I don't own My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic! I just wrote the fanfiction! If any of the characters seem a bit OC-ish then I'm sorry. I also added characters of my own so no flame comments please; IWILL NOT READ THEM. (Italics – thoughts/dreams; "..." – speech) please enjoy and tell me what you think.
Chapter 2 – The Return of Nightmare Moon
Just then a strong wind caught up on the balcony; followed by a wisp of nighttime sky tornadoing into a tall, dark-coated, evil mare: Nightmare Moon.
Ponies backed away; their eyes wide with fear.
The tall mare evilly laughed.
"Oh no..." Twilight muttered.
Shadow looked at her.
"Nightmare Moon..." She said.
"Who?"
"That's Nightmare Moon!"
"Ah somepony who remembers me..." Nightmare Moon said.
"Yes, and you're here to...to..." Twilight tried to say before backing away out of fear.
Nightmare Moon evilly laughed. "Remember this day ponies, for it will be your last. The night will last...forever!" She said before she laughed long and loud; her mane and tail creating a dark cloud above her.
"Seize her! She knows where the Princess is!" The Mayor instructed.
Several of the royal guards flew at the alicorn; only to be flung back by her magic.
Twilight then left in a hurry.
Rainbow Dash turned. "Where's she going?" She said before going to race after her; only to be stopped by Applejack.
"Hold on missy." The Earth pony said.
"But-" Rainbow started.
"Let's just go follow her! We need to know what's going on!" Shadow said before following Twilight.
The others soon followed Twilight as well; going back to her library.
"Oh where is it?!" Twilight asked herself in panic.
"Is this what you're looking for?" Spike asked holding a book up.
Twilight looked. "Yes!"
Spike handed her the book.
Twilight flipped through the pages rapidly looking for an answer.
Blue cleared his throat; startling the purple unicorn.
"B-Blue Shadow, I didn't see you there."
"Tell us what's going on Twilight." He said boldly.
"It's the return of Nightmare Moon."
"Come again?" Applejack said.
"No time to explain, but I need to find the Elements of Harmony." She said as she continued to look through her book.
"And what are the Elements of Harmony?" Rainbow Dash questioned.
"The Elements of Harmony are the six elements that keep balance in Equestria. Though there is a seventh unknown to us."
"What are the ones that are known then?" Fluttershy asked.
"The elements that are known to Equestria are: Laughter, Kindness, Honesty, Generosity, Loyalty, and when they are all present, the last known element is said to appear: Magic."
"Does that book say anything about the unknown one?" Blue asked.
"No, it just says that when the six are together in formation, the last element shall appear, but it's never happened in Equestrian history so nopony knows what element it is."
"Then let's get looking. Where do we start?" Rainbow asked.
"The book says that the Elements of Harmony are kept in the old castle of the Alicorn Sisters." She said before putting the book down.
The seven of them followed their friend to the edge of a wooded area.
"In the Everfree Forest?!" The other six questioned in fear.
"Well, let's go!" Pinkie said
"I appreciate the thought, but I'd rather do this alone."
"That is not happenin' sugar cube, we're stickin' to you like caramel on a candy apple." Applejack said as she trotted into the forest with the others.
"Especially if there's candy apples in there!" Pinkie added.
Twilight looked at the pink pony with a puzzled look.
"What? Those things are good!" She said as she hopped behind the others.
Twilight shook her head; a small smirk on her muzzle as she followed the others in.
~ Time Skip ~
After many hardships, the seven ponies came to a clearing of fog and the sight of the old castle of the Alicorn Sisters.
"There it is! We made it!" Twilight said before running towards the castle.
"Twilight! Wait for us!" Applejack called.
The purple unicorn skidding to a stop as soon as she saw that she was running over an edge.
Blue Shadow caught her by the tail and pulled her back up to safety.
The mare breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you Blue Shadow." She said.
"No problem, but just be more careful next time." He said with a calm voice.
"How will we get across now? The bridge is out." Pinkie said.
"Uh duh..." Rainbow Dash said spreading her wings. The mare dove down and grabbed the rope to the other side of the bridge and brought it to the other side of the trench. She was about to tie it when she heard a voice calling her name.
"Rainbow...Rainbow..." The mare's voice called.
"Huh? Who's there?" Rainbow demanded. "Come out and show yourself! I'm not afraid of you!" She said making a punching motion with her fore hooves.
Blue looked over at her. "Something's not right..." He thought.
"What's wrong Blue Shadow?" Fluttershy asked.
"Something doesn't feel right..." Blue said quietly.
"Why don't you go with her then?"
"Good point, but it's a pride thing. She'll tell me to come back here instead."
"It's worth a try right?"
"I guess..." He said before flying over to her.
"Blue?! Where're you going?" Twilight questioned.
Dash turned. "Blue? Aw c'mon, I can take care of myself. Don't worry about me, just go back its okay." She said with a gentle smile.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Go..."
"Okay." He said before flying back to the others.
Twilight looked at him. "What were you thinking?" She questioned.
"I was concerned because something felt wrong."
"Oh...okay."
The cobalt stallion then took his place back next to Fluttershy.
"See? It was worth a try." She said with a sweet smile.
"Yeah, it was." He said as he returned the same sweet smile.
After a couple minutes of waiting Blue and Fluttershy looked back at Rainbow Dash who was talking to a strange group of ponies in flight suits that looked similar but opposite to the Wonderbolts flight suits.
"My suspicions were correct..." He thought.
"Oh no...Rainbow!" Twilight called.
The fog set in to the clearing; making it impossible to see.
Blue could just barely make out what was going on with Rainbow Dash.
"Thank you of the offer I mean, but I'm gonna have to say no." The cyan Pegasus said as she tied the bridge. She flew back over to her friends; clearing the fog as she flew through and landed on her hind legs.
"Good job Rainbow!" Twilight said.
"See? I'd never leave my friends hangin." She said as she flew overhead of everypony else.
Twilight smiled gently as she and the other five followed.
The seven of them walked inside.
"Well Twilight, this is what you were lookin for right?" Applejack asked.
"Yes, yes it is." She said as Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Blue Shadow got the five stone spheres down to the floor; setting each down very gently.
"One, two, three, four...hey there's only five!" Pinkie said.
"I know, but I need some time..." Twilight said as she sat in front of the five spheres.
"C'mon y'all, let's give her some space." Applejack suggested as she and the other five went outside.
"Do you really think that it was gonna be this easy to get the Elements of Harmony and bring all seven back to Ponyville?" Rainbow asked.
"I think we just need them here for now, nothing too serious." Blue said.
"Oh, okay. That sounds much better than what I was saying."
Blue laughed a little.
Rainbow put her head under the stallion's chin. "Thanks for your concerns about me earlier by the way." She whispered.
"That's what friends are for." He whispered back.
The six ponies where startled by an abrupt scream from inside the castle. "Twilight!" They exclaimed before they ran in; seeing that their unicorn friend had disappeared.
Blue looked around. "Where could she have gone?" He thought before spotting a staircase. "Hey! A staircase." He said before heading to the base of the stairs.
The others followed him up the stairs. "Twilight we're comin!" Applejack called.
The six got up the stairs to see Twilight sitting in front of shards of what seemed like jewels.
Shadow ran to her and stood in front of her protectively. "Stay away from her Nightmare Moon!" He said.
In that instant, a spark ignited in both Twilight's and Blue's eyes.
"The spark!" Twilight thought before getting up. "You think you can destroy the elements just like that? Look around you! Applejack! You assured me everything would be okay when I had my doubts. You represent the Element of Honesty."
One set of the jewels floated up and went to the orange Earth pony and floated around her.
"Pinkie Pie! You laughed in the face of danger and showed us that not everything is as scary as it may seem. Therefor you represent the Element of Laughter."
Another set of jewel did the same for Pinkie Pie.
"Rarity! You calmed a saddened sea serpent and gave him your tail to replace his missing mustache half. You represent the Element of Generosity."
Another set of jewels did the same for Rarity.
"Fluttershy! You were able to befriend and sooth a rampaging manticore to help us pass. You represent the Element of Kindness."
More jewels did the same for Fluttershy.
"And Rainbow Dash! You gave up the opportunity to your dreams to stay with us and tie the bridge for us to get here. You represent the Element of Loyalty."
The last of the jewels did the same for Rainbow Dash.
Blue Shadow stayed on his guard, but he looked back at them. "So these are the five Elements..." he thought.
"And together, they show the second to last of all the Elements of Harmony: Magic!" Twilight said and a flash of light blinded Nightmare Moon and Blue Shadow. When the light settled a crown sat on Twilight's head. Twilight stood at the front of the circle of Elements; looking into Blue Shadow's ash blue eyes. "Blue Shadow, your passion for your friends shines true through all of what we went through to get here, you can clearly see through the dark and clear our path. You stand with the rest of the Elements of Harmony as the last, unknown Element. Let it shine within you and guide us to balance!" She finally finished.
A faint light started glowing from where a horn would be on a unicorn on Blue Shadow's head.
Blue Shadow closed his eyes and felt his senses start to become numb. He opened his eyes so they were slits of ash blue and he saw the light flash fade into the night outside. "W-what happened?" He looked down and saw jewels circling him like the others. When he looked to the others he saw Twilight gesturing for him be in the center of the Element circle and went to the center.
In that instant all the Elements of Harmony activated; creating a bright light, and soon after, a rainbow that reached out to Nightmare Moon; who had been watching in awe at the sight of the seventh Element of Harmony's discovery.
Nightmare Moon was overcome with the Friendship that resonated from the seven Elements and was shrouded in that colorful light that was the rainbow.
In the blink of an eye, the once evil mare had be reverted back to her original form: the Princess of the Moon – Luna.
"Oh Rarity, it's beautiful."
"I know, I'm never parting with it again."
"No, your necklace, it looks just like your cutie mark."
"Huh? Yours does too!"
Each and every pony looked at their necklace in awe.
Twilight looked at her crown and smiled.
Rarity gasped.
Blue Shadow looked at her. "What?"
Your Element..." Rarity said.
"What about it?"
"Passion..." Twilight said.
"Hm?"
"The Element of Passion..." She said.
"It has the most wonderful of all holders of the jewel."
"What is it?"
"It makes you look like an alicorn! The jewel itself is on a necklace, but the head piece it's linked to, has a horn that gives the illusion that you are an alicorn, and it is marvelous!" Rarity said.
"Plus it matches your cutie mark as well." Fluttershy said.
"Cool." He said.
"We did it!" Twilight said.
"Yes you most certainly did, together; I knew you could do it." A gentle voice said.
The sun then rose from the horizon and Princess Celestia herself appeared before the seven ponies.
Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Blue Shadow all bowed in respect.
Twilight ran to the Princess. "Princess Celestia!"
"Congratulations Twilight, I knew you could do it." The Princess of the Sun said as she craned her neck down to meet her student's.
"I don't understand..."
"I knew of Nightmare Moon's return, but I was no longer connected to them, and I knew that this was the era in which the Element of Passion was forged those many years ago. The only way to reconnect to the Elements of Harmony, you had to make some friends, and I put this task to you because I trusted you with the responsibility. I also knew from two former Canterlot property owners that Blue Shadow would be the pony to take on the Element of Passion. Together you seven where able to defeat Nightmare Moon and free somepony dear to me..." She said as she turned to a small periwinkle alicorn. "Princess Luna..."
The young mare's teal eyes sprang open in her shock. She looked up and saw the Sun Princess walking to her.
"We should put the past behind us, we were meant to rule together little sister."
"Sister?" The seven ponies questioned.
The young Princess ran to her sister. "I'm so sorry! I missed you so much big sister." She said; a couple tears rolled down the sides of her face.
"I missed you too." Celestia said; a couple tears rolling down the sides of her face as well.