Belial: Luna's Assistant

Ponieville reminded Belial a lot of the old days of Canterlot. The roads were dirt, buildings were made of wood with simple structures with the only impressive art being the fountain in the middle of the square. The two of them exited the white and gold carriage, Belial breathing a sigh of relief as she was finally free of Canterlot. Twilight Sparkle, on the other hand, was not as happy. A pink haired girl walked up to the two of them. Well, more like she skipped with how excited she was.

“New friends!” the girl said. “I have to tell the others!” the pink haired girl ran off, leaving dust to spring up.

“Well, that was interesting,” Twilight said before pulling out a scroll.

“What's that for?”

“Princess Celestia wants us to put on a little gala. Didn't she tell you about it?” Belial shook her head. “Never the matter, let's head over to Apple Farms and see how they're getting along with the food preparations.”

“It's so dirty,” Twilight complained. “Why can't there at least be a stone path here?”

“You know, Canterlot used to look like this as well,” Belial supplied. Twilight began a retort before a tan girl with long blonde hair walked up to them.

“Hi there, I'm AppleJack. You're the royal whatevers, right? I'll show you the selection we have for that party.” She took them through the farm, Twilight groaning and mumbling as dirt and mud began caking the hem of her pants. They were brought to a table where a large spread of apple-based sweets were laid out. Twilight began to taste the sweets, dodging questions from Applejack's large family.

“Aren't you going to eat some?” Applejack asked Belial.

“Sorry, I'm just not used to eating too much. This is a little overwhelming.” She took a fork and tried a little bit of what Applejack called a cinnamon apple pie. “This is really good. Twilight, you should choose this one!” She looked over to see Twilight hanging her head from the abundance of sugar. She gave Applejack the go ahead on the pie before helping Twilight up and out of the farm. Belial sat her down on the fountain in the center of the square.
“Alright, so what's next?” Belial asked, starting to get excited.

“It says here we have to check in with someone called Rarity about dresses and suits. Did Princess Celestia talk with you about what you were going to be wearing?”

“I think a year or two ago she asked me whether I'd be comfortable wearing a suit and I said yes, so maybe? Either way, let's get going, I'm starting to get excited!”

“Why are you so excited about this?”

“I never had anyone to do these things with when I was younger. Even back then, Canterlot wasn't exactly nice to outcasts.” Twilight stood up and looked back at the map she was given before moving off towards the shop. Belial's enthusiasm, however, was immediately curved as they were confronted by the shop's owner.

“Oh, you two are the Princess's advisors, correct? My name is Rarity, pleased to make your acquaintance,” the girl said, her hair a brilliant purple. She spoke in the same accent that many Canterlotians did, although hers was thicker than most.

“Yes, we are here to check up on your progress with the dresses and suits.” Rarity laughed with the same haughtiness Belial had heard a thousand times.

“Why, of course you are. My work is the finest after all. I have a suit here for Belial, although I wasn't aware she would be carrying such an ugly accessory.” Rarity pointed out the sword, causing Belial's wings to flare up in anger.

“What did you just say?”

“It's the truth. If you want to look your best, you should ditch that ugly thing.” Twilight stepped in front of Belial before she could get closer.

“Why don't you grow a spine and say what you actually mean. I thought I would be able to escape Canterlot, but here you are, just another spineless worm who thinks you're better than everyone else.” Rarity drew back a little.

“Belial, go outside. Rarity, I'm so sorry about this,” Twilight began. Belial walked out of the shop, standing near the entrance with her arms crossed. She watched as a few people stared at her as they passed by. The door to the shop opened, and Twilight stepped out with two stacks of clothes for the both of them.

“What was that about back there?” she asked.

“Nothing. Just tell me what's next on that list of yours.” They spent the rest of the day talking to the weather team which included a hotshot with rainbow hair, along with talking to a softspoken pale girl with light pink hair who was in charge of an animal choir. The very idea got a chuckle out of Belial when she saw that.

“So what time is this gala again?” Belial asked as they entered the library to get changed. Any time now, Princess Luna.

“Midnight. Where would you like to sleep?” Twilight asked as she set her bags down on the second floor.

“I'll be fine.” Suddenly, for the first time in a thousand years, the bracelet on her wrist began to vibrate. “I have to go do something.” She quickly left the library, flapping her wings and finding her way towards Luna. She found her inside the hall for the Gala.

“Belial, my faithful servant. I'm happy to know you answered my call,” Princess Luna said, her voice different.

“Of course, Princess Luna I-”

“I am Nightmare Moon and you will address me as such.” Belial quickly shut her mouth, remembering what Celestia said.

“Now, I plan to make my debut again when this 'gala' begins.”

“It starts at midnight. So, Nightmare Moon, what are your plans?” Luna- Nightmare Moon smiled, baring her teeth.
Belial watched as Nightmare Moon confronted the people of Ponieville. She could see Twilight Sparkle and her new friends' faces as they listened to what she said. Nightmare moon conjured darkness to cover her escape through the balcony.

“Come, Belial. I want you to guard me as I try and destroy the Elements of Harmony!”

“Yes, my lady.” With a flare of her wings, she followed Nightmare Moon as her body turned to smoke. They flitted through the trees of the Everfree forest until they came across an old temple, half destroyed from nature itself. Inside the temple, there was a pedestal at the end of the room, a large crystal sitting on top of it.

“Guard this crystal, Belial. I'm going to set up some obstacles for those little twerps that followed us.” With that said, Belial was left alone in the decrepit old temple. She took a seat on the steps that led up to the platform, pulling her knees up to her chest.

“Hurry up Twilight, I want Princess Luna back already.”

A while later, the doors flew open as Nightmare Moon was thrown back by purple light. Twilight Sparkle, all alone, entered the temple.

“Belial, do your thing!” Nightmare Moon said before starting to pour her magic into the crystal.

“Belial? How could you! You're going to destroy everything we love!” Twilight shouted. Belial stood up and placed her hand on her sword. She winced as memories of that night replayed in her head, and for the first time in a thousand years, drew her sword against another.

“You're going to need your friends to win, Twilight,” Belial said, trying to give her advice. Please, you can't lose.
“My magic is more than enough to win against you!” She conjured a bolt of light at Belial. She swung her sword towards the bolt, cutting it in half with a dark burst of energy.

“No you can't, Twilight. You can't win alone!” she pleaded. Twilight just ignored her advice, instead choosing to rocket forward debris. Belial gave a few more half-hearted slashes at her. Then, a blur of rainbow hair ran straight towards her, a fist connecting with her face. She put a hand to her bleeding nose before flying back closer to Nightmare Moon. The weather girl, Rainbow Dash tried to fly in again. Belial rocketed forward and gave a light kick, knocking her down. Soon enough, all of the other friends Twilight made joining her. They stood next to each other, Twilight giving a shocked look towards them.

There was a loud cracking sound as Nightmare Moon began cackling, the Elements of Harmony falling on the floor, broken.
“See Twilight? I told you that you weren't strong enough to win without your friends!”

“We're here now. We will stand beside her no matter the circumstances,” Rarity said.

“We'll beat you meanie traitors no matter what it takes!” the pink haired girl from before said. The others gave an enthusiastic cheer. Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of colour as Twilight's friends began to glow in different colours.

“No! Belial, stop them!”

There was no time to even react as a burst of colour engulfed the two of them. It hurt like no other, causing her to stumble and fall in pain. As she lay on the ground, a flash of pale rainbow hair appeared as Celestia dropped down into the temple. Belial pushed herself up to meet Celestia's gaze.

“Did it work?” Celestia smiled, holding out a hand to help her up.

“Princess Celestia, what is she talking about?” Twilight asked. A groan escaped from the collapsed form of Luna before she looked up.

“Luna, it's been so long,” Celestia said. Tears formed at her eyes as she walked over to her.

“I'm so sorry. I got so caught up in anger that I-” Luna's voice choked with sobs. Celestia pulled her into a hug. “I'm so sorry, Belial.”

“Seriously, what is happening?” Dash asked.

“She's Princes Luna. She was locked away on the moon for a thousand years. She somehow became Nightmare Moon, and the elements of harmony fixed her, I think,” Twilight answered.

“So you have been paying attention in class. You're absolutely right, but that's not the whole story. I was there as well and helped her. I got locked away in a cell for 80 or so years before being given a second chance,” Belial offered. She wiped away some stray tears before hugging Princess Luna. “I waited so long, and then you were Nightmare Moon. Please, don't ever do that again.”

“I promise I won't.”

Belial waved goodbye to the princesses as they flew back to Canterlot to reconnect.

“So, you can do magic and you're over a thousand years old,” Rarity started before a twinkle appeared in her eye. “Please tell me about Canterlot!”

“I think it would be a better idea to head home. Everfree can be pretty dangerous after all,” the light pink-haired girl said in a quiet voice.

“After that, then we can party!” the energetic one said. “We still have a long way to go, though.”

“I got this.” Belial drew herself and the others into the shadows under her and led them back to Ponieville through the cold.

“So, how are you able to use magic and have wings?” the excited one asked.

“Pinkie Pie, let's not dredge up her past. Besides, it's night time. Let's get home first,” Rarity supplied.

“Why did you do it?” Twilight said as she entered the balcony. “Everything, I mean. You could've stopped NIghtmare Moon alongside Princess Celestia, so why didn't you?”

“Physically, maybe. Neither me nor Celestia would've been able to go through with it. Even if we stopped her, we couldn't save Princess Luna. The only way to do that was with the elements of harmony, which only you and your friends have a connection to.”

“So why didn't you tell me about what was going to happen, someone could've gotten hurt!”

“Celestia believes you're destined for great things, as do I. You're one of the most powerful mages that I've seen, and you may even be able to rival the princesses one day.” Belial sighed.

“Twilight, you are the only person in one thousand years to be able to forge a connection with the elements of harmony in a matter of seconds alongside your friends. Celestia tasked you with the job because she knew you could do it.”

“If you say so. Can you help me get a letter to her?” Twilight pulled out a scroll and handed it to Belial who covered it in shadows and sent it to Celestia.

“We should get a response tomorrow. Come on, you need to sleep.”

“What about you?”

“I'll be fine.”