My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is owned by Hasbro, The Hub and of course Lauren Faust who seems to have gone out of her way to make a show about pastel colored ponies with names like "Twilight Sparkle" completely awesome. This story is just for fun and no profit shall be made so please above mentioned people don't sue me. You're not gonna get much. Any OCs that pop up in this fic belong to me and can be used with permission. Please don't steal from me. Now with that out of the way, on with the show.
The Elements of Discord
Chapter 5: The Missing Pieces
Manehattan is heralded as not only one of the greatest cities in all of Equestria but also a place where ponies down on their luck can come to start over again. A chance to build a new life and escape the problems of their pasts. But for some ponies, the past refuses to leave them alone even in this city of dreams.
This was true for one such pony who was pacing nervously backstage at a small theater. She didn't used to be nervous before her shows. In fact, she used to just spring her shows up wherever she wanted with her traveling caravan and would let the masses come to her. And oh how they should show up to witness her spectacular feats of magic like none had ever seen before! She was a star! What was famous! She was great and powerful!
But all that changed a few short months ago thanks to a stop in that accursed Ponyville. Some of her more...overly devoted and less intelligent fans had awoken an Ursa Minor from it's slumber so they could see her banish it just as she had an Ursa Major from Hoofington.
Or at least that's what she told them she did. It was just a little white lie, nothing that was hurting anyone. A stage exaggeration to make her show even more compelling and awe-inspiring. How was she supposed to know there was an Ursa cave around there, let alone that two idiots would go and awake one up? And she did try to banish it, she really did but she just didn't have the magical power necessary to do it. She didn't think any unicorn did!
Then that annoying Twilight Sparkle came along showed that there was a unicorn powerful enough to banish one. Worst of all she showed her up in front of everypony! While she got away from the incident physically unharmed, her reputation was shot. No matter where she went, it seemed like everypony had heard of her humiliating defeat. She just couldn't get away from that one past mistake! It was like it was haunting her!
But not anymore! Now that she was in Manehattan she was determined to start again! To build up her reputation once more and show that she truly was great and powerful! Even if she did have to start in a small theater like this playing to tiny crowds, she knew her talent and grace would soon take her all the way back to the top!
"Yes!" she cried out from just behind the curtain. "No more wallowing in self pity! No more second guessing myself. It's time for me to make my grand return to the stage!"
Her horn started to glow under her star filled wizard's hat as she used just a bit of her awesome magic power to address the audience on the other side of the red velvet curtain.
"Filly and gentlecolts, prepare yourselves for unbelievable feats of magic as you have never witnessed before! Feats that will live you breathless in wonder and amazement! Get ready to behold the spectacle that is the Great and Powerful-"
She threw the curtain back before she leapt forward onto the stage amid a stream of carefully place sparks.
"-Tri...xie," her tone quickly deflated when she looked out across at the "audience".
She had already known the theater was small and wouldn't hold the massive crowd that would normally show up for her performance so she had prepared herself to play to a smaller audience. What she hadn't prepared for would just how small this audience would be. She counted just about ten ponies scattered throughout the 200 seat theater and none of them seemed too exited by her introduction. In fact she only heard one pair of hooves clap rather half excitedly, but that quickly stopped when some of the other audience members glare at the offending pony.
Trixie stood dumbfounded for a few seconds before she realized they were staring at her expectantly. She shook her head to clear her muddled thoughts and a look of determination crossed her face.
Right. Show must go on and all that. I'll just make sure I put on an amazing performance to lure more ponies in tomorrow night, she thought resolutely.
Her mind made up, her usual air o f superiority returned to her as she smirked and addressed the...intimate audience once again.
"Yes gentle ponies, get ready to jump out of your seats in amazing as you witness the outstanding magical prowess of the Great and Powerful-"
"Trixie!" one of the ponies in the audience called out.
The light blue unicorn on stage fell back on all fours, her purple stared cape gently laying down on her hunches as she did so. She glared daggers as the pony who would dare interrupt her.
"Yes, Trixie was just about to finish introduce herself when she was so rudely interrupted by somepony," she said in an annoyed tone as she continued to glare at him.
"Oh I know who you are," the pony mostly hidden in shadows spoke bravely. "You were the one that couldn't top an Ursa Major...or wait Minor from almost destroying Ponyville."
Trixie gasped in horror at the recalling of the event that had come to define her very existence.
How? How do they keep finding out about that? She thought bitterly.
Outwardly, she did her best to keep her composure and even clear her throat regally before speaking again.
"Those stories are gross exaggerations by jealous little ponies designed to tarnish the spotless reputation of the Great and Powerful Trixie!" she informed them.
"Then how come you're playing to a bored crowd in some dinky little theater!" another voice called out from the darkness.
"I..." she stammered, unable to quickly come up with an excuse.
It didn't help her floundering confidence when nearly the rest of the audience agreed with him with a resounding "Yeah!" she echoed off the nearly bare walls and empty seats of the theater. Trixie backed up slowly at the familiar feeling of the audience turning on her. This had been happening everywhere she went. Somepony would bring up that incident and then the rest of them would join in, usually hurling insults, and sometimes fruit, at her as they stood up and walked away. All because of one mistake. One...pony that had shown her up.
This is all that Twilight Sparkle's fault! she reasoned. One day I'll make her pay for humiliating me! But for now I have to get this crowd under control. I have to show them that I am great and powerful once again! But how?
The answer to her question came in the from of one lone red pony in a doctor's coat that was seated in the middle of the audience. As the others continued to jeer at her, he placed his front two hooves on either side of his mouth to help project his voice towards her.
"Don't listen to them! The magic is in your heart! Just perform and you'll be amazing!" he encouraged her.
A smile, thankful smile appeared on her face just before it was replaced with the usual smirk of superiority she had whenever on stage.
"You're right! Trixie is all powerful and all great after all!" she shouted over the crowd, which seemed to settle them down for a bit. "Now be quite my little ponies so you can watch and be amazed!"
With that, her horn started to glow under her hat while she waved her right hoof around in font of her in an elaborate way. A small bubble of energy appeared in front of her and soon enough of it came a bouquet of long stemmed roses. She smiled as she reached out an wrapped a hoof around them as if they had been presented to her by an admiring stallion. While she was pleased with this opening trick of hers, the crowd seemed less than impressed.
"That's it?" the heckler from before called out. "That's impressive that's just stupid! Booo! Booooo!"
The rest of the small audience quickly joined in, booing her loudly as they stomped on the floor in anger. The doctor coated pony who had encouraged her seemed put off by this weak display.
"Your magic's bad and you should feel bad!" he yelled at her.
At first, Trixie stared in horror and disbelief at the crowd turning on her so quickly, but then her brow furrowed in anger over the fact that this scene had become far too familiar for her in recent months. She dropped the flowers and stomped to the edge of the stage to glare coldly at the ponies who would dare disrespect her! She has put up with this long enough and it was time for it to stop right now!
"You want magic?" she asked, in an overly sweet, innocent tone that quickly became harsh and bitter with her next sentence. "Then I'll show you some real magic!"
Again, her horn lit up, shining brightly even though her hat. Several of the empty seats in the theater started to shake violently before they were ripped from their foundations and flew around the room. The audience screamed and horror and galloped away as quickly as they could when the chairs started to fly towards them.
"That's right run! Run and tell all who you see not to even dare to mock the Great and Powerful Trixie!" she commanded in a booming voice.
The bravado faded, however, once the room was emptied. She let chairs fall back haphazardly to the floor, the loud crashing sounds barely effecting her as she hung her head sadly and slunk backstage to her dressing room. She didn't even bother to close the door before she walked up to the mirrored desk and started to thrash the small objects off it in a fit of self loathing rage. She screamed hysterically as she continued to throw objects around the room for another minute or so before she finally slumped over the desk and stared sorrowfully at her reflection.
"I choked. Again!" she chided the worn, tired face in the mirror. "Why? Why does this keep happening to me? Why can't everypony just forget about that stupid Ponyville incident and let me put on a wonderful show again?"
"Oh, I don't know, I thought tonight's performance was pretty wonderful," a voice remarked from her doorway.
Trixie turned around in shock and outrage to find a group of six ponies standing in the hallway, with a dark blue unicorn already halfway in the room.
"Who dares come to disturb the Great and Powerful Trixie?" she demanded.
"Oh goodie, another pony that refers to themselves in the third pony," Crimson Streak remarked sarcastically.
Dark Sky ignored both her and Trixie's comments as she walked closer to the other unicorn.
"I particularly liked the part where you threw though chairs at those ponies that heckled you. That was nice," she mused with an almost sadistic smirk. "You've certainly got potential, but you're still nowhere near my league."
Trixie baulked indignantly at that statement.
"Listen here...you," she spat. "I'll have you know that the Great and Powerful Trixie is-"
"A lie!" Dark Sky cut her off, stepping even closer. "It's all lie. Well, maybe not all of it, as I said you do have some very impressive magical powers, but you waste them on silly stage shows to boost your ego. And in doing so you've gotten completely caught up in your own hype. You can lie to those silly ponies out there. You can even lie to yourself. But you can't. Lie. To. Me."
She stepped forward with each emphasized word until she and Trixie where nearly nose-to-nose while Trixie herself was pressed up against the desk from where she tried to back away from this rather...intense pony.
"W-who are you?" she asked softly.
"Oh that's right, I didn't introduce myself, did I?" the other unicorn remarked off hoofedly. "Sorry about that, I'm Dark Sky and these are my associates; Sledge, Hammer, Crimson Streak, Stampede and Treasure Hunt."
She pointed to each one of them in turn as they stepped into the room, quickly filling the small space up. Trixie's bewilderment continued as she looked over the unusual group and tried to come up with some reason for why exactly they were there. When she couldn't, she decided to take the easiest route.
"What do you want with me?" she asked Dark Sky.
"Why just for you to join our little group is all," she replied a bit sweetly.
"Why would I do that?"
"I think the better question is why wouldn't you do it?" Dark Sky asked before she turned around and took a few steps back to admire the room. "I mean if you really are happy playing in such a small, rundown place then I suppose we could just leave." She turned back round rather dramatically when she started her next sentence. "But if you come with us, I can show you what true power is all about. Let you play on the grandest stage of all; the world!"
Trixie still stared at her skeptically.
"And why would you want to do that for me?" she asked.
"Because I need your help with just one small favor first. Just like I need to help of these other ponies here," Dark Sky revealed, motioning towards the rest of the group. "But I promise you the reward is well worth the risk." She paused and took another step towards the other unicorn again. "Really stop and think about this for a moment and truly ask yourself what exactly you would be giving up if you left here?"
Trixie bit her lip and looked away as she did stand there and truly think of what she would give up if she left. What was actually keeping her here? The chance to start over again? The chance to maybe, hopefully, rebuild her reputation as a great magician? But how was she doing this? By putting on shows in nearly dive theaters to ungrateful crowds who booed her before she even got a chance to really start her show? That's what she was staying here for?
When she sat there and actually thought about it, it did seem rather...pathetic. And the one thing she vowed she would never be in her life was pathetic. If this unicorn was offering her a chance to change her life, truly change it, then she had no choice but to accept. For her own piece of mind if for no other reason.
Her resolve strengthened, she looked back into Dark Sky's dark purple eyes and nodded.
"All right, I'll go with you," she promised.
A smirk played across the other unicorn's face at the news.
"I had a feeling you would," she replied.
"Just let me get a few of my-hey!" Trixie shouted as she turned towards a cabinet in the room only to find Treasure Hunt placing various bottles and items into her own saddle bags.
"I'll take this," she remarked as she stowed another potion flask. "And this, and this and one of those..."
"Hey! Stop that! Those are my things!" Trixie chided as she stomped over to the orange Earth pony.
"Not anymore! I found them so they're mine!" Treasure Hunt spat back, before placing a small book into her right saddle bag.
Trixie used her magic to pull it, as well as her other items, out of the bags and place them back on the shelves.
"Hey, gimmie back my stuff!" the earth pony cried out desperately.
"You keep your grubby little hooves of my things!" she shot back.
As they continued to bicker back and fourth, Crimson Streak snorted before she walked over to Dark Sky to whisper into her ear.
"Great team you're putting together here," she snickered.
"Shut up!" Dark Sky shot back in annoyance.
( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - )
The Everfree Forest is a place of almost perpetual darkness. Nopony knows whether this constant darkness is a product of the thick tree branches crossing over the forest or the remnants of something else that happened a long time ago. Whatever the case, very little light shines into that dreaded place so when a bright flash of light suddenly did appear in one spot, it sent all the wild and dangerous animals scurrying away in fear. Had they stayed they might have noticed the seven startled and dazed ponies appearing out of that flash. They stumbled around for a few seconds, all trying to get their bearings again.
"Seriously, when does this 'easier' part come in?" Sledge asked in a snarky manner.
"Soon. Soon, just...need more practice," Dark Sky reassured him again through labored breath.
"You shouldn't do spells you're not prepared for," Trixie advised.
"Like I need lessons in magic from you!" the other unicorn spat venomously.
"Well obviously you do or you wouldn't be making such amateurish mistakes," the newest addition to the team remarked as she titled her head up a bit.
Dark Sky growled and looked like she was about lunge for Trixie, but was stopped by a hoof placed on her shoulder. She looked behind her to see Sledge gently shaking his head at her. She glared at him for a few seconds, but finally relented with a soft sigh and relaxed a bit.
"So where are we anyway?" Crimson Sky asked as she flew around the area. "Looks pretty messed up."
"The Everfree Forest!" Hammer shouted in horror as he hid behind Stampede as best he could.
For her part, Stampede just sighed and kicked him away with her left hind leg.
"Foal," she muttered to herself.
"So why are we here? To find some new stuff? 'Cause I do like new stuff," Treasure Hunt said though the mouthful of lantern handle.
"Wait, lemme guess, we're finding another pony here, right?" Stampede asked as she waked over to Dark Sky.
"Yes. She should be up the path just a bit," the unicorn told her.
"Then what are we waitin' for? Let's get going!" Crimson Streak said before she flew off.
"Wait!" Dark Sky called after her.
Crimson sighed then flew back over towards the group to give their "leader" an annoyed look.
"What?" she called back.
"It's this way," the unicorn remarked nonchalantly as she pointed straight in front of her.
The Pegasus just blinked in embarrassment.
"I-I knew that," she muttered before she flew off in the right direction.
"Suuuuure you did," Stampede rolled her eyes before she started off as well.
The other ponies followed suit and soon Dark Sky as back in front of the group to lead them towards the last remaining member of their party. Not that the others knew this was the final member of course. That was something only Dark Sky herself knew and would only share with the others when they needed to know. Which could be very soon.
Yes. Soon. Soon it'll all come to...light.
She smirked a bit at the intentional irony of that statement but it faded when she heard an odd sound up ahead of them. The group stopped and looked around, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from and importantly what it was.
"What is that?" Trixie asked.
"Is it a monster?" Hammer asked, shaking slight again. "I knew this place was full of monsters! I told you!"
"It's not a monster Hammer!" Sledge chided his friend, adding a small smack on the back of the head for emphasis.
"No it's not. I know that sound. That's the sound of something in pain," Stampede clarified with an almost gleeful expression in her eyes.
"Hey girls...and guys, it's over here!" Crimson Streak called out, pointing behind a bush just in front of them.
Dark Sky used her magic to uproot the bush and toss it aside so they could see what was making that terrible crying sound. What was they saw was a small rabbit trying to hop away but it's back right leg was bent at an unnatural angle and it screamed in pain every time it tried to move. While it certainly was hard to watch, it wasn't the most unnerving thing about the scene in front of them. That honor went to the pale white Pegasus sitting calmly in front of the injured bunny. Her pink eyes peaked out from the bangs of her short blue mane and seemed practically emotionless as she watched the poor creature suffer. In fact that only signs of any emotion they could see on her was just the very hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. The whole scene was a little disturbing and seemed to lend credence to her Cutie Mark being just a black heart shaped outline.
The seven ponies continued to start at the scene for several more seconds in stunned silence as they just took in the scene. Finally, Trixie seemed to break out of the daze they were all in and rushed forward to the bunny's side.
"What is wrong with you? Can't you see the poor thing's hurt?" she screamed at the Pegasus.
"Of course. I know. I'm the one who hurt it," she revealed in a very soft, calm voice that seemed even more emotionless than her face.
"You did? Why would you ever want to do something like that?"
It was then that smile on her face grew just slightly bigger so that it was clearly visible and for reasons she couldn't understand that made Trixie even more uneasy. Not just uneasy, it downright frightened her.
"Because causing pain in others is the only thing that's ever brought me any big of happiness," the Pegasus revealed, again just a slight hint of emotion in her voice that was more unnerving then her emotionless tone.
"And that's just the kind of attitude I'm looking for for my little group here," Dark Sky said proudly as she walked over to the winged pony.
"It is?" Trixie asked, more to herself than her new "leader".
"Yes, indeed it is," the other unicorn nodded again before turning back to the white Pegasus. "So now tell me...um..."
"Heartless," she answered.
"Of course that's her name," Trixie muttered in disgust with a roll of her eyes.
"Heartless," Dark Sky nodded in approval. "Would you be interested in joining our merry band of ponies?"
Heartless looked back at the rest of the group that was still standing a few feet away from her with disinterested eyes before she turned her attention back to the unicorn directly in front of her.
"Not really," she answered.
Dark Sky frowned. That wasn't the answer she was looking forward.
"What if I told you that by joining use you'd be able to inflict all kind of pain and misery on all the ponies in Equestria?" she asked again, taking a step forward.
"What?" Trixie shouted in surprise, turning her attention away from the bunny. "You didn't say anything about that to me?"
"Because you didn't need to know!" Dark Sky shot back, glaring daggers at the other unicorn before she turned her attention back to Heartless. "So what do you say?"
This time she seemed to mull the proposal over a bit.
"All of Equestria?" she asked.
"Oh yes," Dark Sky nodded.
"Fine," she agreed, her voice going back to it's emotionless monotone. "But only because of that. I really had no interest in what else you have planned."
"No I didn't think you would, but having a professional relationship works out just fine for me," Dark Sky smiled before she looked back at the rest of her team. "That's it! We have all the ponies we need now so we can head back to the castle deep in the forest here."
"Why?" Stampede asked.
"Because it's there that I'll show you exactly why I need all of you and what our glorious things our collaboration will bring about."
"You're not going to teleport us again are you?" Sledge asked wearily.
"No, no I'm not. The castle's only a few miles from here and I don't want to waste my energy on a trip that short," Dark Sky informed him.
"A few miles?" Treasure Hunt screamed in horror, dropping the orange lantern in her mouth. "But I'm tired! I won't want to walk all that way. My hooves will get sore and muddy and this lantern's getting heavy to carry."
Stampede snorted in annoyance then turned towards the orange earth pony.
"Then why don't you take your stupid lantern and put it on one of your stupid saddle bags before I put it somewhere else where there's no light?" she snapped.
"Where would that...?" Treasure Hunt started to asked but her eyes widened when she figured it out. "Oooooh. Oh. Well...that's just rude."
"Just do it!" the black pony snapped again.
Treasure Hunt jump a bit in fright but then quickly compiled with Stampede's wishes and placed the lantern in her right saddle bag. The black earth pony nodded then walked over to where Dark Sky stood.
"So we goin' or what?" she demanded.
"Yes. I think it's about time I let you all in on my little secret," the unicorn said with a smirk.
"Wait!" Trixie called out to them.
"What?" Stampede, her annoyance quickly returning.
"What about the bunny?" the light blue unicorn asked as she pointed to the helpless creature in front of her. "We can't just leave the poor thing like this. We should get it some help."
"Oh yes! Help! Then it can get healthy again and it can be my pet!" Treasure Hunt said, gleefully clapping her front hooves together. "I already wanted a pet bunny when I was a filly but my parents already said I had too many pets. Can you believe that?"
"Well my parents tossed me out into the middle of the woods and told me to survive. Can you believe that?" Stampede snarled as she walked over to Treasure Hunt and pressed her face against the other earth pony's.
"Ummm...well...kinda..." Treasure Hunt stammered.
Stampede turned away from her in disgust then walked over to where the still twitching and crying bunny lay.
"As for this thing, I know what to do with it," she remarked, an evil smile on her face.
Trixie watched in horror as the earth pony lifted up her front right hoof right over the bunny's head. She turned her own head away and closed her eyes just in time to hear a sickening squishy crunch sound fill the still air. When she dared to look against she saw Stampede wiping something off her hoof and the tip of the tape wrapped around it stained red.
"There. Problem solved," she declared then walked back over to Dark Sky.
The others followed suit, leaving Trixie as the odd pony out as she stayed behind just long enough to wonder if perhaps she had once again gotten in over her head.
( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - )
The rest of the walk through the Everfree Forest was surprisingly silent save for the sounds of creatures scurrying behind the trees and bushes. The ponies themselves rather spoke to each other and instead focused mostly just walking forward with seven of them wondering just what this unusual unicorn how had come so abruptly into their lives had in mind. Or why they even agreed to go with her in the first place. They could have all said "No" but for some reason they didn't. Almost like they couldn't. Like something they weren't aware of was drawing them all together like magnets.
Thankfully the answers to their questions would soon be answered as they entered the broken down castle and Dark Sky led them down into it's bowels to a room full of strange and ancient looking artifacts. Of course this room wasn't a big deal to Sledge and Hammer as they had been there just a few hours earlier but for the rest of them it was quite a sight. Especially Treasure Hunt who's eye practically began to glow in anticipation of what all she could take. She just hoped she had big enough saddle bags to carry them all.
"No!" Dark Sky warned her, as if she read her thoughts.
"Awwww," the orange pony whined, hanging her head. "I just wanted to take a few things. Just some things for my own collection. I just like having things for me, is that so selfish?"
"I believe that's the definition of selfish," Crimson Streak joked.
"Exactly right," Dark Sky spoke up again, drawing their attention. "But you can't blame her, she's the Element of Selfishness after all."
"That what of what?" Treasure Hunt asked. "I'm not one of those things. Even if I was I'd be one of the Awesomeness cause that's what I am, awesome. Ponies wish they were as awesome as me!"
"Are you sure she's not the Element of Annoyance?" Stampede retorted.
Treasure Hunt just stuck her tongue out at her in response.
"Oh no, I'm sure. Just as I'm sure what the rest of you are," Dark Sky said, taking her place in the middle of a ring of stones.
"What are those things?" Crimson Streak asked, pointing to the round rocks.
"Whatever they are they seem...ancient," Trixie mused. "And like that used to have magic to them. I can get some kind very, very faint aura."
"That's because they were burnt out long ago," Dark Sky started to explain. "But their power didn't quite burn out, it just got...transferred."
"To what?" Trixie asked.
"Not to what, to whom."
"Us," Heartless spoke barely above a whisper.
"That's right," Dark Sky nodded. "For you, my dear ponies, are the living embodiments of the Elements of Discord! The polar opposites to the Elements of Harmony!" she declared in grand fashion, standing on her hind legs and spreading her front hooves wide for dramatic effect.
Unfortunately, it was met with confused stares.
"Really?" she blurted out in surprise and annoyance as she landed on her front hooves again. "None of you have heard of the Elements of Harmony?"
They all shook their heads at once.
"Hammer? You? Nothing? You've heard all sorts of other stories!" she chided him.
"Sorry boss, never heard of this one," he replied with a shake of his head.
"Wait..." Trixie muttered, rubbing her chin in thought. "Trixie thinks she's heard of this now. Yes, yes her mother used to read her bed time stories of the Elements of Harmony being used to defeat Nightmare Moon and turn her into the Mare in the Moon!"
"Exactly!" Dark Sky called out excitedly, her face brightening. "That's exactly what happened! But what you don't know is that there were another set of elements that acted as a counter balance to The Elements of Harmony."
"Lemme guess, The Elements of Discord," Stampede said unenthusiastically.
"Yes!"
"And we're somehow them...what? Reborn? Reincarnated?" Crimson Streak asked, still trying to wrap her head around the concept.
"Something like that," Dark Sky nodded. "You are all living vessels for the elements. You my dear Crimson Streak are the Element of Treachery."
"Hey! That's a bit harsh isn't it?" she shot back. "I mean, yeah I kind of go behind ponies backs to get ahead but who here hasn't done that, right?"
She received blank stares in return save for Hammer who started to raise his right hoof in agreement before Sledge smacked it back down.
"Regardless of what you think, that's what you are," Dark Sky informed her. "Just as the Great and Powerful Trixie here is the Element of Dishonesty."
"'Dishonesty'?" she shouted indignantly. "Trixie assures you she is always true to her word!"
"Really? So how did that whole thing with that Ursa Minor go, hhmm?" the other unicorn asked with a smug expression.
Trixie's eyes widened at the cutting remark before she hung her head low in shame.
"There? See? Dishonest even with her self. But that's what's going to help us," Dark Sky noted then looked over at Treasure Hunt, "I already told you, you are the Element of Selfishness."
"Hey! Looking out for one's self isn't selfishness it's just smart!" she challenged. "And just because I want stuff doesn't make me selfish 'cause I'm entitled to it."
Dark Sky let out a tried sigh before she looked wearily over at Stampede and Heartless. "Let me guess, you two are going to object to being the Elements of Anger and Cruelty aren't you?"
"Well Anger or Cruelty fits me but I'm guessing I'm Anger, huh?" Stampede asked.
Dark Sky nodded.
"Works for me."
"I have no objections to being labeled cruel," Heartless added. "In fact I think it's most fitting."
"Well at least that's something," the ancient pony remarked.
"What about us? What are we?" Hammer asked.
"You two don't have elements, you're just here to help us bring about the downfall of Celestia and her 'glorious empire of the sun'."
"So we're hired help basically," Sledge interrupted.
"Basically, yes."
"Well, least our lives are the same then," he remarked.
"Aaaaw, I wanted a cool Element too," Hammer sulked.
"What do you mean 'the downfall of Celestia'?" Trixie asked.
"Yeah, that's the second time you said something like that," Crimson Sky remarked. "What's up with that? And if we're all Elements does that make you one too?"
"Of course. I am the Element that brings you all together, the counter balance to the sixth Element of Harmony," Dark Sky started to explained.
"But there were only five elements in the story," Trixie countered.
"In the story yes, there were only five. But in reality there are six. The sixth being magic."
"So what are you then?" Stampede asked.
"I am the Element of Curses. Black magic," she revealed.
"Still unclear on what we're all doing here," Crimson Streak reminded her.
"It's quite simple my little ponies, for with our powers combined we will bring down Celestia by bringing about the resurrection of Nightmare Moon!"
A surprisingly well time clap of thunder struck outside the castle at Dark Sky's revelation as she herself descended into a fit of maniacal laughter. The other ponies looked around at themselves, unsure of all but one thing; whatever happened from this moment fourth, their lives, and probably the lives of every pony in Equestria, would never be the same again.
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes: Well to the surprise of no one I'm sure, Dark Sky's plan has finally been revealed; the resurrection of Nightmare Moon! I originally wanted this to be a surprise but I realized I gave some hints away in the second chapter. 'Course it was one of those times where it was story vs plot. Plot wise, yes it would have been better to keep Dark Sky's previous association with Nightmare Moon a secret, but story wise, and importantly character wise, there would be no reason she wouldn't react to seeing the spectral form of Nightmare Moon in front of her and then defeated. So I just had to go with it and keep the whole thing as vague as I could. Course her exact association with the Mare in the Moon is still vague so I hope that will lead to some surprises in the next chapter when I reveal Dark Sky's past.
Now as for this chapter I realize that Heartless was the quickest assimilation into the group, but she's really not one to put up a fight about it. She really doesn't care about Dark Sky's plan she just wanted to spread as much cruelty and suffering as she can. Obviously her element has taken her over the most. Which will be fun to play with in later chapters. As with the others I do have a voice actress in mind for her and that is the very talented Amanda Winn Lee of Neon Genesis Evangelion fame. And like most voice actors a whole bunch of stuff I can't list here. But she's really good.
'Course I shouldn't have to mention who Trixie's VA is as she's already been in the show! That decision was made a call back to that ep and to have at least on canon pony on this team. Plus she WAS dishonest in her bragging so it fits. It's also a good way to sell these ponies as really kind bad since Trixie of all ponies is creeped out by them. Give that a thought.
Well next time we'll check back in with Twilight to see how her meeting with Celestia goes and as I said go back 1,000 years into Equestria's past to see how it will shape the events to come...