It took Night Mist several moments to process what he had just heard. All the same, he had to make sure that he had heard right.

"There's a what outside of the cave?" he stammered.

"There's an army outside of the cave," Eclipse repeated coldly as he stepped in close to Night Mist and stared him down. "Hundreds of ponies. Now, I wonder who could have told them where we were hiding?"

"Wasn't me. My plan was to convince you to disband the Stars quietly, although the more I think about it the more I realize quietly become impossible after the kidnapping," Night Mist said carefully.

"Then who told?" Eclipse demanded.

Night Mist thought it was a good question. Then the answer hit him.

"Frazzle Spark," he realized.

"Who?"

"Friend of mine. He was with me when the Dark Storm first took me. You saw him when we took Applejack. He must have put two and two together and told Princess Celestia somehow."

"I was under the impression that none of the your friends knew about the Stars."

"I don't think he does. But I'm willing to bet that Princess Luma-"

"Luna," Twilight Sparkle corrected. "Not Luma."

"Oh, um, Princess Luna must have heard the news too and came clean about the Stars to her sister."

"So what you're basically claiming is that Nightmare Moon betrayed us." Eclipse said darkly.

"Um, I guess?" Night Mist said weakly. "Personally, I thought she should have come clean instead of trying to quietly-"

Night Mist was cut off as Eclipse shot him in the chest with lightning, slamming the golden eyed earth pony up against the cell behind him. Just as Night Mist slid to the ground, Twilight Sparkle fired a beam of pink light between the bars, knocking Eclipse right out the door. Twilight Sparkle's horn glowed again, and a pink force field appeared over the entrance to the room.

Eclipse picked himself up and glanced through the barricade at Shooting Star.

"I really hope you're not a part of this," he informed her.

"I'm on your side!" Shooting Star said frantically.

The red maned unicorn's words felt like a stab to Night Mist.

"Nightmare Eclipse!" a Star interrupted as she appeared beside the white maned pegasus. "Celestia's army is charging into the cavern! What do we do?"

Eclipse looked back at the force field again.

"Dang it," he snarled. "I have to go. I don't suppose you'd be willing to drop the shield and let Shooting Star out."

"No," Night Mist and Twilight Sparkle said simultaneously.

"Fine then," Eclipse growled as he turned towards the Stars who had been guarding the room. "You two, find a way to get Shooting Star out of there if she can't get free herself. I have to go settle this."

Eclipse extended his wings and flew out of Night Mist's sight. Meanwhile, the two Stars turned to face the force field and waited.

"Please let me go," Shooting Star begged.

"Did you not hear about how Nightmare Moon is not being controlled?!" Night Mist exploded, instantly causing his chest to hurt even more.

"Night Mist, please, just let me go. I don't want to hear this okay?"

"Wait, Night Mist? I met you before! You live in Ponyville!" Twilight Sparkle remembered.

"Not, nnngh, now," Night Mist rasped. "Shooting Star, what gives? Didn't you-"

"Look, you sounded right okay? But Eclipse sounded right too! So just let me go okay?!" Shooting Star sobbed.

"That makes no sense whatso-"

"Just let me out!"

Night Mist glanced at Twilight Sparkle helplessly. Twilight Sparkle sighed, grabbed Shooting Star with magic, and knocked the unicorn out by slamming her head against one of the bars. Night Mist winced at the sound the action made.

"If you can do that, why didn't you just do it to Eclipse?" Night Mist asked as he painfully got up again.

"I don't know, I guess I just- Why the hay are their eyes glowing?!" Twilight Sparkle shrieked.

Night Mist turned his attention back to the Stars just in time to see one of them turn to gas and fly right through the force field as the other let loose a barrage of lightning on the barrier. Night Mist shifted into gas form and collided with the other cloud type. Not sure if fighting was possible as a cloud, Night Mist simply flowed around and tried to block whatever the other Star was doing. The lightning type shattered the barrier, but Twilight Sparkle grabbed his head with magic and slammed him against the door frame for another instant knock out. Night Mist continued to flow around, until he realized that his opponent wasn't doing anything except float there. Twilight Sparkle bent the metal bars aside with magic, glanced up at the two clouds, and tried to run out the door beneath them. Night Mist's opponent shifted back into a pony and tried to drop on top of her, but Night Mist changed back too and tackled him from above. A third magic head slam from Twilight Sparkle finished the job.

"So... do... all the Stars... have magic powers?" Twilight Sparkle panted.

"Yes... but each one... only has one of four different abilities," Night Mist gasped. "Lightning, cloud, wind, and shadow."

Suddenly the ceiling shook, and a few pieces of rock fell to the floor. Night Mist distantly heard the sounds of yelling, fighting, and explosions echoing through the tunnels.

"What do we do now?" Twilight Sparkle asked as she and Night Mist left the room.

"I don't know, find the other Spirits of Harmony and escape?"

"My friends are here too?"

"Yes, but I don't know where they are."

"Do you know how to leave this place?"

"Um, no."

The area shook again, and Night Mist heard the sounds of battle getting closer. Then a group of eight Stars appeared around the corner at a full gallop, evidently charging into battle. Twilight Sparkle and Night Mist both bolted down another tunnel as the group got closer. Before the Stars could turn into the same passageway, Twilight Sparkle created another force field.

"Keep moving!" Night Mist urged while the shield began to crack under an assault of winds and lightning. Twilight Sparkle created a few more force fields as she and Night Mist continued to race down the tunnel.

"I can't keep this up for too much longer," Twilight Sparkle warned as they reached an intersection. "Sooner or later I'm going to get too tired."

Night Mist was about to tell her to talk less and run more when out of another tunnel appeared Sharp Wing, Rarity, three royal unicorn troops in golden armor, and one royal wizard sporting the traditional hat and cape. The wizard's hat was levitating above her head and she had a powerful green light emitting from her horn that lit up the normally dark tunnels very well. Night Mist also noticed that Rarity was wearing a golden necklace with a blue diamond on it, presumably one of the Elements of Harmony.

"Twilight!" Rarity exclaimed as she embraced the lavender unicorn. "Thank goodness you're okay!"

Night Mist glanced at Sharp Wing. The light gray stallion's reaction would vary depending on how much he knew about the situation.

"I'm glad to see you, but I ain't hugging you," Sharp Wing smirked.

"Found the Spirit of Magic, send me the Element," the royal wizard requested with her eyes closed. One second later a golden crown appeared with a flash in front of her, which she then magicked over to Twilight. "Here you go, put this on."

"What's going on?" Twilight Sparkle asked as she levitated the crown onto her head.

"Long story short, we're gathering the Elements of Harmony and lighting this dump up," The royal wizard explained. "Although its proving to be kinda hard finding everypo- Lightning type!" she hollered as an earth pony with lightning traveling all over his body appeared from yet another tunnel.

The earth pony fired off a bolt just as Sharp Wing drew out one of his swords by wrapping the tip of his gray wing around the handle. The blade harmlessly absorbed the electricity while the wizard returned fire with an ice spell that froze the Star in place. Night Mist was surprised to see that the weapon was faintly glowing green on the edges.

"Is that the lightning rod spell?" Twilight Sparkle guessed.

"Yeah, it works on anything made of metal," the royal wizard confirmed. "Now come on, we need to keep moving."

"How did you all find this place?" Night Mist asked the group of seven ponies as they continued on at a steady gallop.

"Frazzle Spark used Twilight's assistant to send a letter to Princess Celestia after you and all the Spirits of Harmony vanished," Sharp Wing explained. "After that the army rolled into town. Fraz is down here helping too."

"How did you convince the military to let you tag along?"

"Persistence," The royal wizard explained with an eye roll.

"Charm," Sharp Wing counter-explained, earning an annoyed glare from the wizard.

The tunnel the ponies were all racing down gave way to a larger area, and Night Mist realized he was now in the central cavern again. However, this time it was full of chaos. Royal wizards, unicorn troops, earth pony troops, and the Stars were in a giant two sided brawl. Lightning and magic spells flash across the cave, and ponies were being tossed around by powerful winds. For a moment Night Mist wondered why Princess Celestia hadn't sent any pegasi, until he released that pegasi would be pretty useless underground where they couldn't fly.

"I see the others over there!" Rarity exclaimed as she pointed.

On the other side of the conflict that filled the center of the cavern were the other four of the Spirits of Harmony. Night Mist observed that Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Applejack were all wearing their Elements, yet Rainbow Dash was not.

"Royal Wizard Star Bright to Princess Celestia, I see five of the six Bearers equipped with their Elements. Do we still have the last one?" the royal wizard in Night Mist's group asked as she closed her eyes again.

"Lets try to circle around the battle and reach the others!" Twilight Sparkle suggested as she began to follow her own advice.

Rarity, Star Bright, Night Mist, and Sharp Wing followed her. Night Mist glanced over his shoulder and saw the three unicorn guards get swatted away by winds even as the last Element appeared in front of Star Bright the royal wizard. Night Mist didn't know which Element it was, but it was a golden necklace with a ruby red lightning bolt. Meanwhile, the other Spirits of Harmony noticed their approach and began running towards them as well. Despite the insanity raging around him, Night Mist noticed something odd about Rainbow Dash. Namely, that she was lagging behind the others. The detective pony didn't know Rainbow Dash all that well, but he could have sworn that she faster than that.

Star Bright cried out as a dark cloud swooped down on her and morphed into an earth pony that tackled her to the crowd.

"Keep going!" she yelled as she magically tossed Rainbow Dash's Element to Twilight Sparkle, who snagged it with her own magic. Just as Rainbow Dash reached Twilight Sparkle, Night Mist realized what was going on.

"Don't give her that Element!" he shouted.

Twilight Sparkle only had time to glance at Night Mist in surprise before "Rainbow Dash" snatched the Element, gave Twilight Sparkle a wicked kick to the head, and flew off as the illusion dissipated, revealing a shadow-type Star. Night Mist shifted into a cloud and chased after the imposter.

"The buck?!" Sharp Wing swore as he saw his friend change and fly off.

Night Mist pursued the pegasus high up above the furious battle between Celestia's forces and the Stars. Just as he caught up to her, she dropped the Element into the fray far beneath them. Through his blurry vision, Night saw Eclipse flew right up from the center of the battle and nimbly slip his head through the chain of the necklace. Just as he twisted in the air to unleash a barrage of lightning onto the crowd below, Night Mist tackled him from above, pinning Eclipse's wings to his sides. It took the pegasus only a split second to realize who had attacked him.

"You filthy traitor!" Eclipse screamed as both of the stallions began to plummet down to the stone floor of the cavern.

Eclipse fired off lighting wildly, but he couldn't hit the stallion holding him directly from behind. Right before they hit the ground, Eclipse twisted hard so that he was on top, and Night Mist had to change into a cloud and let him go in order to avoid being crushed. Eclipse saved himself with his wings and flicked out two fore hooves, letting loose a frightening display of electricity. Not caring to see if he could be hit by lightning as a cloud, Night Mist flowed behind him and wrapped his forelegs around the dark green pegasus in the same way as before.

"Stand down Eclipse!" Night Mist yelled into his ear to be heard over the sounds of the battle raging around them. "It’s a lost cause and you know it! Nightmare Moon doesn't want eternal night any more!"

"Shut up!" Eclipse raged as he tried to break loose. Several earth pony troops charged at him while he was struggling, but he blasted them away with lightning. "That's not true!"

"Truth isn't determined by preference, Eclipse! The whole scheme has been morally wrong, ever since the beginning!"

"My parents died for the cause you rotten backstabber!"

"I know! Shooting Star told me! Mine died for the cause too! But you can't let that-"

Night Mist had to stop talking as Eclipse threw himself backwards. Thinking quickly, the silver maned stallion undid the clasp to the Element with his teeth and yanked it off of Eclipse's neck as his own back was smacked painfully against the ground. Eclipse spun to face Night Mist and reared back an electrified hoof, but before he could shock the black earth pony into oblivion he was forced to jump back to avoid a swinging sword.

His vision spotty, Night Mist was barely able to make out Sharp Wing standing above him. The brown maned pegasus had the hilts of both his swords wrapped in his wing tips with the blades pointed at Eclipse. In turn, Eclipse experimentally fired some lightning at the other pegasus, only to have it absorbed by a sword.

"Well that's annoying," Eclipse scowled, ducking his head to avoid a magic spell. "Fine then, keep the stupid Element. It's useless without Rainbow Dash anyway."

Night Mist hauled himself up and dropped the Element onto his hoof so he could talk freely.

"It’s only a matter of time before Celestia's army finds her," Night Mist warned. "They've already found the other five Spirits of Harmony. You might as well give up now."

"Oh, they won't be finding Rainbow Dash, that's for sure," Eclipse smirked. "I made sure of that personally. Take a look around you, Night Mist. Perhaps you should give up and give me the Element, seeing as how your side is losing."

Night Mist risked a glance around and saw that Eclipse was right. A lot more royal wizards and soldiers were strewn about than Stars. Many of those who were still standing had tasked themselves with guarding the Spirits of Harmony, but their numbers were falling fast. Yet despite the dire circumstances, Night Mist felt that something was off.

"Why are you wasting your time trying to convince me to give you the Element?" he wondered. "There isn't any conceivable reason for you to do so, unless you think I can still do something with it to beat you."

"Nonsense," Eclipse scoffed, but Night Mist saw his eyes widen slightly.

"I don't think so. There's something I could possibly do soon, its the only explanation for you still being here," Night Mist deduced.

Eclipse twitched visibly, and without any warning he flew off down a tunnel in a panic.

"Hey!" Sharp Wing protested as numerous Stars noticed Eclipse's departure and raced after him. "What are- come back here!"

Night Mist glanced frantically back and forth between the retreating Stars and the ones who were still fighting. There were still enough remaining to win the battle, but quite a considerable number had just up and left. Unless he did something soon, it would all be over anyway. Night Mist's mind began accelerating as he began to concentrate his thoughts. Conceivably, Rainbow Dash could be anywhere. Eclipse should have had plenty of time to win the battle before she was found, yet clearly he thought he didn't. That could only mean that Rainbow Dash was close.

Sharp Wing suddenly cried out in alarm as a gust of wind blew him away, but Night Mist hardly noticed. Yes, Rainbow Dash was close. Very close, judging from Eclipse's behavior. But where? Eclipse had seemed so confident that she couldn't be found.

Oh, they won't be finding Rainbow Dash, that's for sure.

They, not Night Mist. Eclipse had been confident that the army couldn't find her. An army that was composed exclusively of unicorns and earth ponies. Rainbow Dash had to be hidden somewhere close by that couldn't be found by unicorns or earth ponies. Night Mist looked up, and found the answer. The ledge, that little ledge that Eclipse liked standing on. Night Mist clenched the Element in his teeth and shifted into cloud form. As he rushed up to the ledge, it barely registered with him that his head was still solid while the rest of his body was gas.

Night Mist reached the ledge and shifted back for a landing. There she was. Rainbow Dash, roped and gagged, lying near the back of the ledge in such a way she could never be seen from the ground. the cyan pegasus squirmed as Night Mist rushed forward, quickly freed her wings, and set the Element around her neck. Not bothering with the ropes around the rest of her limbs or the gag, Night Mist picked her up and heaved her off the ledge.

"Use the Elements now!" Night Mist hollered over the edge.

Time seemed to slow down as Rainbow Dash plummeted towards the other Spirits of Harmony. Then the gems in their necklaces and crown began to glow, and the hum of powerful magical energy began to fill the air. Rainbow Dash caught herself and hovered over her friends as six pairs of eyes began to glow white. Suddenly an explosion of rainbow colored light shot out from the Spirits of Harmony with a deafening roar. Through squinting eyes, Night Mist saw the rainbow lights wash harmlessly over the wizards, the soldiers, and Sharp Wing. The Stars however, screamed when the lights touched them. Then the lights reached Night Mist too. Instantly he felt a burning pain, yet at the same, a wave of bliss. It was a sensation he would never forget. Night Mist felt his soul and his mind get torn in two, and then get molded together again.

Just as quickly as it had started, it was over. Night Mist braced himself for the shock wave, but this time it didn't come. Down below, the Stars were shaking themselves off. Then one of them pointed a hoof a hoof at one of the wizards. No lightning came out.

"No!" The Star cried as he frantically began alternating hoof thrusts in a rather comical fashion. "No! no no no no!"

Night Mist saw Star Bright rise up from the ground and cause her horn to glow.

"Oh look," she said happily, "My magic still works."

With remarkable coordination, the other royal wizards that were still standing began to close in on the Stars, imprisoning them with a variety of magic spells, from force fields to summoning cages. Night Mist surveyed the battlefield. Many ponies were strewn around like rag dolls, but as far as he could tell no one had died.

"Night Mist?" Sharp Wing called up suddenly.

"Yes?" Night Mist replied, tensing up for the question that would surely come.

"What the hay just happened?"

Night Mist let out a long breath as he lay down on his stomach and wearily glanced down at Sharp Wing.

"I'll explain everything soon," he sighed. "But in the meantime, could you get me down? I'm pretty sure I can't fly anymore."

Princess Celestia gazed down upon Night Mist in a field outside of the Everfree Forest. Around them, many tents were in the process of being taken down by royal soldiers and being packed up for the trip back to the capital city of Canterlot. Sharp Wing stood off to the side along with Frazzle Spark, who was still covered in soot from heavy firecracker use. Nightmare Moon, or rather, Princess Luna, stood a little bit behind her older sister, her eyes on the ground. Twilight Sparkle and a little purple dragon who only could have been Spike were on the other side of the sun princess.

"Night Mist Mystery, are you aware of the severity of the crimes that you are confessing too?" Princess Celestia asked him.

"Conspiracy, treason, and kidnapping," Night Mist replied with a solemn nod. "I am aware of their severity."

"And I trust you are also aware that such crimes as you've committed must be punished?"

"Whatever punishment you give me is just and deserving," Night Mist said with his head hung low.

Even as he gazed at the ground, Night Mist was surprised to realize that he felt relieved that his secret of ten years was out. Whatever happened next, he would never have to worry about it again. However, he was not completely at peace. Eclipse had escaped, along with many other Stars. They were still out there, somewhere. Had he acted sooner, had he not been too afraid to speak out, they wouldn't have gotten away. It was right then and there that Night Mist swore he would find them. The very second he was finished with whatever sentence Princess Celestia punished him with, he would track them down and see that they faced justice.

"Take a note, Spike," Princess Celestia said formally. "I want this on record."

Spike pulled out a sheet of paper and a quill before glancing up at Princess Celestia to show that he was ready. Night Mist, in turn, closed his eyes and braced for the worst.

"On this day of June twenty third, in accordance with his crimes against Equestria and in light of his most recent actions, I, Princess Celestia, do hereby sentence the pony known as Night Mist Mystery with an act of community service, which is as follows," the white alicorn began.

Night Mist's eyes opened in surprise, but kept his head drooped.

"He will devote himself entirely to the task of tracking down the remaining cultists known as the Stars, and arrest them in my name," Princess Celestia continued. "As proof that he has the power to performs arrests in my name, he need only show this document. For the purpose of tracking down the Stars full time, he will be granted twelve bits a day to live off of. Once it can be confirmed that all of the Stars have been arrested, his sentence will be complete, and he will be free to resume his life as normally as he can."

"Normally... as... he... can," Spike muttered as he finished writing. "Got it."

Princess Celestia magicked a stamp in existence, stamped the document, rolled the paper up, and levitated it over to Night Mist.

"Your sentence starts tomorrow morning, that should give you enough time for preparations and good byes," she decided.

Completely stunned, it took Night Mist a moment to fully process what had just happened.

"Off the record, twelve bits a day would be roughly the same amount of Equestrian tax bits it would take to take care of you while you sit uselessly in jail," Princess Celestia added. "I think this is a much better use for the money, don't you?"

With effort, Night Mist found his voice.

"Thank you," he managed.

"You're thanking me for a punishment?" Celestia asked with a raised brow, but the faint traces of a smile revealed that she understood the earth pony anyway.

Night Mist smiled a little bit too, until he realized the hardest part was still yet to come. Slowly, he turned to face Sharp Wing and Frazzle Spark.

"If you two don't want to have anything to do with me anymore, I completely understand," he said painfully. "That being said, I suppose this is goodbye."

Night Mist studied the faces of his two best friends closely. Both ponies were looking at the ground, and while neither of them were saying anything, it was apparent that they felt hurt. Then, after what seemed like forever, they looked at each other, communicating far more between them than what actual words would have.

"Goodbye?" Sharp Wing said slowly, No, screw goodbye. I'm coming with you."

"Me too," agreed Frazzle Spark.

Night Mist was struck speechless for a moment yet again.

"I... I don't understand," he stammered. "I lied to you, both of you, for ten years. You have every right to hate me. Why on earth would you want to help me with my punishment?"

Frazzle Spark and Sharp Wing exchanged another glance.

"Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't mad. But lies or no lies, you're still our friend," Frazzle Spark shrugged. "If tracking down those psychos is something you have to deal with, we want to help."

"What he said," Sharp Wing confirmed.

"Thy decision is probably for the best," Princess Luna suddenly spoke up. "A great deal of power was restored to us when Twilight Sparkle and her friends used the Elements of Harmony, but we sense we are not yet at full strength. The Stars who fled still have their powers. Thou will not be able to defeat a single Star alone."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Princess Celestia asked Sharp Wing and Frazzle Spark. "It will be no easy task if you do. It could be a very long time before you return home to Ponyville."

"Absolutely," Frazzle Spark said with conviction. "Although now that I think about it, I will have to hire and train sompony to run my store before I go."

"Um, you're not going to be able to accomplish that before tomorrow," Twilight Sparkle pointed out.

"I just realized, I have stuff I would have to do before I go too," said a crestfallen Sharp Wing.

Night Mist realized there was another problem with the plan.

"I have to leave tomorrow, but you guys won't be able to contact me and find me once I'm gone. I'm not going to have a mailable address living on the road."

Everyone gathered went silent as the predicament sank in.

"Um, Princess Celestia?" Twilight Sparkle said suddenly. "Would it be possible for you to do what you did with Spike so Sharp Wing and Frazzle Spark can contact Night Mist when they're ready?"

"That magic enhancement only works on creatures that can produce fire," Princess Celestia said gently.

"Oh! Um, I can produce fire," Frazzle Spark announced. "I mean, I can't control fire or anything like that, but I can set things on fire."

"Do you mean the ignition spell?" asked Twilight Sparkle.

"Yeah, that."

"I'm not sure if it would work on the ignition spell," Princess Celestia said thoughtfully. "But I suppose its worth a shot. Step forward, Frazzle Spark."

Frazzle Spark obliged, albeit nervously. Princess Celestia's horn glowed as a light shot out and hit Frazzle Spark's horn.

"There," she said. "In theory, you should be able to burn anything flammable and send it to whoever you like. Spike, could you give Frazzle Spark a inked quill and paper for an experiment?"

Spike held out the requested items, which Frazzle Spark brought to himself with magic.

"Dear Night Mist. Hi. Sincerely, Frazzle Spark," the unicorn said aloud as he wrote before he lit the paper on fire.

Frazzle Spark stared at the flaming paper with a disturbing fascination until it burned to a crisp and the ashes blew away. Within seconds, the parchment reappeared in front of Night Mist.

"I just sent mail instantaneously," Frazzle Spark said in awe.

"Try not to let it go to your head," Spike advised.

The words of wisdom were lost on Frazzle Spark as he slowly started to chuckle. Then, to everyone's alarm, he started to laugh like a maniac.

"Ahahahahaha!" Frazzle Spark cackled. "I just sent mail without paying postage! The government can kiss my flank! Ahahahahaha!"

"Um, you do realize I'm standing right here in front of you," replied a chagrined Princess Celestia.

Frazzle Spark's face turned beet red as the power high vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

"I didn't mean that literally, your highness," he clarified hastily.