Polaris #5: Equestrian of the Battlefield

"Everypony, remain calm so as to allow our fair city to be efficiently defended!"

Even given its volume, Shining Armor's request fell on deaf ears. Unicorn citizenry either shivered in corners, or ran in all directions in an attempt to make themselves scarce from the chaos that was downtown Canterlot.

Meanwhile armored pegasi flew about, combating household objects which had become animate--brooms, mops, pantries, and even ovens which had learned to put their super-heating abilities to malicious use.

A squadron of fifty unicorns, led by Shining Armor and Princess Cadance, rushed to the scene of greatest commotion. While weary from preventing casualties for the past hour, they were still fueled by adrenaline granted through the will to prevent even more.

And at that scene, they found the source of the chaos--quite literally, in fact.

---

"Discord! It is you! I didn't believe it at first," said Shining Armor. He looked around. "Even when Celestia told me the legends of your handiwork."

"Understandable. The legends tend to lie," Discord replied, flashing a smile. "They understate everything." He looked around as well. "Weren't you telling ponies to run for cover during the Nightmare Moon affair?" He pointed towards a crumbled statue. "I was watching from my perch. Looks like they're good learners."

"Tactical error," said Shining Armor. "Not mine, but I'll own up to it. Just like I've owned up to the task of making sure you leave Equestria alone!"

"What?" For a few moments, Discord looked puzzled. "Aha! I get it! You must be the captain of the royal guard this time around! Oh, Celestia always goes for the heroic ones--and why not? Their ideals are always so quaint."

"And your magic is utterly repulsive," said Cadance. "But if you're so fond of it, we'll make sure you get more than you'll ever need! Unicorn brigade, cast at will!"

All unicorns present followed their Princess's orders, and the result was a brilliant sphere of light where Discord stood. It pulsed, it vibrated, and then exploded in a near-blinding flash, forcing all in the vicinity to shield their eyes.

When it was possible to look again, the unicorns did so, only to see Discord blinking, nonplussed. "Well, I'm still waiting," he said.

Shining Armor took a step back. "It can't be!"

"Hmm? Can't be what? What's the matter?" Discord blinked in mock confusion, then gasped. "Oh, that was your offensive! Sorry, I so rarely can tell when it comes to token resistance. Unfortunately, I can't say I'm impressed, much less harmed. In fact, I'm hard-pressed for a response... wait!" He snapped his fingers. "Never mind. I believe I know exactly how to express just what I feel that sorry excuse for an attack deserves."

For a few brief seconds, Shining Armor was at a loss as to the meaning of Discord's words--until he heard a scream from one end of his squad, and then the other. The screams multiplied in number, and after enough time looking frantically in both directions, he was able to discern the cause.

All around him, unicorn soldiers' horns were being forcibly changed into common household flashlights, and made to shine permanently as added insult to injury. Instantly, he raised a shield around the unicorns who were yet to be affected. When he saw, to his horror, that it had no effect, he turned to Cadance. "You've got to go. Get out now."

"What? Absolutely not! Shining-"

"Look. We're out of our league. Discord's got us to rights, and he knows it. All I can do here now is buy us time. If there's anypony with a chance of truly standing against him, it'll be a Princess, or a bearer of the Elements of Harmony." He placed his hooves on her shoulders. "I don't count as either, but you do."

Cadance thought it over for exactly three seconds before giving Shining Armor a quick hug and kiss. "I love you always."

"And I you," he said as Cadance vanished from the scene.

---

"Oh, I do so love playing with royal guard captains," Discord said with a chuckle. "Just in case you were wondering, yes, I am saving you for last. So if you're enjoying watching your entourage fall while under your command, then by all means, feel free to unleash any sort of desperation spells you may have stored--wait." Discord craned his head to the side and looked at the white unicorn's cutie mark. "Curious design, that. What exactly is your name?"

"I am Shining Armor," he said, standing his ground. "Canterlot's first and greatest name in defense."

"Wait. You're a... a shield pony?" Discord broke into peals of laughter. "Celestia has changed since my last imprisonment! Nothing personal, really. It's just that her former royal guards used to be utter attack stallions." His neck elongated until he was right in Shining Armor's face with a smug grin. "And with good reason. They lasted far longer than you."

Shining Armor growled, his teeth gritting and his horn crackling, in response.

"Oh, my." Discord backed away. "That's the spirit! Show those deep-seated aggressive urges! Sadly, it looks like too little too late. I've already gotten to the rest of your unit." He gestured to the dozens of unicorns, now lying around Shining Armor--twitching, barely conscious, their flashlight-horns still shining in random directions.

With a gasp, Shinng Armor galloped around the borders of the town square, looking further outward. The pegasi were all down as well, their wings subtly replaced by those of chickens. Those who weren't crashing into the sides of houses were in the same twitching state as the unicorns.

His anger ebbed, dismay taking its place. "I've failed, haven't I?"

Discord came up behind him and placed a claw on his back. "Oh, spectacularly. But ask yourself: knowing what you do about me, did you honestly think you had a chance of success?"

Shining Armor thought it over. "No. I suppose not."

The second he said those words, he lowered his head--and from muzzle to tail, the whole of his body lost its defining color. A gray-tinted Shining Armor stared back up at Discord with wide and empty eyes.

Discord cackled at his handiwork. "Oh, goody! It still works! Well, if nothing else, watching your failure was most amusing, but I can't drag this out all day. I've got more important ponies to utterly demoralize. Sayonara, Shining Armor! Heh--a little word humor there."

Shining Armor watched Discord point at his horn, and sighed in resignation. After all, it always ended up like this. He braced himself for the pain, knowing that at least it would only last a few moments before-

Purple lightning burst from between them at that moment, revealing a single unicorn when it cleared--not to mention a sight for Shining Armor's sore eyes.

Twilight Sparkle had arrived.

And the fire in her eyes was as intense as the determination written on her face.

---
"Polaris"
A My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Fanfiction
Part 5: "Equestrian of the Battlefield"
by Bookish Delight, 2012-2013
All characters and referred properties belong to Hasbro.
---

"Eh?" Discord shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "Wait. I left you wandering around a maze. How are you here?"

"I hate to agree with him," said Shining Armor, "but yeah, Twilie. This isn't normally-"

Twilight cut to the chase. "No, it's not, and that's what I'm counting on. Look, Discord plays a lot of mind games. That's half his power. As long as we don't let him get to us, we've got a chance."

Shining Armor shook his head. "I already know how this goes, Twilight. There's nothing I can do to stop it! Not even with you around!"

"And certainly not with that attitude! This dream doesn't have to play out the same way every time! Not so long as you don't want it to! And I don't want it to, either." She placed her hooves on his shoulders, looking into his eyes. "Are you willing to trust your sister?"

Shining Armor looked back, seeing in her eyes the hope he'd had just a few minutes ago. She looked so sure of herself right now. What did she know that he didn't?

"Always," he said. "If you can believe, then I guess I can too."

Twilight smiled. "Then let's show this chump what for."

Discord shook his head. "So your final desperation maneuver is believing in yourselves. This has officially gone beyond amusing." He waved his hand over the two...

...to no effect. The both of them stood, side by side, with lights and sparkles swirling around above their heads and growing brighter by the second.

He waved his hand again. Still nothing.

"Wh-... why isn't this working? Where's my beautiful chaos?"

"Sorry to drop this on you so soon, Discord. But where I come from, you've already been defeated!" Twilight's smile grew wider. "And guess who played a part?"

"You're dealing with the combined power of family now, Discord! My sister's no joke..."

The light faded, revealing Shining Armor, color and confidence restored, standing with a glittering shield bubble around himself.

"...and just in case you were wondering, you've made the royal guard very angry!"

With that, he charged towards Discord at triple-speed. When the headbutt actually happened, he didn't feel a thing--but judging from the yell he heard, Discord certainly had. The chimera sailed through the air over several yards before landing, hard, on his side.

"Why is this actually hurting me," Discord said in an annoyed monotone. He jumped to his feet. "All right, fine. I don't need to take this. I have a schedule to keep. But don't get too comfortable! I'll be back, and then things really get crazy!"

In a blink, he was gone.

---

The second Discord disappeared, the squad showed signs of recovering. Unicorns, with their horns restored, slowly stirred. Pegasi took tentative, then joyous, flaps back into the skies.

"Shining!" Twilight ran over to her brother. "Are you all right?"

"Twilie..." Shining Armor looked out to the distance. "...I don't know what to say but thanks."

"Thank Princess Luna, too. She guards dreams now, and sent me in to help. I... I had no idea it'd be this bad."

Shining sighed. "Yeah. This happens to me every once in a while. Biggest failure and all that. Brain makes you relive the excitement whether you like it or not."

Twilight sighed as well. "I know what you mean."

Shining Armor shrugged. "Perfectionism runs in the family. You didn't think you were the only one, did you? But hey, thanks to you, I've finally got a scenario where this could have gone well to think about. That'll go a long way to helping me get over this. Thanks, Twilight. And thank Princess Luna for me too."

Twilight beamed. "In that case, I'm happy to help. Especially since I think we are in the same boat."

"That's just it, though. We don't have to be. You don't have to be." He pressed his hooves onto Twilight's shoulders in the same way she had his earlier. "In fact, you should do whatever you can to stop that from happening."

"But I can't!" Twilight shook her head. "I know what it's like to have failed the kingdom now! To have failed everypony! Chrysalis-"

Shining Armor cut her off. "-was defeated in part by me. I finally know what it's like to have saved Canterlot. Would you deny me that?"

Twilight was stricken silent, only able to shake her head in reply.

Shining chuckled. "Heh. Good. But you're still a couple victories up on me, and you know what, sis? I've seen you beat yourself up too much for too long. Now, I've got troops to tend to, and a wife who'll be here any minute with plans to do the same to me. I can take it from here." He winked.

Twilight giggled. "I'll leave you to it, then."

"Great. And try to remember what you did tonight, okay? Because believe me--it matters."

Brother and sister shared a hug, as the world around Twilight swirled away, and the former's final words echoed in her mind:

"You are Twilight Sparkle. That's a fact to be proud of."

---

The night returned.

Twilight's vision faded back into focus, and she looked back at Shining Armor through the window. The tossing and turning had stopped, and on his face was a look of peace.

"Well done, Twilight Sparkle," said Luna's voice from in front.

"Thank you Luna. But it wouldn't have been possible without you."

Luna's eyes met hers, flashing with determination. When Twilight looked closer, she could see the moon's light reflecting off of small droplets just under them.

"No need to thank me, Twilight. As mentioned before, this is my responsibility now. Under my watchful gaze, the word 'nightmare' will be banished in all of its forms." Her voice was intense, yet wavering. "This I absolutely vow, now and hereafter."

Twilight met her stare head on. "Luna... they've forgiven you, you know." She wrapped her forelegs around the Moon Princess's neck and shoulders. "I certainly have."

Luna's muscles relaxed as she took off again, and she looked straight ahead. "Most have. Looking into dreams can be a double-edged sword. I know that some still wish to banish me in the worst and most painful ways they can." Luna shivered. "Sometimes I wonder if I'd welcome it. Nopony deserves feel the effects of the curse I became."

"You're not a curse!" Twilight held onto Luna even more tightly. "You said it for yourself. You are Princess Luna. You guard Equestria when it's arguably at its most vulnerable. There is honor in your name, and in your position! But it's up to you to live up to it!"

Luna stopped where she was, allowing Twilight's words to catch up to her, and for Twilight herself to panic as upon realizing she'd just told off royalty. "Th-th-that i-is, i-if you don't m-mind my saying so, I mean, I... awww."

Luna simply laughed. This did absolutely nothing to help Twilight's nervousness, until she was levitated off of Luna's back, and into a tender frontal embrace. Twilight looked up into Luna's eyes, then past them, to the moon itself, while savoring the warmth and softness of her coat in the cool of the night.

"P-Princess Luna? I..."

"Thank you, Twilight. From the bottom of my heart. You are welcome to remind me of what you just did as often as you like."

She followed Twilight's gaze to the moon with a sigh.

"Heaven knows I need it."

---

Their tour of Canterlot finished, Luna and Twilight landed back in the latter's room, with Twilight sitting on the bed and Luna standing beside.

"Princess Luna?"

"Yes, Twilight?"

Twilight fidgeted nervously. "Is it all right if I tell you something I'm... not exactly proud of?"

"We've been doing that all night, if I recall. I would be honored."

"Well... seeing Shining Armor's dream helped me to understand mine, I think. After the changeling invasion? Whenever I didn't have anything else to think about, I would run it back over in my mind. I would always think about what I could have done differently, what I could have had my friends do differently... so that I didn't fail everypony like I did. Princess Celestia charged me to find the Elements of Harmony, which I've done twice already." Twilight shook her head. "But I couldn't this time."

Luna nodded, listening instead of responding, and inviting Twilight to continue.

"I don't know how much your sister told you about my, um, misadventures in learning magic. But I used to always tell myself that maybe all of my screwups were worth it if the magic abilities I gained proved useful in the end. Which they didn't this week. So how long, then, until the ends no longer justify the means? I know if I were your sister, I'd be worried about whether or not Twilight Sparkle was... you know..."

"Still worth the trouble?"

Twilight held in a sniffle. "Exactly."

"Hmmm. An excellent, if sobering question. Twilight?"

"Yes?"

Luna stroked Twilight's mane with one hoof. "I will trust you with one of our greatest secrets. There have been stories told by ponies for centuries about my and Celestia's exploits, both good and otherwise. However, if one were to look more closely at the most popular of those stories, they would realize that nearly all of them take place during either the height of day or night."

"You mean, noon or midnight?"

"Thereabouts, yes." Luna sat next to Twilight on the bed. "As Princesses of our respective astronomical beings, our powers are strongest during the time periods when the ones we represent are active. During the nighttime, Celestia's potential greatly diminishes, and so it is with myself during the day. It was actually best for one of us to retreat while the other took over, so vulnerable were we. Our myriad gifts as pegasus unicorns came with equivalent curses in the name of balance. But circumstances have changed."

"Because of..." Twilight trailed off.

"Yes. Celestia has had a millennium to hone her magical abilities such that she can subsist during both the day and night. I haven't had the luxury yet--and therefore, if you recall, I wasn't around for the changeling invasion. Not only would I not have been much help, I likely would have made an easy hostage besides."

Twilight simply nodded, the memory of Chrysalis overpowering Celestia still fresh in her mind.

"I see you agree. Celestia and I talked about it afterwards and actually chalked it up to good luck. But I'm still one of the heads of the royal house. Meaning, at best, we are in the same boat--but at worst, I have far more to answer for than you." Luna closed her eyes. "No matter how sound the reasons may be, it breaks one's heart to be forced to leave their sister alone to fend for themselves."

Twilight looked down, towards the bedsheets. "I... I never thought of it that way. You must feel even worse about the whole thing than I."

Luna shook her head. "It is not about the degree of remorse we harbor, Twilight, but that we harbor it at all. Our regrets are, in a way, our greatest asset. They express our desire to learn from our mistakes, to make sure that they never happen again. My remorse compels me to ward the curse of Nightmare Moon by any means necessary. Your remorse means that those troublesome dreams you've been having of late will remain forever those--dreams of the past, or a future that will never come to pass. That is, unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless you become lost in them. That is the sole danger of using your sadness as empowerment, but the danger is great indeed. However, I saw you in your brother's dream. You exuded a confidence that allowed both you and him to overcome a situation that you should never have been able--and he is now better for it. Keep that in mind."

"I... I will," said Twilight.

"Good," said Luna, rising from the bed. "Twilight, my sister may be right... you may be our next and greatest hope. And from the actions and words which I have witnessed tonight, I am inclined to believe her. Thus, from this moment forth I will do my best to assist as she teaches you the secrets of magic."

"Princess Luna!" Twilight gasped with a soft happiness. "Thanks so much."

"Consider the sentiments mutual. After all..." Luna moved closer. The room grew warm, and her cheek gently brushed against Twilight's as she whispered in the young mare's ear. "...there are things you have been teaching me as well. Things beyond mere voice control, and beyond even confidence."

"I have? What sorts of things?"

Luna didn't answer. Instead, she moved the sheets and blanket with her magic, tucking Twilight in. "Good night, Twilight Sparkle."

"I... good night, Princess."

Luna cast one final spell over the bed, sending Twilight into a peaceful sleep in seconds. "And sweet dreams. You, most of all, deserve them."

---

She'd been in danger before. That was fine with her. She knew it came with the office she held.

She'd been at her wit's end before. Yet she knew, even when you live for millennia, you can always stand to learn new things.

But rarely had Princess Celestia been both of the above, and powerless to boot.

That, she hated.

She looked out at her kingdom from her castle's tallest tower--a kingdom which was literally coming apart at the seams in the night. Buildings turned upside down, water turned into strawberry jam, unicorn horns turned into flashlights... she'd laugh if she didn't know that it was all being done in the name of chaos and suffering, and that the cause of all of this would never stop, never end, never be satisfied.

She hated only being able to watch, but she knew she had to. The Nightmare Moon affair had brutally taught her the value of patience--a patience both exercised and stressed as a solitary glow was felt within her heart.

A single glow that she placed her full faith in. If the kingdom at large ever knew that even she looked up to one other... well, it was moot, for they never would know.

And so long as that one light was never snuffed, she would hold her own ground.

Princess Luna walked into the tower's room with a yawn, mercifully distracting Celestia from her worries. "Sister... what is my moon doing up so early? I did not raise it."

Celestia replied with exactly one word. "Discord."

"What?" That one word caused Luna to step back. "Well... that was quicker than expected."

"'Expected?'"

"All sealed evil eventually returns, Celestia. I have learned as much up close." She moved closer and hugged her sister, looking out to the moon as she did so. "Not a lesson I am exceedingly proud of, but knowledge is knowledge. So what is your plan?"

"Not so elaborate as the one I had for you, I'm afraid. Twilight and the other bearers of the Elements of Harmony have already been charged to quell the threat. Unfortunately I gave them their mission hours ago, yet..."

"I'm sensing bad news."

"My usage of the Elements long ago links me to those who would wield them now. But only one of those links still persists at present."

Luna didn't even have to think about it. "Twilight Sparkle?"

"Twilight Sparkle."

"She does tend to come through in the tightest of situations, does she not?"

Celestia closed her eyes. "I'm counting on that now more than ever."

"Your Majesties," said a guard at the door, "You have a visitor."

"Somepony made it here in all this chaos?" said Celestia. "Let them in."

"As you command." The guard made way for a pink winged unicorn. "Presenting... the Princess Cadance."

"Cadance!" With a gasp, Celestia ran to embrace her. "Cadance, my trusted companion! I thought you and Shining Armor were-"

"We were," Cadance replied. "I attempted to assist the royal guard as much as I could... but I'm afraid there's not very much that powers over the heart can do in the face of all this insanity. Shining Armor and I thought it best if I fell back to the castle for now. He also told me of your strategy--how are Twilight and the others doing?"

"Not well. In fact, Twilight is the only one le-" Celestia's head jerked up as a sudden chill, a sudden emptiness, was felt throughout her body. "-oh no." She rushed to the tower's window, calling out in despair. "Twilight! Twilight Sparkle! You can't have... no..." Her face fell in an instant.

The other two rushed to Celestia's side. "Sister! What has happened?" Luna asked, then froze as well. "Never mind. I just felt it through you."

Cadance looked between the two now-sullen sisters. "Somepony fill me in?"

"Twilight has failed," said Luna.

"Indeed. One by one, I felt their lights fade... ending with Twilight not ten seconds ago." Celestia shuddered. "They have fallen to Discord's powers of deception. They have lost all hope." She lowered her head. "The Elements of Harmony can no longer help us."

"Then we win this day without them."

Celestia turned to Luna. "Are you suggesting..."

"Really, Celestia. I know what it took to beat him all those years ago, but if we tremble in fear now, then he has already won!" She gestured to herself, her sister, and Cadance. "Are we not Princesses of Equestria? This kingdom is not Discord's to claim! Should we face him, then with our combined powers, we may well have a-"

"If I may interrupt, Luna." Cadance held up one hoof. "Before we rush in head-first? I have an idea."

"By all means. But please, make it good. The situation requires no less."

"You say Twilight Sparkle leads your task force, Celestia? Then I think we're still in this."

"How?" asked Celestia, almost too quickly. "Why?"

Cadance walked to a nearby shelf and opened its casing, revealing dozens of scrolls. "Because if there's one thing that's ever empowered her--before friendship, and beyond the Elements--it's the written word."

"Come again?" Luna walked to the shelf. "Wait, are those not-"

"-Twilight's letters," Celestia finished, scanning over them. "All of the lessons she learned personally, on the magic of friendship."

Cadance nodded. "You were responsible for cultivating Twilight's magical powers, Celestia--and I was often responsible for nurturing her as a pony. So you know as well as I that sometimes she gets so lost in her personal quests for knowledge and order, that sometimes she forgets what she's already learned. I believe a reminder is called for."

She levitated a scroll before Celestia, who hastily applied a transportation spell to it. Several more followed, and several minutes passed... until Celestia went rigid again... and then relaxed with a relieved smile, radiating with the warmth rushing through herself.

"You underestimated yourself before, Cadance," she said. "The power of heart may well have won this day, when I genuinely feared all was lost."

"Don't worry," said Cadance. "Your secret's safe with us."

"Oh, I intend to let her know. She deserves to. But only when the time is right. Only when she understands the gravity of what she means to Equestria...

---

...and what she means to me. Twilight..."

"Mmmm..." Twilight groaned as the voice floated into her consciousness.

"My dearest Twilight Sparkle... arise from your slumber."

Even before Twilight fluttered her eyes open, she could feel the softness all around her. Once she could see, she realized that it was due to her being enveloped completely in a long, flowing, multicolored mane, which glittered even in the near-darkness of the room.

Only one pony in the universe had a mane with those colors, that feel, that scent. She didn't have to look up into its owner's face to know who was embracing her right now, but she spoke her name anyway. It was, at least, a deserved courtesy.

"Princess Celestia?"

The Princess of the Sun smiled down at Twilight, and kissed her forehead.

"Good morning, Twilight." Her voice was as soft and gentle as her mane. "Before you ask, you're no longer dreaming. And we have much to do."