FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A couple of weeks have passed since I attended the Grand Galloping Gala for the first time and things have been absolutely wonderful with my friends in Equestria. However, early into May, something bizarre occurred when I woke up in Fluttershy's cottage. I awoke in the morning, as usual, but noticed something was wrong. Why was it so dark in the room?

I sat up and looked around. Did I just wake up a few hours after I went to sleep? Well, that cannot possibly be it. I was feeling well rested and was wide awake too. Did I sleep through the entire day and woke up during the following night? I know that happened to me once before as a child, but that was due to being ill at the time and sleeping through most of the day. I reached for the nightstand next to me and found my DSi. I had already set the clock and calendar to match that of Equestria's, so the time would likely be correct. I turned it on, the backlight on both screens becoming the only real source of light in the bedroom.

"Well, this can't be right..." I muttered to myself. The date was correct. And the time was only 8:30 in the morning. Then why in the world was it still so dark out?

I got out of bed and went over to the window after setting my DSi down to serve as a small lamp. The moon was high in the sky, a perfect pale orb in the dark blue ocean above me. I smirked as I wondered what the cause of this prolonged night could be. "Maybe Luna and Celestia are just being lazy today."

I heard some rustling behind me and saw Fluttershy sitting up in bed. She groggily looked at me and asked, "Did I wake up too soon again?"

I shrugged my shoulders before offering my usual morning greeting. "Morning, honey. And no, you didn't. I just checked the clock and it said 8:30 AM. I just think that Celestia and Luna haven't gotten around to bringing out the sun yet."

Fluttershy hopped out of bed and went over to the window I was standing by to see for herself. "The moon's still out? But... That can't be right."

I shrugged once more before heading over to my wardrobe. "Well, they'll get around to it eventually. I'm gonna go wake Scoot up and get her ready for school."

Fluttershy nodded before spreading her wings. "I'll get started on breakfast. Even if the sun's not out yet, everypony needs to eat before they start their day." I watched as she flew down the stairs, leaving me to get dressed.

Since it was still fairly early in spring, I decided to wear long pants and a long sleeved shirt. I slid on some blue pants and a gray shirt. Once I was dressed, I went downstairs and into Scootaloo's bedroom to find my little sister still fast asleep.

"Rise and shine, Scoot. Time for breakfast." I said while rubbing her little head.

The little pegasus filly slowly stirred before yawning. "Five more minutes, Dad... The sun's not even out yet..."

That got a chuckle out of me. "Yeah, I know the sun's not out yet. But it's still 8:30 in the morning. Come on, you'll be late for school."

Scootaloo groggily opened her eyes and stared at me. "Huh? Seriously? It's morning, but the stars are still out?"

I nodded before glancing at the nearest window. "Yeah. No idea why, but it's still night time even though it clearly should be morning. But the clock's right, so get up. Fluttershy's starting on dinner... I mean breakfast."

Scootaloo sniffed the air in an attempt to pick up the aroma of cooked food. "Ooh, that always gets me awake! I'll be right there!" She suddenly bounded out of bed, going from sleepy to energetic in a second. I chuckled to myself, impressed by how effective hunger is as a motivator.

I turned on every light switch I could find on my way to the kitchen. Upon entering, I found Scootaloo seated at the table while Fluttershy seemed to be making omelets. I felt my mouth water at the sight of shrimp, spinach, and mozzarella cheese being wrapped in one. "Mmm, you know what I like, honey." I said while feeling my appetite spike.

Fluttershy smiled as she looked my way. "I know you love seafood and spinach, so I combined them." She then set the omelet on a plate and started on another.

"Strawberries and apples for mine, please!" Scootaloo spoke with a grin. Fluttershy nodded with a grin as she held a spatula in her mouth.

Scootaloo and I waited for her to finish all three omelets before we started to eat. Fluttershy's contained cheddar cheese and carrots. "Thanks for waiting for me." She spoke with a smile while taking a seat.

"And thank you for these wonderful treats." I replied as Scootaloo started on her breakfast.

We all dined together, enjoying friendly conversation. But eventually, Scootaloo asked, "Hey, Fluttershy? Why is it still dark out? I thought this is supposed to be morning!"

She replied with a puzzled expression. "I really don't know... The only explanation I can think of is that maybe Princess Luna got sick and isn't well enough to lower the moon."

I then asked, "But isn't Celestia capable of doing that on her own?" I recalled the legends of the Mare in the Moon, where after Nightmare Moon's imprisonment, Celestia took up both roles as the controller of the sun and moon to...... Wait. Nightmare Moon?!

A chill spread through me as I remembered the alicorn I had not seen for eight months. According to legend, she had originally attempted to bring about an eternal night. Could it be that... Wait. When I saw her, she seemed very weak. She was only a billowing black shadow on the wall. If the eternal night had not begun again at the time I saw her, then she clearly did not possess the strength to carry out that plan.

What is more, she seemed very sorrowful during our first encounter. Clearly not the kind of behavior one would expect from a mad tyrant. She even watched over me as I slept and vocally expressed genuine gratitude for my praise of her beautiful night. Would she really do the same thing as before if she had become a more caring person while stuck out there in the Everfree Forest?

So many questions swam through my mind. Is Nightmare Moon back to normal? Is this abnormally long night a result of laziness on Luna and Celestia's part? Or is this the work of some sinister third party I have yet to learn about? Or is it even sinister at all? I must admit I am feeling slightly more chipper at this moment than I usually am during the day. I guess I really am a night owl.

I was careful to not bring up Nightmare Moon for the rest of our breakfast. "Man, that was good. Thanks, Fluttershy!" Scootaloo spoke up while licking her lips.

Such praise easily brought a smile to Fluttershy's lips. "You're very welcome. Now, go get ready for school." Scootaloo nodded before trotting away to her room.

I gathered up the plates and placed them in the kitchen sink for cleaning. "You think this long night is a bad sign, honey?"

My girlfriend replied while stilling looking somewhat puzzled, "I hope not... The last time this happened was when Nightmare Moon appeared. But that's impossible. She doesn't even exist anymore... Right?"

As tempted as I was to tell her the truth, I knew that telling anyone with connections to Celestia and Luna about Nightmare Moon is a bad idea. I nodded while playing along. "Yeah, I can't imagine how she could still exist nowadays."

Fluttershy then nodded while showing a tiny smile. "Well, on the bright side... Or maybe dark side, I can spend more time with the bats and owls at this hour." I cracked a grin too, pleased to see that Fluttershy was looking at the advantages of a longer night.

"You still have to take care of the animals that are active during the day. I doubt they'll be slowed down much by the dark." I said while glancing at the nearest window, knowing that Fluttershy has to tend to various animals every single day.

She smiled softly at me. "Don't worry about that. I'll get to work right after I do the dishes. Could you walk Scootaloo to school?"

I nodded without delay. "Don't I always?" The two of us chuckled in unison.

"OK, James! I'm ready!" I heard Scootaloo call out from the central room of the house before I could even leave the kitchen.

"Oops. Gotta go. See you in a bit, honey." I spoke before kissing Fluttershy on the cheek.

Fluttershy giggled while trying to look past me at Scootaloo. "OK. Take care out there. No telling what might happen at this hour when it's this dark out." I then hurried out the door, knowing that Scootaloo had just stepped outside.

"Well, this is gonna be an odd walk. Going to school in the middle of the night? What's next? Nightclubs at noon?" I said in an attempt to poke fun at the situation, finding it extremely odd taking my little sister to school when it felt like 2 AM.

Scootaloo laughed along with me. "Yeah, it feels like I should go back to bed. But school's starting soon, so we better get going."

I nodded before looking ahead. "Lead on, Scoot." The two of us proceeded down the path, crossing the stream in front of the cottage and crossing the meadow on our way to Ponyville.

While we walked, Scootaloo kept glancing around. Possibly out of fear of what might be lurking in the dark during this unnaturally long night. I spoke up while glancing down at her, "Something wrong?"

She replied while trying to keep a straight face, "Uh... Nope! Nothing's wrong! Just a little... Uh... Just don't know what might be out there. It's not supposed to be this dark out right now, ya know."

I snickered while shrugging my shoulders, "Relax, Scoot. Night time might be dark, but it's not dangerous. I actually find it relaxing. And just think, if this was summer, we would be seeing lots of fireflies right now."

Scootaloo smiled while her little wings seemed to buzz in a bit of excitement. "Oh, right! Yeah, it would be cool if there were fireflies around right now."

Before we got much further, a familiar voice called out to us. "Mornin', James! Hey, Scootaloo!" We both turned south to see Apple Bloom running towards us.

"Morning, Apple Bloom! And don't you mean 'good evening' instead?" Scootaloo replied with a chuckle.

I cracked a smirk before speaking up too. "I checked the clock. You didn't oversleep, Apple Bloom. It really is morning."

Apple Bloom nodded while looking both happy and bewildered. "Yeah, I thought so. This long night is messin' with Granny Smith's internal clock. She won't wake up! Even started sleepwalkin' a few times!"

I chuckled as that sight popped up in my head. "I just hope it's not messing with everyone else. I'm really liking this extra long night."

The three of us walked along, engaging in conversation while my eyes glanced around at my nocturnal surroundings. I really have always enjoyed the night. Rather than be intimidated or worried, I was enjoying it thoroughly.

"So, any idea what might be causin' this really weird weather?" Apple Bloom asked while looking at the sky.

Scootaloo replied before jumping in excitement. "No idea... Hey! Maybe we should try to solve that mystery! Cutie Mark Crusaders Eternal Night Solvers!"

Apple Bloom grinned at that proposition. "Ooh! Why didn't I think of that?! It's SO obvious! We gotta tell Sweetie Belle when we get ta school!" I could only chuckle at their enthusiasm.

"Well, you girls have fun with that. Too bad I already got my cutie mark. I wonder what kind of cutie mark you'll get if you do solve this mystery."

The two fillies looked at each other before looking back up at me. "Hey, James? Just what does yer cutie mark mean again?"

I paused. After all this time, I should not be surprised that they had forgotten. I kneeled down and raised my left sleeve, displaying my cutie mark for all to see. "Well, I'm not entirely sure myself, but Twilight said the doves represent a gentle and loving nature and that they stand for eternal love while the heart shape represents... Actually, that's pretty self-explanatory."

Apple Bloom then asked with her head cocked sideways a bit, "So, ya love everypony?"

I smiled sheepishly as I lowered my sleeve. "Well, I try to give everyone a chance. You'd have to work pretty hard to make me hate you."

Scootaloo smiled brightly at me. "Yeah, you are a loving guy. I'll bet you'd even love Nightmare Moon if she was a little nicer!" I tried to suppress a chuckle, recalling the first time I ever encountered her remnants in the Everfree Forest.

As we walked along, the schoolhouse came into view. It was a little hard to make out the colorations on it due to the low amount of light. However, there was plenty of light shining through the windows. "Remember. If Cheerilee falls asleep at the desk, it gives you no right to goof off." I spoke up while being both serious and silly in my words.

"Got it!" The two fillies replied in unison. As we drew closer, I saw Sweetie Belle approaching us from the opposite direction.

"Morning, everypony!" Sweetie Belle called out upon seeing us. She then ran over to us while asking, "Weird weather we're having today, huh? You think Princess Luna is sleeping late today?"

Scootaloo raised a hoof while shrugging her shoulder. "I don't know. Maybe she and Princess Celestia are just giving us a few more hours to sleep today."

Apple Bloom then asked, "What's the point of that if we're already awake?!"

I shrugged as well, but then motioned my hand towards the schoolhouse. "No clue, but school is clearly starting. Better get in there before you're tardy."

The three fillies looked at each other and nodded before looking up at me. "Cutie Mark Crusader Group Hug!"

I grinned while letting out a chuckle. "Oh, you girls..." I then got down on my knees and held all three of them in my arms.

"Heheh... To think I used to not like these cuddly hugs." Scootaloo chuckled as she nuzzled me.

Sweetie Belle smiled while nestling her head against me. "Who doesn't like hugs?"

Apple Bloom replied promptly, "Not me!"

I then smiled while feeling all warm inside. "Well, I better not keep you any longer. Get in there and have a good time, girls." I then stood up and gently patted each of them on the head.

Sweetie Belle nodded before waving at me. "Will do! See you later, James!" The three of them then bid me goodbye and headed inside the schoolhouse. With nothing else to do, I turned and headed back home to Fluttershy's cottage.

As the cottage came into view, I noticed that Fluttershy was going about her duties with the feeding of the animals that resided nearby. Among the usual animals I saw during the day, such as rabbits, robins, squirrels and so on, there were also nocturnal creatures in the mix. Such as owls, bats, and a few others that I cannot quite recall.

"And who says creatures of the night and day can't get along?" I asked as I approached Fluttershy, who was tossing..... Ugh, even though I know it is their natural diet, how can Fluttershy give owls dead mice with a straight face? Even if they were already dead... Nature can be so cruel.

Fluttershy turned to face me and smiled. "I know I didn't. I was actually worried that the little animals that are active during the day would've been upset by this unnaturally long night. But they've been taking it very well." I heard a few robins chirping nearby. Then again, I have heard robins singing at the crack of dawn just before the sun had come up. So it should be no surprise that they are all right with having to live in the dark for a while longer than usual.

"Well, I know I'm liking it." I said in return. I then felt something perch upon my shoulder. I glanced to my right to find Angela looking at me before she let out a coo. "And I see my little angel of the night likes it too." I added while gently caressing her neck.

Fluttershy smiled while looking up at us. "You know, under that full moon, it feels very romantic out here right now..." My little pegasus lover said as she took a seat at the edge of the bridge that spanned the brook in front of her house.

Angela flew away from me at those words. My gaze fell upon Fluttershy, who I must say looks striking in the moonlight. I then approached her and took a seat by her. "They say love is strongest in the dark." I muttered, recalling the saying from somewhere.

Fluttershy smiled as she looked at me. "Whoever said that is right." I draped my hand across her back, placing my hand on her opposite shoulder. "I love you, James." She spoke softly.

"I love you too, honey." I replied quietly. My hand began to caress her cheek very lightly.

Fluttershy then quietly asked, "James... I heard from Rarity about your...past love. Was that all true?"

I tried my absolute hardest to not think about those days. But Fluttershy could clearly tell what I was thinking. She then leaned against me and spoke softly in a very reassuring and sweet tone. "I won't let the same happen to us. I... I won't give up on you. Even if my closest friends end up being against you being with me, I won't leave you."

I sighed while I took in those words. "Are you sure about that?"

Fluttershy looked at me and warmly smiled. "True love is worth fighting for. And...you're the first man to ever love me unconditionally for what I am despite my flaws." She then draped her wing across my back. "If our relationship ended, the one who would be hurt most is me. You're so loyal and faithful... You've never once tried to force or persuade me to do something against my will... It's rare to find a man like you."

I nodded while looking at her. "I don't like forcing anyone through anything. I'm a believer in freedom of choice."

Fluttershy reached up and moved my face so I was looking right at her. She then pressed her lips against mine for a tender kiss. I then closed my eyes and pressed into it as well. Over and over, we softly kissed each other. It was a very magical feeling that is difficult to describe. Those who have actually experienced it will know what I am talking about.

I embraced Fluttershy tightly once our kissing had ceased. She did the same, wrapping her forelegs around me the best she could. "I'll never leave you, James... I promise." She said softly to the point of her voice being nearly a whisper.

I replied in kind while feeling especially warm and tingly. "Likewise... I'll never leave you."

Seconds later, I noticed a tear roll down Fluttershy's cheek. "I'm so honored to have you..."

My hand moved along her cheek, removing the tear from her face. "Don't cry, honey. There's no reason to be sad."

Fluttershy nodded with a smile spread across her lips. "Sorry... I'm just so grateful... I wish I knew who brought you here so I could thank them." I nodded in silence. I know who brought me to Equestria. But since they requested I do not tell anyone, I decided to not tell Fluttershy who did it.

"Do you need to go to work soon?" She then asked, reminding me that today is a workday for me.

"Oops. Yeah, I should get going right away." I said promptly, knowing that I am needed at Sugarcube Corner today.

"OK. But before you go..." Fluttershy suddenly embraced me, kissing me deeply as her tongue snaked its way into my mouth. I did not resist, holding onto her as I returned my feelings. Our tongues touched and danced, our eyes closed to help enjoy the moment. The kiss did not last as long as I wanted since I had to get going soon, but it still really gave a boost to my spirits. "Have a good day at work, James." Fluttershy said upon breaking the kiss, a faint blush upon her face.

I smiled warmly while letting out a sigh of satisfaction. "I will. Feel free to pop in to see me today, honey." I then stood up, said my goodbyes, and headed on my way. My mind was adrift with loving thoughts of my girlfriend, wondering what we would do together once I came home that evening.

As I entered Ponyville, I noticed that everyone was still just going about his or her business as usual despite the odd weather. Some seemed indifferent to the unusually long night, some seemed to be having fun with it while glancing around in wonder, and others seemed genuinely bewildered by it. Even so, it was refreshing to see that their reactions were not ones of mass hysteria.

I too was rather excited by this night. I looked around, wondering what might be different at this time. Every single building or house I passed had light shining through the windows. It was a fairly magical experience for me.

"Hey, James! You all right?" I heard a voice speak in a familiar southern accent. I turned and saw Applejack approaching me while pulling a cart of apple products ranging from pastries to drinks. "Weird weather we're havin', huh?"

I nodded while glancing around at our surroundings. "Yeah, but I'm actually liking it."

Applejack paused and gave me a surprised expression. "Like it? Seriously? Ya get some kinda kick outta it bein' this dark out when it should be all bright and sunny?"

Once again, I nodded with a smile. "Come on, AJ. If you know me, you know I like the night more than the day."

This prompted a chuckle from her. "Heheh, to each 'is own, I guess."

I then asked, "Hey, AJ? Why is your cart full of apple treats instead of just apples?"

She looked over her shoulder at the cart before looking back at me. "Oh, these? They're made from apples we stockpiled over winter. Since they're a bit old, we turned 'em inta all sorts of goodies that won't spoil easily. Ya want one?"

I nodded while reaching into my pocket. "How much for one of those apple tarts?"

She gave me that smile she always shows her customers. "That'll be two bits. Help yerself ta whichever ya want." I reached into my pocket, took out two bits, and then placed them under her hat. "Heheh, that's one way ta hold onto my money without gettin' my register out. And thanks for bein' my first customer of the day, James."

"No problem, AJ." I replied while snatching an apple tart from her cart and immediately snacking on it.

The two of us conversed while heading into town. "So, what do you think is causing all this darkness? Has it happened before?" I asked, wondering if Applejack knew anything about what might be causing it.

"I got nothin'. Last time this happened, Nightmare Moon was behind it. Don't know who could be doin' it this time, what with Princess Luna bein' all good again." She replied while looking up at me.

I took another bite of my tart while pondering her words. "Hmmm... My guess is that Luna and Celestia are allowing the night to continue longer than usual. And it is making this day pretty interesting."

Applejack nodded while her frown of puzzlement quickly turned into a small smile. "Ya got a point there. Maybe I'll set up a campfire and some s'mores today and invite the girls over for some ghost stories! Oh, and you too, James."

I felt my mouth water slightly at the mention of s'mores. "Looking forward to it, AJ."

After a few more minutes, we came into view of Sugarcube Corner. Now that it was dark out, I saw that the 'candles' on top of the gingerbread house had their flames set aglow with light. Turns out they are just light bulbs. "Well, here's my stop." I spoke up, knowing that the Cake couple and Pinkie Pie were likely waiting for me inside.

"All righty then. Have a good one, James. See ya this evenin' at my place?" Applejack replied while gazing up at me.

"You bet. See ya there." I said with a smile. I then entered through the front door to get started on my work.

Pinkie Pie was already setting up some of the treats for display in the front counter. Upon hearing the door close, she glanced up at me. "Morning, James! That long night out there making you drowsy?"

I smiled at her while glancing at the window. "Nope. I'm actually really liking it today."

Pinkie Pie giggled enthusiastically like she often does. "I almost thought it was a second Nightmare Night going on! At least until I saw everypony wasn't in costume. Anyway, you ready to get started?"

I nodded while making my way behind the counter. "Yup. What's on our to-do list today?" I then followed her into the kitchen, ready to get started on our objectives.

"Well, first we need to whip up three dozen of those yummy chocolate drops and another three dozen of those chocolate chip cupcakes. After that, we can take a lunch break." Pinkie Pie replied while looking over a sheet.

"All right then. I'll grab the ingredients." I said before I began to look through the cabinets for the ingredients.

As an hour rolled by, Pinkie Pie and I managed to whip up two dozen chocolate drops. While we waited for the third to finish baking, we engaged in casual conversation. "So, you really like the night? No wonder you and Princess Luna get along so well!" She exclaimed with her signature cheerful tone.

I chuckled just slightly before replying, "Well, I've always been something of a night owl. Back on Earth, my average bedtime was around 3 AM."

Pinkie Pie gasped at those words. "3 AM?! Wow, did you ever have trouble sleeping?"

I turned my gaze to the nearest window and nodded. "For reasons I can't explain, I had a nasty case of insomnia for around two years. I had to use sleep aids just to get to sleep. Sometimes, it forced me to take five pills in one night. But the insomnia left me not that long before I came to Equestria. I was finally able to get to sleep on my own after a long time."

Pinkie Pie smiled cheerfully and said, "Wow, it must be really lousy not to sleep easily. You just might've ended up like Applejack!"

I raised an eyebrow as I began to look through a cookbook. "Applejack? What does she have to do with... Huh?"

Pinkie Pie trotted over to me upon seeing me getting distracted by something on the page. "What? Did you find something?"

I had found a peculiar recipe in the cookbook. "What's this? Ingredients are sugar, eggs, potato chips, soda, a cup of 'sour', and wheat worms/earthworms? What the hell is this recipe? Something for someone with a cast-iron stomach?!"

My friend shrieked in mild horror when she seemed to realize what the recipe was. "Ack! I thought I threw that out!" She then grabbed the edge of the page by her teeth and ripped it out of the book before tossing it in the trashcan. She then looked at me with a sheepish grin. "Uh... Heheh... Yeah, Applejack wrote that in there after going days without sleep."

I promptly asked, "She didn't actually make those, did she?! And did anyone eat them?!"

Pinkie Pie winced, looking slightly green in the face. "She did. And yes, lots of ponies ate them. Aaaaand if you wanna know what they're called, I call them Baked Bads."

I groaned at the mere thought of what such treats could do to someone. "Oh man, AJ. What was wrong with you?!" The two of us laughed in unison, myself wondering just what Applejack had been high on to come up with such an awful recipe.

Just after I took out the third batch of chocolate drops from the oven, Mr. Cake poked his head into the kitchen. "Pinkie Pie? Your friends are all at the front desk. They need to see you."

Pinkie Pie replied as she trotted towards the exit to the kitchen, "Coming!" Once I had set the tray of baked dough down, I peeked over the twin swinging doors that led out into the storefront, wondering what had come up that would bring all five of our friends here.

"Morning, girls! What's up?" Pinkie Pie asked once she was out from behind the counter. Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy were gathered in front of the counter.

Twilight had an uneasy expression on her face that seethed worry. "Hey there, Pinkie. Sorry to call you up on such short notice, but it's kind of an emergency."

The word 'emergency' caught my attention. Equestria has always been a very peaceful land. I cannot imagine anything significant occurring that could be terribly bad. Pinkie Pie then asked, "Ooh, an emergency? How bad is it?"

Fluttershy replied softly, "We don't know... Princess Celestia sent a message to Twilight saying she needs us to go to Canterlot and see her right away."

I finally decided to step out of the kitchen to see them. "Hey there, girls. Sorry, but I overheard."

Rainbow Dash grinned and waved at me. "Oh, hey there! Wasn't expecting to see you too."

Applejack then nodded before retorting, "Yeah, but sorry, James. We're gonna all have ta go to Canterlot for a while. I'm not sure when we'll be back."

I then asked, "Well... May I tag along too? I'm a little worried since this is an 'emergency meeting', after all."

Rarity raised a hoof to her chin in thought. "Hmmmm..... Well, the message never said you couldn't come with us... I don't see why not."

Twilight nodded with a smile forming on her face. "I think it'll be OK if you come along too. I know Princess Luna will be happy to see you."

I nodded with a smile of my own before starting to move back over to the kitchen. "OK. Just let me put a word in with the boss." I then peeked into the kitchen to see Mr. Cake spreading chocolate onto the chocolate drops. "Mr. Cake? I've been called to Canterlot with Pinkie Pie. Princess Celestia's orders. If I'm not back this evening, could you take care of Scootaloo for the night?"

He nodded while setting the...uh... It looks like a tiny spatula... Well, whatever it is, he set it down before answering. "Oh, sure! You and Pinkie have a good time up there."

I then pulled my head out of the kitchen and smiled at my friends. "OK, I'm all set."

Pinkie Pie then cheered almost as if on cue. "Weee! Away to Canterlot we go!" She then trotted out the front door.

"Is she always this cheery, even when faced with a potentially dangerous emergency?" I asked while watching the door close behind her.

Rainbow Dash shook her head while displaying an amused smirk. "That's just how Pinkie Pie rolls."

The seven of us went straight to the train station to find one such train waiting at the platform. Twilight led us to the conductor, who was standing next to one of the cars. "Excuse me, but we've been summoned to Canterlot on behalf of Princess Celestia."

The conductor replied without sounding too surprised. "Already heard. You're free to board." We all shuffled into the car and waited for the train to leave. After only a minute or two, I felt the entire train jerk forward as it began to accelerate. In moments, we were out of Ponyville and on our way to Canterlot.

While my friends engaged in conversation, I sat at the end of the train car and gazed out the window. The sight of watching the moonlit landscape roll by while the star-filled night sky hung overhead was a truly mesmerizing experience. I chuckled to myself, "And who says the night is all bad?"

As the train began to climb the mountain that Canterlot sat upon, I noticed Rarity approaching me in the aisle. "May I have this seat?" She asked, standing out quite beautifully in the train car as the moonlight shone on her through the window.

I nodded while moving my legs to allow more room for her. "By all means." My beautiful unicorn friend took a seat across from me and began to gaze out the window.

"Such a lovely view, wouldn't you say?" She asked, clearly as spellbound as I was by the nightly horizon.

"Yup." I replied, just watching the scenery go by. At least until we entered a tunnel. Due to the already low light conditions, the tunnel was pitch black to the point where I could see absolutely nothing. When the train finally exited from the tunnel, I found Rarity cuddling up against me. "Uh... Rarity?"

She giggled upon seeing that I had noticed her change locations. "That trick never gets old. Did you blink for too long, darling?" I chuckled, amused that she had literally moved under the cover of darkness to sneak over to me.

As Rarity leaned against me, I rested my hand on her opposite shoulder. "What do you think is causing this night to last so long?" I asked while gazing at the full moon.

Rarity replied while also beholding the pale orb in the sky, "I wish I knew. The only possible culprit I can think of is Nightmare Moon... But that isn't possible, right?"

I did not answer, my mind drifting back to my memories of my first encounter with Nightmare Moon. She seemed very weak at that time, and it was only eight months ago. Could she really possess the strength to bring about an eternal night again? And why would she? An eternal night would only bring disaster to Equestria. Crops would wither, the people would freeze... This day alone was feeling rather cool. Probably the mid 60s. But...she had changed. She was very grateful to me for my praise. She watched over me as I slept. She would not truly repeat her past mistakes..... Would she?

"James?" Rarity asked, breaking me out of my train of thought.

I shook my head to clear my mind. "Sorry... Mind was just wandering right there."

We did not talk much until the train finally pulled into the station in Canterlot. Upon disembarking, Twilight spoke up while barely looking at us. "Let's not waste any time. We need to see Princess Celestia right away." We all nodded and followed her through town, the various other ponies reacting the same way to the night as the ponies of Ponyville were. Just in a much more reserved manner.

We reached the palace without interruptions, finding a pair of royal guards standing at the entrance. Twilight spoke up right away, "We were summoned by Princess Celestia."

One of the guards nodded before both turned towards the door. "Right this way." We then followed them inside without a word.

The halls were barely lit with torches lining the sides, leading me to suspect that certain parts of the palace were too old to have electrical wiring installed. Regardless, we were led to a large door that seemed to stand out due to its size and elegant design. One of the guards faced us and spoke, "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will be with you shortly." They then walked back down the hall to whence they came.

"I guess we should just wait for them to come out and get us." Fluttershy said while she glanced around the hall.

Applejack nodded while looking noticeably troubled. "I just wanna know what we were called here for."

As we waited, I noticed that the door was just slightly ajar, allowing me to peer into the throne room. I quietly made my way over to the door and held my ear to the crack in it. Inside, I could hear Celestia and Luna speaking to each other.

"This just doesn't add up... Why will the sun not rise?" I heard Celestia speak with a slightly hushed tone.

Luna replied just as quietly, "Something must be keeping the night going..."

Celestia then said with a slightly more frustrated tone, "I would suspect it was Nightmare Moon, but that is no longer a possibility. What else could it be...?"

Luna then spoke with a hint of fear in her voice. "Celestia... You don't suppose it could be HIM, do you?"

This piqued my curiosity greatly. I waited for Celestia to reply, but did not have to wait long. "Impossible. He remains sealed like the others. And that seal will not break."

Despite these reassuring words, Luna still sounded uneasy. "But he is the only other who has tried to bring about an eternal night. This prolonged dusk must be the work of..."

However, Celestia shushed Luna before she could finish. "Shh. We must not mention that name ever again. He is no longer a threat. And he never will be again. Someone or something else must be at fault."

I was very disappointed that I did not hear the name of the mysterious entity that the two sisters were speaking off, but disregarded it. Even so, their words were etched into my memory. I would not forget what I had heard anytime soon.

I decided to knock on the door to get the royal sisters' attention and took a step back. A few seconds later, the door creaked open, revealing the two beautiful alicorns. Twilight smiled upon seeing her mentor. "Princess Celestia. We came as soon as we could."

The Princess of the Dawn smiled in return. "I am relieved to see all of you... Wait... James? What brings you here?"

Luna then spoke up with a smile as she embraced me, "I don't see any problem with this, sister."

I snickered as I too embraced my friend. "Sorry if I wasn't invited. I just tagged along out of concern for my friends. And for a chance to see Luna again."

Celestia chuckled at my words. "I should've known. In any case, please come in. There is much to discuss." All nine of us entered the throne room, closing the door behind us.

I found the throne room to be quite spacious and beautifully designed. There is a long magenta rug that leads from the door to the throne itself. It seemed to be less like a chair and more of a spot with a chair's back behind it to prevent the occupant from falling backwards. The back of the 'throne' is a large oval shape that is the same color as the rug. The throne is set upon a golden raised platform with two elevations, two slopes allowing access to it. At the sides of the lower of the two raised segments are two fountains that spill over into a basin on the floor below, probably to be carried back up to the top via a pump. Above and behind the throne was an oval-shaped stained-glass window set in colors of the sunrise, but I am uncertain of what it depicted. It just seemed to be many circles set above clouds. Behind the throne are two banners that are varying shades of blue. One seems to depict a tree growing under a shining sun while the other... Well, from what I could see, it just resembled a tower of flames. There are two massive stained-glass windows at the sides of the room, one being a pale shade of blue showing what seemed to be the sun with several planetary objects orbiting around it. In the foreground was what seemed to be Earth. Or at least the world where Equestria is located unless the world itself is referred to as Equestria. The other is two pale shades of yellow showing what I believe are four different phases of the moon. And for whatever reason, the creator of the window made the full moon phase look like a round content face not unlike one would see in a children's book. All in all though, I found the throne room to be quite befitting of the royal sisters.

"I am sure you are aware that the time is nearly noon despite the fact that it still appears to be around midnight out there." Celestia spoke, the room being brightly lit by what I believe are domelike chandeliers built into the upper walls.

"Yes, we've noticed, your highness. Is it your doing?" Twilight replied while we stood behind her.

Luna shook her head. "No. Celestia and I have been trying for the past hours to lower the moon to make way for the sun. But for whatever reason, even with our strength combined, the moon simply will not budge. We have no knowledge as to what may be keeping the night going!"

Fluttershy then asked in a nervous tone, "You... You don't suppose it might be... N...Nightmare Moon, do you?"

Luna shook her head once more while also looking displeased. "Preposterous. I was purged of my dark corrupting vices when the Elements of Harmony were used on me. I would never do such a thing anymore."

Applejack then asked, "Well, what does that leave us with? I can't think of anythin' besides Nightmare Moon doin' all this!"

I felt torn as I listened to them discuss this problem. I sympathize greatly with Nightmare Moon. She even seemed like a changed person when I first met her. But if she is really doing this... An eternal night will benefit no one. Not even her.

I finally spoke up to end the discussion. "I know who's doing this."

At my words, the eight ponies turned to face me. "You do?" Luna asked with a gaze of bewilderment.

I sighed, knowing I was going to regret this. "The one who is causing this eternal night. It's Nightmare Moon."

Pinkie Pie suddenly giggled at me. "Oh, come on, James! You heard Princess Luna! She's not Nightmare Moon anymore!"

I gave my friends a serious stare. "I didn't say Luna. I said Nightmare Moon. She still exists."

Rarity replied while showing a dismissive wave of her hoof, "Now, James, I know this points heavily to Nightmare Moon, but she doesn't..."

I interrupted her promptly. "I saw her. She's hiding in the castle ruins in the Everfree Forest."

Rainbow Dash was clearly caught by surprise. "Huh?! Hold on! Out there?! What're you talking about?!"

I then proceeded to explain. "That day when I hid out in the Everfree Forest after I found that outdated law in that book in the library? I found the ruins there after night had fallen and took shelter in there." I bowed my head, knowing Celestia and Luna would likely be angry with me for keeping her existence a secret for so long.

Celestia spoke to me in a surprisingly calm voice, "Go on. What did you find there?"

I continued, "She was there. Like a billowing shadow stuck on the wall. I saw her eyes open... She shed a tear and was so silent... I told her how grateful I was for her night..." After a brief pause, I let out a sigh. "She whispered to me her gratitude. And she watched over me while I slept. She's not the monster the history books say she is."

Twilight asked with a very quiet tone of voice, "You sympathize with her, don't you?"

I nodded and spoke only one word. "Yeah..."

Celestia then spoke with a hint of anger in her voice, "Why did you not tell us?"

I bowed my head, knowing I was in trouble. "I feared for her safety... I was sure you would attack her in her weakened state."

After another moment of brief silence, Celestia sighed as she approached me. "James... Look at me."

I raised my face until I was looking directly at her. She then spoke softly, "Your heart is in the right place. I understand why you would not want to reveal her existence to us, but you must understand. Luna is the true Princess of the Night. Nightmare Moon is an abomination that should not even exist. Even if she has indeed changed like you said, the fact that she is forcing the night to stay shows that her goals and motives remain the same as before. She is a threat to Equestria. She must be stopped."

I felt a great deal of shame at those words. I looked away. "Sorry... I just... I thought for sure she had changed..."

Luna then came forward before she stood up on her hind legs and embraced me. "Do not fault yourself. You have a big heart. And others may take advantage of it."

I placed my hand on Luna's back and sighed in some relief. "Thanks, Luna..."

Twilight then asked, "Wait... Just how does Nightmare Moon still exist separately from Princess Luna? I thought Princess Luna IS Nightmare Moon!

Luna and Celestia glanced at each other for a moment before Celestia began to speak. "That is difficult to explain, but I have a theory. Perhaps... Perhaps when the Elements of Harmony were used on Luna, they only purged her of the dark forces that corrupted her. Over time, maybe the existence retained Nightmare Moon's mind and desires, becoming a separate entity. Of course, this is just a guess. I really can't say for certain."

I bowed my head while averting my eyes. "She seemed to know exactly who she is when I met her. I don't think that guess is too far from the truth."

Celestia then faced my six friends. "Well then, if we are to deal with Nightmare Moon, the Elements of Harmony will be needed. Come with me."

Not expecting those words, I turned to face Celestia. "Wait... You actually have them?"

Luna smiled as she let go of me. "The Elements of Harmony take on the form of gemstones when they have materialized. They are contained within Canterlot Tower when not in use."

Twilight smiled at her mentor reassuringly. "Don't worry, Princess Celestia. We handled Nightmare Moon once before, so I know we can do it again."

I said nothing for about five seconds before those words clicked with me. "Wait... We? You girls? YOU defeated Nightmare Moon?!"

This small outburst prompted a chuckle from Applejack. "What? We never told ya that?"

I twitched before outstretching my arms to my sides and exclaiming, "No! Not once! You never told me you are national heroes! And I'm taking it the Elements of Harmony can only be used by you six as well?"

Fluttershy blushed as she sheepishly smiled. "Uh... Yes. There are six Elements, so each of us..."

I facepalmed, feeling both baffled and frustrated. "Can't believe I went this long without knowing this..."

Rarity smiled with a slight hint of nervous guilt on her face. "Don't feel too frustrated, James. We just never told you. It's not like we use them frequently, after all. They've only been used twice so far."

Luna then spoke up to get our attention. "I do not wish to interrupt, but we must be going. Please stay with us." We all decided to hold off on the discussion for the time being and followed the royal sisters through the palace.

We soon came to a long corridor that seemed more like a hall. Lining the sides were many large arched windows, alternating between normal windows and stained-glass windows with tall stone pillars between each one. I recognized one stained-glass window. It clearly depicted my six closest friends at the bottom rearing while what seemed to be beams of pinkish energy were coming from them and was engulfing an obvious depiction of Nightmare Moon in a sphere of it. It was probably illustrating Nightmare Moon's first defeat at their hands..... I mean hooves.

Before I could follow the eight ponies further, my eyes noticed several other windows depicting..... What in the world was I looking at?

It depicted a strange creature the likes of which I had not yet seen in Equestria. It had a long slender light brown body, but its tail seemed to be a shade of red and had scales. The head resembled that of a goat, but its wings and... What was with this creature? The arms do not match, the legs do not match, and even the wings do not match! Even the two horns on its head did not match each other. It was like looking at some sick mad scientist's attempt at making an Equestrian version of the Frankenstein monster. A living mess of patchwork. As I examined it further, I muttered, "A chimera..."

My eyes trailed downwards, finding what seemed to be a few puppeteer strings hanging below the creature connecting to three ponies. Each was one of the three main types, earth pony, pegasus, and unicorn. Each seemed to be very distraught. But I felt a slight chill as I saw what were clearly flames rising up around them. I could almost hear screams and pleading for mercy in my mind, wondering just what kind of dark past Equestria could possibly have. The world has always been a borderline paradise in my eyes. But what could have possibly occurred in the past that could have prompted the creation of this scene?

One other detail I noticed was that while the ponies were rounded and balanced in design, the chimera at the top had rough edges and was very jagged. As I gazed at the chimera, I felt a subtle hint of dread in my soul. What could that contrast in design possibly represent?

"James, are ya coming?!" I heard Rainbow Dash call from down the hall. I glanced back at the window one more time before running down the hall to catch up with my friends.

Aside from the windows, the hall was very elegantly designed and decorated. In all honesty, trying to describe every aspect of it will probably take up several pages. I will try to keep it brief to avoid boring the reader and to save me some ink. The floor was two shades of gray set in tiles while a wide red carpet led from the doorway down to the end of the hall with flowering ivy designs at the edges. There were intricate symbols woven into the carpet every several steps, but I have no knowledge of what they could have been. Higher up on the pillars were baskets of white flowers, some of them spilling over the sides. At the far end of the hall was a door of three colors with what seemed to be a yellow sun symbol in the center. There were six segments, three on each side. Two were magenta, two were a very dull purple, and the other two were a very faded purple. Six round orbs were lined up vertically on each side. To the sides of the door were two unicorn effigies with manes that appeared to be designed to appear to be caught in a windy gust. The doorway itself was a combination of yellow and golden orange with an artistic alicorn design set above it that was very similar to the illustrations of Celestia and Luna I had seen in storybooks. Lastly, at the sides of the doorway were three crystals on each side. They were lined vertically, the top being a red triangle, the one below being a light green diamond, and the bottom being a purple octagon. From where I was standing, it looked like a fancy elevator.

There is a lot more detail to mention about this area, but it is somewhat overwhelming. I swear, some parts of Canterlot have so much color and artistic detail; they can trigger a sensory overload! I am stopping here with the detail. Use your imagination for the rest.

As we stood before the 'elevator', Celestia stepped forward. "This is where the Elements of Harmony are kept when not in use." I could tell she was speaking to me. She then inserted her long horn into a small circular hole in the middle of the sun design. Her horn was then engulfed with a light blue aura, indicating that she was using a very specific type of magic since her horn's natural aura color is a golden yellow.

The same light blue color shone outward from the sun, the very edges of it being illuminated by the glow. It then creeped out along the lines where the colors on the door changed. The six aforementioned circular orbs on the door then lit up with the same color one by one. The door then began to open as the glow shone so bright I had to look away. When the glow had died down enough for me to look again, I saw it. Resting on a stone pedestal behind the door was an azure chest with gold linings. The front was studded with several differently colored gemstones, the most prominent being two diamond-shaped stones of red and green. Rarity spoke up while gazing in delight. "Ooh, I just hope the contents of such a box are as dazzling as their container."

Rainbow Dash then asked, "Didn't you say something like that last time?"

Before they could discuss it further, Celestia used her magic to levitate the chest out of the chamber and held it before us. The chest's overall size was just slightly bigger than Celestia's head. Luna then spoke with a fairly stern expression, "I can guarantee that the Elements are inside." The chest's lid then flipped open, revealing its contents.

"One two three four five... Yep! That's all six!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed after quickly counting them. Luna then used her magic to levitate the contents out of the box. I looked on, fairly impressed that I was now beholding the most treasured artifacts in Equestria's long history.

After a few seconds of observation, I asked, "Um... Are they all the same, only with different shapes and colors?" Five of the Elements were set in gold necklaces while one that bore the same color and shape as the six-armed star of Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark was set atop a gold tiara. Each of them seemed to be cut and polished gemstones of varying color.

Luna promptly replied, "Not quite. Each of the Elements of Harmony have different properties." She then began to levitate the Elements toward each of my friends in a set order.

"To Applejack, the Element of Honesty." Luna spoke as she placed the Element's necklace around the farm pony's neck. The Element was in the shape of an apple, the fruit being orange with two tiny leaves at the top being green.

"To Pinkie Pie, the Element of Laughter." Luna continued as she placed the next Element on my cheerful friend. It bore the form of one of the balloons that makes up her cutie mark, being a shade of light blue or cyan.

"To Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty." Luna said as she placed the next Element on Rainbow's neck. It bore a gemstone in the shape of a red lightning bolt. The rowdy pegasus mare seemed to be wearing it proudly since she was sticking out her chest as well.

"To Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness." Luna spoke as she placed the next Element on the neck of my girlfriend. The gemstone on it was the same shade of pink as Fluttershy's mane, being in the shape of a butterfly.

"To Rarity, the Element of Generosity." Luna went on as she placed the last remaining necklace on Rarity's neck. The gemstone was in the shape of a diamond while being a royal shade of purple.

"And lastly, the Element of Magic goes to Twilight Sparkle." Luna ended as she placed the lone tiara atop Twilight's head.

I glanced back and forth at my friends with my arms crossed. "Honesty, Laughter, Loyalty, Kindness, Generosity, and Magic. They all suit you just right."

Pinkie Pie beamed at me with pride, "That's why we all have the Elements that are meant for us!"

Celestia then tapped her hoof against the floor. "We do not have time to walk down memory lane, my little ponies. We must hurry."

All my friends stood at attention before the two princesses. Luna then addressed each of them sternly. "It is unlikely that Nightmare Moon knows you are coming, but do not get complacent. She likely has some defenses prepared to counter you. Return home and prepare before you head out to stop her."

Twilight bowed before the princesses along with our other friends. "We won't let you down, your highness. We defeated Nightmare Moon before. We can do it again just as easily."

Fluttershy then looked at me and smiled. "James, would you like to come with us?"

Under any other circumstances, I would have said yes. However, I am no fool when it comes to knowing my physical capabilities. After a few seconds of weighing the situation, I sighed deeply. "I'd love to...but I'll only slow you girls down."

Applejack merely shook her head with a reassuring smirk. "Aw, don't be that way. Yer just bein' modest again."

I frowned before looking at them with the most deadpan serious gaze I could muster. "Listen to me. I'm not going to be any help to you. I don't have an Element of my own. I'm not even as strong as an earth pony. I can't use magic. And I can't fly. When all is said and done, I really don't think I'll be able to contribute anything. I'll be nothing short of...deadweight."

Rainbow Dash frowned with a look of disappointment in her eyes. "Well... You can still..." I could tell she was trying to find something to say that would counter my claim.

I decided to stop Rainbow Dash before she could even finish. "It's OK, Rainbow. Besides, you girls don't really even need me. You've handled Nightmare Moon before. You'll be fine on this mission."

Rarity gave me a solemn smile. "True... Do not fret, James. We shall return promptly and in one piece."

Celestia then spoke up with a gentle yet urgent tone. "That is enough talk, everypony. It is time that you depart. Take care out there. And remember, you are all in this together."

Luna, Celestia, and myself saw my six friends out of the palace. Before I could follow them, Celestia tapped me on my shoulder. "You may stay here until they return, if you wish."

I nodded with a halfhearted smile. "Thanks, Celestia." My gaze turned to my six friends as they left the palace, their forms fading into the night. But before they could leave my sight entirely, I noticed Fluttershy look back at me over her shoulder. Our eyes locked for about three seconds before she looked ahead, following the others.

I spent the next thirty minutes just pacing back and forth in the main hall where Celestia and Luna greeted the guests during the Grand Galloping Gala. I could not sit still. Even though I knew I would have been of no help to them, I could not help worrying for the safety of my friends. Would they be all right this time around? Were there any traps waiting for them?

But more than anything, I was fearful for Nightmare Moon's safety. The last time the Elements of Harmony were used on her, she was driven from Luna's body. What would happen if they were used on her again without a host body to protect her? I felt a slight pain in my heart; almost able to feel the pain I could see her in. I cannot imagine the Elements of Harmony being a force of destruction, but still...

"James, what is troubling you?" I heard Luna speak behind me. I turned and found her standing beside Celestia.

I would likely be scolded if I told them that my thoughts revolved around Nightmare Moon, so I instead mentioned the other worry on my mind. "It's just... I'm worried about them."

Celestia smiled calmly in a clear attempt to reassure me. "You do not need to fear for their safety. They have overcome significant challenges before. They will be fine."

Even though I am sure Celestia knew what she was talking about, I could not shake this feeling of dread from my gut. I have learned in the past that if I do not follow my gut instinct, I will regret it. "I know, but... Something doesn't feel right. I can't shake this feeling that something will go wrong." I then asked, "Celestia. Luna. If there is anything I can do to help them, anything at all, I want to know what it is."

The two sisters looked at each other, as if having a silent conversation. I waited, wondering what they were thinking about. Celestia soon nodded and turned her eyes back to me. "There is a way. But be warned. In order for you to gain the means to help them, you must take up the sword."

I asked as I tried to decode the meaning of those words. "Uh... That's just a metaphor, isn't it?"

Luna chuckled at my puzzlement with her sister's words. "Not this time. She literally means you must take up the sword to protect them."

Intrigued by the concept, I decided to inquire more into what they had in mind. "I'm not sure what you mean, but I'm interested. What do I have to do?"

Celestia showed me a more serious gaze as she began to turn away. "Come with us. This is for your eyes only." I followed without a word, wondering what they had in store for me.

The royal sisters led me to the throne room, closing the great doors behind us. I glanced around, unsure of what it was they wanted me to see. "Ready, Luna?" Celestia asked as her horn was engulfed by a billowing golden yellow aura.

"I am." Luna replied, her horn being engulfed by a cobalt blue aura.

I watched in silence as they gazed at the throne. Suddenly, there was a rumbling as the throne and the raised platforms it sat upon began to...rise? It rose into the air, resting upon four sturdy stone pillars while lifting the red rug into the air with it. It stood almost as high as me when it stopped. Beneath the throne seemed to be an old stone stairwell leading downwards.

"How long has that been there?!" I asked, bewildered by this unexpected secret.

Luna glanced over her shoulder at me with a rather stern look. "Since the day this palace was constructed around a thousand years ago. The only ones left alive who know of it are Celestia and myself. And now you know of it too."

Celestia then motioned for me to approach them with her wing. "Follow us. The means to help your friends lies below." I nodded and followed the two sisters, very intrigued by what they were going to show me.

They closed the entrance behind us once we were all going down the stairwell. The only source of light afterwards was a gentle glow coming from Celestia's horn. The air was very musty, like that of a cellar that had not been opened in years. Only I suspect this secret passage had not been opened in centuries.

When we reached the bottom of the stairwell, we came out into a dark stone corridor. The design did not seem like that of the Canterlot palace. It felt more like a dungeon. Suddenly, numerous torches lining the walls ignited, bathing the area in soft light.

"This way." Luna said as she and Celestia led me down the corridor. There were no other ways in or out of it, so it probably was not a dungeon at all. But at the end of the corridor was nothing. Just a flat wall.

"Um... This is what you wanted me to see?" I asked, starting to think that this may be a joke of sorts.

Celestia smiled with a rather whimsical look in her eyes. "Wait for it." Her and Luna's horn were engulfed by billowing auras as the wall began to retract into the floor. Once it was lowered, I looked ahead and saw that another hidden chamber lied before us. And its contents intrigued me.

"That's..." I muttered as I walked past the two sisters. Hanging from the far wall above a stone alter was a large shield. Adorning its front was what seemed to be Luna's cutie mark. A white crescent moon rested in the center while surrounded by black and some dark sapphire blue. "A shield?"

Luna smiled while she nodded. "The Lunar Shield. As stalwart and enduring as the full moon."

I was quite enthralled by the shield's design as I took it down from the wall. It was large, probably better qualified as a great shield, but was not so large as to hinder movement. I could probably completely hide behind it while keeping myself low to the ground. However, I noticed what seemed to be a sword hilt sticking out of the top.

"Don't tell me this is..." I muttered as I grabbed the hilt and pulled. As expected, it withdrew from the shield easily. As I held it above me, I found that it was indeed a sword. About the same length as a broadsword or bastard sword, its crossguard looked exactly like the sun of Celestia's cutie mark. The blade was the purest shade of white I had ever seen and gave off a gentle glow like the sun at dawn while it and the hilt extended between two of the sun's wavy 'arms'. The overall length seemed to be that of a hand-and-a-half sword with the hilt being just long enough for both hands to grasp it if needed.

Celestia, most likely noting my great fascination with the weapon, spoke next. "The Celestial Sword. A sword that shines where the sun does not."

I held up the sword above me, thoroughly impressed by the design. I immediately deduced that Luna had crafted the shield while Celestia had forged the sword. I noticed that the sword's scabbard was on the backside of the shield, built right into it. What is more, there were two brass clasps on the back of the shield. Instead of having one strap to put one's arm through and a second to grasp with the hand, these clasps seemed designed to hold the shield in place while keeping the hand free. I was worried that the sword would be a bit too heavy to effectively wield with one hand for me, but my increase in strength from regularly helping out at Sweet Apple Acres put those fears to rest. I performed a few practice swings, finding the Celestial Sword to be easy to use.

"Aside from the sword giving off light, do these tools have any special properties?" I asked, wondering just how magical the sword and shield are.

Luna promptly replied, "The shield was designed to be a perfect defense. Absolutely nothing can penetrate it. And it was designed to be large enough to completely shield the wielder without being oversized."

Celestia then explained, "The Celestial Sword has an edge that will never dull. There are very few substances it cannot cut through. And as you can see, it generates light. The darker your surroundings, the brighter it shines. And do not worry about damaging it. The sword, like the shield, cannot be corroded in any way."

I looked back and forth at the shield and sword before asking, "But which is stronger? The sword? Or the shield?"

The two sisters looked at each other, clearly unsure if I was merely asking a simple question, or if I was implying that one of them may be weaker than the other. Celestia then shrugged her shoulders while cocking her head just slightly to one side. "I guess there's only one way to find out."

I nodded before placing the Lunar Shield on the altar while making certain it was facing up. I took the Celestial Sword in both hands to increase my striking power. I was worried I might end up damaging the blade, but I decided to have faith in Celestia's words. I performed my strongest overhead chop, slamming the blade into the shield. I staggered back from the recoil, a long clang ringing out through the air. I then looked the shield over carefully for any signs of damage.

"Not a scratch..." I said to no one in particular, impressed that the unbreakable Lunar Shield had stood up to the unstoppable Celestial Sword. I looked over my shoulder and smirked. "Looks like the night wins over the day." Luna smiled proudly while Celestia rolled her eyes with a frown on her face instead.

"Use them well, James. They are yours now." Luna spoke while smiling.

I turned to thank them, but then asked, "Wait... I'm supposed to go out there with these weapons, but no armor? What if something gets by the shield?"

Celestia smirked and pointed behind me. "Take a closer look at that altar."

I turned and looked down after returning the Celestial Sword to its scabbard and leaning the Lunar Shield against the altar. Hollowed out of the altar was a basin that seemed to be filled with a peculiar substance. It was a swirling combination of what I believe was a dark sapphire blue and pure white... Actually, not quite. The white seemed to have a barely noticeable pink tint to it. "Um... What's this?" I asked, puzzled of what this liquid substance could be.

Celestia again replied while apparently enjoying watching how confused I was, "That is your armor. Place your hand in it and watch."

I took a step back before looking at her. "Excuse me?"

Luna got a brief chuckle out of that. "It's a liquid metal. It responds to physical touch. Although you may want to remove your shoes first."

I looked back at the swirling liquid after sliding my shoes off. "Heavy metals? That's poisonous, isn't it?"

Celestia grinned in amusement before approaching me. "Perhaps a demonstration will put your fears at ease." She then stepped forward and placed her hoof in the basin.

"Are you sure that's... Huh?!" I stood aghast as the liquid began to creep up over Celestia's leg. Before it could reach past her leg, she removed it from the basin. Most of it remained in the basin, but the liquid that had covered Celestia's leg quickly solidified. She was now wearing an armored greave, the coloration being mostly the shade of blue with some of the white on her lower leg. Some gold accents were in a few spots as well.

"See? Perfectly safe." Celestia said with a smile. Her horn was covered by a golden yellow aura, as was the greave. It then liquefied and was levitated back into the basin. "And don't worry about other unicorns using that magic on you. It's a spell only members of our family know."

I looked back down at the basin, hoping that it would not be dangerous. "Yeah, it would be troublesome if my opponent found a way to melt my armor off. But are you sure this is safe?"

Luna nodded without hesitation. "This armor was made specifically for human use. It's safe."

Human use. Why was I not surprised? That sword is an inch or two bigger than the sword I used during my duel with Prince Blueballs.... I mean Prince Blueblood at the Grand Galloping Gala. If that trainee sword was a 'longsword' by pony standards, then this sword is gargantuan. Clearly made for human use. And the shield is almost as big around as a pony itself. And those clasps will never work with a pony's forelegs. But if humans no longer exist in Equestria, why were these tools forged for them?

I decided to withhold any questions I had until after I tried to see if the 'armor' would work on me. I placed my hand into the pool of liquid metal and waited. The liquid felt...odd. How do I describe it? It felt thicker than water, but thinner than syrup if that makes any sense. Sure enough, it began to creep over my arm. Despite feeling like a real liquid, it did not soak into my shirtsleeve at all. But it did not stop there. It crept over my torso and down my legs as well. Pretty much the only part of me it did not touch was my head. I soon asked, "Is it done yet?"

Luna and Celestia watched with faces that showed genuine wonder. A few seconds later, Luna's wings sprang open, forcing me to suppress a laugh. Celestia seemed to notice my change in my expression and asked, "Huh? What's so funny?" I could only point at Luna. When Celestia turned, she suddenly laughed, "Wingboner?! Hehahaha!!!"

At those words, Luna noticed her predicament and folded her wings with an annoyed expression as a blush spread across her face. "Who asked you? I know you are just as dazzled by that armor, Celestia."

Celestia coughed as she regained her composure. "Yes, yes... But in all honesty, that armor... Just... Wow. I never expected it to look this impressive."

I looked down at myself. This armor... Amazing. I was now wearing a suit of plate armor. The design was not exactly sleek, but not entirely bulky either, being amazingly balanced without hindering my movement. I will describe each component separately. My greaves seemed to have a golden tri-pointed design at the tips not that unlike the designs of Celestia and Luna's shoes. Hanging over the sides and nearly reaching down to my knees were two tassets that rested against the sides of my greaves. I felt a short flap of metal hanging behind me, obviously to protect my backside. Hanging from the front by a diamond-shaped golden component was a strip of white cloth that reached just past my knees, apparently functioning as a loin guard. The majority of it was the white coloration of the liquid metal while the outer edges was that shade of blue. I suppose metal can have a silk-like texture and flexibility if it is tempered just right. My cuirass, the armor that encompasses my entire torso, was mostly dark sapphire blue. However, in horizontal lines, strips of gold underlined certain spots on it. My gauntlets were blue from the elbows down, but white from the elbows up. However, on the backs of my forearms were long hexagonal plates that were clearly designed for defense. They were at least an inch thick. The coloration was white, but at the ends of the plates was curving gold accents. In the center of each plate were two small golden crescent moon shapes that seemed to be 'dancing' around each other. At least they brought to mind crescent moons. Lastly, my pauldrons. At the sides were three stubby white spines that curved upward. At the base of each spine was a gold ring. The dominant color was blue, but they also had curved gold designs on the areas closest to my neck. What was more, there were two small decorations. On my left pauldron in the center was a tiny light blue crescent moon with an equally blue dot in front of its gaping 'maw', probably a star. On my right pauldron in the same location was an orange-yellow four-pointed sun. Another thing about this armor is how well it fit me. There was hardly any rattle when I moved. It fit me like a glove.

Before I could say anything, I happened to notice something behind me. On my back were two large white wings. I am sure that every individual feather was a thin sheet of metal, but they actually looked like real feathers. I am not sure how, but I could...'feel' them, despite them not being directly connected to my body. They spread open, reaching very wide and fluttering lightly. But when I looked back at Celestia, I noticed she had her wings spread open too. As I glanced back and forth, I realized that my armor's wings are identical to hers, only larger. That was when it hit me. "This armor's colors... They're the same as your coats!"

The two sisters laughed before Luna replied, "Took you long enough! Yes, Celestia and I forged that armor together, so we made certain one could tell who crafted it. My color may take up the bulk of the armor when you wear it, but Celesia's color makes up those grand beautiful wings."

Realizing that I had my wings spread, I smirked as I spread them further. "You girls like my wingspan?"

Luna cast a whimsical smirk at Celestia. "I know somepony who does." Just before Celestia could reply, Luna added, "Wingboner."

Celestia, finally taking note of her spread wings, groaned loudly. "Ugh, I couldn't help it! You know those are involuntary!"

I laughed heartily at the two sisters. "You ponies are so easy to amuse!"

Celestia then cleared her throat. "Yes... But in all seriousness, that armor will give you the edge you need and will compensate for your weaknesses." When I looked down at the armor, she continued to explain. "The armor overall increases your stamina and endurance, allowing you to keep up with even the burliest earth pony. Your greaves give you the kicking strength of an earth pony as well. Your wings, naturally, grant you the abilities of a pegasus. And each of your gauntlets function like a unicorn's horn."

I looked myself over again. This armor grants me the unique characteristics of the three races of ponies in Equestria? As I pondered this, I spoke, "Long story short, when I'm wearing this armor, I'm a human alicorn."

Luna chuckled in slight amusement before speaking, "Well, we don't have the physical strength of earth ponies, but you get the idea." She then added, "What is more is that your armor is very durable, being stronger than tempered steel. However, it does have its limits. Those white plates on your forearms are much sturdier than the rest of it. You can use those to deflect or block most attacks that get past the shield."

I glanced at my forearms, understanding that my assumption of those thick metal plates serving a defensive role was correct. Celestia then spoke, "But your armor's most defining feature is its resistance to magic. Only the most powerful destructive forms of magic can even hope to damage it. So don't be afraid to be bold in the face of a magic assault." I nodded in silence, confirming that I understood the explanation.

As I looked myself over more, I asked, "You know... Judging by your reactions, you've never actually seen this armor being used before."

Luna nodded at once. "True. It never had the chance to be used. Not to mention it looks differently for every person who wears it. It all depends on their preferences."

I then asked, "Really? Then what is this design effective for?"

Celestia promptly replied, "Yours seems to be a balanced design, allowing for effective defense without sacrificing mobility. You always did seem like someone who has a thing for a balanced approach to things."

It was at that moment that I noticed there was something missing from my armor. "Um... Not to sound ungrateful, but doesn't a helmet come with this? I can't imagine a suit of plate armor being without a matching helm."

The two sisters seemed taken aback somewhat by my observation. "About that..." Luna muttered while averting her eyes.

Celestia then proceeded to explain. "The helmet is separate from the armor. It will only appear when the proper conditions are met."

That certainly puzzled me. "Hang on. What do you mean it's separate?"

Luna replied with a question of her own. "Did you notice how the Elements of Harmony are set in gold jewelry?" When I nodded, she continued, "Well, in the same way they are, the helmet of your armor also houses an Element that, like the Elements of Harmony, will not appear unless someone comes along who personifies it."

It actually took me a moment to fully process those words. "Hang on... There's a seventh Element of Harmony? Is there anyone else who knows this?"

Celestia shook her head. "We never once said it is an Element of Harmony. There are only six Elements of Harmony. Although, it is an Element that has a strong connection to them. Similar to how you have a strong connection to your friends."

I paused for a moment, trying to comprehend what I was being told. "And what is this Element?" I asked while looking on.

Luna replied with a very stern expression set into her face. "That is the problem. You will never find this Element mentioned in any of the history books. It vanished from this world forever the day the last of humanity died out. For you see, where the Elements of Harmony were crafted by ponies, this Element was crafted by the hands of our human allies."

It was Celestia who answered my unspoken question. "This Element is known only by what it is. The Lost Element."

An Element forged by humanity... A sign of goodwill? And what are its properties? The possibilities ate away at me. If humans crafted the Element, does that mean only humans can use it? Or can anything use it, so long as they have the necessary qualities?

"Lost Element... You think I qualify to use it?" I asked, wondering if this Element will even be useful.

Celestia shook her head as she replied, "Don't worry too much about it. I'm certain the Elements of Harmony alone will be enough to handle Nightmare Moon in the end." She then asked, "Even so, do you still insist on joining your friends?"

I nodded without even pondering my thoughts on the matter. "Yes, your highness. Even if I'm not needed, I would feel a lot better if I was there with them without slowing them down."

Luna smiled at me before pointing at the Lunar Shield behind me. "Then come with us. We wouldn't want you to go out there without knowing how to get the most out of your gear. But first, put your shield on."

I turned and placed the shield down on the altar with the backside facing up. I then placed my left forearm under the clasps and locked them in place. The fit was perfect, the Lunar Shield never shifting once on my forearm. "It's like the gauntlets are made just to fit with it."

When I lifted my arm, I found the shield to be very large. It spanned both of my shoulders, allowing me to completely take shelter behind it. Despite its size, I did not find it overly large. I could still move around easily.

"Come with us. It's time for you to become accustomed to your new abilities." Celestia spoke as she led Luna and me out of the hidden chamber. Once we were back in the throne room, the throne lowered back into place, leaving no trace that anything had happened

I soon found myself out in the courtyard like before at the Grand Galloping Gala. Only this time, there were no partygoers to get in my way. I looked around, finding that Luna and Celestia were nowhere to be seen. I drew the Celestial Sword from its scabbard, holding it in my right hand. I was expecting to be tutored in the art of swordplay since I am very lacking in actual experience. Knowing and studying various types of swordplay may increase one's knowledge, but it will not do one any good unless they have practiced it.

After a moment longer, I heard the clopping of hooves. I turned to see what seemed to be Shining Armor approaching me from the palace. Only unlike the last time I saw him, he was clad in what seemed to be saddle-like armor. Its color scheme was pale gold and a faded purple, only darker than Twilight's coat. On the front was an emblem that strongly resembled his shield-like cutie mark. I spoke up once he came close enough for me to make him out entirely. "Captain?"

Shining Armor froze as he caught sight of me. "Whoa man, is that you, James?! Dang, where'd you get that equipment?! That armor looks like it could endure a pride of manticores!"

I chuckled at his enthusiasm. "Nah, it's not THAT durable. But it is highly resistant to magic."

The unicorn stallion grinned at me. "Well, I assumed it was. I mean, that stuff covers more of you than my own armor does. And that shield! It looks just about as big as I am! How do you lug it around?!"

I glanced down at the Lunar Shield on my arm and replied, "Well, I'm sure it's a lot lighter than you are."

Armor nodded after a second longer of observation. "Yeah, and a lot thinner too. But anyway, you look amazing in that gear, James. You'll be wearing that when you go to help my sister, right?"

I nodded while I looked ahead at him. "If I don't, I'll just be deadweight. And what about you? You're here to train me, right?"

The captain shook his head, "No, I'm only here to supervise. Your real instructor will be here shortly."

I waited by Shining Armor, scanning my surroundings. I noticed Luna and Celestia watching us from above on the same balcony they used during my duel with Prince Blueballs.... Bah, I cannot help calling that wretched oaf that term. Please bear with me.

After a few more moments, Armor glanced over at the palace. "Ah, Estoc. Just the stallion I was hoping to see."

I turned to face the palace and noticed a royal guard approaching us. He was a unicorn and was clad in the same armor as all the others, from the golden galea helmet to the metal shoes. However, his coat was black and the normally teal star on his chest was white. Probably to denote his rank among the guards.

The approaching unicorn flashed a glance at me before turning his gaze back towards his commanding officer. "Good afternoon, captain. Is this man my charge?"

Armor nodded while he extended a hoof in my direction. "Yes, you are to instruct him in swordplay. He's a bit unrefined, but he shows promise." I cracked a smile at Armor's praise. He then faced me and spoke, "James, I would like you to meet..."

I spoke up before he could finish, "Estoc. A rapier variant characterized by its long needlelike blade. The English version is known as the tuck."

The two unicorns gazed at me with surprised expressions. Estoc spoke first after a moment of minor stammering, "Yes, that's exactly what it is. You certainly know your swords."

I grinned while averting my eyes. "Well... I do consider myself something of a sword aficionado."

Shining Armor let out a short laugh before he could speak. "You two are gonna get along just fine, I know it! Anyway, Estoc here will be teaching you all you need to know about swordplay. He's my second-in-command and instructs all the new recruits."

He then made me kneel down so he could whisper into my ear. "Just between you and me, he's better with swords than I am. So you would do well to stick with him instead of me."

Considering that I had never seen Shining Armor carrying a weapon, I was naturally puzzled as to what his weapon of choice is. "If you don't use swords, what weapon do you specialize in?"

Armor smiled as he gave me an answer I really should have seen coming. "Spears. If you were using a spear or lance, I would be the better tutor. But you're not. So..."

I stood up while Armor turned back to face Estoc. "All right then, Estoc. I'm leaving him to you."

Estoc then gave Shining Armor a salute. "I will do what I can, captain. Nopony has ever walked away from my sessions without having learned something." Armor then walked over to the palace and watched us from the doorway. But before he went away, I handed him my glasses to make certain they would not fall off my head and get trampled during training.

Estoc turned his attention to me as I stood at attention. "Now then... James, is it?"

I nodded while replying briefly. "Yes, sir."

Estoc then continued, "I noticed during the Grand Galloping Gala that you do indeed have a penchant for swordplay. However, if I may be blunt, I must say that your style and overall skill was a bit.....lacking."

I was not surprised by Estoc's criticism. Having no experience in combat, I completely improvised during that duel. My instructor went on, "I have to say the only reason you bested the prince was out of sheer use of intimidation. You had him cowering before you with such a large sword being used in just one hand combined with your anger. What is more, he is not the most capable duelist in Canterlot. He believes that just because he knows the basics of swordplay means that he is an able duelist. But that only applies to duels with the meek and uneducated."

My disgust with Blueblood was only increased by that explanation. From what I gathered, the only reason Blueblood had challenged me was because he believed I knew nothing about swordplay. "He only fights those who don't know how to fight back?"

Estoc frowned with a look of contempt in his eyes. "Yes, the cowardly sod. I should know. I trained him, after all."

"Well, enough of that lout. You're going to train me, right?" I asked then asked while hoping we could change the subject.

Estoc nodded with a faint smile, "Yes, I will do my best to make certain you can use that sword effectively." I then noticed a sword in a scabbard strapped to the side of his armor. His horn was engulfed in a billowing gray aura, as was the sword's hilt. The sword was drawn from the scabbard and floated in front of Estoc. The sword in question was my instructor's namesake. An estoc. The blade was like a large needle, being a few inches shorter than the sword I used during my duel with Blueblood.

As I reached for my sword, Estoc spoke up, "Oh, wait. Don't use that sword. I heard about it from Lady Celestia. My blade won't hold if it clashes against yours."

Remembering Celestia's words on how few things can resist a slash from the Celestial Sword's blade, I then asked, "Then what do I use?" There was a thud next to me that may have come from the palace. I turned to my right and found what I believe was the same blunt 'longsword' I used during my duel with Blueblood.

"All yours, James!" I heard Shining Armor call out. I nodded and yanked the sword out of the ground, where it was standing straight up.

Estoc then gestured with his hoof. "All right then. Show me your best combat stance." I nodded, widening my stance while keeping my knees slightly bent. I had my shield raised with my left arm held parallel to my ribcage, but keeping it lowered just enough to peer over it. My sword was kept close to my side, ready to lash out at a moment's notice.

"Hmmm..." Estoc muttered as he began to circle me. I stood my ground since he did not seem to be acting aggressively. "Stance is good... Knees are bent... Completely concealed behind shield... You've got the battle stance down right."

I nodded while staying composed. "OK. So, what's next?"

Estoc retook his position in front of me. "First, I will attack you. Keep your shield up and be sure to be mindful of which direction I am coming from to keep your shield facing me at all times." I nodded and prepared myself.

The estoc's blade (that is the sword, not the pony) lunged forward, striking my shield hard. I felt the force of the blow, but held my ground. I watched from behind the shield as Estoc moved to my left quickly before striking again. I followed his movement, moving my arm to keep my shield facing him to block the blow. He then moved to my right and did the same, my shield always facing him. He then began to strike higher and lower than before, forcing me to raise my shield at points and turning my shield partially sideways to block lower blows more easily due to the Lunar Shield becoming narrower at the bottom.

"Hm... You're quite good on defense." Estoc said as he stood back.

This small praise coaxed a tiny smile from me. "Well, I'm not exactly aggressive most of the time."

Estoc smiled back at me before replying, "That's good. Reckless aggression weakens one's defenses. Now, it's your turn to attack me. Don't fear for my safety, I'm ready for you."

I nodded and tried lashing out with an overhead swing. Estoc held his blade laterally to catch it, a clank being heard as the two blades clashed. Despite having no physical support, the blade remained in the air despite the force of the blow.

"Now! Defense!" Estoc called out suddenly. I was caught off guard and resorted to bashing the incoming strike away with my sword arm.

"Sloppy. You should not react so desperately to defend against a sudden attack." Estoc spoke sternly as he relented.

I panted, still somewhat startled from the unexpected attack. "What do you mean?! I had to do something to block it!"

He nodded readily while once again taking a combat stance. "Yes, but you should use your shield arm instead. Let's try this again. Strike me."

Once I had regained my composure, I lashed out with another overhead swing. Immediately upon striking, Estoc pushed my blade away with his own blade. "Defense!" As instructed, I took a step back with my right foot while I threw up my shield, deflecting the incoming strike. "Good. Much better. Remember, if your attack fails, it is wisest to immediately go on the defensive."

I nodded promptly and asked, "OK. What's next?"

Estoc smiled as he held up his blade. "I will go entirely on the defensive. Do whatever you can to strike me. Don't worry, my armor will hold."

I felt a little uneasy about actually trying to hit my instructor, but I nodded and began to slowly circle the unicorn guard. I kept my shield up, concealing my weapon behind it. "Mmmm, that's a good strategy. Keep your opponent guessing by keeping your weapon out of sight." Estoc spoke while constantly facing me.

"Got it." I replied before suddenly lashing out with my sword. It was a horizontal strike aimed at his neck, yet he blocked easily by holding his sword's blade vertically.

"You'll have to be more inventive than that." Estoc said as he stood his ground. I frowned, analyzing his defenses. Overhead strikes can be blocked easily by holding one's weapon laterally while strikes from the sides can be blocked with a weapon being held vertically. I then had an idea. Thrust attacks are not easily blocked by blades due to how thin they are.

I lashed out with a thrust, expecting to strike him. Instead, my blade was parried by Estoc's blade. He waited for my sword to pass his before pushing it away. Aside from parrying, the only way to defend against a lunge attack is with a shield. "Try again." Estoc spoke calmly.

I had another idea, though definitely unrefined and unorthodox. I swung my blade down, Estoc's blade catching it again. Only this time, a second after the blades clashed, I lashed out with my right leg. My attack struck him in the side of the neck, a clank being heard as it hit the side of his helmet that was covering it. What shocked me was how far away he was sent rolling by that blow. What kind of strength do these armored greaves give me?!

"You OK?!" I called out as Estoc came to a stop around fifteen or twenty feet from me.

He staggered to his feet and shook his head, clearly not knowing what hit him. "Ugh... What was that?!"

I approached him cautiously, feeling like I had made a mistake. "I...uh...tried lashing out with a kick while your defenses were focused on something else. Was that a bad idea?"

Estoc looked at me, still a bit dazed. Rather than being angry, he chuckled. "Bad? That was brilliant! Maybe it's because we ponies can't do the same with our forelegs, but that's a brilliant follow-up to a botched attack. Especially with that kind of strength in your legs!"

I scratched my head while feeling mildly puzzled by his praise. "Really? It was the only thing I could think of to get by your defenses."

Estoc smiled before promptly replying, "In other words, a feint. And it worked. I think that will do for now though. We'll continue your combat training once you have finished the rest of your training." But as he sheathed his sword, Estoc added, "But before that, let me give you some advice."

I silently nodded and stood at attention. "Just remember, unless you plan to feint, make certain that you immediately go back onto the defensive when your attack fails. Another thing to be mindful of is to never overswing. There may be times when you are tempted to swing your weapon as hard as you can, like you did a few times during your duel at the Grand Galloping Gala, but you must resist that urge. If you try to strike your opponent with that much force and miss, you will be wide open to a counterattack. Never, and I really do mean it, NEVER overswing during battle. The only times you can ignore this rule is when your opponent is completely immobilized."

I took every word Estoc said to heart. But before he finished, he pointed at my head. "And one last thing. Be very mindful of your head until you acquire a helmet. As you are right now, your head is the most vulnerable part of your body."

I frowned as I rubbed my exposed head. "It's not my idea, if that's what you're wondering."

Estoc looked up at the balcony where Celestia and Luna were watching. "He's all yours now!" At those words, the two alicorns jumped from the balcony and slowly descended with their wings spread. They then folded their wings upon landing before us.

Luna immediately smiled at me. "You seemed to handle your swordplay training well, James. Are you ready for the next step?"

I turned to her and nodded. "Yeah. What's next? Obstacle course? Magic training?"

Celestia smiled while spreading one wing. "Next, you must learn how to fly."

This caught me by surprise. My head jerked up and glanced behind me. As if on cue, the wings of my armor spread right open. This got a snicker out of Celestia. "What's this? A wingboner?"

I felt myself blush at those words. "Shut up! I'm not even slightly turned on!" Celestia began to laugh, myself baffled as of why my wings had suddenly spread open.

Luna chuckled while she tried to speak. "It's not a wingboner every time, James. That's a reflex pegasi have. When surprised, their wings spread open like yours just did."

I glanced back at my wings as I somehow made them fold again. "So, my wings are partially connected to my emotions? And who's my flying instructor?"

Celestia looked skyward upon hearing those words. "I sent word to her a short while ago. She should be here any minute now."

I looked up as well. "She?" As if to answer my question, something passed under the moon. It went out of sight very quickly before swooping down close enough for me to see it. A pegasus clothed in a blue and yellow... Wait a second...

"Hey there, Princess Celestia! You called?" The pegasus called out while coming in for a landing. I recognized her fiery mane and tail right away. Spitfire of the Wonderbolts.

Celestia nodded as she replied, "I did. Seeing as how you are arguably the best flyer in Equestria, I felt you would be ideal to train someone how to fly." She then pointed in my direction.

Spitfire laughed at those words. "Training to fly?! What, does a fan of the Wonderbolts want to earn his wings by..." She stopped speaking upon looking at me, her mouth hanging open. She then raised her goggles, granting me a view of her eyes. "Whoa..."

I waved at her with my right hand. "Uh... Hey there, captain. Remember me?"

Spitfire nodded rather dumbly at first. "Uh huh... From the Gala, right? What's the name? James?" When I nodded, she smiled at me as she regained her composure. "Man... Awesome outfit. It puts the Wonderbolt uniform to shame. Ooh! Could you spread your wings for me?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Uh... OK?" I did as she asked, spreading the wings on my back as far as I could.

Spitfire whistled at the sight before her. "Nice wingspan. Soarin' would be jealous." She then trotted up to me. "So, you wanna earn your wings, huh? Well, you've got the #1 flyer in Equestria to help you on your way."

I smiled while feeling confident that I was in good hooves with Spitfire guiding me. "Thanks, captain. Where do we start?"

Spitfire spread her wings first. "First, you have to flap your wings straight down to propel yourself upward. Right after that, you need to pivot them slightly so you're not flapping them straight down and keeping it up in a steady rhythm. Lemme demonstrate." I watched closely as Spitfire flapped her wings straight down, launching herself up into the air a few feet before flapping them on a slightly different angle. "Just like that. Think you can match it?"

I nodded before glancing at my sides. "Let me see..." I spread my wings and raised them. Do not ask me how I was controlling them. They just moved the way I wanted them to. I then flapped them straight down, launching myself around five feet into the air.

The sudden ascension startled me, preventing me from even trying to flap my wings. "Woo! Hey! Whoa!" I yelped, falling right back down and somehow safely landing on my feet. "Sorry... Not used to this. Let me try again." Preparing myself for liftoff, I flapped my wings again. However, once I was airborne, I could not flap my wings on the right angle and fell flat on my back with a noisy clatter.

"Whoa! You OK, James?" Spitfire asked as she landed and came to my side.

I wheezed from the concussion of the impact. "Urgh... I'll never get used to that..." I sat up, not in any actual pain since the armor and wings shielded me from the brunt of the impact, but still feeling a bit dazed.

Celestia then came forward. "I think I can help with that." Her horn was engulfed in a golden yellow aura.....as was I. I was lifted off the ground and began to float upright.

"Huh? What're you doing?" I asked, puzzled by what Celestia had in mind.

She replied while gazing at me, "I'll just hold you in place until you've figured out how to move your wings properly."

Spitfire then began to hover next to me. "I'll watch to make sure you're doing it right. Now, start flapping!"

I did as I was told, flapping my wings in a steady rhythm. "Tilt them back just a bit." Spitfire said while closely observing where my wings connected to my armor. I nodded and adjusted my wings' angle. "A little faster. You'll just drop at that speed." I sped up the rhythm of my flapping, generating a noticeable gust in the process. However, I ended up slapping her in the face with my wing.

"Oof! Never been hit with so many feathers in my life!" Spitfire yelped as she reeled from the hit. But she just laughed it off. A few seconds later, she faced Celestia. "OK, your highness. Let him go."

The aura that surrounded me vanished, leaving me hovering off the ground using nothing more than my own wings. It felt very...invigorating to find myself being held aloft without any motors or vehicles. It was all my doing.

I grinned while beholding myself achieving the miracle of self-sustained flight. "I'm actually flying!"

Spitfire chuckled at my awe, "Nah, you're just hovering. Once you've gotten accustomed to controlling your aerial movements, we'll take you up to the next level."

I will not bore you with the details, but Spitfire continued to educate me, teaching me how to adjust my direction and how to even fly backwards while still facing forward. All in all, it was a huge boost to my confidence.

"Looking good, James! Ready to catch some air?" Spitfire asked once I had landed.

Seeing as how I had already come to understand how to fly on my own, I was a bit puzzled by her words. "Haven't I learned enough? I can fly now."

Spitfire showed me that really warm smile I came to know her for. "Like I said, all you were doing was hovering. If you wanna get the most outta those wings, you need to SOAR. In the SKY. Miles above the ground in ultimate freedom!"

I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. "Uh... Way up there?"

Spitfire showed a rather smug smirk. "What's the matter? Afraid of heights?"

I averted my eyes as I replied, "No, I don't fear heights. I don't even fear flying. What I AM afraid of is.....falling."

Spitfire stared at me before suppressing a laugh. "I know exactly where you're coming from. The first time you go into a dive is always something of a gut wrencher. But don't worry. I'll help you through it until it feels second nature to you. But if you really want to, we can let you stay grounded."

I looked back at my wings. If I was going to help my friends, and myself, I was going to need to learn how to get the most out of my gear. Although I was nervous, I knew what I had to do. "I'm ready, captain."

That warm and friendly pegasus mare nodded with a smile. "That's what I wanna hear. But before we start..." She then tossed me what seemed to be a pair of goggles that looked just like hers. "Put those on. Wouldn't want any dust to get in your eyes while diving at that speed."

"OK. Thanks." I replied before pulling the goggles over my head. But when I pulled them down over my eyes, I noticed that everything seemed more crisp and clear. As if I had just put my glasses back on. "Do these goggles have corrective lenses?"

Spitfire gave me a friendly wink. "Yup. Princess Celestia requested them, so I went and got you some. You ready?"

This got a big smile out of me. "Thanks! Yeah, lead on." Spitfire then went airborne and started to fly towards the top of the palace. I too went airborne and followed her, impressed by just how quickly I was ascending.

The higher I went, the more nervous I became. By the time I had reached Spitfire's location high above the palace, I was almost as giddy as a schoolgirl. "Oh jeez, oh man, I don't wanna fall..."

Spitfire waved at me as she hovered in place. "Hey there, James! Nice view, huh?"

I felt a tiny bit of my nervousness fade as I beheld my surroundings, the vast moonlit landscape surrounding us. The feel of freedom when you are floating high above the ground without anything supporting you aside from your own body... Simply indescribable. "Awesome view... So this is the freedom that comes with being a pegasus."

The captain of the Wonderbolts grinned at me. "Couldn't have said it better myself. You ready for the next step?"

I felt myself shudder before I could even reply. "Let's just get this over with..."

Spitfire nodded before she flexed her shoulders. "All right, I'll go first. Just watch." She then went into a sudden dive, going straight down while also moving away from the palace. After about eight seconds, she pulled out of the dive and flew right back up to me. "See? Nothing to it! Just lean forward and angle your wings down."

I tried to do the same, but my fear kept holding me back. Spitfire seemed to notice as she patted me on the shoulder... I mean pauldron. "Easy there. If something goes wrong, I'll catch you."

"Thanks, captain..." I replied before holding my breath. I finally managed to lean forward and went into a dive. I felt a terrible pulling on my stomach as I fell, my fear once again returning. I even began to flail about. "No! Help! I don't wanna do this!"

At those words, Spitfire swooped down and grabbed me, pulling me back up to my starting location. She got a good laugh out of my spazzing. "What're you doing?! You're gonna pancake yourself into the pavement if you just flail like that! If you have doubts, just hold your wings out to the sides to break out into a glide until you get your bearings. Or just hold them out straight and fan your feathers to slow your descent. I'm pretty sure wings as big as those would make for a good parachute." She then seemed to eye my shield. "Come to think of it, that shield might be useful as an airbrake. Just be careful with how it's positioned when diving. It might throw you off."

I glanced at the Lunar Shield on my left arm, taking note of its size. "OK... Just let me calm down and I'll try again."

I am not even sure how many times I attempted to dive. Probably around several dozen. But in time, I finally got used to it. I was performing dives, loops, even barrel and aileron rolls. I wonder if my wings can deflect laser fire when doing those?

After I was finally used to flight, Spitfire and I did one lap around the mountain. "Come on, James! Try to keep up!" Spitfire called to me as I followed her. I tried to keep the Lunar Shield held as flat as possible to minimize drag. I was impressed by the speed I could reach, the wind blowing through my hair with such force. And all the while, I was smiling. Such freedom!

After one full lap, Spitfire flew back down into the courtyard where the royal sisters, Shining Armor, and Estoc were waiting. Instead of flying though, I decided to just slowly descend. I righted myself before spreading my wings wide, my descent being slow and quiet. I landed fairly lightly before my friends and instructors before closing my wings. "Woo! Can we go again?"

My mentor let out a laugh at my increase in enthusiasm. "I knew you'd love it! I say you've passed."

Estoc then stepped forward. "Next, you must get used to your overall physical abilities."

I looked down at my greaves; all but certain he was referring to the enhanced strength of my legs. "You mean my earth pony enhancements?"

The unicorn guard nodded. "Exactly. We're just going to run a lap through the royal garden. Ready?"

I was baffled by how a simple run through the garden could be considered training. Regardless, I nodded and followed Estoc a bit further away from the palace itself.

"All right then. Ready?" Estoc asked while I stood beside him. I bent my knees as I prepared to sprint. "Let's begin!" He suddenly broke into a run. I did the same and chased him into the garden.

Right away, I noticed there was something different about me. Just how fast was I running?! My gait must have been around forty miles per hour. Do my greaves grant me the running speed of an earth pony as well?

"Don't fall behind, James!" Estoc called back to me. I paid close attention to him, watching and following his every move. Whenever we jumped an obstacle, like bushes, I noticed that I could jump quite a bit higher than I normally can.

As we ran, I noticed something else. I was hardly breaking a sweat. My heart rate had gone up, but I was not feeling even remotely tired. Does the armor give me the physical endurance and stamina of an earth pony as well? "Maybe this is how Big Macintosh feels..." I muttered under my breath.

Our jog lasted only around two minutes before we burst out of the garden and stopped in front of Celestia and Luna. Estoc looked back at me and smiled. "You certainly handled that well."

I nodded while giving one leg a shake to loosen it up. "I think that was the easiest and most straightforward exercise yet."

Estoc then pointed to what seemed to be a wooden beam sticking up out of the ground that was about as big around as his torso. "Your speed and stamina is great. Now, test your strength on that."

I approached the beam and examined it. It seemed very sturdy. "What am I supposed to do with it?" I asked, looking over at Estoc.

"Kick it, of course!" He replied with a flummoxed glare. I then understood this was to test how much stronger my legs had become since donning my armor.

I stood before the beam and braced myself. After checking my balance, I raised my right leg and slammed my foot into the beam. The result shocked me. My foot smashed right through the beam, splinters flying everywhere. I winced at the thought of what kind of damage this could do if I kicked someone in the same manner.

"Hm... That's definitely earth pony strength, all right." I heard Shining Armor speak from the sidelines.

I scratched my head with a nervous grin on my face. "I really don't know my own strength."

Luna then stepped forward, clearly pleased with my progress. "You've done well so far. I will be instructing you on the last subject, if that is all right with you."

The offer of being tutored by the Princess of the Night got me fairly excited. "You? Really? Sweet. What's the last subject to cover, Luna?"

The my dear royal friend smiled before replying, "Magic. Your gauntlets function like a unicorn's horn. Once you've finished that, you will be ready."

I looked down at my right hand. I have no idea how unicorn magic is even used. She then continued, "We don't have that much time to teach you much, so we will have to settle for the basics. The levitation spell will suffice for now."

I have seen virtually every unicorn I have ever met use the levitation spell at some point, so it is more than likely the easiest spell to use. Perfect for a beginner like me. Estoc placed a few spears up in the courtyard before leaving them to us.

Luna glanced up at me. "Now, the key to using magic is mental focus. Since your gauntlets bestow upon you alicorn level magic potential, you should have an easier time than most unicorns."

I then asked while glancing at my arm, "Why alicorn level magic potential?"

Celestia then came forward and explained, "Alicorns are extremely adept in the use of magic while humans are completely unable to use any form of magic on their own. Therefore, they would normally have a very difficult time learning any with even the strongest unicorn level magic potential." I nodded, understanding that having the magical capabilities of an alicorn would speed my training along. Time was of the essence, after all.

Luna lost her smile while she took several steps toward the row of spears. "I will demonstrate first." Her horn became engulfed in a cobalt blue aura, as did one of the spears. It then rose off the ground and began to move from side to side and up and down.

I looked down at my right gauntlet and tried to focus, yet nothing happened. Celestia then began to speak to me about..... Actually, I am still not entirely certain of what she meant. The use of magic is an extremely complex subject with arcane origins and I still cannot wrap my head around it. I learn better from experience than words. Or both combined.

Do not ask me how I figured out how to use magic. I know how by now, but I just cannot explain it. My right gauntlet was engulfed in the same billowing aura as Celestia's horn. I tried extending my hand towards the other spear, but Luna spoke up. "You don't have to aim your hand at it like a puppeteer. Just focus and move it using your will."

I lowered my hand and focused as directed, but I was still extremely tempted to move my fingers as well. The spear was covered in the same aura as my gauntlet and rose into the air. I then tried making it swivel around in the air to great effect. "This isn't so hard after all." I said with a smile.

"Good. Now use your other gauntlet." Luna replied while pointing to the other spear. I am not sure how I could focus on multiple objects in two separate directions, but I managed somehow. The spear became engulfed in a cobalt aura too, just like that of...Luna's?

I spoke up while glancing at her, "Luna, I thought I was supposed to get that one."

The Princess of the Night chuckled at my confusion. "But you did. See?" Her horn was not covered in an aura of any sort, meaning she was not using magic. I then glanced down at my left gauntlet, finding it coated in the same blue aura as my friend's horn.

"Huh?! Hang on!" I barked, breaking my focus and letting the spears fall to the ground. I focused enough to make the auras flare up again, my left gauntlet surrounded by blue while my right was surrounded by golden yellow. "Why are they the same colors as yours?"

Celestia looked at me and explained, "Because they both have the same polarities of my and Luna's unique magic abilities. For example, your right gauntlet can use magic that only I can use and vice versa. We could teach you some of them, but that will have to wait for another day."

I looked down at my hands. Granting a human the power of not one, but two alicorns? Let alone the most powerful alicorns in the world? That would require a grave amount of risk. How could they trust me so easily?

"Your highness... This is an awful lot of power to give to someone. Aren't you worried I might misuse it?" I asked, wondering if there was some sort of catch to this.

Luna smiled wholeheartedly at me without a hint of doubt in her eyes. "True. If this armor ended up in the wrong hands, it could very easily be used for terrible evil deeds."

Her sister then added, "But we've been watching you for the last eight months, James. You're not an enemy of Equestria. We know we can trust you. You are not someone who would willingly turn his back on his friends."

I sighed while taking in their words. "Thank you...I'll try to not depend on this stuff too much."

Estoc then stepped forward. "All right then, James. Now that you have become accustomed with your equipment, it's time to see how well you do when you put them all together."

Everyone other than Estoc and myself backed away to give the two of us some room. "Heads up!" I heard Shining Armor call. I noticed him toss the same blunt training sword as before at me. Only this time, I caught it in midair with magic and retracted it to me so I could grab it.

"Nice catch. You're getting better at using that levitation spell." Estoc said as he drew his sword.

"Well, I did learn from the best." I replied with a smile as I held up my shield.

Estoc nodded as he levitated his sword in front of his head. "Indeed. Now, just come at me with everything you've learned. Use swordplay, flight, strength, and magic together and don't let up until I say."

I nodded readily. "OK... Are you sure I should go all out?" I certainly did not want to harm anyone.

"As I said earlier, do not fear for my safety. I am well versed in the ways of self-defense. You'll have to work hard to actually do me harm." Estoc replied without any hint of concern in his tone. He then held his sword laterally for defense. "Come at me when ready."

I decided to start on the offensive. While holding my shield out in front of me, I charged Estoc at full speed. I was actually somewhat unprepared with just how quickly I closed the gap between us. I would have run right into him if he had not jumped back.

"What're you doing?!" He shouted, clearly just as surprised as I was.

"Sorry!" I replied, jumping back to give me some room. "Not used to my own speed."

I took a defensive stance with my shield up, watching Estoc from over the top. After counting to five in my head, I lashed out with a sudden thrust with my sword. He must have read me like a book since he parried my attack before lashing out with a thrust of his own. My legs were still bent forward, so I made my wings flap hard, pulling myself away from him before landing gently on my feet.

"What is this? A hit and run tactic?!" Estoc shouted, probably expecting me to block his attack with my shield instead of retreating out of range.

As I began to develop a better feel for my capabilities, I began to feel more sure of myself. A smile spread across my face, my legs gyrating as a song worthy of a battle played in my head.

"Heh... You must be confident if you're starting to dance." Estoc spoke, likely noticing my subtle side-to-side movements.

I replied while trying to not snicker, "Maybe... Right now, things just got a lot more fun."

I considered quickly leaping about with the use of my wings to try to disorient or frustrate Estoc, but decided against it since he could not attack me from a distance without being separated from his weapon, so the effect would be lost on him. His weapon, being an estoc, could only be effectively used to perform stabbing attacks. I would have to get in close to attack, and the only way to effectively defend against his attacks would be to use my shield.

I charged at him, this time more aware of my speed. As I slid to a stop, I kept my shield up until I came to a complete stop. Estoc remained where he stood in silence, probably waiting for me to make the first blow. At that moment, a thought came to me. How did that saying go? A good offense is the best defense? Well, what about the reverse?

I inched slightly closer to Estoc, who seemed to be standing ready with his blade held sideways. Clearly awaiting a vertical slash, but he could probably change stances quickly to block a horizontal slash as well. But what I had in mind was not a slash at all.

I must have been starting to have a little too much fun, since I suddenly shouted, "Gotcha!" At that instant, I lashed out with my shield, barging it into his face to stun him before swinging it to my left, slapping him across the face. Before he could recover, I managed to score a quick two hit combo on his head before kicking him away with a blow to the side of his chest.

"Oof! Using the shield to make a small opening! Not bad, James!" Estoc shouted as he regained his footing. "Keep at it!"

This time, I kept a slightly greater distance from my instructor. It was unlikely that the same trick would work on him twice, even if stopping such a large battering object would likely prove difficult. But as I kept my shield up, my eyes fell upon my left gauntlet.

"Hmmmm..." I formulated a plan as my eyes fell upon my shield. As my gauntlet was engulfed by a billowing cobalt aura, I called out to Estoc. "Here ya go!" At that instant, the clasps holding my shield to my arm opened and I sent my shield hurtling towards the unicorn soldier.

"What the?!" Estoc shouted just before the shield slammed into his face with a very loud clank. He was sent flying a great deal back before crashing into a tree. "Guh! Hurling the shield as a battering weapon?! Unorthodox.....but brilliant!" As he dropped down onto his feet, Estoc shouted, "Where did you come up with such a move?!"

I smirked as I recalled my shield, the large object floating before me. "Let's just say it's from the one fighting style I've seen that interests me the most." I then launched it at him again. "Just like this next move!"

Estoc seemed to believe he could parry the incoming attack since he stood his ground with his blade held laterally. I smirked, knowing one cannot parry an object as large as a great shield. You must evade it. As expected, it barged right through his defenses, bashing him in the face. But I did not stop there. I guided the shield, slamming it into his head from several angles before dropping it down onto his head, sending Estoc face first into the ground.

As I called the Lunar Shield back to me and placed it on my forearm, I muttered to myself, "Dang... I guess this really is the Ultimate Shield, huh?" I then ran towards him with my sword in hand before leaping high into the air with a flap of my wings and began to drop down towards him with my sword pointed downward in a reverse grip.

Estoc staggered to his feet, his magic grip on his weapon being momentarily broken. "Where... What..." I heard him groan. I am sure those blows may have knocked his brain around a bit.

As I descended, I noticed that it would be possible that Estoc would see me coming and jump out of the way. I muttered as I recalled his advice, "Don't overswing... Don't overswing..." I broke out of my killing dive and resorted instead to just trying to stomp on him. At the last second, he looked up to see me coming before jumping out of the way. I did the same upon landing, flapping my wings once to get away from him in case he tried to counterattack.

"Sir? Did I go too far?" I asked, feeling a bit of guilt. I certainly was not trying to really hurt him.

Estoc shook his head to clear up his dizziness. "No... No, of course not! You surprise me, James. I mean, really! Using your shield as a magic-controlled projectile?! You can't defend easily against that!"

I scratched my head with a sheepish smile from his praise. "Well, the use of a shield as a weapon is known for inflicting guard cru... I mean, you can't really muscle your way through a shield that hard and large."

My mentor chuckled as he levitated his weapon beside him again. "Yes, I was a fool for trying. But this time, come at me with just your sword. There are times where your shield may end up being taken out of reach, forcing you to rely on just your weapon."

I did as I was told and cast my shield aside. "Now then, come at me!" Estoc shouted, his sword held ready.

"Like this?" I asked as I hurled my sword at him, my right gauntlet being engulfed by a golden yellow aura.

"What?! No! I meant... Darn it!" Estoc yelped as he jumped to the side to evade it. "Fight fair!" He shouted as I made the sword swing at him in midair. Truly a frustrating situation. How can you defeat an opponent that is just a sword floating in the air? Our audience found this to be a very entertaining moment, since they were all howling with laughter.

"OK, OK, I'll stop." I eventually called out as I called my sword back and took it in hand.

"Cheeky little... Let's see how you like it!" Estoc shouted as his estoc... You know, it is rather confusing to call a weapon by its name when its wielder has the exact same name. I will continue to refer to Estoc's weapon as a tuck, since it is effectively the same thing. Anyway, he hurled his tuck at me in the same way I hurled my sword, the tip pointing directly at me.

I smirked, knowing I pretty much had this duel in the bag. "Yoink!" I shouted, my left wing folding down over my front. The sword went right into it, getting stuck in the feathers in the process. I then reached out and grabbed the tuck, holding two swords in total. "Thank you, sir!"

Estoc seemed rather unsettled as I held both my and his weapons at the same time. "Oh jeez, this is getting good!" I heard Spitfire shout from the sidelines.

Estoc spoke up with a rather uneasy tone of voice. "Now...uh... James? You really shouldn't steal your opponent's weapon like that. It's...uh...against the rules of fair sport and all..."

I smirked as I felt a surge in my confidence. "Rules? There aren't any rules in war, soldier!" I then dashed towards him, holding my twin blades out to my sides. "Say uncle!"

Estoc yelped in response to my sudden approach. "Uncle?! Never... Ack! Get away from me!" He began to run away from me with a look of desperate terror on his face. When he came within range, I made a horizontal slash with my own sword, followed by a thrust from the tuck, and a downward slash from my own sword again. My attacks missed, but he still went scurrying away from me. Of course, he could not outrun me with my new speed. With the constant chasing with weapons raised, I swear it would have been very fitting for a saxophone to be playing a very specific song right about then. Our audience would not stop laughing, and I was having a blast with how much fun I was getting out of that training exercise.

Finally, I decided to end it. I hurled both swords ahead of myself, making them levitate with their tips angled at Estoc. He froze in his tracks as they floated before him. "Say uncle." I spoke smugly, ready to send the swords flying at him.

Instead of seeming frustrated, Estoc burst into hysterical laughter and fell on his side. "Uncle! Uncle! I give in! Bwahahaha!" He continued laughing while managing to force out words every now and then. "This duel... Too much! I've never seen anything so versatile and sporadic! You made a fool of me!"

I did my best to not join in the laughter myself. Estoc slowly climbed to his feet and smiled while dusting himself off. "Really... That style of yours is truly unique. Using both sword and shield as weapons... That will get you out of so many situations." But he then gave me a stern glare. "But remember, you are not invincible. Do not become complacent. No fighting style is without flaws."

I nodded as I handed Estoc's sword back to him. "I will. Someone once quoted where I'm from, 'Overconfidence is the greatest enemy'. I think he was right."

Estoc showed a calm smile. "Well, stick with what you've learned and you will be fine. You've done well tonight."

Spitfire then flew over to me and patted me on my back. "Gotta hand it to ya, James. You're one funny guy when you get in the mood."

Luna then stepped forward with a whimsical smirk spread across her lips. "Yes, quite. You certainly have a fine sense of humor. But in all honesty, I do believe you are ready to go help your friends."

Celestia too smiled while she drew near. "It took some time, but you really seem to be quite at home in that armor now. Use it wisely."

I then asked as it occurred to me just how much I had lost track of time, "Wait... How long has the training been going on?"

Shining Armor replied promptly, "I'd say a few hours by now."

I looked at the sky, forgetting that the night was not going to end. The moon was in the exact same position as before. "How do you know that?! It's like time is standing still!" I replied in some bewilderment. Everyone present merely chuckled.

Shining Armor then unexpectedly stepped forward. "If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to ask a favor of you before you head out, James."

I faced Twilight Sparkle's brother and nodded. "Yeah?"

He smiled while his eyes were focused on me. "I would like to test myself against you, if that's all right."

I took a step back. The captain of the guard himself? In all honesty, I truly felt like accepting his challenge would be a bad idea. The leaders of any combat organization are always the toughest of the bunch. "Um... No offense, but I think you'd be better off going up against someone with more experience. I'm pretty sure I don't even hold a candle to you."

Armor chuckled at my wariness. "Oh, I know! You're still pretty green. But at the same time..." His smile became more sincere as he spoke. "Your versatility. And how you use everything in your possession to your advantage. It intrigues me. I just want to make sure that you really are capable of protecting my sister out there."

I decided to at least humor him, feeling very certain that I would not last long against the captain of the guard. "OK. I'll face you."

Shining Armor grinned broadly in excitement. "Awesome! Just a moment." He ran back inside the palace, returning later with a rack of spears. He levitated one from the tray, the aura around it being the same shade of pink as his sister's magic aura. "OK, you ready?"

I flapped my wings a few times to get some distance between us while the rest of our audience went to the sidelines to avoid getting in the way. I held up my shield with my sword at my side once I recalled it to my hand. Armor grinned as he kept himself low to the ground and called out, "OK... Let's keep it clean. Now, come at me, bro!"

I was actually rather surprised by how fired up he was getting, but decided to go along with the duel. I charged at him while he did the same, my shield being held out in front of me while his spear stayed constantly pointing forward. When I drew close enough, he swung his spear low, probably in an attempt to trip me. Fortunately, my shield was just low enough to block the strike. I retaliated with a shield barge to his face followed by swinging my sword at his head. It only struck his horn, which disrupted his magic projection.

"Hey! Hands off the horn!" Armor shouted as he regained his composure. He turned and lashed out with a kick using both hind legs. He struck my shield with a great deal of force, probably enough to send me flying about five feet away. However, my legs' enhanced strength enabled me to endure the blow without being knocked off my feet before I sent my shield forward, slamming into Armor and sending him sprawling away before the shield returned to me.

"Huh... Tricky guy." Armor groaned as he climbed to his feet. "Frontal assaults don't work against you, James." I smirked, feeling fairly confident if even the captain of the guard could not get past my defenses without getting a shield to the face.

However, I noticed that Armor had turned his gaze towards the same weapon rack that once held his spear. I looked on, my eyebrows being raised, as at least nine more spears levitated off of the rack and floated over to Shining Armor. "Well, that's not exactly fair, is it?" I asked while wondering if he was only trying to intimidate me.

Shining Armor replied while looking more focused than before, "Oh, I don't like playing unfairly. But I'm pretty sure your crueler opponents wouldn't mind using tactics like this. You gotta stay on your toes in case they pull a fast one like this."

He was right. There will always be scoundrels who are not above using any means necessary to win. Then again, perhaps I should do the same. Should I try uprooting a tree with the levitation spell and hurl it at him? Nah, probably too extreme.

"OK, James! Stay sharp! And mind your head!" Armor called out to me as he sent all ten spears flying at me in a parabolic trajectory. I raised my shield over me to protect my head, the spears either falling around me or bouncing off my shield. I then took a closer look at one and found that they seemed to be just as blunt as my sword.

"Not bad, but don't drop your guard yet!" The captain then called out to me as he retrieved his spears and began to hurl them at me again one after the other. Rather than block, I tried to evade. I ran and jumped from side to side and backwards, using my wings to increase my speed and distance. It felt very exhilarating to be moving about so quickly. However, I soon found myself backed up against the white stone wall of the palace.

"Pretty good, James! You're not an easy one to touch with those kinds of moves! But it looks like you're cornered. Wanna call it quits?" Shining Armor asked as he pointed all of his spears at me.

I looked around, checking my surroundings. My gaze then looked up at the wall as an idea popped into my head. My left gauntlet was engulfed by a cobalt blue aura, as were my greaves. "Keep it coming, Armor!" I called out before running right up the wall of the palace without stopping.

"Whoa! We've got ourselves a wallrunner here!" I heard Spitfire call out. In truth, I was not doing it on my own. I was using the levitation spell on my boots to 'lift' them into the air so I could rise up the wall. It is tricky to describe.

My antics got a laugh out of the captain. "Nice! But keep your head down!" He then began to hurl his spears at me once again. I kept my shield raised over my head like an umbrella, the majority of the spears missing me and bouncing off of the wall. I had to keep running constantly for fear of gravity pulling me down if I came to a stop.

After a brief moment, I noticed that Shining Armor was running towards the wall, probably to judge the distance between the two of us more easily. It was then that I tried to get the drop on him. Literally. During a brief pause in his attacks, I came to a stop, bent my knees, and then catapulted myself away from the wall with wings spread as I went into a glide. Just after that, I threw my sword at Shining Armor while using my right gauntlet's magic to guide its course. I directed it at the ground just in front of him, hoping he would jump back. He took the bait, jumping backwards in surprise right as the sword was stabbed into the ground before him. But just before he could jump out of the way again, I dropped right down onto him feet first, slamming him into the ground.

"Whoof! Where'd that come from?!" Shining Armor wheezed as I stood atop him. I then drew the Celestial Sword from the Lunar Shield's scabbard and held the blade next to his face. I saw him look at the blade without moving his head. "Uh... Heheheh... Looks like you got me."

"You mean..." I replied, wondering if he really was cornered.

Armor smiled while trying to nod. "Yeah. You've got me pinned with a deadly weapon right next to my head. I've lost."

I stepped off of him, returning my sword to its scabbard. "Did I go too far, Armor?"

The captain of the guard shook himself off as he rose to his feet. "Too far? Not at all! All you did was knock the wind outta me."

I snickered for a second while turning my eyes towards the nearest tree in the garden. "In all honesty, I was considering hitting you with a tree."

Shining Armor let out a lot snort in response. "OK, now THAT would've been going too far!" The two of us laughed together. "Although to be completely fair... I wasn't entirely sure of how to approach you! I've never gone up against someone with your body type before. So I might've gone just a bit easy on you."

I was hardly surprised to hear that. But I then noticed one of his discarded spears. With the use of the levitation spell, I called it over to my grasp. Although the spearhead was completely blunt, I found that the shape was identical to those used by the royal guard. Although it was still a bit taller than Shining Armor himself, it was still one of the shortest spears I had ever laid eyes on. "Well, to be completely honest... A spear like this wouldn't be much use to you when going up against heavily armored opponents like me in the first place. And I don't just mean the blunt ones."

"Wait... Seriously? Spears wouldn't work well against armor like yours? I can't say I've ever had the chance to try them out against an armored opponent, but... You really think spears wouldn't work on your armor?" The captain seemed genuinely baffled by my observations. Not too surprising, considering that armored enemies are probably not a common threat to the royal guard.

After looking the spear over some more, I continued to explain. "Yeah. Spears are too light to be of much use against heavy armor. Nor are they the sturdiest. One good chop with a sword is usually enough to take the head off of the shaft. You'd normally need a big sturdy lance to do some damage since it would have more weight behind it. On top of that, the spear's greatest strength is its length. And these... Well, they're too short to be of much use against anything that isn't that much bigger than you are. I can only see something this short being used as a throwing weapon. You'd need a spear with a much longer shaft made of the toughest wood and maybe wrapped in a tough metal shell to make it harder to break."

Much to my surprise, Shining Armor took the spear from me with his own levitation spell and held it before himself. He seemed to be closely inspecting it. "Length and sturdiness... Hmm..."

"Captain! Are you well?!" Estoc called out as he ran towards us, snapping Shining Armor out of his trance.

"I'm fine, Estoc. If you don't mind, clean up these weapons and return them to the armory." Shining Armor replied while passing the spear in his magical grasp to Estoc.

"Yes sir. And well done, both of you." Estoc said with a nod as he levitated the weapons we had used off the ground and took them back inside the palace.

"So... You think I'm still too green for the job?" I asked, wondering if my skills in swordplay had improved enough.

Shining Armor smiled while glancing me over. "Well... You lack experience. But then again, who doesn't when they take up the sword for the first time?" He then looked at me with an expression of sincere trust. "Trust the skills you gained here tonight and you will go far with them. I know my sister is in good hooves with you by her side."

I think I may have blushed at that bit of praise. "Heh... Thanks, captain."

He replied with a calm smile, "Please, call me Armor. All of my friends do."

I nodded and shook his hoof while he held it up to me. "OK then...friend."

"There you go. If you ever stop by Canterlot again, feel free to say hi. I'll be around." The captain said with a grin while I released my grip on his hoof.

Spitfire then swooped over to us. "Sweet moves out there, James! I'll bet even Rainbow Dash would've been a bit jealous."

I merely shrugged my shoulders while lifting my hand. "Oh, I doubt I can compete with that daredevil."

Spitfire chuckled while seemingly trying to find a point to counter my claim with. "Don't be so hard on yourself! You can... Um... Actually, you have a point. That's girl's got mad skills in flying. Speaking of which, you're gonna rendezvous with her tonight, right?"

I nodded while glancing up at the night sky. "That's why I'm here. To make sure I don't weigh her down."

The Wonderbolt captain grinned at me with a look of pride. "Well, with those moves, there's no way you'll be a burden. Just stick with her and you'll do each other a lot of good."

As Luna and Celestia drew near, Spitfire turned to face them. "Thanks for inviting me over, yours highnesses. But I really need to get back to Cloudsdale. The Wonderbolts have to rehearse for our next performance."

Celestia smiled while slightly bowing to her. "I understand. Thank you for taking the time to train James."

Spitfire pulled her goggles down over her eyes and smiled. "It was a pleasure. See ya! Good luck out there, James!" We all waved as Spitfire took to the air and soared away from the palace at impressive speed. I honestly have to wonder if she is as fast as Rainbow Dash.

Luna then faced me and asked, "Are you ready?" I nodded in silence. The two sisters led me back into the palace. But on my way in, I looked back over my shoulder and saw Shining Armor still watching me. He gave me a salute without moving from his spot. I smiled and waved back at him before looking away and continuing to follow the royal sisters.

I was led to a balcony of the palace that faced west towards Ponyville. The skyline from that view was absolutely sublime. I actually felt completely at peace as I approached the edge. But behind me, Celestia asked, "James. Are you sure you want to do this?"

I looked back at the royal sisters. "Well... I would feel better if I was with them right now."

Luna nodded with a more serious expression than she had been showing before. "That is understandable. However, I can all but assure you that they will be fine on their own. They have stopped Nightmare Moon once before, so they can certainly do it again. And the Elements of Harmony have not yet met a fiend they cannot defeat."

After a few seconds of thinking up a response, I gave her a smile. "Even so, I just..... I really just want to be there to make sure nothing bad happens to them." That was only a half-truth. The real reason why I want to go with them is to make certain that they do not end up harming Nightmare Moon.

Celestia smiled softly at my words. "There is no shame in that. They are your friends, after all."

Luna then added, "Then go to them. And watch them on their quest."

I nodded before approaching Luna and embracing her. "Thank you for these gifts. I'll try to use them well."

The Princess of the Night smiled as she wrapped a foreleg around me, "I know you will, my friend."

I then walked to the balcony's edge and stepped up onto the railing. It was a very steep drop down the mountain, but it stuck so far out from the mountain that I did not need to fear being splattered onto the side on the way down. I looked back over my shoulder at the two sisters and waved with my right hand. "See ya!"

I adjusted my goggles to make certain they were securely worn around my head. I then spread my arms out to my sides, leaned forward, and fell headfirst off the balcony.

Under normal circumstances, I would have been frightened as I plummeted to the ground far below me. However, after receiving training from Spitfire, I was fully aware that I was in complete control of my aerial movement. I kept my wings folded to minimize drag and to increase my falling speed, plummeting towards the ground like a human torpedo.

Once I felt I was halfway down the mountain, I decided it was time to break out of my dive. I spread my wings and began to pull up. Due to my speed, it occurred very slowly. It took around ten seconds before I swooped over the land and was flying over the moonlit landscape just a few hundred feet off the ground.

Due to the speed I was moving at the time I broke out of my dive, I was moving very quickly through the air as I flew west. I looked down at the ground below me. It was then that a thought clicked in my head. "I'm actually flying on my own..." No airplanes, no parachutes, just a pair of wings on my back to carry me wherever I wanted.

"Woooooo!!!" I could not help shouting as I spread my arms for balance, just soaring through the air with frequent flaps of my wings to keep my speed up. However, after a moment, I noticed what seemed to be someone flying through the air up ahead of me. "Is that who I think it is?"

I increased my speed the best I could to catch up. As I drew closer, I noticed that the person was a light blue pegasus mare. Only one name popped up in my thoughts.

I flew above the pegasus and called out, "Hey, Rainbow Flash! Enjoying the night so far?!"

I clearly caught her by surprise since she looked left and right frantically before looking upwards. At first, she seemed shocked, but an excited smile appeared on her face in a few seconds. "Whoahoho! Check YOU out!"

I descended so I was flying right next to my brash pegasus friend. "Like what you see?"

Rainbow Dash nodded promptly. "You bet! Awesome wingspan! Where'd you get that gear?! I totally want some for myself!"

I laughed at her enthusiasm. Completely predictable response. "This was a gift from the princesses! It helps me pull my own weight with you girls!" I then asked, "Wait a second... Where are they anyway?! It's been a while since you left Canterlot, right?"

Rainbow nodded while pointing ahead. "We all went home to get ready for the trip through the Everfree Forest. I'm all set, so I'm on my way over to the forest's entrance to meet up with the girls."

"Sweet. Lead on, Rainbow." I replied before turning my attention to the direction I was flying.

As we flew along, my eyes kept trailing back to Rainbow Dash. Now that I was out here flying alongside her, I was viewing her in a completely different element than usual. The way she looks in flight while flying at such speed is not only dazzling, but also enthralling. Her form in flight is both bold, yet elegant. And in the glow of the moon, she even looks... I cannot believe I am going to use this term to describe Rainbow Dash, of all ponies. But from where I was at the time, she even looked beautiful.

I suspect she may have noticed my gaze since Rainbow Dash looked at me out of the corner of her eye and smirked. "What's up? Like what you see?"

I averted my eyes out of modesty. "Um... Sorry. It's just that you look amazingly awesome now that I'm flying alongside you."

This got a laugh out of her. "You bet I am! I mean, is there any doubt that I'm the most awesome flyer in Equestria?!"

I grinned while feeling more excited than I normally am. "Nope! No one can top your speed."

She then asked, "Well, you're doing a good job of keeping up with me! Who taught you how to fly?"

I decided to answer honestly. "Does the name 'Spitfire' sound familiar?"

Rainbow Dash's mouth dropped open. "Whoa! Seriously?! The captain of the Wonderbolts?! She trained you?!"

I nodded once more and explained, "Celestia requested that she do so. So I guess you can say I learned from the best."

Rainbow Dash...squeed? The sound when an excited fangirl sees something they really like and... Well, you probably know what I mean. Anyway, she then spoke with some serious gusto, "That's so awesome! I wish my first flight instructor was Spitfire!" Before I could retort, she then gave me a rather bold smirk. "If that's the case, I gotta test you! This way!"

I watched as Rainbow Dash suddenly flew straight up in the air. I stopped in place and followed her. When we were around half a mile off the ground, Rainbow Dash stopped and began to hover in place. "What's it feel like to be on top of the world, huh?" She asked with her arms crossed.

As I hovered next to her, I looked around. How do I even describe the feeling of being high above the ground, floating in place, while being able to see for miles? "I...uh..."

"Left ya speechless, huh? At least you've got more guts than Fluttershy." She replied with a smirk.

"Yeah... So, what did you want to do?" I asked while wondering why we were taking longer to get to where we were supposed to meet up with our friends.

"I wanna race ya! It'll speed things up too, so we'll get to the Everfree Forest faster." Rainbow Dash replied with her trademark smile, her eyes showing determination that is normally reserved for men.

"Rainbow, that's a joke, right? Just because I was trained by Spitfire doesn't mean I'm as fast as her. You'll fly circles around me!" I retorted, suspecting my friend was just trying to stoke her ego.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Nah! I just wanna have a good time with ya! No Sonic Rainbooms, I promise!"

I then frowned at her while not entirely believing her claim. "You better play fair too." I have heard some disquieting rumors that not only is Rainbow Dash obsessed with loyalty. She is also obsessed with winning and will do ANYTHING to secure victory in ANY kind of competition.

Rainbow seemed to know I was onto her and grinned sheepishly. "Uh... Yeah, no problem there."

I was not entirely convinced of her sincerity, so I decided to mess with her. "Just to let you know, if you get any ideas about cheating, I'll just have to put you in some..." I then leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "Cupcakes."

Rainbow Dash froze as her mane and tail stood up on end. "Hang on... What?"

I then spoke in a slightly louder and teasing tone, "Cupcakes."

Rainbow looked at me with an expression of pure terror that I was not exactly expecting. "You wouldn't dare!"

I finally raised my voice to near shouting, "Cupcakes!"

Rainbow suddenly whimpered pathetically, "No! Please! I get the point! I'll never cheat again! Oh man, the memories are coming back! I don't wanna remember that nightmare! Why did I need to have a cupcake binge that night?!" She curled up in the air, her wings still flapping to hold her aloft. If she had a thumb, she would probably be sucking on it at that moment.

I probably should have been laughing, but I actually felt bad to bring up such awful memories for Rainbow Dash. Even if said memories are only from a nightmare she had once. I hovered forward and embraced Rainbow Dash the best I could, her back against my chest while the Lunar Shield was draped over her. This prevented her from flapping her wings, but her light weight made it easy for me to hold onto her. "Hey, hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to reopen old wounds."

Rainbow Dash looked up at me with one of the most vulnerable expressions I had ever seen on her face. I actually feared something was wrong with her since she has always seemed tough and independent. She muttered quietly, "It... It's OK. I know it's wrong to cheat... It makes ponies hate you."

I nodded and spoke in a calm voice, "Yeah... It does. And it's much more satisfying to win fair and square."

Rainbow Dash rested her head against my armored chest while she spoke softly. "Yeah... It really is... I guess I just gotta learn some humility."

After a moment more, I asked, "You ready to fly now?"

She nodded while letting out a sigh. "Yeah, I'm OK now. Thanks for holding onto me." I then released my grip on Rainbow Dash, the pegasus falling a few feet before she began to keep herself airborne with her wings again.

"So... We doing this?" I asked as I stood ready to dive.

Rainbow Dash nodded while regaining that look of confidence in her eyes. "Yup! On the count of three... One, two, three!" At those words, I dove headfirst through the air, Rainbow Dash doing the same while staying to my right.

"Fast enough yet?!" She called out as our speed increased.

"No, but we're getting whoaf!" I was interrupted when I suddenly stopped dead in my tracks upon colliding with.....something.

"What the?! James, what happened?!" I heard Rainbow Dash call back to me before flying back up to me.

I pulled my head out of a cloud that I seemingly crashed into and began to hover in place. Was there something inside the cloud that was solid? I know pegasi are able to touch and move clouds, but I am not one of them. "I think there's something in this cloud that caught me. Hang on." I replied as I began to root around in the cloud.

I felt a noticeable amount of resistance as I moved through the cloud. Almost as if I was moving around a malleable feather cushion. When I found that there was nothing inside the cloud, I asked, "Wait... Is this cloud responding to my touch?"

Rainbow Dash looked over my shoulder as I pushed part of it aside. "Looks that way. What, does that armor give you the abilities of a pegasus?"

I snorted in mild amusement. "I guess they weren't kidding about this armor leveling the playing field. Although I have to wonder..." I grabbed a small chunk of the cloud and took a bite only to have the white puff break up entirely in the process. "Tastes like.....nothing."

Rainbow Dash chuckled at my bewilderment. "Yeah, I tried that once. I thought it might be white cotton candy. Nope! Just flavorless air."

I then stood on what was left of the cloud. "In other words, stay away from clouds. They act like air cushions."

Rainbow Dash stood right next to me and smiled. "Yeah, but if you're going fast enough, you'll just barrel right through them."

"I'll make a note of that. In any case, wanna take this from the top?" I asked while flexing my armor's wings.

"Sure! You go first. I'll be right behind ya." Rainbow Dash replied while she flexed her legs. I suspect she was giving me a head start, considering how much more aerodynamic her body is.

"OK. Just don't humor me too much." I replied before falling off the cloud, diving headfirst.

About five seconds after I began to fall, Rainbow Dash caught up to me. "OK, ready for the real thing?!" She asked while looking at me.

"I guess. I'm not expecting to win." I replied without much enthusiasm.

"Don't be a sore loser! You haven't lost yet!" She retorted while seemingly trying to goad me into exerting more effort.

I frowned, knowing full well that Rainbow Dash was going to win at this rate. And she knew it too. The two of us flew swiftly through the sky while heading west, although I was still trying to think of a means to overcome Rainbow's speed.

My mind trailed back to when I first left Canterlot, diving down the mountainside at absurd speeds... Perhaps that is what I need.

I suddenly changed trajectory, flying straight up into the sky. Rainbow Dash seemed to notice since she called out, "Hey! Where ya going?!" I noticed her stop and watch, clearly puzzled about what I was doing.

I continued to climb higher and higher, the clouds passing me by. I am not certain how high off the ground I was by the time Rainbow Dash caught up to me, but I suspect it was around half a mile. I flapped my wings steadily while facing upward, almost as if doing an aerial backstroke. Rainbow Dash hovered right above me while looking down at me. "What's the matter?"

I smiled before lightly touching the tip of her muzzle. "It was fun, Rainbow." I then folded my wings, falling backwards with my shield draped across my torso to minimize drag. My speed rapidly increased while I squinted my eyes almost completely shut.

Rainbow Dash managed to catch up to me and pleaded, "James, snap outta it! Come on, don't throw in the towel just because you can't win!" She clearly thought that I had become suicidal. She could not see through my goggles due to the low lighting, so I may have even seemed unconscious.

We plummeted, Rainbow constantly trying to get me to 'wake up'. By the time I was less than five hundred feet off the ground, I decided to put my plan in motion. I suddenly spread open my wings, pushing Rainbow Dash away.

"What the?!" She shouted as she tumbled away from me. I pulled up, righting myself until I was soaring west again, my speed still at very high levels. As long as I maintained a proper glide, I could probably stay ahead of Rainbow Dash without my speed dropping too much. I might even be able to stay ahead of her long enough to reach our destination first.

I cleared Ponyville's rooftops in less than thirty seconds, most of the buildings' windows still illuminated by light sources indoors. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Rainbow Dash steadily catching up to me. The Everfree Forest was just ahead, so I was certainly going to win at this rate. However, I then smirked and spread my wings wide while also holding out my shield as an air brake. I rapidly decelerated, Rainbow Dash swooping past me in an instant. I saw her look back at me right after passing me with a look that seemed to say 'what the heck are you doing?!' to me.

I gently landed and began to walk the rest of the way to the entrance to the Everfree Forest, my greaves lightly clanking with each step. The cool night winds felt refreshing as it blew through my hair. My eyes constantly scanned ahead as I trekked through the meadow, keeping an eye out for my friends. It is actually rather shocking just how dark a place without additional sources of light can get at night. Very intimidating. And sure enough, once the Everfree Forest came into view, there they were. Those six wonderful mares waiting at the entrance.

Rainbow Dash seemed to be talking to them, probably informing them that someone would be joining them on their mission. I smiled as I drew closer, the clanking of my greaves getting their attention. They all turned to face me, everyone but Rainbow Dash looking absolutely awestruck. I waved and called out to them, "Hey there, girls. Lovely evening, isn't it?"

Rarity was the first to speak as she smiled brightly. "Ladies, it seems we have our very own knight in shining armor with us this evening!"

Pinkie Pie began to hop around me. "Ooh! Just look at all that gold and blue! And all that white too! Where'd you get this?! What's it made of?!"

Applejack then spoke up, "And that shield! It's huge! I reckon it's as big as one of us!"

I chuckled at just how enthralled the girls were with my gear while making certain to make no mention of the Celestial Sword contained in the Lunar Shield. "Glad you like it. They are gifts from the princesses so I don't slow you down."

Fluttershy then asked, "But...why are you out here? You don't have to put yourself in danger for us. We should be fine."

Twilight nodded in agreement. "She's right, James. We've handled Nightmare Moon before. We can do it again. Why are you here if you know that?"

I frowned as I sighed before I replied, "I... I just have a bad feeling about this. And..." The main reason I wanted to go with them was to prevent them from harming Nightmare Moon. But there was one other reason as well. "I just want to be with you girls. To make sure nothing happens to you this time."

Fluttershy smiled warmly as she flew up to me and embraced me with her forelegs. "Oh, James... Thank you." I embraced her back while the rest of my friends gathered around me to give me a group hug.

Rainbow Dash then chuckled, "Ya know, I think you'd suit the Element of Loyalty about as good as I do."

Rarity then spoke up rather suddenly, "Nonsense. Have you seen his level of generosity? My Element would suit him much better!"

Applejack joined in and chuckled, "He's pretty dang honest too. Maybe my..."

I laughed while trying to put an end to the argument. "Knock it off, girls! I don't think humans can even use them! Besides, I've got my own Ele....." I paused, not certain if I should mention the so-called Lost Element to them, seeing as it would be pointless with it being...well...lost.

Pinkie Pie seemed to catch on to what I was on the verge of saying though. "Ele...? Element? You have your own Element?!"

I tried to fib with her. "No! Elephant! I have my own...uh...elephant!" God, what a ridiculous claim! Who would buy that?!

Fluttershy then asked, "Elephant? I don't remember having an elephant living around my cottage... I've never even taken care of one before."

I did my best to not laugh. "That's because the elephant is back where I'm from. He's...uh...living in a zoo." It was one of the silliest lies I had ever come up with. Well, more along the lines of a joke.

Fluttershy grinned, apparently having been fooled. "Oh, a zoo! OK then."

However, Rainbow Dash then asked, "Hang on, James. Tell me something. Why'd you quit the race?! You could've won!"

I smiled as I shrugged my shoulders. "Winning isn't everything. I don't mind losing as long as I get some fun outta it."

Rarity smirked as she nudged Rainbow Dash. "I think you could learn a few things from him."

I was expecting Rainbow Dash to just blow Rarity off, but her next action surprised me. She just stood there, averting her eyes as her ears drooped. "Winning isn't everything... Yeah... I think I could learn a few things from him."

Twilight then spoke, "OK, girls. We don't have that much time to talk. We need to get going. Is everyone prepared?"

All of my friends faced Twilight with a smile. "We sure are! Ya got the Elements, Twi?" Applejack replied with a confident gaze.

"They're all in here." My unicorn friend said with a smile, her head motioning toward a pair of saddlebags on her sides.

Fluttershy then asked, "Um... James? I don't think there's anything to worry about in there, but...um..." She then leaned against me. "Is it all right if I stay by you the entire time?"

I smiled warmly at my girlfriend while stroking her mane, "That's fine with me, honey."

I better finish up this journal entry quick. We will be departing in just a few minutes. I am certain we will not run into any big problems in the Everfree Forest. Nightmare Moon does not know we are coming, after all. But still, I have a really bad feeling about this mission. It is like I am forgetting about something. Something dark. What could it be?

And there is that. The Lost Element. What could it be? I feel like I already know the answer, yet it eludes me. What is the title of the Lost Element? What does it even look like? Do I possess the qualities necessary to use it? Well, regardless, the Elements of Harmony should be enough to get the job done. I just pray my training is enough to deal with any threats we come across, if there are any.

I am nervous, yet excited, yet worried. I want to protect Nightmare Moon. But how? There has to be a way.

Please be safe, Nightmare Moon. I am on my way.