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Ardith spoke with zeal, in pursuit of a better tomorrow.

"Whatever may happen, we must stay strong. Nothing can be allowed to stop our mission of redeeming Equestria." She paused. " Doctor, there is one thing that still needs to be addressed."

"The possibility of us causing a rift in space time? Nah, I have that covered."

"No, a simple thanks... You didn't have to spare me, you didn't have to... Well you know..."

"Know what?" Celestia queried.

Luna continued where the thanks was left off. "You could have ignored the young filly in need that bumped into you. You could have abandoned us to our plight."

Ardith took the lead again. " You have always shown one quality, generosity through the willingness to help others. Doctor, you have our thanks."

A spark of light flared to life in the air above them, pulsing as it drifted towards the Doctor aglow.

"So this is an element of harmony..." He gazed at the light, touching it with a hoof. It crystallized into the shape of an orb and nestled into his grasp. " I'm honored." He spoke to the orb like it was a living being. It thrummed in response.

"5 of 6... Let us hope that is enough."

"If hope was an element we would have it by now, lets go."

What little did they know the final element was in all of their hearts, brought about by their camaraderie -the magic of friendship-

~~

The Tardis whirred into existence as

Discord let out a yawn, sitting on his twisted throne where he had been waiting upon their arrival.

The four piled out to face him, determination in their eyes.

"Three days isn't a lot of time Doctor. Are you sure you are ready to face me? I could give you another week if you need?"

Ardith used her magic to send a bolt of energy at Discord. It phased through him entirely and splashed against the green grass of the hill behind him.

"Ah ah ah." He scolded, " challenge me and you play my way.

Discord simply snapped his fingers and the scenery shifted. The greenery shrunk away and the rolling hills became checkered patterns of multiple colors. Chunks of earth floated in the sky and rolling fog descended on them. Both the sun and moon flew into sight, and divided the area in half one lit and one in darkness.

"I told you long ago Doctor, this world grants me the possibility of near limitless power. Each and every pony I bring under my control adds to my strength." His voice echoed through the fog.

"Being humble has never been one of your people's skills, Draconequus." The Doctor spoke. " Their pride and lust for power was their undoing."

Discord's voice came back through the fog, "Even if I am the last of my kind I will still have the final victory."

A strange force pulled at each of them, tearing them away from each other. Each was deposited in a new location within the cloying fog. Shouts of panic reached the Doctor's ears as each of his companions called out. The gross dampness stuck to his coat as he wheeled around, trying to find the direction of the shouts.

Discord's voice spoke to the Doctor alone. " Today you watch as I bring your companions to their knees."

He laughed evilly, a laugh that echoed darkly through the fog to meet everyone's ears.

The Doctor could only watch as an image of Discord's actions played out on the thousands of water droplets suspended before him.

-

Luna was somewhere in the darkest portion of the fog. The darkness was uninviting and cold; she shivered as the fog seeped in around her.

Greater chills racked down her spine as Discord spoke to her. "Enjoying the seeds of darkness?" Discord shimmered and appeared floating in front of her.

He wasn't attacking and seemed to have no more substance than the fog itself. She responded to his statement with a simple, "Go to hell."

Luna picked a direction and began walking lighting her path with a little magic.

"So scornful, would you have uttered that without the aid of Nightmare Moon's courage? She is a part of you, drawn from your darkest depths. You cannot deny that you have always secretly wished to be braver, to be stronger, to be respected by all?"

"I... Yes. And just maybe she is the one that can give me the strength to destroy you!"

Luna's coat darkened to a black shade, Nightmare Moon taking control. She lashed out wildly at Discord with a flare of dark magic, his shimmering image faded away. Nightmare Moon cried out angrily and released a giant wave of energy, aiming at and hitting nothing.

Discord appeared next to the Doctor placing a clawed paw upon the back.

"Round one is a success. And I'm just getting warmed up."

The Doctor's hourglass mark flared to life, beginning to turn itself to allow the distortion of time. Discord nonchalantly snapped his fingers in response, stopping the hourglass mid turn on its side.

"No time magic for you." Discord taunted, leaving the Doctor to vanish yet again into the fog.

~

Ardith skimmed the divide between the light and dark portions of the field, peering into the fog on both sides.

The Doctor would come... Surely he would be here at any moment to come save her.

"Twyll, Twyll, Twyll." Discord scolded, using her discarded name. "A master of deceit and lies. Are you sure you aren't fooling yourself?"

Ardith searched the area around her for Discord, unable to find him or the origin of his voice.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you really love him? Or is that just a fabrication you made up in your weakness as an excuse for power?"

"Love is not so fickle, I know what I feel."

"Fine then, but do you really know if he loves you? Perhaps you are just a tool, to be used in my defeat then discarded?"

"I... He wouldn't."

"You haven't been his only love, he has had many in his years and be still remembers, still mourns. What are you to him really?"

Ardith felt her power draining away as doubt began to wash over her, the voice of Discord departed, its task complete.

~

"Two points team Discord." The Doctor heard from somewhere in the fog.

~

Celestia, in the lit portion of field lashed out with fire, the heat evaporating some fog nearby. More rolled in seconds later. She had been wandering aimlessly for a time now and was getting frustrated. How were they supposed to fight Discord when they couldn't even find him, or each other for that matter?

"You will find the others soon enough, though you may not like what you see."

Celestia whirled, eyes aflame to where the voice came from.

Discord stood there in the fog looking back at her for a moment before turning and flying away, staying near ground.

Celestia chased after him but eventually lost track of his position. She ended up on the barrier between the light and dark, looking upon a curled up and sobbing form.

"Ardith?"

"What!?" She snarled angrily.

Before Celestia could say anything more another form stepped out of the fog. Celestia gasped and took a step back, looking not upon her sister but upon Nightmare Moon.

"Have you located Discord? I need to end him." Nightmare moon looked to Ardith with disdain." Get to your feet pawn, or are you too powerless to do so without your precious Doctor. Yes, I can sense your... connection."

Ardith wiped her eyes and stood. "My my... If it isn't the Bitch Queen." She said coldly

"Silence underling! I will deal with your insubordination after you assist me in Discord's demise."

Seeing her sister like this... As this monster was a crushing blow. Celestia didn't know what to do... Even Ardith seemed already defeated. Her hopes fell dead as she looked upon the dismal scene.

~

"I would call that 3-0, favoring me." Discord said as he appeared next to the Doctor, the two continuing to quarrel while Celestia sunk into hopelessness.

" Now what fun would this little game be if I didn't give you a chance. Lets see how you salvage this." Discord cleared a path in the fog with a snap and sat on his conjured throne. "I'll be waiting."

The Doctor walked to the group in the tunnel of clear air Discord had graciously created.

Celestia looked up to see his approach, a scared look in her eyes. He went to stand next to her.

"What can we do?" Celestia asked with a defeated look.

"Hope... It's the one force that has sustained us this far.

The Doctor ignored the glare of Nightmare Moon who was indignant at being so blatantly ignored. Instead he went over to Ardith. "Hearts are fragile things... I would know, I have two."

"And you would tear out mine?"

"No Ardith, my feelings for you are real." The Doctor established a mental connection with her over the hive link he had been able to access since their very first encounter. At first she shied away, but eventually welcomed his contact.

"You know me better than you think Ardith. After all you have rummaged through my head. When this is over I would be glad to share any of my memories."

Ardith nodded. The power she had been given by the Doctor came back instantly, never truly having gone anywhere.

The Doctor spoke exclusively through the mental link now. "Can you bring Celestia into this? We need to reach her without Nightmare Moon's knowledge."

"Are the lovebirds done?" Nightmare Moon asked. "I need you to sacrifice yourselves while fighting Discord so I don't have to waste my time with it later."

Celestia was added to the mental link and looked at the Doctor as he quickly explained what they were going to try.

"From what we have seen confronting Nightmare Moon would be a bad course of action. Last time Luna was able to come back with a little help. It's a long shot but if we let her fight Discord it should weaken Nightmare enough to bring Luna back."

Celestia spoke aloud to Nightmare Moon. " As you are using my sister's body I... Beg that you ally yourself with us, if only to see Discord removed."

"It's my body now, but your use of begging has swayed me. I will not enslave or kill you until after Discord is removed and I have taken the throne." Nightmare Moon looked up to the sky and her horn glowed. "I do hope you like night... For under my rule there shall be no more day." A chilled and whipping wind blew away the fog; the sun descended over the horizon as the moon rested overhead, the light it gave seemed harsh and unnatural.

Discord gave a slow clap at Nightmare's show of power, but spoke to the Doctor.

"This is really the best you can do? I knew keeping Ardith down was a long shot... But you couldn't even return Luna to her normal form? It seems I overestimated your ability as a leader."

Nightmare Moon, irate as usual interrupted.

"Discord, I give you one chance to die quickly, otherwise it will be slow and painful." She practically shouted before haphazardly charging Discord, intending to impale him.

Discord snapped and the Doctor's hourglass became unstuck freezing everything but the two of them.

"Does she really expect me to stand there and let this happen?"

"Pretty much."

"Pfff... Like that's going to happen. Anyways, nice chat. Feel free to use your time magic anytime so I can manipulate it more... Now for some theatrics."

Discord snapped and a life size replica of himself was created, he positioned it in his spot, inches away from Nightmare Moon's dangerously pointed horn. Discord stared at the model unhappily and snapped again. The replica jerkily repositioned its face into one of shock and pain.

Discord then moved out of direct sight right as time began to flow normally.

Nightmare Moon slammed against the Discord model, her horn passing directly through it. Celestia and Ardith wore shocked expressions as Nightmare moon pulled back, rivulets of red running down her horn.

Nightmare Moon looked at the shocked expression on its face first with a happy grin. But as a few seconds passed her look changed to one of confusion.

Suddenly she flinched back as the model caught flame, crumbling to a pile of ash.

"Tadaa!" Discord appeared in a flash behind Celestia and Ardith who both nearly jumped in terror, skittishly moving away.

Discord's mismatched horns stuck through the top of a black top hat and he wore a red lined black cape.

"An amazing death defying act!" Discord spoke in a stage voice. "Now for my next trick I need a volunte..."

Discord was interrupted as Nightmare Moon flung a dark blast of energy his way, forcing Celestia and Ardith to throw themselves off of the way.

Discord flung the cape in front of himself, the blast dissipating. The remaining dark energy slowly ate at the cape; thin lines of smoke accented the acidic smell.

"I liked the new look..." Discord disappointedly huffed. " Fine." He pulled the smoldering remains of the cape off as they crumbled to dust. He then pulled off his hat and punched the top, reversing it into a bouquet of ravenous red flowers. He took the time to shove the living and mouthed flowers into the ground where they angrily stretched their stems in an effort to bite at his legs.

"I am all things unnatural, the ultimate lord of chaos, do you think an abomination such as yourself can really defeat me? Sombra may have finished the job but I am the one who first drew out the darkness in Luna to form you."

"And I despise you for not separating me entirely from this wretched creature. Lord of chaos or not, you are not above death."

"Such an obsession with death... None of the inhabitants of Equestria have died by my hand, but if it must be this way I guess the death of an abomination isn't too tarnishing."

Nightmare Moon had enough of Discord's talk; she would not tolerate being called an abomination.

"Discord! Meet your doom!" nightmare went aloft on dark wings, lightning crackling in the sky. A giant spike of energy surged towards Discord.

Discord snapped and a lightning rod appeared in his clawed hand. As the bolt ran through his body he let out a laugh. "Oooh, that tickles. Try this on for size." Discord tossed the lightning rod behind him and it burst into a swarm of thousands of metallic electrified beetles. The swarm hovered around, their continual motion generating energy.

The swarm continually darted around, launching volleys of electric attacks towards Nightmare Moon as her attention was pulled from Discord.

"Powerful but stubborn, she won't realize for about one minute and forty three seconds that my swarm is a worthless diversion." Discord spoke to the others. "That should give me enough time to have my fun with you."

Ardith looked appalled "You truly think this is all some show? Some game?"

Discord snapped and toy marionette of Ardith appeared. "When you have as much pull as I do," he emphasized by pulling on one of the strings causing both the model and the real Ardith to stumble awkwardly forward, a hypnotic glaze over her eyes. "Playing the puppeteer can be quite fun."

Discord continued to bring Ardith forward, closer and closer to his grasp.

"Stop!" Celestia commanded angrily lashing out with fire at Discord.

Ardith shook off Discord's control at her shout, the puppet falling from his grasp a second later as the wave of fire connected.

Discord, having been knocked down by the blow stood back up and brushed off some soot. "Does part dragon mean anything to you?" Discord snapped and a signpost that read, "impervious to fire" appeared, the arrow pointing straight at him.

Discord paused for a moment and perked up an ear.

"Aaand 3...2...1" Discord counted down as Nightmare Moon swooped down in the air behind him. He took one step to the right just as she barreled past him, knocking into Ardith who went tumbling.

Nightmare Moon dispersed into a dark cloud of energy and reformed back on her feet. "A little something I learned from Sombra. " She looked to Discord. " We end this now!"

"Surrendering already?" Discord joked, attempting to get a rise out of her.

Nightmare growled angrily and rushed Discord again, this time cloaking herself in vitriolic energy.

Discord snapped and a stone slab jutted from the ground, blocking her approach. He listened intently for her impact but was surprised when he heard none.

A dark shape formed itself behind Discord and discharged a powerful blast directly into his back. The force sent Discord crashing forwards into the stone, cracking it in several places. In his stunned state Discord was unable to concentrate enough to use any sort of power to defend himself.

"For the lord of disharmony you certainly didn't plan for a simple trick." Nightmare taunted as Discord shakily pulled himself from the stone. As he turned to face her another ball of dark energy blasted against him, knocking him through the crumbling stone.

"You die here!" Nightmare shouted as flashes of lightning came across her stormy skies. She used her magic to pull one of the floating chunks of earth from the sky, smashing it into Discord before he could even begin to get up.

Discord looked dazed, the attacks having left him with no chance at recovery. Nightmare hit him again, clearing away the excess dirt with another magical blast.

Nightmare came forward and lifted Discord's head before cruelly slamming it back down. His eyes rolled back as he passed out.

There was dead silence, other than the thunder, as Nightmare prepared for a killing blow, cold and detached from the first true kill she was about to make.

-

At that moment Luna surged forth. "No!" She cried out, seizing temporary control of her body and turning her head.

Luna, driven by her conscience fought Nightmare for control. Their shared body collapsed as the internal fight progressed.

"Fool! You would stop me from claiming my rightful place?" Nightmare yelled aloud, her body attempting to turn back to finish off Discord.

"Ardith, get us in there." The Doctor called receiving an angry glare from Nightmare, who looked to be slowly regaining control.

"Her mind is already too crowded. I can only send one of you in."

Celestia made eye contact with the Doctor. "Bring her back to me."

~~~

The Doctor closed his eyes for a second, Ardith helping him to make the connection. When he opened his eyes again he found himself in a small bubble of light and energy, surrounded entirely by pressing darkness.

Luna lay in the center, seemingly asleep. She shivered in fear as if in a terrible dream.

"Luna. Luna!" The Doctor prodded her awake where she lay. "Get up, Equestria doesn't need this nightmare, it needs you."

Her eyes opened to look up at him. "I let her take control. I was afraid and unsure and thought her power could be the solution... Equestria doesn't need somepony like me."

"This isn't you. Angry, spiteful, and barbaric. If you let her win you loose everything that you love."

"I... Thank you." Luna stood and gave the Doctor a hug, a radiant light beginning to form. " This is my battle now, I think I have the strength to seal her away one last time."

In a blinding flash the Doctor was ejected from her mind as Luna began to push back the darkness.

-

The Doctor opened his eyes to the real world, seeing Ardith and Celestia locked in battle with a recovered Discord.

At this moment the fight was beyond him, his time magic would only be manipulated by Discord if it were used. The Doctor could only stand by Luna's side and hope.

"When will you give up? This is starting to get boring." Discord yawned as he took a lazy swipe at Celestia with a clawed hand.

Ardith, seeing the Doctor was awake, made eye contact; drawing upon the power that came from their bond. Celestia fortified herself with energy from her band of power. They both attacked simultaneously, driving back a surprised Discord.

"Now that's better, but still pathetic." He exclaimed, beginning to put more of an effort in.

The clouds above parted as the storm died away, Nightmare Moon's power dwindling. The full moon rested calmly above, no longer seeming so harsh and menacing.

The dark armor fell away and the black coloration bled from Luna as Nightmare gave one final cry of frustration before being sealed away once more.

Luna stood on shaky hooves, nearly collapsing before the Doctor helped support her.

"Glad to have you back."

"Glad to be back." Luna shrugged off the Doctor. "I have to do something..."

Luna squared herself up, standing proudly. "Discord!" She yelled in a resounding voice that caused everyone to stop in their tracks. "Nightmare started this fight, let me finish."

"Sister?" Celestia sounded surprised.

"It's fine, thank you for holding him off while I regained my body."

"One Alicorn? Against me? What are the terms?"

"When I win you must accept whatever fate is chosen for you."

"And if you lose?"

" Then you have my word that I will not attempt to hinder your rule, but I don't think you will see that outcome."

"Luna! Wait!" Ardith tried to interrupt but Discord snapped and a glass dome appeared over her. Ardith shot a bolt of energy at the encasement; it bounced off and flew haphazardly around before grounding itself out. Ardith's insect like wings buzzed angrily and she looked for an escape.

"I accept." Discord grinned "What can you truly hope to bring against me without Nightmare Moon?"

" I... realized something. Nightmare doesn't know the true meaning of night; she couldn't possibly grasp its power, my power. So, Discord. Can your disharmony stand against a soul separated entirely from its own darkness?"

Discord scoffed and snapped his fingers. He paused and snapped again. Luna stood facing him with a knowing smile.

"You can't manipulate me Discord, you lost that chance the moment you tore the darkness from me and fashioned it into another being."

Luna basked in the moonlit glow, standing assuredly before Discord.

Discord created a mirror and stepped into it. He took a hammer and shattered himself, dividing into three separate forms.

A calm wave of energy emitted from Luna, washing over the three separate Discords, causing two to disappear.

"Without your tricks, without your illusions what are you? Anything you corrupt I can purify."

Discord gave his first fearful tremble, not knowing that Luna was nearly exhausted from her ordeal with Nightmare Moon. In fact her calm demeanor was hanging by just a thread. It was true that Discord couldn't directly manipulate her, but what little energy she had used was draining her last reserves.

Luna pulled upon power from the Lunar Bracer to steady herself; Discord flinched back as he felt the surge of pure energy. Seeing his reaction Luna began to form a dense ball of light. It wouldn't even have any useful combat capabilities; it was just a hoax, and she a gut feeling that this would somehow work.

"Stop! Stop! I give up!" Discord cried out as Luna took a step forward. Discord had never known a greater power than his, and the thought terrified him.

"You win... Just let me go, please."

"A deal is a deal." Let us conference about your fate. And if you try to flee know the punishment will be far worse.

The Doctor whispered to the group. "We have several options here, and we must decide quickly. One: I could unleash him back into the universe, making sure he could never return. Leaving Equestria would remove most of his power. Two: We could use the elements to activate the shard from the Weeping Angel, imprisoning him in stone, ever hearing ever watching, but unable to do anything. Three: The completion of a genocide by eliminating him, the last known member of his species... Something I will not allow."

"You said the rest of his kind was dead, what is there to prevent the same from happening to him if we unleash him to the universe?" Celestia asked.

"Nothing" the Doctor sorrowfully replied.

"Then keeping him here would be best. I do not want to exchange one death sentence for another. One day, maybe, he may even find his redemption."

Luna turned back to Discord. "It is settled then. We will choose the best path to allow your continued existence, but your transgressions still require punishment. Sister, Ardith, Doctor. The elements are needed."

Five shining orbs appeared by their respective bearers, glinting in the moonlight.

As they all accessed their power, Luna slouched down in exhaustion, the orb of light fading away instantly. Discord took notice.

"You tricked me?!" He lunged forward with a growl as five beams of energy, flying from their individual sources struck him. He continued to press forward, one arm slowly becoming encased with stone.

Discord flexed his clawed hand and the stone shattered away; he continued his trek forward, bent on reaching Luna to gain vengeance.

Suddenly from all four of them a sixth beam shot upward, joining in the air before arcing back downward to strike Discord.

As the sixth and final beam hit him, Discord was enveloped in a blinding ball of multicolored energy. His last cries of anger could be heard clearly before a sudden silence. The flow of energy ceased and the quiet of nighttime swept in, everyone holding their breath.

When the light faded Discord was seen entirely encased in stone, unmoving and seemingly lifeless. His final moments captured in stone.

Luna sat down exhaustedly, "Thank goodness that worked, even with all the powers we have acquired I think we were still no match."

"Who knows sister... Lets hope we never have to find out."

"Thank you Luna, you are far braver than I could ever hope to be." Ardith exclaimed as the four lined up side by side.

"So what do you plan to do with him now?" The Doctor motioned to the statue.

"Well... He is a statue now, Luna and I will commission some other sculptures to keep him company."

"Maybe a few angels?" Ardith gave the Doctor a nudge.

"No... Just... No."

A chorus of laughter could be heard in reply to the Doctor's answer.

~

Epilogue:

With Sombra gone, the changelings moved back to their homeland and Discord encased in stone it seemed Equestria was safe at last, but it would not be the last of Celestia's woes.

Within the year Luna succumbed to the influence of Nightmare Moon, changing back into a force of darkness, and plunging the world into a seemingly endless night. With the help of Ardith and the Doctor she was banished as the mare in the moon.

Celestia uncovered an ancient spell that would weaken Nightmare Moon's power and grasp, but it would be a long time before the two entities could be separated permanently. And then only by the elements of harmony, which had become inactive waiting for new bearers.

Through these trying times the Doctor could be found at Celestia's side. If only to give a hoof to hold onto.

Ardith returned to her kingdom to try and teach all changelings the way to coexist, she met great resistance from the elders and split off to form her own hive. She received regular visits from a mysterious blue box for the rest of her years.

Celestia, as the sole princess, ushered Equestria into a new age of light and prosperity, hoping for the day that the bearers of harmony would appear to return her sister.

Celestia's longevity made her appear to some as a god, but she would always laugh and brush it off; never letting it get to her head.

There is one pony to whom we can attribute most. One raggedy and mysterious pony in a blue box that helped bring about the Redemption of Equestria.

~

Princess Celestia levitated a large box of tomes and blew a coating of dust away. "This is the complete and secret history of Equestria my faithful student, with some histories even I had no knowledge of. I believe you are finally ready for the truth. Twilight, our newest princess."

~ Fin.

~~~

I have to thank all of you readers for sticking with me as I finished this up!

(if you are more of a yiff kind of person try Penchant, it's my other story that I am currently working on. It has plenty of yiff but is still plot driven.)

Now I just cross my fingers and hope I did a decent job... Thanks again, I wouldn't be posting if not for you people.

The lack of background given by the actual FiM show allowed me some freedom to go a bit off cuff. I just had to be able to reign it back in again at the end.

So for a few little explanations

With the longevity of the Alicorn race Discord could very possibly have been stuck in stone for hundreds to a thousand or so years. That being true it would easily explain why his sanity seems to have slipped a little coming into later appearances in the series( not that he wasn't already crazy, just in a bit different of a way).

Luna, trapped with Nightmare Moon had a lot of time to work with her. Luna would have helped Nightmare to become a better person slowly. She still holds a grudge when she returns, but she is a lot less willing to kill. In my Penchant series Nightmare will have an appearance... One that further shows my point of Luna having changed her.

Ardith's story is mostly done at this point... Though if I ever have the inspiration to get around to it there will be one last mention of her in a new story. That story would include some explanations in itself.