny. I have a few people that seem to think I belong very much." Nightmare Moon replied with a frown. "What's your point?"

"You may have won over Twilight Sparkle and the Element Bearers." Luna began. "You may have made Burst Stream fall for you. And you may have even gotten my sister to forgive you. But you will NEVER win me over. I will NEVER accept you."

"What makes you think I did any of this for your approval?" Nightmare Moon asked as she returned Luna's glare with even greater intensity. "I don't have a damn thing I want to prove to you. Not like what caused us to be banished to the moon for a millennium. All that I've done since my revival, I've done for myself. How self-centered are you to think that I still make my entire life revolve around you? I have my own life now. And before you try to bring up whatever point you think you have, let me tell you this: I'm not you, and you're not me. So don't try to say we're the same. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to grab a bit to eat. Maybe some food will lift me out of the bad mood you're starting to put me in."

And with that, Nightmare Moon walked away. Leaving Luna alone in the hallway. She wasn't alone for long as Blitz Surge slid up to her.

"Are you troubled by Nightmare Moon's presence dear Luna?" Blitz asked in a concerned tone. "All I need is your word, and I shall expel her from the castle."

"No." Luna said with a shake of her head. "Perhaps I can convince my sister during dinner to not harbor the nightmare within these walls. But what sickens me the most is that she stands as an eternal reminder of my mistake. The very fact she still walks this earth. . . maybe it means I haven't been truly forgiven. That I haven't truly paid for my mistake."

"You endure a thousand years of isolation and exile, and yet it doesn't seem to be enough." Blitz Surge said as a smile slowly crept across his face. "But perhaps, there is a less extreme form of penance for your past sins."

"What is it?" Luna asked as she turned to face Blitz Surge. "Whatever it may be, I shall endure it!"

"You've made it your duty to ensure that your subjects with pleasant dreams." Blitz Surge answered. "It would only be a fitting punishment were you to deny yourself what you bless your subjects with."

"Blitz Surge." Luna said as she shuffled towards her champion. Embracing him with her arms. "Only my beloved would be so willing to do this for me."

"I'll assist you as much as I can." Blitz Surge said as he slowly put his arms around Luna. "My love."

Meanwhile, Nightmare Moon was sitting with Celestia in one of the gardens.

"This is pretty good." Nightmare Moon said as she scarfed down her sandwich. "I can only guess how good the desserts are here!"

"So it looks like I'm not the only goddess with a sweet tooth." Celestia said with a smile. "Wait a moment please." Celestia teleported away, and soon returned with two plates of cake. "Consider this a little welcome gift from me to you."

"Mmmhh!" Nightmare Moon's wings fluttered a bit as she took a bite of cake. "This is heavenly!"

"Glad to hear you're a fan of my handiwork." Celestia said with a warm smile. "So, one princess to another, how is it watching over the dreams of Unity each night?"

"Well, I really can't tell you much." Nightmare Moon sighed. "Luna usually blocks me off before I can enter a single dream. I thought she'd be appreciate getting a lot more free time since she'd be able to enjoy a full day with you. But, I guess I can understand where she's coming from. Maybe she thinks I'm trying to steal part of her life."

"That's troublesome." Celestia said with a concerned look on her face. "I suppose that I'll need to have a word with her about that."

"You're sticking up for me?" Nightmare Moon asked with a smirk. "That's something I never thought would happen in a thousand years." She then took a long look at Celestia. "You know, you were kind of an inspiration to me when I was taking form."

"Really?" Celestia asked. "How so?"

"Well, Luna always wanted what you had. Your stature, your power." Nightmare Moon smirked. "And especially your beauty. So, taking your appearance in mind, I formed myself into what you see before you. And, well, I kind of wanted to impress you. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

"You and I do contrast quite nicely." Celestia said with a giggle. "I'd love to spend more time with you, but my royal duties call to me. But before I go, know this: you will always have a place here. Never let anyone else tell you otherwise."

"Thanks Celly." Nightmare Moon said with a smile. "That means a lot coming from you."

"Celly?" Celestia asked before smirking. "Funny. I didn't think we were close enough for nicknames yet."

"Let's just say we will be. Soon." Nightmare Moon replied with a smirk.

"Then I guess I'll see you around Nightie." Celestia said with a smile as she walked away. 'Perhaps things won't be dull around here for much longer.'

Consequences

Ty took a sip of his tea as he watched the animals inhabiting Fluttershy's cottage scurry about. A peaceful smile spread across his face, and a loving look in his eyes as he watched Fluttershy be surrounded by the creatures she cared for. Yes, it was certainly an ideal morning. "Was" being the keyword here as a sudden knock on the door briefly interrupted the peace.

"I'll get it." Ty said as he rose from his seat and made his way over to the door. But upon opening the door, Ty's smile instantly dropped when he saw who had come knocking. "Discord."

"Ah, Tyrannus." Discord said with a smile. "A pleasure to see you again. Is Fluttershy here? I was-"

"Leave." Ty snapped as his gaze hardened. Staring down the Lord of Chaos. "Leave now."

"Wake up on the wrong side of the bed much?" Discord asked with a frown. "There's no need to be so hostile."

Before Discord could continue, Ty punched him hard in the gut! While the Lord of Chaos was winded, Ty grabbed him by the shoulder and stomped outside! Each of his footfalls making a mini crater as he stomped!

"Don't you DARE say that there's no need to be hostile." Ty growled as he slammed Discord into a tree! "Not after what you've done!"

"I-I don't understand!" Discord pleaded! "Just what did I do to anger you?!"

"You don't. . . understand?" Ty asked dumbfounded. His entire being slowly trembling with rage! "You're telling me that you don't even know what you did wrong? IDIOT! IT'S SO OBVIOUS WHAT YOU DID!" Ty then slugged Discord across his face! The Element of Tolerance refused to loosen his grip and glared as the Lord of Chaos slowly raised his head to meet Ty's angry gaze.

"Please. . . " Discord pleaded "What did I do?"

"What did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Ty screamed as he brought his face closer to Discord's terrified face! "I LOST ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS BECAUSE OF YOU! IF YOU HADN'T STABBED US IN THE BACK BY JOINING TIREK, BURST STREAM WOULDN'T HAVE NEEDED TO BLOW HIMSELF UP JUST TO GIVE US A FIGHTING CHANCE! YOU'RE PART OF THE REASON HE'S GONE, AND YOU'RE ACTING LIKE YOU HOLD NO RESPONSIBILITY!" Discord was about to say something, but Ty clamped his mouth shut!

"I'M NOT DONE YET!" Ty snapped! His breathing became less ragged, and the burning fury in his eyes transformed into a cold rage as Ty's eyes narrowed at the petrified Lord of Chaos. "Losing Burst made me angry at you. But that's not what got me pissed of Discord. No, what you did to provoke that was far worse. You could have gotten Fluttershy killed because you only thought of what was right for you. I nearly lost the woman I loved because of you. This is just like when you sicked the Chaos Kin on Steel. I'd have thought you would've come out smarter from that, but it looks like you've still failed to learn about them." Ty then removed his hand from Discord's mouth.

"Failed to learn what?" Discord asked fearfully.

"Consequences, Discord!" Ty spat right in Discord's face! "You NEVER think of the consequences! That's why Princesses Celestia and Luna opposed you! Because you ONLY thought of what was right for you! I'm not going to turn the other cheek to your actions, but I'm not going to hurt you anymore. But you're not off the hook by any means either. If you pull something like this again, I'll make sure to beat this lesson into you. I may be the Avatar of Tolerance, but I WON'T tolerate the crap you pulled. Not even Faust herself would be able to save you from me. I know you're immortal, but you'll wish you were dead when I'm done with you. Are. We. Clear?" Ty tightened his grip on Discord's should as thunder crackled along his body!

"Yes. . . YES!" Discord screamed! The Lord of Chaos taking a deep breath as Ty released him. "Ty-"

"Don't call me that." Tyrannus spat. "Only my friends have the right to call me that. And you have a long way to go before I ever consider calling you one ever again. I'll forgive you someday Discord. I know Fluttershy already has. But that day? It's not today." And with that, Tyrannus walked back home. He was promptly greeted by Fluttershy worried gaze.

"Ty. . . " Fluttershy began. "I don't like seeing you that way."

"Was I wrong to call out Discord for his actions?" Ty asked sadly.

"No. Discord did need to be scolded for what he did." Fluttershy said as she brought her hands to the sides of Ty's face. "But getting angry at him won't undo what's been done."

"I know. . . " Ty said as he fell to his knees and began to cry. Wrapping his arms around Fluttershy to avoid completely falling to the floor. "But it still hurts so much. . . "

"There, there." Fluttershy said as she rubbed Ty's back in an effort to sooth the gentle giant. "I know. Just cry, Ty." Her wings wrapping around him as much as they could. "It takes someone really strong to admit that they're hurting."

Talent Lost, Talent Found

Arctic Ace was slumbering peacefully. Even when a ray of sunlight crept in from his window, Ace's slumber persisted. But the morning would not be denied, and whipped out the ultimate weapon to end a slumber: the smell of breakfast cooking. A pleasant scent snaked its way through the crack in Ace's bedroom door, and made a smile spread across his face as he slowly rose from his bed and stretched his limbs and wings.

"Well, the morning calls." Ace said with a yawn. "No sense in keeping it waiting any longer. I wonder what Shadow's cooking up?" But as Ace exited his room, still clad in his pajamas, he noticed that his younger brother Shadow Thunder was still sprawled out on his bed!

"So if Shadow isn't up cooking," Ace thought out loud as he walked towards the kitchen. "Then who's-?" Arctic Ace soon got his answer when he saw Sonata Dusk manning the kitchen. She had gotten three plates out for herself, Ace, and presumably Shadow.

"Oh! Hi Ace!" Sonata greeted with a cheerful smile! "Food's almost done, so you won't be waiting much longer!"

"Uh. . . thank you." Ace said with a slow nod. "It smells really good. I had no idea you could cook. But, why're you going through the troubling of fixing breakfast for me and Shadow? I can cook too, you know."

"Um, well, you're letting me stay here without charging me anything." Sonata said with a bashful look on her face. "And I didn't think it would be nice of me to just freeload off you like me and my sisters used to do back in the other world. So, I figured that I can help out around the house!"

"Well, thank you Sonata." Ace said with a kind smile as he pulled out a carton of orange juice from the fridge and poured himself a glass before sitting down to eat. "Wow. This is really good Sonata!"

"Thanks!" Sonata said with a bright smile as she topped her plate with food and took the seat across from Ace. "I learned how to make a lot of tasty food in since getting banished."

"Well, I guess what I'm doing today is paying you back for the meal." Ace said with a chuckle. "I'll be helping you find a job in town. I'm sorry if that crushes any dreams you had of just sitting around the house watching television all day long."

"No big deal." Sonata said with a shrug. "Pretty sure I'd get sick of that after an hour. So when do we start the job hunt?"

"After we eat, and I get dressed." Ace answered. "You know despite all you've gone through, you're being pretty up-beat. Being the youngest of your sisters, I'd have thought you'd be the worst off from the three of them."

"Adagio and Aria would probably say that's because I'm too dumb to know when to be sad." Sonata said as her expression saddened.

"On the contrary. I think it's quite wise of you to do that." Ace said with a comforting smile. "Making the best out of whatever happens to us is part of life."

"Really?!" Sonata asked as her expression instantly at hearing Ace's words! "You mean that for realises?!"

"Sure I do Sonata." Ace said with a kind smile as he looked Sonata in her eyes. He could have sworn the siren was actually glowing at receiving his compliment. While he had expected Sonata's mood to greatly improve, he wasn't expecting the girl to tackle him to the ground in a hug before he'd even taken a bite from his toast! With him being among the gods now, Ace wasn't all that hurt. Nevertheless, he was still very surprised!

"Thank you Arctic Ace!" Sonata squealed happily as she pressed herself as close to Ace as possible! "You're SO not the worst!"

"I think you mean 'best', Sonata." Ace said as he patted Sonata's head. "But I can't eat if you latched onto me."

"Yes you can." Sonata said as she tilted her head in confusion. "I'll show you. C'mon! Get back into your chair."

"Okay. . . "Ace said. Uncertain of how things would play out. "So how am I going to feed myself?"

"Ace! Don't be silly!" Sonata said with a giggle! "I'M gonna be feeding you! See?" Sonata grabbed the fork Ace had set on his plate, and used it to scoop up some food. Offering it to Ace with a bright smile. "Say 'Ah'!"

'So. Freaking. CUUUUUUTE!' Arctic Ace thought to himself as his cheeks went from snowy white to bright red in a matter of seconds. 'Sweet Celestia, I literally found my dream girl in my lap!' Ace pushed aside his thoughts as he accepted Sonata's offering.

"As nice as this is Sonata, it won't do much good if your own breakfast gets cold." Ace said nervously.

"Whoops!" Sonata said with a slight blush. "Heh heh! Right! Sorry about that!"

The pair then took their respective seats, and polished off what remained of their breakfast before getting dressed. However, as the two of them walked, a figure watched Arctic Ace with a smirk. A certain girl who was usually clad in a magician's cape and hat. The girl threw a smoke-bomb at the two, and put her hands over Ace's eyes!

"Good to see you again Trixie." Ace said with a smile despite his vision being obscured by the magician girl's hands. "I wasn't expecting you to pay Unityville a visit."

"How did you know it was me?!" Trixie exclaimed!

"You're the only person I know who uses smoke-bombs in that color." Ace answered as he removed Trixie from his person via magic. "So why are you here?"

"Well, it turns out they have schools for performing." Trixie said with an enthusiastic smile. "How crazy is that? If I'd heard about them sooner, I might not have had to cook up crazy stories about me vanquishing an Ursa Major!" Trixie let out an embarrassed laugh as she remembered the incident that had a baby ursa nearly trashing town.

"In that case, I hope you graduate soon." Ace said with a sincere smile.

"Thanks!" Trixie said as she scooted up to Ace, and nuzzled against one of his ice wings. "Nice to know you'll be looking out for me snow angel." Seeing this made Sonata pout and latch onto Arctic Ace! Something that Trixie took notice of. "Well, now. Who's this new audience member?"

"Oh. This is Sonata." Ace said as he introduced the former siren. "She was a siren who was causing some trouble in another world alongside her two sisters. Fortunately, Twilight stopped them and brought them in to be reformed."

"A siren huh?" Trixe said with a smirk. "Care to give us a performance? Your voices are supposed to be legendary."

"I can't." Sonata said crossly. "The gems my sisters and I had were destroyed, so now our voices are awful."

"No need to get defensive. Maybe you should've tried singing lessons instead of relying on a crutch." Trixie said proudly. "Trust me. It works wonders." She then returned her attention to Arctic Ace, and nuzzled playfully against his wing again. "Say, Ace? Care to show me your new magic? I heard about your ascension on TV. Care to make an ice sculpture? I make an excellent model."

"Sorry. But I've gotta help find Sonata a job." Ace said with a kind smile.

"Guess I kinda sidetracked you." Trixie said. "Well, my bad. See you around!" And with that, she departed with a smoke-bomb. Everyone could still see her just walking away though.

"Well, that was a welcome surprise." Ace said. He then noticed Sonata's pout. "Are you. . . upset about her mentioning losing your voice."

"A little." Sonata half-lied as she blushed a little. "A voice means a lot to a siren. But, she kinda gave some good advice. Maybe I should try singing lessons?"

"Maybe." Ace said with a comforting smile. "But I'm sure there's more to you than a good voice and cute face. We've just gotta find out what that something is."

"Thank you." Sonata said with a bashful smile. "Btw, how was the breakfast I whipped up today?"

"It was great." Ace answered. "You weren't kidding when you said you learned how to cook real good during your banishment."

"Yeah. Even my sisters said it was good!" Sonata beamed. "I also REALLY love sweets! The cookies you got for me were super yummy! The only thing more fun than eating sweets is making them."

"Is that so?" Ace asked as the wheels in his head began turning. "You know, how'd you like to pay another visit to Sugar Cube Corner?"

"Okay!" Sonata said happily as she tried to drag Ace by the hand! The pair soon arrived, but were surprised when Pinkie Pie instantly popped up at the doors in a burst of streamers and confetti. Sonata was even more surprised to notice that Pinkie Pie was an Avatar! "How did I miss that she was a goddess?" she muttered to herself.

"Hi Ace! Hi Sonata!" Pinkie greeted! "Smart idea to get Sonata a job here!"

". . . How did-" Sonata began.

"Don't try to figure out Pinkie Pie." Ace said. "EVER."

"Oh. Okay." Sonata said with a nod. "So how do I join."

"Easy!" Pinkie Pie chirped as she pulled out a clipboard. "Just fill this out, and I'll give it to the Cakes so they can give you some training with the equipment!"

Sonata excitedly filled out the forms, and the Cakes were surprised with her application. Sonata also seemed to be a natural when it came to sweets as she got the hang of the equipment after just seeing it be used once! She even managed to assist with the afternoon rush when most people came in to get a little something sweet to perk themselves up.

"Welp. That settles it." Pinkie Pie said with a nod. "Welcome aboard Sonata! You're a natural at baking! Any chance you'd be willing to help me whip up new creations?"

"Really?!" Sonata squealed with joy! "That sounds so awesome!" Soon enough, Sonata and Ace departed from Sugar Cube Corner. "Hey, Ace?"

"Hm?"

"Did you take me there because you know I like baking?" Sonata asked.

"You got me." Ace answered with a smile. "Sometimes talents show up when you're not trying to draw them out. It just takes someone else to see them."

"Thanks Ace!" Sonata said with a bright smile as she grabbed onto Ace's arm and nuzzled against it. Blushing slightly as she did so. "You're probably the nicest person I know."

"You're welcome Sonata." Ace said as his cheeks tinged pink at Sonata's contact.

Fluff Therapy

If Aria Blaze would have to describe her ideal job, it'd probably be something that involved hitting things or kept her moving. Most people would guess this due to her more aggressive clothing and demeanor in comparison to her sisters, and they'd be largely right. Aria was the standard "tough girl" and yet she sported a soft center.

'Yeah. Those two drive me crazy sometimes' Aria thought as she wandered around town. She wasn't too enthusiastic about getting a job, but she hated being inside all day long. In the days before and during her banishment, Aria was usually the most active of her sisters. Always going around to explore wherever they wound up at. It was part of why she enjoyed walking around town right now. Not that anyone would ever know that given how the corners of her mouth tended to usually point down. 'Still, I guess I can't say I'm homesick anymore.'

Aria let out a sigh as she passed by Sweet Apple Acres. When she heard the sound of Applejack kicking the trees, she paused and decided to see what was going on. She'd figured that Applejack was a farmer due to encountering the Element of Honesty's counterpart, and was wondering why she was taking her frustrations out on the trees.

"What'd the tree ever do to you cowgirl?" Aria asked.

"Oh. You're one of the sirens, right?" Applejack said. "Nice to meetcha! As for why Ah'm kickin' the trees, it's just so I can get the apples loose and ready for harvesting."

"Name's Aria." Aria replied with a nod. "Sooo, you get to hit trees all day and no one questions it?"

"Yup." Applejack nodded. "Care to give it a try?"

Let it be said that while Aria's sisters drove her crazy, and sometimes made her want to slug them hard, she would NEVER actually strike them. Despite Sonata being of little brain and much heart and Adagio's overconfidence and ego, Aria still cared deeply for her sisters. That being said, a girl had to get her frustrations out every now and then. This was clearly represented as Aria set about punching and kicking every tree in sight.

"That. . . felt good." Aria panted as she leaned back against the last tree she'd kicked.

"I'll say." Applejack said with an impressed whistle. "Say, how'd ya like to be part-time help around here? Having an extra body around tends to help make the work go faster."

"Sure, whatever." Aria said with a shrug as she stretched. "Man it felt good to get all that aggression out. Later Jackie." Aria took her leave, but now she felt drained after getting her frustrations out.

Meanwhile, Fang was sitting with his arms folded at an area Fluttershy had sectioned off. The Element of Kindness was giving him the most pleading gaze he'd ever seen.

"I'm not doing it." Fang said flatly. "If I do, there's a slim-to-none chance of you letting me go."

"Pleeaaassee~?" Fluttershy pleaded. "Your wolf cub form is just so adorable! This is my first time I'm holding my fluff therapy sessions with some of my cuddliest animal friends! If you turned into your wolf cub form, I'm sure it could be a huge hit!"

"Fine." Night Fang said with a sigh as he shifted into his wolf cub form. "Happy?"

"EEEEEEEE!" Fluttershy squealed with joy as she scooped up Fang, and nuzzled him! "I declare that Fluff Therapy is now officially open!" At Fluttershy's announcement, people began to gather to play and cuddle with the various animals Fluttershy had brought with her.

Fang felt pretty happy that so many people were getting a chance to relieve some stress. However, he felt a bit uncomfortable that Fluttershy was hogging him for herself. That is, until he noticed Aria approaching. And his tail began to wag at the sight of the middle siren sister.

"Oh. Hello there Aria." Fluttershy greeted warmly. "Would you like to try fluff therapy? You look like you've had a long day."

"I have no idea what that is." Aria answered. "Care to explain?"

"Well, sometimes when people get stressed, I find letting them play or cuddle with some fluffy critters always tends to put them in a better mood." Fluttershy explained. She then noticed Fang's tail wagging at the sight of Aria, and smiled. "In fact, I think this little guy here seems to like you?"

"So. You're happy to see me, huh?" Aria asked as she took a hold of Fang in his wolf cub form, and noticed his tail wagging. She then sat down and rubbed his tummy. A small smile on Aria's face all the while. "Y'know, you kinda remind me of this guy I know. He's got a cute little set of ears and a tail too. Even likes it when I fondle his ears like yours too."

Fang barked happily at the pampering he was receiving. He took no shame in his more dog-like tendencies. Heck, Narico used to snuggle against his tail before growing into a royal changeling. And after all the crazy fights he'd been through, he'd deserved a little pampering. Especially from the girl he wanted to help soften up a little. It also kind of helped he'd found her quite attractive too. Most girls loved a guy they could snuggle with, and Aria was proving that.

"I bet he'd go crazy if I fluffed his tail or gave him a belly rub." Aria said with a chuckle as she held Fang closer to her. Fang, deciding to go further, licked Aria's face. Making the middle siren giggle. "Heh heh! He'd probably give me a kiss for pampering him like you too."

"That was my first kiss, you know." Fang said with a smirk as he transformed back to normal. "Now. About that tail fluffing?"

". . . " Aria just blushed, but fluffed Fang's tail all the same. All in all, it seemed like fluff therapy was a complete success.

Reviving Spirit

Venus Bloomer let our a yawn as he his the snooze button on his alarm clock. The instant he shut the alarm off, he jumped out of bed and threw open the curtains! Taking in a deep breath as the rays of the morning sun shined through his window. A peaceful smile on his face as he felt their warmth. The Element of Spirit did everything with as much life as possible. This included waking up.

"It's like my mom always said: Every flower eagerly greets the morning." Venus said with a smile as he changed out of his pajamas and into his usual outfit before heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Humming to himself while he cooked, he couldn't help but notice a familiar shape sitting on the couch. Staring blankly out the window. "So did you actually sleep, or did you just spend another day sitting on the couch and staring out the window?"

"Shut up." Adagio growled. The once proud siren's gaze hardened into a glare as she continued to view the outside world through the window. Her skin and hair both looked more pale as to reflect her defeated state and attitude. She was not someone who accepted defeat with grace. Especially since both of her defeats had been so utterly devastating. "What I do is my business. So butt out of it."

"You're under my care for your reformation." Venus replied with a frown as he turned off the stove. "That makes you my business. From what I've heard, your sisters are already making lives for themselves."

"They're fools!" Adagio snapped as she rose from her spot on the couch! "We had the magic! The power! And yet we lost to mere humans! Our voices are gone! We can sing no longer! And yet those two weaklings are content to mingle with those we used to so easily put under our thrall?!"

"You know, a friend of mine said some wise words once." Venus Bloomer said as he walked up to Adagio and looked her right in the eye. "Having people you care about gives you something to fight for, and something you can come back to once the fight ends. As far as I can tell, you had your sisters and were alone because you fought only for yourself. Right now, your sisters are stronger than you could possibly imagine. They're vulnerable, but they're letting people into their lives because they don't want to feel alone anymore. And something tells me they'll accept whatever pain comes along with that because that means whatever connection they make is real."

"If I didn't have those two-!" Adagio began.

"Then you'd be alone in the world without people who cared about you." Venus countered. "Those two have been following you around for your entire life. Have you ever bothered why they put up with your ego and attitude for this long? I don't know why they'd put up with you being so bitchy if they didn't care for you. Maybe even love you like a family should. As for why you lost to humans? It's simple. Our spirit gives us-no, EVERYONE the ability to push past what's possible and make miracles happen. Strength of spirit surpasses all else. Tirek took that lesson with him to Tartarus. And I hope to Celestia and Luna above that you learn it without meeting a similar fate."

Adagio just stood their dumbfounded, and didn't snap out of it until Venus had left for work. She'd tried to charm Venus when she first met him by teasing him a little, and that had no affect. Instead, HE was the one that caught HER attention. The whole thing was just completely unnatural to the eldest siren sister. Normally, she was used to an entire room's attention being on her the moment she set foot in it. Numerous people staring at her in adoration and clamoring for the chance to even behold her presence! Then again, that was usually thanks to a combination of magic and her own beauty. In all her life, she'd never had to put in much effort into anything. And yet, here was this human who was trying his best to help pick her up again.

Never before had Adagio ever felt bad about herself, or the things she did. But now, she actually felt guilt and even a bit of disgust at herself. She was proud and her spirit could be said to be the fiercest among her sisters. She'd been the leader of her group, and that made her responsible for her sisters' care. In the end, she was the only to truly blame for her downfall. And when hit with this realization, Adagio became overwhelmed as she tucked her legs in towards herself and cried.

"Why. . . ?" Adagio sobbed. "Why's he trying so hard with me when I've never put effort into anything in my life?!"

What really made her reconsider her position was the spirit she saw in the eyes of Venus Bloomer. Something she thought that she always had possessed, and yet she recently found out that it was merely brought on from her magic. And now, there was only one way to truly obtain it. To go out and TRY. To put effort into her life and actually connect to people. To truly make her sisters feel like they were her family and that she DID care for them. And with this epiphany, it was all too clear why Venus was so intent on trying with her.

"You want me to live, don't you Venus Bloomer?" Adagio asked as she rose to her feet. A ghost of a smile on her face. "I guess life starts now for me." As Adagio headed outside, she noticed the window of Carousel Boutique. "Hopefully this is where centuries of fashion sense pays off. . . "

Second Chances

Sonata hummed happily as she went about her new job at an excited pace that most would think she would've lost after losing her magic and voice. But due to her bubbly demeanor, Sonata wasn't one to stay down for long. It was no surprise that she and Pinkie Pie got along so well both in and out of work. Plus, she really enjoyed Sugar Cube Corner as her workplace.

"This is the best!" Sonata thought out loud with a cheerful smile as she put another tray of sweets into the oven. "Better head to the front. We'll be facing the morning rush soon." She got a pleasant surprise when she saw Aria walk through the doors. "Oh. Hi Aria! You made it just before things got crazy!"

"Funny. You're already here." Aria said with a genuine smile. "Just need to grab something quick to perk me up a bit. Got any recommendations?"

"Who are you?" Sonata asked with a raised eyebrow. "The Aria that I know is almost always grumpy and usually has a frown on her face. And usually the second I speak, she usually threatens to shut me up with a knuckle sandwich."

"Geez. I guess I let you have it worse than I thought." Aria said with genuine shock. "Hey. You know I'd never actually hit you Sonata, right? Still, it's not like I had a right to yell at you."

"Yeah. I know." Sonata said with a small smile as she put a treat in Aria's to-go bag. "You'd always be the one to throw the first punch if someone started trouble with us. You even slapped Starswirl in the face with your tail. But in your defense, maybe I should've toned down my positivity."

"Well, in your defense, it was probably what let you stay afloat during our banishment. Even if you did go a bit extreme." Aria said as she took the bag. "So how much do I owe you?"

"First one's on the house for family." Sonata beamed. "By the way, has Adagio popped in on you? Because I haven't seen a hair of her poofy mane ever since we got paired up with cute guys."

"Nope." Aria shook her head. "Haven't seen her at all."

"Eh. No big deal." Sonata said with a shrug. "Come to think of it, you seem less ticked off too."

"When your job is hitting trees, you tend to get out most of your aggression." Aria said with a smirk before blushing a little. "And, I've had some therapy that helps me forget my troubles." Aria's blush deepened as she recalled feeling Night Fang's ears and fluffing his tail. She would never say that the way his foot shook or tail wagged in happiness was cute, but she couldn't deny that's what she thought in her head.

"Uh, Aria?" Sonata asked as she waved her hand in front of Aria's face. "You alright sis?"

"Yeah! Fine!" Aria stammered! "Gottagobye!" And she left a cloud of dust behind her as she bolted out the door.

"Huh. Okay!" Sonata said with an oblivious smile as she noticed the crowd of people swarming towards Sugar Cube Corner.

"Hold the line." Akage said as he tied on his apron like it was armor. And within mere seconds, Sugar Cube Corner's doors were thrown open by a horde of people looking to get their morning sugar fix. With an hour or two, things settled down to a more calm pace.

It wasn't long before Sonata was on her lunch hour. Happily munching away at some tacos she'd made yesterday. Before long, Aria had joined Sonata on the bench she was sitting on.

"You never get tired of those do you?" Aria asked as she took out a chicken leg and bit down into it. "Gotta hand it to Fang. He knows how to pick food that can leave some great leftovers. Then again, he is part wolf. If anyone knows meat or birds, it'd be him."

"Sounds like you two share similar stomachs." Adagio said with a giggle as she approached her sisters.

"I'm surprised you didn't try flirting with every dude in town in vain effort to try and take over." Aria said as she raised an eyebrow. "Where were you the last few days? Were you just lounging around your host's home and only now decided to grace us with your presence?"

"For your information, I happen to be working. Both in a job and to keep my body the way it is." Adagio retorted.

"Wait. Dagi's working?" Sonata asked. "I thought you were only good at making others work for you."

"Well, the two of you seemed to find jobs that let you do something that you enjoy." Adagio said with a pout. "I just happened to find one where my expertise in clothing pays off."

"Geez Adagio!" Aria groaned. "You're acting like we hated the outfits you picked out for us. These current threads are probably the best outfits we've had in centuries."

". . . Are we actually being nice to each other?" Sonata asked. "Aria. Pinch me. Slap me. Slug me in the face! Because I'm pretty sure this is something I've only dreamed about."

"She'd never do any of those to you Sonata." Adagio said as she pinched Sonata. "Just like how I'd never actually leave the two of you on your own. I'm your big sister. That means I take care of you both. And look at how I treated you two." A bitter laugh escaped Adagio's lips. "I never even once tried to let you know I care. I didn't even try to be a good sister and avoid getting us banished. I guess. . . I'm trying to say that I'm sorry I screwed up."

There was complete silence between the siren siblings, but there was much said all the same as Sonata hugged Adagio from the side while Aria hugged from the back.

"Looks like this is our real second chance." Adagio said with a smile as she closed her eyes.

"How disgusting." Blitz Surge remarked as he and Luna approached the three sirens. "To think that three villains such as yourselves are allowed to walk among the people."

"We weren't expecting any royal company today." Adagio said as her eyes narrowed at Blitz. "So what brings the princess of the moon out into the daylight?"

"As my champion suggested, my business lies with you three." Luna replied with a cold stare. "The three of you caused great strife among our people so long ago. And you did so without a hint of remorse. Do you think I would allow such offenses to go unpunished?"

"Hey. Buzz off." Aria snapped as she rose to her feet. "Look. We did bad things. We know that can never be erased. But ever since losing our magic and our singing voices, we got a new perspective on things. We know what it feels like to stare up at someone more powerful. Especially since you're right in front of us."

"We're sorry princess." Sonata added as she held onto Adagio for security. "And we really do feel bad about what we did, but we're also trying to make things right! We were already banished from this world, and now we've lost our magic and voices. Haven't we gone through enough?"

"No. . . " Luna's hands trembled as her magic flared to life! "There is never enough punishment for any of us to endure!"

But before Luna could let loose her magic, another large blast of magic knocked her away! Nightmare Moon landed not too far from the Dazzlings, and was glaring at Luna!

"Luna have you lost it?!" Nightmare Moon snapped! "They weren't doing anything wrong, and you decide to try and waste them?!"

"You don't understand!" Luna screamed! "And you are just like them! You have evaded the punishment you deserve for the wrongs you've committed! That WE committed! Justice must be dispensed!"

"For Faust's sake Luna! The days when we were one entity are gone!" Nightmare Moon countered! "I've said it so many times: I'm my own person! And you were about to attack a bunch of people who are powerless against you, who are trying to make up for their past mistakes? How 'just' of you."

"SILENCE!" Luna cried out as a flash of magic enveloped her! When the light died down, Luna was clad in black armor! "For too long your return has tormented me! This time, THE NIGHTMARE WILL END!" Luna summoned a silver lance, and flew right at Nightmare Moon! But Nightmare Moon didn't even flinch as she grabbed the lance right as it neared her face!

"Enough." Nightmare Moon said with a frown as she threw Luna to the ground! A small crater forming from the impact! "You more than anyone should be willing to offer these three redemption. A chance to make up for their mistakes. Us especially since you're so dead set on making up for what happened so long ago. But no. You still continue to seek punishment that we've both already received. We were forgiven Luna. And for your sister's sake, forgive yourself!"

"Never. . . " Luna growled as she rose from the crater. "You still persist to be a part of my life when I want nothing to do with you! Will I never be rid of you?!"

"I'm not a part of you anymore Luna." Nightmare Moon said. A sympathetic look in her eyes. "And I mean this in the nicest way possible: You don't matter to me anymore. Now you can head back to your castle and let me actual perform my duties as the princess of dreams for once, or I can tell Celestia about the insane stunt you just tried to pull."

"You can have the dreams." Luna spat. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm no longer worthy to bestow them among my subjects." And with that, the lunar princess teleported back to Castalot.

"So. You were the one that Burst Stream decided to swap out for." Blitz Surge remarked as he approached Nightmare Moon. "A more fitting choice. He was not worthy of a goddess such as Celestia. But a fallen goddess like yourself? You were much more compatible considering he fell so easily. The both of you making choices that led to your-"

"Don't speak ill of the dead." Nightmare Moon said with a scowl as she summoned her sword, and pointed it right at Blitz's throat! "And don't you dare think any less of him for loving me. Burst Stream lived as he died. A hero. He put the needs of others before himself. But what would you know about that?"

"I know that him doing so was a foolish choice." Blitz Surge answered with a frown. "A TRUE hero would make sure their glory was known no matter the cost. And that justice be dealt to all who have done wrong. Mark my words. You shall face justice soon as well." And Blitz surge vanished with a teleport spell.

"True heroes never die." Nightmare Moon said as she spread her wings, and flew up to the statue of Burst Stream. "Because they are never forgotten."

Matters of the Heart

Nightmare Moon was sitting at a table in Donut Joe's. Hoping that something sweet would take her mind off of the fight she'd just had with Luna. Not to mention the serious scolding she gave Luna's champion.

"That guy. Something about him just stinks." Nightmare Moon grumbled to herself before taking a bite out of a donut. "He just seems to give off a bad feeling. And Luna named him as her champion?"

"Thinking out loud about our frustrations, are we?" Celestia asked as she walked into the shop. The whole place had their eyes on her. "Back to your business please. This is between princesses." And just like that, everyone went back to what they were doing. "Is this seat taken?"

"Nope. Go right ahead." Nightmare Moon said with a shrug. "So. What brings our beloved leader out from her castle? I can understand getting some fresh air. Or maybe the donuts here are just that good?"

"Your plate seems to be substantial evidence for the latter." Celestia said with a giggle before adopting a more serious expression. "Luna told me about what happened earlier today."

"Are you going to say I should've tried to talk her down?" Nightmare Moon asked with a slightly irritated tone. "I can't lie, that would've been what I'd have done if she wasn't ready to just blast the sirens with magic."

"I was going to say you should've called me." Celestia replied. "I probably would've made the same argument you did about her being forgiven. Unfortunately, it looks like my little sister is unwilling to forgive herself. She keeps looking at you as the embodiment of her past sins. And yet, you were forgiven and accepted in time. If she still views you as a part of her, then can't she see that she already has paid enough?" Celestia let out a sigh. "It just hurts so much to see her like this. And here I was thinking she'd improve a bit after finding a special someone."

"Wait. Luna's dating?" Nightmare Moon asked. "When did this happen? Shouldn't she have been dancing through the halls of the castle with unbridled joy?"

"That's what I thought would happen." Celestia said. "But it appears Blitz Surge prefers her to be a bit more subdued with her emotions. Luna apparently finds his sense of justice attractive."

"Hold up." Nightmare Moon said with a serious look in her eyes. "Does he wear his hear spiked and slicked back carrying a sword at his hip at all times?"

"Yes?" Celestia answered with a curious tone. "Have you met him?"

"Met him?" Nightmare Moon asked with a scowl! "That's the bastard who talked bad about Burst Stream for dating me! And he didn't even care that Burst is no longer with us!"

"Calm down Nightmare Moon." Celestia advised. "While hearing someone, Luna's champion of all people, speak ill of the dead does upset me greatly, I think everyone would appreciate enjoying their donuts in peace."

"I-I'm sorry." Nightmare Moon said with a sigh. "It's just, I got really used to people calling me a monster or thinking ill of me. But to think someone was less for believing that I could change for the better? To call them less of a person for loving me? That's just something I can't take lying down. For a person to say something like that? It's THEM who are lesser."

"But that's not what hurt you the most, was it?" Celestia asked with a sympathetic look on her face. "Am I right?"

"More than you could ever know." Nightmare Moon said sadly. "Blitz Surge said Burst Stream wasn't a true hero because he sacrificed himself to try and save us all. What Burst did? All that he's done? That's the actions of a hero if I've ever seen any."

"He had no right to say that." Celestia said with a glare, but it soon faded as a small smile crept across her face. "It looks like Burst Stream was your hero?"

"He was also so much more for me." Nightmare Moon said with a fond smile. "My darkest moment during my reformation was when some witch of a woman came knocking on Burst's door in the middle of the night. She said that Burst had to 'send me back to the Everfree Forest where I belong and eliminate the disturbance to the peace'. My heart was racing at the moment, and I was afraid Burst would actually drag me back to the ruins that used to be yours and Luna's castle. But then Burst Stream levitated one of his blasters over to him, and pointed it straight at the witch! The look on her face was priceless when Burst Stream basically told her to shut up and go to sleep!"

"He really did that?" Celestia said with a musical laugh as she listened to Nightmare Moon's story. "Oh, I would have paid to have that moment on instant replay."

"Yeah. It was pretty hilarious." Nightmare Moon said with a chuckle. "But it was only a few seconds later that I was nearly in tears at what Burst did for me. For someone to care that much about me? That was something I'd never known before. And at that moment, I could've sworn that he had this glow about him when he smiled at me. That smile shined in what I consider my darkest hour. It's why I call him my precious light."

"A light that shines in the dark is one that shines the brightest." Celestia said with a warm smile. "Can I. . . make a confession?"

"What is it?" Nightmare Moon asked.

"When I confronted Burst Stream about housing you. . . part of why I showed up was because I was a bit jealous of you." Celestia said with a blush. "I could only spend so much time with my boyfriend. And even when we could meet, we would always have to part because he'd need to go back to his house back in Unityville. It just hurt me the least bit to know that I would always be kept from Burst one way or another. And there you were, spending almost entire days with him while the time I spent with him would barely make up an entire day combined. So I thought that if I had moved him into the castle, it would both put my fears to rest and give me what I always wanted. I probably sound pretty selfish, don't I?"

"With all that you've given your subjects, I'd say you've more than earned the right to want a little something for yourself." Nightmare Moon said with a comforting smile. "I don't think anyone could really fault you for wanting to spend more time with the one you love."

"Thanks." Celestia giggled. "So, you told me how you found your first love. Shall I tell you mine?"

"Please do." Nightmare Moon said with a smirk. "I heard Burst say that he promised you that he'd save Luna during my first return. Or are you going to tell me about how you and Mirror Sombra became a royal pair?"

"I'll save that last one for another time." Celestia replied with a serene smile. "As for how I first encountered Burst, he was just a child when we first met. He was crying his eyes out after telling his whole class about the promise he would make to me to save Luna. I saw him sad, and went to comfort him. Call it my motherly tendencies. I asked him why he was crying, and he said it was because his whole class made fun of him for his promise. He was so young, and yet he pieced together the truth behind your legend."

"So he did his homework." Nightmare Moon said with a giggle. "Please continue."

"Right." Celestia said with a nod. "He said he would 'give your sad story a happy ending', and I told him it was very sweet that he'd make such a promise. And all the while, he'd never guessed that I was who he was looking for. After he finished, he gave me a plushie of Optimus Prime and told me to give it to myself. And I never once went to sleep without it."

"Awww~! That's so precious!" Nightmare Moon cooed! "If that moment was any sweeter, I'd be in a sugar coma."

"Care to see if another plate of donuts would produce that result?" Celestia asked with a smirk. "Of course, we'll need to work it off."

"Says the princess who can demolish a whole cake in a few bites." Nightmare Moon retorted with a chuckle. "Plus, we both know it goes to ALL the right places."

". . . We just became friends, didn't we?" Celestia asked with a knowing smile.

"Exactly as planned!" Nightmare Moon said with a grin! Both goddesses erupting into laughter over a fresh plate of donuts.

By Example

Inferno Flare took a deep breath. This wasn't the first time that he'd come here, but that didn't make his frequent visits any less hard. He looked up to the statue of Burst Stream with a small smile.

"Hey Burst." Inferno said sadly. "Sorry if I'm dropping in on you frequently. But hey, you don't look like you're going anywhere for a while. I might as well chat with you while I can. Things are going pretty good so far. Queen Chrysalis showed up to try and make trouble, but I sent her packing with a scorching finish. You had your signature magic attack. Now I've got mine. I call it the Black Fire Bullet. Then again, you probably know that already considering the fact I screamed it right in front of you."

"But, that's not the point of me coming here." Inferno said with a sigh as he looked at the ground. "I'm as good a fighter as the rest of the guys, but I don't have much experience leading a team. I know that I've had my time as a lead singer, but that doesn't make me the leader of my band. We all make decisions together and as equals. Something that we also did as a team of heroes. But when it came down to the tough calls or on-the-fly decisions, it was always you who gave the word. The one we all rallied behind when our backs were to the wall. And now, everyone's going to look to me to give the final word. Burst, I don't know if I'm actually ready for this. I know that I've ascended into an Avatar, and that you named me as your second-in-command to take over if you weren't around, but I've never led an actual battle! It was never me who led the charge, or got everyone's spirits up!"

"I. . . I'm scared man." Inferno said as he clenched his fist. "Because some part of me is happy that you believe in me, but another can't help but feel you might have made a mistake in picking me. If you can hear me from wherever you are, give me something, anything, that proves you were right to choose me." Inferno hung his head in shame. "It's not the same without you bud." Inferno stood there for only a minute, but it felt like an hour due to the heaviness of his doubt.

"Hey boss." Steel Edge called out from the sky above as he descended to meet his comrade-turned-leader. "How ya doing?"

"You talking to me or him?" Inferno said with a sad smile as he gestured to the statue of Burst Stream. "Because I don't think you're going to get a word out of him."

"I came here because my friend could use a pep talk." Steel Edge said with a grin. "You wouldn't look very heroic if you kept walking around with a mopey look on your face."

"Funny. I thought Akage would cover something like that." Inferno said with a small chuckle. "If anything, I think you should've been named leader. You do have plenty of experience being captain of the Elite Guard."

"You bring up a solid point, but it's ultimately overridden by one single fact." Steel said with a serious look on his face. "That Burst Stream chose YOU to lead the Elements of Heroism. You're the Element of Potential, Inferno. That means you could be a great leader for us. That's not the most important reason why you should accept your new role."

"Then what's the reason?" Inferno asked.

"Because Burst believed in you." Steel answered with a reassuring grin. "You were always at his side, and you stuck with him no matter what. He was proud to have a friend like you fighting alongside him, and he couldn't have thought of anyone more fitting to lead if he couldn't. Because you stick by all of us, and have a fire in you that's contagious once it starts burning! And I know you're going to be a good leader because you have a great example to follow." Steel pointed at Burst's statue.

"Burst put our needs above his own, and would always fight. Even if he knew he couldn't win." Steel Edge continued. "And I've seen you take that example to heart but with your own style. I noticed that when you made those one-liners in your fight with that parasite Chrysalis. Burst believed in you. The girls believe in you. Me and the guys believe you can do this too. Now all that's missing is the most important belief: belief in yourself."

"Thanks Steel." Inferno said with a smile. "But I kinda got your point a minute or two ago. Still, thanks all the same for keeping me from going into a self-doubt cycle. That stuff gets dragged on for way too long and is too overused."

"If you actually went through that, I'd bash some sense into you with my shield." Steel chuckled. "By the way, that coat looks awesome on you. Red really is your color."

"Yup. Rarity made it for me." Inferno said with a nod. "I had made in the same style to honor Burst. But I made it have my colors because I'm going to have my own style of leading."

"Well then, I bet you've wondered how good Rarity would look in a wedding dress of her own design." Steel said with a smirk. "Celestia knows the two of you are already marriage material. A couple years of dating, and you still haven't popped the question. Heck, you've gotten to the next level of intimacy already! Even Rainbow Dash and I haven't gotten farther than making out."

"Well, winning a fight while coming back from the brink of death tends to get a hero in the mood." Inferno noted. "Heck, I'm surprised Burst didn't go all the way with Moon after he destroyed Shining Dawn. Still, I guess the technically slept together a lot." The pair burst into a fit of laughter at their friend's expense.

The Zero Realm
If there was one regret Burst Stream had while he was "dying", it was that he'd never gotten that intimate with either of his girlfriends. His relationship with Celestia had been cut short thanks to Shining Dawn being a colossal asshole, and he hadn't gotten with Nightmare Moon due to her wanting to wait for him to be ready for something like that.

"Well. I know one thing I'm doing when I get back." Burst said to himself before throwing himself back into his training with Bahamut.

Epilogue

An Unknown Village
A lone woman watched the people of her village go about. Each had the same, unnatural smile on their faces. Every villager looked like their color had faded, and all bore the same hairstyle. To anyone else, this sight would be unsettling and creepy. But to the woman watching, it brought an evil smile to her face.

"All is well here." Starlight Glimmer said to herself. "Now that I've been successful here, Our Town only needs to grow." She then walked over to an evil-looking mask that was black and white. Sickly green energy crackling around. "Soon, all will be made equal. . . "

Author's Note

TO BE CONTINUED IN SEASON 5!