Title: The Seventh Element
Rating: T (Dark Night’s lustful actions)
Chapter: Chapter 14 Dark Night’s lust and the farm
AN: Reviews! Thank you guys so much for reviewing! God it’s hard to do Apple Jack, Big Macintosh, and Apple Bloom’s accent! Especially Lunar’s OLDE ENGLISH. FRAAAAAAAAHHH…
Also, Gundrium, all things happen for a reason. And all questions will be answered in due time. You just gotta be patient.
***

Guards flew around the palace, all hanging pink, red and white decorations throughout the palace. Rarity was on the ground floor directing the guards on where to hang the decorations. “Please dahlings! The decorations all look like a filly hung them! This is Hearts and Hooves day, not Mare’s Appreciation day!” Rarity was unusually fussy with the decorations, even outright yelling at the guards as they hung the streamers and hearts.

All over Canterlot, the townsfolk were all doing their part to beautify the town for Heart’s and Hooves Day, which was tomorrow, all getting ready for the romantic evenings that were sure to take place that day.

Celestia wanted to make the palace a Hearts and Hooves day center for the residents, hopefully to ease the tensions she could feel at the dinners. Rainbow looked like she wanted to say something, Soarin and Spit Fire both looked uncomfortable like they were hiding something, Rarity and Big Mac won’t look at each other, Apple Jack keeps glaring at Big Mac, Butterscotch has turned into a food black hole, Pinkie Pie has started to be less active, Twilight won’t sit near Lunar, and Lunar won’t say anything anymore. Plus Lunar did try to kill her.

Everyone is so emotional!

Celestia has stood from the head of the table, “alright, I have decided to celebrate Hearts and Hooves day, here in the Celestial Palace. I don’t want any fighting on Heart’s and Hooves day, is that clear?”

Everyone was about to protest, not really sure what to do during Hearts and Hooves day with their new forms. Celestia just raised a hand to stop the oncoming questions, “I know you all have been fighting nonstop the whole time you have been here in the palace. But I want to end it now.” They all stared at Celestia, thinking her to be mad. “I want you all to put your differences aside for one day of happiness. Is that so much to ask for?”

They all agreed, whether they were happy about it or not, to at least put the drama behind them for a day. Only to please their princess.

Now, it was the day before Hearts and Hooves day, and Rarity was in charge of decorating the palace for the most romantic night of the year. And she was almost done.

“Alright! Now we are talking! Dahlings go ahead and move the banner to the right- RIGHT! I said the right!” She sighed, “not your right, my right!” With the banner finally in place, Rarity smiled at her work. “Oh it looks absolutely fabulous dahling! Fabulous!” The guards that had volunteered to help her all landed near her and told her their thanks for working with them. The guards all left except one, the guard with dark blue hair and lighter blue eyes. He took her hand in his and kissed it.

“My lady, it was an honor to work with you.” He grinned as Rarity’s face dyed red. “My name is Spear Mane. A royal guard of the Celestial palace.”

She giggled as his eyes locked to her face, “oh well… Were you one of the pegasi?”

He shook his head, “oh no my lady, I have no wings, nor horn. I am just a humble Earth Pony.” At the mention of Earth Pony, Rarity’s mind went to Big Macintosh and his declaration of love, even though he didn’t know it. Rarity took he hand from Spear Mane’s own larger one. “Did I offend you?”

Rarity shook her head, “no, it’s just-”

“You already have a special somepony.”

Rarity blushed a deep red, “oh, yes- I mean no. I mean… He… uh…” Spear Mane smirked, “I mean he never asked…”

Spear Mane just nodded, “well, anypony that has your heart must be the luckiest pony in the world.” Rarity just giggled like a high school girl, “well, I must leave. It is my turn to stand watch in the gardens.” He bowed to her and straightened, giving her a quick wink. He turned on his heel and marched off to the gardens.

Rarity just stood there, her face flushed and her breath quicken, heart beating fast. “Oh Celestia, I do hope I can contain myself.” She rubbed her forehead and the base of her horn, “so many Stallions here… I’m too used to being surrounded by mares like in Ponyville…” She left the main hall and started down the halls, but accidentally walked into Big Macintosh. “OOF! Oh Big Mac!”

Big Mac stared at her, his face was flushed as well. “H-Hello Rarity.” He scratched the back of his head, “w-who were y’all talkin' to? Ah’ve ne’er seen him aroun’.” Rarity smiled to herself, he was jealous.

“Oh, no pony important.” She said nonchalantly while shrugging, “why do you ask?”

Big Mac blushed more, “n-no reason.” He took a deep breath, “ah was gonn’ ask Prin-cess Ce-lestia if me, Apple Jack an Apple Bloom can visit the farm.” His eyes went downcast, “ah know she said that the farm would be taken’ care of, but ah worry for Granny Smith. She’s all that’s left of our ee-mee-dee-ate family, ‘specially after that huge… f-fire…”

Rarity clenched her hands tightly, remembering that horrible night.

The night she lost her father and Big Mac lost his parents.

Rarity placed a hand on his arm, and rubbed it soothingly, “I know.” She took a deep breath as the memories burned through her like hot cast iron. Her lip trembled slightly as the tears came to her eyes, threatening to fall over.

Big Mac saw it coming and quickly hugged her, “sshhh…” He stroked her hair slowly, trying to calm her down, “It’s not your fault. We were all pow-er-less that night.” Rarity kept the tears inside, bottling it up like she always did. She pushed herself gently from his embrace, the warm loving aura he put around her made her feel like she was unworthy.

“That’s okay Big Mac. I’m okay.” She smiled at him, but that didn’t ease his curiosity.

“Are you sure?” Rarity just nodded, “okay then…”

Rarity nudged his arm, “if Celestia lets you go, can I come as well? I never thought I’d say this, but I want to get out of Canterlot.” Big Mac stared at Rarity, who blushed embarrassedly, “Don’t stare! You make it sound like I have lost my mind…”

Big Mac smiled, “y’all know ah could ne’er see you as cra-zy.” They chuckled together as they both made their way to the throne room, to put in their request.

In the first of four libraries…

Twilight was leafing through the last two tomes of the first library. She had come across two more scraps of paper in between the pages of a Gryffin-Pony Dictionary. One was a large round scrap dyed to the shade of royal blue, and the other was a light green color, in the shape of a triangle.

The green shard was actually the top right corner of the original document. The only thing written on the green one was a name.

Lord Solaris King of Equestria.

Twilight had literally jumped for joy at finding something like this, it was the name of Celestia’s father! But Twilight’s mood was soiled when she thought about Lunar as well.

The night before had played before her, like it has many times already…

Celestia’s horn had regained its strength, and she used the magic in it to heal the rest of her wounds. Celestia had left the infirmary and left Lunar there, to be in his solitude, as he wanted it to be.

Twilight had forgotten that Celestia had already checked herself out, so when she came into the room where she and Lunar had been kept in, she had noticed that it was only Lunar there. Twilight couldn’t do a daytime visit, since she was so swamped with work that she had made plans to visit her in the nighttime, before bed time.

But Lunar was there, watching the moon that Celestia has raised for the time being. “Oh! I’m sorry, I thought Celestia was here.”

Lunar smiled sadly as his eyes never left the moon. “I figured. Now I take it you are to leave?”

“Y-yes… I wouldn’t want to disturb you…” She turned to leave, but his voice caught her attention.

“…please don’t go…” Twilight had stopped, she had never heard him say something like that. Especially with that kind of voice. A voice filled with the sadness and pain of the world. She had turned back to him and saw that his face was now wet with the freshly formed tears. “Please don’t go Twilight…”

She contemplated staying or leaving, but she soon chose to stay, against her better judgment. He had almost killed her mentor, the only pony that still understood her, the only pony that she truly cared for anymore. Her conscience exploded at her, trying to either remind or forget about Venom mix. She sat on a chair by his bed as she set her bag on the ground next to her. “Are… Are you alright Lunar?”

Lunar whispered softly, “Am I a monster Twilight?”

She didn’t dare say or think anything.

“Perhaps I am. I almost killed my sister in cold blood. I almost let the darkness eat me again.” He cringed as his head was filled with the shadows again. The voices in his head started to whisper to him, Kill her… He pushed the thoughts away.

“Again?” Twilight questioned carefully. She had the mentality that one wrong word might set him off. Lunar sucked in a breath as he let himself lean into the pillows.

“I’ve seen things Twilight. I’ve seen the faces of death, war, starvation and disease… I’ve seen the hungry jaws of the unspeakable gnawing onto me…” He turned to her, his eyes wide with fear, “I’ve seen the horrors of the world… Not just Equestria, no… The world…” He smiled and chuckled. “And they were so scary, that I can barely keep myself from crying every time I think about them.”

Twilight’s heart beat quickly, she didn’t understand what was going on with Lunar. “Lunar? Are you okay?”

Lunars face went dark, his thoughts were now louder within his head, Kill her! “Why would there be anything wrong with me? Besides,” He chuckled more as his hair dyed to the night sky and his eyes now the icy depths that his heart had sunk to. “I’m not the one who continues to deny her own brother.”

Twilight stood, “That isn’t true! You don’t know what is going on in my life!”

Lunar sat up, “Yes I do. You continue to deny him because he was born non-magical. And is it not in Unicorn tradition to shun all who are born from Pure-Unicorn families that are born non-magical?” He smiled devilishly as he pulled the covers off, “Oh? Did I hit a nerve?” He stood and grabbed Twilight’s arms.

Twilight tried to pull him off of her, even using her magic to try and pry him off, but to no avail. “Lunar! Let me go!”

He smiled even wider as he pushed her against the wall, pinning her arms above her head. “Lunar is not here.” He licked her cheek, “I am Dark Night. And you my dear, are very delicious.” He bit her neck, making Twilight cry out.

“N-No! Let me go!”

Dark Night laughed, “No one is here to save you!” He bit onto her neck and sucked hard, “You are going to submit to me.” Twilight felt the tears came to her eyes as his bites got harder upon her neck. “No wonder the fool likes you. You, my dear, taste delicious. Hell, I’ll sample your taste before I kill you.” Twilight shook her head.

“Please… Let me go…”

“No.” He was about to assault her skin again, when his body tensed. Lunar was trying to break free of Dark Night’s hold. He let Twilight go, letting her fall to the ground with her quickly forming bruises. His hair and eyes quickly flashed from dark to light, changing to his voice, then to the deeper darker voice of Dark Night. “No! Go away! NO! I’m gonna ruin her! I’m going to ruin both of you!! NO!!” He threw himself against the wall and used his magic. “Liberum transmutant!”

The stones on the wall fused together and clamped themselves over his hands, he turned his head towards Twilight, his face and everything about him was a mixture of Lunar and Dark Night. “GET OUT!!”

Twilight stayed there, frozen in fear at the monster Lunar had become. He growled and screamed at the top of his lungs into her face, “GET OUT!!!” This time, Twilight ran from the room. She ran from everything.

She ran from the monster he was.

She choked up on the tears that came to her eyes once again. She clenched her hands as she sank into a chair, thinking about that night again for the umpteenth time. She was more than scared of Lunar now. She was completely terrified of him, especially what he had become.

She let out a sob as she thought of those icy cold eyes and uncaring smirk. Her body let out a shudder as she remembered how he pinned her against the wall, and how he had assaulted her neck. She pulled the turtle neck sweater she was wearing over the bruises he had given her.

As she let out the sobs once again, from the entrance of the library, to her back, was Lunar. He watched as the female he held in the highest regard break down after experiencing the horrors that manifested themselves inside him. He almost broke down and cried with her, but he didn’t. He just silently stepped backwards and made his way to the astronomy tower.

He knew when he was not wanted.

He entered the stairway inside the astronomy tower and locked the door behind him. He leaned against the door, his wings drooping to the floor in his anguish. “How could I have let something like that happen to her?”

East Sitting room…

Pinkie Pie was lying on her back, reading her latest message from Braeburn. He had told her he was due to come back to Canterlot for another delivery of apples to a large catering company near the palace. Pinkie grinned, and wrote, “O! Thts so gr8! Ill be abl 2 C u again! :D” She giggled to herself as the message went through.

Gummy as sitting by her, staring at Spike who was reading on the floor. Gummy scooted towards him and started to read over his shoulder. Spike growled and scooted away from her, “Jeez Gummy! Do you have to be around me all the time?” Gummy just smiled and scooted closer to him.

This went on with Spike scooting away and Gummy scooting closer, on and on around the low table in the middle of the room. Spike eventually gave up and just let Gummy, who was now leaning on him, read with him by the fire. Pinkie smiled as she watched them, not really feeling up to being enthusiastic about the fact they like each other.

In fact, she hasn’t been herself for a while.

She doesn’t do anything anymore. She actually walks everywhere and doesn’t bounce anymore. At first she was scared that something was going on, but then Braeburn would usually talk to her through the messenger and she would forget about everything else.

What is wrong with her?

The paper in her hands buzzed, and she checked the message in that had shown, “great! Itll B gr8 2 C u again! I wanna tell U sumting.” Pinkie wrote back, asking what he wanted to tell her, but he sent a message back that told her he had to tell her face to face.

“Its been rough l8ly pinki. I wanna C u agan somuch. :)” Pinkie Pie smiled and blushed deeply. Over the time she had been spending with Braeburn, regardless that it was through an instant messenger, she had developed a huge crush for him. If you got him started on something, it was very hard for him to stop talking, like her. Or if you talked about fun things or something he likes, he just goes on and on, like her. He was bright and cheery, and always working hard. Pinkie giggled as she thought about whatever Braeburn wanted to talk to her about.

Maybe he’ll tell me he likes me as much as I like him! Pinkie thought excitedly. She must have been rolling around on the couch because now she was face down on the floor with the low table pushed back. Spike laughed, “what’s with you Pinkie?”

Pinkie just giggled as she pulled herself back up. “Oh, it’s nothing.” She replied with her usual happy and cheery voice.

That was one thing that hadn’t changed about her.

The next morning…

Big Mac was loading his, Apple Jacks, Apple Blooms and Rarity’s bags onto the pull wagon. He was much stronger than the girls, so he would be pulling the wagon to Ponyville. Princess Celestia was actually quite happy to see that Big Mac wanted to visit home. She told him that it would do wonders for everyone going to get a morale boost like that. All she asked for in return was to come back to the palace after a couple of days.

He smiled to himself, he was overjoyed to hear that instead of one day, they would get to go to the farm for a few days instead!

At first, Apple Bloom didn’t understand why Rarity was going with them, but she soon heard from her siblings that Rarity was like a part of the family to them.

“Well shoot, Rarity here visits every weekend, e’er since we was in kindergarten!” Apple Jack smiled as she leaned back into the bags on the wagon, “y’all had ne’er seen Rarity there cause you are with your friends e’ery weekend.”

Apple Bloom nodded in understanding. “Wow! I had no idea! Wait…” her face suddenly brightened up, “…then that means she knew ma and pa!”

Big Mac, Apple Jack and Rarity all froze. All three’s minds went to the fateful night that the Apple Family parents and Rarity’s father had been taken in one single night. Their minds were brought back to reality when they all heard the voice of the last of the passengers coming towards them.

“Big Mac! Y’all are not gonna be pullin’ that all by yerself are ya?” Beau had thrown his bag onto Apple Jack who huffed angrily.

“Hey! What am I? A target!?” AJ socked Beau over the head, making him wince.

“Hey! Ah could just not pull the wagon!” AJ just threw his bag with the others.

“Ah, shut up Beau!” The bickering continued between Beau and Apple Jack, and all the while, Rarity was just watching and giggling to herself. It was hard to believe, if you just ignored Beau’s unicorn horn, that he wasn’t part of the apple family. “You know what!? How about we just go already!?”

Big Mac nodded and so did Beau. They both grabbed onto the wagon and lifted it from the ground. They then started to pull towards their destination, to Sweet Apple Acres!

A few hours later…

Beau and Big Mac both dropped the wagon to the ground and both fell face first into the ground, both drenched in sweat from the long trek. Rarity had leaned over the edge of the wagon to peer at them, “oh dear! Are you two alright?”

Big Mac picked himself off of the ground, “ah, don’t you worry none. Ah’m okay.”

Apple Jack huffed, “and Beau?”

Beau just waved an arm. “He’s alright.”

Big Mac stood and started to help the girls off of the wagon, lifting Apple Bloom from the wagon to the ground and Apple Jack just jumping off. Big Mac held out a hand for Rarity to take, which she did as she tried to climb out of the wagon. She made a misstep and almost fell onto her back, but luckily, Big Mac had been quick enough and easily caught her.

Despite him being drenched in sweat and covered with dirt, Rarity didn’t mind being held in his strong arms. He was able to carry her whole weight without even complaining or even showing any discomfort. Their eyes met for a moment before he quickly set her on the ground. They both chuckled as they parted. With Rarity rushing into the house and Big Mac helping Beau with the bags.

With the bags inside, Apple Jack cried out into the large wooden house, “Granny Smith! We’re home!”

From the kitchen an old woman with wrinkled skin, red eyes, and white hair into a messy bun emerged from the kitchen. She wore a cotton dress with orange plaid design and white apron with a pie cutie mark on her left flank. She smiled as she removed the cooking pot from her head. “Oh! You’re home!” She quickly scurried to the Apple children and hugged them tightly.

Rarity just stood by smiling, watching the display. She remembered that Granny Smith loved to give hugs if you didn’t see her every other day. Just like how she was hugged to death every weekend.

Granny Smith let them go and turned to each one, “Big Mac, have you been good to yer sisters and brother?” He nodded. She turned to Beau, “Beau, have you been causing trouble?” He was about to shake his head in a ‘no’, but she gave him the stare. The stare where she’d lean in and stick an eye out, almost to the point where you had to lean back so it wouldn’t touch you. He just nodded sheepishly as Granny Smith reverted back. She smacked him over the head, “dummy!” She turned to Apple Jack, “have you been good to yer friends?” Apple Jack nodded, “and yer family?”

She didn’t know how Granny knew about her getting mad at Big Mac lately, but she didn’t question it. She shook her head, and granny smacked her over the head. “dummy!” And finally she turned to Apple Bloom, “have you been a good little filly fer yer older siblin’s?” Apple Bloom nodded and received a pat on the head from Granny. Granny then saw that Rarity was with them, “Oh hello Rarity!” She scurried to Rarity and hugged her tightly, even lifting her off the ground for a few seconds.

“Oh! Hello Granny Smith! L-long time no see!” Granny let her go, “I came to visit the farm with everypony else.”

Granny just smiled, “well, no harm in that now is there?” She grabbed her hand and led her to the kitchen, “now, ah want you to help me with dinner. Apple Jack! Big Mac! You must’ve brought bags, so go and put them away! Beau, ah need some of the cider from the basement! Apple Bloom, help whoever pony you like!” Apple Jack tried to get Granny to reconsider letting Rarity cook, but then she remembered that Rarity would have to unpack with Big Mac. She pushed the thought away as she and Big Mac dragged the bags to the second floor where most of the rooms were.

Granny had waited till everyone was out of earshot, then said to Rarity, “how have yeh been Rarity?”

“oh, just fine, thank you.”

Granny Smith replaced the cooking pan onto her head, “now, ah need to make dinner! Rarity, while we talk ah need you to man the stove! NOW PRIVATE!!” Rarity screamed as she rushed to the stove, and catching whatever Granny Smith threw at her into a pan. “Turn the stove on into high!”

“Yes!” Rarity turned the stove onto high and did as she was told.

“Put the carrots into the soup!”

“Okay!”

“Let it boil! BOIL AH SAY!!”

“AAAAAHHHH!! SLOW DOWN!”

“Do you like Maccy boy!?”

“YES!” Rarity shouted out as she processed what she just said. “Wait, what?” She blushed as she realized that Granny Smith had gotten her to admit her feelings. “You didn’t really want me to help with dinner did you?”

Granny Smith just smiled as she checked off a line on a list. “Well, when I know something is going on, ah like tah do a little quick time interrogation.” She sniggered, “then ah can get mah answers when y’all can’t think straight! Ah do it all the time with the kids.”

Rarity smiled along with Granny Smith, she may look crazy and act crazy, but she was far from crazy. “Maccy boy?”

“Oh, Maccy boy an’ me go way back. Since he was the first to be born, ah have the most memories with him.” Granny Smith smiled as her eyes glazed over, with the memories of the past flooding in. “Oh, I remember when my boy, Alexander first married Valencia. Oh dear, oh my, ah had ne’er seen such a beautiful mare. And shoot, she wasn’t just beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside.” She took a deep breath, “don’t let that burn now.”

Rarity lowered the heat and went back to listening to Granny Smith.

“Well, when ah first heard that ah was gonna have a grandson…” She chuckled, “oh my, ah was so happy. Ah had always wanted my first grandfoal to be a colt, just so ah could make sure the farm stayed in the apple name.” She nodded to herself, “you know, Maccy boy prolly don’t remember, but when he was born, he was a feisty little foal.” She chuckled as she thought about Big Mac. “Oh, ah remember he just wouldn’t like staying asleep at night at all. Shoot, he just liked playing and playing till he just flopped down and fell asleep.”

“Alexander just didn’t know what to do with Maccy boy, he tried everythin’ just to get him to stay asleep. And with everyday, he would just get fussier and fussier and just and all around bad little foal. Then one day, he just up and started sleeping. Like he had always been doing it.” She turned her head towards Rarity, “ah think that boy has some magic in him.”

“Magic? In an Earth Pony?”

Granny Smith nodded and started to scoop the chopped vegetables into the pot of boiling soup. “Yes, I believe so.”

“But I thought the apple family was an all Earth Pony family? Where would Big Mac get magic from?”

“Well, Maccy boy’s grandpa actually had a long time ancestor that was a unicorn. He told me, he was sure the magic in his blood must have run out by now, but… But I believe it came back with Maccy boy.”

Rarity didn’t know what to say at this point.

“And like you know, an Earth Pony with magic in them, can be quite fatal.” Rarity clasped her hands over her mouth, “but I think Maccy boy has made a way to use that magic in his own way. He may not know it, but I believe he uses that magic for his strength. So I don’t think he’s in danger.” She opened up the oven and pulled out a loaf of bread, “Now Beau, is another story. You know he was adopted into the family, but he was born as a unicorn with no way to call upon his magic.”

“Yes, I had seen him try to do magic, but nothing ever came out.”

“well, you should know, but magic kindergarten was too expensive for us, so Beau never had the chance to learn how to call upon his magic.” She sighed, “I worry for that boy. I wonder what could happen if he never does let his magic out?”

“He’ll die.” Granny Smith flinched at the blunt way Rarity had put it. “Well, that can happen if he doesn’t ever learn. I tried, and so did Twilight, to get him to call on his magic, but it won’t come out.”

“I know sugar cube. I know.” She turned the heat off of the stove and put the soup to the side. “Now, sugar cube, I need to know this.”

Rarity made a sound of acknowledgement.

“Do you love Maccy boy?”

Rarity blushed deeply, “well… I… I think I can come to love him…”

“that’s not good enough. Don’t think, know. Now, do you?”

Rarity shifted in her shoes, “I…” She took a deep breath, “I can come to love him. In due time.”

Granny smiled at Rarity and cupped her cheeks, “you are a very sweet girl. So generous and kind, and you may not ever see it, but pretty darn smart. I know you’ll be a perfect girl for Maccy boy.” Rarity just blushed more, “and by the way sugar cube? I still need to talk to you later. Can you come to the back porch in the evening?”

Rarity just nodded as Granny Smith let go of her face. “About what exactly?”

“I just have some things I need to get off my shoulders.” She smiled as the apple children all came into the kitchen, smelling the soup, salad and bread.
DONE!
Chapter is now 20% longer. *me gusta*
Anyway, I know you guys might be confused, but hell, I have to say, just don’t overlook anything. Everything has a purpose, however tiny. So, yeah. READ, RATE, SUBSCRIBE AND FAVORITE! REVIEW!! I REALLY WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU GUYS THINK OF THE STORY!!! OKIES BYYYYYYYYYE!!