Chapter 70: The Elements Pt. 1

The morning sun came over the planet Equis. After a long night of celebrating the Royal Gala for the royal family, nearly everybody was fast asleep. The rays entered someone's room under the covers, all nice and warm. The sounds of birds chirping were heard as the covers began to move. They were soon pulled back as it was revealed to be none other than the princess herself. Twilight awoke as she let out a yawn.

"What a lovely dream," said the girl as she had a smile on her face.

The princess got out of bed and approached her balcony as she flung the doors open. The wind blew in her face as her hair fluttered, as did her nightgown.

"The breeze feels nice," said the girl as she felt the wind encircle her.

She then turned and began to twirl, all while humming. She approached her bed and laid down as she snuggled a pillow. Twilight held it close as the events of last night began to replay in her head. Soon a certain boy entered her mind, and she hugged the pillow tighter.

"Storm," said Twilight blissfully with her eyes closed.

Speaking of the Jedi Knight, Storm was currently in the dining room. He had gotten up early to do his routine exercises, but about halfway, he lost focus as a thought entered his mind. And that thought was of the events that transpired from the Gala last night and a certain princess. He was so distracted that he almost stabbed himself with his lightsaber. From there, the Jedi Knight began to dwell on his thoughts. He recalled the conversation he had with Luna before the Gala started.

(Flashback)

Make sure you never forget that! She is a princess, royalty. You but a Jedi. I hope Twilight doesn't put ideas in your head that shouldn't be there. You're a teenager who has the responsibilities of a man. Be careful, Storm."

"I am."

"No, you don't get it. You might be careful, but girls won't be. Girls are manipulative. I should know; I'm one of them."

"But Twilight is-" said Storm, lifting his head to address his Master.

"The kind of girl who can make you do things you don't want to do."

"Believe me, Master. Twilight's not that kind of girl."

"No, but she'll want other things. Things you can never give her."

Storm remained silent as he took in the words said by Luna. The boy thought as he began to speak his mind.

"But... what if... hypothetically speaking, I wanted to give them to her?" asked the Jedi Knight.

"Storm, you better watch what you say!" shouted Luna.

"No, it's not like that, Master. I'm just thinking outloud here," assured the teen.

Luna let out a slow sigh as she put her hand to her forehead before speaking to her son, "Storm, when you get to be my age, you're old enough to have seen things. People die thinking they can change the ways around them, the ways of the world, the galaxy, and even the universe. But at some point, you must realize that no matter what you try, destiny and fate have a certain path you need to follow. You can say you make your own path, but who's to say the path you create isn't the one destiny has foretold you to take? And the fate that awaits you is the one you cannot escape. I know my place, my fate, and my destiny, Storm. It's why I'm a Jedi Master, it's why I'm your teacher, and... your mother."

(End Flashback)

Storm was really thinking about what Luna told him. He then recalled the events with Twilight. Before he could comment on that, he felt something. A pair of hands covered his eyes.

"Guess who," said the princess.

Uh, Twilight, is that you?" said Storm as he was confused about what the girl did.

"Ding, ding, we have a winner," said the girl as she removed her hands and hugged her partner from behind him. "Hey."

"T-Twilight," Storm said as he didn't look at the girl.

The princess put her head to her partner's back as she closed her eyes.

"Twilight,"

"Call me Sparky," said the princess.

"Huh?"

"Call me Sparky. I like that," sighed Twilight.

"Spark-, no. Twilight, let go of me!" stated Storm.

"Huh?" said the girl.

"Let go of me!" shouted Storm with a bit more volume in his tone.

The Jedi Knight unhooked Twilight's arms around him as he quickly stood up and backed away from the princess.

"Storm?" said Twilight as she was concerned for her partner.

"Just... stay away from me!" said the boy.s

"Storm?"

"Stay away from me!"

"But, Storm... we're partners," spoke the girl softly.

"Yes, we are."

"And, we're friends," said Twilight.

"Are we?" countered the teen.

"What's that suppose to mean?" asked the princess.

"Are we really friends, or am I... something else?" stated Storm as he backed away, with Twilight taking a step forward for each step he took back. "Friends don't... get touchy with each other."

"Storm, what are you saying?" asked Twilight.

The Jedi Knight just quickly turned to exit through the door. The princess quickly chased after her partner as she burst through the doors. Storm began to pick up speed, as did Twilight. Soon the chase was on as both Jedi Knights were now using their Jedi acrobatics and parkour over railings and bouncing off the walls. For the boy, he was trying to get away from the girl that was on his tail. Storm rolled a barrel over the railing as he landed on the floor and ran. Twilight was moments behind as she leaped to grab hold of a pillar and swing around as she skidded in front of the boy.

"Storm?" called out Twilight.

The boy put the brakes on as she skidded to a halt before changing direction and continuing to run. Twilight kept pursuing the boy as they headed out to the courtyard. Storm made it to the stables as he quickly got on his horse.

"Spirit!" shouted the Jedi Knight as he flicked the reins of his horse, who stood on its hind legs and raced out the doors.

The horse was speeding out from the castle and into town. As he turned back, the boy navigated the horse to avoid trampling over anybody. To his surprise, Twilight continued to chase him while riding her horse. Storm made a sound as he got Spirit to run faster. The two were now exiting town and into the nearby forest. Storm could sense that Twilight was still on his trail as it seemed the princess was determined to catch her partner. They leaped over a river as he followed the forest's path. Storm turned back to see that Twilight was no longer behind. Still, he didn't dare risk slowing down.

He was about to exit the forest to the meadow ahead. Just as he exited the last bit of the forest, he was tackled off his horse and tumbled into the meadow of flowers before. The Jedi Knight tumbled through the meadow as he came to a halt just in front of a tree. He looked at what knocked him off his horse as it was none other than the princess herself. Twilight had managed to take a shortcut through the forest as she lay in wait for Storm to exit the forest. The boy saw the girl looking at him and started to crawl towards him.

"Storm."

"Twilight, just stay away," said the boy as he backed up slowly as the girl seemed to be approaching him like he was a piece of meat.

"What's gotten into you?" the princess asked as she continued crawling towards him.

"Princess, just back away," stated the Jedi Knight as he now backed up into the tree as he had nowhere else to go.

"Whatever is bothering you, just tell me," pleaded Twilight. "We're friends."

"Are we? Are we really friends, Sparky?"

"What are you saying?"

"Twilight, when do you think when you see me?" asked Storm.

"You're my friend."

"Just a friend?" responded the boy.

"You're my partner," answered Twilight.

"Partner, huh? Or am I something else to you?" asked Storm. "Answer me honestly, your highness. Is our relationship really just friends, or is it something else?"

"I... I..." Twilight didn't answer as she had to think about that.

"The girls are friends. Me, Obi-wan, and Anakin are friends. You and Ahsoka are friends. But you and I... we're not friends. At least, not in the way we're supposed to act."

"Storm."

The boy just looked down as he didn't want to look into the princess' eyes. After a few moments, he saw Twilight's hand as the girl stood up. The Jedi Knight saw it and then looked at the girl herself as the wind picked up, making the buds on the trees sway as was the princess' hair. On instinct, Storm's body acted on its own as he put his hand in his partner's. He then stood up and looked at the girl directly into her eyes with their fingers interlocking.

"Put your arms around me," spoke Twilight softly as the wind picked up around her.

"Princess," said Storm as he shook his head and didn't want to do it.

"Please, Storm. Please," said the girl as she worked her charm.

Once again, Storm's body had a mind of its own as he did what Twilight asked of him. He brought his arms up and wrapped them around her back. The girl turned around in the boy's arms as her back faced him. She placed her hands over his as Twilight leaned her head back and sighed. For the girl, she felt safe being in the boy's presence, as if he could protect her from anything.

"Hold me," stated the girl.

"Sparky," said Storm.

"Hold me, please," whispered Twilight as she turned her head to the left to look at her partner.

Storm's grip tightened around the princess as she felt herself being pulled in closer. Twilight closed her eyes and returned to enjoying the moment as the buds of the trees began to dance around the pair. The two Jedi Knights stood, enjoying the peace. No one around, just them. At this moment, they could express want they couldn't put into words, and nobody could judge them. Twilight enjoyed being in Storm's arms as she felt she could fall asleep.

Storm was hesitant as he held the girl who was his partner close to him. He looked at the girl who had her eyes closed. The thoughts from last night came back from what the Force was telling him. His nose smelt a familiar scent as he noticed Twilight's hair.

"Go ahead," spoke Twilight. "I give you permission."

"Princess,"

"It's alright," said Twilight as she allowed the boy to do what he wanted.

Storm took a deep breath, placed his head on Twilight's shoulder, and sniffed her hair. The familiar scent of lavender and lilac was there as he had it memorized. The boy kept on sniffing the girl's hair as Twilight enjoyed it. The pair stayed in that position for a good amount.

"You smell nice," whispered Storm into Twilight's ear.

In the castle, Night Light was having a talk.

"But the boy is a problem! He's got Twilight distracted!" said the King. "I'm not saying I don't want him to interact with Twilight; she's my daughter, and I want her to have friends. To have people who will support her in her life. It's just... this boy affects her in a way that scares me. He's able to... put her under his influence, his words, his actions, everything he does; it's like he has Twilight in the palm of his hands. And she enjoys it. Sometimes... I wish you were here, Father."

Night Light looked at the portrait of his late dad as he was in a small room with candles surrounding the picture and other memorabilia.

"I may have been Storm's age when I had to ascend to the throne, but that's because we were at war. Our family, bloodline, and dynasty have stood over Equis since the beginning. I don't want her to just throw it all away. The weight of the crown rests solely on her shoulders." said Night Light as he let out a sigh. "Storm has proven he's a capable Jedi, but... his relationship with my daughter; I fear it's something that will lead to dangerous results."

Night Light continued to look at his father's portrait as he hoped for some sign.

"Father, I seek your guidance. What can I do about my daughter? I just want her to understand." said Night Light. He then approached the portrait as he looked at it. "I wish you were here, father. I could use your wisdom. I have to go; I need to prepare the farewell party for tonight with Twilight leaving in the morning." The King gave one last smile to his old man as he did one last chant as magic began to flow. He then made his way to the door as it closed behind him.

Twilight and Storm made it back to the castle as the pair of Jedi Knights walked side by side. After spending that moment having the boy hold the princess, they decided to head back to avoid any suspicions from the girl's family, as well as to prepare for tonight's festivities in which the town would throw a farewell for the princess and her friends before they would leave in the morning to return. For the Jedi, they had to go back to fighting on the front lines of this war.

The boy stopped as something weighed on his mind.

"What?" asked Twilight.

"Princess, what do you consider me as?" said Storm as he knew that Twilight never gave him an answer back in the meadow. "Am I a friend, or am I something else in your mind?"

"Storm," sighed the girl, "You're... a friend."

"Are you certain?" said the boy.

"You're a friend... but you're also... I... I don't know. I guess you're also an important part of my life. What I'm trying to say is, with you by my side, I'm somehow free to be not only a leader but... simply Twilight. I have always been seen as an untouchable princess, " said the girl, putting her hand in Storm's and intertwining their fingers. "No one spoke to me as an equal or met my gaze without flinching. It was lonely. Terribly lonely. But you...you have been a brilliant light. And for that... I will always be grateful."

"Princess," muttered the Jedi Knight as the two were rather close. "It seems like we were fated to be friends," replied Storm to all that Twilight said.

"Heh, you asked me what I think of you? What do I see you as? Friend... That word somehow doesn't seem adequate. Besides, we've been friends for a long time, you and I. By now, we're so much more than that, at least in my mind. You know you call me Sparky. Well, if you want, you can also call me Twily. My family used to call me that when I was little. And... I think I could allow you to say it. In fact, it would mean a great deal to me."

"Why is that?" said Storm, his breath being felt by Twilight by how close their faces were to each other.

"Why? Hmm... Well, you have stood beside me and shared my burdens. As I said, you are much more than a friend. In truth, you are like family to me. I suppose that's why." said Twilight, looking deep into the boy's eyes.

"Twily," said Storm as he raised his other hand and brushed her cheek as the girl turned red.

"Storm," moaned Twilight as she leaned into his touch.

The teens started to feel their faces move on their own. They looked to close the gap and were about to close their eyes.

"Princess!" called out a voice as it snapped both teens back. "Your family is awaiting you."

"Right... Thanks, Moondancer," said Twilight to her handmaiden.

The princess looked one last time at her partner as she slipped free from Storm's grip. The girl was led by her handmaiden as the guards kept their eyes on the Jedi Knight, as their orders were to not allow the boy to follow the girl. Once Twilight entered the castle, the guards left as Storm was left alone. He was heavily thinking about what Twilight said.

A dark part of the forest was shown. It was already nighttime as the moon was high in the sky. Soon the light from the moon shined as it began to do something. There was a nearby statue as the moonlight fell over it. The entire thing began to glow as its eyes lit up. A swirling portal full of magic began to form as it flashed. A figure was revealed as the portal closed behind, with dark clouds and aura trailing the figure.

"It's time. A thousand years will be unleashed," said the figure as they looked at the full moon in the sky as it served as the key that set them free from their prison.

The town was in full party mode. The citizens were all enjoying the activities and festivities as the sounds of people laughing were heard. Many people were putting on a show for the royal family, watching it from a private table.

"You know, I'm gonna miss this planet," said Rainbow as she, the girls, and Storm were all seated at a different table than the royal family. "I've grown fond of it."

"I think we all have, darling. Twilight has shown us the wonders that her home planet has to offer. I also have another place where I can expand my business. Next time I'm here, I hope she can allow us to see the many cities that Equis has." said Rarity.

"Gonna miss y'all. No doubt this is the most fun I've ever had," said Applejack as she was going to have to say goodbye to her new pals. "What about you, Jedi? What's your plan?"

"My plan?" said Storm as he held a cup of cider and looked at it. "I guess... I go back to fighting the war. It's all I know how to do."

Before either of the girls could press Storm further, a trumpet sound blared. Everybody all turned their attention in the direction of the royal family. Night Light stood as he raised his cup and cleared his throat.

"My loyal subjects. With great honor, I express my utmost gratitude to you all. Tonight we hold these festivities for a reason. My dear daughter and future heir to the throne of Equis leaves tomorrow. Her visit, while short, has been nothing but extraordinary. And tonight, we celebrate her beauty, grace, and excellency." said Night Light.

"All Hail, Princess Twilight Sparkle! Future Heir to Equis!" shouted all the citizens as they raised their fists high in the air.

Applause soon followed as the girls also joined in. Storm was the only one who didn't as he looked over at Twilight. The princess had a look on her face when she heard the citizens starting to praise her. Knowing that everybody was already expecting her to become Queen added more pressure to an already stressful girl. But as the royal figure she was, Twilight hid it well. But Storm knew, after spending so much time with the girl, he knew when she was putting on a mask to conceal her true feelings.

"Now, let's continue!" said Night Light.

Another trumpet sound blared as that served as the signal to continue to party. Just then, the lit candles began to go out one by one. The sky was starting to get cloudy as the wind picked up. Everybody around them noticed and felt the sudden cold air that blew. The citizens started making noise and panicking as the guards were doing their best to calm everyone down. At that moment, a sinister laugh was heard. It echoed around the forest as dark mist shot around and circled the town square. The laughter continued to echo as the mist began to configure on one spot, and a huge cloud was formed. Soon it disbursed as a figure was shown.

The figure was a woman with demon-like eyes, a chest plate and helmet appeared on her body, and her hair shifted into an everflowing display. The figure had a staff as magic flowed through it. While everybody was shocked by what they saw, Night Light saw the figure as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise," said the woman boldly while looking around. "I can't quite remember seeing an assemblage this large. Royalty, nobility, the gentry, and oh, yes. How quaint. Even the rabble." stated the mysterious sorceress as she looked at the many people present.

"Who the hell are you?!" shouted Rainbow as she was about to rush the figure.

"Whoa there, Nelly…." Applejack said as he had to hold back Dash from doing something rash.

Nightmare Moon chuckled at the gesture, but then her expression quickly changed. She waved her hand as the dark mist surrounding her appeared and hit Rainbow in the chest as the girl was knocked to the floor.

"Seems you mortals haven't changed."

"Guards!" shouted Shining Armor.

They heard the Prince as they all stepped forward and pointed their weapons at the sorceress. Even Shining Armor had his trusty sword ready to do battle.

"Insolent fools!" yelled the woman as she banged her staff on the ground.

Her magic was beginning to push back the guards and Shining Armor as they tried to hold their ground.

"Do you not know who you are dealing with? The mistress of all evil!" echoed the woman's voice over the dark mist.

A magic shot hit the woman in the chest as the dark mist pushed Shining Armor, and the guards ceased. They were all on the floor as Night Light was shown standing up from his seat. The King had his right arm out on his ring finger was the ring he had in his pocket. The sorceress recovered and looked at Night Light as he stood his ground.

"Who dares defy me?!" echoed the woman.

"I do! I am King Night Light! Ruler of Equis and the ancestor of the great King Lambert. The man that imprisoned you in your one thousand year prison!"

"Ah, so you're Lambert's descendant. The royal family's blood has grown since I've been imprisoned for one thousand years. However, even he knew that my prison could not hold me forever. And so I have returned, to bathe the land in eternal darkness and snuff out the light!"

"As my duty as King, I will not allow you to bring harm to my subjects!" stated Night Light.

"Then you shall die!" growled the sorceress as dark spikes headed toward Night Light.

The King moved his arms in a circular motion as a magical shield with symbols appeared. It repelled the attack as the spikes disappeared. Night Light made a different arm motion as he fired some magic as they hit the woman who skidded along the ground.

"This is your only warning, witch! Surrender yourself!"

"This is far from over, your Majesty! I will have my vengeance. Remember this day, everyone. For it was your last. From this moment forth, the night will last forever!" shouted the sorceress as she stomped her staff on the floor again.

The moon in the sky responded to her magic as it glowed. Soon it began to turn black a symbol appeared. The woman laughed evilly as the guards came to. They looked to apprehend the woman as she turned into mist and disappeared. The citizens were left in shock and fear at the warning that the evil sorceress said as they looked at the moon.

"Father, what do we do?" asked Shining Armor as he knew what was happening.

"Tell the guards to round the citizens. Give them direct orders to not leave their homes until it is safe," said Night Light to his son.

"At once," said the prince to his father. "Guards!"

Shining Armor then began to relay the orders to the guards as he helped them to get the citizens home.

"Velvet, get to the safe room and stay there," said Night Light.

"At once, dear," said Velvet as she scooped Spike into her arms and was being led by some guards as they hurried back to the castle. Shining Armor informed Cadance to go with his mother as it was the safest place for them to be.

"Dad, what's going on?" asked Twilight. "What's happening?"

Night Light looked at his daughter as he saw the fear and concern on her face. He sighed as he knew he couldn't ignore her.

"It's time you knew, my daughter. Follow me," said Night Light as he grabbed Twilight's shoulder and began to head toward the library's castle.

"Hmm," stated Storm as he decided to follow the King and Princess.

Both father and daughter entered the castle as the servants were running frantically. Night Light informed Fleur and Moondancer to get everyone into the safe room and wait until further instructions.

"Dad, tell me, what's going on? I'm... scared," said Twilight.

"It's alright, sweetie. I promise you, no harm will come to you. Everything is gonna be alright." said Night Light as he bent to his daughter's level.

"Dad, who was that?" stated Twilight as she wanted some answers.

"It's time you knew. Come with me," said Night Light as he began to guide Twilight to the library.

"Mind if I come along?" said Storm as he appeared before the royal pair.

The Jedi Knight had a stern look as he looked at the King.

"Tell me something, boy. Do you believe in magic?" asked Night Light with a serious tone.

Storm didn't answer right away as Night Light picked up on that. The teen could be shown thinking about what the king said.

"Well, Jedi Knight. Do you believe?" repeated Night Light.

"I mean, seeing is believing, is it not," answered the teen.

"Perceptive," said Night Light. He then thrust out his arm as a magic blast came at Storm. It hit the boy in the chest as he rolled through and skidded along the floor with his left hand on the ground.

"Dad!" shouted Twilight at what she saw.

Night Light raised his hand to signal his daughter that everything was fine. The king made another arm motion as another magic blast was coming at the Jedi Knight. Storm saw this coming as he put his right hand out and used the Force to make the magic blast separate around him as it disappeared. The Jedi Knight looked at Night Light as the king put his arm down with the glow from the ring fading.

"I see. Well, if you both want answers, follow me," said Night Light.

Both teens looked at each other before doing what Night Light asked them. From afar, other people were watching what went down. The King pushed open the doors to the library as the Jedi Knights followed the man.

"Tell me something, you two. What is the Force?" asked Night Light as he had his arms behind his back.

"The Force is everything. It's around us. It flows within us." said the teens as they recited what their masters and the High Council told them.

"Indeed. Well, the same can be said about magic," said Night Light as he snapped his fingers as a book from one of the shelves began to move. "In a way, magic is a way of life in Equis."

"So, you're saying that Equis has magic in the air?" said Storm.

"Since the dawn of the first ruler of Equis and even further back to when the first inhabitants of the planet appeared. In fact, some say that Equis was born due to magic," said Night Light as he began his little history lesson for the teens.

"But, what does this have to do with anything? And who was that, dad?"

"That, my dear daughter, was a foe thought to have been forgotten. The sorceress that made her presence known is called Nightmare Moon. An evil witch bent on bringing about eternal night and clouding all of Equis in darkness."

"Why?" asked Storm.

"Time for a story," said Night Light as another book appeared and began to flip through its page as the King explained.

"Long ago, the magic that inhabited Equis thrived. People used their powers to spread harmony and happiness. The light that shined down on Equis was filled to the brim. However, that all changed one day when an evil witch decided she wanted to take the magic all for herself. And so she set out on a crusade. To not only take the magic but to snuff any and all light. So that darkness could reign forever. And so, the first battle between light and darkness occurred. The evil witch was Nightmare Moon, the obsession with destroying the light consumed her soul, and as a result, it changed her physically. In fact, soon, her entire body was gone, and she continued to live for hundreds of years, solely feeding on her desire and hate. During that time, many people died."

"Hundreds of years?" said Twilight.

"It wasn't until a brave young man decided to step up and challenge the sorceress. Of course, he knew he couldn't do it alone. So, he went to the far reaches of Equis, seeking out a power that was told could help restore balance. However, simply finding it wasn't enough. Knowing that he alone couldn't defeat her, he decided to split the power among those he trusted. So the man picked five highly skilled warriors to whom he would bestow the power. In the end, the final showdown between light and dark occurred. But not without sacrifice; the man was able to defeat Nightmare Moon by sealing her within the ether. But by doing that, the five warriors that wielded power gave up their life force. As such, the brave young man watched his comrades disappear."

"What happened after that?" asked Storm.

"Once the evil sorceress was defeated, the warriors' power began to take shape. It split into five power sources, which would become known as the Elements of Harmony."

"Elements of Harmony?" asked both Jedi Knights.

"The Elements are what keep Equis in balance. Since their creation, people have used it to rid Equis of great evil. Whenever a foe would dare create chaos and destruction, the Elements are what would be used to counteract them. Not to mention, they're the source of all magic."

"And what happened to the man with the Elements?" asked Twilight.

"With the defeat of Nightmare Moon, the man hid the Elements for safekeeping. As for him, well, he became the first ruler of Equis in the new era that was to come."

"Wait, so that means he..."

"Is our ancestor? Yes," answered Night Light to his daughter. "Because of that man, it's how our family, our bloodline, has ruled over Equis for so long. The people elected him as their leader in rebuilding from the great chaos. From there, generation after generation, many foes would try to seek the Elements for themselves, only for our family to put a stop to them. In fact, I even used the Elements when I first became King."

"What?" said Storm.

"I was coronated as King when I was only 16 years old, Jedi Knight. My father passed due to illness. The brutal war we were fighting began to take a toll on our kingdom and allies; I had to do what was necessary. And so, in my father's dying act, he named me the King of Equis."

"I didn't know you were that young when you became ruler," said Twilight as she was now thinking about her situation and how her father gave her a bit more leeway regarding her deadline to inherit the throne.

"It was quite a burden to bear for someone so young. But I did what needed to be done, not for me, but for our people. And so, as King, I began to seek out the Elements that our ancestors before us used. With them, I was able to defeat our foes. But while researching, I learned a piece of vital information involving Nightmare Moon."

"And that was?" asked Storm.

"While our ancestor could seal them away, it wasn't permanent. A prophecy stated that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about nighttime eternal! So, I spent my early years trying to see if I could find a solution to avoid it."

"And did you?" asked Twilight.

"No, because I was distracted by other things. The promise I made to my late great friend of the Crystal Empire, me falling in love with your mother, rebuilding our home, and most of all, raising three beautiful kids. No matter how hard I tried, I could never find a solution. And so, I did the next best thing I could, and that was to prepare for the inevitable arrival of Nightmare Moon. However, it seems she arrived earlier than expected. She's returned and has vowed to start with our ancestor a thousand years ago."

"Is there no way to stop her?" asked Storm.

"There is. The Elements. They are the only source of power that can contain the evil witch. After I used their power, I ordered them to be hidden and locked away deep in the Everfree Forest." said Night Light. "Within the dense forest, there lays the ruins of a castle. That castle was where our ancestor, the first king of Equis, made his home. Eventually, it was conquered, and he had to flee."

"So these Elements are our only hope of fighting Nightmare Moon?" said Twilight.

"Yes. And we do not have much time."

"You're right. I'll go," said Storm.

"I cannot allow you to do that!" said Night Light.

"Listen, your Majesty. You need to keep your family safe. And not just them, your servants, everybody is relying on you. They need a leader; they need someone to guide them. They need you. I'm a Jedi, my goal is to be a peacekeeper, but it's also helping those in need. So I'm willing to risk my life if it means that your people get to live."

"The Everfree Forest is a dangerous place, boy. You must remain alert at all times."

"Don't worry, I will. Just keep everyone safe, and I'll be back with those Elements in no time," stated Storm as he began to head toward the door.

"I'm coming with you!" said Twilight.

"Huh?" said both males.

"I'm not letting you do this alone," stated the girl.

"Twilight, no!" said Night Light as he was concerned for his daughter. "It's too dangerous. If something were to happen to you, well I... I could never forgive myself."

"Dad. I need to do this. If I'm going to be the future heir, I need to be willing to take risks."

"But this is a risk that I'm not comfortable with!"

"I get it, but... it's not your decision to make. It's mine!" said Twilight. "I choose to do this. I'm doing this of my own free will. Isn't that what you did by becoming King so young? You did what was best to save lives. This is the choice that I make."

"Twily," said Night Light as he put his hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"I know you're worried, but I'll be fine. Besides, I'm not going to be alone. I'll have Storm by my side." said the princess as she walked over to the Jedi Knight and held his hand.

"Twilight,"

"Don't even try to convince. You're my partner. What we do, we do together. As a team."

"Heh, I wasn't going to," smiled Storm as Twilight returned the gesture.

Night Light saw the teens, especially his daughter holding the boy's hand. He sighed as the thought of him influencing Twilight weighted his mind heavily. But he couldn't focus on that; right now, the priority was getting the Elements needed to defeat Nightmare Moon.

"Don't worry, you Majesty. I promise to keep the princess safe and let no harm come to her," said Storm.

"See that you do, Jedi. Cause if you don't, I'll kill you myself," said Night Light.

"Noted," chuckled Storm. "Well, ready to do this, partner." The boy raised his hand up to Twilight.

"Ready," smiled Twilight as she put her hand in his, and he held it.

"Keep everyone safe; we won't be long," stated Storm to the King as he and Twilight began to walk toward the exit, hand in hand.

"Be careful, you two. One more thing I should mention. There are five known elements: Honesty, Laughter, Kindness, Generosity, and Laughter. Those are the names; however, a sixth one is a mystery. Only when the five are present will a spark cause the sixth Element to be revealed. Heed this warning." said Night Light as he relayed the prophecy to the teens.

"Got it. Find the five, and the spark will create the sixth," said Twilight.

"Good luck. And... may the Force be with you," said Night Light to both Jedi Knights.

The pair opened the doors as, at that moment, five individuals tumbled to the floor. It was none other than the girls as they all felt on top of one another. They listened in on the private conversation with Night Light but couldn't fully hear all the details. They all looked up at the Jedi Knights and smiled sheepishly.

"Surprise," said Pinkie, uneasy.

"Alright, how much did you girls hear?" asked Storm bluntly.

Author's Note: So a little recap as to what happened in the previous chapter. Especially the conversation that Storm had with Luna. And because of the events of last chapter, Storm does bring up a good question, what is he really to Twilight? In other words, what does Twilight consider him as: a friend, partners, or something else entirely. Especially after that little affection display they had in the meadow. And if things couldn't get any worse, an old foe from 1000 years ago has risen and an ancient power must be awaken to stop her. As always, leave a review expressing your thoughts and comments about this chapter.