The Dark Coming- Part 6

"Rarity, are you alright?" The Element of Magic said to the white mare that was looking at Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, whom were sleeping next to each other at the other side of the train, with a worried face.

"Huh? Oh whatever do you mean darling?" Rarity tried to act as she was fine.

"I mean, you seem a tad stressed."

"Oh it's nothing darling, nothing at all."

"Rarity you can tell me. I won't judge or anything I just want to know if my friend is ok."

"Well I'm just worried to what might have happened to Fluttershy and Pinkie if they hadn't gotten out of that forest in time. We could've lost them forever, would that not be terrible?!"

"Well of course it would be Rarity I mean; we wouldn't be the Elements of Harmony. We wouldn't be complete anymore."

Rarity sulked at the thought of them gone. Even though she wasn't the closets with Pinkie she certainly had a way to make everything brighter for everypony and Fluttershy; what would Rarity do without her spa filly to talk to? Twilight moved from sitting across Rarity to sitting next to her and put her foreleg around the perfectionist mare,

"All is going to be alright Rarity, there is nothing to fear as long as we have each other…and we'll have Princess Celestia too!" The student closed her eyes to idolize her teacher, and often times "mothering", figure.

"Oh Twilight you surely do have something for the Princess, eh darling?" Twilight opened her eyes and began to blush towards her friend,

"Wha…what…do you…mean?" The lavender unicorn started getting nervous.

"I only tease you Twilight, I understand you only see her as an idol and there is nothing wrong with that. Although your confusion there was sort of…interesting."

"Interesting…? How?"

"Oh well you're so intellectual you seem to know everything, not that there is anything wrong with that; in fact I admire it however; when you get confused or unsure of something it tends to be rather… well nevermind."

"No tell me Rarity, please?" Twilight got real close wishing for an answer; wanting to gather more information.

Rarity began to blush, "well…cute…" It was Twilight's turn again to blush. She didn't know what to say. She was about to just say 'Thanks' but found that just might make it awkward. She decided to think, 'What would Pinkie Pie do?' Once Twilight Sparkle figured it out she gave Rarity a tight hug and whispered in her ear,

"Thank you Rarity." The white unicorn blushed and hugged her back. Once they broke they broke the hug Twilight asked,

"Still worrying?"

"No dearie, I suppose not. Not when you're here." They both blushed, "But are you alright darling?"

"Well I've been wondering what Trixie could be up to."

"Ah yes, that self-obsessed mare who thinks she's better than everypony else. I wouldn't worry too much though darling. You will always be far more powerful than that filly."

"Well I hope I will be if I ever have to be."

Rarity yawned and lay on the seat with her head on Twilight's lap, "I know you will be darling. You'll…be just…astounding…" and the pony drifted off to sleep while Twilight gazed over to Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy sleeping next to one another. They looked so cute together. Twilight smiled and then looked into the night sky with a strong feeling of hope.

---

"Applejack, wake up. We're here." Rainbow said as she poked the sides of the orange pony who winced a reaction. Rainbow was trying to hold back a laugh but couldn't resist letting it out.

"What are ya'll laughin' at?" questioned the earth pony as her vision came into focus.

"I didn't know you were such a softy AJ." Dash teased.

"What're ya talkin' bout? Ah ain't no softy."

"Pssh, yea right you're not." Rainbow rolled her eyes which met at the end of the cart where Rarity and Twilight were waking up Pinkie and Fluttershy. The sky was still dark and starry and once the girls were all together they headed off towards the castle.

Inside, the guards had recognized Celestia's favorite student and led her and her friends into the Princesses' throne room for she told them it was urgent. Celestia was in her chair reading documents while Luna stood out at the balcony watching over Equestria's horizon.

"Twilight Sparkle, my most wondrous pupil! My sister mentioned you and your friends were making your way up here. What brought you all this way?" Celestia was more than delighted at the visit of Twilight. Overhearing her sister, Luna made her way into the room to greet the Elements,

"We welcome you and your friends Twilight Sparkle! Do tell us the reasoning  of thous' journey!" Fluttershy was startled at the royal Canterlot voice and lowered her head. Pinkie put a hoof on her shoulder and smiled at her, trying to reassure her.

"It is most astounding to visit you your majesties but the reason we are here is not for joy. You see, earlier today a Wonderbolt member came crashing down upon us from the Everfree Forest, which is engulfed in darkness by the way, and…" the lead mare was interrupted by the Princess of the night,

"Thou knows of this great travesty that not even thine eyes can see through!"

"Wait, you've seen the dark aura too, your majesty?" replied the white unicorn,

"Indeed! And we are most angered by this force who seeks to deceive us! Only one entity could hold such power!"

Rainbow Dash got her word in, "And that would be…?"

"Well, the only person that's power could ever equal mine or my sister's would have to be Discord." said the Princess of day.

All the Elements of Harmony gasped, "DISCORD!?"

"Indeed, only a cosmical entity such as he could match the power of a goddess."

Twilight was still awestruck at the idea, "Are you sure Princess? I mean, how could he return once again?"

Applejack brought up what Rainbow had said about Soarin, "Well what about what Dash here said? Member Soarin told her about Trixie, Zacora and the Shadowbolts? Ah recon they have somethin' to do with it?" The Princesses became dumbfounded but only Celestia replied,

"What's this now? What are they doing in the Everfree?"

"Well Soarin was hurt by a Shadowbolt after witnessing Zacora, an alchemist that lives in the Everfree, cuffed to a table. Trixie was there and without doubt is most likely Zacora's captor. Maybe she's trying to fuse her own power with Zacora's knowledge to free Discord."

"If this is true Twilight, then I fear it may be too late." Celestia remembered the power Discord was capable of, nearly ripping the universe itself to pieces.

"Well he beat him once before and we can do it again too in ten seconds flat!" the cyan pegasus drew a stance as if Discord was right in front of her. Celestia was about to respond to her courage but was interrupted,

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! Oh do you really think so Rainbow Dash?" said a mysterious voice that echoed the room.

"Do thine ears deceive us?! Show thyself Discord!" The night goddess rose off the ground with full white eyes that glowed as bright as the moon. Fluttershy was so scared she couldn't stand on her legs from the shivering. She tucked her tail and head in between her legs and just prayed it was all a nightmare. Pinkie once again tried to comfort her with a hug but at the same time, she couldn't help but be scared too. Applejack and Rainbow Dash stood at the ready in front of Pinkie and Fluttershy ready to charge anywhere. Twilight and Rarity's horns glowed ready to fire and Celestia was off her chair ready to defend her kingdom.

"Now don't everypony get up on my account. I just wanted to greet everypony and hope to get a welcome back. So how about it hmm…? Anypony glad I returned?" They were all certain now, Trixie must have brought Discord back. But why?

"Discord you have no chance of winning because this time, my sister and I will be more than a match for you. Plus we have the Elements of Harmony once again!" Celestia shouted in the room.

"Oh but sweet, sweet Celestia I, too, will not be alone this time. In fact I'll have many new friends of my own."

"What are thou's evil deeds consist of this time?!" Luna's power erupted the night outside, casting down lightning bolts of magnificent power.

"Oh Luna it has been a long time since we last met. How's the family? HA HA HA HA! But anyhow, all I can say for you fools is that there won't be a simple battle like before. Oh no this time, there will be war." Everypony's jaw dropped, unable to imagine what horrors Discord could have planned for them.

"What…what did you say?" the white goddess stuttered as such an idea that had faded from the world so long ago may return.

"Yes you heard me Princess. Equestria will once again know war and thus with it will come beautiful chaos! But I have work to do. See you on the battlefield. HA HA HA HA HA!" the laughter began to fade but the ponies were still awestruck. Luna's temper had calmed enough to where she landed on the ground, her eyes dimmed to beautiful blue and the storm faded. Twilight was scared at the thought of all the disasters she read in books about war, they may come back to reality.

"Umm…Princess Celestia, what should we do?"