The Lost Element

Hello. My name is Twilight Sparkle. I have noticed that my friend James has been writing quite a few journals over the last eight months, so I decided to write an entry myself. That, and I feel the situation warrants it.

I am currently in the Everfree Forest with five of my closest friends. Six if you include Nightmare Moon. Yes, I know what you may be thinking. Nightmare Moon is supposed to be gone forever, right? And she is supposed to be evil, right? Well, yes. That is all true. At least until recently.

I still do not fully understand how she became separate from Princess Luna, but Nightmare Moon still lives. And she may have been evil once before, but my dear friend James somehow got through to her. I even feel as if she may never have been truly in the first place. She is not hostile towards my friends or me anymore. And she certainly seems to have come to adore James. I can understand that. He was, for a time, the only friend she has ever known.

She is resting on the ground right across from me. Her wounds are grave, but she should survive if she does not move much. I still cannot believe how much damage James did to her and why he did it. Did something happen when Rainbow Dash caught up to them?

I probably should not ask. Nightmare Moon has changed, James is going to be fine, and Rainbow Dash has gone to get help. Everything is fine now. All we can do is wait.

James is sleeping so soundly on Nightmare Moon’s tail. He certainly deserves the rest. Even though he was not supposed to be with us this evening, he ended up working the hardest out of all of us. I am grateful he decided to come with us. The situation would have likely had a very different outcome without him and not in a good way.

He has been a wonderful friend to me and my other friends. Actually, he is more than just a friend to me. After spending so much time getting to know him, he has become something of a brother to me. Maybe more. We have a lot in common. I am just relieved that he is going to be all right.

Things are pretty quiet right now. Rarity seems to be passing the time by playing tic-tac-toe with Nightmare Moon while Pinkie Pie and Applejack seem to be telling each other ghost stories. Fluttershy is watching over James constantly and I really cannot say I blame her.

Looks like Rarity just lost. Again. “Ugh, that’s 35 games in a row.” She groaned as Nightmare Moon smirked confidently. But Rarity then smiled as she asked, “Best out of 71?”

Nightmare Moon smiled, albeit while looking uncomfortable from the pain of her many wounds. “As many times as you wish. Unless you have another game to play.”

Rarity sighed while she looked around herself. “Well, I would prefer a wider variety, but there is only so much we can do with pebbles and twigs.”

“Hm… Fair enough.” Nightmare Moon retorted while looking like she was tempted to laugh. She certainly does seem bored. But she also keeps glancing over at James. It is amazing to see how close they have become.

I feel I should also mention Nightmare Moon’s face. Her helmet was lost in the battle earlier, so her face is bare for us to see. And I have to say she is very beautiful. Her eyes seem less scary now and more…alluring. I really hope we can be good friends from now on. I am eager to learn about her on how she is different from Princess Luna.

I am going to try listening into Pinkie Pie and Applejack’s conversation. I am curious of what kind of ghost stories they came up with.

“And then… The three little fillies wandered into the deepest darkest corner of the Everfree Forest. Oh no, the pegasus filly cried. The Slenderman is probably close by!”

Oh boy, looks like Pinkie Pie is already spinning her own ideas about the Slenderman thing James told us about. But it is just a silly ghost story, right?

Applejack nodded a bit uneasily as she asked, “Uh huh… And what happened next?” I am not sure what Pinkie Pie said to her earlier, but Applejack definitely seemed anxious.

“And then… The air became heavy. The sense of impending doom fell over the three fillies. The sounds of their own heartbeats filled their ears. He’s… He’s right behind me, isn’t he? The little unicorn filly asked. The pegasus and earth pony filly backed away before turning and running off.”

I then decided to ask, “And what happened next?”

Pinkie Pie smirked at me before she whispered, “And then, the unicorn filly turned around… And then…”

“YAARRGGGHHH!!!” Pinkie Pie shrieked right behind the two of us. Honestly, how does she do that?! Going from right in front of us to behind us in the blink of an eye?! Needless to say, I was very startled by it.

“The unicorn filly met her untimely end, another victim of the Slenderman!” Pinkie Pie added with Applejack shivering madly next to me.

“Da… Don’t spook me like that again, Pinkie… Almost thought my heart stopped for a second there…” Applejack replied while holding a hoof to her chest, wheezing from the sheer anxiety.

Pinkie Pie giggled while clearly having way too much fun. “Sorry about that! But you know what they say! A ghost story isn’t a ghost story if it isn’t spoooooooky!”

I rolled my eyes, finding Pinkie Pie’s usual characteristic enthusiasm to be as pervasive as ever. “I won’t deny that, but try to avoid making a lot of noise. One of us IS trying to sleep, after all.”

Pinkie Pie covered her mouth once I reminded her. “Oops! Sorry! I totally forgot!” She then asked with a whisper, “Speaking of him, how is James holding up?”

I looked over at Nightmare Moon, James still sleeping with his head on her tail. “Let’s go find out.”

The three of us walked over to James. Fluttershy was by his side, her hoof on his hand at all times. She looked so worried about him and I really cannot blame her. I was worried too. Even though he clearly was not hurt anymore, I had every right to worry about him since he is so dear to me.

“Howdy, Fluttershy. How’re ya doin’?” Applejack asked with a smile.

Fluttershy looked at us and smiled faintly. “I’m OK. And James seems to be fine too.”

Pinkie Pie giggled while turning an ear towards our dozing friend. “Yeah! Just listen to him! Snoozing so peacefully. I’ll bet he’s dreaming of his upcoming birthday party!”

I chuckled, knowing that his birthday is sometime later this month. I forget the exact day, but I know Pinkie Pie has it marked on a calendar at her place. “That just might be the case.” I then looked over at Nightmare Moon. “And you’ll surely be invited when that happens, Nightmare Moon.”

She looked at me and smiled just slightly. “I would be honored.”

Applejack seemed to smirk while her gaze was directed elsewhere. “Rarity, did ya just rearrange yer checkers with hers?”

Rarity replied with a flustered tone, “What?! Of course not! Just because I am losing more times than I win does not mean…”

Nightmare Moon smirked while she said snidely, “Put them back, or you’re going in the dungeon when I get to Canterlot.”

Rarity did not say anything, but she definitely did not like the sound of that threat. Her horn was coated with a familiar azure aura as the ‘checkers’ between her and Nightmare Moon were rearranged. Nightmare Moon then asked, “Would you prefer a game of chess after this?”

Rarity seemed to smirk at that offer. “Oh, I excel far more at chess than checkers. I do believe I will be able to put up quite a struggle against you then.”

It is an odd feeling. Even though we are in the deepest depths of the Everfree Forest with one of the most reviled ponies in Equestria’s history, I actually feel like I am having a good time. I guess it is true. Everything is more fun with friends.

My eyes gazed at James before my sights fell on his helmet. What a lovely design. And the Element on it… The Element of Humanity, Nightmare Moon called it. Made by humans, she said. Upon closer inspection, it looks similar, yet different to the Elements of Harmony. Each of the Elements of Harmony look like gemstones that have been cut and polished. But the Element of Humanity looks like it was not cut at all with it being as rounded as it is. It brings to mind moonstone. Still, it is very beautiful. And the form just brings to mind peace.

If the Element of Humanity represents James in the same way the Element of Laughter represents Pinkie Pie, then it definitely sums up what James is like. He tries to make the right decision all the time, although he has at times made bad ones too. His heart is always in the right place though. And the dove shapes definitely sum up his quiet, shy, and tender nature. If that is what the concept of humanity is all about, then that Element definitely belongs with him.

Hm? Nightmare Moon is glaring out into the forest. What did she see?

“Nightmare Moon, it’s your turn.” Rarity said after moving her ‘pawn’ forward a space.

That fierce gaze. What did she see? “Nightmare Moon, is something wrong?” Fluttershy asked from behind her.

“There is someone near us… I can sense its fell desires…” Nightmare Moon replied coldly. She began to move her legs as if trying to stand.

“Hold yer horses, yer highness. Ya know yer in no shape ta move right now. We’ll take a look for ya.” Applejack spoke up as she tried to restrain her. She was right. Nightmare Moon’s wounds had started to slowly stop bleeding, but she was still in a very delicate state right now.

“I’ll go take a look.” I retorted, fairly certain it was not anything serious. I mean, we had already taken care of a pack of zombie ponies earlier… All right, it was James who handled them. But still, I really cannot imagine anypony else in the Everfree Forest that might be radiating any malice right now.

“Are you sure, Twilight? We can tag along.” Pinkie Pie offered. She seemed pretty excited, but she always is anyway.

“No, I’m sure it’s nothing. I’ll be right back. I’ll just teleport back here if I run into trouble.” I replied with a shake of my head.

However, as I began to walk towards the trees where Nightmare Moon had been looking, she spoke up. “Twilight Sparkle.” When I looked back at her, Nightmare Moon spoke sternly. “Be very careful.”

I was starting to get a feeling that whatever she did sense was bad news. Still, I knew better than to try to fight anything on my own. I nodded without saying anything before turning and walking into the darkness.

It was dark and spooky especially since I no longer had James’ sword giving off light to guide the way. Maybe I should have taken it with me. Still, the Everfree Forest is not THAT dangerous in general. I learned that the hard way.

After what I think was five minutes of walking, I began to feel like I was wasting my time. Maybe Nightmare Moon’s senses were playing tricks on her. “Well, all clear on this end.” I said aloud while not really expecting to be heard.

However, a strange distorted voice spoke up as if to answer. “Is that so?”

The sound of buzzing began to fill the air. Seconds later, I looked up. All around me, they hovered with devilish little smirks. Changelings!

I was scared. I was not sure of how to deal with this. They already had me outnumbered. But before any of them could do anything, the same voice spoke again. “Stand down, my subjects. Let me take a look at our guest.” It spoke with a mocking tone that I instantly recognized.

I heard hoofsteps coming from nearby, the Changelings starting to move aside. And out of the shadows came a very familiar creature I remembered all too well.

“You… The Changeling Queen.” I growled, readying myself for a fight as I prepared a spell. Just looking at that face was all it took to make me mad after what she had done to my brother and Cadence.

She frowned in annoyance. “Oh please, I have a name.” She then lowered her head until she was just inches away from me. “Queen Chrysalis. Now, what brings you out here to my home?”

Home? I replied defiantly, “You tell me! You and your horde were banished from Equestria after your attack on Canterlot! What’re you doing out here?!”

She replied with that infuriating smug smirk. “What are we doing? This is where we landed, you know. And my people and I have been residing here ever since.” She then looked at me with those creepy green eyes. “And in all honesty, it’s not so bad out here.”

She did not sound like she was lying, but I did not drop my guard for a second. “OK… So you’ve got a new home that you’re pretty happy with. You have any plans on invading Equestria again?”

The Changeling Queen…. I mean Chrysalis replied, “No, no, we’re quite happy out here. Although…” She then lowered her head towards me and asked, “Your new friend over there. He is going to be all right, isn’t he?”

She must have seen James. I responded with a glare. “He’s going to be fine. He was roughed up pretty bad, but he’s recovering. Why? You want him for something?”

Chrysalis merely smirked as she said, “Oh…maybe. But that’s not for you to know.”

OK, that part really got my blood boiling. I was on the verge of taking a shot at her. “Tell me what you’re planning!”

Her tone of voice remained smug, but then turned chillingly cold. “I can tell you…but then I would have to tell my subjects here to kill you.”

The Changelings around me drew closer with those creepy empty eyes really making them all the more intimidating. “Don’t worry, Twilight Sparkle. I have no desire to do him harm.” Chrysalis spoke while looking down at me as she regained that insufferable smugness.

I was not sure what to do. I wanted to force her to tell me what she knew, but I knew I could not protect myself. Even if I did teleport back to my friends, they would just come to us. Nightmare Moon would get caught in the crossfire. And with her injuries, it would not take much to…

“Nightmare Moon…” I muttered under my breath. My hooves were tied. If I did not cooperate, Nightmare Moon would surely…die. James would be furious at me for breaking my promise to him. “OK… I won’t ask anything else.”

Chrysalis seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. She smirked as she spoke down to me. “Wise decision. You wear your Element well, I see.” The Changelings behind me moved out of the way as if to let me go. “You may return to your friends now. But not a word of me to anypony. I am quite happy out here in the Everfree Forest, and I would not want to launch a counter invasion should some royal guards come out here looking for me.”

I scowled at her as I grumbled, “Fine… Just stay away from me and my friends. All right?”

Just as I was beginning to head back to my friends, Chrysalis spoke up once more. “Wait. One last thing.” When I looked back at her and the Changelings that stood near her, she spoke while glaring at me harshly. “Take very good care of him.” I did not say anything as I turned and walked away.

That Queen Chrysalis… What is she up to? I know she just said she is all right with living out here in the Everfree Forest, but I just cannot shake the feeling that she is planning something awful. Well, we defeated her once. I am sure we can just as easily do it again. Especially now that we have…

I felt a smile creep across my face. Yeah, we have James with us now. He can hold his own against Nightmare Moon, so he can just as easily handle Chrysalis should the need ever arise. I still cannot believe how much damage he did to Nightmare Moon, even though I know he did not mean to.

I found my friends right where I had last seen them. “How’d it go, Twi? Find any nasties out there?” Applejack asked right away.

As much as I wanted to warn them that I found Chrysalis, I had the nagging feeling that one of her Changelings was watching me. “No. Whatever it was, I think it ran off when I approached where it was hiding.”

Pinkie Pie just giggled at such a notion. “Wow! Who knew the Everfree Forest was full of such scaredy cats?”

We did not get to talk any further since we all glanced upwards at a sound. The kind of sound a pegasus makes as it swoops through the air at high speed. “Was that Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy asked while I quietly asked myself the same question.

“Why, I do believe so!” Rarity replied with glee. Hovering above a gap in the canopy was indeed Rainbow Dash. She seemed to be motioning something towards herself with her arms.

A few seconds later, she descended through the treetops and landed before us. “Huh? Oh, hey girls! Miss me?” She asked with that confident grin of hers present on her face.

“You bet yer cutie mark we did!” Applejack replied before we all ran over to her and gave her the tightest hug we could. I was very worried about her when she flew off to help James when we got separated. I kept trying to tell her that it would have been safer if we all went together, but I suppose her Element is Loyalty for a reason. She and James bump heads more frequently than he does with any of us, but they’re still very close.

“Hey, you know me! I’m unstoppable! Oop, heads up! Make some room!” Rainbow Dash spoke while pushing us away. Descending through the treetops was what seemed to be a trailer that was being pulled by a pair of royal guards. They landed at the edge of the clearing. The trailer was mostly painted white with a large red cross on the sides.

“Ooh, a medical transport! Good job, Rainbow!” I said to our friend. Nightmare Moon was going to be just fine with access to the best medical treatment available.

“Indeed. Well done on getting us here in time, Rainbow Dash.” A voice spoke above us. That… All the way out here?

I looked up to see Princess Celestia herself descending towards us. “Princess Celestia?!” I heard Rarity ask as she bowed with my friends. I too bowed before her.

My mentor landed before us and folded her wings. “There’s no need to bow, everypony. Is everyone here all right?”

Applejack nodded while we all rose. “Yup! Everythin’s A-OK, yer highness!”

She then asked, “And your friend. James. Is he well?”

I looked over to him. He was still fast asleep and was snoring lightly. “He had a rough night, but he’s doing fine.” I said with a smile. Now that Princess Celestia was here, everything would surely be fine.

Princess Celestia seemed shocked by all the blood that was coating James’ armor. Not that I blame her. I have never seen such bloodshed until tonight as well. She nodded with a sigh of relief. “I see. I will see to it that he receives the medical attention you requested. But first…” She then began to approach…Nightmare Moon? “There is something that needs to be finished.”

I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as Princess Celestia glared down at Nightmare Moon. “Nightmare Moon. You know what you have done.”

Nightmare Moon did not say anything. She seemed petrified. Princess Celestia… She would not…

“This time, I will personally make certain that you never pose a threat to Equestria again.” Princess Celestia spoke as her horn was engulfed in a billowing golden aura.

“What’re you doing?!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she got between Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon while holding her arms out to her sides. “It’s Nightmare Moon that needs help! That’s what I led you here for!”

Princess Celestia paused in shock. “What?! Nightmare Moon?!”

I jumped in front of her with the rest of my friends. “It’s true! Nightmare Moon isn’t the same monster she used to be! She’s changed, your highness!” I pleaded loudly. I truly did not want to see our new friend harmed before she could even try to prove herself worthy of our mercy.

“You… Nightmare Moon, what lies did you plant in their heads?!” Our princess shouted unexpectedly. Nightmare Moon did not respond. She could only lower her gaze.

Rainbow Dash spoke up in defense of the dark princess. “Look. I don’t like her that much myself either right now, but it was James who made us understand how she really feels! She’s not some jerk who’s bitter and envious!”

Unfortunately, Princess Celestia did not seem swayed. “He does not understand! He is merely ignorant! Nightmare Moon is only an imposter! Luna is the true princess of the night. Nightmare Moon…” She then aimed her glowing horn at our friend. “Before anything else can occur... You must perish!”

“No!” I shouted as I tried to erect a magic barrier around us. It was the same kind of spherical barrier I had used several times before. Just as I used it, Princess Celestia fired a golden beam from her horn. It slammed into the barrier, trying to push its way through.

“Princess Celestia, please! Don’t do this!” I pleaded with my longtime mentor. I was the only thing standing between Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon at this point. She was safe with me and my friends in the confines of the barrier, but… What power! My barrier was already buckling under the strain of Princess Celestia’s might!

It was a struggle just to keep the barrier up. My head was already starting to hurt from the mental strain I was going through. “Princess Celestia, I won’t let you!” I heard Fluttershy speak as she hovered behind me. She was hovering with her arms outstretched to shield Nightmare Moon in case the barrier failed. “You’ll have to shoot me first!”

“Fluttershy, don’t!” Rarity shouted in response. Fluttershy… How brave of you. But…Princess Celestia would have to get by me first.

“You’re making a mistake, my subjects! Nightmare Moon is a threat! She must be…” Princess Celestia all but yelled as she continued to try to force her magic through my barrier.

I groaned as I did my best to keep the barrier up. “She’s not a threat, your highness! We thought she was a monster at first! But James proved us wrong! He tried his hardest to save her! And we promised we would protect her until help arrived! Please! Don’t make us break that promise!”

Right as I finished saying that, I heard Nightmare Moon speak behind me. “Twilight Sparkle… You don’t have to keep protecting me anymore.”

Princess Celestia’s magical assault suddenly stopped as she raised her head and looked down at Nightmare Moon. “What?” She spoke in a shocked tone. I was exhausted from resisting her, but I kept the barrier up anyway. I was not going to drop it until I was sure that Nightmare Moon was out of danger.

Nightmare Moon continued to speak weakly. “Celestia… Do to me whatever you wish. But… If I may… A last request.”

Princess Celestia’s expression seemed to change to one of curiosity. After a brief moment of confused silence, she gave her answer. “I’m listening.”

We all turned to face Nightmare Moon. She then whispered, “I want to at least be allowed to live long enough to see my friend regain consciousness. So I can thank him for never once giving up on me.” Her gaze turned towards James, who was still sleeping soundly on her tail.

Princess Celestia seemed very shocked by Nightmare Moon’s words. She did not speak, just standing there with her eyes wide open. Pinkie Pie then asked, “Pretty please, your highness? Let her live and I’ll bake you cupcakes every day for a whole year!” She was clearly trying to take advantage of Princess Celestia’s infamous sweet tooth.

Princess Celestia soon asked, “Nightmare Moon… Do you still intend to bring forth an eternal night?”

Our friend bowed her head. “No… My friend made me understand the consequences of such an act… I have no desire to see my subjects harmed. And if my death is the only way to prevent them from suffering, I welcome it.”

Applejack patted Nightmare Moon on the shoulder. “Don’t say that, yer highness. Everypony in Equestria can get ta like ya if you give ‘em the chance.”

After a moment of silence, Princess Celestia looked at me. “Twilight, you can remove that barrier now. Nightmare Moon will not be executed.”

I strongly doubt she would ever lie to me to make me drop my defenses. I nodded as I allowed the barrier to disappear, the mental strain on my brain immediately vanishing. Although I was still left with a minor headache. Princess Celestia then walked past me and looked down at our friend.

“Nightmare Moon, I cannot grant your final request. You will not be permitted to see him one last time.” Princess Celestia spoke with a stern gaze.

I… I could not believe what I had just heard. I then shouted in outright disgust, “Princess Celestia, how could you?!” I was honestly considering attacking her at that point.

“Yeah! That’s just mean! What’s wrong with you?!” Pinkie Pie growled with quite a glare in her eyes. All of my friends seemed ready to pounce on her.

However, Princess Celestia then looked at us with a most commanding gaze. “Let me finish, please.”

Finish? What did she mean? All of my friends did not seem happy with her, but they seemed to relax slightly. Even so, I was prepared to attack if Princess Celestia tried anything.

“As I said, your request to see him one last time is denied. Instead…” Princess Celestia spoke frankly to her sister's former shade. Nightmare Moon closed her eyes, clearly fearful of what her sister had in store for her. But then, Princess Celestia smiled warmly. “You will be permitted to see him as many times as you desire.”

Rainbow Dash asked in confusion, “Wait wait wait… Does that mean…?”

Princess Celestia's smile faded. “Don’t go getting any ideas, Nightmare Moon. I do not trust you just yet. But…” She then seemed to look at James. “I cannot ignore the efforts of those who went to great lengths to save you.”

I think I saw a tear trickle down Nightmare Moon’s face. “Celestia… I…”

Princess Celestia shook her head. “Do not thank me, Nightmare Moon. Thank him when he awakens.” Her horn was then coated by a billowing golden yellow aura, as was Nightmare Moon. “Let’s get you to where you can be treated.”

Princess Celestia… You know, I think I know why James always calls her and Princess Luna by just their names. It becomes repetitive saying their titles too often. I think I will start leaving out their titles when I refer to them from now on. In any case, Celestia walked towards the medical transport with Nightmare Moon floating beside her. But as they passed us, Nightmare Moon looked at my friends and me and smiled most gratefully. “Thank you all.”

We all smiled supportively at her in response. The doors at the end of the transport opened and Nightmare Moon was placed inside. Celestia spoke to the medical personnel within. “She is not dangerous. Make sure she gets all of the medical attention she needs.” Chances are the sight of a former villain being brought in startled the medical personnel inside.

Celestia then came back to us and smiled. “Congratulations on a job well done, my little ponies. Defeating Nightmare Moon was one thing, but actually convincing her into becoming a friend is something I never thought was possible. You have really outdone yourselves this time.”

We all looked at each other. She was only partially right. Applejack spoke first. “Beggin’ yer pardon, yer highness. But…uh… We hardly did anythin’ tonight.”

Celestia showed us a puzzled expression. “What do you mean?”

Rainbow Dash nodded as she added, “Yeah, I hate to admit it. I mean, we’re all pretty awesome, me especially. But…”

Fluttershy looked over at James, who was still sleeping nearby. “James did most of the work.”

Celestia glanced at him and showed a bemused smile. “Is that so?”

Pinkie Pie replied with a big grin on her face. “Uh huh. We could’ve handled the Shadowbolts by ourselves, but he really helped out big time!”

Rarity then spoke up. “In all honesty, we would’ve never even made it to Nightmare Moon without his aid. In fact, I doubt we would’ve even been able to defeat her without him.”

I nodded in confirmation of my friends' claims. “It’s true. We encountered dangers this time around we had never seen before. Some of them required James’ assistance.” I then smiled at my mentor and said, “Princess Celestia, thank you for allowing him to come with us.”

Celestia seemed quite pleased. “I am glad too. I was actually worried that he would only slow you down despite all of our preparations, but I am relieved that my fears were disproved. He must really work well with you all.”

Rarity then looked back at our sleeping friend with a gaze of concern. “Well, shall we get him inside too? He’s in no danger of dying, but I just want to be certain he is going to be fine.”

Celestia nodded before saying, “That sounds wise. Just let the paramedics know and they will take care of him.”

Rarity used her magic to levitate James off the ground and carried him towards the back of the transport. At that moment, Pinkie Pie let out a yawn. “Wow, I’m beat! What time is it?”

Celestia chuckled while she replied, “Almost 5 AM. You girls have been hard at work for nearly 24 hours now. You must be exhausted.”

Fluttershy yawned once the time caught up to us. “Now that you mention it… I suppose we are.”

Celestia then pointed at the transport with her wing. “There is a passenger compartment at the front. Climb inside and we will get you all to Canterlot. You may all spend the night, or morning, in the palace until you are rested.”

Rainbow Dash flew over to the transport and opened the door to the seats. “In that case, let’s get going! I’m beat!”

We all started to head towards our ride, but I paused when I remembered something. “Oh, right! We can’t forget his helmet!” I looked around and saw James’ helmet on the ground nearby. It would be a bad idea to leave the Element of Humanity behind.

“Helmet?” Celestia asked, seemingly confused. By then, all of my friends were inside the medical transport and ready to leave.

“Yes, right here.” I replied as I levitated the helmet over to my mentor. However, her expression changed to one of absolute shock. Did she know what it was?

“This… How… He is the one it has chosen?” Celestia muttered as she observed the front, probably focusing on the beautiful white gemstone on its forehead section.

“Yes. Nightmare Moon called it the Element of Humanity.” I said while drawing closer, not entirely surprised she would recognize it.

Celestia paused before speaking, “Of all possible humans, it had to be you…” Her expression of shock seemed to be replaced by one of happiness. She looked up, probably at the sky in general. “Looks like we made the right choice after all, Luna.”

Her and Luna? Wait... “Princess Celestia. Did YOU and Princess Luna bring James to Equestria?!”

Celestia glanced over at the transport. Our friends did not seem to notice. She then looked back at me and whispered, “Twilight. When we reach Canterlot, I need to speak to you in private.”

I nodded in agreement, almost knowing what she wanted to talk to me about. “OK. I’ll wait until then.” I then boarded the transport with James’ helmet with me just before I felt it rise into the air while Princess Celestia placed his sword and shield in the rear of the transport. The royal guards at the front pulled it through the morning sky as Celestia led the way.

I was kind of hoping that it would still be dark out once we were flying above the treetops, but I found that dawn had begun. “Isn’t 5 AM a little early for sunrise?” Fluttershy asked from the far end of the passenger seats.

Pinkie Pie soon replied,“Maybe it’s to make up for that extra long night we just had. It was getting kinda chilly.”

Applejack added while looking out the window, “I hope my apple trees are all right after goin’ this long without the sun.”

I smiled in reassurance. “I’m sure they’re fine, AJ. Trees don’t need constant sunlight to survive.”

Rarity then beamed as her gaze was directed to the horizon beyond the window. “I can hardly wait to watch the sunrise from Canterlot. I only wish James could watch it with us.”

Rainbow Dash spoke as a snarky smirk appeared on her face. “I dunno if he would even want to. He’s kind of a late riser, from what I heard.”

Our ride was fairly uneventful and mostly quiet minus a bit of turbulence at one point. Maybe it was because we were all so tired. I honestly am in a hurry to jump in bed myself.

We were set down in the palace courtyard once we had reached Canterlot. Once we had all climbed out of the transport, Rarity asked, “Wait! Shouldn’t we be getting Nightmare Moon to the hospital?”

Celestia quickly replied, “It would cause too much of a scene if we allowed Equestria to see her right now. For the time being, she will be tended to here.” As she spoke those words, a pair of unicorn doctors wheeled Nightmare Moon out of the back of the transport on a stretcher. She seemed to be asleep from the anesthetic with a variety of devices hooked up to her. A third doctor wheeled James out of the transport on another stretcher, although his armor had been removed. The lower section of his shirt and his pants were stained with dried blood.

“Princess Celestia, are you sure they will be all right?” I asked as they passed us. I just wanted to be sure that our friends would survive their wounds.

She nodded with a smile. “Yes. And I will personally make certain the medics take proper care of her. And James will be constantly supervised too.”

Rainbow Dash breathed a huge sigh of relief. “Thanks…” For some reason, the sight of James having so much blood on him seemed to unnerve her.

“Rainbow Dash? What’s wrong? We all made it back in one piece! You should be happy!” Pinkie Pie asked, clearly having noticed our friend’s expression.

“Uh huh… It’s just…” Rainbow Dash muttered for a moment before stopping short.

“Rainbow, what’s wrong?” I decided to ask. It takes a lot for Rainbow Dash to get disturbed, so it must have been bad.

“Sorry… It’s just… I saw him get stabbed… His blood got all over my face…” Rainbow Dash replied, seemingly trying to hold back tears while her hoof gravitated to her cheek.

None of us said anything. I did not want to think about Nightmare Moon hurting James because I did not want to feel any animosity towards her. Everypony else was clearly trying to do the same thing. Just...best not to think about it.

Finally, Rainbow Dash approached Celestia. “Princess Celestia… If it’s OK with you… Could I…ya know…stay near James until he wakes up? I just… I wanna be there for him in case something goes wrong.”

Wow. I was genuinely impressed by how loyal Rainbow Dash is to him despite them practically being polar opposites of each other. Then again, I think they bonded quite a bit tonight. They flew alongside each other, they fought alongside each other, and I am pretty certain they ended up risking their lives for each other. The friendship between them is especially strong.

Celestia could not turn her down. “You may stay with him. But do not interfere with the medics if they need to do anything.”

Rainbow Dash wiped her eyes before smiling. “Yeah, I know. I’m a klutz at first aid, so I always leave it to the pros.”

Applejack then reluctantly yawned. “Hoo… Beggin’ yer pardon, yer highness. But I’m a might tuckered… Actually, I think we all are a might tuckered… Can we just turn in for the night?”

Rarity then proceeded to correct her. “I think you mean turn in for the morning.” True. The sun was still rising into the sky. It was almost 6 AM by then.

Celestia seemed rather amused. “Yes, I’m not surprised you are all this tired. To be frank, I’m amazed you haven’t fallen asleep while standing yet.”

She began to lead us towards the closest door into the palace, but Fluttershy stopped near the back of the medical transport. “Um… What should we do with James’ armor?” In a pile inside were the battle-damaged components of James’ armor.

Rarity sighed in dismay at the sight of the armor she had become so fond of. “Such a sad state they are in. I pray that they can be repaired.”

However, Celestia chuckled lightheartedly. “Oh, repairing them is far easier than you would expect.” Her horn was engulfed in a billowing aura, as was the armor. Seconds later, the armor seemed to…liquefy?

“Whoa! What’d you do?!” Rainbow Dash yelped in surprise, the liquid floating towards us before being compacted into a sphere of shifting colors.

Celestia calmly explained, “The most effective way to repair a suit of armor is to melt it down and reforge it. The same applies to this armor.” She then levitated his shield and helmet over to herself as well.

Wow, what other mysteries are in that armor? If it is in that liquid state, could it be forged to be worn by a pony too? Well, it was a gift to James, so I suppose it is up to him to decide who uses it.

“Guards, come here please.” Celestia said towards the front of the transport. The two guards who had been pulling it flew over to us. “I must return this armor to its resting place. Please escort our guests to their quarters.”

“Yes, your highness.” One of them replied. Celestia then flew towards what I believe was a window near the throne room with the orb of liquid metal, the helmet, and the sword and shield floating along with her before disappearing inside. The other guard then spoke, “Come with us.”

One by one, the guards dropped us off at empty guest rooms. But before they could drop me off, we stopped by another guest room that had beeping sounds coming from it. When we looked inside, we found James resting in bed with a heart monitor hooked up to him. Judging by the rate of the beeping sound, his heart rate was steady. His clothes seemed to be in a basket nearby and were still stained with blood. I hope somepony can get those stains out.

“Miss Rainbow Dash and Miss Fluttershy. This is the room you wanted?” One of the guards asked.

“Ye…yes…” Fluttershy replied meekly.

“Yeah, that’s the one.” Rainbow Dash said with a nod before she and Fluttershy walked inside.

“Twilight Sparkle, this way.” The other guard spoke as they began to walk down the hall.

I began to follow them, but decided to stop. “Wait. Give me a moment, please.” I said before peeking back inside the room.

Fluttershy was resting on the bed next to James while gently caressing his face. I heard her speak softly, “You were very brave tonight, honey.”

Rainbow Dash was at the opposite side of the bed while standing on her hindquarters. Her hoof was gently rubbing his hand. “Rest up, champ. We’ll be right here if you need us.”

I could not help but smile at their dedication. I only wish I was able to help more at the time, but I suspect all I can do is wait for now.

Once I was settled into my room for the night, I lit a candle in the hopes that the light would help me stay awake long enough for Celestia to come to me. I had closed the curtains since I wanted to give myself the impression that it was still nighttime to help me sleep better.

Minutes later, I heard a knock at the door before it opened just slightly. “Are you still awake, Twilight?”

I recognized the voice immediately. “Yes, I’m here, Princess Celestia.” My mentor then entered the room before closing the door behind her.

“I’m glad I was able to get to you before you fell asleep. Are you all settled in?” She asked me with a smile.

“More than you know. I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired before.” I replied while trying to not yawn. I was very tempted to just close my eyes and lay my head down, but there were still some questions I wanted answered first.

Celestia then stood next to my bed. “I know you will sleep soundly tonight. Luna is making certain that the weather here is staying serene. But first, I need to discuss some things with you.”

I smiled, glad to finally have some time to catch up with my mentor. “I’ll tell you anything you need to know, your highness.”

However, her expression became one that was much more stern. “While you were out there, did you come across any indicators that someone else might have been keeping the night going?”

Someone else? Well, I did encounter Queen Chrysalis. Only I strongly doubt she possesses enough power on her own to match Nightmare Moon. And I really do not see how an eternal night would benefit her interests. I replied, “No, your highness. It was only Nightmare Moon. She even confirmed that her grasp on the night had been broken after the seven Elements were used on her.”

Celestia breathed a sigh of relief. “I am relieved to hear that.”

Her concerns about a possible third party being responsible for the extended night caught my attention. I then asked, “Why? Is there someone else who might have done it?”

I am not sure why, but that expression Celestia gave me seemed to say that she was lying. “No, of course not. But you never know. Equestria is vast and its people diverse. Someone may try to emulate Nightmare Moon’s actions.” I found that highly unlikely, but did not push her for more answers.

“Well, that is all I needed to ask you, Twilight. Is there anything you need before you go to sleep?” She asked me. Yes, there was one thing on my mind I strongly felt the need to ask.

“Well… There is one thing. On our way to Nightmare Moon, we came across a rusty suit of armor that was being manipulated by something that tried to block our path.” I spoke calmly. I did not want to sound confrontational.

Celestia nodded without much surprise. “Yes, that does sound like something that can be easily done with magic.”

I then added, “But there’s a catch. The armor was in the shape of a human, not a pony. It had been made for human use.”

Celestia’s face went blank for a moment before she muttered, “Wait… What?”

I continued, “And Nightmare Moon confirmed something about the Element of Humanity. That it was made by humans and can only be used by humans.” The two of us shared a moment of silence for roughly five seconds before I asked, “Princess Celestia, what are you not telling me? Have humans existed in Equestria before? And if they have, why is there no mention of them in any of the history books?”

Celestia seemed to be silently debating something as she turned her gaze towards the floor. She finally spoke in resignation. “Very well, Twilight. You have proven time and again that you are very trustworthy. I have always had the utmost faith in you, so perhaps I can trust you with this information.” But she then gave me a very stern gaze. “However, what I am about to tell you does not leave this room. Absolutely nopony can know of this. Can I trust you with this?”

I felt a nagging feeling in my mind. As if I wanted to know the truth, yet was afraid to find out. It was as if I was about to open Pandora’s box. However, I finally nodded. “Yes, your highness. I want to know.” I could only pray that my desire for knowledge would not backfire.

Celestia turned her gaze towards the door leading into the room as it closed completely followed by a click. “All right. Well, as you saw in the Everfree Forest, humans have existed in Equestria before.”

I felt a surge of excitement as I was tempted to shout ‘I knew it’, but I restrained myself since this was a private matter and did not want to alert anyone who might be passing by the room. I instead asked, “I thought so. But where are they now? Did they die out from a plague?”

Celestia bluntly replied, “Banished. To distant worlds.”

I paused for a moment as I tried to comprehend those words. They were sent to other worlds? Well, if Celestia and Luna can bring someone from another world to this one, I really do not see how that is not possible. At least I think they can. I am all but certain it was they who brought James here. Even so, one question remained. “Why did that happen?”

Celestia seemed very saddened as she explained, “To put it nicely, they fell out of harmony with us ponies and had to leave before any long-term damage could be done.”

I was very tempted to ask more questions, but a little voice in my head was telling me to not go further. I decided to ask one last question before letting this conversation end. “Then…why should I not tell anypony about that fact?”

Celestia replied while gazing at me with a most unhappy stare. “I fear what may happen to your friend if Equestria finds out right now. Some scars may still remain. So please… Keep what I have told you quiet. Equestria is not ready to remember that memory.”

I then asked, “Well… Does James know of this?”

She replied, “Luna told him some of it when we brought him back to Equestria months ago. I am sure he does not know the full story yet.”

Wait. My friend… James? Why would he be in danger if I ever told anypony about this? Still… I trust my mentor’s words. If she says Equestria is not ready, she must know what she is talking about. “I see… I’ll be careful to not tell anypony about this, your highness.”

However, just before Celestia could speak, one more question popped into my head. “Ooh, wait! One more question. The Element of Humanity. What exactly is it? Is it a seventh Element of Harmony?”

Her expression seemed to brighten slightly at my question. “The Element of Humanity, as you know, was crafted by humans back when they were still in harmony with us. It was a sign of kinship. The Element of Humanity on its own is virtually powerless. But when used in tandem with the Elements of Harmony, as I am sure you saw, it empowers them further to the point where even the greatest disharmony is returned to harmony.”

I felt a smile creep across my face. “Yes… I did see it. The way that beautiful white light merged with the six colors.”

Celestia continued to elaborate. “It is a type of cornerstone to the Elements of Harmony. The six Elements are a complete set, but the Element of Humanity is deeply connected to them nonetheless. When those seven Elements join, they become a force of true perfect harmony that transcends all differences that absolutely nothing can resist.”

I nodded in understanding, but then asked, “But…James said that humanity is something that… How did he put it? Humans aren’t perfect, but they try? It can go either way? White, black, or gray?”

My mentor’s expression became more serious. “He was exactly right. The Element of Humanity, while certainly a force of harmony like those of the Elements of Harmony, is still imperfect. Like the human heart, it can go either way. It can just as easily be used as a force of evil as good. Because of this risk, it was crafted in such a way that it will only reveal itself to someone whose heart is ‘white’ at the time. But after that…if the bearer becomes gray or black, the Element of Humanity too will become that way.”

This gave me a powerful sense of foreboding. The Element of Humanity…is also an EVIL power? “So…it’s something of a wild card?”

Celestia replied, “I suppose you could say that. After all, since it is an Element of a type of balance, the scale can be tipped either way. The Element will become gray or black depending on its bearer’s desires, changing form in the process to reflect this.”

I am sure the gray form represents morally gray desires, not truly being evil but still not being all that honorable either. But the black… “Princess Celestia. What do you think the Element of Humanity will look like if it turns black as it looks now?”

She replied with a sigh. “I don’t know… I truly don’t know… And in all honesty, I do not want to know.” She then added, “While the Element of Humanity does not have any unique properties in its gray and white states, you must be careful should it ever become black. In that state, it oozes negative energies. I am doubtful it can actually cause any harm, but I am certain it can influence certain things.”

As much as this information scared me, I know James well. There is no possible way for him to go from white to black. There is just no way. He is too gentle for that. “Yeah… James is definitely ‘white’, although I have seen him be a bit ‘gray’ at times too. But he never stays gray for very long.”

Celestia smiled at those words. “I can tell just by the fact that he wanted to protect Nightmare Moon so badly. I suspect that is the entire reason why he left to go help you.”

I giggled as I remembered how crazy I thought he was when he confessed that the main reason he went with us was just to protect Nightmare Moon.“That’s exactly why he was there. I thought he was insane, but he ended up proving us all wrong. Nightmare Moon really is a good pony. And really good at tic-tac-toe and checkers.”

“I’m sure she gets that from Luna. She tends to do well in most forms of friendly competition.” Celestia replied, the two of us chuckling together.

“Anyway, regarding what we just discussed… Don’t worry about James, Princess Celestia. I’m sure that as long as me and my friends stay with him, he’ll never turn ‘black’. That’s something I’ve learned tonight. Friends can help guide you away from the black and into the light.”

Celestia then asked as she smirked, “Is that one of your friendship reports?”

I nodded sincerely. “It is. I’ve learned that at times, some ponies may build up a reputation that causes them to be reviled or even hated. But if there is one person who understands that pony, even if everypony else claims that person is wrong, you should always at least hear them out. Because it is always possible for ponies to change. Especially when they have that one special friend who will never give up on them.”

My mentor let out a long sigh while closing her eyes for a moment. “James endured quite a bit tonight, didn’t he?”

He most certainly did. “Yes… It’s amazing he did not hold any ill will towards Nightmare Moon. If anything, when something went wrong, he always blamed himself. I don’t know… Maybe it’s just a way for him to avoid feeling anger towards others.”

Celestia turned her gaze to nothing in general while she said, “He really does try hard to not feel hate towards others… Truly the heart of a dove.”

I smiled, remembering the form of his cutie mark. “Yes… A dove indeed.” Right after I said that, I let out a yawn. “Whoa… I really need to get to sleep…”

My mentor chuckled briefly and said, “I can imagine. I too feel the need to take a nap.” She then began to turn to leave. “I’ll let you get to sleep now. But just remember. What we discussed tonight never happened.”

I nodded, agreeing entirely. “I know. Absolutely nopony must know.”

Celestia opened the door and smiled at me over her shoulder. “Sweet dreams, Twilight Sparkle. And don’t worry about your friends. They are in good hooves.”

I groggily smiled as I said, “Thank you, your highness. And sweet dreams for you too.”

I am utterly amazed by how much that has happened tonight. I am still trying to process it all in my head. That scuffle with the Shadowbolts, the struggle against Nightmare Moon, this new information about humans in Equestria… And zombies! Real zombies in the Everfree Forest! I still cannot believe they really exist! Now I am afraid to ever go there at night again…

Well, regardless, I am very grateful that everything worked out in the end. The eternal night has ended, we all made it back safely, and now we have a new friend to get to know.

James, thank you for coming with us. We would have never been able to succeed without you. And Nightmare Moon, I hope we can be good friends from now on.

Now it is time to sleep. I can only pray that tomorrow will be a great first day for Nightmare Moon as the princess of the stars.