During the years that she had been living in Canterlot City, Venture Vine had run into a good number of challengers, each of them formidable in their own way. Some of them were just form the three Pony Tribes, others from the Equestrian Clans that were said to protect Equestria form major threats, with all of them being quite the brawlers. While most were on more cordial terms, there were a few were more hostile than others, mainly because of Venture’s heritage. It didn’t really bother the mare though, and the one silver lining she got from those confrontations was plenty of fighting experience. Each scar she gained was a symbol of it, along with her toughness, thus showing all around her that she was not a mare to be messed with. That became even more apparent when she adopted Zephyr, giving her all the more reason not to let anypony mess with her, let alone her son. Since then, there hasn’t been anypony that has tried to fight her, and any that did, would find themselves with fur as black as charcoal.

Now though, it looked like Venture Vine had finally found her supposed match.

The loud insane giggling of Garnet Blaze could be heard in Venture Vine’s ears as the palomino Earth Pony swung her viciously with her scythe. The blade came centimeters away from cutting into Venture’s skin and her scarlet mane, but her reflexes allowed her to evade it despite her large frame. Grunting, she spun around and let Garnet’s bladed weapon clash with her own bladed tail, generating sparks that lit up the air. After being pushed back by Garnet, Venture Vine flared her wings and flew back, taking in a deep inhale.

“Fire Dragon: Roar!” She roared, shooting a blast of scarlet flames at the Earth Pony, who merely smirked as she landed on the ground. Holding her scythe out in front of her, she began to spin it at a rapid pace, causing the fire to shoot into all directions. As Venture continued to fire her stream of flames at her enemy, Celestia suddenly appeared from up above the Kirin, her horn blazing with energy.

“Solar Sun Beam!” She shouted loudly, her regal sword horn pointing down at Garnet Blaze while she was distracted. Garnet’s fox-like ears managed to pick up the roaring power of the Solar Queen’s smell, and she looked up to see the incoming beam. Just a split second after, a large flash of read appeared form up above the mare, blocking Celestia’s attack as Venture’s own ended.

“Heehee, almost had me there!” The Nightmare Earth Pony giggled as her azure eyes shined with excitement. She raised her scythe up and swung it in the air with such a force that a large silvery slash bust out from it. “But you didn’t get me quite yet!”

Celestia’s eyes widened, and her giant wings flapped hard to get her out of the range of Garnet Blaze’s attack, and just in the nick of time. She looked down and saw to her terror, Garnet swinging her scythe several more times, causing the same amount of slashes to appear and head towards the larger mare. The swan white Alicorn flew across the air to avoid the giant slashes cutting into her, unaware of the real purpose of that attack. Celestia then felt something hot wrap around her hindlegs and bring her down towards her, causing her to lose her magical grip on her spear. She screamed out as she was slammed into the ground, an enormous crater being left in her wake as a gigantic cloud of smoke burst from the impact.

“Your Majesty!” Venture shouted, flying over to the downed swan white Alicorn. Her reptilian eyes widened upon see her leader all but buried into the ground below her. “Are you alright?! Say something!”

“I think you should be worrying more about yourself Venture!” A dark and bubbly voice said from behind her. “Fire Fox Style: Flaming Tail Whips!”

Venture Vine spun back around to Garnet Blaze’s voice, only to see streaks of blood red magic sailing straight towards her like a flock of arrows. Putting her focus on her own safety for the time being, Venture shot a blast of fire at the tendrils of magic in an effort to burn them to crisps. To her shock, the tendrils shot through the flames and wrapped around her, with some impaling her at the same time. Globs of blood burst from Venture’s fanged mouth before she was yanked forward, heading straight towards a grinning Garnet Blaze. Her scythe was pulled back in preparation for a swing, a swing that she soon delivered upon Venture, creating a deep slash across the larger mare’s chest.

An agonized roar of pain exploded out of Venture’s mouth like a bomb on a field as blood sprayed out of her wound like a garden hose. She fought valiantly against the tendrils of burning magic holding her limbs, but was kept in place as Garnet delivered another slash, before turning around and delivering a powerful kick to Venture. The grass green mare was sent flying from the Dark Army Leader, tumbling just a few feet away from the crater Celestia was still emerged in.

“Uh-oh, it looks like I may have gotten a little too carried away there.” Garnet Blaze murmured to herself, putting a hoof to her muzzle. “Are you okay there Ms. Venture?”

Venture, whether from the pain in her legs or because she didn’t want to, chose not to respond to the Nightmare Earth Pony’s question. She groaned as she pulled herself form the ground, hissing as the burn marks on her body painfully flared in response. ‘Faustdammit, that mare’s power is something else!’ She thought, staring at the deep red cloak of magic surrounding the smaller mare, looking to be in the shape of a fox. Garnet Blaze’s tail was also split into two parts at the end, while a part of fox-like ears covered her own. ‘It must be because of that cloak of magic that she has protecting her. It would explain why my last attack didn’t work on her…it must be able to keep her safe from certain affinities, like m fire. Just my like to have to face a Bijuu of all ponies...’

“Oh yay, it looks like you’re able to get back up after all!” Garnet squealed, grinning widely as clutched her scythe tightly. “And it looks like you were able to figure out the secret to my little cloak of protection. Sorry to say, but your fire, however hot and scorch that it is, won’t really have much of an effect on me! You’ll have to try something bigger than that!”

Venture’s ears pinned back, and she bared her teeth at the other mare, but before she could make some sort of comeback, there was an explosion. An explosion that came from the crater Celestia was driven in, with the swan white Alicorn slowly emerging out of it. Her eyes were blazing a bright purple lavender and her majestic wings were flared to their fullest span; her mane and tail skirt billowing wildly behind her.

“Luckily for her, she is not alone!” Celestia declared, pointing her large spear at the cloaked Nightmare Earth pony. “Venture Vine Dragon Shenron is not the only here who can use the affinity of fire! There are many others here who can use the flames of the earth, including your truly, the Queen of the Sun herself!”

Pointing her spear forward, Celestia shot a blast of golden magic at Garnet Blaze, who pursed her lips and jumped back, ducking her head under the stream of magic. She watched as it soared through the Solar Lunar, and Dark Royal Guards, knocking some of them out of the while others were incinerated by the power. Thankfully, neither the guards from the Solar and Lunar Division seemed to be hurt or even death, though the same thing couldn’t be said for some of the Dark Army. Despite this, it did nothing to wipe away the grin of amazed excitement on Garnet’s face as she looked back at the Solar Queen.

“Wow, that was one hay of a beam of heat that you shot there from your spear Queen Celestia!” Garnet commented, giggling merrily as she swung her scythe around. “You’re just as strong as you were over a thousand years ago! I can see that you haven’t changed a single bit…aside from being the slightest bit rusty.”

“Well, what were you expecting?” Venture Vine asked, finally finding the strength to get back on her claws again. “That Queen Celestia was going to stay the same efficient fighter that she was when she was in her prime? Everyone regardless of status or experience, gets rusty somewhere if they’re out of it long enough.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty common.” Garnet Blaze replied. “Still, that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to knock you both out to the curb! Fire Fox Style: Spiraling Blaze!”

Faster than anypony could blink, Garnet Blaze shot out a blast of orange fire where Celestia and Venture Vine was. The former, sensing the attack was going after the latter, rushed into help, but Venture was one step ahead of the Alicorn.

“Hold on Celestia, I got this!” The grass green mare said, letting the fire spiral towards her. When it was within range, she opened her mouth and inhaled, consuming the fire just as it was about to hit her. Celestia watched with wide eyes as the Kirin at the stream of flames, her eyes and body giving a faint golden glow as she did so. When the last of the fire was eaten, Venture breathed hard through her nostrils, streams of flickering orange flying out.

“Oh wow, now that was a hefty meal you gave me there Garnet!” Venture commented, flashing a toothy grin over to the smaller mare. “That has to be some of the hottest fire that I’ve ever tasted in my life!”

“Well of course they are silly! They are made from the Orange Fox, the former leader of the Lunar Army after all!” Garnet giggled, her magic tails swaying about behind her. “What else would you expect from a mare like me? Especially considering that I’m from a family of giant tailed beasts?”

“It’d expect no less from a clan like that. I mean, I am one that likes things that involve nature, and so does a certain momma’s boy.” Venture murmured, holding back a chuckle as Zephyr entered her mind. “Anyway, I hope you’re ready, because I’m about to cook you like a smoked fish!”

Garnet’s eyes bulged. “You’re gonna do what to me?!”

“Fire Dragon: Flame Lotus Iron Fists!” Venture Vine shouted, flying up to Garnet Blaze and unleashing a series of fiery punches on the smaller mare. The Nightmare Earth Pony used her magical fox cloak to protect her from the flames, all while taking the blunt force of Venture’s punches. This left her unable to see the incoming tail blade coming at her, and she felt her stomach being sliced open before pain washed over it. A scream left the foxy mare’s mouth, allowing one of Venture’s punches to colliding with her face, sending her flying back and crashing through the two fighting armies.

“I can see you weren’t expecting me to do that were you?” Venture Vine asked, hovering in the air as flames coated her claws. “Always be on the lookout for any surprise attacks that your enemy may have in store for you. Otherwise you’ll be in for quite the rude awakening.”

A low giggle could be heard from inside the slowly clearing smoke as Garnet Blaze supported herself on her haunches. One cloaked hoof was pressed against her bleeding stomach, while the other was a good deal into the ground. “Funny you should say that Venture Vine…” She said, looking up at the other mare with a somewhat dark smirk. “…Because I was about to tell you the exact same thing!”

A perplexed frown came to the draconic mare’s face. “Oh yeah? And just what kind of sneak attack do you have planned for me, my dear little cunning fox?”

“Where you least expect.” Garnet replied, her eyes blazing. “Under your tail!”

“Wait, wha-?!” The feeling of something latching around her entire body cut Venture Vine off as she was shot right into the air. The feeling of burning heat washing around her entire body made her let out a loud scream of agony as it clenched her tightly. Add insult to injury, a sharp stabbing pain made its way to her back, feeling like it was going to pierce right into her draconic skin.

“Venture Vine!” Celestia shouted, spreading giant her wings and shooting of towards her fellow flyer. It was even five seconds that she was airborne that she was grabbed by her midsection by something that flared just as hit, but this time Celestia was quick to fight it. She managed to get a few blasts of magic in before two more tails of that same magic wrapped around her.

“Sorry, Celestia, but you’re going to have to try better than that!” Garnet Blaze laughed, watching the swan white Alicorn struggle as Venture was slammed into the ground. “Come on! Stop holding back on me and show me why you’re called the Solar Queen!”

Celestia growled, flapping her wings and firing off her horn in an effort to get out of Garnet Blaze’s magical fox tails. Glaring down at the Nightmare Earth Pony, she shouted, “You know, I didn’t gain that title by letting my enemies get the drop on me without me putting up a fight! If you want me to show you my true power like I did a thousand years ago, then so be it! Solar Flare!”

Closing her eyes, a bright flash of golden light erupted from Celestia’s entire body, washing over the area of the battlefield and covering all in its blinding power. Those closes to it immediately found themselves unable to see, Garnet Blaze included, who shielded her blue yes with her bloodied foreleg. Thankfully, the light only lasted for a few moments, but that was all the time Celestia needed to get free and to be able to launch a counterattack.

“Solar Beam of the Sun!” She shouted, pointing her horn down and unleashing a blast of golden fire down at Garnet Blaze. The Nightmare Earth Pony was just getting her sight back when she saw the attack coming for her, and screamed as she was enveloped in the magic, before an explosion rang out.

“Nice try Garnet, but you should know better than to try to pull a trick like that on me. After all, we did have that unfortunate duel the night my sister turned against me.” Celestia murmured, diving down to where she had last scene Venture Vine. As she landed, she spotted the grass green mare side of a huge crater, steam rising out from the destroyed earth, along with the Kirin herself.

“Aaaah, sweet Shenron almighty!” Venture growled as she rolled over onto her back. “That mare has such powerful magic! I mean, I get that she’s from the Bijuu clans, but come on!”

“Well, that’s what you should expect from the legendary millennia old Orange Fox of the Lunar Division. I can see why my sister decided to add her as part of her army…even if it’s on a darker side now.” Celestia said, helping the smaller mare up. “Can you stand up?”

“Of course, I can stand…” Venture Vine replied snidely, snorting as she shook her mane. “What do I look like? A five-year-old who got up because she got a scrape on her knee?”

“No, but you did take the full force of being slammed int the ground like a meteor shooting down form the essence of outer space.” Celestia replied dryly. “If you weren’t a normal mare, it’d say that fall would’ve most surely killed you.”

“Well, thank Faust for ponies being able to use draconic powers huh?” Venture asked, raising a brow at Celestia before turning back to Garnet Blaze. “This is turning out be a lot tougher than I thought. That mare is throwing us around like ragdolls, and I don’t think she’s even using her full power on us!”

“That’s what I’ve been thinking this whole time too.” Celestia replied, picking up her spear with her magic. “Garnet Blaze has always been one to hold back a bit, just so she can get an estimate on how just how powerful her enemies are. She does love to build up the thrill of the battle before she really let’s lose on her enemies, which, I’m afraid, will be a bit of a disadvantage for us.”

“So, what you’re saying is, that if we keep going at the rate that we’re going, we’re going to end up as fox chow for this mare?” Venture asked, glancing over at Celestia.

“Precisely.” Celestia nodded, her lavender eyes giving a faint glow as Garnet Blaze emerged from her crater. “Which means, we’re going to have to stop pulling our punches from here on out.”

Venture flicked her bladed tail, a soft growl leaving her. “Well then, in that case, I had better go into my Ascension Mode if we’re gonna make this mare not hold back anymore. I just hope that I don’t blow everypony here by my flames.”

“I think the only ponies who needs to worry about that is the Dark Army.” Celestia said somewhat smugly. “Then again, both the Solar and Lunar Division may be more than a little…singed, afterward.”

“Well, that’s just what they’re gonna have to deal with.” Venture shrugged, a fiery red aura surrounding her body. “I am a Kirin after all.”

“Well, it looks like you guys are about to finally take off the kiddy gloves huh?” Garnet Blaze commented, her cloak of reddish orange magic swishing and swirling around her. She clutched her scythe in her right hoof, the gem in the blade giving a faint glow. “I was wondering when you were finally gonna reach that point. It was getting just a teeny tiny bit boring to thrash you all around like that.”

“Oh, trust me honey, we were both thinking the same thing.” Venture murmured, slamming her tail skirt into the ground. “Speaking of which, I think it’s about time for you to stop playing with us as if we were rabbits and show us the true fox within you. Nopony else is holding back, so I suggest you do the same, with you being the leader and all.”

“I thought you’d never ask!” Garnet Blaze chirped as her power began to grow. Another magic tail sprouted out from behind the Nightmare Earth Pony, making her actual tail follow suit. “I hope you’re ready Venture, because I’m going to show you why I’m not only known as the Orange Fox of the Solar Division, but also the Nine-Tailed Kitsune of the Undiscovered West!”

Just as those words left her mouth, Garnet, Celestia, and Venture Vine all froze upon seeing a large swirl of turquoise blue magic appear above them. Celestia froze upon seeing the magic knowing who it was from due to the color of the magic itself. ‘Oh no…’

“Celestia?” Venture Vine asked, watching as the swan white Alicorn pointed her spear forward.

“Stay close to me Venture Vine!” Celestia commanded, her eyes narrowed, and her wings flared wide. “I’ve seen that magic before! I know that it only spells trouble!”

“W-why?!” Venture asked, now on high alert. “What’s about to-?!”

A sharp electric burst cut the grass green mare from what else she was going to say as more than several figures well from the sky. Most of them screamed as they fell from the sky and crashed right in front of Celestia, Venture, and Garnet. Before the smoke even cleared, Venture was already hit with familiar scent, one that made her freeze in her tracks.

‘Wait…this scent!’ She thought, her golden eyes widening as the smoke cleared. ‘Is that-?!’

“Owwwwwwww, I think I fell on my tailbone.” Zephyr groaned as he pulled himself from off of the ground. “Is everypony else okay? What about you Sky Ranger?”

“I’m alright Zephyr, thank you.” Sky replied, rubbing his head with one of his talons. “Though I’m more concerned about you and the Shadowbolts.”

“If you count landing headfirst on the dirt ground fine, then yes.” Fast Tracks hissed, flicking his tail skirt. “Why that damn Nightmare bitch! I am so going to drain her dry of her magic when I get my hooves on her! I’m gonna have a migraine for a week!”

“I think that Goku will have that covered for you Fast.” Lighting Shadow murmured, rubbing at one of her wings. “I fact, I think she’ll even double the draining since Nightmare Moon may have done the same to her own friends.”

“More than likely.” Storm Shadow nodded, helping Violet Fire up. “The question is, where are we?”

“Um, Sky Ranger, everypony…” Violet Fire said, gesturing them all to look at her. “You may wanna take a look behind you.”

The azure blue hippogriff and four other Shadowbolts turned to where the ebony mare was looking and went wide-eyed at what they saw. All around them, they could see three different armies either fighting each other or working together to overwhelm the other side. From Pegasi ascending and descending from the sky and unleashing endless lighting, wind and fire from the air they flew in. To Unicorns firing off multiple different types of magic, and Earth Ponies creating domes and striking with vines from the very ground they galloped upon. Even the Thestrals looked like they were playing an especial part in the fight, looking like they were the at the best advantage in the fight. The fighting the seven individuals were seeing was one that could easily be mistaken as a war, and it was at that moment that that was exactly what was happening right now.

A war between day and night.

“My word…this is quite the massacre.” Sky Ranger murmured quietly, his feathered ponyish ears pinning back. “It looks like Nightmare Moon was long prepared for our incoming arrival.”

“Uh-huh…” Lightning Shadow murmured, flicking her tail. “I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting Nightmare Moon’s army to get this large. How did she even managed to get this many ponies to fight for her? I mean, it hasn’t even been a full day after she arrived!”

At those words, Celestia chose that time to step in. “I think I can explain that my little ponies.”

All six ponies and the one hippogriff jumped at the voice, before they turned around and stared into the eyes of a bemused Celestia and a shocked Venture Vine. When Zephyr locked eyes with the grass green mare, his eyes went even wider and he gasped, “Mom?!”

“Zephyr…” Venture Vine murmured back softly, looking far less shocked to see her adopted son here. “I…didn’t expect to see you here sweetie.”

“Me?! The last thing that I expected was to see you here in the Everfree Forest!” Zephyr exclaimed, resisting the urge to run over and hug the mare. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but, what’re you even doing her anyway?!”

“She’s here with me on Royal Assistance to help my protégé and her friends in their battle with Nightmare Moon.” Celestia replied, gesturing to the mare with her spear. “I had believed that her strength would become an essential part of our own army. Although, even I could not have anticipated something like this.” Her ears went back as she thought back to what Garnet had told them twenty minutes ago. ‘Nor was I prepared for how it was going to follow suit.’

“I see…well, it’s nice to see more familiar faces here on the battlefield.” Violet Fire giggled, smiling sweetly at the Kirin mare. “It’s nice to see you again Ms. Venture Vine!”

Venture grinned back. “It’s good to see you too honey; and how many times do I have to tell you? You can just call me Venture; you don’t always need to add the Miss in it all the time.”

“VV, you do realize who you’re saying this to, right?” Fast Tracks asked, raising a brow. “This is a Kindheart Rosario; they are known for always being polite like that. It is so painful that it is not even funny.”

Blue Skies giggled. “He got you there, Venture.”

“Yes, I know, but still…” Venture snorted, with a roll of her eyes. She was about to say something else, before she noticed the large bit mark on the right side of Zephyr’s neck. “Zephyr! Where in the world did you get that mark?!”

Zephyr’s ears pinned back. “A Doragontora attacked me and the girls back in the forest.” He replied getting straight to the point. “After we had escaped the talons of a Shinomōkin, we had a little campout at one of the clearings we found. While we were recuperating, a Doragontora found us and decided that we’d be the perfect prey to ambush. To explain to wound, I got it by pushing one of the girls out of the way just before the Doragontora could rip her throat out.” A frown came to his face as he reluctantly. “Though…that was after I was electrocuted by the Shinomōkin and knocked unconscious.”

“You got electrocuted?!” Venture Vine cried, her eyes widening in horror. “How did you even manage to survive that?!”

“I’m not sure…though my guess is that since there were so many of us it was chasing, it could focus all of its power on just one target.” Zephyr replied. “So, it decided to improvise and spread its power to all of us, one of them being one of Goku’s other friends, who I took the brunt force of the attack for.”

“I get the feeling that wasn’t the only time you had to try to jump in at the last moment.” Storm Shadow said, staring at Zephyr with knowing expression. When the royal blue stallion didn’t reply, the dark grey mare hung her head and shook it. “My goodness, you just cannot catch a break, can you Zephyr?”

“Nope he most certainly cannot.” Lightning Shadow replied, staring at Zephyr sympathetically. “You are a real glutton for punishment, aren’t you?”

Zephyr sighed. “You have no idea.” He said, before looking back over at Celestia and Venture. “Anyway, we can save the little reunion hugs for later Mom. Right now, we have a darker matter that we all need to attend to.”

“Yeah, before we do that honey.” Venture Vine said, staring at Sky Ranger. “Would you mind tell who in the name of the Almighty Shenron that is?”

“Oh, pardon me, I didn’t introduce myself.” Sky Ranger replied sheepishly. “My name is Sky Ranger Kaminarinoraion Shizensoshiryu. The one and only Legendary Ranger of the Sky of the Everfree Forest; I’m happy to make your acquaintances.”

“Wait, Ranger of the Sky?!” Venture shouted, her eyes bulging. “You’re the Ranger of the Sky that me and my son have heard so much about?!”

“Yeah, I know, I was just as shocked as you were Mom.” Zephyr said dryly. “And if that’s not shocking enough, he’s also a Hippogriff.”

Celestia froze, her eyes widening at those revelations. ‘Sky Ranger? H-Hippogriff?’

“Hippogriff?!” Venture Vine all but screamed. “You mean those creatures that live in the Andes Kingdom that’s South of the boarders of Equestria?!”

“The very same one!” Blue Skies chirped cutely. “I honestly couldn’t believe it myself, but after Sky Ranger explained everything on the ship, it all came together! It was a really interesting and exciting encounter for me and the rest of the team! Definitely one that we’ll be telling everypony back in HQ!”

“Wait a moment, a ship?” Celestia asked, shaking her previous thoughts out. “How did you all manage to get a ship in the Everfree Forest?”

As that question was asked, Violet Fire’s ears pricked and she turned back around, her golden eyes widening as a gasp escaped her. “Um, your Majesty…I think we may need to put that explanation on hold for now. We have somepony who looks, well…like she’s going to burst.”

Celestia’s went wide with horrified realization, and she flared her wings, jumping in front of the group with her spear ignited. It came just in time as well, for Garnet, who had taken advantage of the distraction, had shot a stream of fire from her mouth that was headed right at them. It clashed with Celestia’s spear, which she was spinning around to disperse the flames, before adding a magical bolt to the mix. After a few moments of a power struggle, there was an explosion, before the smoke was soon dispersed by Celestia’s wings.

“Shit, I was so close to taking you all by surprise!” Garnet Blaze cursed as she stomped her hoof down. “I guess I did get a bit carried away for a minute there.”

“In case you didn’t hear me before, I said that I would not allow myself to be taken by surprise without fierce retaliation.” Celestia stated firmly, lashing her tail skirt out. “You were foolish if you think that the added reinforcements would get me to drop my guard so easily.”

Garnet threw her head back and laughed mirthfully, an edge of darkness added to it. “Oh Celly, that laugh was so bad it was actually funny! You don’t need to hide what you were really doing from me! I know you were conversing with those ponies and that Hippogriff over there! You cannot say anything without these ears of mine not hearing it, hmhmhm!”

“Oh, and you’re saying that you’d be able to take advantage of our arrival and use it as a way to deliver a sneak attack on the Queen?” Sky Ranger asked with a raised brow. “I hate to say it my dear, but perhaps that move of yours, wasn’t so cunning as you thought it’d be.”

Before Garnet could reply to that comment, a sweeter, gentler, more chipper voice made itself known. “Oh, don’t be silly! Garnet may have lost herself in her excitement, but that didn’t mean that attack wasn’t well thought out. I mean you were this close away from being burned to a crisp.”

Zephyr felt the color in his face drain away when he saw Nyx, slowly hovering down in the air, landing on the right side of Garnet Blaze. Feeling Zephyr’s eyes on her, the sin black Alicorn glanced over at him and smiled warmly. “Hi there Zephyr! I can see you’re still up and kicking after that nasty fall you had~.”

“Oh no…” Zephyr groaned, shivering at the half-lidded look that Nyx was giving him. “Not her…”

“Zephyr…” Venture Vine said, noticing the look on her son’s face. “Do you know that mare?”

“Not at all!” He replied immediately. “And before you ask, yes, she’s apart of Nightmare Moon’s Dark Army! And she has me, and only me, in her sights as one of the ponies she wants to fight!”

“And that’s bad how may I ask?” Venture asked, raising a brow.

Zephyr shot a glare at his mother as he hissed, “Because she’s an also Alicorn too!” To prove his statement, he jabbed a hoof forward, and Venture followed to see a pair of large wings on Nyx’s back. The dark mare grinned as she locked eyes with Garnet Blaze, who gasped in delight before the two mares gave a tackle hug to each other.

“Oh…oh dear…” The grass green Kirin said, her ears going limp. “That is bad…”

“You think?!” Zephyr snarled, lashing his tail out as he looked back at Nyx once more.

“Wow Garnet, I had no idea that you’d be all the way out here!” Nyx giggled, glancing over at the rest of the army. “I knew that the rest of the Dark Army would be here eventually, but the last thing I was expecting was you to be here too!”

“Silly little filly, of course I’d be here!” Garnet Blaze giggled. “Why wouldn’t I be? I am the leader of this Dark Army after all! I think the more appropriate response would be for me to ask you why you’re here!”

“Well, long story short, Momma’s foes had finally arrived, but there turned out to be a bit more than we anticipated.” Nyx replied, blushing slightly as she rubbed the back of her head. “So, she had them, along with me teleported out here. Though, like I said, I didn’t expect the rest of the Dark Army to be here.”

“Oh, I see…that explains why you suddenly popped here out of nowhere.” Garnet murmured, thinking it over for a moment before smiling again. “Oh well, now that you’re here, you may as well join me in this little fight! In fact, you couldn’t have come at a much better time! I was just about to go into my second round with Queen Celestia and her draconic friend, and now that you’re here, things got so much more fun!”

“Really?! Oh Garnet~!” Nyx cooed, a giggle leaving her. “So, does this mean that I can join in the fight too?!”

“What’re you wanting from me, permission?!" Garnet Blaze laughed heartily, slapping Nyx’s back. “You’re Queen Moonie’s sweet little girl! You’re the future heir to this whole nation, so I think it’s only fair that you get to do your part, hmhmhm!”

“Oh great! This is just great!” Fast Tracks groaned, resisting the urge to plant his face into the ground. “Not only do we have to deal with a whole Dark Army that was converged out of who knows where, but we also have to deal with a mare that’s the dark version of an Alicorn! How can this get any worse?!”

“Maybe the fact that the mare that’s supposedly leading this entire army is a member of the Bijuu clan?” Lightning Shadow asked absentmindedly.

The light brown thestral shot a sharp glare at the light grey mare, a tick mark forming on his head. “Not helping Lightning!”

Blue Skies gulped at this revelation. “B…B-B-Bijuu?! Y-you mean the T-Tailed B-Beasts of the Undiscovered West?!”

“Well…this complicates things.” Storm Shadow murmured, taking the revelation far better than Blue was. “We’re really going to be in for the fight if our lives, aren’t we?”

“Due to how much power I’m feeling from this army, I think that was pretty obvious.” Violet Fire replied, flicking her tail as she turned to Celestia. “Your Highness, what’re you orders?”

The swan white Alicorn looked in between Nyx and Garnet Blaze, observing both their strengths simultaneously. “For right now, I want you and the rest of your squad to join in with the Solar and Lunar Division in the fight with the Dark Army. Me, Zephyr, and Venture Vine will stay here and take care of their Garnet Blaze and…Nyx was it?” She looked over at Zephyr, and received a nod from the royal blue stallion. “You five help the two divisions in any way that you can, and we’ll keep these two off of your tails.”

“As you wish.” Violet Fire replied, flaring her wings in preparation for takeoff. She paused as something that Celestia had said caught up to her. “Wait, did you just say-?!”

“We can explain it later honey.” Venture Vine abruptly cut the ebony mare off. “Just go on and let lose your inner beasts on these bastards.”

Violet Fire stared into Venture’s golden eyes for a second longer, before turning to her teammates and nodding. Flaring their own wings, they took off into the air, descending into the battle forces below them.

“I have to be honest, I never thought that I’d have you fighting alongside me.” Zephyr murmured, glancing over at his mother. “At least…not now of all times.”

“Neither did I…and I was certainly not expecting you to be here. Even when Queen Celestia had called my from home for me to join on her trek though the Everfree.” Venture chuckled, smiling fondly at her son. “You don’t hear me complaining though, because there isn’t anypony I’d rather fight alongside other than you.”

“Same here.” Zephyr said softly. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you really in action. I wonder, are you still able to show the inner dragon inside of you?”

“Sweetie, you do realize who you’re talking to right?” Venture Vine asked, a wide fanged smirk coming to her face. “You’re the son of the Venturous Kirin, one that’s known for not only loving the thrill of an adventure but getting herself into all tons of shit!” A giggle left her that contrasted deeply with her large frame. “And now is certainly no exception!”

“As is your character Venture.” Celestia said, her spear pointing in front of her. “And now it looks like you’ll final be able to sate your venturous spirit once more. Only the circumstances seem more darker than they usually are for you.”

“Ah I don’t mind; I do need to get out every now and again to stretch my legs…and wings.” Venture shrugged, flicking her bladed tail. “All I’m seeing right now is a perfect opportunity to do just that.”

“Sure you do.” Zephyr sighed as he shook his head as he locked eyes with Nyx once again. “Just try not to get too carried away okay? The last thing I want is for you to be burned beyond recognition before you’ve even had the change to give me and the girls a reunion hug.”

“Oh, trust me Zephie, I don’t plan on dying anywhere near before I get a chance to do that, and afterward too.” Venture Vine smirked as a fiery red aura surrounded her. “I haven’t seen those little hatchlings in so long, and I wanna see how much they’ve grown. No way I’m dying before that happens!”

“Good.” Zephyr nodded, a red aura of his own surrounding him. “Because I am not dying by the hooves of her!” He added, putting deep emphasis on the last word as he glared at Nyx.

“Awww, what’s the matter Zephyr? Tired of waiting for me to get in the game?” Nyx cooed, smiling sweetly at the Solar Royal Guard. A little giggle escaped her as a shining dark light began to glow off of her. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to wait any longer, because I have something really special planned for you that I know will make this fight worthwhile!”

“Oh, really then?” Zephyr raised a curious brow at the sin black Alicorn. “And just what do you have for me that’ll make this “fun”, for the both of…us?” He trailed off as his eyes widened, watching as the dark light that was surrounding Nyx fully enveloped her.

In just a few moments, the dark light vanished from the bat winged mare, and when it vanished, Zephyr froze when she saw Nyx adorned in what looked to be hellish red armor. The very same armor that Nightmare Moon adorned herself back inside of the castle. For some reason, it made Nyx look even scarier than her ‘mother’, despite Zephyr not knowing they were both currently wearing the same armor at the moment.

“Tada! Say hello to me Requip: Tartarus’s Wheel!” Nyx chirped, giving a flex of her armored wings. “This is a little gift that I got from my Momma long before we even came here! It’s the most amazing magic she has in her arsenal, and I got to inherit it! now, I finally get to use it on somepony who isn’t a part of the Dark Army!”

“R…R-R-Requip Magic?!” Zephyr stammered as Celestia and Venture Vine went wide eyed. “Y-you mean the magic where…?!”

Garnet Blaze nodded, another toothy grin coming to her face. “That’s right! The very same magic that is used to change whatever weapon a pony has into something as lethal as they want! The very same magic Nyx will you to kick your handsome little scaly ass all over this field!”

“It sure is!” Nyx nodded, before flashing Zephyr a predatory grin. “I hope your ready Zephyr, because I’m about to show why I’m next in line to be the new Dark Queen of Equestria!”

‘Okay, I’ve said it before, and I will say it again…’ Zephyr whimpered mentally, gulping as he shivered under Nyx’s excitedly dark look. ‘I am so screwed!’

Author's Notes:

I have to say, I was a bit conflicted on just how to go with this chapter, especially since the next eleven or so ones are going to be the final conclusions to the fight with the Dark Queen and the Dark Army. For this one was trying to decide on whether to keep this chapter as a whole one solely focusing on Celestia, Venture and the armies, or adding a scene with the Main Seven and the Savage Six, along with Nightmare Moon. In the end, I decided to just leave this chapter the way is I had planned it just last night, feeling that the cutscenes would be more appropriate with the girls and their own foes. Speaking of which, unlike with the last versions of them, the final battles will be somewhat longer, and won't be bunched up not one gigantic chapter like with the four parted final battle of the first version of this battle. Because I got way to carried away on that last version; it was so so...so...wow. As for the last few chapters afterward, I'm sure those ones just need a bit more editing before they get reposted, and I know I'll have fun with those chapters.

Anywho, that's all for right now! Tune in next time for the next ten chapters of our dear future Element Bearers, and all of Ponyville in their final stand with the Dark Army!!!