Chapter 1

[Disclaimer: I don't own MLP. So, the season five finale is a little . . . messy, at least for a finale. But if I am to take it at face value, there is a reason Celestia can't just use six other ponies and make it work. But I'll talk more at the end. Could I have done this with canon characters? Yes. But that sounds like a lot more work than should be needed.]

With a stomp, Nightmare Moon made the elements fall at their feet, the rocks shattering about them. Apple Zap stared at them in horror, even as her wings spread out slightly, protecting the ponies behind her.

"No," she said quietly.

How did this happen? They were elements. They couldn't break so easily, right? Oh, she wasn't an expert. She should've asked Bluster more about this.

Nightmare Moon laughed, sending chills down Apple Zap. "A pathetic display," Nightmare Moon mocked. "What a dismal failure you are."

"You leave her alone," Bluster said. It was not very effective, from where he spoke quietly behind her.

"I was talking about all of you," Nightmare Moon cleared up.

She lifted her head, and looked about ready to attack.

Apple Zap was panicking slightly. They were going to be attacked, and there was nothing any of them could do about it. She doubted either of the unicorns had a chance against such a powerful enemy, not with their ordinary magic.

But they had to do something. The six of them. Apple Zap hated being taunted, but especially with those specific words. She hated it happening to her friends, and she didn't have many friends in the first place. There certainly weren't many as good as the ones beside her were turning out to be. She couldn't let them get hurt, especially after she'd taken charge, and done the most to lead them here.

"No!" Apple Zap shouted, stomping her own front legs against the ground, and acting braver than she felt. "We won't be defeated that easily! We will be the elements."

It was quiet for a moment.

"We will?" Melody asked softly.

"Yes."

Truthfully, Apple Zap hadn't put much thought into the statement. It had just sort of popped into her head as she stood up to Nightmare Moon. But now that she had said it, it made sense. More pieces of the puzzle were falling into place.

Using a wing, Apple Zap pushed Melody forward. "Melody might act quiet and unsure of herself, but she's always been sure of us. She never, ever gave up her faith in her friends. She is the element of loyalty.

One of the gems lifted off the ground, started glowing, and moved over to Melody. It was working!

Suddenly, Nightmare Moon looked much less smug, and Apple Zap looked much more so. She was able to give an element to each of the ponies there. Then, the magic flowing through them, they used it on Nightmare Moon. A strange experience, to be sure, but also an amazing one.

"Woo!" Bling Bling cheered when they lighted back down.

"We did it!" Comet added, bouncing back and forth on the spot.

"Let's get ice cream to celebrate," Scoops suggested. She quickly added, "I make it myself."

"You have all done wonderfully." They all froze at that voice. That was Princess Celestia herself, coming through the window. "If not in the way I expected."

She sounded amused, but Bluster and Apple Zap still exchanged sheepish glances. Bluster was Celestia's student. He was the one who'd known who Nightmare Moon was, and how to defeat her. His and Apple Zap's roles in this were probably what she was talking about. Bluster was many things, but a leader he was not.

"Sorry," Bluster said.

Celestia shook her head, still smiling. "No, you have nothing to apologize for. And if you did, now is a good time for forgiveness."

With that, she turned her attention to the side, the spot where Nightmare Moon used to be. There was a different, but similar, pony there now.

Bling Bling ran down the long set of spiraling stairs. Somepony had to find the real Crystal Heart. Originally, Bluster had gone in here. But he hadn't come out. Outside, black crystals were popping up, and clouds were darkening. It would simply be impossible to keep the ponies outside calm for much longer. So she's gone in after her twin brother.

She's seen some skepticism in Apple Zap and Comet, and she wouldn't be surprised if they tried to get word back to Celestia and Luna. The two Princesses were no doubt paying some attention, since this was a test for Bluster and all, but Bling Bling couldn't blame them for wanting to call the back up.

She paused, entering a room.

"Oh, now which way?" she asked.

"That Bluster Blues is pretty amazing. Do you think we'll get the chance to see him?"

Bling Bling stopped, slowing turning towards the voice. Something was off. She was outside, in the city of Canterlot.

"See him? Sure. But I doubt he'll even notice us. Too important and all that."

Before Bling Bling could process any of this properly, a cart did appear in the road, getting pulled closer, her brother inside.

"Bluster!" Bling Bling shouted. She jumped and weaved between ponies to get to him. "Hey Bluster!"

He turned towards her, and glared. She stopped. "Bluster?"

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I-I was coming to see-"

"Don't you see I have no time for you anymore. Why would I? I can spend time with other accomplished ponies. Now, go away."

Outside, dark clouds loomed around the city. More and more black crystals were appearing. While Scoops and Melody tried, badly, to pretend everything was normal, Apple Zap and Comet glanced up at the castle.

"What is going on in there?" Apple Zap said between her teeth.

Before Comet could hope to answer that, the barrier started falling down, disappearing quickly once it started. That . . . didn't bode well for Cadance.

The ponies of the Crystal Empire started to panic, trying to scatter as the black cloud Apple Zap assumed was Sombra entered the kingdom. But black crystals were appearing even more frequently, blocking most ways out.

"We have to get them somewhere safe!" Apple Zap shouted.

"Are you sure?" Comet asked. "What about-?" He glanced back at the castle.

"Priorities!" Apple Zap yelled back. She was aware she wasn't being the nicest right now, but, stressful situation and all. "If they can save the day up there, great. But if we want to get the ponies someplace safe, there isn't going to be another chance."

Comet was shaking slightly, but he nodded, a determined expression coming onto his face.

The two nodded to each other, and split up. It would be better for helping as many ponies as possible.

Apple Zap flew over the chaos. Her wings let her weave through the crystals and see better paths through them, but it was hard to get the panicking ponies to listen to her, all of them stampeding any which way. This was bad.

She looked up, where Sombra's cloud was taking the form of something a bit more . . . real.

This was really bad.

[My apologies if this chapter is a little odd. I lost my completed draft and was getting really tired of editing.]