//-------------------------------------------------------// The Old One -by Silent Strike- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// The Awakening //-------------------------------------------------------// The Awakening The cave was dark. It was moist and smelled of rotting moss.There was and out of place chest lying near a pool if inky black substance. All around the cave were signs that time had long since claimed this place, erosion evident where the streams came in around the edges and wore away grooves in the floor of the small cavern. Strangely, the area around the pool and chest seemed untouched, as if time had forgotten that particular spot. To any attuned to the magic of the world, it would be easy to spot the enchantment woven over the pool and the chest, a complex preservation spell used normally upon valuable relics of the past. The pool and chest had been left undisturbed for the last nine hundred years or so. However, tonight was special...It was the one-thousandth year annaversery from which Nightmare Moon had been banished to the moon. There was a flash of magic on the moon's surface, and for a moment, all was quiet. Without warning or ceremony, a black claw and adjacent arm came from the pool, coming down uopn the edge of the stone basin it was in and splattering the spot with some of the inky slime. The claws dug into the stone, and a gasp was herd, like someone desperately inhaling air after a long dive. More bubbled up, the arm pulling weakly, dragging itself from it's resting place... -- In the Everfree, all is not as it may seem to be. A shroud of shadows and starlight drifted by, seeking to delay the six who quested for the things that could destroy it. The last obstacle it could lace in the way of the ponies was a wooden bridge, and a tempting offer. Sadly, that had failed, so it made it's way forward, coming to the throne from of a castle it knew well, from an age long since past. Soon the six arrived as well, and feeling threatened, she made herself known and took the five stones the six had come for to another area of the crumbling castle, the purple coated mage jumping into it's teleporting haze at the last moment, being brought with it. The haze formed on the other side as the queen of shadows, Nightmare Moon revealed herself to the purple magician. The dark mare gave a laugh. One without humor or joy, but triumph and malevolence. The Magician stood, Pawing at the ground aggressively. The Nightmare gave a deadpan look, raising a brow ala spock. "You're kidding. You kidding right?" She asked with incredulity. She shrugged when the magician didn't back down. They charged... -- Trillions of little black forms from around the world moved quickly, flicking from shadow to shadow, never being seen as more than a shimmer of movement in the corner of the eye, Scurrying to some unknown destination. As they met one another, they would merge, becoming larger, the spider-like things creeping and crawling along at speeds that would rival the fastest pegasi. They stopped for nothing, and nothing stopped them. The largest morphed and became avian-like, birds of prey and speed, collecting the smaller spiders in all the towns and cities they passed. Soon, a dark shadow would pass over the land, the darkened form of an indescribably large bird flying overhead at heights none could dare, more of it's kind meeting to become one with the collective. -- There was a whoosh, a rush of wings and wind, and outside of a forgotten cave in the deepest reaches of the Everfree, landed an immense bird, jet black and wicked. It began to Shrink. Slowly, it morphed and stretched, becoming the size of a Manticore and resembling a canine, fangs sharp and claws deadly. Carefully, almost reverently, it made it's way into the cave, a figure sitting by a chest. It came to a rest by the emaciated being, towering over it's skeletal frame. The super model raised it's arm up, stroking the creature's surprisingly soft fur. "Well met, my child. Have thee fared well?" The figure asked in a soft raspy tone. Surprisingly, the enormous creature nodded, leaning it's head down to nuzle the belly of it's master gently. "Good. Now, showeth me what time hath done to the world." The faintly canine skeleton said to it's pet, embracing it's large head. Steadily, it began to shrink. It turned to sludge and slime, every inch of it crawling with memories old and new. It was absorbed into the thin one, and he began to fill out in turn. Not a drop was lost, and when it was complete the creature was no more, drawn in by the now very defined canine biped. "Hm...Interesting. Shall we go to meet dear Luna then?" He asked, for it was a he, his voice strong and wise, but youthfull. A light emanated from his chest, a voice whispering on the winds, "Yes, master." It called, the light dimming. He nodded, tuning to the chest he'd been leaning against. Feeling about the edge for a moment, he found a sharp edge, with which the canine sliced open his palm. He then smeared the bioluminecsent green blood against an emblem of a full moon, and with a flash of light and a clunk, it began to undo it's ancient lock. "Let us first be dressed. It would not be suitable to greet a princess of all beings naked. Though she always preferred the casual look...Ah well, bone armor it is then." -- "No! NO!NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The Nightmare's screams were music the the magic weilder's ears. Finally this would be over, her mentor returned, The Nightmare...Well...She assumed stripped of her power or imprisoned again, she wasn't sure how the elements would decide that, but she pushed her will into the stones, praying for something to defeat the insane Shadow Goddess. The rainbow of Harmony finished it's intense swirling, and the wielders were dropped to the floor, fainting from the rush of restorative energy the Elements gave their bearers. It only took a moment or two for them to come to, and the first noise was Rarity exclaiming joy that her tail had been restored to it's former beauty. The next moment the sun princess came in, and the bearers bowed. The Princess of the Sun Gave a small congratulations, explaining her reasons for sending her off to make friends. For if she hadn't...The White Goddess turned and walked to where the Shadow Goddess was, A blue prone form left behind among the shards of The Nightmare. "Now if only another will aswell..." Celestia pondered, coming to lay before the small blue alicorn. She gave a gasp as she opened her eyes, looking up to Celestia's porcaline face. "Can we put away our differences and rule together as we were meant to little sister?" She asked, the Six bearers Gasping. "Sister?!" Twilight, Rarity and Applejack exclaimed, equally shocked as the rest, but being the only to express it. The blue alicon looked down for a moment. "Will you accept my friendship?" The white one asked. The night princess had tears in her eyes, running up to her sister. "I'm so sorry! I missed you so much big sister!" She cried, leaning into her for all she was worth. Celestia cried her own tears of joy, Hugging her sibling tightly. After a few emotional moments, they broke away smiling. "If only my old protector were still here..." Luna said, a tone of sadness in her voice, Celestia mirroring it on her face. "Oh but I am." Came a smooth voice. -- That's it for now, can't think of anything else. My brain won't story.