Twilight Sparkle was doomed, had been from the start she realized. Somehow logic had failed her and now here she was, cornered and alone in a place where not even magic could save her. With no options left and no hope of escape all she could do was wait for it all to be over with.

“King me!” Pinkie Pie gleefully squealed for the half-dozenth time since the start of the game.

“Pinkie, are you sure you aren’t using those reality bending abilities of yours to beat me?” Twilight asked sarcastically with an ironic grin.

“Of course Twilight! Why do you ask?” She looked genuinely puzzled at the question.

Twilight looked at the lone checker that remained under her command and sighed. “I have no idea Pinkie.”

“Besides,” she said as she jumped Twilight’s last remaining checker. “My Pinkie sense works just fine!” She boasted as she reset the pieces for another game. “Best eleven out of twenty one?”

“No thanks Pinkie, I think I’ve had enough for today,” she said as she looked out the window into the rain. “Why not ask Rainbow Dash?”

“No,” Pinkie said flatly. “Rainbow Dash never wants to play checkers with me anymore.”

“Well duh!” Came a brash voice from the couch, “I hate losing, and Pinkie always beats me! It’s bad for my rep!” She snorted loudly.

“Oh come on Dashy !” Pinkie Pie called over to her, “I know you’ll get good enough to beat me if you keep practicing!” She smiled that impossibly large Pinkie Pie smile, “I promise!”

“Pinkie promise and I might believe you,” the cyan pegasus stubbornly replied.

“But Rainbow, you know how I feel about lying,” she said innocently.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and sighed explosively. “Exactly Pinkie!” She shouted louder than she meant to. “I’ll never be able to beat you! Nopony ever will!”

“Come now, she can’t be that good,” Twilight interjected.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow at the comment. “Twilight seriously, you just lost to her ten times in a row! She’s the reason why Ponyville doesn’t have its annual checkers competition anymore,” she huffed hoping to end the discussion.

“That was a competition?” Pinkie looked genuinely confused yet again. “No wonder that guy with the megaphone kept yelling out everypony’s moves.”

Rainbow Dash slammed a hoof to her forehead with a soft groan as Twilight burst into laughter. The old wall clock began to chime, signaling the arrival of four o clock.

“OH MY GOSH!!!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she suddenly defied gravity and floated in front of the clock, mere inches from its face. “Twilight!” She called excitedly from across the room. “Do you realize we have like, the same exact clock?” She said with a sudden amount of calm compared to the outburst she had mere seconds before. “Also it’s after four,” she said. Suddenly she was next to the door, somehow having traversed the large room unseen. “And I really don’t want to keep number twenty one waiting,” she said with a slight smile. “Besides, life’s a party and I don’t want to miss out,” she said as she slipped out the door. She trotted down the street toward Sugarcube Corner, happily humming to herself the entire way.

“Sometimes I worry about her,” Twilight said as she watched Pinkie Pie disappear through the thick sheets of rain. It almost appeared as if the water had no effect on her coat or her mane, it almost looked like she wasn’t getting wet at all...

Rainbow Dash frowned and glanced up from her book. “What do you mean sometimes?” She asked with halfhearted sarcasm. “I worry about that mare all the time.”

“Oh please,” Twilight said as she shut the door. “She’s just being Pinkie Pie.”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what concerns me,” the cyan pegasus said with a huff.

A violent thunderclap shook the library startling both its occupants. Twilight looked out the window again. “Your weather team sure is putting on a good show tonight,” she observed as the rain relentlessly poured down.

“Of course they are!” Rainbow Dash said with a proud smirk on her face. “Who do you think trained most of them?”

“Probably the same pony that didn’t think her recruits from other flight schools were good enough to work with a cloudsdale mare, so she ran them through a three month blitz course to toughen them up.” She said as she returned the smirk.

“What are you implying Twi?” The cyan pegasus asked innocently.

“Oh I think you know,” Twilight said with a slightly serious tone.

“Hmm, yeah that actually does sound like me,” she said with a chuckle.

Twilight just shook her head as she stood and made her way to one of the bookshelves carved into the wall. “So if you train every recruit yourself how do you explain Thunderling?”

Dash thought a moment before answering. “I can’t.”

“Perhaps a psychological analysis would help?” Twilight said, a bit of excitement in her eyes.

“That’s your answer for everything,” Rainbow Dash groaned, not wanting to see that weird helmet thing again.

“No it’s not!” Twilight protested as she pulled a book from the shelf entitled “The Way of The Wizard.” “Although sometimes that is exactly what a pony needs Rainbow,” she said as she quickly skimmed through the book looking for one particular page. “It certainly did you some good at least!” She said cheerfully.

“Sure it did...” Rainbow Dash mumbled quietly without looking up from her book.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Twilight said as she moved closer to the couch. “How are you sleeping? Are the nightmares-”

“No,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “They haven’t come back.”

Whump! Came the sound of yet another successful applebuck. Whump! And another. Whump! Whump! Two more were followed by the soft thudding of apples impacting the soft grass. “Whew doggie, thats a fine lot of apples eh Big Mac?” Applejack asked as she paused to inspect the days work that she and her brother had just finished.

“Eeyup,” he replied as he stooped to pluck a sturdy piece of grass to hold between his teeth.

“Do yah think we can get all these here apples into the barn before dinner?” Applejack challenged with a grin.

“Eeyup.”

“Good,” she said as she whistled for Winona. “I reckon Granny wouldn’t want any of them sitting out overnight.”

“Nope,” Big Mac said as he lined up for one final applebuck. Whump!

“Well, that’s the last tree in this part of the orchard,” Applejack said with a satisfied sigh.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said as he headed over to the nearby apple cart.

Winona came bounding excitedly through the trees, yapping loudly as she tackled Applejack. The two of them tumbled to the ground and Winona began licking Applejack wildly.

“Gah! Cut it out Winona!” Applejack shouted while struggling to pin her playful dog. Her efforts were in vain as Winona was too quick and simply wriggled out of her hold and pounced on her again.

CRACK BOOM!!! Came the unmistakable sound of thunder as the world around them flashed bright white for an instant.

“Whut in tarnation?!” Applejack shouted as she scrambled to her hooves and looked up into the sky. There wasn’t a single cloud hanging overhead. “Whut in all of Celestia’s Equestria was that?” She wondered aloud. “And no Rainbow Dash in sight,” She mumbled while shaking her head. “Winona I may have overdone it just a little bit today,” she sat down in the shade of a nearby tree. “I probably spent a little too much time in that there sun with nothing to drink...”

Winona cocked her head to one side before walking over to join her in the shade, looked her in the eye and said. “Wake up Applejack.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow before asking, “Granny Smith?” Granny Smith leaned in closer to her sleeping granddaughter and gently nudged her again. “Wake up youngin’ yer missin yer friend’s show.”

Applejack moaned and turned over, mumbling something about Winona talking then finally sat up. “Oh hi Granny,” she yawned. “What’d ya say I was missin’?” She asked sleepily.

Before Granny Smith could answer there was another bright flash outside and a thunderclap so loud the windows vibrated and the whole house shook.
“Well dip me in axle grease and call me slick! Dash sure did pull out all the stops fer this one!” Applejack announced in shock.
“She sure did,” Apple Bloom said as she entered the room frowning. “That last one knocked half the pictures off my wall.”
“Been some time since we’ve had a good sky show round here,” Granny said while heading for the stairs. “Who wants some cider?”

“Me!” Came an instant chorus from her grandchildren.

“Well alrighty then,” Granny said with a grin. “Three ciders it is.”

“OW! Rarity that hurts!” The little filly complained.
“Well I’m sorry Sweetie Belle but if you want this costume to fit you properly you’ll either have to hold still or bear a few pokes.” Rarity said as she reached for another sewing pin. “There would certainly be fewer pokes if you’d just hold still. Honestly darling you can be just as bad as Rainbow Dash at times.”
“Well maybe I wouldn’t move around so much if this thing wasn’t so tight, itchy and full of needles!” She complained loudly as she squirmed a little.
“Oh I highly doubt that,” Rarity said rolling her eyes.
Sweetie Belle sighed explosively. “Are you almost done?” She asked for the dozenth time. “I know you’re scared of thunder and I really don’t feel like getting poked again.”
“I said I was sorry,” Rarity announced as she cinched the corset even tighter. “Honestly though Sweetie you know very well that all ponies are afraid of thunder.”
“Yeah, you said you were sorry all right.”
“There, see I-”
“Then you started yelling at me for getting blood on my outfit!” She snorted and stomped a hoof to help make her point. “Also, of the two of us,” Sweetie Belle said with a grin. “You were the one who jumped!”
“What?!”
“And I didn’t!”
“What?!”
“You heard me.”
“Sweetie Belle, we discussed this,” Rarity said as calmly as she could. “We both jumped and we both screamed.”
“No, you jumped and screamed. I finally lost my hiccups and some blood.” She looked over her shoulder at her back. “Which reminds me,” she said sarcastically. “Will you please pull this pin out before it becomes septic?”
“Of course dear, just as soon as you admit that you jumped too.”
“WHAT?!” Sweetie Belle squeaked loudly.
“Come now let’s hear it,” Rarity said snidely.
A soft knock at the front door signaled the arrival of Rarity’s next unfortunate victim.

“I’m so excited!” Luna exclaimed as she landed on Celestia’s bedroom balcony.

“About what?” Celestia inquired looking up from a map of the nearby forest.

“Tomorrow night of course!”

“I thought you disliked everything about that holiday,” Celestia said tilting her head slightly.

“Come on sister, I have my own holiday!” Luna said with glee. “Of course I’m excited. After these last four years, ponies are finally starting to trust me again! They no longer scream and flee upon my arrival,” she said with a smile. “Except for tomorrow night of course!” Luna said with a sneer. “Tomorrow night they shall flee for their lives from,” she leapt from the balcony railing to the floor and reared up on her hind legs. “Nightmare Moon!” Bwahahaha haaa!” She paused to look at her sister. “What?”

“Don’t you think you’re getting a little carried away with that sister?” Celestia said with a smile in spite of her concern.

Luna considered her sister’s inquiry before replying with a simple, “No.”

“If you insist,”Celestia said with a little sigh as she rose to her hooves and joined her sister on the balcony. “It would be a shame if you made some foal cry.”

“Relax Tia, I’m only ever as scary as they ask me to be,” Luna said as reassuringly as she could. Celestia did not look convinced. “Honest,” she tilted her head a little. “What is it?” She asked as she lowered herself to the ground.

Celestia’s expression had slowly turned to one of concern and the graceful flow of her mane had slowed to a crawl. “Oh its just,” she paused as she searched for words. She seemed lost in thought. The air around Celestia almost seemed to brighten as she smiled. “Nothing, I just... For a moment.”
Luna thought her sister was about to cry right there on the balcony.
Celestia lowered her gaze to the floor of the balcony as if she might find some small comfort in the smooth white stone. With a small sigh she looked back to Luna. “All I could think of was her,” she said softly, her voice trembling slightly.
“Her?” Luna looked puzzled by her sister’s behavior.
Celestia looked away unanswering.
Finally Luna understood, and in a soft questioning voice asked the question she didn’t need to ask. The name came more seriously than it had before. “Nightmare Moon?”
Celestia nodded slowly. “For a moment it all came back,” she said as she stared out over the kingdom below. “You getting carried off to the moon by the Elements of Harmony with,” she shuddered slightly, not wanting to say the name. “That thing...”
Luna moved closer and put a wing over her sister’s shoulder. “I told you not to feel guilty about using the elements, you did what was necessary.” She gently nuzzled Celestia’s neck. “You never could have hoped to defeat Nightmare Moon by yourself,” she spoke softly, trying her best to console her sister. Her gaze fell to the smooth white stones of the balcony as well. “Banishment was the only option you had.”
“I was actually feeling more guilt about something else,” she said watching the storm over Ponyville rattle the small town. The thunder could be heard even at this distance.
“And what is that?” Luna asked, looking back up at her sister.
“What you said to me the night after you got back,” Celestia said as she turned slightly to look Luna in the eye. “Do you remember?”
“How could I forget what was true... What still is true,” Luna said as she gazed out at the storm. “A thousand years is a long time, even for us.”
Celestia followed Luna’s gaze to the storm far below them near the base of the mountains. “You were right when you said you had suffered enough. I’m sorry for bringing it up again. It’s just that,” she shook her head. “It’s nothing I suppose, I just had a bad feeling.”
Luna nudged her sister with her shoulder and tried to speak reassuringly. “Don’t worry sister. It is as I said it’s all in the past now,” she said with a little smile. She added some strength to her voice. “Nightmare Moon is dead Celestia, this time the elements utterly destroyed her. She will never be able to harm another pony ever again.”
Celestia nodded silently.
“I am free to live my life again,” Luna said with a more genuine smile.
Celestia returned the wing embrace and did her best to appear happy on the outside. The two sisters stood side by side silently and watched as the pegasi of Ponyville worked to calm the storm. After a few moments Celestia broke the silence. “If you truly are that excited about Nightmare Night,” she hesitated and inhaled a little, considering her words. “Then I suppose I can be as well.”
“Oh Tia, thanks for understanding,” Luna said as she walked to the edge of the balcony with her wings spread high. “Because I intend to do exactly what Star Swirl taught us,” she said with a familiar spark in her eye.
“What might that be dear sister?” Celestia asked as she walked up behind Luna.
Luna stared intently at the dwindling storm below her. She focused her vision ever closer with the aid of her magic until she caught sight of one particular pegasus mare. She closed her eyes and smiled. “To live my life to the fullest no matter what happens.” With a powerful flap of her wings she was gone.
In the time it took Celestia to take a few slow, deliberate steps to the edge of the balcony, Luna had already traveled several miles. “Straight for Rainbow Dash,” Celestia said with a now genuine smile on her face. “I should have known she would want a rematch. A pegasus besting an alicorn in a race?” She chuckled softly as she walked back into her room, pausing in front of Philomena’s perch. “That’s simply unheard of,” she said with a raised eyebrow. “Just think of the damage to her ego.”
Philomena merely tilted her head and listened, waiting for Celestia to continue. She did not wait long before ruffling her wings, warming the space around her with tiny sparks and flames from her feathers.
“Yes I know Philomena,” Celestia said as she walked past her phoenix. “However I must keep a close eye on her at all times. You know that just as well as I do.”
A faint wisp of smoke rose from the bird’s head and she squawked loudly in annoyance.
“I know,” Celestia said as she closed the heavy wooden doors behind her. “However, you saw what Nightmare Moon was capable of. Especially with a body containing that much power,” Celestia stopped to examine a particular picture on her wall. It was faded and torn slightly but the occupant of the photo was recognizable enough to her.
Philomena stared at the picture with her until a single red tear of fire rolled down her cheek.
“He was right of course,” Celestia said softly as she touched the tip of her horn to the picture. “I had to use the elements. Nightmare Moon would have destroyed everything if I hadn’t. She knew I couldn’t stop her alone,” she whispered as she looked up at the faded cloth on the wall. “Only I wasn’t alone... You promised me you would find a way to save Luna from that fate,” she turned away toward her library and her map. “Eventually you did as you promised, just as you always have,” Celestia trailed off as she came to a stop in front of a large piece of parchment. This particular piece of parchment had a map drawn onto it, her gaze fell upon it and a look of concern once again dominated her features. “Somehow you knew the elements would not kill Luna. In spite of what we all thought would happen after what they did to...”
Philomena’s warm talons gently gripped Celestia’s back and the bird began squawking loudly to draw her attention back to the present, and the map.
“There it is again, only stronger this time,” she said softly as her eyes traced the movement of several small markings across the ancient map’s surface. The markings eventually moved to the edge of the map and disappeared as they moved beyond the range of the map.
“Who are you talking to?” She whispered quietly.
Celestia sensed a presence approaching from down the corridor and immediately levitated the map, rolled it back into a scroll, and slid it into its dragonscale sheath. She put the sheath into an unmarked saddlebag and set it next to two additional scrolls, another bag, and a book. In the other bag was a large glass jar decorated with gold filigree and two smaller jars containing premixed spell powder. Celestia added a tracking stone that she made into the bag as well.
A knock at the door signaled the arrival of Broad Sword, trainer of the royal guards for over a century and her most trusted fighter.
“You summoned me your highness?” He said as the door swung open. He didn’t seem the least bit concerned by the two unconscious guards at his hooves. He could tell Celestia had done it and was keeping them in their current state.
“You are to take this directly to Shining Armor. Under no circumstances are you to look inside unless Shining Armor orders you to do so. Understood?”
“Yes milady,” he said with a bow.
“Good,” Celestia said as she levitated the saddlebags and fitted them to his frame. After sending him on his way she turned her efforts to waking the two guards on the floor. She was certain to alter their memories slightly to keep their questions to a minimum as she returned to her work. The guards who were completely oblivious at this point, stood watch as if nothing had happened.
Philomena shuddered, sending sparks in every direction. As the crackling ceased she tilted her head, questioning Celestia.
“I have to know for sure Philomena,” Celestia said as she levitated a stack of books to the shelf and reorganized them. “Just pray they don’t find anything,” she said with a sigh.
Philomena chittered softly, ruffling her wings a bit with a warm crackle.
“I don’t know,” Celestia admitted, shaking her head. “The Ancients I suppose, for if they find something no one else will have the power to save us.” Her gaze fell to the pile of dead elements on the table in front of her.
The phoenix landed beside them and looked back at Celestia inquisitively.
“I don’t know why,” Celestia admitted once more to the bird. She examined the color-drained elements for what felt like the hundredth time. “They just died.”
Philomena strutted to the large crown and peered at the dull gem on its front.
“If only we knew more about them,” Celestia said with a little sigh to herself.
Philomena turned back to Celestia and whistled loudly. She began to bob her head up and down with enthusiasm.
“Yes, however all of that knowledge was lost with him the day he disappeared. What makes you think he could help us now?” Celestia asked her bird, puzzled for a moment. “Of course!” She exclaimed with a little more glee than her usual tone. “The book! Oh Philomena you are a genius!” Celestia galloped toward her bedroom door then stopped herself. “Wait, there are better ways to go about this,” she said whilst regaining her composure. With a sudden flash of light she vanished.
Philomena simply tilted her head.

“Oh Fluttershy my dear please do come in,” Rarity called as another soft knock sounded on the door.
“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle hollered as she stomped a hoof impatiently.
“Not now Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said as she walked to the door. “Can’t you see we have company?” She asked, not expecting an answer from her younger sister.
“But!”
“No butts!” She said sternly as she reached for the handle.
Sweetie Belle took in the deepest breath a filly her size could. “But if you open that door then Fluttershy will see my costume and if she sees my costume then she’ll see this pin stuck in my back and if she sees this pin in my back she’ll see the blood and if she sees the blood she’ll either faint, lecture you for three hours on proper child care, or spend four hours lecturing you on the fashion atrocity you committed when you mixed red with these colors because you know how she is about fashion.” She finished with another deep breath and an exhale, acting as if she hadn’t just spoken an entire paragraph in one breath stitched together as one giant sentence.
Rarity let out a panicked “Yaaahh!” and slammed the door she had been slowly opening right in Fluttershy’s face. Rarity quickly trotted over to her sister and with a slight glow of her horn...
“Ouch,” Sweetie Belle said through gritted teeth.
Rarity then returned to the door and opened it revealing a teetering yellow pegasus. “Oh Fluttershy do forgive me I simply could not let you see what a horrible mistake Sweetie Belle-”
“Ahem!” The little filly interrupted.
“That is to say, Sweetie Belle and I made,” Rarity corrected with a nervous laugh.
Fluttershy stumbled through the doorway, her eyes slowly rolling in opposite directions. “I-i-its okay, m’ fiiine,” she mumbled and sat on a floor pillow. She took a moment to shake her head and clear the dizziness. “Thank you for offering to help me with my costume this year. I-I hope it’s no trouble. I’m just not sure how to attach the last couple of pieces.”
“Why Fluttershy it’s absolutely no trouble at all!” Rarity insisted loudly as she followed Fluttershy and took a seat next to her. “Now show me what you need done,” she said with a smile.
“Oh nothing much,” Fluttershy said quietly.

“Number twenty one!” Pinkie Pie bellowed. “Twenty one!” She called insistently.
“Pinkie Pie for goodness sake I’m right here! You don’t have to yell.”
“Oh sorry miss Cheerilee I didn’t see you there,” Pinkie Pie said with a little giggle.
“How could you not see me standing right here in front of you?” Cheerilee asked with her head tilted to the side.
“Huh? Oh, well that’s easy to explain! I was watching Rainbow Dash flying towards Sugarcube Corner with something amazing to tell me!” She smiled that impossibly large Pinkie Pie smile.
Cheerilee looked over her shoulder at the closed, wooden door. “Umm... How can you see Rainbow Dash if the door is closed Pinkie?” A look of concern began to grow on the mare’s face.
“Oh it will be open soon,” Pinkie said with a knowing smile.
A loud whooshing noise could be heard outside rapidly approaching. It sounded like it was about to smash into the building but just before it did the door flew open and Rainbow Dash pranced inside. Her triumphant laughter filled the bakery as she turned to look out the door. “I told you I’m the fastest flyer in all of Equestria princess! If you ever want to get beaten AGAIN you know where to find me!” She taunted loudly with a snicker.
“JUST YOU WAIT RAINBOW!” Luna boomed from afar, making sure she’d be heard from the distance she was yelling.
Rainbow Dash fluttered over to the counter and rested a hoof on it. “Sup Pinks, hi Cheerilee,” she beamed with excitement.
Cheerilee just looked at Pinkie Pie, sighed, shook her head and left.
“Um, ok. Bye Cheerilee, I guess,” Rainbow Dash said with a raised eyebrow. “So Pinkie can you guess who I just beat for the second time?! One of the most powerful ponies in existence!” She boasted loudly.
“Oooh! Oooh! umm, Doctor Whooves?” Pinkie Pie smiled, waiting for a response.
For the second time that day Rainbow’s hoof met her face. “No Pinkie, I didn’t race Doctor Whooves... I just beat Princess Luna in another race!”
“Wow Dashy that’s awesome!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed and jumped.
“Yes yes, it’s all true,” Rainbow Dash said with a grin.
“Hey Rainbow Dash, would you like to hear my good news?” Pinkie asked excitedly.
“Oh my gosh, is it something for pranking?!” Dash asked excitedly.
“Well I guess it could be after I’m finished using it for its practical purpose,” the pink mare said as she rummaged under the counter for something. After a few moments she produced a large hacksaw. “Look what I just got at Mr. Sledge’s hardware store!” Pinkie said beaming. “Isn’t it the best hacksaw you ever SAW?” She giggled at her little pun. “But why do they call it a hacksaw if you don’t hack with it?”

Twilight’s attention was immediately drawn to her window as a bright rainbow streak rushed past, rattling her window in its frame.
“Where could she be off to in such a hurry?” Twilight wondered aloud as she took another sip of her dandelion tea. “Now then, where was I? Ah yes,” she said as she located her spot in the book and continued reading.
“If said events took place in said theoretical temporaly displaced location then one might also venture to claim that simply because one perceives time does not mean time proceeds as one perceives it. Therefore this allows the individual not only passage through time but also the possibility of manipulation of it as well.”
The wall clock chimed five and Twilight closed the book and returned it to its place on the shelf.
“I’ll have to finish that chapter once I get back from Rarity’s,” she said as she moved to the door. “I hope I can find more on that Silver Spark guy. However I’ve never heard of Luminescent either, I have some major studying to do... Spike come on we’re late!”

Author's Notes:

This chapter marks a great milestone, the editor got promoted to co-author and also got away from a lot of his mandatory military duties to start co-writing. Chapter three should be up within a week or so, at worst it will be three weeks because of some stuff going on involving being relocated to a different base temporarily. I'll get my schedule sorted out eventually! The first year and a half in the Corps is just gonna be a bit hectic for me. :p