Chapter 17: The Power of Love

The ponies below were taken aback by the sudden change in the weather.

"Now how in the hay did that happen? There aren't any pegasi up? Are there?" asked Applejack to nopony in particular.

Rainbow Dash replied, "I don't think even I could clear the sky that fast."

"Wow, that was really cool. Don't ya think Angel?" Spike spoke to the now conscious bunny. He nodded in agreement.

"How interesting." Mused a puzzled Twilight.

"Oooh." Let out a bedazzled Pinkie.

"It certainly is a gorgeous moon." Said Rarity, "Don't you think so Fluttershy." Rarity looked and noticed the pegasus was not beside her. "Fluttershy?"

The five ponies turned to their friend. She was standing over the lifeless alicorn with tears once again beginning to form. Angel hoped over to his owner and cuddled her hoof. She looked down to her pet and tried to smile, but could not. She scooped up the rabbit in one hoof and nuzzled him with her face. He hugged her snout and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Fluttershy then began to cry freely, her body quivered with every sniffle. Rainbow limped over, and wrapped her forehoof around her friend's neck. Fluttershy buried her head into Rainbow's mane. The other four ponies stood beside their friend in relative silence, the only sounds came from Fluttershy's weeping. Spike rubbed his claws together awkwardly; he looked up at the sky. He squinted at a bright light. Was a star coming closer? No, that didn't make sense. Stars can't come closer. But something was definitely coming closer, what if it was the Grim! What if it was not gone! It survived somehow! He had to tell the others. The baby dragon flailed his arms in the air and ran towards the ponies.

"Twilight! Twilight!"

"What is it Spike?"

"Look at that!"

He pointed at the light; now he could clearly see what it was, it was some kind of ghost. The dragon yipped and dived behind Twilight. The others, minus Fluttershy, turned their heads to look at Spike's specter. They formed a line around their weeping friend. The ethereal alicorn landed on the ground without a sound. It silently began to walk towards the ponies. Initially they were hesitant, but something about this creature made them believe it did not mean them harm; they cleared a path for the being. Fluttershy was still crying, even as she turned her head to look at the alicorn. Its face was expressionless, but as it spoke, Fluttershy could feel the sorrow in its voice.

"Brush those tears away Fluttershy. It is good to express your loss, but there is no need to be disheartened. You loved Darkhorn, and he gave his life to protect you because he shared that love."

Fluttershy's tears stopped, she looked the alicorn in the eyes. She was about to speak, but Twilight interjected

"Excuse me but, who or what are you exactly?"

The alicorn turned to the unicorn.

"I, Twilight Sparkle, am an embodied form of the Spirit of Love."

The being saw that the unicorn was confused by this answer, so it explained in better detail.

"The strength of Darkhorn's sacrifice awoke the Power of Love which Fluttershy now wears around her neck."

The alicorn pointed to Fluttershy's silver necklace. She looked at it as if she had noticed it for the first time. Rainbow Dash asked her own question.

"The Power of Love? Is that anything like the Elements of Harmony?"

"To an extent, Rainbow Dash. Unlike the Elements of Harmony, which are harbored in you six, any creature can use the Power of Love. Considering of course, the love is strong enough, and the need dire enough."

"So the Power of Love was at my brother's wedding!" blurted Twilight.

"Indeed it was, Twilight Sparkle. And just like love, the Power of Love can take many forms. The strength of this particular love personified itself in this form."

The being waved its hoof along its body for emphasis. Applejack piped in.

"And what about the Grim? Is it gone?"

"You have no need worry." The ethereal being looked up towards the moon. "That fiend will never bother any creature ever again."

Finally Fluttershy spoke. Her words were empty and devoid of emotion.

"Why are you here?"

The being turned to face the pegasus, and stood there for a long while. Fluttershy attempted to ask again, but the being raised its hoof to silence her.

"It is easier to show you."

The ethereal alicorn walked passed Fluttershy and stood over Darkhorn's lifeless body. It leaned its head down until it was level with Darkhorn's. Fluttershy flinched forward in anticipation. The being let out a crystalline breath that entered Darkhorn's mouth. The body seemed to inhale the breath; then it began to fade away into tiny starlights. Everypony's eyes grew wide.

"What do you think you are doing?" Rarity protested.

The being raised its hoof once again. The starlights dispersed from each other until the body was completely gone; they then reconfigured themselves into the shape of a pony; but not just any pony.

"Darkhorn!"

Everypony was taken aback, especially Darkhorn. He looked at his hooves. He looked forward and saw a white spectral alicorn staring at him. It spoke in a calm but firm voice.

"You only have a short time, say only what you need to."

The ethereal alicorn stepped aside to reveal a misty eyed Fluttershy. He walked up to nuzzle her, and then stared into her eyes.

"It looks like this is it, Shy. I'm sorry I put you and your friends through all this misery. I just…"

She put her hoof up to his mouth and smiled.

"Don't worry Darkhorn. Being in love means never having to say you're sorry…"

Fluttershy's words trailed off and she lowered her head in sorrow. Darkhorn used his hoof to raise it again.

"Hey, love is stronger then death. It can't separate us and it can't take away our memories."

Darkhorn smiled at Fluttershy, and she smiled back. Darkhorn felt himself beginning to disappear. He looked at his tail and saw it breaking up into starlight. He turned back to Fluttershy

"Talk to me Shy, please."

"I'm don't want to lose you Darkhorn."

He was already half faded away.

"Don't worry Shy, you'll never lose me."

His neck was vanishing.

"But what will I do without you?"

His head leaned forward; his blue eyes were gone, only his mouth remained.

"You have your friends, Shy." The mouth kissed her on the cheek. "And I'll always be in your heart."

He was then no more. The ethereal alicorn bowed its head; the necklace around Fluttershy's neck transported to its own, it gracefully flew up towards the moon. The five ponies, the dragon and the bunny gathered around their friend. They stared at the moon until the spirit was completely gone. They looked around at the sky and one star seemed to wink at them. Rainbow Dash looked to her fellow pegasi.

"Are you going to be alright Fluttershy?"

The yellow mare softly smiled at her friend.

"I'll be fine Rainbow."

Fluttershy's gaze returned to the sky; she whispered to herself,

"You'll always be in my heart."