Day & Night

by Reminisce

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Death, Alternate Universe, Main 6, Drama, Adventure, Tragedy, Violence, Princess Celestia
Length: 69200

Equestria, a country that is suffering the fractures of instability is now on the cusp of disaster, and only the Elements of Harmony can fix it.

Equestria, a country that is suffering the fractures of instability is now on the cusp of disaster. The Elements of harmony having been separated for nearly a millennia by biological, ideological, and geological differences. Has created weakness in the world. Ancient mistakes were beginning to show as a new age dawned, leaving old wounds in the form of a powerful and dangerous magical anomaly to take Equestria by surprise.

Where little hope shines, the solar Princess Celestia trained three students to battle a growing threat. Magic, Kindness, and Generosity were Equestria's last line of defense. Yet with the last three elements seemingly lost to the darkness of a millennia past. The Princess knew their chances were slim, with her hooves forced. Princess Celestia knew that slim chances were better than none if it meant reuniting harmony and healing wounds that were never closed.

(Essentially a Alt-U to the first two Episodes of Season 1)

Published 2023-03-05 16:40:00 UTC
Last updated 2023-03-05 16:40:00 UTC

Darkness Bends not to the Light

Author's Note

Been sitting on this since 2017 or so, watched the show again reminiscing with my fiancé after inadvertently getting him hooked on a show about colorful ponies and remembered this just buried in my docs completed for forever now. He told me to post it and now here we are.

Peace✌

Darkness Bends not to the Light

One thousand years ago, Equestria was fostered by two powerful sisters that ended the age of chaos. They brought the three ponies races out of destruction allowing large cities to flourish, such as Canterlot or Cloudsdale; even Earth Ponies managed to erect the foundation of what would one day become Manehatten with their own bare hooves. With the sun and moon under the sister's control, Equestria rose to become one of the most powerful nations within the known world. However, no pony could have expected the war to come, the younger of the two sisters would soon feel neglected by their subjects after so many years of irrelevance. The pain was left untreated for far too long, causing the younger sister to lash out and eclipse the sun with her moon. She even took a more frightful and terrible form to intimidate the likes of her older sister. Everypony within the great land began to panic, even her older sister did not know how to handle the situation peacefully.

After hours of failed negotiations, fighting broke out between the two and in the end the results were devastating. Their castle sat in ruins, many ponies laid dead, and the fight still solved nothing. Despite wounds and exhaustion raking both sisters' bodies, they stood fast, yielding not an inch to each other. Still the oldest could not allow the land to fall into conflict, in a last ditch effort, she attempted to wield all six elemental jewels herself. Yet ultimately failed as the darkness that consumed her younger sister was powerful enough to rip three of the elements away from her long before a desperate attack could be launched. With Magic, Kindness, and Generosity pitted against Loyalty, Honesty, and Laughter… The fighting lasted for thirty more moons before both sisters struck each other with seemingly fatal blows, however the older sister managed to cheat death one last time at a great cost of losing the physical manifestation of her three jewels. The younger sister attempted the same. but wasn’t as lucky, the elemental jewels rejected her corrupted form as she lay still and broken. The magic slowly drained from her from her body right before her devastated sister, leaving a ghostly smoke in its wake.

In the end, the older sister fled the cursed land where she and her younger sibling ruled together, opting to relocate to the Unicorn highlands of Canterlot. The rebuilding process was long and tedious for the tired and wounded, international bonds had to be reformed, treaties resigned. Equestria was. Slowly reclaiming its former power, still the older sister wondered why the moon rose and set despite her younger sister being no more. There were very little explanations and the curse that lingered in the forest was far too volatile at the time for any exploration, no sane pony dared to go near. That was until over the years many ponies who had been resigned to exile or conflict would flee to the cursed Lands to seek death, for they very well might have found it; anypony that entered was never to be heard from again. That was until two hundred years later, when ponies in jet black armor marched out of the cursed forest, claiming the name, Children of the Night, they marched unimpeded all the way to Canterlot. But they could go no further, for the city was protected by a great magic, and that great magic was possessed by the first individual bear of Magic, Focus Light.

Celestia had unwittingly freed the elements from her control, effectively allowing the magic to choose individuals who were personally fit to claim the title of an Element bearer. Still her efforts were matched by the forces of the Night for they possessed bearers of their own, yet their three elements were directly bonded to their wielders with cursed tattoos that could only be forged by mysterious means, the likes of which contradicted everything known of the Elements of Harmony. Again Equestria found themselves in another compromising position, this time however the older sister was not willing to let history repeat itself. In a great gesture of humility, the older sister lowered her sun in favor of the night for thirty moons, showing respect for her lost sister and those who marched in her name.

The gesture was clear enough for the Children of the Night to lower their arms and break the siege, however no communication was exchanged. They simply marched back into the dark forest to never be seen again, as long as the older sister continued to allow a month of moonlight. How those terms were forged without a single word spoken, nopony knows. Eight hundred years later Equestria still stands, ponies still live in fear of the Everfree, and the moonlit month continues as a tradition of solemn remembrance. Now, it’s been a full millennium since the sisters tragic fight, and my name is Twilight Sparkle, current Element of Magic, and quite possibly the first bearer to ever step foot into the cursed Everfree since their fateful fight.

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The lavender Unicorn closed her journal, and sat her feather to the side before gazing around her tent to see everything in perfect order. Her sleeping bag was placed parallel to her makeshift nightstand which was adjacent to the wood stump she’s currently using as a table, it was all tailored to efficiency. That was until an unannounced intrusion peeked his head into the tent, startling the Unicorn into a jump.

“Sorry Ms. Sparkle, but we must be moving soon if we’re to march into the forest.” The guard spoke as he scratched the back of his light blue mane, looking a bit apprehensive about the whole thing.

“Oh yes, I didn’t forget, I was just simply finishing up my writing, thank you for checking on me… I guess I should start packing then.” Twilight responses, sharing a bit of his apprehension, still her curiosity was getting the better of her, she was ready for discovery.

Feeling satisfied, the pegasus guard popped his head out of her tent, leaving the Unicorn to her own devices. Using her magic, she bathed everything within the tent with her purple glow causing them all to slide to the center of the room before shrinking to a fraction of their former size. She proceeded to organize them all in a compartment within her saddlebags, giving a nod, she looked around the now empty tent, seeing nothing left she exited the shell to be greeted by the warmth of the sun. The other three guards had already packed up their tents and supplies, two Pegasi guards were loading the contents of their supplies back in the cart while the Earth pony guard was hitching himself to it as well, preparing himself for a bumpy ride into the forest. Twilight herself wasn’t so sure that the cart would make it to the center of the forest, but the Princess insisted on one being provided for her. Which at that point, all she could really do was graciously agree, after all she guessed if it did really work to their advantage, they wouldn’t have to sleep in the rain or scrounge for food. Hopefully their little expedition doesn’t last that long though.

With those thoughts banished momentarily, she proceeded to do the same thing to her tent she did to her supplies inside. Effectively folding it and shrinking it, she placed it into the same compartment she used for her other things. Turning to her guards, she waved, signifying that she was ready to go. They all gave a swift salute before moving out, Twilight stayed close to the cart, as the other two armored Pegasi flew alongside of the cart, watching the flanks. Twilight couldn’t honestly say she knew all of their names, still she did know Flash Sentry to a degree. But their conversations were limited to the weather and other mundane things, just to cut through the awkwardness of the long trip. They had to keep the party small and avoid the cities to not alert the press to what was happening, otherwise there'd be a fiasco within Canterlot. The nobles have had enough of the Moonlit Month, demanding the Princess to discontinue the tribute. It has been many generations since a Child of the Night was recorded to be seen. Their existence is now on the cusp of being debated by many scholars and skeptics alike. That's why they are there now, with the hopes of breaking the thousand years of silence, and proving their existence to possibly appease the stress of the coming times. Twilight herself had no doubt of their existence, she on the other hoof firmly believes the Lunar elements succumbed to corruption ages ago. Taking the stance that they are more so bound to the cursed forest than just simply residing in it. Her theory has yet to be proven, and the Princess didn’t enjoy entertaining it either. Twilight did understand, it was a sensitive subject for their ruler after all. But the facts can’t be ignored at the end of the day, and hopefully she’ll come out of the forest with a treasure trove of information to build her theory with.

They traveled about two more hours to the south west of Canterlot to find a more secluded area of the forest to enter. The size of the forest was astonishing, truly it would be a task to make an accurate map of the area. Hopefully one day she’d be called for that task as well, she could only wish. She began examining the strange trees around the area, documenting the creatures that dared to lurk near the edges of the forest. There were so many different things just on the outer rims, who knew what lay deeper inside. Yet before she could ponder anything else, the guards stopped abruptly in their tracks, not sure what was happening, Twilight looked frantically around to see pony-like eyes watching them from the darkness of the entrance of the forest. The eyes were big and blue, they possessed an eerie focus to them, as if they were sizing up their souls. Twilight looked to her guards, to see the Pegasi gripping their spears, while the carted guard waited just like Twilight. The eyes blinked once from the darkness, before focusing solely on Twilight.

The small Unicorn had no idea how to react, but if that was actually a pony watching them from the darkness, that could only mean one thing.

“H-h-Hello, My name is Twilight Sparkle, I’m the Bearer of Magic and one of three apprentices to Princess Celestia…” Twilight then gestured to the guards that flanked her, “These ponies are my guards and they mean you no harm, we do not come with the intent to spread ill will.”

The blue eyes showed little reaction to her voice, however they could hear hoofsteps approaching them. All three of the guards gulped down their fears as the pony made themselves visible. Twilight was shocked by what she saw, the pony was a dull pink Earth Pony with a darker pink straight flowing mane that sat to one side and tail that hung just about a hooves length from the ground. But wasn’t what shocked the young Unicorn the most, it was almost the fluid tattoo that she possessed, it extended from her right hoof all the way to up her neck. From what she could tell, its jagged edges held no consistency to what it formed, but it clearly marked her as an Element bearer if her studies served her right. Which made the moment something truly worth noting considering there hasn’t been a meeting between the Lunar elements and the Solar elements since the siege of eight hundred years ago, and it was a long shot to really call it a meeting. Because all it was only a few glances from across the barrier that separated the besieging army. This could actually turn into the first civil conversation ever, and Twilight would be the first to have it.

The Unicorn smiled ear to ear, despite her guards doing otherwise, and whoever the pink mare was, she started to smile slightly as well, although her mouth remained closed. Stopping a few feet away, the pink mare planted herself in front of the apprehensive guards, and the equally apprehensive and somehow excited Unicorn. All Twilight was waiting for was for the pink mare to say something, anything really, she wanted to know everything. Like which element was she, what was her name, how do they survive in the forest, and why don’t they openly communicate with other ponies outside of it. Luckily, Twilight was about to get her wish when the pink Earth Pony opened her mouth.

“Why are you smiling?” That was all she said, her voice seemed to be a bit forced, as if she was suppressing what she truly sounded like. Then there were her teeth, they were very different. She had sharp and more pronounced canines, along with other ones that were a bit more jagged than regular ponies. It gave her a dark predatorylook, a whole new layer of intimidation, and added to her own theories about the forest.

“Wha, oh, I’m smiling because this is a historic moment right here! I-I didn’t actually calculate any results before we even entered the forest, this is amazing…” Twilight took a few steps closer, despite the guards grumbling. “May I ask your name?”

With an increasing smile that caused her fangs to be a bit more pronounced, the pink mare responded. “My name is Pinkie Pie.”

Her response was enough to shock the guard further into a defensive stance. To this Twilight was generally surprised by her guards' response, it was disrespectful, to the point of where Pinkie Pie’s smile faded just slightly.

“Lower your arms, you three are compromising a promising situation.” Twilight growled.

“Haven’t you heard the stories, that is the same name of the dream walker. Invading ponies dreams, and spying on them! I didn’t think it actually existed, I thought the stories were just foal tales.” The pegasus guard Flash Sentry responded, with a bit of an edge to his voice.

Twilight eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as it hit her. She managed to overlook the mare’s name because of the situation, but now she can clearly remember all the talk of strange instances of dreams being invaded and warped by a dream walker. But she would have never expected the tales of the pink nightmare to be traced back to an Earth Pony, however she is an element of harmony, or a corrupted one… She might have initiated something that she can’t back out of, but that’s implying that she wanted to, there's an explanation for everything, and she’s about to get one.

“What stories did foals tell?” The sitting mare asked curiously, not letting her smile completely fall. Yet there was a sinister outline to it that Twilight couldn’t place a hoof on.

None of the guards peeped a word, all looked far too dumbfounded to answer the direct question. Twilight on the other hoof couldn’t think of any instances of young colts or fillies truly waking up with frightening tales of a Pinkie Pie, but for some reason she always did appear in nightmares from what she heard. Which is conflicting at best, but in the end though, she can’t say she’s heard any first hoof accounts from any foals herself. It was just the concerned parents and citizens that told of children waking up with tales of a pink mare named Pinkie.

Twilight took the hold of the conversation again, attempting to steer it away from the accusation slinging. “I’m sorry, I can’t answer that question, and I will not judge on something I have little knowledge of… So, umm, I’ll take your word for it, you give me no reason to believe otherwise.” the small Unicorn hoped she played that properly, she’s never been the best at social etiquette. That’s always been Rarity's territory, but if the pink mare’s simple expression told anything, it was that it seemed like she wasn’t really expecting a real answer in the first place.

Twilight, taking a deep breath, decided to press forward. Hoping to get something out of the historic meeting. “Pinkie Pie, if I’m not intruding, may I ask a few questions?”

“Ok, I’m all ears… Figuratively.” She responded with a casual tone and a flick of the ear, as if none of this is a surprise or important to her.

“Well then, I can’t help but notice the tattoo you have there. It’s been explained to me that only Lunar element bearers can possess them, is that true?”

Twilight’s question didn’t really give any pause to the pink mare, “Yes, I’m the bearer of Laughter.”

The lavender Unicorn was extremely surprised to the point that it was instantly etched into her face, she hadn’t expected her to be Laughter. There wasn’t really anything funny about her, at least on the surface there wasn’t. Bringing herself back to the conversation, she asked her second question while regaining her composure. “Well, I don’t know if you're here to intercept us, but we are here to research the area and convey a message if possible. Princess Celestia is very interested in ending whatever myths still remain within the Everfree Forest. So since you're here, we would like to request passage to discuss the details.”

That question, that was the question that coaxed a reaction out of the stoic pink mare, the small smile she had been maintaining broke into a face splitting smile as soon as the words finished rolling out of Twilight’s muzzle. Not only that, it seemed as though the pink mare couldn’t even hold in her giggling, she even snorted a few times in between the giggle fit. Neither Twilight or her guards knew what was so funny about the request to cause the mare to take a sudden shift in demeanor. But whatever it was, she recovered quickly, brushing her long pink mane out of her face. She got up and trotted slowly towards the other ponies. The guards were rearing back into a defensive stance despite Twilight's orders. At that point, the Unicorn didn’t complain, instead she took a step back as well. For the pink mare’s face once again became unreadable.

Pinkie kept taking steps towards the party as they were frozen in place, as if possessed by a frightful spirit. Laughter got within a mere hooves length in front of them before stopping, her big blue eyes were cold and searching as she stood there. The silence was thick, not even the birds in the sky dared to make a noise.

“If your plan was to trot into the forest for research, you would have surely died… The Everfree isn’t really fond of tourists, so I really do question your Princess as far as judgment is concerned. That is unless she is truly willing to risk your life just for a mere chance at diplomacy.” Pinkie finished, before turning completely around to begin trotting back towards the forest entrance. “Or she has a lousy way of playing a prank on you?”

“I- Wait!” Twilight shouted, causing the mare to glance back with a quizzical interest. “Like I said before, we mean no ill will… But please, take this scroll, I haven’t read it and it’s still sealed by the Princess herself!”

The Pink mare made a full turn, “Faith.”

“Faith?” Twilight echoed skeptically while levitating the sealed scroll out of her saddlebags. Pinkie’s dialogue was nonsensical at best, leaving her mentally stumbling at each exchange.

“Yes, I don’t know how all you Solar ponies hold so much faith in your ruler, in the powers that be. The world is a dangerous place, a lot of ponies never get a chance to smile or see their happy ending, but you're offering me a secret document. Me, a mare you don’t know, I could just walk away with it, toss it to the bushes, or maybe I’d tear it to shreds right in front of your face.”

“That changes nothing, I’ll still offer it to you, I can only do what's within my power.” Twilight hesitantly responded.

“Open the scroll and read it out loud.” Pinkie’s voice still sounded forced, but this time there was something else to it, something that made Twilight want to comply despite all her senses telling her otherwise.

“Ms. Sparkle, you don’t ha-”

Twilight cut the guard off instantly by tearing the seal and opening the scroll in front of her.

“To whomever this message reaches.

I, Princess Celestia, write this in a plea for peace between the Children of the Night and the rest of Equestria. We have lived a thousand years in separation, due to an age-old mistake, and now I’m in need of the ponies I’ve failed so long ago more than ever. Equestria will soon face a threat far worse than anything I could have ever calculated, I know of the Everfree’s strength, and the ponies that reside within it.

Next month will be Moonlit like it has been for countless years, but this time I ask for council. I call out to you Children of the Night. This is all I ask, one meeting, at least one more time for me to attempt a fostering of understanding. I extend this as an invitation to whomever resides within, there shall be no hostilities. You may bring as many ponies as you like, we Equestrians will open our gates to you on the twenty sixth day of fall, three days before the Moonlit month.

If the response is favorable to the meeting, please do give any sign, I trust we will receive it well. Even if none is given, we in Canterlot will still be prepared on the twenty sixth day out of respect.

Princess Celestia.”

“Faith, it’s a funny thing isn’t it, just makes you wanna giggle?” Pinkie quipped before turning again back to the forest to trot away.

“...” Twilight couldn’t say anything, she was shell-shocked by the scroll she just read off, she didn’t have any intentions of doing such a thing. It was a direct order from the Princess to not read the contents, however she just did it as if it wasn’t a second thought, and she didn’t know why.

Cutting off her magic, she let the scroll fall to the grass as she watched the Bearer of Laughter chuckle her way back into the forest without another word to them. Eventually she faded back into the strange darkness, her now maniacal laughter was the only thing the four ponies could hear from where they were planted.

“Damn it all, we should have never done this!” Flash Sentry shouted, while jabbing his spear to the ground in frustration, “She was just toying with us the whole time…”

“Yea, it was almost like she had no interest in anything that Twilight said.” The Earth Pony guard recalled as well.

“Le-Let's go back home, I have no intention of taking a step closer to the forest for now, and I believe the Princess would appreciate a report on our findings as soon as possible.” Twilight said, as if scripted by fear.

Getting the message, the three guards got quiet and nodded in confirmation. The trip back was going to be a long and silent one.

Faith

The sun was bright, the Alicorn sitting on top of her grand balcony could attest to that. But for how long would it remain in such a glorious state was beyond the grand figure, and that was the true troubling aspect of the coming age. Her strength was only a fraction of what it used to be, yet her ponies rely heavily on her guidance, she couldn’t fail them, not now. Getting up on all fours, the Alicorn looked down on the bustling city of Canterlot with a skeptical eye.

“Have I truly done right by them?”

“Princess, talking to yourself is a nasty habit.” A measured and refined voice replied.

The princess returned her response with a light chuckle as she nearly forgot why she was up on the balcony in the first place. Taking a single breath, the Alicorn turned to face the new voice to see exactly who’d she been expecting, for in front of her elegantly stood the element of generosity. Her name was Rarity Belle and she’s the youngest of the three elements the princess had fostered. Mostly due to her element's mysterious acclimation to her before any deeds were done by the young Unicorn, which was an oddity the princess could never fully explain. But for the nine years she’s been in Canterlot, one thing could be said, the young mare's mind was sharp. Where she wasn’t in the same realm of Twilight as far as studies or magic went, Rarity held much more social grace, being able to navigate nobles and her guards alike to do as she pleased. That subtle aloofness oftentimes puts her at odds with her peers, and critics alike. Which was why the Princess had to give many more necessary lessons to the young Unicorn, however, that’s not why the mare is before her today.

“Your timing is always precarious, my little pony.” A small smile graced the princess’s scared face as she looked down to make eye contact with Generosity, who in turn gave a fake look of hurt.

“I simply came as requested… Maybe a little late, I just couldn’t get my mane to work with me today!” Rarity sighed. “Humpf, what's done is done I suppose. Now I’m quite curious as to why you called me to your personal quarters, I didn’t think I had a lesson today?”

“There is no lesson, I just require company for the evening. Fluttershy has been aiding the animal migrations for the Moonlit month to come, and Twilight isn’t expected back till tomorrow. I guess I’d just hate to entertain these nobles today by myself.” There was the barest hint of deviousness in the princess's voice as she spoke of ‘entertaining nobles’, and it looked as though Rarity understood as well as she broke a small grin at the prospect. But it instantly dissipated as soon as Twilight crossed the young mare's mind.

“Princess Celestia, do you think Twilight will be successful?” Rarity hesitantly asked, dropping much of the confidence she trotted in with.

Celestia walked in through the doors past Rarity before setting down at a small cushion. Patting the second cushion next to her was the only signal Rarity needed to join her, and as soon as the young Unicorn sat down Celestia responded. “Only if they want to be seen, I know a lot of ponies doubt their existence now. I however know they are still within the forest, and I only know this because the elements still react to one another even without a physical connection as they once had. You wouldn’t be able to wield yours effectively if there weren't three other bearers out in the world. That is the nature of them now since they’ve been separated, they all can act independently in a way, but still they are all connected to one source of power and none can reach its fullest potential if a single element is dormant.”

“Wield mine…” Rarity’s mind went off to a faraway place for a moment. But managed to bring herself back to the conversation at hoof. “So what you’ve taught us about harmony still applies even if the other three are corrupted?”

“Harmony is always in balance when the elements react, there is little more to it. I don’t think even the Everfree is enough of a corrupting agent to taint the elements of harmony, and I have faith in that.” Celestia reassured the Unicorn as she levitated a large mane brush from her vanity stand across the room. As soon as it got close, the golden aura that surrounded it swapped to that of a light blue as Rarity’s horn lit up.

Now with Rarity in possession of the brush, she began parting the princess’s eternal locks of hair by color with her magic. A lot of ponies would give a limb to be granted such an honor, heck they’d do the same just to know what the princess’s hair truly was. They’d all be a bit disappointed though, because Rarity knew, and it was just as average as everypony else's mane or tail. It’s nothing more than the princess’s active magic flowing through her body, the effect could easily be stopped if the princess would seize control of her magic. But the sun requires constant magical attention, thus explaining the princess’s constantly flowing mane. At night, it’d be draped across her back and face like a spectacular cascade of color. The Moonlit month is the only time some ponies could catch her without a flowing mane, and Rarity has the privilege of doing her mane for that month each year anyway. So either way, in the young Unicorn's mind, there isn’t a time when her princess’s mane is in a state of disarray.

Slowly stroking the brush through Celestia’s mane gave the young unicorn time to think about what her mentor said. All in all, she still wasn’t entirely grasping what she was trying to convey. Surely Twilight or even Fluttershy would instantly catch the princess’s delicacies with the elements. Twilight is always studying them, and Fluttershy is just so in tune with hers, it’s a wonder that the princess even needs to teach her anything. Still the Unicorn could barely understand her own, or why she’s even in the place she’s in now. Falling behind in studies, failing to call on her element at will like the others, she even earns a lot of gossip about being a false bearer. But the princess believes in her, and if anything, that’s all that matters.

“So saying that Twilight is met with success, how is it supposed to help us?” Rarity rings off with another question as she finishes up straightening out the princess’s pink trail. Luckily the young Unicorn couldn’t see it, but Celestia’s eye shot up at that question, clearly the young one was using her edge.

“Help us, you say?”

“I-I’m sorry Princess, but I’ve been hearing lots of talk amongst the guards. They’re saying recruitment is at an all time high due to unsightly magic making appearances. Shining Armor has increased midland patrols around Ponyville and Trottingham. I may not be a military expert, but I do know heightened security around that area is a bit odd. I grew up there and it’s nothing more than a quiet region where a lot of ponies go to retire. For a long time nothing has trotted out of that forest, and from what I understand nothing has changed. So whatever is happening obviously has the guard riled up, and they only get riled up when you do.” Rarity boldly stated, while continuing her measured strokes.

“Your attention to detail is astounding my little pony, clearly you're holding back a lot more information you’ve learned. Don’t worry, I won’t get offended or angry, truly I should have far more trust in you three when it comes to these things. You’ve all matured so much since I first had the honor of training you all. So do continue, I wish to know the talk of the castle as well.” Celesia responds with an amused tone.

Flinching a bit at the matured part, Rarity takes a second to recollect herself before continuing.

“Well I know Fancy Pants Opera house proposal wasn’t the only one you’ve been ignoring. From what I’m hearing countless Equestrians have been calling for the Moonlit month to end, Earth Ponies are tired of compensating their harvest each year to account for an entire month without the sun, and that’s not even mentioning the nobles here. A lot of ponies are restless, especially with the Mintours reneging on our trade deal without any consequences, and the magic attacking around forests… I-I think you're trying to end it all with one grand show, a reveal more or less.” Rarity concluded.

“I feel as though the separation of the elements is the root cause of the dissonance we face today. Despite each element's reaction as they should, they still aren’t as strong while they are effectively split down the middle.” Celestia finished, turning slightly to glance curiously back at the young Rarity who was just beginning to absorb what was said.

It didn’t take long though, because the Unicorn's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates when she realized what the princess was implying. Rarity almost even dropped the brush she had been using, the young mare honestly had no idea the princess was planning something so outlandish.

“Y-you seek to unite the elements!” Rarity didn’t mean for her voice to crack, but if her history studies served her well, the Children of the Night were far from friendly when it came to the rest of Equestria. That’s all just speculation though, because there hasn’t been a single sighting of them for over eight hundred years. “Does Twilight know of this?”

The princess looked down at Rarity with a mild frown. “I’m afraid I couldn’t disclose the entirety of the expedition to her. Sadly she’s one of the biggest advocates that the rest of the elements are corrupted… But she’s done the most research on them, and I wish for her to grow out of her restrictions of textual knowledge.”

“I’m sorry Princess, but in such a dangerous manner? Are you not afraid of the consequences that forest might have to offer?”

The Princess turned away, her gaze floating listlessly towards the balcony as she spoke. “No harm will befall Twilight.”

“I-I If you say so Princess” Rarity went back to finishing up the princess’s mane, she was working on the last color trail as the conversation was weighing heavy in the room.

It didn’t take much longer, but after five minutes of silence, Rarity had finished brushing the princess’s mane and had gotten all the kinks out of it. Levitating the brush back to the vanity stand, Celestia rose up and trotted towards the mirror that towered above it. Rarity also got up and made her way towards the mirror.

Celestia's form was tall and graceful as her mane floated elegantly behind her, truly giving her the air of a princess. Yet despite her almost perfect figure, there was her face, which was marred by her battle one thousand years ago. An eye patch covered what was once her left eye, as a large vertical scar branched from the base of her brow all the way down and across to the edge of her muzzle. It was a deep and painful wound that would always remind her of her failures as a sister. But she didn’t have time to scowl at her own face for long as another pony entered the mirror's reflective surface. Rarity could be mistaken for a princess herself, she carried the same grace as she stood behind the princess, fluffing her indigo curls. The young Unicorn's blue eyes however were focused on that of Celestia, as she finished checking her mane.

“I do believe we both are at our best, now shall we go entertain some nobles?” Rarity chuckled.

“Yes, but five more minutes wouldn’t hurt, would it, I do believe my coat could use some sheen don’t you think.”

Rarity eye’d each of their ivory coats through the mirror skeptically, and smirked at the idea.

“Whatever you say princess, I’m already practiced at being fashionably late.”

An Hour Later

Outside of the castle on Canterlot's main road, Twilight sparkle was galloping as if her mane was on fire. She had departed with her guards at the outer gates as soon as she could, what she saw, what she documented had to go straight to the princess herself. Although she wished she would have been able to get some foliage samples and more data on the interior of the forest, her meeting with a Lunar element would be more than enough to make up for not entering the cursed place. Even if her mind kept circling back to the letter she was forced to read, Twilight didn’t have time to feel suspicious, she had to get to the castle.

Dodging stalls, ponies, and carriages alike. Twilight darted past two castle gate guards before they could even blink, and when she was sure she was close enough, the small Unicorn lit up her horn and disappeared with a pop.

“Wha?” One of the confused guards said, not exactly sure what had just happened.

With the same loud pop, Twilight appeared in her personal study. Using her magic, she shedded her saddlebags and took her journal out to show to the princess. Leafing through the latest pages to make sure nothing was smudged or out of place, Twilight sighed with relief that her frantic writing hadn’t done any damage. Satisfied, she kept the journal floating close as she bursted through her door and down the hallway to the throne room, where the Princess would surely be sitting. Not a single pony dared to step in the small Unicorn's way as she slid right down the hallway past the large double doors to the throne room because she was going far too fast to stop. Recovering, she rushed back and heaved the heavy doors open before any guard could lift a hoof to help. But her ecstatic disposition was replaced with that of confusion as soon as she realized there was nopony within the room.

“Where is the Princess!” Twilight yelled to nopony in particular.

Luckily a hesitant guard replied. “She has a meeting at four… But I think she doesn’t wan-”

Before the guard could even finish, Twilight had already bolted in the opposite direction, ignoring the rest of what the guard had to say. Her resolve, absolute, Twilight hoped past a few more unsuspecting ponies before finding her way to the only conference room that the princess ever bothered to use. This time though, she wasn’t fast enough to sprint past the door guard at her tired pace, because the mare standing before her quickly extended a hoof to stop Twilight.

“I’m sorry Ms. Sparkle, but you're not allowed in without the Princess’s permission.” The mare stated sternly, making it very clear she wasn’t budging on her orders.

Twilight looked up with defiance at the Earth Pony standing before her, but decided to not push it. She knew orders were orders, and Twilight had no intentions of getting anypony in more trouble than they needed to be in. So with her mind made up, Twilight plopped down right beside the guard and waited.

The pony guarding the door didn’t give the small Unicorn a second glance as she stood stoically. Twilight thought about asking when they’d be out, but she knew the mare beside her probably had no more information than she did. Using her magic, she brought her journal to her hoofs for another inspection. It was almost about time to start transcribing her notes into another copy, as the bindings in her current one were already starting to wear from constant field use. Flipping through the first few pages, Twilight couldn’t believe that she used to print out all her words instead of using cursive. Cursive writing was just so much more efficient and generally looked more aesthetically pleasing to read. Although she had had the journal given as a gift, she hadn’t had much use for it until her lessons about friendship and harmony truly started to pick up. Now it’s more or less a scholar's journal than a personal one, all she’s been filling the pages with is new findings about historical events, or magical spells she’s been studying. Now however, her journal may be more valuable than all the bits in Canterlot, at least in her opinion that is. It’s extremely hard to get official records on things in their age, unless a Unicorn was using a specialized spell, everything was conveyed through text or word of mouth. Before any more thought could be brought up about it, the door swung open beside the two ponies.

“The gall of that child…”

“Does the princess truly favor such naivety over the ponies that have served her for generations.”

“Tch.”

Three high standing nobles filed out of the room, led by none other than Prince Blueblood. He was the Princess’s nephew by some abstract law some nobles like to throw around, and had quite the reputation for pony handling politics in the large city of Canterlot. The only times when he comes out sour like that, was when Rarity was involved, which means she’s obviously in there as well. Twilight could never understand why Rarity always wished to take part in much of the Princess’s happenings, many including Twilight think it’s nothing more than her wishing to meddle. Still Twilight can’t deny some of Generosity's results, she did help with the Griffin deal simply by offering to tailor the diplomats suits for free. There were seven of them…

But as soon as the three nobles were out of sight, the Princess walked out with a small smirk on her face, and Rarity was in tow.

“Princess!” Twilight hopped up, pushing her journal towards her.

Celestia looked absolutely spooked by Twilight’s sudden appearance, and the book being shoved in her direction. Twilight hadn’t been expected back in another day, but if her bright look was anything to go by, she had found something worth coming back for.

“Twilight, I hadn’t been expecting you back so soon.” Celestia replied while taking the book in her magic.

“We discovered something hu-” Twilight caught herself and looked left to right before continuing. “Let's go somewhere a bit more private…”

“Well there is an empty room right here behind us darling.” Rarity pointed out with a hoof.

“Yes, let us return there and you can freely discuss your findings with us.” Celestia said, turning back towards the room she was so desperate to escape earlier. “Yellow Gate, please make sure we’re not disturbed.”

“Yes Princess…” Even though the guard didn’t sound too enthused to stand even longer there, she did as she was told and straightened up once more.

Being satisfied they wouldn't be disturbed, Celestia trotted back through the threshold of the doorway with Twilight and Rarity close behind. Within the room was nothing more than a large rectangular table, with six decorated cushions placed evenly around it. On the walls were elegant paintings of several diplomatic treaties that had taken place within the room, all which Twilight could name right off the top of her head, but that didn’t matter at the moment. With Celestia setting herself at the single cushion on the right end of the table, Twilight and Rarity took the two on both sides of her.

“So my student, what is it you found on your trip to the Everfree?” Celestia questioned

“I don’t know where to start, so I guess I’ll just tell you to turn to page ninety two… That’s where my encounter began.” Twilight responded.

Rarity looked towards the princess who did as Twilight had instructed, using her magic to flip through several pages before reaching the desired one to start reading. The ivory Unicorn then exchanged looks with Twilight, who was beaming with pride. Their exchange however was short lived as the princess’s magic sputtered out and let the book drop to the table, both ponies beside her were shocked by her reaction.

“So one of the elements stopped you from entering the forest…” Celestia sounded as if she couldn’t even believe herself.

“Elements, you mean one of the Lunar elements… That must have been positively frightening!” Rarity shared the princess’s look of disbelief.

“It’s true, she claimed to be Laughter, and even had tattoos that were reminiscent of the Lunar elements of eight hundred years ago.” Twilight reaffirms, giving the princess an honest look. “Her name was Pinkie Pie, or at least that’s what she told me… The guards recognized the name as that of the dream walker.”

Rarity put her hoof over her mouth in shock. “Oh dear, I’ve heard stories, ponies say it feeds off the dreams of foals. Absolutely horrifying if I say so myself.”

Celestia did nothing more than raise an eyebrow to the claim, she would have to know more before she could make any assumptions. After all she hadn’t heard anything of the sort till now, leading her to wonder how disconnected she has become with her ponies.

“Well, when the guards did point that out, I could see a visible shift in her demeanor… I doubt she liked the accusation, so I did my best to divert that conversation.” Twilight weighed back in.

“You did very well in handling the situation, especially considering you complied with her request to read the scroll.” Celestia said

“I-umm, yes thank you Princess.”

“Scroll?” Rarity gave a look of clear confusion as she said that.

“Yes, I had sent Twilight with a missive that was intended for the Children of the Night, an invitation of sorts.” Celestia clarified, while giving Rarity her undivided attention.

Rarity visibly tensed at the idea, the young mare knew both Celestia and Twilight noticed. She made no effort to hide her disagreement. All of the princess’s bold actions of late has out right pissed off a lot of the Canterlotian elite, and if that invitation is exactly what it implies, they might be facing a full blown political upheaval. Magical anomalies, broken trade deals, and a thin line of trust was slowly eroding Equestria’s stability. If anything had to be said, it had to be said now.

“That’s political suicide.” Rarity bluntly stated, with a dark scowl plastered on her face. One she would commonly associate with being unladylike.

“Rarity!” Twilight shouted

“No Twilight, let her speak freely.” Celestia cut in, showing no signs of offense.

“If everything you have done in the past year was leading up to this point… Well, it was poorly executed to say the least. Our dearest Fluttershy has taken the weight of many angry voices alone, and her kindness is not even enough to placate the masses. They wanted your voice, and you’ve constantly sent Fluttershy in your steed, and I’m surprised she hasn’t died from sheer fear on a stage yet. Then every Canterlotian proposal has been venomously rejected in the past few months, it has a lot of nobles spreading rumors of you descending into madness. Then you sent Twilight, pretty much alone to seek out a tea party with the Children of the Night, it truly does seem like Lunacy!” Rarity finished with an exclamation, and almost immediately after a small blush was highlighting her cheeks as she just realized who she was shouting at.

On the other end of the table, Twilight was completely flabbergasted at Rarity’s outburst. In the small Unicorn's mind that was uncalled for and absolutely disrespectful. Again Twilight was getting ready to berate Rarity, but Celestia had begun to speak first.

Celestia sighed deeply before looking at the both of them and stating in a matter of fact tone. “I haven’t made many worthwhile decisions have I.”

“Princess I didn-'' Rarity didn’t get to finish.

“This is why I need you three now more than ever, you all are past the point of training. There is little more I can teach you from the confines of my jurisdiction. Equestria, the world is a much different place, a place that needs heroes to save it. For a thousand years nopony has stood up for Equestria besides myself, and I am far past my prime you might say. It’s time for my ponies to place their faith in something new, something that can truly bring balance to this world.” Celestia spoke, looking vaguely past her two students.

Twilight looked softly at Princess Celestia and only whispered one word. “Faith…”

“This is my last chance at redemption, I will not squander it. For if I do, Equestria and the world is doomed.” Celestia finished.

Standing up, the princess trotted towards the door without another word or glance. She looked almost as if she had fallen into a deep contemplation before using her magic to manipulate the door to open it. Twilight and Rarity were still sitting in shock as Celestia exited the room, closing it behind her as she knew her students still had much to discuss. Both ponies left in the room, just looked bewildered, that was until Twilight spoke.

“We have a lot of research to do.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Darling, I’m sure we do.”

Twilight then levitated her journal over to Rarity and began going over the finer details of her encounter. Rarity instantly leaned into her hoof, preparing herself for the long lecture she was guaranteed to receive.

A sign for some.

Five days later

The Buffalo migration was long and tedious for the exhausted butterscotch Pegasus. Almost an entire week-long journey through the southern plains and a few towns. There were a couple times where she had to quell some unfavorable confrontations between pony passing by and the Buffalos. Despite the effects of her element, she never really did like talking to ponies all that much, she much rather spent her days with her animal friends back outside of Canterlot… The ones in the royal garden were nice and all, but they weren’t really all that friendly. Took her nearly a year for them to even accept food from her hooves and not a silver platter. No matter, now she was at the Buffalo's last stop south of a small gorge they called Hoofbottom.

With tired eyes, the Pegasus scanned the luscious fields of grass and flowers. She knew it would more than suffice for the Buffalo tribe for at least two months, so one wouldn’t even be a problem. The tribe had already pitched their tents in the morning, and now they were sitting around the bonfire they started at the center of the camp. A small Buffalo calf looked back to see the Pegasus watching from a distance, setting a small smile in place, the calf waved the mare to her, inviting her to a free spot next to her. With no hesitation, the tired mare smiled back and slowly made her way to the warmth of the fire. She could clearly tell the grand elder was getting ready to tell an old tale from the past, it was the job of the elder to share stories of the past. As they were the oldest of the tribe and their experience was revered by all others of the tribe, for their teachings were almost as good as law. Not even the Chief dared to question their elders' knowledge, the Pegasus had learned many interesting things from the Elders tales as well.

With the mare seated next to the young calf, they both smiled at each other.

“Thanks again Fluttershy, we know you don’t have to do this every year… But I just don’t see how we’d make it without conflict if you weren’t here.” The calf said with a gentle smile playing across her lips.

“Oh… It’s no problem, really.” Fluttershy meekly responded, flustered from the heartfelt praise. She knew many of the tribe felt the same as the calf did, but honestly, she couldn’t let them make the journey through several towns alone even if she had to. Ponies could be mean, and well it was a mean thing to think, but she knew it to be true.

“Now younglings, are you all prepared for tonight's tale?” Everyone nodded their heads, growing more silent as the seconds passed, allowing the Elder to collect his thoughts as he scratched his old grey beard. “Yes well, this was a tale that was passed down from my grandfather of another tribe and I doubt I’ve told this one yet in my time.”

The Buffalo’s all shared curious glances, if it was one he had been withholding, surely there would be a good lesson to learn from it. Even Fluttershy sat in rasp attention as she brushed her long pink mane out of her face.

“A long time ago, even before I'd dreamt. My grandfather was an adventurous bull and explored regions most tribes wouldn’t dare step a hoof in, many considered him foolish, others thought he was the bravest bull to ever be born. But my grandfather knew nothing of the talk at the time, his heart had told him to roam alone till he found his truth as we all must do. His travels had taken him far and wide. The few times he’d travel with tribes, he’d tell stories of dragons with guarded knowledge that outweighed any treasure, sea creatures that could even consume the mountains themselves. His stories were truly otherworldly to most buffalo, and many were astonished that he had not found his truth yet.” The elder stopped for a second, contemplating where to pick up.

“It took an entire three years, but he soon found his truth at the one place he’d never expected. The Everfree forest, one of the most cursed lands that we Buffalo had ever seen. My grandfather said he was traveling for provisions when he heard conflict near the Everfree forest. Despite what many had thought, he wasn’t the strongest of Bulls, he knew the dangers of stepping into an active conflict. Still he moved towards the noise, he had no idea what possessed him to step in the direction he did. No matter, it was at that place he found his truth, for above the forest in a secluded area was one of the most amazing displays. Two ponies of the likes of which he had never seen before were in a struggle for superiority in the air. At first glance he had thought they both were mere pegasi settling a disagreement with a fight… No, as he got closer to the conflict, stepping into the forest he could clearly see their wings. They were leathery, thin, and had sharp protrusions at the end, he had no idea what to call them. But at that time it didn’t matter, he could also see their glowing eyes, sharp and solely focused on each other. They had the intent to kill…” The elder tapered off, gestering for some water, which a youngling quickly jumped up to go fetch.

Fluttershy was completely stunned, nopony had ever gotten hoof lengths close to the cursed forest, but a Buffalo? It was almost unbelievable to hear, and the description of those two ponies sent chills down her spine, she almost didn’t want to listen any more. But it would be disrespectful to the elder and the tribe if she’d try to excuse herself. Still she kinda did want to hear a little more about the Night ponies, after all Twilight always did love studying them or what she has heard about them. So maybe it wasn't all bad; No sooner as Fluttershy had steeled herself to stay, the young bull returned with the water for the elder. The grand elder took a long drink before looking down into the fire to continue.

“My grandfather at the time had no clue on how far he had managed to make it into the forest. He told me that it seemed like there was nothing remotely around, not even a single bug to witness the struggle in the air. As soon as he got close, he could tell they both were vastly different in age. One of them was an old gray bat like mare with an extravagant black tattoo covering the entirety of her back and it spread all the way to her neck. The other was a young bat-like stallion, he had no tattoos, but many fresh wounds. The stallion was clearly at the disadvantage despite being much younger, obviously experience trumped whatever advantage he could have had. My grandfather thought of intervening, however he knew it would surely end in his demise, so he laid in wait, watching the conflict unfold… He never told me the details, but the only blow the stallion was able to land apparently was enough to cripple the older mare, sending her to the ground in a heap. Grandfather thought surely then the conflict was over, yet that was before the older mare was shouting obscenities at the still airborne creature. Apparently she was a teacher and he was a student, their fight was a right of passage for the young one, but he had reservations about finishing what he had started. That was until the older mare spoke of loyalty, she spoke of it as if it was a part of her very being. My grandfather was so enthralled by her speech that he rose from hiding, still unnoticed by the two.”

The little calf looked up at the mare next to her questioningly, as if she was able to interpret what the elder was speaking of. Fluttershy on the other hoof hadn’t noticed because she was doing nothing more than listening. All her other senses meant nothing, she only needed to hear what happened next.

“Whatever she had specifically said had lit a fire in the young stallion, because he flew down to face his former teacher. With only a few words between the two, the young stallion gripped his teacher by the neck and sealed her fate. Completing his task, he turned towards my grandfather. Still talking in the speech, he hadn’t even flinched when he was caught. Instead he repeated the dead mare's speech once, twice, even three times… Accepting it as his own, he had found his truth. He was afraid to stay in one spot, to dedicate his life to a collective future with a tribe. He was afraid of being responsible for others, dying without completion. His one truth was he needed to be Loyal to more than himself, life and blood did not matter if he had devotion to others he walked in direction with. He had learned that from the mare's dying words…

"We both live inside bodies that will decay. Do not throw away my effort child, I spent my life watching you grow, I trained you for this day… Do not taint it, show me your strength! Because my time matters not, I no longer care about possessions or status. I want to put things right, continue where I left off, become the one thing I taught you to embrace: Loyalty!”

The elder ended his story there, leaving many around the bonfire in awe of his story. Every Buffalo knew of loyalty, it was one of their founding virtues that keeps their tribes together. To think a bull could experience such a thing near the Everfree was otherworldly to them, however Fluttershy knew the elders tale was a recount of a Lunar element. She never really thought too much of their existence, it was really scary, but she had learned about them and she could put two and two together. The mare that died was the element of Loyalty, but she didn’t understand why she had to die, it was brutal and made no sense in her mind. Watching the elder leave the bonfire for his tent while the others began to chat and discuss the story, the butterscotch Pegasus decided to follow.

The large Buffalo entered his tent, stretching his old legs from sitting so long. He would have begun to take off his head dress, if it wasn’t for the presence of a small pony sitting awkwardly outside of his tent.

“Young one, you may enter,” he said.

In response Fluttershy only eeped because she hadn’t entirely decided on whether or not she actually wanted to talk about it. Now she was caught, and had no other real option, so admitting defeat she quietly stepped into the tent, shrinking under the old bulls gaze.

“I only can assume you have more questions about my grandfather's tale?” The old bull asks, giving Fluttershy a kind smile.

“Umm, yes Mr. Elder sir.” Fluttershy quietly responds.

“Ha, Mr. Elder is my father's name, young one you may call me Split Hoof.” The old bull chuckles lightly. “But ask away, my child.”

“How long ago did that happen?”

“Eh, it’s hard to tell in my old age. My grandfather told the tale to me at least forty years ago, and he said he was nothing but a naive bull at the time. So I'd put it roughly seventy years ago. He never did tell me what happened when he got discovered, but whatever transpired made him a better bull for the tribe.” Split Hoof finished.

“Oh ummm… So he didn’t get attacked or anything, that’s good to hear.” Fluttershy visibly lightened at the thought, just maybe the forest might not be as evil as she previously thought.

“Now child, I didn’t say that… He simply wouldn’t speak of it, but I’m wise enough to know what he saw was what you ponies call a Night Child. More specifically that was a dark element's demise he had witnessed, you are the only element we’ve had the pleasure of meeting, but the tales you ponies spin reach far beyond your ears.” He concluded, while putting his head dress in it’s designated spot in his tent.

The timid Pegasus didn’t respond, she didn’t know how to even if she wanted to. Instead she just looked down at her hoofs in concentration, she knew of Twilight’s mission and she didn’t like it one bit. It was very dangerous and dark in Everfree, and now that she’s heard a tale of the Lunar elements from only a mere seventy or so years ago, she hoped everything went fine. Standing up now, Fluttershy silently thanked the elder for his knowledge before departing from the tent. The night had already slowly crept up on the camp and it was a little hard to see, thankfully the bonfire was still well lit.

Looking up to the sky, she instantly noticed something off. There was no moon, nothing but darkness filled the sky… Fluttershy had no idea on how to take the image she saw before her, it was strange and eerie. She turned to see many of the Buffalo were noticing the strange sight too, many of them murmuring to each other about what it meant. How long had the moon not been there, she hadn’t even bothered to look up before now she couldn’t stop. There was something trances inducing to it, it was almost like she wanted to just lay down and sleep…

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

“Wah, where am I!” A confused Rarity called out in the darkness.

“Where are we, you mean…” Twilight corrected matter of factly.

Rarity simply rolled her eyes in response.

Wherever they were it was darkness, that’s the only way it could be explained. The two Elements stood together unsure what to do. That was until another figure appeared beside them. It was Fluttershy, her sleeping form was laid gently next to the other two Unicorns causing them to look concerningly at the content mare. Rarity gestured to Twilight to wake her up, and Twilight quietly pointed to herself with a ‘why me’ look on her face. With much little option because Rarity backed up a bit, Twilight relented and lightly prodded the sleeping mare with a hoof. Fluttershy had always been a light sleeper, and when the foreign hoof poked her, she woke with a shriek.

“What happened, why is everything dark, am I dead!” Fluttershy frantically yelled quietly while looking back and forth. Her fears slightly diminished when she saw her other two friends in the same predicament.

“I don’t think we’re dead… At least I hope we’re not.” Rarity stated, still unsure herself what’s going on.

Twilight on the other hoof stayed very quiet, probing the magical aura around her. It felt very strange to her, almost liberating, like she didn’t have to worry even though they had no idea where they were at. That was until another sleeping form slowly appeared before the three, and it was none other than the princess herself. Celestia, just like Fluttershy, gently landed in the darkness causing the other three to gasp, now they were very alarmed at what might be happening. But none of them had to prod Celestia awake though, for she awoke as soon as she landed. Giving a tired yawn and a stretch, she looked almost unimpressed with their current location.

“Princess!” Twilight shouted protectively, while rushing to the Alicorns' side along with Rarity and Fluttershy.

“Calm down my little pony’s, I know what this is…” Princess Celestia responded, looking around for any details. “It’s a sleep Illusion spell, this part of it is simple, but I was quite impressed with the base. Clearly the caster had been preparing this one for a while.”

“Base, wait you mean the moonless night?” Twilight questioned.

“Well I was getting my beauty sleep, so moon or no, I’d prefer to not be here.” Rarity added in.

“Yes Twilight, clearly that was a set to ensnare us into slumber. Then all that had to be done was transfer our sleeping minds into this blank dream state…” Celestia concluded.

Fluttershy didn’t say anything while they were talking. She was just noticing the slow change to the darkness, there was grass now and a sky was starting to appear. She could even hear the chirping of birds and the chatter of squirrels as trees started to form in the distance around them. Normally if something like that was happening surely the butterscotch Pegasus would have already started to wilt. Yet what was happening caused her to feel very at ease, the sight of the calm sky, and the nice trees were very pleasant to look at as well. There wasn’t a dark spot in her dreaming mind at the moment. She could see a few squirrels playing with each other, wrestling for a nut. It was very funny considering one was doing its best to dodge every squirrel with a large nut in its mouth. Fluttershy laughed lightly at the amusing sight, causing the other three to look at her questioningly. Only then did they notice the area had changed somehow.

“Now that’s a cute laugh if I ever heard one!” A bubbly carefree voice said, seemingly from all around.

That was until a shadow that they had missed, manifested into a bright pink bouncing pony with a puffy mane and tail. Twilight immediately recognized the pony as the one she met at the forest's edge, Pinkie Pie. She was completely taken back by her change of hair, and mood however… What she saw before her didn’t even have the carnivorous teeth, it was much like theirs.

Fluttershy stopped laughing and flinched back at the sudden appearance. So did Rarity in a way, she just seemed more shocked than anything. Twilight and Celestia on the other hoof were looking at the mare quizzically.

Celestia decided to play the situation carefully. “Hello, this is quite the talent you got here, may I ask your name and why you’ve decided to bring us here?”

“Yeppers, I’m Pinkie Pie and this isn’t my talent silly! I make ponies laugh, you know like Ha ha hee hee laughing, but I guess you could call this a talent. But I was told to let you know we’ll be accepting your invitation!” The pink mare popped up like a spring, confetti exploding seemingly out of nowhere behind her.

Celestia’s eye brightened at the confirmation, also she was the element Twilight had encountered… Or at least an aspect of her, because she didn’t fit any description of her students' report. Either way, she could recognize her sister's style of theatrics anywhere.

“W-why are we here?” Fluttershy croaked.

“Because, your pretty princess said any sign would be received well! So I thought, what would be the most supertastic way to accept an invitation… And then it hit me, a little show of sorts. You know like what we’re all about, the big bad forest.” Pinkie gave a fake pout at the last part. “This is how I express my element, I watch over little one's dreams, make sure they wake up with a huge smile on their faces!”

Celestia stood tall, standing between her ponies and the Lunar element. “Yes, but I still recognize this magic as that of my sisters, she was the only one alive able to perform such an intricate spell.”

Twilight understood now, the tattoo had little do with the elements. Otherwise they’d have something similar as well, no those tattoos were magical connections to something much more powerful. Probing the space around her she could faintly feel an aura emanating from the pink mare that was reminiscent of their princess in a way. Truly there must be more to her abilities than just carrying out the duties of laughter, why hasn’t she seen the mare in her dreams, why only foals. It was almost like she was telling half truths or not really thinking about it at all, which again was strange considering how methodical the mare was near the forest before.

“The council said I could do it, sooo I do my bestest you know!”

“Council?” Celestia asked curiously.

“Uh huh, the Council of Speakers! They're like a bunch of really really smart ponies that make all the big decisions ya know… kinda like what you do, but with more democracy!” The pink mare enthusiastically replied.

The last part of her response had Celestia raise a brow.

Seeing the situation slowly devolving, Rarity knew it was high time to catch up. The ivory Unicorn could tell Twilight was clearly lost even though she had previous experience with the mare, and the Princess was being a bit too cordial with the conversation at hoof. Then there was Fluttershy, the poor mare was entirely lost in translation at this point, for all the progress she’s made; moments like these consistently slip through.

“Now darling, I’m a mare for a good surprise every now and again. Really I am, and I thank you for such an enthusiastic display. But if you're visiting, I think we might need to leave and prepare for your introduction, don't you think?” Rarity’s emphasis on ‘your’ wasn’t lost on the mare as she began to bounce circles around the four.

“Welll, there will be two of us at least. You’ll get to meet Applejack, she’s the element of Honesty! So I’d be a double party if you know what I mean!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“What about Loyalty?” Twilight asked the question, and Fluttershy looked up strangely at the mention of Loyalty as well.

Pinkie’s brow furrowed in concentration for a second, but then she answered with a shrug. “Eh.”

Everypony looked around in renewed confusion after the mare's statement, however Pinkie’s smile only grew. As her face became increasingly bright, the dream state around them began to collapse. Darkness enveloped the four trapped ponies as all they could see in the end was Laughter's bright smile.

Convincing Canterlot

The day after, Canterlot's public auditorium that sat near the center of the city was bustling and packed with ponies from every corner of the region. Even those who were mere travelers found themselves following the commotion out of sheer curiosity. Nopony really knew what the occasion was, all they heard were the Castle horns ringing out in the early morning, signifying a public speech or appearance from the Princess. Which was enough to cause strangeness to settle in most ponies, Because the Princess almost never made such appearances anymore.

All the while ponies were bickering and waiting down on the auditorium grounds, the Princess and others were preparing for what was to come. Rarity was dealing with a stock still Fluttershy who was borderline having a panic attack, while Twilight was pacing back and forth in front of the Princess.

“This isn't going to end well!” Twilight whined.

“Please my student, our ponies will be better than that.” Celestia reassured, eyeing the pragmatic unicorn with curiosity.

“A public assembly for possibly the biggest news Equestria will ever hear! No, no… I am excited, but what are we to expect out there; nearly three fourths of the ponies don't even know there are three other elements. We need a scientific and magical consensus and proof to-" When Twilight saw little reaction from the Princess, she began to panic as well. "Rarity!”

“Oh, now I guess it's fine to talk back to the Princess?” Rarity sarcastically bit back, while still having a hoof wrapped around the shaking Pegasus. “Poor Fluttershy here is going to have a heart attack, how about you help me and let the Princess deal with that. After all I've already said my piece darling, her mind's made.”

Looking back and forth between Celestia’s amused look and that of Fluttershy’s terrified expression. Twilight couldn’t consciously leave her friend in that state, so with a huff of frustration Twilight broke from her pacing to go comfort her friend. Celestia on the other hoof was grateful for her timid student's distraction, for at that moment she needed all the concentration she could muster. Truthfully she couldn't account for the mob reaction she’d get from her announcement. With one last glance back to her faithful students, she knew hesitation wasn’t an option, and that was the last though the Princess had before making her way onto the stage.

“C-can we... really stop the magic?” The still trembling Fluttershy asked, now alone with her other two friends.

“I don’t know, the Princess seems to think so.” Rarity responded.

“No, she seems to think the elements can." Twilight clarified to the other two while she took a step back to examine the space they occupied. "I’ve not had many opportunities to examine the magical anomalies myself considering how dangerous they are. But I do know they spread kind of like cancer, it preys on natural magic and replicates.”

Both Fluttershy and Rarity looked back at Twilight with disturbed eyes when the small unicorn explained what she knew of the magic. The Princess had kept them in the dark for much of the later months of developments, opting to have her mages and magical analysts do much of the field work. That was until one of the mages witnessed a deer get completely consumed by the magic, corrupting it to it’s core till the deer died mere moments later, the sight was so shocking he immediately requested council with the Princess. Whatever was said behind those closed doors nearly a year ago has set the three elements lives into a tailspin since, and none of them had any real idea on what was going to happen next.

“They’re getting angry…” Fluttershy mumbled.

Twilight was the first to react by turning towards the door Celestia left through to quickly access the situation herself. On the other hoof, Rarity stayed right next to Fluttershy despite Twilight's quick exit.

“Now if that’s the case, which I don’t doubt because your element helps you sense these things. I’d think Twilight’s chances out there aren’t going to be any better than what our Princess was met with.” Rarity said calmly.

“I-I know what I have to do… Sorry.” Fluttershy responded, trying her best to stay hidden behind her long pink mane.

“What are you sorry for, Darling?”

“Sorry!”

With Rarity’s patience evaporated, she gave the timid Pegasus a little nudge in the flank to prop her up on all fours. “Let’s go, I’ll be right next to you the whole way.”

Fluttershy saw her friend's gentle smile, and returned it while she slowly began to trudge her way to the stage where the princess surely would be facing an angry audience. The closer she got to the offending door the more she could hear and feel the disapproval from the citizens outside, the feelings were washing over her like a summer storm. But she was afraid there wouldn’t be a rainbow at the end of it this time around.

“Wait, so you're telling us those monsters do exist!”

“Three more elements…”

“This is madness, complete and utter madness!”

“Why don’t we just open our borders to the Minotaurs too, I’m sure they’d appreciate the gesture.”

“We’re all doomed!”

The shouts and yelling were deafening as the two ponies got within hoofs length of the door, Rarity had steeled her nerves. However, Fluttershy had stopped, instead she placed a gentle hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. The timid Pegasus could feel the shift, the instantaneous change in the Princesses mood, Twilight was still surrounded by a flurry of fear. But the Princess, something at that moment made her feel so very frightening, like she wouldn’t even want to see what truly was beyond that door.

“Equestria is falling ill, and my ponies are afraid of monsters in their closet! Hydras, Timberwolves, and other creatures live far beyond the confines of the Everfree… But we fear shadows, voices that have long since been silent for over eight hundred years!”

Fluttershy flinched back at her booming voice, even though she wasn’t witnessing or feeling the scene unfold at that point. She knew that frightened eyes that’d match her own filled the silent crowd as the Princess unloaded all of her burdens on those she sought to protect.

“The magical anomaly spreads like a cancer through Equestria, consuming magic and disappearing without a trace to only appear elsewhere. Sometimes even hundreds of miles away, how are we to combat that without first unity.”

The Pegasus back peddled further from the door, she knew what was going to happen now. Becoming even more afraid, she was prepared to run and hide if necessary; she knew the small details. Yet she never received word that they’d be the ones to attempt to tackle the magical thing that was killing the wildlife in Equestria’s forests. It all was just happening so quickly, the butterscotch Pegasus only wanted peace, not whatever was happening out there. Kindness allowed her to placate theblackest of hearts, but it caused her to take on a more empathic nature, one she always loathed. Feeling all the doubts, memoirs, and pain that plagued ponies had nearly driven the poor mare over edge many times. She couldn’t stand it anymore, she needed to be far away from here. Just as she was going to open her wings to dart away, a soft magic kept them closed.

Rarity wasn’t the strongest Unicorn by a long shot, but reading her friends' constantly changing expressions told her all she needed to do, while she held her down for a second to recuperate her own eyes trailed back to the door where the Princess was speaking. If she fails to sway the crowd here what will happen, why did she create the terms of a meeting before even addressing the public… Such bold action. Now they required a little bold action of their own, and Rarity just wasn’t sure how they were going to do such a thing. With Fluttershy suffering from a panic attack and Twilight out there possibly floundering like a fish out of water, what could they do?

“She’s right!” That was a familiar male voice that both Rarity and Fluttershy recognized.

“Yea, I'm a filly and I'm not even that scared!” a young childish voice followed soon after.

It was the second voice that roused Rarity into further action. With a single tug of her magic she trotted hastily towards the door with Fluttershy in tow. And as soon as they crossed the threshold to the stage, they both were bombarded by the bright morning sun, which was conspicuously looming over their general area. Rarity immediately let go of Fluttershy as soon as she saw the massive crowd, there were hundreds of ponies huddling up in the small venue; most of them didn't even look Canterlotian. The young mare's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, now she fully realized her timid friend's trepidation. Twilight on the other hoof was standing protectively between Princess Celestia and the crowd. Also by the serious look on her face both Fluttershy and Rarity could surmise their friends intentions of a mass teleportation. However with the last two solar elements joining the stage, and two familiar voices that have yet to be located, most ponies have backed away from shouting. It didn't take long for the two familiar voices to shout out again.

“Trust in the Princess!”

Everypony on the stage looked down to the middle of the crowd to see a well built ivory stallion with a two tone blue mane shouting the mantra in unison with a little white unicorn sitting perfected on top of the stallion's head. The stallion was quickly identified as the element of magic’s brother Shining Armor, and as for the lesser known mare on his head. She was also The younger sibling to the element of generosity. No matter who they were related to, their fever was contagious nonetheless. A few ponies here, a few ponies there… in the end the majority of the crowd had drowned out the few neigh sayers. Which had dramatically shifted the mood of Princess Celestia and her elements. Twilight's concentration even broke for a moment to crack a small smile at the new tone, and Fluttershy even began to breathe again once she realized they wouldn't get shunned all the way back to the castle. The timid Pegasus could feel the enthusiasm clearly, but the air of doubt still outlined many in the crowd, but she couldn't dwell on that for too long. They just made one small step in the right direction.

A Few Hours Later

Now back in Canterlot castle after what could be called a successful public assembly. Twilight Sparkle was diligently collecting and assorting countless books on anything she had once found on the Everfree Forest and the ponies that reside within it. The only thing keeping her from drowning in her studies was a little purple drake that was rushing from one bookshelf to another on Twilight's command. Although he followed her orders as specified, that didn't stop him from complaining every literal step of the way.

“Come on Twilight, you've read this version at least twice now!” the young drake whined.

“Yes I know Spike, but I've found a blaring contradiction in Blackhoove’s third book. I must look at them comparatively now, clearly both books' accounts can't be right.” Twilight's hidden form responded, being completely blocked off from the rest of Equestria with a wall of books.

“It's only been a few hours, you gotta let things calm down a bit, the city has just been flipped on its head. Heck, if your brother didn't pull that fast one out there, who knows what might have happened.”

“Shiny was always the impulsive one, and adding Rarity’s sister into the equation… I expected nothing less.” Twilight stated matter of factly.

Spike raised an eyebrow to Twilight's confident response. To only chuckle his way back to his duties as he remembered Twilight's horrified face on stage when she heard her brother's voice. Truly he constantly wonders how either Twilight or Fluttershy function outside of their respective bubbles. Only his fair Rarity showed any social capabilities beyond animals or books. Oh how the drake could remember the nights of how she’d sweep into his room talking to him about the woes of being an element and how she wished there would be some young strapping stallion to sweep her away. To burden all her troubles and pain… although the pain is probably a bit of embellishment on Rarity’s part. All the rest made the drake start dreaming about her. From her beautiful indigo locks, to her perfect alabaster coat; Rarity was the example of a perfect mare in an imperfect world. Spike made himself a promise that he’d be that stallion, well dragon one day.

“Spike!”

However his name being yelled was enough to break his daydreaming

“Who.. What.. Where?”

“The door Spike, somepony has been knocking and won't go away!” Twilight shouts over her books in frustration.

Only now hearing the pounding at the door downstairs, Spike sighs in defeat. He had no real clue who it was, usually either Fluttershy or Rarity come by to rip Twilight begrudgingly from her studies. But considering all that happened today he’d expect them to all be in their separate corners for the rest of the day. Reaching the door, he realized that the knocking had stopped. Shrugging his shoulders the young drake unlocked the door and opened it anyway. And he was quite surprised to see a crowd… well at least a crowd to Twilight's social standards.

Rarity, Fluttershy, Shining were in the forefront of the group. Leaning his head to the side, he could also see Sweetie Belle chatting a light blue Pegasus’s head off. Squinting his eyes, he couldn't pin it, but the stallion looked familiar… Like one of those Wonderbolts or something.

Shining was the first to speak up as he eyed Spike curiously. “About time somepony got the door, I was beginning to think Twily was ignoring us!”

Spike didn't respond, because he knew full well Twilight was doing exactly that. Instead he greeted the group and led them inside into the main room. Which was nothing more than a larger room with less bookshelves by Spike’s standards. After leading them in, he could clearly tell that Fluttershy was clinging pretty close to the new guy, which was a little strange considering he’d think most ponies were trying to eat her. Yet everypony else seemed fine with it, so why shouldn't he.

“Sup, what brings you all to Twilight's fortress of solitude.” Spike questioned, still very curious about the party.

“Fortress of solitude?” The Light blue Pegasus asked.

Everypony turned to the confused stallion, but Rarity instead reacted as if she had forgotten something very important.

“Oh, terribly sorry for the lack of introductions! Spike this is Soarin Sky, and Soarin this is Spike; he is Twilight's assistant and little brother of sorts." Rarity says proudly, as if the introductions were the first step to something spike couldn't place a claw on. "Now where is our little recluse?”

Spike didn't even get a second to respond before Shining had begun the ascent up the steps. With him being her older brother, he knew exactly where his Twily was hiding. And he always had the best ways to get her attention. Scanning the upstairs room that was practically nothing more than a library, Shining immediately found the location of his prey.

All his military training accumulated up to this one moment, stance low and magic heightened, he was prepared to make his move. Starting at a crawl, he inched his way towards his sister's book fort, ready to lay siege. That was until he instantly found himself floating four feet in the air, enveloped in a lavender aurora. Shining looked down to see his sister's horn glowing slightly over the edge of her book fortress. Rolling his eyes, he knew it was time to cut the act.

“All right Twily, you can let me down now…”

“Not till you apologize for the potential act of desecrating my books.” Twilight responded with a hint of sarcasm.

“Hey, they’re hard copies!” The floating stallion shot back.

Hearing the commotion, the rest of the party began to relocate upstairs. With Spike leading, he was the first to see Shining's compromising situation. The young drake had seen it many times before, and Shining always ends up subdued. For the captain of the Royal Guard, Spike couldn't tell if he was allowing her to pony handle him or was Twilight's magic really that overwhelming. Either way, Everypony else was a bit more concerned than Spike was, considering the situation. Eventually Twilight peered over her books to see multiple ponies staring at her. Immediately becoming flustered, the small Unicorn dropped her brother harshly on his flanks.

“Spike what is Everypony doing here, they weren't scheduled today?” Twilight questioned.

“Sorry…”

Fluttershy's meek response was enough to pull Twilight out of her reflexive defense. Her expression only softened after she slowly noticed everypony's concerned look towards her. It wasn't the first and it surely won't be the last of the concerned looks she'll get because of her studying. But with her brother personally visiting, just maybe she should set down her book without a fight this time…

“Ok let’s try this again." Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Twilight put on her best face. "Has something new developed, does it have something to do with the Wonderbolts?”

Soarin could feel the tail end of the question being directed towards him.

Blinking, the light blue stallion had almost forgotten he could talk. “Uhhh… well, no not really I was just kinda in the area and….”

“He’s my coltfriend!” Fluttershy squeaked surprisingly. Causing both her and Soarin's face to go beat red.

Shining almost wanted to crack up at Soarin's face, Rarity clopped her hooves in approval of Fluttershy’s outburst, and Spike just shrugged his shoulders as he walked off to start reshelving Twilight's makeshift book fort. Twilight just sat there giving the bookshelf behind everypony a thousand mile stare. Spike rolled his eyes and went through the standard procedure. Taking a book from Twilight's pile, he gave only a second's worth of thought before placing it on the wrong shelf. That in turn broke Twilight out of her stupor quicker than a dog could bark.

“Spike!” Twilight wailed as if she was physically wounded.

Spike again didn't respond, because he was long due for a break. He knew when things were getting too awkward, even if it meant leaving Rarity's presence even for a little while. Plus he didn't see Sweetie come up with them and she’s been awfully quiet as of late. Both of those things added together equals nothing but total unadulterated disaster. Maybe he should check on her downstairs as well.

“Um-” Fluttershy's was preparing to fumble through a half audible explanation. That was until Rarity silenced the meek mare with a hoof.

“Yes Twilight, our dear Fluttershy here is making some err rather different progress. But we're actually here to discuss your progress per say.” Rarity reiterated.

“Bu-" Twilight thought twice about what she was going to ask, she could see the drop it looks both her brother and Rarity was giving her. "Fine, but you all will be quite disappointed with my current results.”

“Well?” Rarity pried, successfully steering the conversation away from Soarin and Fluttershy.

“Nothing, absolutely nothing!” Twilight admitted in a huff of frustration.

“Nothing?" Shining repeated. "Come on now sis, you're like the leading authority on the everfree!”

Twilight's ears were pinned after hearing her brother's comment.

“I'm only mockingly considered to be a leading authority because I'm the only one willing to put any effort into my theorems. The most recent accounts and documentation I can get pertaining to anything about the Everfree is at least over two hundred years old. Not to mention every scholar who has studied the forest has vastly different accounts… The only root I consistently find is that the Lunar element's can be easily identified by their tattoos.”

“Well you've met one of them face to face, could you've built anything from that.” Shining prodded.

“Yes, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions just yet... I-It might hinder what little progress we've made.” Twilight moaned while rubbing her temples.

Shining wasn't really buying it and wanted to hear what his sister had found out.

“I don't know anything about those ponies in that forest. But the only time they've been clearly seen, it was nearly a full scale invasion… I want to trust the Princesses judgment unquestioningly, but I'm the captain of the Guard for a reason, I don't want us getting caught with our heads in the clouds. I did my part in the crowd back there, and I stand by that” Shining replied seriously to Twilight before turning his attention to Rarity. "But if they're going to help us, what are they in this for?”

“Here I thought I was the one for dramatics, darling would you like to borrow my lounge while you worry?” Rarity teased.

Soarin snickered a bit at that, only to get lightly tapped on the side by Fluttershy, clearly indicating that he was being a little rude. Twilight still had many questions regarding the new couple, but their present situation took priority. The small Unicorn trotted past Everypony to head downstairs. She had an extremely detailed dream journal that she had started working on years ago, not even Spike knew of its existence. Luckily after her second meeting with the Element of Laughter, she was able to probe the dreamstate she was in. She did get some interesting data, but nothing concrete and that was a little disturbing. Truly she doubted the information would serve to benefit anypony, still it might ease her brother's prying a bit.

Everypony trailed Twilight back down the steps, where she then immediately levitated a book that was hidden behind a bookshelf into plain sight. Nopony knew what to make of it, but Fluttershy recognized it as the journal that she had given the bookish unicorn years ago. But the Pegasus doubted Twilight used the journal for its intended purpose.

“Ok, the girls and I were trapped in a constructed dreamstate last night. In which we were approached by the Element of laughter.” Twilight took a breath and was getting ready to continue, that was until she was struck with a stupid question.

“What's a dreamstate?” Soarin asked innocently, raising his hoof as if he was in class.

Both Twilight and Shining gave the blue Pegasus a stern glare, causing him to shrink back a bit with a chuckle.

“Sorry Twily, please continue.” Shining apologize in Soarin's place.

“Thank you, as I was saying. We were approached by laughter and I was able to probe the dreamstate a bit. At first I was confused on how an Earth Pony could cast such an intricate incantation, so I dug a bit and found something extremely interesting. There was her natural magic, but intertwined in it was something a bit darker to the touch.” Twilight explained. “ Magic that closely resembles that of our princess almost mockingly so.”

“Wait, are you trying to say they have Alicorn magic?” shining couldn't almost believe what he was hearing.

“Yes and no, I said it resembles that of our princess’s magic. Meaning it's not necessarily Alicorn magic persay, just a good attempt at replicating it I think.” Twilight corrected.

“That's literally impossible, you should know that magical signatures are irreconcilable. They're be no way for anypony let alone a Earth Pony to possess anything close to Alicorn magic naturally.” Shining weighed in much to Twilight's delight.

“Same thing I first thought as well, that was until I came down to one key word. 'Naturally', we don't actually know what's possible for Everfree ponies. From my up close meeting with one, I could immediately tell biological differences just from looking at the mare. So who's to say they don't perform magic differently from us as well, maybe they all share some strange connection to the forest or something.” Twilight responded, enjoying the flexing of her intellectual muscles.

“Biological differences?” That time the question was quietly asked by Fluttershy, who in return was surprised that Twilight had heard her.

Jumping up from her previous spot, Twilight literally bounced to a table in the corner of the room where she had a sketching of a regular pony's body. Rolling it up and levitating it with her magic towards Fluttershy, Twilight was gearing up for another explanation.

“Compared to your average Equestrian Pony, Pinkie Pie was larger, stockier, and had a thicker coat than any Earth Pony I'd ever seen. Not to mention her sharp teeth and pronounced canines, which you should know Fluttershy means she might be carnivorous or maybe omnivorous.”

“Oh my…” Fluttershy blanched a bit.

“Yes 'oh my' indeed, tell me Twilight, are we dealing with cannibals here… if so why didn't she look like that in the dream thing?” Rarity adds in, equally as worried.

“Dreamstate, and I honestly don't know. But I doubt they are pony eating monsters out of all things. However in the dream, I do believe she was trying to come off as more appealing to us, her personality was even different from when we met near the forest.” Twilight finished.

“Maybe it's Nightmare Moon!”

“Soarin, come on, don't tell me you believe in those stories. Princess Celestia killed that thing ages ago, she even confirmed it with historians.” Shining scoffed.

That caused Soarin to defend his statement, and Rarity also weighed in. Effectively causing a small quarrel over the possibility of nightmare moon still being alive. Twilight on the other hoof was seriously pondering the possibility that Stallion Fluttershy brought along had a little air on his head. But he did bring up a good point, Maybe it is Nightmare Moon. After all that would explain the magic, the elements, and the Everfrees continued existence. Yet surely the Princess wouldn't deal With the Children of the Night if they were possessed by the Nightmare… would she?

“Enough arguing, my original question still was never answered!” Shining piped up frustratingly.

“I think your little sis was trying to say she doesn't know anything beyond what she's seen.” Soarin pointed out.

Everypony turned towards the blue stallion in mild surprise just for him to sit and shrug his shoulders. All that achieved was a few eye rolls and a light snicker from Fluttershy which caused him to perk up a bit, changing the mood from surprised to mild amusement.

“I-I understand that, but we have to trust their intentions wholeheartedly… Personally I would have liked a better reveal than invading my little sister's dream.” Shining sighed.

“I think it's fair…” Everybody could barely just hear Fluttershy, but she spoke loud enough to garner everybody's intention. “Sorry!”

“Aww, come one Flutters, we’d like to hear your thoughts.” Soarin gently stated, wrapping a forehoof around his Marefriend.

Blushing madly, Fluttershy shook the metaphorical butterflies out of her system.

“Umm… I mean it's just that they've been gone so long, we didn't even know they existed… Now they're coming to us. it's kinda like some of my animal friends, it takes a lot of trust just to let somepony see you.” Fluttershy concluded, leaving most of the group stuck in thought.

“I never thought about it that way.” Twilight was the first to omit it.

“It’s a nice thought isn't it.” Shining added in.

“Spike, take a note…” Twilight glanced behind her to notice that her dragon assistant was long gone. “Spike!”

Rarity also raised a brow when she noticed Sweetie was also absent from the room. Both mare's knew the implications, and without further words they rushed down the steps with friends in tow.

Perfect Planning

ONE WEEK LATER

For the second time in a single month Canterlot was once again amidst a frenzy. The entire city was preparing/bracing for the first official exchange of Equestria and the Children of the Night; a group of ponies that only recently were acknowledged to exist. Some were treating it as a celebration or a welcoming, lining their stores with visually appealing aesthetics for the media. Still others took it as a queue to skip town for a while, as fear of the Everfree was still very prevalent among most common ponies. The mix of reactions, even after the Princesses consistent appearances and reassurance was disconcerting to say the least. They were mere moments away from one of Equestria's most historic moments in recent years. Shining Armor knew it all too well, he had to admit to a fair share of nervousness as well.

From his post on top of the main gates Shining could easily survey the land and roads leading to Canterlot; in which he was either expecting a diplomatic envoy or an army. Shining sat with his armor strapped on tight, sword sheathed on his side, the stallion hoped he’d have no need to draw it anytime soon. Still he sat vigilant, awaiting the return of his forward scout, that alone has made for the longest wait of his life. That was if it wasn't for his little sister prattling on about all the potential for knowledge and what not behind him. He knew Twilight was aware of what hung on the line, the rogue magic they faced grew more aggressive by the day and was getting closer to towns. But Twilight saw all the good to come out of those ponies coming to Canterlot. It surprised him to see her so loose, nine times out of ten she’d be fretting over the scheduling of everything right about now. Actually she did have several lists poking out of her overfilled saddlebags.

“Why didn't you just shrink them?” Shining asked, cutting off her endless rant about agriculture something else or another.

“That's why corn wou- Huh? Oh, I didn't shrink them because the ink gets distorted by the magical pressure of the spell.” Twilight stated as if a child should have known it.

“Right.”

“You're still worried aren't you…" Twilight bit on the side of her lip before continuing. "To tell you the truth, Shining, I'm absolutely terrified. But I visited mom and she said for everything that could possibly go wrong, there are two more things you can do to make it Right. And that really helped way more than it should have you know.”

“How many contingency plans have you come up with Twily.” Shining dead-panned while fiddling with one of his chest plate straps, but before he could get frustrated with it, Twilight tightened up with her magic.

“Only seventy six at the moment, I mean I would have come up with more if there weren't so many extraneous variables involved.” Twilight put it plainly.

Shining smirked at his little sister, only so many things could change. It was still hard for him to believe all the progress she's been making as an Element. To be honest, he didn't exactly know what the Princess was really teaching them. But whatever it was had more effects on Twilight than he could count.

“Forward scout at seven O'clock!” A guard called out from the wall, pointing a hoof in the approaching Pegasus's direction.

From Shining's distance from the scout he could tell that something was very wrong. Fearing the worst, the Unicorn stallion was about to flag the troops. But the frantic scout made it to the two siblings before something could have developed. Twilight instantly recognized the Pegasus as the same one that was going to accompany her into the forest a month ago. If she remembered correctly his name was Flash Sentry.

“Scout, Report!”

“It's bad, really bad sir!” Flash sputtered, trying his best to catch his breath.

“Well spit it out, what are we dealing with? Hundreds of thousands, are they traveling with siege equipment!” Shining shouted, horn prepared to give the signal.

“Huh… no no, there are only three of them. The pink mare known as Pinkie Pie, a large unidentified Orange stallion with some type of cowboy hat on and a young filly on his back. But they are surrounded by paparazzi and the media!” Flash responded.

“Paparazzi are willing to ruin one of Equestria's most delicate negotiations over a few pictures for the paper! Quick get back there and invoke Celestia’s thirty first stature to get them to disperse. I'll get the Wonderbolts to provide escort.” Saluting to Flash Sentry, Shining turned and gave his sister a tight hug before rushing towards the Wonderbolts Canterlot Headquarters.

Flash saluted to Shining's back and somewhat ignored Twilight's presence before jetting back off into the sky. Twilight had not calculated the media, which in her mind was a fatal oversight that may have just jolted all of her previous plans and predictions. Knowing not what to do, Twilight rushed forward to catch up with her older brother who was currently cursing under his breath.

“Out of all the idiotic… I bet it's Esquire’s ponies as well, that guy never knows when to restrain his lap dogs” Shining groaned to Twilight.

Twilight looked up at her brother with concern “Umm, I can go ahead and Teleport to the Wonderbolts headquarters. I'd be quicker and you can continue to supervise the main gate.”

“I- well I guess there is no sense in stopping you. Since Flash didn't say otherwise we are to assume they are traveling down the main access road from Ponyville. You know the descriptions as well, so speak to either Captain Spitfire or Lieutenant Soarin.” Shining put simply, pacing back and forth the same way his little sister would.

Saluting the same way Flash did before her, Twilight lit her horn and disappeared with a loud pop. Shining Armor only looked at the place Twilight once was for a little while longer before another scout came to him to submit a report.

Wonderbolts Canterlot Headquarters

“Are you sure about this Soarin?” Fluttershy quietly asked her coltfriend as he was going about the Wonderbolts headquarters collecting seemingly random objects.

“Hey Shy why do you sound so worried, Spitfire isn't here to nag about it… don't tell me she told you to watch me?” Soarin responded, putting on a hurt face.

Fluttershy only blushed a bit in her neutral corner of the room where everything was still untouched by Soarin's hooves. Fluttershy thought it was a nice gesture to clean up the headquarters, but she seriously doubted the Children of the Night would enjoy a surprise party or whatever Soarin called it in the middle of a tour. Heck, she was pretty sure Twilight would have an aneurysm at the sight of Soarin’s misspelled banner.

POP!

Both Fluttershy and Soarin shrieked at the top of their lungs at the sudden magical intruder. All though Fluttershy's shriek was completely overshadowed by Soarin’s by a long shot. The magical intruder however flinched back as soon as she appeared, due to the ridiculous reaction the two had. The newcomer glanced around the room a bit to see a pile of junk on one end of the room and party supplies crowding the other. She however gave none of it a second thought after she spotted one of the Wonderbolts she was after… and Fluttershy?

Twilight looked skeptically in Fluttershy's direction to only see the mare in question literally shy away as if she could blend in with the tile floor. Shaking her head, Twilight's attention was brought back to the now coolly collected Soarin who was trying his best to look completely calm.

“Sooooo-”

Twilight quickly cut out the small talk from the light blue stallion and opened up. “Paparazzi! Captain Shining Armor has invoked Stature thirty one and has ordered Wonderbolt escort of the Everfree ambassadors!”

“Woah woah, you're trying to tell me they didn't already have an escort?” Soarin asked in disbelief.

Twilight only responded to Soarin with the universal hurry up motions with her hooves.

“Alright I got it, there are only three of us here right now. But that should be enough to provide escort, give me a location I can work with.”

“They should be traveling down Ponyville's main access to Canterlot. Descriptions provided include a pink mare known as Pinkie Pie, a large orange stallion, and a younger filly.” Twilight repeated clearly from what she had heard earlier before.

Soarin gave a nod to Twilight before dashing off to Fluttershy and planting a quick kiss on her cheek, causing the timid mare to light up red. Twilight shot the stallion a stern glare, effectively lighting a fire under his flanks causing him to finally run off to do what he was supposed to be doing. After he left, Twilight sat down in her haunches in a worried manner.

“Ugh!”

“I… well… Umm, I'm sorry!” Fluttershy squeaked from her corner.

“Don't be, I'm not mad at you or… your Coltfriend. If I'm to be honest, I'm really happy for you even if it doesn't look like it. I just wish everything would go according to plan for once, I spent sleepless nights going over this. Studying the rogue magic and the Children of the Night simultaneously with limited knowledge and resources. This has to work, we gotta make it work or I don't know what we're going to do.” Twilight spilled.

Fluttershy hesitantly got up and slowly made her way across the room to where Soarin had left off. Twilight quizzically watched the butterscotch Pegasus start moving a folded up banner. It was large and blue with large bold letters painted on it. Twilight tried her best to read it, but the hoof writing was cringe worthy at best. Fluttershy almost began to hang the banner, but Twilight's magical aura surrounded the banner before it could touch the wall.

“That is not going up, I mean ‘Everyfree' who's responsible for that…" Twilight mulled. "And why are you putting up a banner, it's like you're… trying to… no!”

“Ok, sorry…” Fluttershy immediately dropped down from where she was flying once before to look sadly away from Twilight as if she was a scalded dog.

The purple Unicorn's heart broke into a thousand pieces from the sad look in Fluttershy's deep blue eyes. There was no resisting what was to come next, even despite all the logical reasons to not do what her friend was either planning or helping with. But when it came to hurting Fluttershy's feelings, all the logic in the world would be meaningless.

“Fine… just let's not hang a misspelled banner; here let me help actually.” Twilight begrudgingly said, totally knowing that her plans were nothing more than ashes in the wind at that point.

History

If there was one thing Pinkie could say, Equestrian ponies were a curious bunch. So much so, that she and her traveling companion were surrounded by ponies that asked never ending questions. Pinkie did her best to keep them a safe distance from her friend and fellow Element Applejack. But the Pinkie could easily see the irritation painted over Applejack’s face, luckily it seemed like Applebloom was enjoying the attention somewhat.

Apple Bloom was waving and periodically smiling back, causing a few of the clingy ponies to back up a bit from the sight of her coniferous teeth.

Still Applejack was at her breaking point, the large orange mare's thick coat began to bristle up as she reached over her back with her muzzle and grabbed Applebloom by the tuft of fur on her neck. Placing her little sister on the back of Pinkie Pie. Applejack was getting ready to end the little show once and for all.

“If y'all don't up and scram, I'll personally show each and every one of y'all what the Children of the Night do to pests.” Applejack growled.

None of the reporters or writers stayed a second after to meet her level green gaze. Applejack was easily head taller than most of the stallions that had surrounded them, and her fur helped add on to the impression that she was more of a bear than a pony. Being a generational descent of one of the original exiled was mostly what made her an apex of what the Children had to offer. Applejack even made Pinkie look tame in comparison, and her family was in its fourth generation. Plus the sweeping and flowing tattoo that marked her as an element curved around her right eye and stopped right at her neck gave her an even more intimidating stare.

“Aww, come on sis, they didn't do anything!” Applebloom whined from Pinkie's back as they continued to trot.

Pinkie only snorted in response, and Applejack just shook her head in mild disapproval as they trotted.

It was long after Applejack scattered the crowd that a light orange Pegasus with a streaky blue mane and bright gold armor landed before the three in confusion. He looked left and right swiftly before turning his sight upwards to meet Applejack's annoyed expression.

Pinkie’s bored expression turned into a curious one as Flash Sentry stood cautiously in front of them.

“Well, I was sent to deal with the paparazzi… buuut-” Flash didn't even finish his previous sentence when it hit him. “You're a mare.”

Pinkie began to snicker behind a straight face along with Apple Bloom who wasn't doing nearly as good of a job holding it in. Applejack on the other hoof just sucked in a lungful of air before slowly exhaling. After her little attempt at calming herself, Applejack trotted around the stallion and continued towards Canterlot unimpeded.

“ Ya think she's sumthing, ya should see my brother!” Applebloom proudly pointed out, much to Flash's dismay.

“Rea-” Flash Sentry shook his head violently to get his mind back on track. “Canterlot is sending an escort to assist in your journey to the capital.”

Pinkie followed in Applejack's hoof steps as she walked around the stalled guard to catch up. “Fine by me, but we're not waiting around. It's bright out here you know.”

With Pinkie's comment being as ambiguous as a comment could be, the confused Flash had a knot stuck in his throat while searching for a response. Instead he looked up to see three Pegasi approaching in bright cloud blue jumpsuits. The Wonderbolts had finally gotten to the scene, and a bit faster than Flash had expected. But not a moment too soon, because he had finally reached an awkward impasse with his first Lunar Element interaction. He was pretty sure his report would earn him a bad scolding from his superiors. Opening his wings, the scout jumped and flew off back towards Canterlot right as the Wonderbolts landed in front of the three mares.

The first of the three Wonderbolts to land was none other than Soarin. The others landed in formation behind him as he peeled back his tinted flight goggles to blink a bit as if he was regaining his vision. Repeating the process of first contact, Soarin looked up at the stout mare before him. However he didn't share the same nervousness as the scout before him did. Giving the tattooed orange mare before him a warm smile, she returned it with a raised brow.

“My name is Soarin Sky, and this is Fleetfoot to my right and to my left is Gale Force. We will be escorting you to Canterlot, we Wonderbolts are at your service.” Soarin opened up, hopefully leading to a good start.

“Keep up.” Applejack deadpanned.

“Seriou- hey!” Gale Force’s hoof upside Fleetfoot's head stopped the mare from saying something stupid.

Getting all the strange looks out of the way, the three Wonderbolts took their positions around the three mares. Soarin could see the flashing of a few cameras off in the distance, either they were keeping them at bay or something had already happened. He was betting on the latter due to the surprising lack of mobbing paparazzi surrounding them. Looking over to the quiet mares they were kind of protecting, he couldn't help but to catch the young one on the pink mare's back staring oddly at him as if there was something on his face. Seeing that on hoof they still had a ways to go, Soarin saw it as an opportunity to put things on track in a way.

“So do you all have Pegasi where you're from?” Soarin asked the filly.

The light blue Pegasus couldn't help but to notice the larger mare's ear turn in their direction. It was extremely obvious that she was interested in the conversation, but the pink mare who was carrying the filly either didn't care or was much better at hiding it.

“Umm, not really I guess… I’mean we got us Vamps, they can fly like y'all.” Applebloom responded with a hoof on her chin as if she had to really think about it.

“Vamps?” Both Soarin and Fleetfoot questioned simultaneously. Gale Force only shook his head in disbelief at his two comrades.

“Yep! Vampires, I guess y'all don't have many of them do ya. You know, wings all leathery like, narrow eyes, and cool fangs. They're kinda like mine; just a little smaller and sharper I guess." During the little fillies explanation of Vampires, Soarin couldn't help but to shiver a bit. "Oh, and ma name's Applebloom!”

“Nice to meet you,” Soarin gave himself a little mental hoof bump for playing his cards right. Looking at the little fillies' content face made him feel slightly bolder. All the tales he heard as a child about the dangers of the Everfree, just might be that… tales. Turning his attention to the pink mare harboring Applebloom on her back, it was time to take a bigger step. “So, you must be Pinkie Pie.”

“What gave it away?” Her question was direct, almost as if she was expecting a serious response. But he knew better, there was humor behind it.

“Oh I don't know, I think the touch of pink in your mane.” Soarin cheekily responded.

That in turn earned him Pinkie's full attention as her dull blue eyes scanned the talkative Pegasus up and down, almost as if she was sizing him up. Soarin however didn't back down, even with Gale in the rear of the group shaking his head in a firm no.

“I think… no, I'll know this will end well, I mean I don't know much about the Elements and stuff… but I- You'll like them.” Soarin stuttered through what he had to say, instantly reversing what little progress he thought he had.

“Smooth." Fleetfoot whispered, earning another wap from Gale. "Ow, whadda do wrong this time!”

Gale simply responded with a roll of his eyes.

“You know what, you Equestrian ponies are funny.” Pinkie calmly observed.

Applejack turned and acknowledged Pinkie’s statement. “Ya think.”

Feeling a bit stupid at that point, Soarin finally decided to take a bit of Gale’s advice and shut up. Unlike Applebloom, the two Elements were extremely guarded in terms of conversation. Almost as if they were saving their breath for the Princess and the others. Overall he had to admit that they were pretty scary looking, but they were still equine.

Applejack noticed the talkative stallion stuck in deep thought, and wondered if all Equestrian ponies talked as much as he did. The trip wouldn't be a long one, yet the stay was another situation altogether. Applejack could only assess the situation as it came, and at the moment it wasn't ideal with her little sister tagging along for the ride. She had yet to properly discipline her for sneaking out and following her all the way out of the Everfree.

The rest of the trip went off without any complications to note. Soarin kept surprisingly quiet, all except for the moments when Applebloom had questions. Like when they passed a Unicorn down the road, Soarin didn't know what to properly say when Applebloom mentioned that she had never met a Unicorn before. Fleetfoot staved off her boredom by flying and doing a few tricks along the way, despite Gale’s arguing. Pinkie was following Applejack's lead the whole way, keeping her eyes trained forward on the growing sight of Canterlot castle walls. The trek up the mountain had Applebloom slightly agitated because Applejack had made her walk most of the way. But that didn't hinder the filly from looking up in awe at the massive walls they began to near.

“Wow sis, that place is way bigger than Nightingale ain't it!” Applebloom exclaimed.

“It ain't small, I'll give it that much.” Applejack skeptically responded.

Pinkie chose not to say anything, instead she wore a wicked grin at the sight of the scrambling ponies on top of the castle walls. The pink mare could feel it in her bones, there was fun to be had beyond those gates. Unlike Applejack and her sister, she was no stranger to the nuances of Equestrian ponies. Even though she was forbidden years ago from entering Equestrian dreamscapes, she still did it anyway and learned much of what they were. Which was everything the Speakers thought they weren't, now was the time to cross a new bridge. Plus with Applejack being one of the newest Speakers to take the council, change would be imminent after history is made here.

As they got within a few yards of the castle doors, Everypony could hear the sound of what seemed like bugle horns. No matter what it was, the Wonderbolts reacted immediately and took to the sky. Leaving the Children of the Night by themselves as the large gates began to open. Getting as far as they had with only minor interruptions, the Children weren't expecting any manner of ambush or plot. But what they saw beyond the gates left them struck.

Princess Celestia herself had magically opened the gates, allowing the visitors to see her horn shine a bright gold as she stood tall heading what seemed like a small Honor guard that was flanking her sides. It only took a few moments to completely lower the gates in which the Children of the light could then fully recognize the size of the Alicorn before them. Even though Pinkie hadn't seemed all that impressed, Applejack's eyes were glued to the Ivory pillar that was Celestia and the scars that adorned her face.

“Wow.” Apple Bloom gawked from her position in between Applejack and Pinkie.

The princess almost seemed serene as she trotted past the gates to get a better look at her guests. It was a moment of realization that each party recognized all too clearly. The world was shifting in a direction that may very well lead to ruin or creation.

“I'm Princess Celestia, and it's my pleasure to welcome you to Canterlot as esteemed guests of Equestria.

“Hi, ma name's Apple Bloom!” Apple Bloom shouted excitedly.

The Princess gave her undivided attention to the filly as she knelt down to address the young one. Celestia looked past the fillies' more unusual features as she greeted her with a warm smile that earned one back in response. But Applejack was far less amused with the display, opting to cut the cuteness short with the clearing of her throat.

“Speaker Applejack, and Element of Honesty, the mare next to me is Pinkie Pie, Element of Laughter." Applejack wasted little time with pleasantries. "I've come to the understanding that y'all requested our aid. And I hope ya just didn't just rope us into some meet an’ greet.”

“I apologize for the way my ponies may have approached you and your friends. But they're attraction is nothing short of speculation and wonder.” The princess courtly replied.

There were a few more words exchanged between the Princess and Speaker Applejack as they began to move past the gates at the Princess’s request. Pinkie at the moment was content with staying silent, especially with Applejack's probing of the situation and the Princess. It didn't take much of an observant eye to tell that Everypony beyond the guards blocking the road they were traveling down had their vision trained on them. Whispers of fear and confusion were rampant among the colorful ponies. The sparking of horns in every direction was odd enough as it was for the trio, Pinkie still had an edge she couldn't shake off from being around so many unicorns. Still it was only a fraction of what Applejack must have been feeling at the moment. Keeping a strong posture against one of the most powerful magical beings in the known world had to be a new record.

Even though Pinkie did ensnare the Princess in her Dreamstate, that only happened because the Alicorn had humbled her. The princess’s consciousness still held a great deal of power even in a dream; there was no telling what she was truly hiding. The pink mare noticed that Applebloom had made her way back onto Applejack's back as they made their way to the large castle that kept growing as they neared. Still the Princess just as before seemed serene, but at that moment Pinkie swore she saw a break in the mask as the Princess turned to meet her dull blue eyes. Sadness, regret… whatever it was it was nothing but a flash, because the princess broke eye contact as soon as three figures appeared up on the front balcony. Two unicorns, one alabaster and the other one Pinkie clearly remembered as Twilight. Then there was a Pegasus hiding partially behind the two unicorns, it was hard to make out her face hiding behind her long pink bangs.

“I'm guessin’ they be your elements.” Applejack plainly stated.

“Yes they are my pupils, all individually accomplished and training to master their elements.” Celestia responded with a specific emphasis on the word there. Which caused Applejack to gaze up at the Princess with interest.

Applejack decided to drop it as they made it to the large double doors of the castle. That time however Two unicorn guards used their light blue magic to swing the gates open, and bowed to the Princess as they did so. Applebloom giggled at the guards, as she had never seen a pony do that before. Applejack and Pinkie just ignored them as they followed behind the Princess.

The castle was rather amusing to Applebloom, looking at all the strange portraits and ponies walking around in funny black and white dresses. Pinkie was also staring at them, although for different reasons as Applejack had noticed.

“ Pinkie…”

“I'm only observing, Speaker.” Pinkie slyly responded.

“Yes, I designed the maid dresses myself.” A courtly voice responded pridefully from behind them.

Pinkie and Applejack were greeted by an alabaster Unicorn, the same one that watched them from the balcony. Her coat was pristine and her indigo mane shimmering, everything about the mare spoke stature. Applejack however wasn't very impressed, but Pinkie knew her friend was only sizing up the advantage.

“Rarity, I thought we agreed to hold discussions in the dining hall.” The princess didn't sound pleased, nor did she seem surprised to find the mare somehow meeting them only mere moments after being seen from the balcony.

“I'm sorry princess, I had forgotten something err… rather important and I just rushed down. Fluttershy and Twilight are still waiting however.” Rarity responded.

Applejack's face soured at the Unicorns response. It was a bold faced lie, and a terrible one at that. That caused the large and imposing mare to turn her sharp gaze from the Unicorn, and the gesture wasn't lost to Rarity either.

“I'm sorry darling, did I happen to offend you?” Rarity politely asked, while holding a hoof to her chest.

“No, ya migh’ be offending y'all princess with all that lyin though.” Applejack drily responded

“Excuse me?” Rarity indignantly raised a brow.

Offense was taken, and the Princess recognized it. Stepping in between the two mare's as if by accident, the Princess looked down to Rarity, the heaviness in her purple eye on her was telling the young Unicorn all she needed to know. Rarity quickly turned tail and took a different path, and the Princess and her guests traveled down another.

“I Apologize for Rarity's excitement speaker Applejack, she is still very young and spirited.” Celestia calmly explained.

“What element she's supposed ta be?” The apology was apparently lost to the large Everfree pony.

“Generosity.”

“She's ain't proven.” Those three words raised a reaction from the Princess, one that Applejack didn't blink to.

Pinkie knew it was coming, she had or better yet hadn't felt it either. Rarity possessed no connecting to the elements whatsoever, thus there was no point in calling her one. But for Applejack to point it out as she had, was very dangerous to their mission. Also it was ignorant for the large orange pony to assume Solar Element's earned their figurative stripes the same way they did. Luckily it didn't look like the Alicorn took any offense, but they came to a complete stop at the guarded door before them.

With a deep sigh, the Princess turned towards the three Children of the Night. “The young one may not be present during our negotiations.”

“Apple Bloom goes where I go!" Applejack's swift and seemingly angry response prompted the two door guards to grip their spears. "If ya gonna-”

“Sis I'll be fine; besides, ya got Pinkie here with ya!” The mostly quiet filly piped up from Applejack's back.

“Apple Bloom… I, ya… fine." Applejack finally surrendered after she noticed Pinkie's critical gaze. Honesty then got a little closer to the critical pink mare and whispered "Keep track of her.”

Pinkie just nodded and helped Bloom off Applejack's back. And before the filly could trot off to the side, Pinkie’s tattooed hoof tapped her on the head.

“Thank you for complying, she will be treated respectfully and can wait in the guest wing of the Castle. Her movement will not be restricted from there." Celestia calmly explained. "Yellow Gate, please escort and watch over the young one.”

“Yes Princess.” The dull yellow mare saluted before leaving her post.

Applejack watched the guard suspiciously as she approached her little sister. Bloom was waving goodbye to ward off any fear, but her older sister couldn't shake off the thought of something going wrong. And that fear wasn't founded from the Equestrian’s doing something wrong, no, Applebloom was notoriously troublesome alone. Now she had another thing to worry about.

“Well, shall we then.” Pinkie gestured toward the large door with an odd knowing look on her face. One that Applejack hated with a passion, something was bound to go wrong.

Stoically the Princess nodded to the last guard at the door. Causing him to unlock them, allowing the heavy oak doors to swing open to reveal a long table with more than several ponies present. Applejack didn't seem impressed, yet the Princess was shocked; angry even. It was clear something was wrong, a foal could see it.

Its a Party

The Wonderbolts Headquarters, home to the most distinguished fliers in all of Equestria and possibly the world. Now it's also home to one of Equestria’s most daring surprise parties. The inside of the headquarters wasn't childishly decorated outside of a random banner here and there, however the stallion in charge of getting the refreshments together was a bit befuddled at the moment.

“Soarin, put back the Crown Cider…” His wonderbolt comrade Gale Force said from his neutral corner where he tried his best to stay uninvolved.

“Yea, put back MY Crown Cider!” Fleetfoot exclaimed while flying in with a very large bag of chips.

“Do we even know if they can drink alcohol, they're not exactly like us?” Another wonderbolt with a dark red mane added in as he trotted towards the flight pad doors.

Soarin just shivered at the thought of not being able to drink any booze. If he was anything that couldn't consume alcohol; he just wouldn't have been meant to exist. In the midst of his nonsensical thoughts, the main door was kicked open by a fiery Pegasus mare that everypony in the room knew. You could hear a pin drop at that moment, everypony just slowly turned their heads in silent blame towards Soarin. He was just as quiet as the rest as he uncorked the cider and took a large gulp before hacking a bit at its strong burn.

“Explain.” The mare’s voice was low and guttural.

“Look Spitfire I-”

“Captain!” The furious mare instantly corrected.

“Captain Spitfire, we-”

“You.” Gale also corrected from his corner.

“Fine… I just thought it would help if they got a real welcome you know, Not all that boring diplomatic whatnot.” Soarin tried his best to casually explain. However Everypony should have noted that he was failing miserably at it, and it only got worse as Captain Spitfire got closer.

“That boring diplomatic whatnot is what stops wars Soarin!" The Captain went into full drill mode as she was shouting in his face. "Not Crown Apple Cider!”

“Bu-”

“But nothing, I know you're all up in one of the Elements fluff… ugh, but this… this is not your job lieutenant.” The Captain's anger slowly ebbed away as she looked at the blue stallion's broken posture. At that point he was no longer looking at her, his eyes were expertly trained on the ground.

Silence filled the room for what felt like forever. Fleetfoot however decided it was high time to get her Cider back as she hovered over the broken stallion ready to snatch it. Yet it wasn't meant to be because right at that moment another mare trotted through the main door stealing everypony’s attention.

She was quickly identified as Fluttershy, the Element and the lieutenant’s marefriend.

“umm… Is everything ready Soarin?" Fluttershy barely squeaked while under Spitfire’s intense scrutiny. "The-they're almost here.”

Soarin just simply blinked as Spitfire slowly turned away from Fluttershy to give him a look that could only be described as impending death.

“You mean to tell me they are coming now.” Spitfire said through clenched teeth.

“Surprise!” Gale shouted sarcastically from his corner.

Sensing the problem immediately, Fluttershy inhaled a large breath and centered herself for what she was about to do.

“Umm Miss Captain Spitfire... mam” The butterscotch mare called out, a bit louder than usual.

Still looking at Soarin, Spitfire morphed from a demon ready to unload, to a mare ready to greet a young filly as she turned on point to look at Fluttershy. With an oddly courteous yes, the exchange Soarin had dreaded… was just now initiated.

“The Party was all my idea Miss Captain mam, I didn't have any help and Soarin volunteered himself.” Fluttershy lied, like she had been doing it all her life.

Spitfire just tilted her head.

“If I have broken any rules, I'll personally pay the price for them… After we… have the party.” Fluttershy stuttered a bit at the end, losing much of her steam.

“I see.” Spitfire said, honestly she wasn't born yesterday. But the Element of Kindness was currently petitioning on the behalf of her idiot lieutenant.

“Captain don't!” Soarin tried to intercede, but his face was met with Spitfire's outstretched hoof.

“If they are already coming, you'll take full responsibility for whatever happens here.’ Spitfire paused for a moment. "Then it's settled, Wonderbolts; let's make a good impression.”

There were a few shocked and disbelieving faces in the room. Even Soarin was frozen as Spitfire casually trotted past him, stealing the Cider right out of his hoof to take a long swig of her own.

“Hey, can I not have anything nice!” Fleetfoot complained.

Both Soarin and Fluttershy released the breath that they were both holding to look at each other with relieved expression. Fluttershy then looked beyond her stallion to see the causal set up of the Wonderbolts HQ. It was clear he was able to rally some more help even after Twilight and her got done the night before. She was almost proud of him, and herself to a lesser extent. Still they had much to do, and Twilight couldn't keep them busy for long. Especially that Applejack, much like herself, that pony wasn't much of a small talker.

“I'm sorry, but I gotta get back to Twilight…” Fluttershy said quietly, causing Soarin just to simply step forward and gently kiss the mare on her cheek.

“Be safe, and thank you.”

The couple were both Blushing immensely after the display of affection. Fluttershy was the first to flutter away through the door, leaving Soarin feeling very justified for everything he had done. On the other side of the door and now down the corridor, Fluttershy was feeling exactly the same way. The butterscotch Pegasus never dreamed that she’d find herself in the position she was in now. A very important element, a committed relationship, and two friends that cared unconditionally for her. She could almost attribute much of her success to an old friend that would set an example for her day in and out. The same friend that… lost her life protecting her to the very end. But before her mood could be entirely dampened by bygone memories, Fluttershy saw something strange from outside a window she passed.

Stepping back, Fluttershy squinted hard to see Rarity out in the shade of the east courtyard with the two stallions that had accompanied the Prince. She knew she shouldn't, but whatever Rarity was doing out there seemed strange to the Pegasus. So calming herself, Fluttershy closed her eye’s to allow the Element of Kindness to reach out and absorb the aura of the situation. One of the stallions was completely enamored with Rarity, the other seemed reluctant to give any ground to her friend. Being interested in whatever Rarity was doing to have that type of effect on the stallions, she focused harder on her friend.

“Oh my…” Fluttershy couldn't believe what she had felt. The emotion was so different from what she had ever experienced from her friend that it shattered her concentration.

Still gazing out the window, Fluttershy didn't even notice Twilight and the Lunar Elements turning the corner. Twilight was still chatting up Applejack when she noticed Fluttershy's stuck form before her. Pinkie just followed her gaze out the window to spot the white Unicorn talking to the stallions from their meeting. Her stance was provocative and blue eyes half lidded, Pinkie could literally see the stallions melting in front of the young mare. Admittedly she wouldn't have minded being in their positions.

“Nice.” Pinkie said out loud, breaking Fluttershy's trance.

“Huh, oh Fluttershy did you check on things?” Twilight asked, unsure of the context of the pink mare's comment. Looking out the same window, Twilight saw nothing besides the usual fauna and statues out in the courtyard.

“Yes…”

“Great, now if you'd follow me. We’d like to show you the Wonderbolts Canterlot Headquarters.” Twilight had her best tour guide impersonation going at the moment.

“Them Wonderbolts suppos’ to be the best Fliers in the world?” Applejack asked uncharacteristically, much to her little sister's amusement. Who was currently piggybacking on Applejack at the moment.

“I well… Yes that's the claim, their Capitan holds several impressive records among the majority of worlds flying race's. And the rest of them are all highly esteemed as well, the long past Captain Easy Glider was the first to claim as such." Twilight finished, however she was now curious as to why the large Everfree mare would ask such a question. She had barely spoken much outside of the conference room. "If you don't mind me asking, so your ponies already know of the Wonderbolts?”

Applejack looked down at the little Unicorn at first. But decided to reply as she had now just stopped their progress down the hall. But it seemed as though Apple Bloom had something on her mind.

“I bet Colors is faster than them!” Apple Bloom blurted out much to the Lunar Elements surprise.

“Consarnit Bloom…” Applejack sighed.

“What?” Apple Bloom failed to understand the problem.

“Colors?” Twilight was now interested as well.

“Nopony important, but to ya previous question. Yes, we have a similar organization ya could say. They were modeled after them Wonderbolts ages ago.” Applejack said, surrendering a little bit of information.

“Fascinating!" Twilight nearly scared the daydreaming Fluttershy out of her feathers. "Sorry, so you do know of events and culture’s outside of the Everfree.”

“Ah wouldn't go that far.”

“I see…” Twilight internally cursed at hitting another conversational wall with the large orange mare.

As they silently turned the corner to the Wonderbolts corridor, Twilight stopped short of tripping over her own hooves when she saw Rarity. The previously absent mare was courteously waiting next to the entrance, it didn't take an expert to tell that something was astray with the young Unicorn. It didn't take long to see what was the problem as the two stallions from the conference came into view from the adjacent hallway to nervously stand next to Rarity.

“Why girls, these two fine gentlecolts would like to introduce themselves.”

The Unicorn stallion to the right of Rarity first stepped forward, a bit hesitant however. “My name is Pen Esquire, owner and chief editor of the Canterlot Esquire.”

Twilight instantly felt like a fool for not recognizing him. He was short, round, brown, and his taste for tacky suits should've been signal enough. Pen Esquire had always been a thorn in the Princess's side when it came to political squabbles. Often enough his paper catered to the Canterlot Elite and their pocketbooks, making him little more than a puppet to the likes of the Prince. Still even if Twilight failed to notice him immediately, the princess wasn't the type to forget faces. Meaning it wasn't her nephew's intervention per se that caused her alarm, it was his extended company.

“Allow me to introduce myself as well, My name is Regal Ring. I might be lesser known to the public than my associate, but I-” The second puffed up Unicorn was rudely interrupted by Twilight before he could even finish.

“You own one of Equestria's most exclusive banking sectors… Also a financier for Canterlot's School for Gifted Unicorns.” Twilight prattled off.

“Ah, I see you're very knowledgeable. I apologize for my becoming nature. But I hope we're not intruding because we've been invited to, oh how should I put it.” The Unicorn tapped his chin for a moment. “Tag Along.”

Steps away, just a few of them till everything would either come together or unravel. Now with what Rarity had thrown into the mix with, Twilight was extremely unsure of herself and their so-called party. The Lunar Elements so far had barely shown the slightest interest in things outside of the conference. Not saying she didn't understand why, they seem to have a lot more on the line at the moment then they do.

That was it, Twilight was falling back into Plan B. She couldn't go through with it now.

“The more the merrier.” Pinkie said in a monotone voice that completely betrayed the context of her words. But what was more shocking was her taking lead over Twilight.

The pink mare stepped past the two stallions and crossed paths with Rarity for where in a brief moment they made eye contact. Pinkie’s full expressionless blue eyes met Rarity's vibrant seas of blue, there was more than just understanding crossing them. They were both playing the same dangerous game, just on different boards.

“Well then, I see no further reason to stall.” Rarity stated joyfully.

“Yes…” Twilight responded hopefully.

Wanting to regain control of the situation and not let her plans fall completely to the wayside, Twilight trotted ahead of the forward pink mare. Rarity stayed close to the two unpleasantly invited Stallions, as Fluttershy swallowed her embarrassment and fell in line.

Applejack didn't understand that alabaster unicorn one bit. The way she provocatively swayed her hips in front of those stallions as she walked, and the conceited grin that she maintained was nothing but trouble. The large orange mare could see a temptress when she crossed one. Her guard was up, yet Pinkie seemed as though she was enjoying the distractions. Her undisciplined nature was aggravating Applejack to absolutely no end. Frustration once again was taking hold, that was until she felt Applebloom's grip tighten on her back.

“Sis, ya alrigh’.” Apple Bloom whispered.

Applejack, almost forgot about her little sister, decidedly chose to remain silent. If it wasn't going to be Pinkie, then she had to keep her wits about her.

“Well without further interruptions, I present to you…” Twilight gulped as she began to open the door with her magic. “The Wonderbolts Headquarters.”

With the doors now wide open, Applejack just blinked in total confusion. She turned her head to see the two stallions with the same expression written on their faces as well. The place was oddly decorated with a few banners and what not randomly strewn across the place. In the center of it all was a table filled with snacks and food, however there were no Wonderbolts in sight.

“A party?” Pinkie's question filled the void.

Nopony could gauge the context behind the mare's question. She didn't seem insulted, nor did she seem surprised in the slightest. Instead it was Soarin who swooped down from the entryway to salvage the wavering situation.

“Long time no see, eh?” Soarin at that moment was visibly sweating as he landed in front of the group, seemingly from out of nowhere.

“Ha” Pinkie's Face broke into a terrifying face splitting smile. Bringing all of her vociferous teeth to bear, she turned back to the petrified speaker, her voice still betraying the words coming out of her mouth. “Let's have some fun.”

Soarin glanced at the two uninvited stallions and cursed under his breath as he recognized the short pudgy one. He had no idea what was going on to involve Pen Esquire, but the captain was really going to flip top on him after all. With his own demise impending, Soarin threw caution to the wind and swung his hooves open in invitation.

“Welcome to The Wonderbolts Canterlot HQ… uh, make yourself at home!” Soarin’s theatrical display did cause a bit of tension to unwind as Everypony could hear Fluttershy giggle a bit from behind the group.

Twilight even cracked a small smile as she took the first few steps into the place. And as soon as Everypony was inside and getting settled, something that could be considered as ‘chill’ music began to play. Which confused most of the Wonderbolts as they had no clue where the music was coming from. That was until Everypony honed in and slowly turned to an occupied Pinkie fiddling with two large speakers.

“What in the?” Soarin was in disbelief.

“Were they not yours?” Twilight's question was answered with a simple shake of the head. Twilight then turned to the unamused Applejack, who looked as if she’d seen worse.

“She does that.”

“What materializes objects out of thin air?” Twilight rebutted.

“Yes.”

Twilight just looked up at the lunar element with a hint of annoyance. How could she just leave it at a yes, what was just performed was nothing short of a miracle.

“Well here are the guests of the hour… and company?” Spitfire said, while entering the room to see a face she loathed like no other.

“My dear Spitfire, sadly I'm not here to interview you on your interesting methods of leadership today.” Pen Esquire said all proudly while straightening his suit with his magic. “But I must say, treating our esteemed diplomats to this little soiree is interesting to say the least.”

Spitfire's left eye twitched as she scanned the room to find her lieutenant expertly hiding behind his marefriend. But right before she could release fire and fury, she was approached by Rarity.

“I'm sorry darling for their intrusion, but it was pertinent that they joined us tonight.” Rarity tactfully stated.

“Yea, I'm sure.” Spitfire muttered under her breath wondering if it all was a set up.

“Ahem, allow me to introduce you to Applejack and… where did she go?” Rarity gestured to the now unoccupied music.

Applejack cursed under her breath, they didn't need to go through this at the moment. Sitting down where she was at, she allowed her little sister to slide off her back. Without a word even spoken, Apple Bloom knew what she had to do.

“No matter, from what I understand you're the one who does most of the conversation anyway.” The gray stallion known as Regal Ring stepped towards Applejack.

“Hm?” Applejack wasn't too sure of him, and with Pinkie awol…

“No need to be so guarded my lady, may we speak over some of the refreshments the Wonderbolts have graciously provided.” Regal extended a polite hoof for her to lead. “Everything Equestria has to offer must be vastly different where you come from.”

As Regal Ring began to chat up Applejack, Twilight looked around. Fluttershy was with Soarin because of course she was, and Rarity was steering Pen Esquire towards the food all the while keeping his attention. The little Unicorn sighed, everything was almost going according to plan, however she didn't like how Pinkie just vanished in the middle of the room, what was her game?

“Sup.”

“Gah!” Twilight nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of her dragon assistant Spike, who was currently munching on a cupcake. “Spike!”

“Heh, it's alright Twilight, you know I don't bite.” Spike all but snickered with a mouth full of cupcakes.

“Don't talk with your mouth full… and where did you even get that thing?” Twilight asked. Scanning the table where the majority of the food and Wonderbolts were at, she didn't see a iota of sugary sweets.

Spike kept chewing for a second before replying the second time around. As he swallowed his last bite, he pointed a claw to the Wonderbolts flight pad outside. “The creepy looking pink pony gave it to me.”

Twilight just blinked, firstly Spike just took food from a creepy looking pony he didn't even know, secondly why was she out there. The little Unicorn slowly made her way towards the door to the flight pad with spike in tow. Getting closer to the clear glass doors, she could clearly see three ponies outside. Pinkie, Applejack's little sister, and Spitfire all sitting looking out into the setting sun. Opening the doors with her magic she was able to understand what they were saying.

“And she was like, oatmeal… are you crazy?” Pinkie's distinct dull voice was easily recognizable.

The other two ponies began to laugh earnestly at what seemed to be a joke Twilight completely missed.

“I’ve always liked that one!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“Gotta hoof it to you, it was pretty good.” Spitfire said, while nursing a drink.

“I know.”

Twilight could almost hear it, the Pinkie from the dreamscape flashed before her mind. She nearly stopped breathing at her sudden revelation, all of her prior preconceptions of what the Lunar Elements truly were may have been entirely false. All though her new thesis couldn't be formed from a metaphorical light bulb. Pinkie's casual display of her abilities are the only thing she has to go on, Applejack had yet to reveal what honesty or her connection to Alicorn magic was capable of. Not to mention the absence of the bearer of Loyalty.

“Twilight, you're doing it again…” Spike dead-panned.

That stole the attention of the three ponies sitting on the pad.

“Miss magic, care to join us?” Pinkie beckoned, causing Twilight to blink away her thoughts and slowly approached the trio.

“Hi.” Twilight feebly replied.

“Trying to imitate the cute yellow one?” Pinkie teased in only a way she could.

Twilight was trying to fight back the blush from her sudden fumble, but luckily Spike was there to recover for her.

“Hey, that's not nice!” The little drake puffed up, trying to give an air of dominance.

A dominance that was immediately shattered by the Pink mare turning slowly to loom over Spike. She slightly tilted her head to the right, allowing her cascading dark pink mane to fall to one side. With an unblinking stare, Everypony was deathly silent. Spike could almost feel his soul ready to leave his body at that moment.

“You want another cupcake.” Her words were balanced, but contained an honesty that only Applejack could match.

“Y-yes.” Spike stuttered.

“How about you Bloom?”

“Do I!” Applebloom's reply was a bit more expect of a child getting ready to receive sweets.

Pinkie Pie looked between the confused Twilight and Spitfire before waving a hoof for the two young ones to lean in close to her. They both did so without hesitation, which surprised Twilight, because Spike was scared half to death there for a second. Pinkie leaned down to the two and shielded a hoof between them and the two other ponies present. She whispered for a few seconds, leaving Twilight pondering what she was saying.

“Really!” Spike replied ecstatically.

“I'll Pinkie promise ta that!” Apple Bloom jumped.

Pinkie then glanced at Spike.

“Oh, right… I Pinkie promise!” Spike did a few exaggerated actions to follow along.

“Huh?” Before Twilight could mouth off a question, both Apple Bloom and Spike shot off back inside.

“Huh is right.” Spitfire extended, taking another swig of what was in her cup.

Pinkie sat back down, now looking at nothing but the last vestiges of the setting sun. She could feel the so-called party inside, some were having fun, others not so much. The dull pink mare wondered what it would take to make it all work, and in her current state that answer was far from her reach. But looking over to the Wonderbolts captain, she saw familiarity. That mare was what Colors could've been, instead of-

“You're a strange one you know.” Spitfire commented nonchalantly. “But you mean well, I respect that.”

“I- well if you don't mind me asking, why aren't you two inside?” Twilight questioned.

“Hey, I found her out here.” Spitfire playfully defended from her sitting position.

“I needed some air.” Pinkie responded next.

As Twilight decided to settle in as well, a loud bang was heard inside. Pinkie didn't even turn an ear to it, but Spitfire hopped up on defense, and when she could hear the arguing voice of Fleetfoot, it was an emergency. Without a word, the captain nodded to the two before swiftly flying back through the glass doors. That just left magic and laughter sitting outside. Neither one of them spoke for a few minutes, just opting to watch the moon take the sun's place in the vast sky.

“That was the real me.” Pinkie said seemingly out of nowhere, somehow clued in on Twilight's thoughts.

“Then who… no, what are you?” Twilight instantly switched in research mode, bringing back much of her confidence from the prior evening.

“Was hoping to find that out myself.” That time Pinkie had decidedly made eye contact, and the sincerity was evident in her full blue eyes.

“I see…” Twilight averted her gaze for a moment to reflect. “I want to help you.”

“Hmm?”

“The magic you possess, it's painful isn't it… Alicorn magic is extremely volatile and even with your element as a cage presumably, it still seeps into you.” Twilight grew in intensity as she saw the full moon on display. “I'm sorry.”

Pinkie blinked in surprise at the little Unicorn's pity. All in all, that was the first time in a long while somepony displayed anything like that around her. The gift of the Everfree was nothing to be pitied by the Council's standards at least, but she knew her gift was nothing more than a gifted wrapped curse. It was alleviating to hear another pony say it in a way, even if it was indirect.

Pinkie concluded her thoughts by getting up and turning towards the door. Twilight just looked up at her, wondering if she was offended by what she said.

“...” Twilight didn't know what to say.

“Come on, it's a party.” Pinkie said, giving her a small smile that was perhaps the most sincere thing Twilight had seen from her up to that point.

Twilight looked to the full moon once more and thought it was a bit strange. But she could put a hoof on it at the moment, so she turned away from it and followed Pinkie towards the glass doors.

Betrayal, A Nightmare Begins

“I didn't expect those results.” Twilight humbly admitted to Rarity as the two made their way to the conference room from yesterday.

“I take risks for our sake darling, I want this to work as much as you do.” Rarity reassured.

The party of the prior night almost looked like a failure, until Pinkie's casual antics cut through much of the tension. She somehow managed to convince some of the Wonderbolts into a spontaneous dance off as she changed the music randomly. Causing most of them to look like fools dancing to the ever-changing beat. Not to mention Regal Ring's talks with honesty somehow bore fruit, because they managed to talk the whole night. About what, nopony really knew, but the cautious Applejack was actually enjoying herself for the first time since her arrival. Rarity could've sworn she heard something about apples, but she couldn't be too sure.

“Rarity?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you worry about not waking your element in time?” Twilight had never asked her that question, nor did she ever intend to. Yet the question was critical of the moment, it would be something that would have to be addressed soon. They barely had a week left.

“Hmm, don't worry yourself Darling.” Rarity's response was cold. The young Unicorn's trot slowed a bit as she thought harder on it. “No missteps can be afforded now can it, I'm here.”

Twilight didn't respond after that, she should have phrased the question differently, or not opened her muzzle at all. Still there were too many variables floating around in Twilight's head. As the small Unicorn looked down the hallway, she spotted one of the variables visibly agitated.

Regal Ring, the tall and stout Unicorn noble was in the middle of a conversation with Blueblood right in front of the conference room. Pen Esquire was nowhere to be seen, which at face value was a good thing for the negotiations.

“They are monsters!” Blueblood fumed, trying to inject his misplaced fears into the other noble.

“I understand your views my Prince, but they are ideological views unfounded by any of our distinguished scholars. We have yet to explore our scientific and magical avenues with our new neighbors. Perhaps this alliance will grant us the chance.” Regal’s counter gave the Prince pause, that was until he saw the two mare's slowly approaching.

“This was her doing.” Blueblood growled, sticking an accusatory hoof out at Rarity.

“You insult me, my decision is my own. Take my humble advice, we are looking at the winning horse. Surely Sir Esquire could turn this into favorable publicity for the both of us, my Prince." With that, Regal bowed to Blueblood. “I must apologize, but my time here is over, I must attend to school business.”

Regal raised his head, and trotted in the direction of Rarity. Where she smiled and he winked back in return, something Twilight hadn’t expected in the slightest. Had Rarity truly gained noble favor overnight, what did she offer him?

“I don't know what you did, peasant, but this isn't over. I'll protect my country till my last breath.” Blueblood seethed, unaware of the looming presence behind him.

“That's my job Prince.” Shining Armor said, holding very little patience for Blueblood.

Not far behind the guard captain also stood the Princess. She however looked far less impressed, if that were even possible. Blueblood paled at the sight of the Princess, she literally looked like she had slept in Tartarus overnight. Before anything else could be said, a contingent of guards came stomping into view behind the Princess. They were armed to the teeth; spears, shields, swords, and all the effects that came with them. Twilight was mortified as she glanced at her older brother to notice his expression had darkened.

“Begone.” That was all the Princess had to say, and like that, the Prince turned tail without another word of defiance.

With the hallway cleared, Shining made a single gesture with his hoof and the guards marched down the hallway. Taking station at every door, entrance, and window down the hallway. Rarity looked outside to see armored Pegasi doing the same thing outside. She could only assume the worst.

“No, no, no…” Twilight shook her head in disbelief.

The Princess stepped toward Twilight and leaned down. Her expression was one of sorrow as she looked her student in the eyes.

“It's not what you think, but still very dire. The magical anomaly has far exceeded our expectations.”

“Wha-” Twilight was baffled.

“It's expanding exponentially at the center of Ponyville, a small town to the south. We won't make it in time by flight or train, we're going to mass teleport.” The Princess explained clearly.

“I thought you said it was extremely dangerous.” Twilight skeptically rebutted.

“Alone, yes. However between you, shining, and I; we'll have more than enough to cast the spell.” The Princess reassured, standing back to her full height she turned to the window. “We'll require the use of your element.”

“If I cast the spell, I'll still be here won't I?”

“That's why I'm casting it.” Shining stepped forward, armor clunking as he approached. “I'm not short of talent Twily, I'll be able to handle the channeling.”

Twilight froze for a second before clearing all her negative thoughts. “I understand.”

“What of Fluttershy, and our Everfree guests?” Rarity added in.

“Fluttershy is here.” The Princess gestured to her left, to where they finally noticed the shy butterscotch mare sitting quietly in the corner of the hallway. Blushing a bit, Fluttershy feebly waved to them.

“And when I told the Speaker, she immediately took the pink pony and said to meet them there.” Shining said, concluding what the Princess started.

The danger was just increased two-time after Shining’s statement. Twilight then took action, she told Rarity to get back as she lit horn. It illuminated a bright purple as she called on her element to bolster her magical potential and fortitude. After the calling was complete, her eyes were a solid white and horn constantly a glow. Most of the guards looked in awe, even The non-unicorns could feel the magical pressure around them.

“Ready!” Twilight proclaimed.

The Princess did similar, however her effects were much different. As a magical visible emanated from her, surrounding her entire body in a bright glow. Rarity had never witnessed anything as inspiring as the Princess’s display of magical potential. Shining however just hoped he wouldn't burn his horn to a crisp casting the spell. Sure he could put on a show himself, but seeing their display just put them in a different league. He could only imagine what the Princess’s magic potential must've been in her prime.

“Captain, after you cast the spell, secure the castle and its surroundings. I'm effectively placing a gag on your orders, there may not be any discussions outside of my council!” Celestia's voice boomed, her natural leadership on clear display

The Captain and the guards all saluted. “Understood!”

“Start the channeling, and cast on ten.” Celestia commanded.

Twilight's horn grew impossibly brighter as she aimed it at her brother, the Princess followed. They both shot a steady beam of concentrated magic straight to his horn, his eyes immediately glowed from the surge of power. The pain from it was also immeasurable, but shining was trained and disciplined. He would wait patiently, any pain was worth his country and his family's safety.

“Ten.” Celestia calmly began the count down.

“Nine.”

“Eight.”

The guard's were gripping tightly to their weapons, afraid of the possible feedback from the spell.

“Seven.”

“Six.”

“Five.”

Shining had just begun to mentally compile the spell in his head. There couldn't be a single mistake in the formula, everything had to be perfect. He had to thread the magical needle so to speak, and he couldn't have been more alive.

“Four.”

“Three.”

“two.”

“one, cast!”

Shining’s horn illuminated with the combined magic, and within a millisecond after the entire area was engulfed in a blinding flash of light. After that, they were gone without a trace. Shining collapsed to the ground from pure pain and effort, he knew it worked, it took everything out of him… but it worked.

Shining looked to his concerned comrades before stepping back up to his hooves with an exhausted sway. “...Well, we got a job to do!”

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Ponyville was in a state of panic, the small hamlet had just been shaken to its core by the sudden appearance of the rogue magic in the middle of town. Town hall was completely leveled as it ballooned outward to consume much of the area. It was black, shapeless, and erratic in its snail-like movements. It seemed to move as the ponies fled, but when all seemed still, it also mimicked the absence of movement. But it was being observed from a cloud afar, two cloaked figures sat barely visible from the ground below.

“I have to say this should've been expected, but I guess the council wanted to play nice with those Equestrians.” one of the cloak figures commented, his voice sounded very old and dry, that of a pony who’d been smoking for years.

The other cloak figure was just flicking their chromatic tail in frustration.

The cloaked stallion to first speak lifted his hood a bit to reveal his dark gray muzzle, two protruding fangs, and light yellow bat-like eye. He looked up to the sun with a small scowl on his face. “What an eyesore.”

That only kept his attention for a short while however. A deafeningly loud pop was heard nearby, causing both cloaked ponies ears to stand in attention. The stallion completely dropped his black hood once he pinpointed the location of the noise. To the south of them, near the old farms a large Alicorn and three other ponies could clearly be seen. Still none of the fleeing residents seemed to notice their appearance yet.

“Colors, roundup what's needed, this old bat has a date with royalty.” The bat pony said, before completely decloaking. Revealing his fluid and unbreaking tattoo that swept across his whole back and over his left flank to the point of nearly obscuring his destiny mark.

Turning to where Colors once was, he expectedly saw just empty space in her place. As she flew off to execute his orders, the old stallion couldn't help but to chuckle at her eagerness to prove. But he has other matters to attend to, looking back at the old farm, he could see the four steadily approaching the town square.

“Rarity, Fluttershy; I will require the both of you to rally the citizens to a safe location to where we may address them. We must get a clear picture of what happened, and who's… hurt.” The Princess commanded as they trotted. “Twilight, make preparations for a sealing circle around the magic. Also I cannot stress the importance of not getting too close, that goes for all of you my students.”

“And you?” Rarity questioned.

The Princess didn't respond, instead she just held a hoof to the side, signaling everypony to stop in place. They all traced their Princesses eye to the sky, where they all spotted a slowly descending figure. The closer it got, the less it looked familiar. Leathery wings, large pointed ears, ash gray thick fur, and eerie bat-like yellow eyes. At that point it was exceedingly clear what they were dealing with, and then they noticed the tattoo once the stallion got slightly closer. Now they knew who they were dealing with

“A Vampony?” Fluttershy whispered.

“Loyalty!” Twilight proclaimed.

“None other.” The older stallion said as he gracefully landed before them.

Celestia's eye just steadily inspected the stallion that was supposed to be Loyalty. It had been far too long since she was able to see a true pony of her sister's pedigree. They had always been reclusive even before her mistake of a thousand years past. And to see one as the element of Loyalty, it did little to show the true depths of their servitude to her sister. Celestia blinked, quickly realizing she had been ogling him for far too long.

“My apologies, my-”

“Yes, I know who you are, your majesty. Not to mention your elements as well, I got quite the report from Pinkamena.” The stallion chuckled. “My name is Black Star, element of loyalty.”

“Are you here to help?” Rarity question from behind the Princess.

Black Star flashed the young Unicorn a winning grin before responding. “Better actually, I plan on ending it here… this opportunity is unprecedented.”

“Where is Honesty and Laughter, are they not required?” The Princess was growing increasingly impatient with his apparent stalling.

At the mentioning of the other two elements, Black Star looked off towards the Everfree forest. He actually had little clue of where they were at the time, which would be a bad response to the Princesses question. They had contacted him about the emergency, however he knew Speaker Applejack. There was a chance that she was currently petitioning the council to act immediately on the matter. Either way, he wasn’t going to be on standby till deliberation took its course, Colors should be done with their preparations at any moment

“I sense your impatience, allow me to explain as we approach the cause of our discussion.” Black Star then began to hover over the three as Celestia took the lead once again. “I'm sure you were informed of how we can rid ourselves of this problem, correct?”

Celestia nodded to Twilight, granting her permission to speak fully on the matter.

“We were told the basics of your plan… The intention is to draw out the root of the magic, let it manifest and neutralize it. But didn't go into detail, this just threw our schedule into a blender!” Twilight pointed out all the while trudging forward, still exhausted from her exertion of effort.

“We shouldn't do it here…” Fluttershy whispered up to the Princess.

She nodded in agreement. “Fluttershy is correct, we can't afford to let Nightmare Moon manifest in the middle of a town filled with innocent ponies.” Celestia turned to look the confused Stallion in his eyes. “We will contain it with a barrier and relocate it while we have it in our brief control.”

Star scoffed. “Relocate?”

“Forcefully if we have to.” The Princess reassured.

Black Star looked very agitated with the Princesses response, Fluttershy could see it clear as day. As they Reached the outer rim of the town, panicked voices could be heard all around. Everypony was extremely frightened, Fluttershy was absorbing those emotions like a sponge. Remembering what the Princess said, she knew she had to help them. Looking to her right, she could see a little filly crying, barely hidden behind an abandoned merchant's stand. Fluttershy instantly flew to the fillies aid, and Rarity wasn't too far behind as well. That left Twilight with the Princess and the Lunar Element, who had been oddly quiet since the Princess effectively blocked his plan.

Or so she had thought, because as they finally reached the town square to observe the anomaly there was a cloaked pony waiting for them.

“I can't allow you to contain it.” Black Star bluntly stated.

The Princess looked at the destruction caused by that mistake. The magic was still slowly expanding, and it seemed as the Princess grew near, it started to wobble and make noise. It had already grown to the size of several house's, it became painfully apparent that the situation would become unmanageable soon. Now she was unsure if they could contain it, but letting it manifest in the center of a town was unacceptable. They needed more time, that was all there was to it.

“Princess?” Twilight questioned.

“He made it clear he had not.” The Princess responded as her face grew grim. “He intends on reviving his master now...”

Black Star first looked shocked, then that expression morphed into a melancholy one.

“I guess my reports were wrong, you're still sharp as a tack.” Black Star chuckled solemnly.

“I don't understand I tho-” Twilight's panic was interrupted by a new pair of interlopers.

“Star!” The distinct voice of Applejack was heard in the distance.

The large husky orange mare was galloping on to the scene, heading straight for the other Speaker. At that point, no pony knew what was going on. The cloaked pony that had been removed from the situation was the first to act. But was immediately met with a pink wall as Pinkie dove seemingly from nowhere to topple the ponies advance, knocking the ponies cloak to the wayside. Twilight was shocked to see that the pony wasn't exactly like the other Everfree ponies they've encountered. She was a Pegasus, at least from her downed angle she could see her cyan feathered wings. Pinkie was restraining the mare with her superior strength, that didn't stop her from thrashing violently however.

“This is uncalled for…” Star immediately took to the sky to avoid Applejack's charge.

Yet he didn't see the lasso tied across her back as he dodge her. Applejack skidded to a stop, it was so sudden that her trademark sexton had flown straight off her head as she clamped down on her lasso. Recognizing the new danger, he flew higher and perched himself on top of a building. Wearing a sick smirk, he sat down and watched the frustrated Applejack pace back and forth.

“You yella bellied coward!” Applejack shouted.

“I'm the coward? I'm not the one who forgot what it truly meant to be a Speaker!” Black Star shouted back.

The Princess stayed removed from the situation, instead choosing to watch the stallion with a critical eye. Twilight however didn't know what to do, was he really loyalty.

“As Speakers we are meant to consult with our master! Not betray and desecrate her name in foolish attempts to forget what we are!” Black Star then looked to the sun. “We are monster's to the natural world, never to be understood by anything outside of our kind!”

His voice caused the cyan mare that was under Pinkie to rally. She was getting ready to throw Pinkie off with all the strength she could muster. But before she could, Pinkie's tattoo glowed a bright blue before she literally struck the Pegasus once in the head. The strike had effectively put her to sleep, finally giving Pinkie a chance to turn and face Black Star as well.

“This isn't funny Star… why did you have to involve her in this?” Pinkie growled as she got off the sleeping Pegasus.

“Don't worry your pink little head, she’ll play her part. I will save our master, our princess; even if it costs me my life. After a thousand years of slumber, she returns to claim what is rightfully hers.” Black Star said as if rehearsed, his sharp eyes scanning all the ponies before him.

The Princess had enough, she stepped forward with full intentions of ending it all swiftly. Her move wasn't lost on the old bat pony, because he unfurled his wings in defense. His gesture was nothing but a means to release the smoke screen pellets he had been hiding. As soon as they made contact with the roof, a thick plume of black smoke exploded and obscured their sight of the rogue Element. Applejack, who was visibly shaking with rage, called on her Element, causing her tattoo to glow green as well. Her eyes then became a solid green as well, her pupils were completely lost behind the brightness of her eyes.

Applejack looked up at the smoke, then to the strange magic and behind herself. “The vermin fled somehow?”

Applejack wasn't entirely sure how, but he had completely vanished. Evading even her truth seeking eyes, but something else illuminated in her vision off in the distance. Focusing harder, she could see through several buildings and in distant alleys several distinct glyphs stood out. Applejack instantly canceled her element just so Everypony could see the panic in her eyes.

“What in the- Run, get away from that accursed thing!” Applejack shouted.

No pony questioned her command, because The Princess instantly lit her horn and engulfed Everypony in her magic, even the Everfree ponies. She waited a moment, and then heard several explosions from every direction. The magical anomaly reacted violently to the chain reaction of explosions, they literally heard it groan before it began to move towards Celestia at an unforeseen speed. That's when she realized that she had no choice, squinting her single eye, she casted the Teleport spell. It wouldn't send them far, but it would buy them time.

Twilight wanted to scream, but her voice died in her throat when she realized she was back at the old farm. Looking around, she saw everypony else, except for the Princess.

“Of course.” Twilight looked down at her hooves blankly. That was until she heard Applejack arguing with Pinkie, then at that moment her heart was filled with rage. “This was your plan all along…”

“Here we go.” Pinkie rolled her eyes, further frustrating the small Unicorn.

“All that talk, and you just betray us!” Twilight screamed.

“We ain't betrayin’ nopony, he's actin’ on his own!” Applejack shouted back.

Twilight stomped towards the larger and more intimidating orange mare with a snarl on her face that’d put a Timberwolf to shame. “The Princess may have very well died protecting us!”

Applejack didn't back down either. “Do I have to say it again. We ain't betrayin’ nopony, so don't do nothin’ ya gonna regret.”

Twilight felt nothing but unbridled rage, a rage she had never felt before. She wanted to rip them into two, there was nothing they could say otherwise to stop her. Somepony had to answer, their life's might as well already be over. Lighting her horn, she didn't even notice Fluttershy arriving swiftly from the air in uncharacteristic fashion and jumping in between them, but it was too late. In Twilight's rage she had fired the spell, it was going to hit Fluttershy square. Yet a chromatic blur shoved Fluttershy out of harm's way and simultaneously deflected the spell into the air with a flick of a cyan wing. That snapped Twilight back to reality, as she stumbled back muttering something to herself incoherently. Everypony else was frozen in place, Fluttershy was the first to shake it off to notice a few singed feathers falling from the mare's wing.

“Rainbow!” Fluttershy screamed before leaping up to rush to her aid.

The strange mare flinched back in response, causing Fluttershy to stop in her tracks. That gave the butterscotch Pegasus a real chance to look her old friend over. The Pegasus she called Rainbow looked feral. Her cyan coat was matted and thick in some places like the other Everfree ponies, and she had a plethora of scars that littered her body. A Long claw mark went over her flank, nearly destroying her Cutie Mark on her left side; her tattered wings didn't do much to hide similar marks on her barrel. Mane and tail were an unruly mess of distractingly long chromatic hair, Her old friend looked as though she had been to war and back. Fluttershy didn't know what to make of her, but it seemed like somepony else did

“Good morning Colors…” Pinkie said nonchalantly as if nothing had just transpired.

The Colorful mare in question simply snarled back at the encroaching pink pony. That only served to show Fluttershy her halve formed fangs that were growing in an asymmetric pattern in her mouth. She also noticed that they were slightly tinted red, as if her mouth was bloodied.

Rarity finally making it back to the scene stayed removed from it all, and Applejack seemed like she lost all interest after her near miss with Twilight. Who has only just shakenly returned to her hooves, to turn towards Fluttershy with tear soaked eyes. But before an apology could be uttered, the mare known as Colors jumped in between the two.

Colors got low and tried her best to spread her wings aggressively, Yet her left wing wouldn't open all the way due to the impact of Twilight's rage filled spell.

Twilight's expression grew even more pitiful once she realized the damage she caused to the other mare in front of her. Twilight sat back down muttering apologies to the both of them while holding back a full on sob.

Fluttershy on the other hoof had flashbacks of her old friend doing the same thing for her countless times years before. “It really is you.”

Colors just looked over her shoulders, concern marred her face.

“W-why won't you say anything?” Fluttershy asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Because she is mute.” Applejack swiftly answered, now joining Pinkie in approaching the strange mare.

“What...” Fluttershy couldn't wrap her brain around the idea. She remembered her friend vividly, and talking was a big part of who she was, a part that she liked about her.

“Still, ya got a lot to answer for regardless. Star is your master and ya were in on this without a doubt.” Applejack's voice grew more angry as Colors failed to respond. “The council gave ya chance after chance, it's over!”

“Please no, she's my friend.” Fluttershy feebly defended.

That got a twitch of the wings out of Colors.

But Applejack wasn't having it. “She's tha’ enemy!”

“That may have been the case darling.” Rarity interjected, mirroring Pinkie's casual tone. “But look at her now, she had her opportunity to flee, instead she stayed to save my friend from a terrible mistake.”

“Tha-”

“I saw you use your element if I'm not mistaken. Correct me if I'm being presumptuous, but you can tell if she is honest or not correct?” Rarity Said before Applejack could even get a word in.

“Ah can't do that, she can't say a lick of anything… I'd get more out of a rock!” Applejack responded frustratedly, they were wasting time.

Twilight then looked up, broken from her previous failure. That mare was Colors, the pony that's supposedly faster than the Wonderbolts. The pony that the Speaker wouldn't give a hint about, and now she can see why. Colors was at some point in her life Equestrian, she wasn't born in the Everfree and that made her a walking treasure trove of information. And possibly a solution if they were lucky, the sun is still in the sky, they still have hope.

“Fluttershy, could you use Kindness to read C-her emotional state if Applejack uses Honesty?” Twilight asked quizzically.

“Yes.” Fluttershy's response was small.

Twilight then turned to Applejack, but couldn’t exactly meet her eyes. “If your sister’s assumptions of this mare are even close, we will need her help.” Twilight then literally prostrated herself before Applejack, sticking her nose in the dirt. “Please, this is the only way I can ask for her forgiveness; I hurt her… she deserves a chance.”

Applejack didn't even look down to the little Unicorn, she still wasn't even sure how she felt about her potential assault. Yet none of that would matter if they failed here, and they have Black Stars apprentice standing right before them. The large orange mare heard Colors let out a frustrated huff, which she returned with an annoyed sigh. Colors was growing impatient, and so was Applejack. Without a word, Applejack's tattoos glowed The same light blue as before. Her eyes filled with a shimmering light, she turned to look Colors in the eyes. Who in turn playfully winked to the large orange mare, clearly trying to push buttons despite the severity of the situation. Fluttershy called upon her element next, but her summoning was far more subtle. The only thing that seemed different about Fluttershy was her extraordinary focus, almost like she was manually filtering things in and out of her head.

“What are Black Star’s intentions?” Applejack asked clearly.

“S-she is uncertain…” Fluttershy commented, making her way around her old friend to face her much like Applejack.

Applejack huffed. “Well then, what are your intentions, why didn't ya flee when ya had the chance?”

The mute mare broke eye contact with Applejack only for a moment to look at her old friend with a look of sadness. That changed instantly when Fluttershy returned the look with an understanding, but equally sad smile.

“She is confident, yet remorseful; She seems understanding of her position, and I think she'd follow even if we attempted to deny her. I can sense an overwhelming desire to protect.” Fluttershy ideally left out the fact all these emotions were solely directed towards herself. But that didn't matter, she had Rainbow Dash back, even if she had changed physically.

“Her wing.” Pinkie butted in. “There isn't much she can do with that type of damage.”

Everypony looked at the injured wing, there were several feathers nearly seared off from the magical impact on the back of her wing. Even though it was a defection, something that Twilight couldn't understand; The scared mare still absorbed much of the thermal discharge. A thin line of blood was steadily trickling down the feathers of her wing as she kept it limp on her side, no longer trying to even lift it. Twilight felt absolutely disgusted with herself, there has to be something else she could do.

“I could use healing ma-” Twilight was surprisingly cut off by Fluttershy.

“No!” Fluttershy yelped. Just in time for Twilight to notice the deathly glare she was receiving from the strange Pegasus.

The chromatic mare had a temporary fix however. shutting her eyes tight, she lifted the injured wing with extreme labor. Fluttershy, who still had her element actively honed in on her old friend, she could feel the intense emotion of pain, but then to her surprise, all the pain drained from her. There was nothing, for a brief moment absolutely nothing emanated from the chromatic mare. Then the Damn broke, there was a surge of overwhelming confidence, thrill, and excitement radiated from her friend. And like that, she was airborne, her wing was still injured, but She was flying without hindrance.

“Show off.” Applejack spat.

“Marvelous, now we can focus on the task at hand.” Rarity clapped. “ Fluttershy and I rounded up everypony at the auditorium east of town hall.”

“That's close to the epicenter!” Twilight was absolutely shocked, all of their lives were in danger if the Princess failed.

“I guess evacuations are in order.” Pinkie stated, looking back towards the direction of the town.

“Yes, we must address them and assure they safely flee the city… to where, I'm unsure. But anywhere is better than here.” Twilight said, already starting towards the auditorium.

Everypony else broke out into a gallop, keeping up with Twilight. Colors flew overhead distantly, but not passing anypony, it seemed as though she was still somewhat unsure about her place amongst them. It didn't take them long however to get close to the now eerily quiet streets of the center of the town. There was no magic in sight, nor hide or hair of the Princess, but they couldn't worry about that.

They reached the large yellow wooden structure that was the auditorium, a flurry of sound and voices were heard inside. Everypony stopped just outside the doors, and Rarity was the first to make a move.

“I'll address them from the balcony, we should move the masses North.” Rarity then turned to Twilight. “Maybe then we can get your brother to help with the rest.”

“And us?” That was the first time Applejack ever seemed unsure.

“You three can wait out here, or join us inside, Truly I doubt you'll be bothered or even noticed.” Rarity Said dismissively as she trotted around back to go to the balcony.

Applejack glanced at Colors, catching her on her haunches licking her wound. The injury on her wing was clearly inflamed and red at that point. There was no doubt that she required some type of medical attention, even though the Everfree didn't have unicorns, Applejack knew magical burns left untreated was unwise.

“Take Colors inside, find something to wrap tha’ wing up.” Applejack said quickly.

Colors just glared at the larger mare.

“Please…” Fluttershy shyly said, causing Colors to instantly wilt under her old friend’s tone.

As soon as Colors stopped looking defiant, Fluttershy gestured for the agitated mare to follow her inside. To which Colors hesitantly followed, the two of them crossed the threshold of the large auditorium doors together. That left a quiet Twilight alone with the two Lunar Elements.

“Hey.” Pinkie called out to Twilight.

Twilight simply looked up, Yet wasn't prepared for the close proximity of the pink Everfree mare. Twilight stumbled back in response, and Pinkie mumbled something that made Twilight's cheeks go red. Being satisfied with the young Unicorn's reaction, Pinkie reached out and ruffled her mane before slowly making her way towards the auditorium entrance. Applejack wasn't too far behind, her green eyes never even made contact with the confused Unicorn.

Twilight looked down at her hooves and sighed. She really needed to recollect herself, but time was far from her side. Turning around, Twilight made her way inside as well.

The confused and frantic chatter they were hearing outside increased ten fold once they got inside. Entire families huddled together, foals were crying, and quite a few ponies just looked inconvenienced by the whole ordeal. Twilight was surprised by how many ponies could fit in the auditorium, it didn't seem as large on the outside. Still it was unnerving to think this would be the second time they might have to placate an angry or worse a scared crowd. This time the down have the Princesses clout to save them. Looking left and right, she didn't see Fluttershy or the mute mare. But Applejack and Pinkie were sitting in the far left corner of the place, collecting a few strange looks. Now Twilight wanted to know what was taking Rarity, surely she didn't get cold hooves.

No sooner had the thought crossed Twilight's mind, Rarity stepped out from behind the veil of the balcony. All the chattering stopped, even the crying foals slowly simmered down. Rarity looked confidently down to them all, trying her best to give them a reassured look.

“Everypony, I'd like to apologize for the inconvenience of having to be assembled here. But we intend on getting all of you out of here and to safety very soon.” Rarity said loudly, allowing her voice to carry across the auditorium.

“Where is the Princess!” A random stallion shouted back.

“I thought I saw her earlier…”

“What in the everlasting sun is even happening?”

“Everypony please, questions will be answered soon. However we must evacuate Ponyville with haste, it is important that we get you all to sa-” Rarity's voice was cut off by the continuation of a bunch of loud chatter and arguing.

“Evacuations, I've heard of no such thing?” A light brown mare with a gray mane and tail loudly questioned. “I'm the mayor, I should be informed of such things!”

“Yes, you all will be informed once Everypony is safe!” Rarity tried to reason.

Back down below, Twilight could see the dissonance slowly growing amongst the crowd. Applejack shook her head in disappointment before getting up to make her way to Twilight.

“This isn't going anywhere.” Applejack bluntly stated.

Twilight was going to respond, However for a second time Everypony got deathly quiet. That time however, it was visible on everypony's face. Not the silence, it was fear, something had struck the crowd cold with fear. Both Twilight and Applejack looked up slowly to the balcony, and what they saw had the same effect on them as well. Rarity was the last to notice Everypony looking through her in horror. But what the young mare didn't see, she felt with every fiber of her being… there was something immensely powerful behind her.

Turning her head slowly, she was mere inches from what could only be described as a Nightmare. The tall black figure was shaped as an Alicorn much like their princess. However its wings were malformed, one looked as if it had been ripped off long ago, and numerous open wounds littered its frail looking black body. Still none of those wounds looked fresh, looking up to the creature's face, Rarity had to hold back her scream. What was there could barely be called a face, much of the flesh around its jaw looked Like it had been blasted off and the rest of its face was covered in burned scar tissue. It was a surprise that the thing was able to gaze upon the auditorium's audience with two large blue eyes.

“You.” The creature's voice was the epitome of dark, her voice carried a weight that crushed Rarity's spirit.

“Yes?” Rarity couldn't have hidden her fear any better.

“If you respect your life, you will point them out.” The dark creature said slowly, making sure that Rarity didn't miss a syllable. “Every element that intends on suffering for their transgressions against thou master.”

Rarity knew at that moment that everything they had been fighting for was lost. The Princess failed, Rarity was no fool, what was standing before her knew exactly who she was, and probably already can sense the other elements. But the creature wanted her to point them out, and as it struck them down, Rarity would solely be blamed for each death.

Rarity turned back to the crowd, she didn't even look at Twilight. Instead she gazed off into the distance, it was now or never she surmised.

Blood, To Each Extreme

Seven Years Ago

“Rarity, each element has their secrets. Some are rooted in pure fantasy, others in the shadows of a darker history.” The Princess explained while rifling through her personal books.

Her newest student was obediently sitting before the Princess, taking in every word she said. Rarity would be the Princess youngest recorded student in ages, the news and nobles had already casted doubt on the Princess's decision to take her in. But Rarity was eager to prove, and make up for the mistake that got her there in the first place.

“You managed to display generosity in an abstract way to most who don't know its history.” The Princess continued looking through her books. She paused for a second, honing in on a single dusty tome. “Even the most talented Unicorns are incapable of performing blood magic, Yet a young eleven year old filly out of Ponyville was able to do it effortlessly… To mend a doll.”

Rarity looked down at her hooved, trying her best to hide her embarrassed blush.

“But it was not your doll, you gave your life magic for another little foal you didn’t even know.” The Princess didn't even sound critical, there was actually an amused tone underneath her voice.

“I'm sorry…” Rarity muttered.

The Princess didn't acknowledge her apology as she continued. “True blood magic can only be performed by an element of generosity, you have already been proven. But I must apologize for what I'm about to say… Your ability of generosity must remain hidden, which will consequently cast doubt upon you. Unlike my other two students, I must train you alone, out of the public eye.”

“I-I understand.”

The Princess did the unexpected when she sat the bookshe had down, and leaned down to hug the young Unicorn tightly. At first Rarity tensed up, but then soon melted into the hug, it was something she desperately needed. The princess’s fur was softer than she could've ever imagined, she wouldn't let her circumstances ruin the moment, this is what she dreamed of. The Princess was the first to disengage to give Rarity an understanding smile. Turning back to the large tome, she knew it was time to teach the budding filly.

“This book is nearly as old as I am, it was written by Starswirl the Bearded in his later years.”

“Amazing…”

“Isn't lt, I was the first practitioner of blood magic. But I didn't use it to mend, I used it to wage war, to take what I thought I could recreate in a better image.” The Princess looked elsewhere, as if she was reliving distant memories. “I was wrong, and Starswirl showed me how blood magic could be used to mend and create, not destroy and recreate… Now I shall teach you the truth.”

“Princess, may I ask a question?” Filly Rarity asked.

“You may, my little pony.”

“When I used it, it hurt a lot, but I felt happy afterwards. My mother said that I shouldn't like pain, but it felt right…” Rarity said quietly, the Princess was the first she told of how she really felt when using the normally unheard of form of magic.

“That would be the aphrodisiac effect of Generosity I suppose.” The Princess instantly noticed the little filly's perplexed expression. And she couldn't help but to laugh a little.

Rarity huffed.

“Sorry, what I'm trying to say is that Generosity wants to reward you for doing the right thing. Whether it be giving your blood or other things, your element seeks to comfort you. Otherwise the stress of it would surely take hold.” The Princess explained more clearly.

“Oh.” Rarity thought she was beginning to understand.

The Princess then turned her head to her balcony window and saw it was time to set the sun. The day was over and she had much to reach her new student. Generosity was a powerful and potent element, the young filly would have a difficult road ahead of her.

Present

“Sorry…” Rarity looked up and knew she’d only have one shot.

Focusing on herself, she lit her horn. However it glowed a dim red as she concentrated on the monster before her. The creature looked as if a fly had just buzzed in her face, Rarity apparently didn't pose a threat to her. And she didn't, it was the chromatic mare perch on top of the rafters right above the two that did. Rarity could only hope that she was reading the Pegasus correctly, and her timing was sharp.

No sooner the creature took its first step, Colors propelled herself with force from the rafters and straight down. With a single rear hoof extended, she was aiming for the creature's neck, a kill shot. Yet the creatures piercing blue eyes never left Rarity.

In the split second before impact, the monstrous Alicorn lit its horn a bright blue. Rarity's reaction was synchronized, it all ended in a blur of motion. Instead of a spell the creature was left unable to cast, it only lasted a second. That was all Colors needed however, or so she thought. The aggressive mare was swiftly blocked by a gray hoof that literally materialized over the creature. Even her momentum came to a shattering stop. Colors eyes grew frantic at the sight of her master, element fully released. And since she hadn't used her wings, Black Star was able to throw Colors back down into the crowd where she crashed through several storage barrels.

Black Star looked savage, his tattoos illuminated a bright blue, the same blue of the creature he just protected. His eyes were even sharper than before, and his fangs had extended, now protruding further than what his closed mouth could conceal. He was hovering above Rarity, prepared for whatever stunt they were going to pull next. Or so he thought, as he looked into the still frozen crowd, he saw Applejack, but no Pinkamena.

Looking into the crowd again, he noticed they all looked like they were in a trance… smiling.

“Wh-” A pink body barely missed him as he dodged to the left, it then rebounded and blasted back towards him in a blur of speed.

Star then crossed his hooves in an X and caught the full force of the attack that sent him hurling into the wall. The creature looked disappointed in the pink pony's attempt to attack, with her gift.

“Stop being a big meanie Star!” Pinkie said somewhat seriously.

Rarity noticed that her mane was a mess as it was in that dream thing and her tattoo was gone. Rarity never even felt herself fall asleep, no, she wasn't asleep. She could still feel the fresh pain of her counterspell, this was reality. She didn't have much more time to dwell on it as Star charged back but that time was intercepted by a flying barrel that was kicked up by Colors. Sending him crashing back down to the ground below.

“Colors you’re becoming exceedingly annoying…” Star seethed, as he lifted himself from the myst of the shattered barrel. “What could destroy your Loyalty so swiftly.”

Color spat in his direction.

Star scoffed and saw her bandaged wing, grinning with murderous intent, he quickly realized that she was grounded. But he looked up and saw the other two elements still on top of the balcony with his master, he had to protect her.

“Darling, I invite your timely interruption.” Rarity smiled towards Pinkie.

Pinkie returned it with a goofy grin. “Yea, looks like we made her mad?”

“I am Nightmare Moon, and I will not be belittled by my own creation.” The creature started with confidence, a confidence that made Pinkie’s smile falter.

Nightmare Moon began to step towards the two defensive ponies with a methodical stare. “Creating a waking dream state was impressive for a mortal, but that does not matter. For thou art my creation, my will, my servant!”

The entire auditorium seemed to crack like glass with the Nightmare Moon’s last word. Colors looked around and noticed that the daydreaming ponies were now frowning, some looked on the verge of tears. That distraction gave Black Star the opportunity he needed, opening his leathery wings, he shot up to the balcony leaving Colors on the ground.

“Behind you!” Rarity shrieked, her reaction wasn't fast enough that time as she had to turn to face the encroaching bat pony.

Pinkie was still stunned by the creature's sudden influence over her, and by the time she had regained any senses it was far too late. Black Star looked like a windmill in a tornado when he spun and delivered a devastating kick to Pinkie's head. That was enough to completely destroy the dream state, Pinkie shattered much like the faux area surrounding them did, revealing it to not be real. Rarity could barely follow, but once she blinked it was real again. Ponies were screaming, scrambling, and crying. And once again Rarity stood alone in the presence of a monster.

“Pay for your insolence.” Nightmare Moon was prepared to end her life, Yet as soon as she lit her horn to strike, the ivory Unicorn disappeared in a purple flash.

Nightmare Moon looked down from the balcony to see the offending mare reappear next to a smaller purple Unicorn. At that point Everypony with half of mind had fled the scene, leaving only those who choose to defy the dark Alicorns will. She cared not for the Equestrian ponies, but the ones she created, imbued with her own magic, chose to stand against their master. There would be a penance to pay for their crimes, still she was weak. Nightmare Moon held her hoof up and noticed her form was disintegrating a bit, she needed more power.

“What have you done with the Princess!” Twilight shouted up to Nightmare Moon.

The creature completely ignored the shouting Twilight, instead she turned her back. They were not the threat she was warned of, she had been whispering in Loyalty's ear for years now. And for twenty seven years he had warned her of Equestria's strength and her servants' waning faith. But Equestria was no more than a blight, Celestia a shadow of her former self when they faced off for the second time in history. Nightmare Moon snarled as remembered freshly how she was denied her own personal revenge, the coward sealed herself away in her own sun.

“The night will last forever.” Nightmare Moon reminded herself verbally. “And you, my children, will be the first to be cleansed.”

Black Star looked shocked much like the other elements at first, however he quickly masked it before anypony could notice. He was loyal to the Everfree, and nothing would change that; not even the ponies that foolishly stood in his way. As the old bat hovered beside his Princess, he had calmed down enough to see the white anger Speaker Applejack bore, and the look of defeat on Colors face. He knew there would be blood, the democracy their ancestors had built would ultimately be tested, their cleansing would start at the castle.

“Servant, follow.” Nightmare Moon commanded before lighting her horn, causing Everypony to flinch. But she didn't cast an offensive spell, she instead was enveloped in a dark shadowy vortex that peaked at the ceiling. The wind of the vortex was strong enough to send debris and furniture flying around. Twilight acted quick enough to shield Everypony as they were forced to hear the Nightmares maniacal laughter reverberate across the entire room. In the longest few seconds of their lives, the laughter slowly subsided, as did the vortex. But in the end, both Nightmare Moon and Black Star had vanished from the balcony.

Everypony was helping each other at that point. Rarity, Colors, and Pinkie had taken the brunt of the introduction. Twilight was doing her best to assess the damage Rarity and Pinkie received, while Fluttershy worked tentatively with Colors. Applejack was left standing in the middle of her failure, trembling.

“Augh,” Applejack shouted in anger. “I'll kill him!”

Pinkie flicked her flat mane out of her face and looked up from her sitting position rubbing her aching head. Yet didn't say anything to reflect whatever she was thinking.

Twilight saw what clearly happened on the balcony. Yet she was still in a state of mental shock at everything that transpired. Rarity's unexplainable use of forbidden blood magic, Loyalty and Pinkie's full release of their elements were terrifying. Still the Nightmare stood above them all, unflinching, and fully prepared to end all of their lives. Twilight was no fool, the creature was at a fraction of its strength and it was already a league above them. Twilight blanched at the thought of the Princess, she still had to confirm it for herself. Racing out the doors of the auditorium, she saw ponies running any which direction, dragging possessions and valuables behind them. They were frightened, and ran from the town in droves, but it was too late, few noticed.

“No…” The sun was gone, totally eclipsed by the moon. The sky was dark and dismal, Twilight could feel the temperature dropping by the second.

“Surely you don't think...” Rarity's pained voice called out from behind Twilight.

“...” Twilight was on the verge of tears.

“I see.” Rarity darkly responded.

“Pinkie, and Colors if you’re wit’ us. We're gonna to end this hogwash!”Applejack angrily shouted.

The large orange mare pushed past Twilight with Pinkie and Colors in tow. All three of them looked beaten as they trudged past, especially Pinkie who looked absolutely exhausted. They couldn't do it alone, that much was evident.

“We're going with you!” Twilight blurted out.

“No.”

Twilight started to follow them regardless. “We have to, you can't deny us…”

Applejack whirled around to chew out the small Unicorn. However Applejack wasn't met with a desperate and weak mare. Her purple eyes then bore the same intensity that her own green eyes constantly held true. Then looking past the Unicorn she was even more surprised to see the other two following, their eyes held the same fire as well. Applejack knew then what she was dealing with; nothing that she said would be able to stop them.

“Remember my warning?” Pinkie dead-panned.

“Remember my promise.” Twilight instantly shot back. “The Princess put all of her faith in us, we have to help, If it gets any stronger…”

“It won't.” Applejack simply put.

The large orange mare made a simple gesture with her hoof, the common symbol of follow along. Twilight and Rarity quickly caught up with the trio, ready to rush head first into the unknown. Fluttershy was more cautious in her approach, she didn't tell anypony, but she never stopped focusing her element. She could feel the anger, anxiety, and fear that clouded their minds. All of that combined with her own timidness was becoming too much. She wanted to help, she was determined like the rest of them to make things right. But at what cost, Applejack said she’d kill Loyalty, Fluttershy felt the burning desire to just do that well up when she said it. Everything was catching up to the timid mare then, the forest grew larger as they got closer and so did her trepidation.

Colors was the only one to notice Fluttershy lagging behind, seemingly lost in her own mind. The chromatic Pegasus decided to fall back herself, even though she couldn't say anything to console her, she still felt tremendous guilt for leaving her behind all those years. Fluttershy noticed her fall back to get closer, Colors was more lilith and stood a few inches shorter than Fluttershy, but her presence seemed to calm the timid mare. As they neared the same entrance to the forest that Twilight first tried to enter, Colors took one of her expansive wings and enveloped the taller trembling mare in a quick hug.

“Rainbow…” Fluttershy squeaked. She was pleasantly surprised by the sudden contact, but it was short lived.

Colors responded by flashing Fluttershy her old trademark grin. A grin that told the timid mare all she needed to know, her friend was about to do something foolish.

The chromatic mare looked back to the rest of the group, All of which were bickering on their approach into the forest. That gave Colors an opportunity to take the bandages off her wing. Fluttershy wanted to protest the action, Yet she fumbled her words when she saw the bandages unravel to reveal a perfectly healthy wing, feathers and all. Colors didn't even give her dumbfounded friend a second to recover before she shot off into the air, leaving a prismatic trail behind her.

“Annd, then there were five…” Pinkie didn't even glance up, just the sound of the take off was enough to alert the Everfree mare.

“Colors!” Applejack yelled to no avail.

Fluttershy looked down at her hooves, once again her friend was going to put her life in danger for her. Looking back up, she immediately realized that all of her friends were going to put their lives in danger, even Pinkie and Applejack.

“Let's do this.” Fluttershy said uncharacteristically.

“Fluttershy is right, we're wasting time are we not?” Rarity reconfirmed.

Applejack looked contemplative for a moment before recollecting herself as well. “We gotta head to Nightingale, that thing is probably already there.”

“Nightingale?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, but first, you Unicorns have to not use your magic unless absolutely necessary. The forest doesn't respond kindly to your horns. So stay close and don't touch nuthin’ ya got it?” Applejack aptly warned.

Both Twilight and Rarity nodded their heads.

“Good, now let's get moving.”

“to adventure.” Pinkie sarcastically replied while blowing some of her flowing pink mane out of her face.

Elsewhere

Colors knew exactly where that thing was headed, or at least her master. Flying at near her top speed through the barely navigable forest was like second nature to her. She had spent upwards to ten years in the Everfree since she crash landed in the center of it ages ago after doing the most amazing thing she ever did in her life. But for what, those were the questions that plagued her mind day in and day out. She failed the one pony that trusted her, and she failed herself in the end. Just for a single shining moment that she’d never get to relive.

Getting lower below the treeline, she could see patches of unmanaged Poison Joke here and there. The very demonic plant that literally stole everything from her. When she crashed nearly ten years ago, she landed in a thick patch of Poison Joke, and stayed there for nearly two days before a Everfree pony found her broken and mangled in the patch. She spent months recovering and getting the effects of the Joke reverted, it had done such a number on her that she contemplated suicide several times. It did horrible things to her like destroying her equilibrium, reversing her wings, making her colorblind, and stealing her voice. It was all too much till Black Star came along and gave her an ultimatum. He could take her life, or she could take his blood, and even then there was little chance of success. To each extreme there is an answer, those words resonated with the silent mare.

The blood rite was the most agonizingly painful thing the young Pegasus ever experienced. It changed and molded her body in ways she never thought possible. It effectively overrode the Poison Joke, the only things that his blood didn't fix was her color blindness and being mute, but she could fly freely again. That was until the council stepped in and told her that in her new state that she was forbidden from leaving. It didn’t stop her from trying many times, but irregardless of what she did, they seemed like they were always a step ahead… he was always a step ahead.

Dodging under a few low hanging branches, she reminisced deeper about her countless escape attempts, then the family and friends that she lost. It took her a long time to forget them, but Black Star helped after a while, he always understood somehow. Now, she wasn't sure anymore, the things he taught her, the things he showed her.

What were they for she thought, if in the end he simply tricked her into becoming a pawn. He promised her freedom, surely he didn't mean the complete destruction of the council and its laws. Yes she hated them, but there was more than just her living in the Everfree. It took her forever to realize that Pinkie Pie and Applejack both had families to worry about.

She had to stop him, or at least beat him into his senses. Black Star may have saved her, but the Council of Speakers and the Everfree did not abandon her.

Her flight slowed a bit once she thought that she was close to her destination. It was a small clearing that had several statues of grand looking ponies built around it in symmetrical order. Landing just short of the clearing, Colors made sure that she remained silent. If she remembered correctly, the clearing was something sacred to the Vamp ponies, but not anypony else that lived in the Everfree. It held some type of cultural significance that was lost on the chromatic Pegasus.

Getting lower to the ground, Colors ears twitched at the movement of the air around her. Ponies were approaching, more accurately flying towards her. It didn't take long for two bat ponies to appear on the scene, Colors immediately recognized the two of them. Wicked Cyclone and White Wind, both of them were both the best fliers in the Shadowbolts and the Everfree. Still Colors had never had the chance to prove that she was faster, and was for bayed from joining the Bat pony exclusive group. However that meant little at the moment, she wasn't close enough to hear what they were saying. They actually were whispering between each other, White Wind's dirty white tail was constantly flicking in annoyance. Cyclone then started to look around, his orange bat eyes scanned the forest surrounding them.

Colors knew that she couldn't have been discovered that quickly, no, she knew that something else was agitating the two stallions.

“What's taking Star so long?” Cyclone finally spoke loud enough for Colors to hear.

“For the moon's sake, I don't know… We all felt it, and yet were the only two fools here?” White Wind responded with a dark tone.

“I think we're in trouble, we need to head straight for Nightingale!” Cyclone responded in panic, he looked as though he was ready to fly off before he even finished speaking. “Black Wood was deserted, nopony was in the city below, not even Speaker Echo…”

Something was severely wrong if Black woods was deserted. The town above the city is what it’s known as, the Everfree isn't a large place. As the population grew, they dug underground much like the Diamond Dogs. Black Woods was nothing but a small town above the ground, but below it was a city sizable enough to head in any direction and be lost for at least a day. And apparently Everypony was gone, and along with Speaker Echo.

“Speaker Star left the Everfree hours ago with Colors, so what do you think?” White Wind questioned loudly.

The two of them were prepared to fly off, that was until a strange noise alerted them. Colors was also confused, it sounded like there was something cutting through the trees and foliage. Before either station could assess the situation, several black tendrils rocketed out from the surrounding tree line. Cyclone’s reaction was a second too late, the tendrils wrapped around his neck and left wing, grounding the thrashing stallion.

“Wicked!” White Wind managed to dodge several of them just to see his friend and comrade get caught.

“Grr-Run!” without warning, the black tendrils dragged the doomed stallion back into the thick of the forest.

White Wind was shocked, but that shock soon turned into rage as he flew straight towards where his friend was dragged away. However he didn't make it far, because one of the black tendrils that he had previously dodged came back for him. The thing whipped him back down to the ground violently, causing the stallion to cry out in pain. While on the ground, three more of the things came out to control the struggling survivor. Colors watched in horror as the things started to drag him away as well, his front hooves were leaving gashes in the ground where he was digging them into the dirt, trying to save himself.

Colors had to get out of there, and no sooner had she thought that, the tendrils left out in the clearing shook a bit and immediately turned in her direction. Her magenta eyes lit up in surprise, no matter how ready she was, the prospect of being restrained and dragged to an unknown fate frightened the mare. Spreading her large wings, she shot straight up into the sky, ignoring all the branches and vines she was hitting on her way up. Glancing back, she saw five of them literally right on her tail. Bearing her malformed fangs in frustration, she made a sharp left as soon as she cleared the tree line. Still there seemed to be no escaping those things, because they mimicked her angle and speed perfectly, giving her zero breathing room.

Colors began to frantically look for anything to aid in her escape. Her mind working in overdrive much like her body, she came to an all or nothing conclusion when she saw the stormy and unpredictable Everfree clouds overhead. Flying at increased speeds, she headed right for the center of the dark gray cloud above her. With a smile that could only mark a daredevil, Colors punched right into the cloud, the tendrils weren't too far behind. The mare stopped dead inside the cloud, her vision blurred by the murky gray, and her coat wet with condensation. It was then she knew she hit the jackpot, she could feel her coat stand on its end as the energy built around her.

It only took a fraction of a second, but two of the tendrils expertly found her within the storm cloud. They latched around her neck and right forehoof, prepared to drag her back down to earth. She felt two more touch her thighs and the last one wrapped around her barrel. They felt ice cold and Surprisingly soft on her fur, she knew exactly what they most likely belonged to. And if she were anypony else, I'd be too easy to surrender, but she was Colors… No, she was Rainbow Dash.

Right when the tendrils began to tug, Rainbow spread her wings aggressively and with her one free forehoof, smacked the stormy cloud with all her strength. It rumbled and groaned before the thunder spontaneously erupted from the unpredictable mass. Rainbow Dash’s world turned white for a moment, everything froze around her. Her only hope was that she wouldn't pass out, that meant instant death for the mare. But on the other hoof, what she attempted to accomplish worked expertly. She could hear the tendrils screech and burn away as the thunder proved too great for them to withstand.

The thunder ended shortly after the tendrils were gone, leaving the lone mare to fall out of the cloud limp and singed. If the entirety of her coat was still intact and not covered in scars and patches. She’d might’ve resisted the effects of the thunder a bit better, but that wasn't a luxury that she could afford anymore. Not that it mattered, it seemed as though she could move anything as she fell. Still fully conscious, Rainbow Dash gazed into the dark sky.

Truly would there never be a sun again, what type of world would that be, Rainbow thought. Being resigned to her fate, she wouldn't ever be able to apologize to Fluttershy. Closing her eyes, for the final time she thought, she accepted her failure.

But as death was just a second below her, she was caught roughly out of the air by the last pony she’d expected.

“Colors, you're too much for this old soul.” Black Star's gruff voice was the last thing she heard before finally passing out.

Trials [Part One]

Twilight could barely believe her luck, or lack of considering how wrong everything has gone for the group. Still Twilight never thought that she’d get to actually enter the Everfree forest after her first attempt. Everything was simply different, she could feel it in the air, the flow of magic was abstract. The trees grew twisted to the strong surrounding magic forcing its will on everything around it. It became apparent why Applejack advised against any form of casting. On any other occasion she would've been provided with a treasure trove of new information, there wouldn't have been a way to tear her away from her quill and scrolls. But it wasn't any other occasion, it might as well be the end of the world for as far as she was concerned. The moon was eclipsing the sun, they don't know what happened to the Princess, and they honestly don't have a real plan to stop the monster anymore. That died with loyalty’s apparent betrayal, and then there was that other strange mare.

“Fluttershy, you obviously knew that Pegasus, who was she?” Twilight asked her friend, who was surprisingly walking ahead of the small Unicorn in the group.

Fluttershy didn’t hesitate to respond clearly “Her name… was Rainbow Dash. She was my only friend in flight school…”

“I-Oh, your friend that disappeared years ago after some race?” Twilight's face screwed up in confusion. “Then why does she look…”

“Like us.” Pinkie finished for the cautious Twilight.

“Well, I…” Twilight didn't really know how to respond.

But Fluttershy did. “What happened to her?”

Pinkie acted like she wanted to respond, but thought better of it when she caught the Speaker giving her a sideways glance.

“You're going to have to trust us eventually.” Rarity chimed in. “That's Fluttershy's friend, a friend she thought had died years ago. I do believe she is owed at least an explanation.”

Applejack stopped, and so did everypony else. They were getting ready to head down a path that was flanked by a nearly impenetrable wall of trees on the right, and on the left was the starry gorge. Eventually they'd have to cross it, but something didn't seem right, Rarity's quip about trust triggered something in Applejack's mind. Somepony should've intercepted them already, they passed the first checkpoint into the forest uninterrupted. Surely the council didn't put the whole forest on lockdown after she sent her sister to warn Nightingale. Applejack then focused her ears, she couldn't hear a single noise that resembled life. But she felt something, something unseen and underneath them.

Pinkie obviously felt it too, she nodded to Applejack with a concentrated look on her face.

“Somethin’ is approaching fast, and it ain't friendly.” Applejack shuffled her hooves one the ground, the vibrations stopped right after her warning.

“What are you talking about?” Rarity's clueless expression was quickly replaced by terror when the ground erupted from beneath her feet.

The same happened underneath all the mare's. Applejack and Pinkie were both fast enough to react, but the others weren't so lucky. Rarity was nearly impaled by one of the dark tendrils that appeared from the ground, the thing missed her by an inch, only seemingly grazing her barrel as she fell to the side. Fluttershy stumbled back in a panic as the ground crumbled and gave way into the gorge. Twilight tried to shield her friends, but was interrupted by the ground slipping away from her as well, forcing her to fall flat on her face before sliding with the earth.

Twilight shrieked in response, flailing wildly for anything solid to stop her from sliding. Luckily Applejack's reaction was swift as she dove and caught one of Twilight's hooves.

“Quit ya panicking, or else we're both goin’ down!” Applejack grunted.

Despite Applejack being the larger and stronger mare, the crumbling earth couldn't support her weight. Her green eyes shot left to right, scanning for anything to aid her. Luckily the tendrils seemed to retract after it caused the landslide almost as if they were in sudden pain, but that didn't help the two mare's in danger of falling. That was until she saw the yellow Pegasus floating below them, it was better than nothing.

“Let go!” Applejack said through gritted teeth, as more ground was giving away.

“I-”

“Trust me, let go!” Applejack screamed that time.

Twilight did just that, the small Unicorn thought nothing else of it, she just let go and closed her eyes. She expected a lengthy fall in the abyss, but it was cut short by a pair of hooves gripping her around the barrel. Opening her eyes, she saw they were yellow, a welcomed relief to the panicked mare. Fluttershy struggled to get them back to safe land, that was until Rarity's magic enveloped her and swiftly pulled her to safety. Allowing Fluttershy to fly unhindered to safety as well.

Everypony at that point was either laid out on the ground, or skeptical watching their surroundings.

“What in the world were those things?” Rarity asked, while checking over herself. Mostly just brushing the dirt off her coat and out of her mane, she was doing her best to hide the blood dripping from her midsection.

“Yer guess is as good as mine…” Applejack huffed, adrenaline still pumping in her veins.

“Nightmare Moon.” Pinkie stated.

Everypony glanced around once more, and even though they were rattled, they continued. Applejack took the lead once again, quickly putting the narrow path behind them. They walked quite a bit longer before Twilight actually noticed signs of life, there were more broader trails that led off from the one they were traveling. She saw signs that she couldn't read and a few shack like houses along the path… all empty. She could feel the uncomfort radiating from the two Everfree mares, it didn't take Fluttershy’s element to notice it. Twilight didn't know what to say, there was nothing that she could say.

“Fluttershy right?” Applejack spoke up while still slowly trotting, eyes forward.

“Umm… yes?” Fluttershy's response was stereotypically meek once again.

“Ma brother found her years ago, unconscious in a cursed patch of flowers we call poison joke. We have a natural resistance to it, by ya ponies don't, and long story short, Black Star was the one to save her by performing a forbidden blood rite.” Applejack explain clearly, obviously not wanting to repeat herself

Fluttershy didn't respond, however Twilight was quick to pick up on the implications. She finally understood why talking of that mare was so sensitive, Colors or Rainbow Dash is an Equestrian citizen. And much like the stories of old, she went into the forest, and never returned. But what was exceedingly clear now was why most ponies in the past didn't return, they transformed somehow. Possibly by the blood rite Applejack spoke of, but due to its forbidden status, Twilight would leave it there, they still had a world to save.

They soon exited from the broader paths, leaving behind the scenery of the scattered homes and huts. Now the overgrown trees and vegetation hugged them on each side. Rarity was clearly annoyed with the situation as the trotted, Pinkie snickered at the alabaster Unicorn's expense.

“Glad you find this amusing…” Rarity huffed.

“Don't worry, we’ll be crossing a river soon enough, you can wash your pretty coat there.” Pinkie responded as if her advice would be taken seriously.

Rarity audibly gagged at the thought of washing her coat in a dirty Celestia forsaken river.

Luckily for Rarity and the group, they found their way out of the rougher part of the forest. Now their path was much clearer and unobstructed, allowing the group to spread out from each other.

“If you don't mind me asking, why are we straying from the roads?” Twilight asked.

“Isn't it obvious?” Rarity said first. “Clearly nopony knows what's going on, it's probably better that we remain off the beaten path. Even if it means sacrificing my grooming efforts.”

Neither Lunar element denied Rarity's assumption, leaving Twilight pondering what was to come next. Fluttershy however wasn't pondering on what was coming next, she could literally see it. Every other tree they passed had broad claw marks on them, the butterscotch Pegasus could also smell the strong scent of urine as they traveled. Something was ahead of them, and it was obviously a predator. Fluttershy was quite knowledgeable when it came to animals and creatures, she possibly knew more than Twilight on the subject. Her Cutie Mark Truly defined her ability to understand and communicate with animals, they were much easier to deal with than ponies in her opinion. But she hoped the Lunar elements knew what they were walking into, they caught the previous surprise attack after all.

Fluttershy was in line with the rest when she noticed Pinkie uncharacteristically tensed up after looking down as they traveled. Fluttershy looked down in response as well, and instantly saw what had caused Pinkie alarm. There were massive paw prints deep in the dirt, and they were fresh. Yet what was even more startling was the spacing of the prints, they weren't consistent at all, Almost as if the creature or animal was injured. Fluttershy didn't like the idea of crossing paths with a possibly injured predator, or a hungry one. Predators were extremely rare in Equestria, but she knew other parts of the world were filled with them, and some had no qualms with taking ponies as prey.

“Speaker?” Pinkie questioned out of nowhere.

“Yea yea, ah was hopin’ the thing would've veered off deeper into the forest by now. What in tarnations is it doing here, this ain't their huntin’ grounds?” Applejack replied, turning her hat further up as if to get a clear view ahead.

“It hasn't even made a noise yet, you don't supposed?” Pinkie chuckled darkly.

The Equestrian ponies paled at Applejack's mentioning of hunting grounds. Then Pinkie's statement brought Fluttershy’s worst nightmare to bear, they're being stalked.

“Manticores don't-”

“Prey on us Speaker, I know, but don't forget about our guests…” Pinkie replied.

At that point Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy all stopped to just gaze mercifully at the Lunar elements.

“Pinkie?” Applejack said, as if they already had a plan preconceived.

The mare in question first looked at her tattooed leg before replying.

“Can't, our meet and greet with our thousand year old master took a lot out of me.” Pinkie sarcastically quipped. “Besides, I doubt I could even sleep a creature like that… no access to their dreamscapes and such.”

Applejack had never thought of that before, no matter, they now had a big problem ahead. Manticores were one of very few apex predators in the Everfree Forest. They’d attack with fangs, claws, and a scorpion-like tail that boasted deadly toxins that would paralyze any unwitting prey. Although they typically avoided Everfree ponies, and chose prey that wouldn't put up to much of a fight. A starving Manticore still would try for a young pony foolish enough to strike it out on their own, making them a very real threat regardless. Applejack seriously didn't understand why a Manticore was in the area, she could only assume it had to do with the current disturbance to the forest. Either way they had to move forward, they couldn't let Nightmare Moon breach the inner sanctum of Castle Nightingale.

“Straight ahead…” Fluttershy muttered.

Twilight was prepared to light her horn, that was until Applejack shot her a stern look. Pinkie on the other hoof was impressed with Fluttershy's ability to preemptively detect the Manticore, surely that had nothing to do with kindness.

It didn't take long after the Pegasus made her statement that the path ahead of them was softly blocked by a large body that barreled out of the darkness. Applejack wasn't shocked by the Manticore, more so by its unnatural behavior. They were walking in a herd, and for the thing just to block their path instead of waiting for a straggler or a weak link just seemed stupid.

The Manticore was very large, larger than even the massive mare that was Applejack. Its huge mane was a blood red as the rest of its unruly coat was a lighter shade of orange. The creature twitched randomly as it didn't make a move nor sound, its eyes seemed unfocused and glazed over with a dark tint. Preventing its irises from being seen, that alone was enough to scream possession, which actually made sense now that Applejack thought about it. She looked back and could tell that Twilight had come to the same conclusion.

“Can you dispel-” Applejack couldn't finish her question before the Manticore let out a blood curdling roar.

It unfurled its large bat like wings before leaping at the group, aiming specifically for Twilight. However it failed to connect due to Applejack's swift reaction. The creature's leap was met with equal force before it could land, leaving Pony and Manticore at a fierce standoff. Hooves and paws pushing against each other, both Applejack and the creature were standing at their impressive full heights. But it was abundantly clear that the massive mare was no match for the brute of a Manticore, it was slowly but surely pushing her back.

“Speaker!” Pinkie tried to rush to Applejack's aid, but was intercepted by the Manticore’s large red scorpion-like tail.

The pink mare had ducked the stinger, but it whipped its tail back to send Pinkie flying right through a tree. Twilight was frozen with fear once again, unable to process the speed of the situation to act. Yet Rarity seemed fully prepared to step up as she rushed in front of Twilight, prepared to light her horn. Once again however, the Manticore countered by clinching Applejack's hooves and flinging the mare like a rag doll towards Rarity, who simply blinked in bewilderment. Applejack subsequently crashed into Rarity, leaving the both of them rolled up in a heap at Twilight's hooves.

The Manticore victoriously lowered itself back down onto all fours, before twitching again. It then turned its attention to the frozen Twilight, who simply scuttled back in response.

“Please, no!” Fluttershy jumped forward and placed herself in between her friend and the Manticore.

Twilight had a flash of regret as she clearly remembered her altercation with Applejack outside of Ponyville. Now it was happening again, and she felt absolutely powerless to stop it.

The Manticore did hesitate, its huge paw was nearly the same size as Fluttershy’s head. And it hung dangerously in the air, fully prepared to swat the mare away.

“Please.” Fluttershy seemingly begged. “You're in pain, I know… Let me help you.”

Pinkie was just escaping the rubble of the tree she crashed through to see the unbelievable. Fluttershy was talking down a possessed Manticore, and it was slowly working. The creature seemed to blink a bit, as the haze over its eyes tried to clear, its paw wavered in the air. That was until Fluttershy slowly reached up and brought it down. She knew violence couldn't solve every problem, the Princess taught her how far the simplicity of kindness could reach. As she brought its paw down, she gripped it, letting the creature know she understood its pain. The Manticore shockingly purred with acceptance as Fluttershy held its paw tenderly.

Just as Applejack and Rarity were both getting up, thinking everything was under control. The Manticore flinched violently, effectively shoving Fluttershy to the ground, as its eyes began to haze over once again. Without warning its large red tail lashed out, shocking everypony into silence.

“Wow…” That was all Pinkie could say.

Fluttershy quickly got up with tears swelling up in her large blue eyes. The Manticore struck itself right in its back, it let out a pitiful growl as its toxins began to work. Fluttershy rushed to the Manticore, haphazardly lunging at the creature to hug it as it grew limp. The haze over its eyes completely cleared to reveal them to be a brilliant orange, and they seemed content, almost peaceful. The Manticore had one last gesture to give as it slowly fell, it gave Fluttershy a wet lick that trailed all the way up her face, leaving her pink mane slicked up. After that Fluttershy let go of the creature, allowing it to completely fall to the ground, un-moving.

“Tragic, let's move!” Everypony looked at Pinkie with a hint of disbelief, all except for Applejack. “What, it just paralyzed itself, the thing is still alive. So are we shoving off or are we waiting for a hydra now?”

Fluttershy wiped the tears from her eyes to get a better look at the Manticore, she was relieved to see its chest rise and fall.

“I-sorry…” Fluttershy muttered to nopony in particular.

“You have nothing to be sorry about darling, what you did there was nothing short of amazing.” Rarity gratified.

Fluttershy nodded back as the group got their bearings again. Pinkie and Applejack were both a bit ruffed up, but it was hard to tell if they sustained any injuries due to their thicker coats and neutral disposition. Rarity on the other choice winced painfully after her first few steps, her wounded barrel had started to shoot rhythmic pain throughout her body. Clear her tumble with Applejack only made it worse, still Rarity saw fit to hide her wound to continue with the group. No pony knew any better as she lagged even behind Fluttershy as they picked up speed.

“That was yer Destiny mark wasn't it?” Applejack asked Fluttershy without taking her eyes off the path ahead.

“Umm, yes… My Cutie Mark allows me to communicate with animals and some creatures to a degree.” Fluttershy whispered, not at all liking the attention.

“Cutie- whatever, we owe ya our hides.” Applejack simply put, causing Fluttershy to blush.

Still they continued deeper into the forest, their convictions carrying them further. As they traveled, the trees grew larger and the temperature seemed to dip. The sudden shift was lost on nopony as they moved through the trees. It was hard for the Equestrians to keep up as they already lacked natural light from the missing sun, not to mention the thick tree line above them that even blocked the large ominous moon. Twilight noticed that the Everfree ponies were trotting ahead with ease, it never really crossed her mind that they're eyes might be adjusted to darkness. That inadvertently brought her back to Loyalty’s betrayal, surely there were others who thought the same as he did. Were they going to meet more resistance than just an ancient evil Alicorn and a rogue Element. Twilight looked up to the two ponies leading the and thought more clearly on what it might mean to them.

“When we approach Nightingale, what then?” Twilight asked.

“Plan B.” Applejack answered in autopilot.

“And that is?” Twilight pushed.

“The inner sanctum of Castle outside of the city is our destination. That's where the artifacts of harmony are, with those, even one short we should be able to give that darn thing a run for its money.” Applejack replied. “ So ya need to be expectin’ a fight, don't hesitate.”

“Are you reassuring yourself?” Twilight questioned.

“We ain't no Equestria, but a lot of ponies live here, ma entire family calls the Everfree home. And there ain't been no hide nor hair of anypony, not a soul. There is no telling who else is willing to follow Star to oblivion…” Applejack spat darkly.

Trials [Part Two]

The darkness of the forest seemed like it was encroaching on the five ponies traveling within it. No words had been spoken for a while, and their pace even seemed to slow. At that point it was painfully obvious that something was wrong, but they kept moving forward. Even as the trees around seemingly got closer, and the air grew colder. It was the moment that Pinkie could see the visible chill from her breath that she decidedly stopped.

Everypony else stopped as well to observe Pinkie start sniffing the air, and digging her hooves in the dirt. Pinkies grew a terribly wicked grin after taking the time to analyze her surroundings.

“Applejack!” A small and familiar voice called out past the trees.

“Apple Bloom?” Applejack responded with mounting confusion. “Yer supposed to be with Mac?”

The filly in question jumped past the trees, coming just short of giving her sister a hug.

“I found the Princess!” Apple Bloom jumped excitedly.

No sooner had she said that, a tall ivory Alicorn made her way past the trees as well, chromatic mane shimmering in the darkness.

“Princess you're ok!” Twilight immediately perked up.

“Here we go…” Pinkie sighed.

Before Pinkie could receive a single strange look, the Princess transformed Before everypony's eyes. The once pristine Alicorn, now looked like a monster that could only be formed from the most wicked of dreams. Her fur no longer Ivory, it turned gray as if she ages a thousand years in an instant, and her majestic mane drained of all color. Even as her mane fell over her face, it failed to hide her single eye that turned a piercing blood red. Even her trademark eye patch fell to the dirt to reveal her empty eye socket that suddenly started oozing pus and blood as if the age old wound had reopened.

Fluttershy, Rarity, and Twilight all screamed when the imposter Princess rushed towards the group; mouth hung open. Even Applejack backpedaled when she saw the things decaying maw stretch wider as it started to move faster. But what caused the most alarm was that the thing changed direction at the last second, going for the frozen Applebloom.

No pony could react quick enough for what would happen next. The thing scooped up the screaming filly in its decaying maw, and as soon as Applejack tried to reach out, the monster scrambled back into the forest.

“Apple Bloom!” Applejack was prepared to give chase, the monster left a clear trail of blood from where it retreated.

“Th-what was that!” Rarity's fear filled voice stuttered.

Her question was answered by the violent reaction of the forest around them. The trees grew larger and more alive, their branches reached out like limbs prepared to snatch a pony away. Fluttershy was too scared to even scream, instead she fell back onto the nearest pony, shaking violently. The nearest pony was Pinkie, who was watching the scene unfold with mild amusement, she didn't even glance at the shivering mare gripping her barrel as she sat.

“Seriously, this is all you got?” Pinkie questioned. “A thousand year old monster, and your best illusion only managed to get a pretty mare wrapped around my waist?”

Everypony stopped panicking for a second to hear Pinkie's rant. Rarity even let out a chuckle from hearing what Pinkie said last. Twilight just looked confused, much like Applejack at the moment.

“Nightmare Moon huh, I can't tell… I mean, maybe your title applies to foals. But I'd like to consider myself a grown mare, with my own little demons, and you think one scene will break us?” Pinkie finally looked down and patted the trembling Fluttershy on her head as the monster from before returned. “Came back to salvage your ego?”

It was Applejack's turn to snicker a bit as she finally caught on to the situation. With that, the world around them seemed to crack slightly, and the monster noticed it as well. It let out an eerie wail as its bloodied maw opened again, the monster made a beeline for the unmoving pink mare. Its red eye met Pinkie's dull blues as it rushed towards the two mares. Fluttershy finally was able to scream as she could feel the thing approaching, but the unexpected happened when Pinkie actually embraced the scared mare with a hoof.

The monster stopped just short of Pinkie's face, its maw was opened wide enough to swallow the two of them whole. They could literally count the endless rows of fangs, because it was so close, but it wouldn't follow through. The monster seemed frozen in the moment of attacking, and Everypony noticed, even Fluttershy.

Pinkie laughed haughtily at the abysmal attempt of scaring her, but she did enjoy the interesting reactions of the ponies around her. Following up with another unpredictable move, Pinkie extended out and kissed the monster square on its snout. Then like that, the thing shattered like glass, leaving not a trace of its existence behind. That was enough to elect a light giggle from Fluttershy and Twilight simultaneously, and that's when the world followed suit and shattered like glass. Everything was back to normal, the trees were no longer reaching out for them, and the blood that stained the ground from the monster's attack was no longer there. Applejack couldn't believe she fell for such nonsense, but she couldn't ignore the fact that she did. The Nightmare would have captured her mind if she had chased after her imaginary sister, luckily Pinkie had seen through it instantly.

“I… it was so real, how did you know?” Twilight asked, now prodding the ground herself.

“Reality has never really been a consistent theme for me.” Pinkie responded while getting up and dislodging Fluttershy, who was blushing at the moment.

“Oh.” Twilight then remembered their conversation on the balcony. She took a long hard look at Pinkie, who in turn decidedly ignored her as she began to move towards their destination.

Twilight didn't understand, Pinkie was a mare, she was physical and very much alive. So what did she mean back then on the balcony, that the real Pinkie was the one in the dreamscape. How was it possible, and how does an entity no less a pony exist in such a state? Those questions might forever elude the small Unicorn, and that irritated her to no end.

“Umm, Twilight… w-why are you staring at her like that?” Fluttershy quietly questioned.

Twilight jumped in response, just to hastenly continue with the group. Fluttershy looked a bit confused, but decided to leave it be, she wanted to get it all over with soon.

With Everypony back in the rhythm of traveling through the forest, they faced little interruptions as they finally felt like they were making progress. Much to Twilight's interest, it looked like they were passing a small town. The Unicorn was able to look past the eeriness of it being seemingly abandoned to pay attention to the details of the structures and signs. The small buildings were built from some type of slate she had never seen before, and they were covered in hoof painted designs that closely resemble the tattoos of the Lunar elements. Then the signs were unreadable to her, she had no idea they had a totally different written language, which meant they probably had their own spoken language as well. Which was strange considering they spoke fluid Equestrian, and never signaled that they spoke anything different. They had an extremely deep culture in the forest, they could easily be defined as an independent nation. Possibly even being able to be compared to Equestria as far as cultural significance was concerned, that worried Twilight a bit. If they are successful, Equestria now knows of their existence, and because of Nightmare Moon, might make Equestrian’s perceive them as a threat. Ponies like Blueblood would foam at the muzzle to subjugate them to Equestrian Law.

Twilight's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of rushing water. As they moved forward they finally saw what was making the sound, Twilight was surprised by the sound of strong water flow, she was unsure if they could all actually swim across. Fluttershy could carry a pony or two across. But she wasn’t exactly the strongest flier.

“We'll cross it here, it will be our most straightforward path to Nightingale.” Applejack then pointed forward.

Everypony then could see what could be considered the top of Castle spires in the distance. Fluttershy looked curiously at the spires and thought to herself, how could they've gone unnoticed by the high flying Pegasi. However, Rarity questioned if she would be able to make it across the waters in her state. The young Unicorn looked down at her barrel and noticed how her blood had yet to stop dripping from her wound; she had no idea how deep it really went, but it was painful nonetheless.

“Can Everypony swim?” Pinkie sarcastically asked.

“No one is swimming tonight…” A dark voice gurgled from underneath the water.

“Of course, shocker!” Pinkie mockingly shouted in response.

The source of the voice the bursted from underneath the water it called home. The sight of its green, scaly, and elongated body was enough to identify it as an ancient sea serpent. Its dragon-like snout blew out water, and he shook his golden mane and mustache to get the wetness out of it. There was a noticeably fresh wound on the side of his face. It had scared his vision and lopsided his mustache due to the way it ran from the base of his left brow down to his scaly cheek. The serpent leaned over to the ponies with an irritated look on its face as he trained his one good eye on them, inspecting them intently.

“Let us pass Serpent.” Applejack demanded.

“Rude as ever I see, didn't your quaint little family build a bridge ages ago to cross my river. As of now, I don't want you ponies dirtying my water.” The Serpent replied, not backing down. “Besides, why cross when Nightingale is an absolute mess right now.”

Applejack began to growl. “I won't ask again.”

“My my, you've even brought some delectable guests… I thought you creatures didn't dine on Equestrian meat?” The Serpent spoke, wearing a dubious look while doing so. “I haven't had any pure pony meat in ages myself, I'd love a taste, then I'd might just be will-”

“Steven!” Applejack shouted.

“Oh, getting called out by name now… Or I'm I just scaring your dinner away?” Steven then flashed his pearly white fangs.

“Oh stop with the dramatics will you.” Rarity piped up.

“Dramatics?” Steven surmised. “I didn't know getting my face mutilated by some dark tentacle monstrosity, and me being understandably upset about it was considered dramatics.”

Rarity hobbled forward, gaining the shocked attention of Everypony. Now the full extent of her injury was brought to bear, and it was concerning to say the least. It was a large gash under her barrel from what most could tell, blood dripped freely from the unattended wound. Pinkie looked critically at the hobbling mare, clueless on how she managed to hide such a wound. Neither Applejack or her were able to even catch the scent of her blood.

“Rarity!” Twilight was in the motion of rushing to her friend's aid, but was waved off by Rarity. Twilight skidded to a halt, it puzzled the mare to no end, what was her friend planning.

The Sea Serpent was also curious as well, he leaned down even closer from his river to inspect the injured mare. “Ah, I see, it seems as though you've met the same nuisance as I have. That doesn't change a thi-”

Rarity cut off Steven by lighting her horn, the Serpent recoiled in shock. He hadn't expected instant escalation, he had only been teasing as far as he was concerned. Rarity had targeted a misplaced scale on the side of Steven's scared face, her glowing blue horn then turned swiftly to a dull red as she focused on her own wound. Steven's shock doubled at the mare’s action, he didn't know much about magic, but what she was doing looked extremely painful.

“D-darling… don't move.” Rarity uttered through clenched teeth.

Steven could only blink and cursed himself for his close proximity to the weird mare as her horn then was directed towards him. A red glow enveloped the side of his wounded face, his dislodged scale, and Rarity. Miraculously his wounds rapidly healed, even his vision was restored back to full. Steven's newly restored eyes bulged at the sensation of her magic and his restoration, much like Everypony else. After it was all said and done, Steven felt his face with his claws and was amazed with the results. But his amazement shifted to something that resembled a subtle understanding, his golden eyes lowered down to the mare that helped him. She was visibly shaking, the scale she once had turned to dust, and one of the bright blue jewels that were her eyes had dimmed considerably. The milky haze that covered her pupil made it painfully obvious what the exchange had included.

“I am no mage nor Unicorn, but I do understand that all magic comes at a cost…” Steven grimaced.

“Passage.” Rarity said, barely managing to get the word past her lips.

“That wasn't what I…” The Serpent paused and looked at the concerned ponies surrounding the selfless mare. What did they plan to do once they got past him, surely they didn't expect to challenge the thing that fled there, but who was he to deny them. “Very well.”

Applejack turned to raise a brow at Steven, who in turn flashed her a winning smile. He then immediately took to Rarity and tenderly picked her up with his claws, she didn't even flinch in pain, which concerned him to a degree. Yet he had to repay her generosity, so he gently coasted to the other side of the river. Once they were on the opposite bank, he sat the mare down as tenderly as he had picked her up. Rarity looked up to the Serpent with gratitude, but he couldn't return her gaze after what she just gave him, it just didn't feel right. Instead he floated back to the other side and extended his elongated body to make a makeshift bridge to the other side. Without hesitation, Twilight and Fluttershy zoomed across to get to their injured friend. Applejack and Pinkie then took their turn across his body without a word, they didn't know what to expect after that display. They were surprised she was able to cast so effortlessly in the forest.

“Good look, and thank you. There needs to be more ponies like you in this world my lady.” Those were the last words Steven spoke before dipping back down into the rushing river and disappearing

“Why would you hide that from us?” Fluttershy's concern was evident by the raised volume of her voice.

“We have to treat your wounds immediately!” Twilight said, rushing to Rarity.

Rarity didn't respond, she just sat on her haunches, looking past Everypony. Twilight nearly threw up when she saw the severity of Rarity's open wound and the self mutilation of her vision. Twilight instantly went into panic mode and attempted to light her horn, but was immediately met with a throbbing pain shooting from her horn right to her head.

“I said watch the magic!” Applejack shouted, slowly approaching the trio.

“Watch the magic, do you not see Rarity’s injuries!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Rarity.” Applejack spoke past Twilight, directing her attention to the injured mare.

“Yes darling?” Rarity replied courtly, almost as if nothing was wrong.

“Can you walk?”

Twilight was prepared to protest, but Rarity stuck out a hoof to shush her. “To Tartarus if need be.”

Fluttershy just looked down to her hooves, contemplating suggesting a withdrawal from their mission. It was very evident that any of them could die here, and Rarity looked close, too close for a timid mare like herself. She then thought about Rainbow Dash, and whatever she was doing at the moment, wondering if she was faring better than they were. Shaking her head and looking back up to the group, there was no turning back now, not after Rarity’s apparent sacrifice.

“I don’t think you can, and I don’t need no element to tell ya that. Whatever magic you managed to pull back there gots ya down and bleeding like a stuck pig.” Applejack commented while examining her wounds more closely. She also still couldn't comprehend why the alabaster mare was able to cast magic without hindrance, unlike her friend who failed to even keep her horn lit.

“Here, wrap her up with this.” Pinkie stepped forward, producing a bundle of cloth and bandage wraps.

“Bu...W-where?” Twilight hadn’t been paying attention to Pinkie, but she knew that she hadn’t been lugging that stuff around that whole time. That was the second time she had done something like that to Twilight’s amazement. Then the amazement faded for a serious expression as she snatched the cloth and bandages with her hooves and started to work on her friend. Her basic medical knowledge was enough to allow her to adequately wrap her friend's wound, and even after several rolls of cloth, blood was still seeping through it all. Fluttershy, who had slightly more medical experience dealing with animals, looked over Twilight, nodding in approval when Twilight swapped the cloth for the bandages. Rarity laid there, seemingly lost in thought as her friends tried to stem the bleeding. Applejack saw her faraway look, and her resolve grew, those ponies were strong.

“There!” Twilight said triumphantly, wiping her bloodied hooves in the grass. The blood was no longer seeping through the layers of cloth and bandages, Fluttershy tested the tightness of them, making sure nothing would come loose. In the end, Twilight did an amazing job for her first attempt, and Rarity knew it as well.

“I’d be tragic if this leaves a scar.” Rarity sarcastically grimaced from her lying position before successfully sitting back up. She didn’t even try to hide the pained expression she displayed from the simple action, and that caused a problem. “But I suppose I'll have to make eye patches a fashionable proposition now.”

“Blood magic…” Twilight spat.

Rarity frowned darkly. “Another time darling, now if one of you would like to help a lady up?”

Applejack was surprisingly the first to react by standing next to the young Unicorn, allowing her to use her as leverage to stand. Applejack was a wall to Rarity, she was able to lean her full weight on the large orange mare. Still that wasn’t enough and Applejack knew it, she sat down on her haunches, leaving Rarity a bit curious as to her intention.

“Pinkie, help her up onto my back.” Applejack commanded.

“Giving pony rides now Speaker?” Pinkie teased, making her way to the two.

“Could you not…” Rarity painfully sighed.

“I could.” Pinkie dead-panned.

Rarity rolled her tired blue eye before obliging with Applejack's command. The Unicorn positioned herself for maximum comfort, but that didn't seem to matter to Pinkie. The large pink mare just shoveled her head unceremoniously underneath the gasping Unicorns flanks to plop her on top of Applejack.

“E-easy!” Rarity hissed.

“Don't have digits like the Serpent.” Pinkie dead-panned.

“That doesn't mean you go underneath my tail without permission.” Rarity turned her nose up the best she could without causing pain. “How uncouth!”

“...” Applejack just shook her head at the Unicorns complaining. Just a moment a go, she had nearly committed suicide, now she was complaining about the ethics of lifting a mare. “Yer situated up there?”

“Yes, thank you.” Rarity's emphasis on the ‘yes’ wasn't lost on the Applejack.

“How far are we now?” Twilight asked, coming to terms with Rarity's situation.

“Not far, maybe a half of a mile till we’re at the south entrance of the castle.” Applejack replied, starting to move forward towards their objective again.

“But we got to cross that stupid bridge to get to the south entrance.” Pinkie duly noted.

“So?” Applejack saw no problem with that.

“We only got one pony that can fly here, and I'm not trusting miss magic to teleport us across when we find out the bridge is down or something.” Pinkie pointed out, as if she was predicting calamity.

“Offense taken?” Twilight indirectly replied. However she understood what Pinkie meant, her magic wasn't reliable here, they could end up anywhere if she attempted teleportation within the confines of the forest.

“You don't know that, and even if it is, we'll find a way.” Applejack reassured.

“You almost sound like an Equestrian?” Pinkie seemingly sounded sincere, but everypony at that point knew it to be some form of a joke.

Rarity chuckled as Twilight and Applejack both rolled their eyes at the bored looking mare as they walked. Fluttershy wasn’t concerned with the joke, she had her eyes fixated on the strange moon. Thinking about Rainbow Dash, her friend probably wasn't going to come back, still she held out hope that she could save her. But Fluttershy was struggling to understand what she’d be saving her friend from… was it the nightmare, or was it this forest.

Postscript to Betrayal

Castle Nightingale

“Worthless.” The dark and desolate voice of Nightmare Moon spat as it tossed the husk of a body it had just drained aside.

There was a pile steadily growing in the corner of the open and bleak chamber she occupied. That however was only a byproduct of her hunger, her will to live. Her evil blue eyes scanned the chamber, she was sitting in the middle of what could be considered an auditorium. There were rows of long tables set on ascending levels, and they all faced the podium that she had recently destroyed. Nightmare Moon may have been sealed away for a thousand years, but she could remember the ruling chambers clearly, and they've desecrated it. Her children have strayed far from their intended path, this was supposed to be the simple task of returning and taking what she deserved and demanded.

Sniffing the air, the scent of her children was still strong. It frustrated the Nightmare to no end not knowing where they've fled. She may have been revived today, but she wasn't born today. They had a comprehensive plan laid out for her return, meaning there was a mortal foolish enough to attempt to outsmart a god.

“Master.” Black Star bowed with an unconscious chromatic mare draped over his back.

“Rise servant, what hast thou brought to thy hooves.” Nightmare Moon rose to her full height, looking down at the old stallion.

“A pony worthy of your greatness, she holds the strength to sustain you.” Black Star confidently responded.

“I'll be the judge of such a claim!” Nightmare Moon scoffed at his surety as it ascended from the destroyed podium.

Nightmare Moon could feel it, without even tasting the air around the mare. There was something special to her, the soul that her body housed was confused, distraught. Knowing that excited the Nightmare, it could mold it, make it anything it pleased. That soul was crafted for the Nightmare and only for the Nightmare, it was perfect.

Nightmare Moon unceremoniously snatched the unconscious mare with her magic and bit deep into its neck, drawing a copious amount of blood. Black Star stood unflinching as he watched the Nightmare work, the old stallion banished all thoughts from his head at the moment. But the Nightmare wasn't concerned with the old stallion anymore, she was savoring the taste of untapped power, her former strength flashed before her eyes. It couldn't simply drain this body, it had to truly claim it. And without hesitation the Nightmare did just that, her body instantly turned into a thin mist as she entered the wound she created. Black Star cracked a smile at his master's eagerness, in his mind it was all coming together, the prophecy would prove correct.

The body of the Pegasus convulsed and flinched as the magic of Nightmare Moon filled every orifice and traveled through her veins. After the mist completely entered its new host, Black tar began oozing from the Pegasus’s mouth, it moved life-like and covered the entire body, molding it. It took only a couple of agonizing seconds for the image of the dark Alicorn to be formed. Gone was its battle torn body, and zombie like appearance, now Nightmare Moon was back in full force. When the tar was done transforming the body, Nightmare Moon laughed maniacally.

“Yes!” Nightmare Moon shouted with fever. “The night will last forever!”

Black Star said nothing, he simply glanced at the wasted bodies piled in the corner of the room. He knew most of the faces and Destiny Marks in the pile, he would have spared them that fate if he was faster. Or maybe not, if they were foolish enough to not flee like the rest of the Children, maybe they deserved every second of their death.

“Servant, your job Is yet to be completed.” Nightmare Moon's new powerful voice rang out throughout the chamber. “Those insolent ponies and traitors are still encroaching, they will not interrupt thy moment… Destroy them, upon completion, you shall be the first to witness the birth of a new world!”

“Yes Master,” Black Star said without hesitation.

Turning around, he shot out of the council chamber with impressive speed. He needed no direction, he knew exactly where they’d be heading if they made past the obstacles that Nightmare Moon set.

Everfree Forest

“Huh, it's not down?” Pinkie said with a tilt of her head.

Rarity just stuck her tongue out to mock the pink mare from Applejack’s back. Fluttershy gulped at the sight of the long and narrow bridge that extended over a deep and exceedingly dark crevice.

“Is this thing safe?” Twilight asked, but then realized where exactly she was. “who am I kidding, of course it's not…”

“Hey, somepony is finally getting it.” Pinkie ruffled Twilight's mane as she trotted past her.

“Will you quit that!”

“I-” the words died in her mouth when she caught an all too familiar scent. She looked at Applejack and noticed she had already gotten into a defensive stance, even with a mare on her back.

Without warning, a black streak blasted right down the middle of the group. Dust and debris flew up from the impact, causing everypony to either yelp or scream in surprise. The dust settled fast, and everypony stood rigid when they saw Loyalty with Fluttershy in a headlock. Tears started to go down the eyes of the butterscotch Pegasus as Star tightened his grip. Black Star eyed Pinkie criticality, as if telling her to not try anything, she was the only one that could act to blindside him.

“Let her go!” Twilight yelled.

Black Star just looked at the group, his orange slits scanned all their injuries and noticed their fatigue. He shook his head in disappointment, they would all surely get slaughtered by the Nightmare in their current state. The old stallion knew they didn't make them like they used to. But he had to play his game just a little longer, he could feel the bond growing.

“Let her go, we ain't going to ask ya again.” Applejack growled, Rarity just gripped her neck, as there was nothing that she could personally do.

“You don't want me to do tha-” He was cut off by a pink hoof meeting the side of his head that sent him spiraling into the dirt.

Fluttershy rolled out of his grasp as well, and scrambled back towards the group.

“You blinked.” Pinkie spat, shaking her glowing tattooed hoof as if she had put everything into that sucker punch

“You underestimate me.” Black Star swiftly responded, mocking Pinkie's attack. Yet she was fast enough to dodge it. “You're not the only one capable of a surprise, child.”

Pinkie slid to the side, unsure on how he avoided going to sleep from her seal. She didn't have much time to dwell on it because Black Star renewed his attack. His element was fully released at that point, he took on a much more feral appearance as his strength and speed grew by the second. The bat pony rapidly threw a flurry of strikes at Pinkie, who in turn was doing her best to either dodge or block what she could. No pony dared to intervene, not that they could, Applejack even marveled at Pinkie's combat abilities. Not many could go hoof to hoof with an element of Loyalty, let alone a pony as skilled as Black Star, who is hailed as the Everfrees greatest warrior and strategist in generations. Still Pinkie proved not to be equivalent to the older stallion, because his speed and precise strikes through her guard slowly overwhelmed her and he was able to perform a sweeping kick to take her completely off her hooves. Then he continued his lightning fast combo by flipping midair to give a finishing downward kick to her gut, but he stuttered mid-attack, because she was long gone. He immediately looked up and saw nothing, and then he internally laughed when he realized his mistake. In that moment he heard the deafening boom from somewhere behind him.

Everypony shielded their eyes from the destruction. Twilight’s eyes couldn't even keep up with their actions, then all of the sudden she blinked and Pinkie had a loaded cannon. Logic itself must've abandoned them as Twilight looked at the large blue cannon in disbelief, then she glanced at Applejack and Rarity to see what they were staring at. Twilight gasped when she saw the destruction that the cannon caused, trees were destroyed and obliterated in a spreading area away from the cannon. The concussion of the blast was absolutely epic to cause such destruction, where was she hiding such a weapon, and why did she wait till that moment to use it. But a better question was what happened to Loyalty, could Pinkie have killed him in that instant?

“Y-your grandmother taught you we-well Pinkamena.” Star said from off in the dark distance, trotting right out of the epicenter of the carnage. His dark gray coat was bloodied as tree fragments littered his body like shrapnel wounds, and blood was dripping from his mouth. All of that combined with his terrible limp signaled the end of the fight, if not his death.

His tattoo stopped glowing as well, meaning his element was no longer released. But Pinkie knew it was far from over, she honestly had no idea how she’d outlast him, let alone bet him.

“Star…” Pinkie grimaced from the top of her cannon, the pull string was still tight in her grip.

Applejack backed up, knowing Pinkie, the crazy pink mare would probably decimate half of the forest just to buy time.

Black Star just smiled wickedly, he felt it, his part of the prophecy was complete. He began to chuckle to himself, He had been Loyalty for over fifty years, and not once he thought he’d be the one to break the chain. In the end he knew no pony could’ve done it better than him, it wouldn't take long for Nightmare Moon to realize the prophecy for what it truly was. The Nightmare whispered to him for many years, as it did to every Loyalty bearer before him. His family suffered the trauma of her darkness for many generations, never once yielding to her song. Nightmare Moon was a monster, dangling a little weakness and she would dive at it like a starving Timberwolf. He gave her everything she wanted, and she accepted his poison like the animal she was. Taking his eyes off Pinkie, he looked up at the beauty of the Moon. He had fought his entire life in the name of Loyalty, he was his father's apprentice for many years. As his father was an apprentice to his grandmother, to this day he didn't understand their decisions. Especially when they were fully aware of their future fate at the hooves of their own children. That was a product of the Everfrees ideology that had to go with the Nightmare, and it saddened the old stallion that it had to end this way.

He could feel it coming, coming for him, coming because of his true loyalties. Maybe, just maybe they will prove his old soul wrong and finish what he started. The way is clearly paved for them now, and if the five of them are strong enough, if Colors is strong enough, they'll live to curse his name.

“Star!” Pinkie yelled as he continued his slow approach.

“Loyalty awaits you…” Those were his last words before the same tendrils from before bursted from underneath the ground, impaling the old gray stallion several times over.

Fluttershy and Rarity both screamed.

“Guess I win?” Pinkie oddly concluded.

“Pinkie, move!” Applejack shouted as they had already started running across the unsteady bridge.

Pinkie watched for a few more seconds as more and more tendrils erupted from the ground in waves towards her, obscuring her view of Star. The pinkie mare decidedly hopped of the cannon and galloped towards the group, she was still stuck on Black Stars apparent suicide. There was so much more he could've done, she honestly didn't have a chance of beating that old bat and he just allowed himself to get gored.

Pinkie was the last one to make it across the bridge as the tendrils of darkness snapped the tethers holding it up. They didn't stop there, the group galloped for at least a half a mile, until the sound of the tendrils bursting out of the ground were no more. Twilight was the first to beg for a breather as they neared the large city of Nightingale. When everypony stopped, Twilight collapsed on the side of a tree, and Applejack was huffing heavily as she had extra weight on her back.

“You can let me down now darling…” Rarity more so pleaded than asked.

Applejack had no objections as she sat down and let Rarity slowly slide off.

“H-he’s dead…” Twilight gasped between breaths.

“Um.” Fluttershy signaled for everypony's attention as she held out her hoof with a red gem.

Applejack's eyes went wide at the sight of it. “How in tarnations did you get a hold of that!”

“I- well, he slipped it under my wing when he let me go… I thought he stabbed me with something, sorry!” Fluttershy whimpered, hiding behind her long pink mane.

“Loyalty awaits us?” Applejack thought back to his last words.

“It seems as though our dear Star may have been playing a grander game.” Rarity shakenly added in, while tending to her bandages.

“That's an artifact of harmony isn't it,” Twilight questioned, finally regaining her breath. “Can I see it?”

Fluttershy gladly hoofed it over to Twilight, wanting nothing to do with the thing.

“Amazing,” Twilight felt the immense magic the small gem contained, and that's when it dawned on her. “All of the artifacts are in the castle right, even ours?”

“Yes.” Applejack answered bluntly.

“And they all shine like this?”

“Yes…”

“I see, and only a bearer can interact with their own element, and if one dies, then what?” Twilight went into full study mode, trying her best to ignore the fact she watched a stallion get murdered.

“The artifact would go dor-” Applejack didn't even finish.

“Exactly, so somepony is the new element of Loyalty… somewhere.” Twilight concluded.

“Impossible,” Applejack swiftly shot Twilight down. “Our elements don't work all spirit like, Our elements are tied to us. It takes a ceremony to change bearers, and the ceremony of loyalty is…”

“Essentially a fight to the death, the killing Blow transfers Loyalty to victory. Which in the end is always the apprentice of whoever was the bearer before hoof.” Pinkie finished.

Fluttershy remembered the elder Buffalos story from before, it matched from what she could remember. But she remained quiet, there was really nothing she could really contribute to their discoveries anyway.

“That's illogical, what if somepony unrelated kills Loyaltys bearer in their sleep or somepony who is the furthest thing from loyalty defeats them?” Twilight skeptically questioned.

“Loyalty is considered the worldly element, its bearer is never open to death till a pact is formed between the bearer and an apprentice.” Pinkie answered.

“So they're immortal?” Rarity gasped.

“In a way, yes.” Applejack joined back in. “But Loyalty dictates their being, it would eventually force a pony to pass on the magic. Star held Loyalty for nearly fifty years, the bearers before him only held if for a fraction of the time. Maybe twenty years top, old age is something they often don't get to see.”

“I-is he not… dead?” Fluttershy cautiously asked.

“Oh no, he’s dead.” Pinkie cleared up inexplicably.

“I see…” Twilight thought about the old bat pony and the other two Lunar elements. What was the ceremony they had to go though, and how long could they hold it. But in the end that was an afterthought, they got an end of the world dilemma to deal with.

Pinkie looked up at the old stone castle that they were currently near. “So Colors is wrapped up in this somehow, she was Star's apprentice after all.”

“Just where in the hay is that filly then?” Applejack grunted.

“Loyalty awaits us, so I'm assuming ahead.” Rarity stated matter of factly.

Applejack then sighed, realizing their situation wouldn't get better by lounging around. “Yer right, we still gotta get the other gems, and with or without Loyalty we will face that monster.”

Everypony nodded in confirmation, even Rarity shockingly started to move under her own weight again. They were close to their goal, and the scariest part was that the entire city that surrounded the castle was empty. Not a single soul was around to witness their attempts at heroics, and every second of their trot towards the castle's rear gate was a calculated one.

“...” Fluttershy looked around, extremely frightened that something else would come out and grab her. The Pegasus desperately hoped that the same thing wouldn't happen to Equestria. It was a selfish thought, but she didn't want to lose Soarin anytime soon.

“Everypony is probably underground.” Pinkie answered the unasked question.

“Really, your ponies have underground tunnels?” Twilight asked.

“More like underground communities, this is only a fraction of Nightingale you see. The rest of it is underground, unlike you Equestrians, we tend to not build up.” Pinkie pointed out as if it was an obvious question.

Twilight was the first to look down at the city from the hilltop they were on with awe. If the city was built down it was very possible that it could rival Canterlot in size. Merchant stalls, a school, and what looked clearly like a library could be seen from their vantage point. The library was enough to make the bookish mare drool, they had textual knowledge that the little Unicorn had possibly yet to get her hooves on. On another note, her increasing suspicions were founded on solid ground now, the Children of the Night were a solitary power that has held its own throughout time. Twilight had yet to see the military, but she did remember the talk about the Shadowbolts, at this point everything was on the table of possibility.

Soon enough however, they reached the outer walls of the castle in no time, and everypony was surprised by the lack of protection around the castle if the Nightmare was supposed to be inside. Applejack fell at the nearly hidden double doors next to the chained gate, and the doors swung open after one testing push. Applejack raised a brow and looked to Pinkie for an explanation.

“No waking dreamscape.” Pinkie shrugged.

“Then we move forward.” Applejack reassured.

“This place feels different from the rest of the forest.” Twilight spoke up, she could feel the magic of the forest seemingly avoiding the castle.

“Wards, this is possibly the only place in the Everfree where a Unicorn can safely cast a spell.” Pinkie said.

Twilight didn't respond, she just felt relieved that she wouldn't have to face the Nightmare without her magic. Rarity also sighed in relief as well, it was hard for them to not just instinctively use their horns. Now they had sanction to do as they pleased with their magic once they entered, relieving much of their stress.

Each of them passed the threshold of the doors to finally enter the dimly lit corridor. Rarity sparkled at the sight of the exquisite looking red drapery. Then she set hoof on the plush carpet that was rolled out down the corridor, and immediately fell in love with the hoof stitched designs that ran the length of the carpet. It took her only a second to recognize the designs resemble the Lunar elements tattoos. Twilight on the other hoof was looking at the paintings on the wall, As they slowly moved trying to make no noise, Twilight was noticing that each painting was of a distinguished looking stallion or mare. They all shared the aggressive features that marked them as Children of the Night, but the paintings made them seem like so much more.

They didn't have too much time, because once they reached the end of the corridor, Applejack signaled everypony to stop. The large orange mare then activated her element, causing her tattoo around her left eye to flow blue, and then her eyes followed. She was scanning the walls around them, before looking over a particular painting of a bat pony mare rather critically. She then pawed at it a bit before tilting it right, and then everypony heard a soft click. The wall in front of them then slowly started to drop, the sound of stone grinding on stone made them cringe as if it was the furthest thing from quiet.

It seemed to take the false wall an eternity to drop, just when they thought that Applejack was going to rip the wall down, it finally fell the rest of the way. The new access revealed an extremely dark room, but when they cautiously stepped hoof inside, several torches instantly lit around the room. Twilight felt it for a moment, dark magic, now it made even more sense as to why she wasn't allowed to cast in the forest. The forest is filled with foreign and dark magic, enough of it to drive the strongest of Unicorns mad.

“Wow, they're actually here?” Pinkie commented while being the first to trot up to the six unassuming stone pedestals. One of them was already missing a stone artifact, which they all assumed to be the red gem Twilight currently had.

“There's our pink pessimist…” Rarity jokingly replied as she also limped closer.

“I think we have to activate them some way?” Twilight added in.

Pinkie shrugged. “I'm feeling this one.”

Before anypony could object, Pinkie harshly poked one of the spherical stones on the pedestal. The stone reacted strongly, first it dimly glowed blue, then it shined a bright pink. By time the intense light dimmed again, the stone was no longer a stone, it resembled something closer to a woven dreamcatcher. The flat and circular object had multiple strands of strange fabric strung tightly together to form a complex pattern in the middle of it; there were also three large black feathers hanging down from the object as well. Pinkie looked taken back by its appearance, but she picked it up anyway, fondling the thing. It didn't take her long to find out that the Dream catcher had pink beads hanging down from it as well, but the beads made it into some sort of necklace to be worn.

“Cool.” Pinkie said dully, once again threw caution to the wind and slung the thing over her head. When nothing happened, everypony else released the breath that they were holding. “Who's next?”

Rarity was surprisingly the next to step forward. The alabaster mare looked over each dormant stone and seemed to pick one at random much like Pinkie before her. The stone she touched shined a light yellow before changing to a bright light blue, Rarity didn't even shield her eye from the light. After the light faded, Rarity squinted to make sure she was seeing it right, before her sat a small sheathed dagger sitting on the pedestal. The young Unicorn was surprised to see a decorative diamond on the end of the hilt, and the sheath was expertly decorated as well. Gently picking it up with her magic, Rarity was astounded by its weight and texture. Not knowing exactly what to do with it, Rarity unsheathed it for a moment and marveled at the tribal like engravings on the blade itself. It was a rough ten inches long one sided dagger, and had a thick fuller grove on the right side of it, leading all the way to the base of the hilt. To Rarity the dagger seemed more ornate than anything, still she had no such desire to use the thing.

“Amazing.” Twilight marveled.

“I don't know darling, a dagger?” Rarity questioned in response as she sheathed the artifact.

“It's just that most weapons such as blades are usually crafted with hoof grips. The simple fact that your artifact doesn't have one means it would only be functional in the magic of a Unicorn.” Twilight was obviously enjoying every second of her discovery. “First a dreamcatcher of sorts, then a dagger… I think each element transforms according to the bearer's personal abilities!”

“Ok ok, how bout ya calm down.” Applejack hushed.

Twilight had to stop herself there, she was almost bouncing like a filly.

Applejack stepped forward next, repeating the process of the last two. The stone she picked glowed a dim blue like Pinkies, then shined a bright green when it transformed. Her stone transformed into a long coiled rope, several of the strands were the same shade of green as her eyes. Applejack immediately recognized the rope for what it exactly was.

“A lasso?”

“Fitting, is it not?” Pinkie said nonchalantly.

Applejack didn't complain, she simply picked it up with her hooves and looped over herself like a sash. Then she stepped back, allowing whoever wanted to go next a clear path to the pedestals. Twilight and Fluttershy both shared a glance at each other, the Pegasus was quick to relent her turn to the unusually giddy Unicorn.

Twilight wasted no time trotting towards the last two untouched pedestals. She was curious on how everypony else picked their artifacts from the unassuming and unmarked stones. The small Unicorn was quick to discover her gravitation towards the one in the center pedestal, she guessed that the artifacts simply attracted them to the right ones somehow. Touching the stone sphere, it lit up a dim yellow like Rarity's, then it shined a bright purple before transforming. Once it completed its transformation, Twilight’s eyes grew to the size of saucers at the sight of the large black book in front of her. Immediately grasping it with her magic, she discovered that it was virtually weightless and the cover was leathery in texture. Inspecting it further, she found a long purple bookmark that was made from some type of purple cloth hanging down from the first page of the hardcover book.

“Well, are ya gonna open the thing?” Applejack asked impatiently.

Twilight tried just that, and found that she was incapable of opening the book. It was magically sealed somehow, but she didn't have the time to figure it out just yet. The small Unicorn hoped that it would become of use if she activated her element, that was a gamble she’d have to take.

“Fair enough,” Pinkie dead-panned, she then turned her attention to Fluttershy. “Your turn, Pegasus lady.”

“Eep!”

Fluttershy timidly moved past the grinning pink Everfree pony as she stood in front of her dormant artifact. She stood there staring at it for what seemed like ages, that was until Pinkie casually bumped the Pegasus with her flanks. Fluttershy jumped in shock and accidentally booped the stone artifact with her snout, causing it to react in a similar fashion as Twilights and Raritys artifact. However in the end it glowed pink before dimming to reveal a butterfly, Fluttershy visibly calmed down at the sight of the thing.

“I think it's alive?” Rarity said, looking at it critically.

And like that, the thing started to flap upwards, shocking everypony. It then floated its way towards Fluttershy, who in turn stood stock still as the strange pink and yellow butterfly landed in her mane. Fluttershy could feel the thing settle in, and for some reason knew that it wasn't going to move. She gently lifted a hoof to feel that the butterfly felt metallic and was no longer alive it seemed. The Pegasus could help to gasp once she realized that the thing was now nothing more than a hair clip of some sorts.

Rarity looks enamored by the whole process. “And I got a butter knife…”

“Fluttershy?” Twilight broached, wanting to make sure their friend was handling it all well.

“I'm fine.” Fluttershy answered clearly, regaining much of the resolve she had when she first entered the forest.

With that said, everypony looked at each other and their new artifacts that had no clue on how to use. Twilight levitated her book to her side and turned towards the way they came.

“Well…”

“Let's carry on with our suicide mission shall we.” Pinkie finished for Twilight, and by the irritated look on the Unicorn's face clearly said that was far from what she was going to say.

“That is not very funny.” Fluttershy whimpered.

Pinkie turned around and looked sincere for a moment, and only a moment. Then she flashed the timid Pegasus a fang filled smile “I know.”

Speak in Silence

Silence, that was what surrounded the stirring Pegasus. It couldn't be described as anything more or anything less, there wasn't a world around her nor was there a distance to be viewed. As her Magenta eyes opened, the Pegasus immediately panicked, she thought she was blind, that was until she saw her cyan hooves as she failed to backpedal. The mare just floated lissly in a circle, unable to gain any directional momentum, even when she unfurled her large wings and gave a few test flaps. That's when it hit her, she was dead, she had to have been.

The cyan Pegasus could see nothing, feel nothing, even her body felt foreign to her. She could tell that it wasn't even a dreamscape, there was absolutely nothing but silence, she couldn't even signal for help, not that she would. She knew that she wouldn't have made it out of that situation alive. It was just the sight of her old friend Fluttershy that renewed a fire in her to fight, and fight she did. Now she had nothing to fight for anymore, nothing to worry about, it was strange but she had learned to appreciate silence over the course of her life. Only ever being able to communicate through boorish writing never appealed to her, it was action that defined her till the end. The cyan mare then closed her eyes, trying again to at least feel her own body.

She didn't know how long it took, but she finally found sensation within her. Focusing deeper, she was disappointed to find that the sensations seemed to not be of her own. There was one that was dark, maybe even malevolent, she always had those feelings, yet never that dark or evil as the one festering in her now. The second sensation was faint compared to the first, and she had no way to describe it. It was far too weak for her to even dig up a simple term for it, maybe she was just making up the sensation at that point. She didn't need to cling onto anything anymore, she was alone, she had lost.

Or so the troubled Pegasus thought.

A dark blue cloud of what she assumed to be shimmering magic formed right before her very eyes.

All the Pegasus could do was watch, as she was unable to navigate the dark abyss. However the cloud of magic zipped from left, then to the right. There was zero fluidity to its motion, it seemed just as lost as the Pegasus was. Maybe it was another lost soul doomed to whatever purgatory that they resided in, and she was fine with that, it acted as something to steal her pitiful thoughts off herself.

The blue cloud continued to move erratically, its movement became more frequent and faster. The cyan mare could see the thing take on multiple shapes and sizes, she could tell it was becoming something more than just a cloud of magic. It began to compress itself and it tried to shine brighter, the cyan mare looked awe struck by the display. Being that her entire backdrop was black, seeing any color outside of her own gave her hope. Hope for what, she didn't know, but the little puff of magic was amusing her to a degree. She even wondered if she’d become something like that if she just floated around long enough. Then at least she’d be able to move freely again, being stuck on the ground or anywhere for that matter was her worst nightmare. All she wanted to do was fly, fly freely amongst the clouds, but she knew that was nothing more than a dream. Still it was a nice dream, a dream that she always held close.

Nightingale Eight Years Ago

“What was the Speaker thinking?”

“She's a half breed, they say she's unstable.”

“I know she's mute, but is she deaf as well, little runt listens to nopony!”

“I feel sorry for her.”

She heard the noise all the time behind her back. The distrust, pity, and general contempt for her simple presence was enough to drive the filly to darker thoughts. All she had was Star, the old bat was all she could claim in the dark forest. Black Star housed her and chose to train her for reasons that was beyond the little filly. All she knew was that nopony liked it one bit, and those ponies always made sure that she knew it. Especially when she was alone like today, she sat outside of the Underground markets entrance, attempting to ignore all the talk and stares. She hated it when the old bat would order her to wait somewhere in public when he did business in town, all she wanted to do was Fly, and fly far. The Everfree forest restricted her, stole her from her friends and family. She could still remember clearly the day she opted out, the day she took her teachers blood.

“Hey!” a young country-ish voice called out in a language she was only just now learning to fully understand.

The filly did her best to ignore it, even turning from the direction of the voice.

“Colors, I know ya hear me!” The voice was unrelenting, and even sounded like it was getting closer.

That wasn't her name, yet she never tried to right them. They’d probably still call her that if they knew that she hated it, and then it would probably get worse from there. The filly could hear hoofsteps near her, whoever was approaching clearly wasn't going to give up. So the filly rolled her magenta eyes and blew her mane out of her face before she turned around to see who was going to mess with her now. She was surprised however by the large orange filly that helped her brother with their merchant stall below ground. She wore a brown hat that seemed a size too big for her and was hitched to a large cart covered by a tarp.

“Ya been sittin’ that same spot since I left, aren't yer hungry? '' The large orange filly questioned.

The Pegasus expertly responded with a growl of her stomach.

“Ha, that's what I thought, yer always look a little thin. If my granny saw ya, she would feed ya day in and day out.” The orange filly chuckled, before turning her head back to the saddlebags that were strapped to her back.

Popping the strap on one of the covers, she rummaged around till she pulled her head out with a little brown bag. She then immediately tossed it to the mute filly, who caught it without even blinking.

“Ma name is Applejack by the way.”

Colors just looked at the bag cautiously, maybe it was a trap. Well if it was, she’d just fight the other filly and that would be that. Opening the bag up, she discovered a large red apple and a small cut of grilled fish. Colors blanched at the sight of the fish, yet she knew she would have to eat it. Meat was a basic part of her diet now, despite the fact she’ll never find a taste for it. Still she was hungry, and the snack didn't look like it was tailored for some cruel prank. So Colors picked up the apple first and took a huge bite out of it, after the first bite, Colors almost jumped from the flavor hitting her tongue. The Apple was extremely sweet and juicy, that might've been the best apple she had ever bitten into.

“That's Apple family produce right there!” Filly Applejack proudly proclaimed. “So ya enjoy it, I gotta get this stuff to ma brother before he gets into a tizzy.”

Just before Applejack was going to wave bye to the strange filly, two ponies slowly walked out from the market.

“I told you that was a fool's errand Star, what alchemist would sell Hydra extract down there.” A brown Everfree stallion with a free flowing tattoo stretching across his eyes commented.

“Well I didn't even see you glance at his wares, I thought honesty was all about your visual acuity?” Black Star chuckled.

“You know it doesn't work like that, besides…” The brown stallion stopped mid sentence when he saw the large cart, and looked down to see the filly it was attached to. Then he saw Star's apprentice going to town on an apple that was obviously gifted to her.

Applejack nodded to the two before making her way past them and down into the market. Black Star then trotted over to his young apprentice with an amused look on his face.

“Like that Apple?”

Colors jumped at his sudden appearance, she hadn’t even been paying any attention. But she still nodded when the question was clearer in her head.

“Good, finish up your little snack and then we're off for some training.” Star said, almost as if he was glad that she interacted with somepony.

“Star...” The Brown stallion said critically.

“Don't want to hear it Sugarcane, besides I don't see you with a student that I can criticize?” Star bemused.

Colors kept to her apple, even though she knew full well what they were talking about. All she wanted to do was fly freely, and that old bat promised that he would teach her how to fly further and higher than she could ever dream. Yet nothing was free, her young mind fully comprehended that. Star asked a lot from her; body, mind, and her loyalty was his to train. He was teaching her of the trials and tribulations associated with his job, and all she had to do was not give up. Then and only then the old bat said that the freedom she wanted, the freedom she deserved would be earned. The in-between all meant little to her if the end result was her freedom to fly, finishing her apple she looked down at the grilled fish.

“You don't have to eat that here if you don't want too young one, pack it up and report to the field of elders.” Star said, recognizing fully what she was going through in her head still.

Colors saluted playfully before packing up and clasping the brown bag shut with her mouth. She looked left to right before quickly opening her wings to take off away from the noise of the market. The filly knew that her mentor would spend more time there just to argue with that other stallion, they always did that. Sugarcane was an element to, if Colors was correct, he was honestly. An element she didn't like all too much, he tended to say things she never really wanted to hear. Colors began to flap harder, it has always been like that for her, she always has something to prove to somepony.

The Abyss

The Pegasus rapidly blinked, she had no idea where that memory came from all of the sudden. It made her feel strange, a lot of things didn't make sense to her. Like why would that old bat break his promise, or was there something that she was missing. There was always something that she was missing, looking back towards the condensed cloud of magic, she was astonished to see it take shape. It was still nothing more than magic, but now it looked like a little filly, a Alicorn filly at that. It pranced around like a little filly as well, the Pegasus smiled at the sight of the thing. That made her strange feeling stronger, the feeling that was suppressed beneath the darkness that consumed her. She knew what it was now, it was the very thing that gave her hope, it was what Star promised would bring her feelings back to the surface.

“Loyalty.”

The Pegasus was spooked by the sudden sound of the voice that surrounded her. She had no clue where it came from, and then she saw the little magic filly things sitting very still. Could the low and demure voice belong to it, she couldn't be for sure. But what she was sure of was that the magical filly was growing, and it was approaching her.

The Pegasus just looked at the thing with a cocky grin, maybe, just maybe it would help her either understand her situation or just put her out of her misery.

Destruction of Faith

The Nightmare sat alone in what used to be her ruling chambers. She could feel her insides turning from the accursed stallions trickery, not even a single one of her children could be trusted. They were all byproducts of her godly magic and even they sought to undermine her greatness. Nightmare Moon shook with unbridled rage, he paid for his crimes with his life, and even then that didn't serve to satisfy her. Those ponies, those intruders would also have to pay for their crimes against a god, they would have to suffer for every second they breathed to disobey her.

The large black Alicorn stood to her full height, she could feel them near. She could also strongly sense the strengthened state of their elements, she almost laughed at their folly. To think they’d have such faith in powers that were unable to destroy her once, now all that was on her mind was who she’d torture first.

Nightmare Moon then ran her long narrow tongue across her fangs, they were so close that she could literally taste them now. Her eyes were set on the entrance of the chamber she occupied, unblinking as she awaited their arrival. They stopped beyond the doors, obviously feeling her magical pressure, feeling her intimidating presence. But she would wait no longer, lighting her long black horn, she effortlessly ripped the large doors off the hinges. Revealing the five shocked ponies beyond it, she could taste their fear as they failed to approach.

“Forward, thou deaths await thy five.” Nightmare Moon calmly addressed them, her blue bat like eyes sizing up her prey.

Forward they moved, all five of them filed in. Nightmare Moon was amused to see all of their elements were released, not to mention they all had new toys that would serve them no purpose. The Nightmare wore a crooked grin as she stepped forward as well, she could see their eyes set on the bodies she had drained. Their expressions were priceless, the yellow Pegasus had to hold back the vomit threatening to spill from her mouth. But it was the expression of her child, the orange pony saw through the Nightmare clearly with the eyes of honesty, she could see the full extent of their failings. The stallion may have betrayed her, but he left everything in the hooves of fools; they had no way of extracting the element from her body.

“I-impossible…” Applejack stuttered, stopping completely.

“Applejack?” Pinkie casually questioned.

“Yes, Honesty, tell the truth of what thou am, what I harbor inside me.” Nightmare exclaimed.

“Loyalty.” Applejack bleakly spat out.

“Wha- How is that even…” Twilight couldn't comprehend it.

“Rainbow!” Fluttershy cried, lunging past everypony to rush at Nightmare Moon.

A foolish move that made zero sense, a move the Nightmare Moon would take full advantage of. Without hesitation, Nightmare Moon lit her horn and a black spike erupted from the ground, preparing to impale the Pegasus much like the traitorous stallion before her. Luckily Twilight was quick enough to yank Fluttershy back with her magic, but combat had been initiated, and the Nightmare immediately followed up. A barrage of magic rushed the group, in which Twilight reacted again with a powerful barrier enhanced by her released element. Her eyes shined white as she struggled to maintain it against the Nightmare’s unrelenting attack.

“Twilight!” Applejack shouted.

“I’m fine, we need to find an opening…” Twilight grunted after a particularly powerful blast struck the barrier. “She has to have a weakness!”

Applejack readied her lasso, and Pinkie put a hoof on her dreamcatcher. The two of them nodded to each other in some form of agreement.

“Ok, let down the barrier in three, and be sure to scatter. We all don't need to be standing in the same spot if she decides to incinerate somepony.” Pinkie calmly said.

Everypony just nodded.

“One…”

“Two..”

“Three!”

Applejack was the first to act by dodging one blast as soon as the barrier dropped and launching her lasso at the Nightmare. Nightmare Moon was quick to swat away the feeble rope with a hoof, but her simple action broke her concentration long enough for Pinkie to slide right underneath her. Still she seemed unconcerned, lighting her long black horn, she was prepared to strike. Yet again she was interrupted by a swift kick to her horn, Nightmare swore she saw pink fluff out of the corner of her eye, yet the Pink pony was still beneath her. And in that same moment Pinkie bucked Nightmare Moon right in her barrel, nearly causing the godly Alicorn to fold over.

Noticing Pinkie and Applejacks success, Twilight decidedly stuck to the offense. With her element fully released, she managed to open the strange book with ease. The book immediately flipped several pages over and only a few words formed on the pages to be legible to the small Unicorn. Looking up from the book she saw two Pinkies swarming the defensive Alicorn, she saw the one dreamscape Pinkie engaging side by side with her counterpart. How the two of them were occupying the same space was unknown, but not unwelcome. Also Applejack had managed to get her lasso around the Nightmares neck. All while shouting predictive commands to the Pinkies, Twilight however focused back into her book. Reading the line a few times, she was pleased to find that it was an offensive incantation.

“Move!” Twilight shouted.

Applejack and the Pinkies did just that, leaving a stunned Nightmare Moon standing center, seemingly unscathed by their onslaught.

“Insolence!” Nightmare Moon growled.

Twilight responded swiftly with the incantation from the book, causing her magic to flow directly into its pages without her lighting her horn. Nightmare Moon was quick to notice the danger, Still she stood her ground and shot a swift blast of magic towards the concentrating Twilight. Twilight didn't even look up from the book, she couldn't afford to. Instead Rarity jumped in front of the blast, horn shimmering a bright blue. A small wall of magic formed in front of the young Unicorn, but she knew it wouldn't be enough to stop the blast of dark magic. She was no prodigy like Twilight, yet she wasn't entirely forfeit when it came to her intuition. Right before the blast made impact, Rarity tilted the magical wall slightly up.

The Nightmare scoffed at her foolish attempt at deflecting the blow, and with one swift motion of the Alicorns hoof sent the magical projectile on an angled trajectory as well.

Rarity eyes went wide when she saw that the blast was going to fully impact her barrier regardless. The young Unicorn could do nothing when the furious mass of dark magic shattered her barrier and impacted the ground in front of the mare. The effect of the blast was utter destruction, a large crater was left in the stone slab and Rarity skidded a few feet away, singed and severely injured.

“Rarity!” Fluttershy screamed, rushing to the aid of her friend.

Applejack also hurried to help Rarity while the Pinkies stayed on either side of the Nightmare, unsure of their next move. The flat mane Pinkie nodded to her counterpart, causing the floofy mane one to salute and rush to the Unicorn as well. The Pinkie they all knew now stood alone, and was the only thing that separated Twilight and the monster.

“Pathetic worms!” Nightmare Moon cackled hysterically, all the while casually moving closer to the desperate Twilight. But she stopped when she felt an obvious shift in the air, and took no time to light her horn in defense.

Immediately after Nightmare Moon's acknowledgement, a familiar deafening boom filled the entire chamber. The blast sent rubble and debris flying all over the place, obscuring everypony's vision temporarily. Pinkie stood skeptically from behind her cannon, chances were that the Alicorn had either dodged or blocked the blast. When the dust settled, Pinkie gave a tired sigh when she saw Nightmare Moon standing triumphantly in place. Everything around her was destroyed and the full moon was visible from the decimated outside wall, the Nightmare was silhouetted perfectly while standing in front of it.

“Zero of two…” Pinkie dead-panned, her dull blue eyes never leaving Nightmare Moon.

“My turn.” Nightmare Moon smiled.

Pinkie frowned, then felt a sharp stabbing pain erupt from her midsection.

The other Pinkie that was attempting to help up the injured Rarity gasped before turning to confirm her fears. Applejack did so as well after seeing the fluffy maned Pinkies reaction, and her honest eyes couldn't believe it. From behind her cannon, the Pinkie they knew was stabbed straight through her barrel by the overlapping shadow of Nightmare Moon from underneath her. But the strangest part was that there was no blood, nor did Pinkie struggle or scream. Her fur started to fade, revealing the nothingness that laid beneath it. Even her full blue irises faded, leaving nothing but the white of her eyes, giving the impaled Pinkie a ghostly appearance.

“Tanny!” The fluffy mane Pinkie yelled frantically.

“That's what thou is, I must give thy credit for creating such an intricate Tantabus.” Nightmare Moon maniacally laughed. “But no such tricks shall compare to my power!”

The impaled Pinkie that was just revealed to be a magical construct simply replied with one futile attack. With her pony form broken, the Tantabus was prepared to mimic the Nightmare by elongating its hoof to create a spike aimed at the monster's skull.

Nightmare Moon, unblinking, then lit her horn in response. And like that, the impaled Tantabus faded from existence before her last attack could connect, being entirely dispelled by Nightmare Moon. Everypony gasped when it happened, then they looked to the last Pinkie standing and noticed the cursed tattoo reforming up her right hoof. Also she took on the trademark features of an Everfree pony; such as fangs, a thicker coat, and everything else. Twilight didn't understand what really happened, but she gritted her teeth in frustration. Pinkie bought enough time, the incantation was complete and Nightmare Moon was going to pay.

Again the Nightmare turned her attention to Twilight and rolled her eyes at the book aimed towards her. She was going to light her horn again, but something interrupted her casting, she remembered it fondly. However this time its casting was completely cut off, it felt like her magic was being rebounded back at her to cause the cancellation. Looking to the left she saw the smirking Rarity that laid on the ground with a dagger gripped in her mouth, the Unicorn's horn glowed a bright red and so did the dagger as it was piercing a puddle of her own blood. The dagger slowly lengthened and transformed into a sword by using Rarity’s own life force combined with Nightmare Moon's dark magic.

Nightmare Moon knew a vampiric blade when she saw one, but that one was being wielded by an element. The confusion aided Twilight, because once she spoke the magical incantation it activated in a flash of light, causing Nightmare Moon to cringe from the brightness. It took not even a second for the monster to recover and attempt to take defensive action. But her attempts were failed ones, her magic was still surprisingly cut off and the incantation activated from above her. A beam of concentrated light engulfed Nightmare, causing the monster to buckle under the intense magical pressure.

The Abyss

The darkness had become normal to the chromatic Pegasus drifting aimlessly through it. Even the little magic cloud pony thing that currently floated by her side ceased to amuse her. It took the small sight of something other than darkness to stir the Pegasus, it seemed like a little bit of light had pierced the abyss she occupied. It even got the magic beside her to jump in surprise, not only that, it seemed like she could feel it. The light pierced not only the darkness, it pierced her, and that scared the Pegasus.

The magical cloud didn't seem concerned, it moved enthusiastically towards the pinprick of light. It deformed from a pony back to a shapeless cloud, the Pegasus thought it was trying to escape the prison without her. But instead it attempted to widen the piercing light to allow more of it to breach the darkness, and it succeeded. The chromatic Pegasus couldn't comprehend what she saw once the hole was large enough, she rubbed her eyes to make sure it just wasn't an illusion.

Before her was a clear picture, there were the elements all standing before her. Some of them looked badly hurt and her friend Fluttershy just seemed terrified for her life, it was all so surreal for her, and the worst part was the fact that they all seemed to be staring at her in defensive positions. That made the Pegasus’s mind go a mile a minute; where was she, why were they hurt, and why did she feel so much pain.

Her back and wings ached for a moment while a tingling sensation enveloped the rest of her body. Something was happening, something that the darkness inside and around her didn't like. The hole she was peering through quickly began to close despite the little magical clouds struggling to keep it open. It didn't take long for the darkness to completely consume them again, and the Pegasus was left with a flurry of panicked thoughts.

Castle Nightingale

Everypony looked at the scorch mark that replaced Nightmare Moon, they just knew it wouldn't have been that easy to defeat an evil Alicorn. Twilight and Applejack both stayed focused on the scorch mark, fully expecting a counter attack. Fluttershy looked tearfully over Rarity’s injuries, and they didn't look very good. Fluttershy could tell that her friend was holding back her tears, her pain. Her entire left hoof was singed and there were at least a few places where she was visibly hit with shrapnel of stone; it was a miracle that she was even still conscious.

“...” Rarity didn't respond from where she laid, she just looked off in the same direction that Nightmare Moon once was. The now large blade she possessed still pulsed with Nightmare Moon's magic, the monster was still there, she knew it.

Pinkie’s fluffy tail started to spontaneously twitch, and her bright blue eyes grew wide. “Watch ou-”

Her warning was cut short by Nightmare Moon's telekinetic grip around her neck. Pinkie's eyes nearly bulged out of her head from the force of the dark magic, it was clear that Nightmare Moon was going to kill her. Twilight was the first to attempt to dispel the magic but failed, Applejack scanned the room and saw no sight of the Nightmare. Not even the eyes of honesty could discover the source of the dark magic strangling her friend. Rarity sighed darkly as she watched her friends panic, there wasn’t much more she could give, still the blade called to her as it pulsed with active magic. Using her magic, she shakenly levitated the artifact near her, the pain was borderline unbearable. That was until Rarity felt a calming washing over her, it was very strange until Rarity saw Fluttershy focusing her element.

Fluttershy knew she had to help, she had to do something. Even if she didn't exactly know what she was doing, Fluttershy just felt that she could with her artifact. Which was currently floating around Rarity, she could feel the butterfly soothing her friend's pain as she acted. The butterscotch Pegasus knew that she wouldn't like the results of her aide, but they had a fight to win.

With a dulled sense of pain, Rarity was prepared to cancel the magic herself and pay the price to reveal Nightmare Moon. However that plan was destroyed by the Nightmares magic gripping the rest of them by their necks as well. Twilight dropped her book to attempt to free herself from the magical chokehold, and everypony else struggled as they were slowly lifted off the ground.

The shadows around them shifted and lifted off the ground, spinning until the dark Alicorn was once again standing unscathed in front of the gasping five.

“Enough.” Nightmare Moon calmly stated.

She then levitated the five of them together so that they were all staring at their deaths in its cold and unfeeling eyes. Nightmare Moon levitated them higher, they got close to making the monster slip, everything it fought for nearly got extinguished by a bunch of insignificant mortals. The Nightmare strengthened its grip, and it watched them all slowly stop fighting, one after another they began to go limp. A satisfied smile graced the monster's maw as she savored every second of it. That was until a small red gem fell out from between the ponies, it bounced off the stone slab and rolled to the hooves of Nightmare Moon.

“Pointless.” Nightmare Moon chuckled darkly. “Thou have already lost.”

Nightmare Moon took its eyes off of the ponies to look at the artifacts scattered across the chamber floor. The book, lasso, blade, and the dreamcatcher were all disposed of and useless. However the Alicorn felt like it was forgetting something, something very detrimental to its success. Nightmare Moon looked up and counted them all out and counted the artifacts on the ground… four…

“Pegasus!” Nightmare shout, violently yanking the crying mare forward with her magic. “Where is thy artifact, or must thou kill the others quicker”

As she was going to commit her treachery, said artifact was floating gently behind Nightmare and landed on its flanks. Nightmare Moon froze instantly at the foreign contact, her magical grip loosened a bit, allowing the five to breath.

The Abyss

There it was again, that strange hole slowly opened and the cloud of magic acted to widen it. The Pegasus wanted to turn away or close her eyes, she wasn't happy with what she saw before, who knew what she’d see now. Just when she was trying to avoid the light beyond the abyss, the magic swirled around her, clearly indicating it's frustrated with her reluctance. With no other choice, the Pegasus opened her magenta eye just to be taken aback by the sight.

Through the abyss her friend was being dangled by her neck in front of the Pegasus. The Pegasus frantically reached out to her friend to help, and was shocked to find a black hoof move towards Fluttershy as well from beyond the abyss. The Pegasus stopped reaching as soon as she realized the effect it had on her terrified friend.

The cloud of magic shimmered alongside the mare, causing the magic that was strangling Fluttershy to abruptly cut out. Allowing the other ponies to fall to the ground rubbing their necks as well. The floating Pegasus was filled with rage, she wasn't very smart, but she wasn't an idiot either. Wherever she was, she was being used… it was a simple fact, and she was being used to harm her only friend. No, she knew Applejack and Pinkie, could they be her friends as well?

No matter what was happening, she felt stronger, she felt in control, even if it was for a brief moment. Concentrating hard on herself, she could feel the darkness wane and give way to the recently suppressed sensation deep down. For some reason, her head gravitated downwards, where the view from beyond the abyss followed and she was able to lay her focused eyes on the little red gem at the bottom of some black hooves. The determined Pegasus tried her best to reach for it, but the darkness was creeping back. The view the little cloud of magic had fought for was quickly closing, but the Pegasus still tried, she could still fight.

It was to no avail however, their view snapped shut and some mysterious dark tendrils surrounded the Pegasus; restraining her arms, hooves, and wings with ease. The cloud of magic dissipated as well, the Pegasus couldn't tell if it was the effect of the darkness or it just fled the tendrils grasp. But she was alone again, left to suffer her unknown fate at the hooves of the darkness.

Castle Nightingale

Nightmare Moon was flabbergasted at her loss of control, she felt something touch her and everything spun for a moment and she lost control.

“R-rain- She's in there…” Fluttershy stuttered as she made as much distance between herself and Nightmare Moon.

Twilight thought about how close they were to failure, and the situation they were in. At first she believed that they were an element short, in reality, Loyalty was gift wrapped inside Nightmare Moon. Brilliance wouldn't do the former element of Loyalty justice, now they just had to follow up and breach the seemingly unbreachable Nightmare. They caught a glimpse of what lay beneath, victory was possible. That was until she saw Rarity injury again, and the state of fatigue that Pinkie was in. Those two were the biggest distractions they had to offer, without their efforts the chances they had were abysmal. There had to be a way to turn the tables in their favor, and Twilight instantly brought up Nightmare Moon's reaction to Loyalty’s gem, it was the catalyst.

The lavender Unicorn was quick to teleport the gem back to her hooves. Nightmare Moon acted immediately by spreading her wings and flew straight at the Unicorn, but was abruptly yanked back by a lasso wrapping around its neck again. Applejack had expertly tousled the monster, and had the lasso firm in the grip of her mouth. With the lasso combined with her eyes she could clearly see Nightmare Moon's next move.

“It's tryin’ ta smash that gem!” Applejack alerted with the rope still somehow firm in her grip.

Nightmare Moon recovered fast and yanked back on the lasso herself, causing Applejack to stumble forward due to its unexpected strength. Still the Everfree pony stood strong, and just dug in deeper, not wanting to get any closer to the Nightmare. Now annoyed, Nightmare Moon lit her horn, wanting to decimate honesty and her artifact. But her casting was again interrupted by a blood magic counterspell. Nightmare Moon turned sharply left to eye the offending pony responsible, but was met with a comically sized mallet to the face.

The mallet however had little effect as it splintered over Nightmare Moon's head.

“Oh phooey…” The fluffy mane Pinkie frowned, and then rolled back out of the way before it got really mad.

Twilight didn't have time to marvel at their efforts, she instead levitated her book back while she could Still keep her element activated and hoped for something useful. The pages in the book magically flipped without Twilight's intervention, landing on a rather long section that slowly became legible to the Unicorn.

“Enough!” Nightmare Moon roared, causing a shockwave of pure magic to blast Applejack and Pinkie both back into a wall. Then she followed up with a quick bolt of magic towards the pestering injured Unicorn who was somehow standing again with a butterfly on her shoulder and the artifact of generosity in her magical grip. Taking advantage of the calm, confidence, and courage Fluttershy's element emanated. Rarity stood fast and held the long blade in front of her, and as if she had been doing it all of her life, slashed downwards and completely absorbed the dark magic.

Nightmare Moon's eyes went wide, there was no conceivable way that they were already proficient with the artifacts that they recently discovered. Just when the Nightmare had thought it had passed its state of shock, Rarity reversed her magical grip and slashed upwards. Send the Nightmare’s bolt of magic right back at her, but the monster was quick to dispel the attack inches from impact. The monster heard the book wielding Unicorn rambling off an unknown incantation from behind her, she was distracted. Whipping around on a dime, Nightmare Moon saw the red gem react to her words and glowed dimly as it levitated on its own, unassisted by any Unicorn.

The gem then transformed before their very eyes, causing everypony to freeze at the sight. When it stopped glowing, the gem was still there, but was attached to an end of a long black shaft. And on the opposite end of where the gem was embedded, a Sharp blade that was crafted to resemble a lighting bolt was on top of it. Nightmare Moon was enraged at the sight of the spear, she had never touched the element, that should've been impossible.

Twilight saw the emotions on the Nightmares face and smirked at their new found leverage. Not wasting any time, Twilight gripped the spear with her magic while she still had the opportunity and launched it squarely at the Nightmare at a speed that only magic could accomplish. Everypony hoped it would work, Twilight had faith that it would affect the monster someway, she just wanted to make it out alive at this point.

Nightmare Moon watched the Unicorn cockily launch the spear with an eye twitch. Either way, Nightmare Moon has no intention of making it that easy for them, and with a surge of instinct the Alicorn caught the spear with a swift hoof.

Twilight let out a frustrated scream at how close she thought she was.

Nightmare Moon just looked blankly at the offending mare and turned the spear in her hoof.

“Die.”

Death

Twilight Sparkle, magical prodigy, and student to one of the wisest beings in the known world. Was now left completely helpless in the face of the adversary that she trained so hard to defeat. Maybe it is true, the Nightmare is simply too powerful for them to combat. Her lavender eyes never left the spear that Nightmare Moon repositioned to launch back at her, and all Twilight could think about was her failure.

Nightmare Moon bathed in the mare's distraught state, there was nothing sweeter than despair. That gave the monster a wicked idea, it was going to make the five of them suffer. The night was the Nightmares, and the world would soon follow. Turning her back on the worthless Unicorn again, Nightmare Moon stared down the shaking Pegasus, she was the weakest link. But her element was powerful, she had to be the first to suffer for their transgressions.

Nightmare Moon walked slowly towards the Pegasus who attempted to fall back as many steps the Nightmare took. It didn't take long for Pinkie to intercept Nightmare Moon, yet the monster was able to predict her movement and spun the spear above its head with it's magic to forcefully break the mare's aerial attack. When Pinkie rolled to the ground, Nightmare Moon didn't stop, she followed up by blasting the pink mare out of her path with a beam of magic, causing the affected mare to scream in unreal pain as her fur singed and flesh was burned.

Next Applejack and Rarity stood together, lasso and blade prepared to strike. Still Nightmare Moon didn't stop her advance, and the two knew that they couldn't stop her. Spinning the spear once again above her head, it used the generated force to bring the spear down hard onto the injured Unicorn. A metallic clang could be heard from Rarity actually blocking the spear with her blade, but the force was great enough to cause her magic to waver. The nightmare followed up by smacking Rarity across her muzzle with the back of her armored hoof, sending blood and a few teeth flying across the chamber. But Rarity didn't fall, her horn began to glow a deep red in spite of the vicious attack.

"Rarity!" Applejack shouted while trying to rush to intercept Nightmare Moon's next attack, but she was stopped in her tracks by shadows clinging to her hooves.

Twilight as well was interrupted from casting a teleportation spell because another shadow tendril shot up from behind her and started to strangle the life out of her.

Rarity with her horn light brilliantly red looked up definitely at the monster before her. Her bloodied muzzle turned up in a deceitful smirk and her blue eye and even her hazy grayed eye focused on Nightmare Moon with pure contempt. "That's the best you got?"

Nightmare Moon looked down at the Unicorn with interest. "You gluttonous whore, I shall enjoy flaying you, although your friends might not share in your sick pleasure?"

Nightmare Moon didn't speak another word, she used her magic to thrust her spear directly at Rarity's heart to only be deflected. Yet she rebounded from the deflection and instantly went on a relentless assault that the injured mare couldn't keep up with, Rarity was getting peppered with painful shallow gashes and cuts. Nightmare Moon intended on playing with Rarity, but Rarity didn't falter.

Twilight was trying her best to break free from the shadows, forcing her magic to channel through her neck, preventing her windpipe from being crushed. Applejack was at best struggling against the creeping tendrils of magic that was slowly traveling up her legs.

Nightmare Moon had enough fun at that point, deflecting Rarity's sword wide, it monstrously slashed Rarity across the chest. The deep wound exposed bone and gushed with blood causing everypony to scream in horror. But Rarity's horn burned a bright red and right at that moment she casted a mysterious spell. Nightmare responded with a dark blue magical barrier, however it was useless. Rarity's horn cracked all the way down to its base due to the immense magical pressure that it wasn't used to. The end result was Rarity's blade glowing red, and she seemingly knew exactly what to do with it as she made a large sweeping motion with the blade that caused her spilled blood to practically act on its own. It was almost like Rarity's spill was an extension of her blade and it cut straight through Nightmare Moon's barrier.

Nightmare Moon actually cringed in surreal pain as her barrier inexplicably fell along with the spear that clattered to the ground. Nightmare Moon looked down in shock and saw her horn severed and rolling on the ground beneath her hooves. The monster's pain gave way to unreal rage as she shook and clinched her fang filled maw, she had been mutilated by a foolish mortal, she couldn't even feel her regenerative abilities. Her wicked rage filled eyes shoot towards the mare responsible, however Rarity had already collapsed in a pool of her own blood; essentially succumbing to her wounds.

Nightmare Moon lunged at the defenseless Rarity like a beast unleashed while letting out a blood curdling roar that would put a Manticore to shame.

Applejack acted instinctively and dove directly at the nightmare as the tendrils of darkness faded. Her large frame was able to topple the Nightmare and stop her bestial charge. However that victory was short lived as Applejack felt a searing piercing pain in her upper shoulder. Nightmare Moon had used her fangs to bite deep into Applejack's flesh, it was obvious that the monster was aiming for the jugular but had missed. It didn't matter at that moment as Applejack was lifted up and flung violently into the ground, not once but twice and then the nearly unconscious bloodied mare was thrown clear across the chamber straight towards a stunned Twilight like discarded trash.

The impact from Applejack being thrown like a ragdoll sent Twilight tumbling to the ground before she could even cast a spell. Applejack landed square on her chest and Twilight could hear the snapping of at least a couple of ribs. The pain that soon followed was enough to bring Twilight to tears as she was unable to lift Applejack off of herself. Her magic was just about at its limit, she needed to time her last move right.

Fluttershy, one by one saw her friends fall just to protect her, much like Rainbow Dash did so long ago. The shaken mare couldn't believe that she was helpless in the face of the monster, her element did little to lessen the stress of the situation. All she could feel was pain all around her, the suffering. Fluttershy could barely focus on the encroaching monster, its bloodied maw turned upward into a dastardly grin, its broken horn sparked and fizzled with life. The monster swept up the spear with a single hoof without missing a step, Nightmare Moon fully intended to end it all with the same weapon that Fluttershy and the others thought was supposed to save them.

Twilight teleported out from underneath Applejack and in front of the frozen Pegasus, fully prepared to protect the both of them by erecting a barrier with what little magic she had left. “Stay back!”

Nightmare Moon stopped, only to launch the spear with amazing force at the barrier. Twilight yelped in surprise when the barrier cracked on the Nightmares first strike.

“Little mortal, thou life is already forfeit.” Nightmare Moon's dark visage grew relaxed at the near sight of her victory.

Twilight had one eye closed, due to the intense struggle of holding the barrier up. Still she managed a glance at her book that inconveniently refused to open when she needed it most. The small Unicorn had nothing left to give, one more strike to her barrier and that's it, her horn was fried.

Fluttershy's element however seemed as if it had one last trick. The butterfly landed squarely on her snout, causing Fluttershy to look inwardly at it. There was a force gathering within her, something she felt all too often and had no way of projecting it. Yet her element, her butterfly seemed as if it had figured something out that in all her years of working to embody kindness has failed to figure out herself. It began to glow a dim yellow, and as the glow grew brighter it dawned on Fluttershy. It was empathy, one of the first things that the Princess tried to teach her, but never fully understood.

"The ability to not only understand… but share the feelings of another.." Fluttershy whispered to herself as her confidence slowly began to rebuild.

Twilight didn't hear exactly what Fluttershy had said, but she couldn't focus on anything other than maintaining their literal last line of defense.

“Twilight…” Fluttershy said more clearly, staring the Nightmare down. “drop it.”

Twilight's magic almost wavered at the absurdity of Fluttershy's request.

“Now!” Fluttershy actually shouted, effectively making Twilight blink in confusion long enough for her feeble barrier to shatter like glass.

Now nothing stood in between them and Nightmare Moon cracked an evil grin and cackle maniacally. Taking a few more steps forward Nightmare Moon scooped up the spear and clutched it tightly, it sought to end their futile struggle once and for all. With a single perfect lunge, it sent the spear barreling towards the unblinking Fluttershy who simply watched her Butterfly zip right off her snout matching the speed of the spear. Only Twilight and Applejack were still conscious to see exactly what was about to happen.

Fluttershy's Butterfly glowed blindingly bright and seemingly fazed right through the spear, causing it to suddenly glow a bright blue before impact and reverted back into its gem form. It bounced harmlessly off Fluttershy's snout and rolled to the ground. Twilight and Applejack gasped when she saw that Fluttershy's butterfly had such an effect.

The triumphant element settled back into Fluttershy's mane, still glowing a blinding yellow. Fluttershy then picked up a gem and smiled somewhat softly at it.

Nightmare Moon actually looked panicked at the exact moment the spear reverted back to its gem form. The monster's wide eyes didn't dare to look up at the glowing element, its offensive presence was weakening it, and without a horn it had no way of magical countering the effects.

“Rainbow Dash is still in you, and she knows that I'll always trust her… no matter what!” Fluttershy spat, she could feel her empathic emotions bleeding into the darkness that was Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare backpedaled attempting to create distance from emotions that were assaulting her. Not only did the Nightmare feel it, but everypony in the room slowly felt the emotions as well. It was even enough to rouse Pinkie and Rarity back into consciousness.

Pinkie, tentatively poking her singed midsection was the first to look up and notice the trademark tattoo of Loyalty forming across Nightmare Moon's black back. It was quick to spread across Nightmare Moon's wings as well, attracting Applejack's attention to it as well. The large orange mare smiled at the sight, which meant Colors was still putting up a fight in there, her element could see right through the Nightmares weaning form. There was the growing strength of Loyalty, but there was another power active within that she failed to see before. Thinking only of their success however, she cleared herself of the rubble and recognized a broken front hoof, Applejack hobbled slowly in Nightmare Moon's direction. So did Pinkie and miraculously Rarity, who was assisted up by Pinkie to get closer to the monster.

Twilight almost was tearing up at all of them still coming together, at how close they were again. This time however, the small Unicorn saw something manifest between all of them, it was something magical. Nightmare Moon even saw it as well as she struggled for control against Unseen forces, one Twilight could only conclude to be the Rainbow Dash mare. It didn't take long for everypony to get close, and that's when Twilight's book decidedly chose to open once again. Twilight looked oddly at it when it only opened to the first page and a single word was legible, it wasn't even an incantation.

It made all the sense in the world however, everything up to this point didn't, but that one word did. Twilight looked at everypony, even the Nightmare before her, it made sense.

“Friendship binds us, that's something that you're unable to strip, even from the ponies you consumed… Do you underst-” Twilight was cut by a deep guttural growl

“S-silence!” Nightmare Moon growled, struggling to stand.

“Meanie!”

“Now ain't ya a sore loser.”

“Darlings this has been just lovely, but can't we just put this uncouth beast down already?”

“Rainbow…”

The book suddenly shut, and Twilight just knew what she had to do. With everything she had, every ounce of magic that she could spare, she forged the connection that would make the elements whole again. Her horn erupted with a multicolored light that swept through all of them, even Nightmare Moon. Twilight could feel the powerful magic flowing through her, she could see it flowing through everypony else and their elements respectively. The magic strengthened them, it even fully healed their wounds with astonishing speed, Rarity smiled brightly at the prospect of getting her luscious white coat back. Even Nightmare Moon glowed due to the element inside of her, the darkness was slowly evaporating from her body as she cringed painfully, unwilling to give up her form. But her final struggle would be for not, everything she was fighting for was disappearing into a radiant multicolored light. She had lost, Celestia had inadvertently bested her one last time.

In its last seconds however, the Nightmare smiled bitterly as her fate neared. It was born through pain, and that was exactly what Nightmare Moon would leave behind.

The Abyss

Rainbow Dash could see their success clearly, the darkness had almost completely given way to the light. She could feel loyalty welling up within her and it only grew hot as the tattoo on her back grew and pulsed with magic. The little cloud that had kept her company began to return rapidly, the Pegasus was sure it was ready to be free as well.

“Mwahaahaa!”

Rainbow Dash looked left to right attempting to find the source of the voice. But it was too late, one last dark tendril struck past the cloud of magic and ran straight through the Pegasus’s chest.

“May thy follow me into thy Abyss…” The evil voice tapered off as the last tendrils of darkness evaporated due to the intense light.

The Chromatic Pegasus gasped and sputtered out blood as the darkness painfully spread from the center of her wound. Being there was nothing she could do about it, the Pegasus began to go limp. But the blue cloud of magic acted fast before their prison broke, it swirled around the dying mare before filling the wound with its own being. The cloud slowly dissipated as it stemmed the spread of darkness and even recovered the fatal wound. But Rainbow Dash wanted to scream for it to stop, she could feel it as it entered her body, it was alive. It really was another pony attempting to save her, vague and ancient memories plagued her mind as the magic saved her.

In almost every memory she saw Princess Celestia, and felt the magic association with the Princess. They were sisters, and more specifically Princess Celestia was the oldest of the two. All of the emotions the family would bear for each other, Rainbow Dash personally felt them all in an instant and it was painful. But what hurt the most was the betrayal, she saw and felt what clearly led to this point. How the younger sister's jealousy and bitterness lead to her destroying herself, leaving only a monster in her place. The Pegasus saw the battle the younger had with the older sister, and felt the massive amount of anger and pride that made the battle what it was. And she was absorbing all of it, every ancient memory that the young Alicorn had in her life was now Rainbow Dash’s. Whatever was to happen next, it was very obvious at that point that the Alicorn saving her wouldn't be part of it

“Sorry.” The Pegasus was absolutely shell shocked, the voice came from her lips, but it wasn't truly hers.

A tear came to Mares eyes once the magic completely disappeared inside of her, leaving nothing but herself in the waking light.

Castle Nightingale

It was done, the light faded, everypony fell to the ground racked with exhaustion. Sunlight then cascaded into the ruined chamber, signaling their victory. Twilight was the first to regain her bearings, looking around she saw everypony was perfectly fine. Even the chromatic mare known as Rainbow Dash sat hunched over in the middle of the group, but she was gripping something tight. Twilight, despite her exhaustion, attempted to check on the strange mare. But a large shadow loomed over the group and Twilight whipped around instantly, prepared to defend herself once more.

“Twilight…” The angelic voice of the Princess sounded out through the chamber, gaining everypony's attention except for Rainbows.

“Princess you're alive!” Twilight exclaimed.

“With the Nightmare’s magic gone, I was released from my prison.” Celestia looked over the group and their elements, but something was missing. “Where is she?”

“Princess?” Twilight was taken aback by the Princesses sudden shift in demeanor.

Celestia didn't see her sister, but she could feel her authentic magic, it was faint, it was still there. Taking a few steps forward, she honed in on the familiar chromatic mare from Ponyville.

“Luna?” Celestia could see a small dark blue form gripped tight in the Pegasus's hooves.

“Sorry.” A voice that sounded all too hauntingly familiar said, but the source of the voice struck the Princess dumb.

“Rainbow?” Fluttershy was shocked as well, that wasn't her friend's voice from many years ago. It sounded demuring and elegant, not raspy and tomboyish. It reminded her of Rarity in a way, and that word came from her friend's muzzle.

All semblance of composure evaporated for the Princess as Rainbow Dash turned all the way around with a limp and lifeless filly in her hooves. The small child had a navy blue coat that seemed faded from its natural color, her wings laid limp and the filly’s horn was chipped for some reason. The facial expression on the Alicorn looked serene as well, it was Celestia’s worst fear finally realized. The Princess fell to her haunches, tears freely cascaded from her single eye. Everything she fought for, everypony she promised to save, and she failed the one that mattered most to her.

“Please, let me hold her…” Celestia sobbed, worrying no more of her appearance in front of those that saw her as royalty.

Rainbow Dash looked at the filly in her hooves, the filly that could've been alive and happy instead of her. None of it made sense to the Pegasus, and her reluctance to unhand the dead child added onto the confusion.

“She'll do no such thing.” A measured and calculated feminine voice replied from the doorway of the chamber.

Following the voice a dozen heavily armored Everfree ponies marched uniformly into the chamber and secured every exit and corner of the room. The voice soon revealed itself to the confused ponies as a mahogany brown Everfree pony that nearly matched Applejack in size. She was properly dressed in a simple black blazer and her ice cold blue eyes honed in on the unmoving filly in the center of the chamber. Two lightly armored bat ponies escorted the mare in, one had a spear and a shield, the other had an impressively sized crossbow slung over his back

“President Harshwhinny?” Applejack sounded completely blindsided by her sudden appearance and declaration.

“Speaker, you’ll be addressed later.” The mare responded in the most professional tone possible.

Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity after tampering with her messy bang to expertly hide half of her face all slowly huddled closer to their Princess, entirely unsure of what to expect. The Princess however didn't react to the new presence, her teary eye was still locked into the filly, as if she was expecting the little Alicorn to come back to life.

“She was my sister…” Celestia choked out.

“That may have been so, but respectfully the body belongs to the Everfree.” President Harshwhinny added in, while stepping closer to the body.

“Don't you dare touch her!” Celestia lashed out, causing Harshwhinny to stop in her tracks and all of the troops in the chamber took defensive positions. “You will not speak of her as if she's your property!”

Celestia’s crestfallen display swiftly turned into an aggressive as she stood to her full height and spread her wings to inflate herself. Her students had nothing to say, they were confused and scared all over again, having never seen their teacher and princess in such a state. Rainbow looked at the body in her hooves and realized it was just that, a body. What was in the body now resided within her, it was what healed her wound, it was what protected her from being entirely consumed by the Nightmare. Watching the Princess lose control made her instantly come to terms with what she was. Setting the filly down gently and folding her little hooves over her chest as if she was putting the child to rest, Rainbow's magenta eyes watched the Princess carefully.

“You have no rights under Equestrian law, I tried to humor you, light forsaken creatures. But I realize now that you're nothing but spawns of the monster that stole my sister for a thousand years. The same monster that destroyed her mind and body!” Celestia’s emotional screams did little to faze the mare she was approaching. Celestia stopped when she heard the click of a crossbow ready to fire. The Alicorn didn't even grace the armored stallion with a glance, she stayed focused on the seemingly calm mare. “Was this your plan all along, you knew what the Nightmare was, did you not!”

President Harshwhinny didn't speak, she just broke eye contact and looked at the pile of bodies that were piled on the far corner of the chamber.

“I am addressing you!” Celestia screamed.

“The body belongs to the Everfree.” Harshwhinny stated once again; albeit a bit more strained as Celestia loomed over her. The two bat ponies guards next to her were fully prepared for any attack.

Celestia shook with rage, a rage that almost brought something dark in her to the surface. That was until Rainbow Dash swiftly flew in between Celestia and Harshwhinny, taking both by complete surprise. Rainbow said nothing, she only looked up at Celestia pitifully, almost as if she were begging her to let it go. Instantly recognized her near mistake that the strange Pegasus prevented, the Princess withheld, the anger and rage slowly ebbed away. It was her fault and only her fault, lashing out at the ponies that were more victims than aggressors proved nothing but to make her look like a fool. Her sister was gone, there was nothing she could do about it. That realization crushed her big display and made her knees weak, so weak that she simply fell to the stone slab sobbing violently.

“I…” there was nothing else after, just sobs.

“General Strafe, have your troops identify and collect the bodies.” President Harshwhinny commanded the armored bat pony that was wielding the crossbow steadily. "I need to notify their families…"

He simply nodded and flew over to a group of troops guarding the door.

Applejack snarled. “This ain't right, ain't none of it right darnit!”

“It's my job, Speaker, and you've done yours.” The President replied to Applejack before turning to Pinkie. The professional mare paused for a moment at the strange sight of her now fluffy pink mane, but rolled her eyes in understandance. “Pinkamena, how much longer till your tantabus will be restored, we will require its aid soon.”

Pinkie didn't respond, she never took her eyes off Celestia.

“Pinkamena.” Harshwhinny harshly called again.

That time it garnered a response, a response that the president wasn't expecting from the real pink mare. Pinkie looked up at the uptight mare with an utterly annoyed look plastered on her face. “I might not be tanny, but I know you need to have a care Miss Prez.”

Harshwhinny just raised a brow.

“They're our friends, and you being mean to our friends just won't do.” Pinkie said with her surprisingly stone cold expression holding.

“Are you thre-”

“Threatening you, ohhhh, I don't know….” Pinkie’s expression flipped on the last word. She went from cold and serious, to oddly happy and smiling in a second.

Not only did Pinkie make a display, Applejack and Rainbow Dash stood next to the pink mare. Showing full well that they stood by Celestia and the others. Some of the troops looked perplexed by the sudden shift and had no clue on how to handle the elements if they followed through.

“Like ah said, this ain't right.” Applejack all but made an ultimatum.

Twilight and crew were absolutely Astonished that Pinkie would defend them, and outright threaten their leader. Their astonishment only grew when the uptight mare decidedly huffed and started to exit the chamber with measured steps

“Madam President?” The General that was addressed earlier called out to the retreating Harshwhinny.

"Get the bodies to the coroner, have them prepared, leave the filly.” It was barely noticeable, but Harshwhinny's tone was slightly agitated.

General Strafe saluted, before issuing his orders to the troops still milling about. It took them less than a minute to finish wrapping the bodies, and after that they started filling out of the destroyed chamber with bodies in tow. That left the six elements and a broken Celestia who quickly took the opportunity to scramble to her dead sister's side. All everypony else could do was watch the depressing sight, Celestia began to sing softly to her dead sister as she picked up the body and cradled it. Twilight couldn't imagine any other result to their fight, and still she felt like it could've ended differently.

“Am sorry, truly I am.” Applejack apologized.

Instead of a standard response, Twilight threw herself into the chest of Applejack. The purple Unicorn tried her best to envelope the larger mare in a hug. Applejack froze, unsure of what to do, then Pinkie threw herself into the hug as well, followed by Rarity. At that point, Applejack relented and wrapped a single hoof around Twilight’s head.

Fluttershy moved slowly to do the same as the others, but stopped when she realized that one pony was missing. Fluttershy spotted her friend standing very still, watching the group hug it out.

“Rainbow Dash, you're a part of this.” Fluttershy reassured the best she could, waving a hoof for her to join.

Rainbow was close to saying something, but decided against it. After the first reactions she got, the Pegasus thought she’d still be better off saying nothing. Everypony may be shaken, still she knew that it would only be a matter of time until they started to poke and prod her for answers. So instead of joining, Rainbow Dash settled on a warm smile before nodding her head to Fluttershy, pretty much telling her that she understood. Rainbow Dash still had much to figure out on her own and looking towards the open way that gave way to the open skyscraper, she knew exactly where to start.

The butterscotch Pegasus respected her request for distance and joined the others in their little group hug while Dash just took a few more steps away. It only really dawned on chromatic Pegasus that it was all actually over as she picked up the gem of loyalty. It transformed back into the accursed spear that Nightmare was using against Fluttershy and the ponies that saved her. She had the freedom that was promised to her years ago. Strangely, she didn't feel entirely free as there was a pressure building in her chest.

“Pegas… Rainbow Dash…” The raspy voice of Princess Celestia quietly beckoned to the Pegasus.

Dash turned to face the direction of the voice, and was weirded out to see the Princess still holding her sister in her hooves. Celestia’s light purple eyes bore into the Pegasus, indicating clearly that she expected her to come closer. Rainbow Dash did just that, albeit very cautiously due to the Alicorn's previous mood swing.

“I have only one question.” The Princess asked morbidly.

Rainbow Dash just blinked in response, that was enough for Celestia to continue.

“Was there… Did she say anything else?” The Princess’s question seemed hopeful.

Rainbow Dash just shook her head negatively. But when she saw Celestia’s visible disappointment when she didn't speak, she felt obligated to say something at that point. “She saved my life, I didn't even know what or who she was until…”

Celestia smiled painfully at the sound of her sister's voice. “I do not cast any blame upon you, I failed in my responsibilities. I must pay the price.”

“Not alone.” Rainbow responded with a sagely glean in her eyes.

The Princess wanted to break down and cry again, she could feel it all around her. The dark magic the Everfree was grown from was the last vestiges of her sister. Everypony of the Everfree was an extension of her, and the Lunar elements bore the weight of her. Celestia couldn't believe the Nightmare would leave such a loose end as the Children of the Night untethered. They weren't products of the Nightmare, they were products of Luna, Princess Luna.

After a few minutes of silence, the uptight pony from before marched back into the chamber with only the pony she only called General.

“Done?” Harshwhinny courtly asked.

“I-I’m sorry, so very sorry!” Princess Celestia literally prostrated herself before Harshwhinny. Even gently putting down the body of her little sister to do so.

Harshwhinny scoffed angrily. “You are a Princess, a leader, do not sully yourself in front of the ones who seek your guidance.”

The elements just watched Harshwhinny critically, expecting something bad to happen.

“The Speakers will deliberate on where she’ll be buried, and if there will be a funeral.” Harshwhinny explained while Celestia stood back up. “They will also deliberate on your rights to attend.”

“President ya can't be-”

“Speaker Applejack I am very serious, I may already know your vote. But there are eighteen other Speakers yet to cast theirs… We will need a fill-in ballot for Speaker Star as well.” The President clarified as if she was reading right from some invisible text.

Applejack wanted to say something stupid, but she was better than that. “I understand.”

“As do I.” Princess Celestia said as well, regaining some of her lost composure. “... You may proceed.”

“Thank you, General, retrieve the body and remake preparations with the others. I have to get the forest back in operational condition, so do not stray from the schedule.”

“Yes mam!” The armored bat pony saluted before making her way around Celestia and gently scooping up the small body.

“Speaker, you have reports to file.” Harshwhinny’s blue eyes then locked with Pinkie’s. “You do as well.”

“Boo!” Pinkie playfully chastised.

Harshwhinny decidedly ignored the mare before acknowledging the new element of Loyalty. “Colors, you're coming with me.”

“Her name is Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy chimed in with a hint of assertiveness.

“Very well.” The President didn't care, as long as orders were followed.

Followed they were, Applejack and Pinkie said their goodbyes before retreating from the large chamber to go do what they had to do, taking their artifacts with them as well. Rainbow Dash just looked at the spear and the inviting skyline for a long moment, Harshwhinny’s annoyed grunt was what brought her attention back to the president. Rainbow Dash looked at everypony and sighed knowing she was going to be bored out of her mind for hours on end. Rainbow eventually started towards the chambers doors while dragging the spear of loyalty across the brick floor. Fluttershy giggled at the way the President's eyes twitched with each bum of the spear on the brick floor, she knew all too well the irritant Rainbow Dash could be.

It was oddly relieving to know not everything about her had changed, even if Fluttershy wished that she could've at least gotten a hug from her long lost friend.

“I need a bath… Maybe two?” Rarity broke the tension that was left in the room with her off comment while she oddly toyed with her mane to get it to sit right over her face. Despite the elements not recovering her sight, the alabaster mare seemed relieved.

“Rarity!” Twilight scolded at first, but her expression quickly changed once she realized what Rarity was doing. "Rarity… is your e-eye ok?"

Rarity looked up at Twilight somewhat painfully, she didn't want to worry her friend. Yet there was no real way to hide it, and Rarity would have to get the worrying over eventually. So she decidedly abandoned trying to style her mane and just brushed her messy indigo bang out of her face. Revealing to everypony still left in the room her milky grey left eye.

"O-oh my!" Fluttershy squeaked.

Celestia frowned when she saw Rarity's blind eye, it was obvious what had happened. They now shared in the same fear that would never heal, Celestia even slowly brought a hoof up to her own patched left eye and never imagined Rarity suffering such a mutilation. At that, a self inflicted one that was the product of Rarity's generosity no doubt. The Alicorn wiped the last few tears that hadn't yet dried into her ivory coat, but couldn't bring herself to speak. Just as she had failed her sister, she also failed her students, leaving them to suffer in her place.

Rarity looked directly at Princess Celestia's and smiled. No pony could tell if it was sincere or not, but Rarity made it convincing. "I'm just glad I'm not dead darlings, the rest I can sort out later."

Sort out later, those words were the story of Celestia's life. Now she had to sort out a future that no longer included Luna, a future that she no longer wanted a part in. She is the ruler of Equestria, but now she’s just a broken mare that will have to put on the face of a Princess. Who could she honestly guide anymore, her charade is over, her weakness all the more exposed.

Celestia was thrown from her dark thoughts when she felt somepony nuzzle into her chest. Looking down, she saw Fluttershy trying her best to tend to her feelings. Celestia respected the gesture and returned it with a nuzzle of her own, due to her height she simply nuzzled the top of the Pegasus’s head. She needed that, she'll need much more than that, however in the moment her students' nuzzle was enough to corral her from her increasingly dark thoughts.

“I-I do believe we're done here…” The Princess said quietly, as if she was disturbing somepony.

“Of course Princess.” Rarity responded.

“Do you have a chariot coming or?” Twilight then questions.

“Teleporting, your brother is holding the spell on the other side with some college casters assisting.” Celestia responded on auto-pilot. “There will be annoyances awaiting us I'm afraid.”

Twilight grimaced at the Princess’s tone, it was clear that she wanted to be alone. “We'll handle anything you ask of us.”

Both Fluttershy and Rarity nodded in agreement.

Celestia said nothing, lighting her horn, the world around them turned white before The trademark popping sound of a successful teleportation rang in their ears. And like that the ruined chamber was now empty, not a sound nor soul was left in the place where harmony was reunited for the first time in a thousand years, the place where history was once again made.

Epilogue: Rarity

Rarity was entirely in the mix after their reunification of harmony. In short work, she crafted dresses for the elements and Celestia to wear to Luna’s funeral. And in another talk order crafted diplomatic attire for a plethora of Equestrian delegates, including herself. Amongst the negotiations that followed, Rarity acted as an agent of gossip for the Princess. A position that Twilight nor Applejack appreciated all too much, but it was a position that protected the Princess. Anytime talks were going south, or the Princess was under question from both sides, Rarity would draw attention to herself. Sacrificing her image to completely steer the talks where she thought would be most beneficial everypony. But before it was all said and done, Rarity was removed from the talks, but she blamed nopony for it, her presence served its purpose.

After the negotiations and the signing of the E.E.E.A, Rarity was ostracized from Canterlot by a noble coalition led by Prince Blueblood. There was little the young Unicorn could do to stop the push due to Princess Celestia's increased isolation to the political scene. Deciding not to fight it, Rarity joined Twilight in Ponyville, taking everything she had in her name and buying a small unique building close to the center of town. Naming it Carousel Beautique, Rarity would reinvent her fashion career around her friends instead of nobility. She showed the greatest openness to change and chance, by tailoring exclusive clothing lines for Everfree Ponies. Also promoted their culture to a degree even greater that Pinkie or Applejack did by educating herself and others of their etiquette as she learned as well.

Six months into the changing world Rarity had established herself as a multicultural among the ponies of Ponyville. Even going as far as being the first Unicorn to be granted full citizenship by the Children of the Night. Making her a dual-citizen, and a great asset to the Ponyville community as a whole.

Epilogue: Pinkie Pie

After the Everfree funeral for Luna, Pinkie Pie devoted much of her time reforming the tantabus she used to take her place in the physical while she toured dreams. It took her a few weeks to change into the version of Pinkie that most Everfree ponies knew, to a degree. The tantabus Pinkie appeared to be much more approachable, and wore a warm smile a lot more often. Even with those changes, the tantabus was still sarcastic to a fault and enjoyed teasing young mares. After Pinkie was restored in a way, she, much like Fluttershy and Rainbow, avoided much of the drama that followed their dramatic reveal to the world outside.

Instead, Pinkie focused most of her efforts into the squashing of all the traumatic nightmares that followed the wake of their victory. It was a day and night obligation, one that her friends couldn't talk her out of. And in the end, Pinkie by herself slowly turned the opinions of many Equestrian ponies simply by granting them restful nights. With nearly three straight months of dream walking, she was finally talked out of her efforts to expend her abilities. Pinkie was inevitably talked into the cultural exchange by Applejack, who was already a part of it.

Without much else to do, Pinkie joined the hoof full of ponies that signed up for the exchange. Deciding to taking up baking in the process, she found it came easy to her, and built a local reputation for her confectionery sweets. Sweets Pinkie used to further Everfree and Equestrian relations in the small town of Ponyville by hosting multiple parties that would last through the night. Showing that everypony loved to party, even if she sometimes drifted off from the parties that she’d organize, the meaning still wasn't lost on everypony else who enjoyed their time. Pinkie Pie slowly found acceptance for what she was, and that was enough for her to dedicate even more of her time to the happiness of others.

Epilogue: Rainbow Dash

In the immediate aftermath of Nightmare Moon's defeat, Rainbow Dash declined a spot with the Shadowbolts and shot down any idea that she’d run for a council seat. The chromatic mare attended Luna’s funeral, yet left in the middle of the procession for unexplainable reasons, abandoning the forest for nearly three entire months. Being removed from the politics of the forest and the strained relationship she had with many of the ponies within it, Rainbow Dash sought to only fly. And those three months she covered deserts of the south, and crossed the sea to the Griffin kingdom. Only ever sporadically landing to eat and sleep.

The journey aided her mind, and eventually her confusion ebbed away to reveal what she truly was loyal to. Rainbow Dawn’s revelations slowly led her back to Everfree and Ponyville, where she made pop up appearances from time to time, specifically Fluttershy's new cottage. It was shocking at first how accepting the ponies of Ponyville were, even though many Everfree ponies' attitudes have changed on Equestria. That was what sold Rainbow Dash in the end to stay near Ponyville, her loyalty belonged to the ponies that have saved and accepted her for what she is now.

Maybe she could finally believe in what her mentor had told her so many years ago, and maybe Luna knew she needed this second chance as well, maybe their deaths weren't in vain. There was a long road ahead and she was saddled up for all the ups and downs to come.

Epilogue: Princess Celestia

Six months after Nightmare Moon's defeat, The aftermath of the event still hit the troubled Alicorn in waves. After being cleared by the Council of Speakers, Celestia was able to attend her sister's funeral with her students, even though some Everfree ponies saw her as a villain in disguise. Month one and two after the funeral and the reunification of harmony, Celestia spent them in a constant tug of war of negotiations, debates, and forums with the President of the Everfree. It was at the end of their second month of negotiations that she was able to reach an agreeable accord. President Harshwhinny was a steadfast mind in the negotiations and dangled the Lunar elements over Celestia's head, an act that most equestrian delegations saw as clear disrespect. Still Celestia signed the Everfree Equestrian Equality Accord, and it garnered a lot of Equestrian scrutiny.

Basically Ponyville, the closest town to the Everfree , agreed to be used as a neutral embassy in Everfree and Equestrian relations. And Everfree Ponies were granted temporary travelers status, a move that was hotly debated simply because it was obviously one sided. Everfree ponies could venture into Equestria, but it couldn't be performed the other way around without a stringent vetting process that most would fail just for being a Unicorn. Not only that, a trade agreement was signed with the accord, one that would actually positively impact Equestria. Everfree mines had many rare earth metals to trade and barter, but skeptics on both sides had their reserves. Some Speakers of the Everfree council saw the trade agreement as a blatant and petty apology for the Nightmare Moon fiasco, which they claim Equestria blames the Children of the Night for. On the other hoof, Equestria is acknowledging the Everfree as an independent nation with the trade agreement, Celestia refused to comment on the claims, and even routed papers that blasted the Children of the Night as threats to Equestrian sovereignty.

As her ponies reacted harshly to her efforts, she in a far less emotionally stable state pushed back with her own bitterness. Oftentimes verbally attacking the critics of her actions in public settings, a divisive tactic that did more harm over the months than it helped. Celestia in a final act of tribute to her sister, raised a massive monument to her sister in the castle gardens unannounced to the Canterlotian nobility. Little could comfort the hurting Alicorn, and after her string of brash actions, she slowly began to close herself off from the public and politics altogether. Allowing ponies like Prince Blueblood to channel much of her responsibilities through his constituents, and he promised Equestria came first.

All things together, Celestia was completely broken by the loss of her sister. There was very little to remedy her depression, troubling the few of her supporters that still remained among the critics. But with Celestia doing what she felt was right to protect the Children of the Night’s land and government from Equestrian action, she cared little for others' opinions. And very few ponies could get close to her, even her students were put at hooves length despite sending constant letters of support. Princess Celestia branded herself as a failure and that was all there was to it, her wounds were far from healing as the months dragged on.

Equestria First, Friendship Second

“What is the meaning of this Blueblood!” Celestia growled while taking steps into the banquet room.

The ivory stallion in question sat at the opposite end of the table with two other stuffy looking Unicorns flanking him. Twilight looked as angry as the Princess did, Fluttershy was expertly hidden in a corner, shadowed behind her long pink mane. However there was no sign of the alabaster mare that claimed generosity.

The Unicorn to the right of him pulled out a rather impressive stack of paper.

“That there are twenty seven thousand signatures of ponies wanting additional representation in this diplomatic meeting. It wasn't my idea originally… but you've forced our hooves by ignoring those that keep this castle running.” Blueblood said, looking rather uncharacteristic of his usual smug self.

Twilight snatched the papers with her magic and began leading through them to possibly site any falsifications. But without having more time, there would be no way to thoroughly leaf through the entire thing. With a frustrated huff, Twilight looked up at the Princess in defeat and passed the papers to her Instead. Celestia however just levitated them to the side, and gave her nephew a very disappointed look.

“I can not allow it, as Princess I bar any intervention of outside parties that I have not personally permitted.” Celestia asserted.

“I say let the fella stay, if your ponies want him here, then he needs ta be here.” Applejack intervened.

Celestia’s mask broke for a third time at their guest's request. With her flank on the wall, she begrudgingly nodded to Blueblood allowing him to stay. Right at that moment Rarity pranced into the banquet room, opposite from where Celestia and the Lunar Elements entered.

“Where have you been, you're late!” Twilight hissed.

“I see you've already seen fit to replace me…” Rarity quipped back, eyeing Blueblood and his associates suspiciously.

“Are y'all done yet.” Applejack weighed in, tired of all the theatrics.

“Very, I apologize for the interruptions. My name is Twilight Sparkle, the element of magic.”

“Fluttershy…” The silent mare in the corner whispered. Which caused Twilight to almost face hoof.

“Fluttershy, her name is Fluttershy and she's the element of kindness.” Twilight spoke for the timid mare.

“And I believe we've already been introduced.” Rarity added in with a subtle drip of sarcasm.

“I can say the same." Pinkie duly noted, earning a strange look from Applejack. "And this is Speaker Applejack, also the element of Honesty… she'll be doing most of the mouth work.”

Blueblood and his associates stayed quiet however. The ivory stallion was simply gawking at Pinkie Pie and Applejack as if they were going to eat him. Either way the Princess didn't bother to introduce them either before walking to the side where her students were to take a seat. Each group sat at their own end of the long table, leaving them placed in a triangle of stares.

Twilight again looked up to her mentor to receive a nod in response.

Twilight cleared her throat and began to speak. “I-I welcome you to Canterlot and I wish we could have met under better circumstances. But th- I mean our Princess called for this monumental meeting to discuss the possibility of the Children of the Night aiding Equestria and possibly the world.’ Taking a deep breath, Twilight couldn't bear to look up at anypony before she continued. ‘A rogue magical anomaly has been terrorizing forested lands and creeps closer to civilization each day… it acts as though it absorbs magic and life to grow and we've come to the conclusion that the reunification of the elements could destroy or contain it.”

The silence consumed the room, still Fluttershy could feel the tension emanating from the two Everfree ponies. Especially the pink one, her stoic face betrayed the anger she was feeling. But the larger and more outwardly intimidating mare just looked at Twilight and shook her head. The large Everfree pony then took her sexton off and set it on the table.

“Y'all seriously don't know, huh. Not even yer infallible Princess has figured out her age old mistake. Nightmare Moon is on the rise, and on the Summer solstice before the Month of the Moon, she shall return… a thousand years past.” Applejack's voice was solid, absolutely prepared for the backlash her statement would soon receive.

“What foolishness is that, the Princess destroyed that monster. It simply can't just come back to-" Blueblood’s rant was cut off by his own realization. "So the stories are true, you're not ponies, but the products of that monster.”

“Yes.” Speaker Applejack's response was a clear acknowledgement to Blueblood’s accusation.

The Princess slightly lowered her head at Applejack's admission. The scar she bore seemed as though it intensified at the remembrance of her lost sister and the nightmare that consumed her. The same nightmare that dwelled inside the ponies sitting before her, stirring within their seemingly tainted souls. Looking up at the vivid paintings that covered her white walls, and the stained glass windows that added further illustration to Equestria's greatness. Celestia felt an immense sorrow from her forgotten failure that could never be displayed for others to see. But now she must come to bear her personal atrocity for all to see.

“It is what I feared than… If what you say is true, which I have no doubt it is. Then my greatest failure has finally come to light." Celestia grimaced as her students looked up in obvious disbelief. "I wasn't strong enough to defeat Nightmare Moon.”

“Princess…” Fluttershy inched closer to her mentor, wanting to comfort her somehow.

“How can Equestria trust you creatures, you very well may be agents sent to infiltrate us!” Blueblood shouted, now offended by the two Everfree ponies' presence. Choosing to completely ignore his aunt's monologue.

“I am the element of Honesty, I have no reason to lie to any of y'all. Bottom line, we need tha help." Applejack broke eye contact with Blueblood in favor of the Princess. "The nightmare has been attacking the Everfree more aggressively each passing day, we've been takin’ a licking.”

“B-but I thought you said-” Twilight's question was cut off by Pinkie.

“There are… some ponies that think we're products of Nightmare Moon. But that's not wholly accepted by the rest of the Council of Speakers nor is it the entire truth." Pinkie pointed out, causing Applejack to shift a bit. "And apparently the nightmare doesn't like to be ignored.”

“Way back when, our ancestors use ta give offerings to the nightmare. That however, ended sum three hundred years or so ago after our first government outlawed it.” Applejack stated clearly.

“Most of us still pay some form of respect to the moon, but that's as far as it’s gone.” Pinkie added boredly.

“Sooo you are part of the nightmare, but are you against it?” Rarity questioned.

“We've governed ourselves for over seven hundred years. And that's without any of ya Alicorns to worship, we owe the nightmare no more than we owe ya.” Applejack stated with authority, even going as far as to stamp her hoof on the table to add affirmation.

“I see, so your ponies are entirely self-governed” Celestia concluded after taking in the entirety of what she was told.

“It's been that way for hundreds of years like I've said… I'm guessin’ ya were expecting a bunch of savages.” Applejack bit back.

“I meant no offense, I'm simply humbled by your ponies decision to communicate with us… it must not have been an easy deliberation to make.” The Princess assumed.

Pinkie scoffed while leaning forward on her hoof.

“No it wasn't, honestly we're riskin’ everything on this hogwash and it's looking like ya never even had a plan beyond gettin’ our sorry hides out here.” Applejack was growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of production. Yet she knew that they weren't going to have a plan, not one that would be as effective or dangerous as theirs. But she held hope that an age old Alicorn would have a plan to save lives, however she was wrong.

“But you do.” Twilight intervened for the first time in a minute.

“We do.” Applejack answered begrudgingly.

Blueblood slouched in annoyance with all the dodging. Looking at his associates, he saw one of them writing something down and passing it to the other. It was clear they were quickly losing interest in the current talks just as he was. But that didn't matter, he would stay till he knew Equestria was safe from that… nightmare, and those things disguised as ponies.

“Well then, enlighten us.” Blueblood dead-panned.

Pinkie and Applejack exchanged glances before Applejack decidedly spoke up.

“Ya Princess is right, all the Elements are needed to destroy the nightmare once and for all. However in its current state, the darn thing can't be touched; let alone destroyed." Applejack sighed, breaking her solid facade for only a moment to look at the Equestrian ponies straight. "We need to catch it at the right time.”

“We must let it manifest.” Pinkie pointed out from her slouched position.

“Manifest… you mean let Nightmare Moon come back?” Rarity reiterated just to be clear.

Fluttershy took a deep breath from behind her mane, listening to them all, she could tell exactly where the talks were going.

“Any simpleton with a horn knows magic just doesn't recreate long dead monsters without command! If anything this quote unquote rogue anomaly is now starting to look more like a set up.” Blueblood quipped, his fury was directed solely towards the Lunar Elements.

“Silence!" Princess Celestia commanded, causing Blueblood to nearly jump out of his own hide. "They gave you cause to stay, and I will not allow you to disrespect them as you have so far.”

After his initial shock wore off, Blueblood simply straightened up and sat quietly at his corner of the table.

“What exactly does this plan require of us?” Rarity inquired, making her presence known once again.

“Your complete cooperation.” Applejack vaguely put.

“That entails exactly what darling?” Rarity pressed further, much to Blueblood's surprise.

Everypony’s eyes were trained on the large lunar element as she contemplated how to put it. Pinkie Pie however had dodged the eyes, and was now wearing a very lopsided grin that told far too much. Fluttershy was the only pony to subtly feel the pink night ponies excitement. The yellow mare had yet to say a single word, but if she had to say one. The single word would be scared, everything was hinging on ponies they only just met. She wants to trust them fully, but to immediately trust them with her life. Fluttershy usually wasn't very selfish, but she liked living.

“We need all tha elements to amass at the old Everfree castle. That's where she'll appear, and we'll be able to destroy her with the jewels of the elements and Loyalty’s know-how." Applejack closed her eyes for a moment, and then opened them to look down at her hat. "The Moonlit month mustn't happen, it would only strengthen Nightmare Moon. When this goes down, the sun must stay up at all cost or our plan will burn like a bad crop.”

“You all possess the jewels, all of them?" Celestia questioned as if she didn’t believe what she had heard. "I was under the assumption that their physical manifestations were destroyed... after all I personally sacrificed the ones I had wielded.”

“They were destroyed, but now they are not." Pinkie quipped. "The details are not important right now”

Celestia bit back an immediate response, she didn’t want them to get anymore defensive then they already were. But knowing that they possess the jewels and openly admitted it gave them a lot of leverage over Equestria. Celestia couldn’t help but to assume that they’ve only mentioned it to use it as such to keep them safe from some sort of political strong hoofing.

For a long moment there was nothing but a pregnant silence among the table, that was until Rarity cleared her throat.

“So we're marching into an ancient and mystical forest, to use some mysterious jewels that aren’t supposed to exist… All a part of another element's plan, in which we've hadn't had the pleasure of meeting yet.” Rarity skeptically replied with a tilt of her head and a swirling of her hoof.

That earned a low growl from Applejack, one that caused most of the Equestrian ponies to squirm a bit. Only the princess and Rarity stayed composed.

“Ponies are dying out there, and Loyalty was the one who got this all in motion. He was the one to sway our speaker here and all the others. Try to have a little faith in us poor creatures.” Pinkie said in a tone that was absolutely eerie. But it was the part about faith that startled Twilight back into the conversation.

“I-I trust you, and if you say that anomaly is directly targeting your ponies… your family. Who are we to deny our full cooperation, this would be the first step to a healthy diplomatic relationship.” Twilight responded in a political tone.

As Twilight finished, Rarity gave Applejack a faux smile. While Applejack interpreted it as pure trouble, it was a smile all too reminiscent of another deviant pony she knows, so she returned it with a deep scowl.

“Yes, Twilight is right. You've put an ample amount of trust in us, it's time we do the same for you.” The Princess cordially responded before a maid was abruptly escorted into the conference room by a guard.

The Princess looked down at the trembling mare as the guard prodded her to speak. The maid whispered something up to the Princess, something that only the princess could catch. Her expression didn't seem all too amused with the interruption, but her attention was given fully to the maid. After whatever was said, the Princess was clearly mulling over options in her head before standing up from the table.

“I'm afraid I must call a recess, we can continue our discussions tomorrow to reach a mutual accord to your plan.” The princess diplomatically said.

“Tomorrow!” Applejack responded angrily.

“Just go with it, Speaker, we can check on Bloom and… other things.” Pinkie said, completely unfazed by their newest development.

“Fine.” Speaker Applejack surrendered instantly after realizing the impression she was giving by standing and yelling directly at the Equestrian Princess like that. Only Blueblood looked as if he was going to blow his top, his associates however were sweating a bit.

With that said, Everypony stood up and Blueblood was the first out, followed by his unnamed associates. Applejack stepped back and grabbed her hat, just rubbing it a bit as she watched the Princess say something to the pony named Twilight, something that made the small Unicorn's eyes go wide. Then the Princess just turned and trotted towards the exit with the maid and the guard that came in unannounced. Rarity went back to sit with Fluttershy to speak with her, it was clear that the Pegasus's nerves were getting the better of her.

“See, everything is going to be alright darling.” Rarity said in an attempt to soothe the nervous Pegasus.

“I-I hope so…” Fluttershy quietly stuttered, her eyes focused on the element of Laughter.

Her friends' focus didn't go unnoticed by Rarity, but the young mare had other things to pursue during their recess. Blueblood’s intervention was untimely, and there wasn't much they could do about the Prince. But his constituents could be easily played, and Rarity knew it.

Making sure Everypony was occupied, Rarity gave Fluttershy a warm smile before slipping through the doors that Blueblood left through. On the other side of the room however, Twilight was taking the most of her time asking inquisitive questions.

“So you do consume meat?” Twilight's question was leveled without any fear or apprehension.

Applejack at first was confused at the small Unicorn's forward attitude, but quickly came to respect it and her question. “Yes.”

“Amazing, what do you eat? Do you consume it raw, or prefer it cooked like Griffins… If so, we have a chief that could prepare a meal with meat in it for you when we give you a tour of the castle!” Twilight was slowly descending into a giddy child with the wealth of information standing before her.

Applejack's expression went from confused to concerned. Needing a bit of space, she looked to Pinkie for help. However the pink mare was conveniently distant from the conversation with a knowing smirk on her face. Cursing under her breath, Applejack turned back towards the little Unicorn in submission.

“Tour… Ya ain't more worried about Nightmare Moon?” Applejack said.

“Albert Hayburn once wrote that in every crisis if there is no time to understand the ones you commit to, then there is no time to achieve what you seek…” Twilight bookishly responded.

“Albert?” Applejack responded with a Pinkie-esque dullness.

Twilight just blushed a bit at her wasted quote before looking at the ground. “The Princess has entrusted us to make you feel welcomed here till tomorrow, and a tour would statistically help both parties to understand each other further.”

“Ah guess,” Applejack mumbled.

ELSEWHERE IN THE CASTLE

The young child of the Night sat in the middle of the large waiting room stacking books to stave off the boredom. The guard that escorted her was just standing on the other side of the door, giving her no room to explore the big castle. However her boredom was interrupted by her keen sense of hearing. There was a scuttling noise and what sounded like two voices coming from underneath a draped table in the corner of the room.

Apple Bloom, finally finding something more interesting than making a book fort. The young filly smirked as she slowly got up and crept towards the draped table. Tilting her ear, whoever was watching her knew they got caught and was trying their best to be quiet. But now the filly caught their scent as well, she was quite surprised she hadn't smelled them before hoof. However in her defense she hadn't received her tracking training from her brother yet, but the smell of lilac and what seemed to be sugar was strong.

Now mere inches from the table, everything was still. Applebloom was unsure on how she should approach, she wasn't completely oblivious to how the Equestrian’s perceived them and she wanted to do her best to not scare away potential friends. Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom extended a yellow hoof to pull off the drape covering the table. Yet before she could, an orange body launched out from underneath the drape straight towards Apple Bloom causing her to back peddle and stumble over her own hooves. With the orange thing right on top of her, Apple Bloom growled and showed her fangs in an instinctive defensive display. Causing whatever was on top of her to freeze. Giving the Night filly an opportunity to throw it off with a quick shove.

“Don't eat her!”

Instantly taking offense, Apple Bloom got up to address the squeaky voice that said that. “I don't eat ponies!”

“You don't?” another voice weighed in before quickly coming into view.

The thing that attacked her quickly revealed it to be a little orange pegasus with a dark purple mane. Right after her another filly, this time a marshmallow white Unicorn tentatively stepped behind her Pegasus friend. The Unicorn looked scared, but the Pegasus just seemed confused.

“I would never eat a pony…” Apple Bloom reassured, attempting to defuse the situation.

“T-then what do you eat then?” The Pegasus curiously asked.

“Well…”

“Scootaloo look, she doesn't have her cutie mark!” The Unicorn expertly interrupted.

“Why ya pointin’ that out.” Applebloom grumbled with an embarrassed look on her face. That was until she noticed that both of their flanks were blank as well.

“Hmm, you know Sweetie… I don't think she's a scary monster. Just a little bigger maybe,” Scootaloo pointed out. “And more toothy I guess?”

Applebloom stated quiet as the little unicorn began to trot around her as if she was being sized up. It hasn't dawned on the Night child that the tables had been turned on her. It wasn't but a moment ago she was stalking them. Deciding to submit, Applebloom just sat on her haunches and waited for the Unicorn to come back into her view. Took a few seconds longer than she would've liked, but the Unicorn came back around with a bright smile on her face and extended her hoof.

“My name is Sweetie Belle, let's be friends!” The little filly squeaked.

“Just like that?” Applebloom skepticism leaked from her response.

“Eh whatever, my name's Scootaloo. I'm down if Sweetie is, so what's your name?”

“Umm, Applebloom.”

After the stilted introductions, Sweetie pranced off to the far corner of the room where a chest sat. Scrounging through it, the marshmallow grew increasingly frustrated with her lack of results. Scootaloo on the other hoof knew exactly what Sweetie was looking for, and for Applebloom’s sake she hoped the Unicorn didn't find it. Swiftly the Pegasus hopped on top of a table, trying not to make too much noise. Looking outside, it was perfect Scooter weather.

“Hey Apple Bloom, since You're new here and all, want a tour of the place?” Scootaloo asked, grinning mischievously.

“No no, Rarity said-” Sweetie didn't even get to finish before Scootaloo cut her off.

“They're ‘negotiating’ remember, we'll only be gone for a few minutes…” Feeling that she had yet to convince Sweetie, the Pegasus added an addendum. “We can even stop by the Library spire, see what spike is up to.”

“Spike?” Applebloom had a feeling she was getting ready to get another tongue lashing from her sister after everything was said and done.

“Oh, he’s this kinda cool little dragon thing Twilight takes care of.” Scootaloo explained simply.

“It seems like he takes care of Twilight if anything Scoots, and isn't he in trouble after well…”

“You got him in trouble Sweetie, yes I guess you're right. But still there are other things to check out!” It was obviously clear the Pegasus was going to keep trying.

Sensing no end to it, Applebloom submitted first. She didn't know how long she’d get to be in Equestria or see her… new friends. “Ok, I'm in.”

“Aww, and I almost found my makeup kit!” Sweetie whined from her corner.

“Maybe next time, let's go before Ms. Boring guard checks in. I swear she was just sleeping on her hooves a while ago.” Scootaloo giggled before unhinging the window and directing the other two ponies towards it.

“Wait, aren't we like on tha third floor?” Applebloom hesitantly asked, stuffing her hoof on the ground.

“Trust me, I've done this a thousand times here and only broke something once.” Scootaloo said with a winning smile.

“I- ok.”

Attempting to reassure the other fillies. Scootaloo vaulted out the open window causing the other two fillies to scramble to the window in shock. But they both sighed in relief when they saw the orange filly waving up at them just a few hoof lengths away. Apparently the roof on that part of the castle was like a very exploitable set of shelves descending down to the ground. The convenience wasn’t lost on the other two fillies either. Next Sweetie Belle bounced out and then Applebloom started to get on the table to follow, that was till she heard a crack. It was sudden as the old wood table gave way underneath the Night fillies hooves making an impossibly loud noise.

Less than a second later the door to the room opened up. The guard that escorted her into the room looked in with confusion plastered on her face. She saw the broken table and a open window. Connecting the dots her face of confusion melted away to solidarity as she realized she’d have to tell the Princess.

The city below.

“Applejack is going to kill me…” The young night filly muttered in fear.

“Really, because my sister might just do the same. We weren't supposed to get caught so fast!” Sweetie pointed out while looking towards Scootaloo for guidance.

The orange filly was just rummaging around the tall bushes surrounding the castle. Obviously looking for something she had stashed prior to their escape. It didn't take much longer for the fillies efforts to pay off as she managed to yank a bright red scooter out of the last bush she searched. Not only that, there was also a large wagon cart attached to the back of it. Applebloom just looked in awe at the weird thing, she had never seen anything like it in the Everfree. Devices like that would never serve a purpose on the uneven and overgrown trails of Nightingale or Grove. At the moment it didn't matter, as Scootaloo and Sweetie We're already on the Scooter. With the Pegasus driving the thing and Sweetie patting a seat next to herself, Applebloom saw no other alternative… she was in for a ride if Scootaloo’s smirk was anything to go by.

“Well?” Scootaloo said impatiently.

“I'mma comin’”

With a single hop, Applebloom sat right next to Sweetie. The Night filly didn't even get to ask another question before Scootaloo hit the accelerator. Zooming around the castle, they blew right past two unsuspecting gate guards to get out into the city. Applebloom looked around in awe despite not being able to make out a lot of what they were passing, it still was more than what she’d ever seen back home. Nightingale was kinda the same, but they tended to build more underground than above, nothing was allowed to pass the treeline.

“Watch it!” Scootaloo shouted as she nearly took out a noble wearing the goofiest hat that the filly had ever seen.

“My word!”

“I thought they'd kicked that ruffian out by now…”

Going even faster after the near miss, Scootaloo took a sharp left to dodge a guard. Both fillies in the back were shrieking at that point, because the alley was narrow and winding. One wrong move and they would be nothing more than scuff marks on the concrete. However they were near the end of the alley and could see daylight, Applebloom almost wanted to rejoice. But would have been too soon, because Scootaloo took a sharp right and now they were heading for what looked like a ramp.

Closing her eyes, Applebloom was wishing she hadn't taken their offer now. Those two, or at least the Pegasus was crazy… almost reminded her of Colors back home, and that was a scary comparison. Just as they were about to make the jump, a Pegasus in gold armor flew in front of the ramp forcing Scootaloo to smash the brakes. Grinding to a halt just a hoof away from the unflinching stallion, Applebloom sighed in relief.

“What the heck Flash… how’d you catch me so quickly this time!” Scootaloo asked with an annoyed expression.

“We do this almost once a week, there is a map of your little routes down in the Guard barracks Little Loo.” Flash stated matter of factly.

“Don't tell my sister…” Sweetie pleaded.

“I- well you're lucky Yellow Gate found me before the Princess,” Flash wiped his hoof down his face before continuing. “I'm not going to tell anypony, but we have to get you two back to the castle pronto!”

“What about me?” Scootaloo timidly asked, losing all of her previous bravado.

“Go home Loo.”

Sweetie looked at her friend with knowing eyes, and Flash stopped flying for the moment to approach the fillies.

“It's alright Sweetie… I'm sorry for getting you two in trouble.” Looking back at Flash, Scootaloo frowned a bit. “You both can get off now.”

Complying, the two fillies filed out of the wagon and without a second word Scootaloo took off at a breakneck speed in the opposite direction. Applebloom knew that something about sending Scootaloo home wasn't what it seemed like. The large night filly then turned to the hesitant guard who seemed unsure on how to approach her. But instead of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle was the one to say something first.

“She doesn't bite Mr.Sentry.” Sweetie dead-panned, clearly frustrated that her friend got sent away.

“I know… guessing I'll carry one of you and the other hop on my back.” Flash then noticed the glaring size difference between the two. “Ok um, how about I hold Sweetie and you can hop on my back.”

Not knowing how to get back, Applebloom started quietly and compiled. The Guard leaned over allowing her to shuffle onto his back, she could feel his hairs slightly bristle at the contact. Applebloom knew exactly why, however her concerns were over the fact that she was about to fly. Sweetie on the other hoof had no reservations about it at all, because as soon as he got up to a hover, she jumped into his arms causing him to tilt a bit. With them both secured, Flash made sure to take off low and slow. Firstly for the fillies on board, and secondly to not be immediately caught. Shining would have his head for breaching protocol, but he's still not home free yet.

The flight back was an easy and undetected one. Flash Sentry could add that to his never again list. Still it took him a minute to figure out where to drop them off. He wound up flying back through the same window they exited easily thanks to Sweetie's directions. With both fillies back, Flash hung in the window exhausted, and he still had to report back to the captain before he was missed. Right before the stallion could say anything, the door to the room began to creak open. Panicking, Sweetie Belle booped Flash’s snout roughly causing him to tumble out the window before she slammed it shut. Apple Bloom just darted back to the corner to where her little book mess still stood.

“So your ponies rely on elections and votes to elect leaders among the common?” Twilight's voice was clear from behind the opening door.

However the first in view was the tired looking door guard who gave each filly a level glare. Sweetie bashfully looked the other way while whistling and Applebloom attempted to ignore it all together.

“Yes, we've operated under a democracy for nearly two hundred years.” Applejack responded, causing Apple Bloom to pale.

The filly knew if her sister were to ask any questions, they were screwed. It was nearly impossible to lie to Applejack without omission.

“That's uhh, amazing really.” Twilight shifted a bit. A democratic system was the same style of governing that their political rivals the minotaurs operated under. But before she could stumble with the conversation, she noticed Sweetie Belle looking suspiciously innocent near what could be assumed her hoof work.

“Sweetie Belle, what are you doing in here and how did you break that table?” Twilight's question landed squarely on Sweetie, causing the filly to flinch.

Applebloom knew it was over, she could see the focus in her sister's hard green eyes.

“Applebloom, made a new friend I see.” Pinkie forcefully interjected.

Pinkie practically stepped in between Applejack's line of sight. Which wasn't a coincidence considering the situation. Then Apple Bloom's bright green eyes locked with Pinkie's dull blue ones almost in some form of respect, but Apple Bloom knew not to waste the opportunity.

“Yea… I mean yes, she said she's one of tha element's lil’ sister's like I am and all.” Apple Bloom exclaimed happily, capturing everyponies attention. “We've kinda kicked it off ya know.”

“That's right, we're like the bestest of friends now!” Sweetie added, trying her best to distance herself from the broken table.

“Oh, that's nice.” Fluttershy whispered from next to Twilight.

“But that doesn't explain the ta-”

However before Twilight could finish, Apple Bloom interjected with their defense. “We were playing and I got a lil’ carried away ah guess.”

Twilight seemed to buy it, but Applejack just grunted in disapproval.

“Let's go Bloom, you're going to get to see the castle.”

“Really sis!” The Night fillies reaction was priceless, it even cracked Applejack's frown a bit.

“Your coming Sweetie, I'm sure Rarity will catch up with us shortly.” Twilight asked, even though she really had no idea where Rarity had disappeared off to… again.

“I… uh, gotta pee!” Sweetie feebly lied, before bolting out the door.

Applejack swiftly caught it without even trying, but decided not to press it due to Pinkie's tail flicking her in the snout. The large orange mare shot Pinkie an aggressive look, but it was only met with the back of her head. Huffing, Applejack turned and marched out the door. Twilight just looked back in confusion as Applejack tilted her hat forward to hide her face and waited in the hallway. Pinkie followed as well, yet the wicked grin on her face spoke volumes of her involvement with the now grumpy Lunar Element.

Once the Night Ponies were out of the room and out of earshot, Twilight began to whisper to Fluttershy. “I don't know about this.”

“I-I don't know either…” Fluttershy whispered back.

Twilight just closed her eyes for the moment, trying her best to rationalize their next move. Still she couldn't find any good reason to go through with what they were about to do next. But they were too far along for sense to reassert itself. Opening her eyes, Twilight looked to Fluttershy for any signs of wanting to back out of it, but there wasn't anything there.

“First stop… The Wonderbolts headquarters I suppose...” Twilight started with the enthusiasm of a sinking rock.

Epilogue: Twilight Sparkle

The first month after reunification and the funeral, Twilight found herself a part of the arduous process of being a representative in Everfree Equestrian Equality Accord. The negotiations were long, winded, and were driven by emotions not facts. In the second month of negotiations, the Princess had all but removed a large portion of the Equestrian delegation. Leaving Twilight and a select few to contend with the entire twenty pony Council of Speakers and their President, who Twilight managed to have the best discussions with alongside Speaker Applejack. At the end of the second month, both Princess Celestia and President Harshwhinny signed the Accord into effect. Although Twilight was skeptical of the Everfrees democracy flipping the script in a few years, as their Presidents can only serve two five year terms and their current one is on her second. Meaning the next President could void her signing.

Twilight couldn't worry about that because she and her friends were assigned diplomatic statuses as they were to relocate to Ponyville which was to serve as a diplomatic embassy. The small Unicorn was quick to choose the town library as her dwelling when she found out it was an option. The move was tough for Twilight, having to leave the Princess to deal with her own demons alone wasn't optimal. It didn't take long however for Twilight to devise a plan with Spike and her friends, once a week she would send a report directly to the Princess. Something of a friendship and progress report with the Everfree, Twilight doubted that the Princess wouldn't read them. It was the last thing the small Unicorn could do for the pony that mentored her for the better part of her life.

Outside of that, Ponyville welcomed the Unicorn with open hooves and most of them seemed sedated about the Everfree ponies sudden appearance from the forest they border. That calmed Twilight and gave her time to focus on her studies which revolved around her artifact of harmony. There was still much to learn, and her connection to the element of Magic was still in its infancy, there was so much potential in them. And she knew the Princess was expecting her to unlock it one day, it was her turn, it was every element's turn to protect Equestria and the Everfree.

Epilogue: Fluttershy

Six months removed from the most traumatic experience of her life, Fluttershy attended the funeral of Luna, but avoided the entirety of the heated negotiations that followed. Instead of focusing on the ponies, she tended to the animals that were either uprooted from their homes or injured by the Nightmares destruction. Still she was the slowest to fully integrate into the Ponyville community, even going as far having a small snack built on the furthest outskirts of the small town. Still ponies visited her often, her coltfriend Soarin made steady appearances at her new home whenever he could. He was the last little bit of normalcy she had in her move, even the Princess had changed over The course of the months, regressing into a shell she was all too familiar with. But there was little she could do outside of writing the reports that Twilight had suggested.

Fluttershy strangely enough enjoyed the company of some of the Everfree ponies that would cross her shack, much of them sharing her timidness with meeting new ponies. Even her oldest friend would appear from time to time just to check on her, even if Rainbow Dash didn't say much or nothing at all, Fluttershy still appreciated it. The butterscotch mare knew she had friends and Ponyville would be extremely accommodating, still she couldn't shake her worries about everypony getting along. Fluttershy didn't want to be in the middle of future arguments, trying to play the diplomatic role she's been stuck in for a while now. But her friends were playing their part, again Fluttershy knew she had friends and more to rely on, she wasn't alone.

Epilogue: Applejack

Applejack spent much of her time after the Nightmare incident repairing much of the Everfrees destroyed or damaged infrastructure, all while being stuck in the middle of Equestrian negotiations. It took nearly two whole months for Applejack to be done with the negotiations, and as a consequence she immediately stepped down from the Council after several disagreements with other Council members. The effect of her stepping down caused many Speakers to rally in support for improving relations with Equestria. After the signing of the E.E.E.A, Applejack was a part of the cultural exchange. Meaning her family was granted a small plot of land outside of the forest as some sort of a test, a test that mattered little to her as she simply used the land plant Equestrian apples. She was an expert at Lunar farming, now it was time for her to become an expert in Equestrian agricultural practices.

Her family took to the changes in strides, her little sister was the most enthusiastic about it and the new friends that she made. Applejack’s older brother was very off putting at first because of his massive and intimidating size, but quickly proved his worth to the Ponyville community by aiding in several town projects to expand the town due to the new traffic. Applejack’s grandmother only thought it was a matter of time before her family was accepted, her words rang true and she was sure to let everypony know it. Still the large orange mare could barely comprehend the strangeness of their new situation and the politeness of the community they were integrating into.

Applejack knew the doors would have to swing both ways eventually, the President couldn't just block the Equestrian ponies from The Everfrees dangers forever. She knew from experience that they're a naturally curious bunch, and it would only be a matter of time before curiosity would get the better of them. Honestly Applejack knew why she was chosen as an emissary for the cultural exchange. The land she was granted blocks both entrances to the forest alongside Fluttershy's plot, and anypony that goes in or out passes through her, effectively making her a gate guard for the Children of the Night. But that mattered little, she wouldn’t gain any ponies' trust by taking shady measures to protect the forest. Honesty was what she lived by, and the ponies of Ponyville deserved every ounce of it.