It Ain't Over 'Til The Big Pony Sings

[Applejack]

This here was th' grand finale of the Fall of Nightmare Moon Opera arc. At the openin', a magical accident has trapped Celestia an' Luna in crystal an' transferred their powers to Fluttershy an' Applejack, respectively, who wound up also bein' possessed by th' memories (an' appearances) of Celestia an' Nightmare Moon from 1000 years ago.

Princess Cadence was played by Berry Punch.

---

The library is open to the public, most of the time. The doors just swing open. But today, amid the mild bluster of tiny snowflakes without, there is a firm but light rapping on the tree's front door. Three raps.

Twilight_Sparkle says "Spike, could you get the door please?"

*knock-knock-knock* "Twili? *knock-knock-knock* "Twili?" *knock-knock-knock* "Twili?"

Spike opens the door. "Hi. I have no idea what's going on!" He smiles, clearly not too concerned.

Outside, in the light winter storm, stands Princess Cadence. Yes, her. Unannounced. Wearing a look of concern, and slight relief at seeing the young dragon. Behind her sits a chariot with red highlights, and two pegasi stand milling nearby, in uniform. Rather than say anything, Cadence stands, letting her presence soak in, and possibly trying to decide what to say.

Pinkie_Pie lurks amongst the tomes.

Twilight_Sparkle is wearing her largest pair of glasses, you you know she's serious. The princess is also looking more than a little bit frazzled, her mane and tail sticking out at odd angles, her irises contracted into little dots. She's furiously flipping through a pile of scrolls, her back to the library proper, and seems almost oblivious to anything but the swirl of documets and books that's orbiting her like a veritable Oort Cloud of probably-unhelpful information. "I've got it!" she shrieks suddenly, her wings spreading in triumph. The a pause, the orbiting scrolls stopping. "Oh. Wait. We'd need a lot more penguins than we'd EVER be able to assemble without Fluttershy."

Spike brushes aside scrolls until he finds Twilight's face. "Uh, Twilight? Princess Cadence is here, and she looks worried. I don't think she brought any penguins, though."

Pausing only a moment out of decorum, Princess Cadence steps out of the snow and into the library. "Unfortunately, penguins are from the wrong frozen wasteland," she says, possibly joking. She glances briefly at Spike as she walks. "Otherwise, I would assemble as many as I could." The pink monarch, who is wearing her regalia, stops at the doorway to the main chamber, facing Twilight. "Can I assume you're working on a plan to save the princesses?"

Twilight_Sparkle blinks. The scrolls and books drop to the floor, and the princess turns to face the door. "Cadence! Come in! Pardon the mess!" It's a perfectly ordinary thing to say. But her wide eyes with the little dot pupils, and the frazzled hair, and the huge insane grin lend the words an unsettling quality. Twilight sheds a few feathers as she gets up to approach the door. This...has taken its toll on the poor alicorn.

Cadence finds her hooves assailed by a small wave of scrolls. She lifts one in alarm, but acclimates herself to the ocean of scrolls, documents and paraphernalia and strides through it boldly while doing minimal damage. "...You don't look well," she remarks, opting for understatement to carry her message.

Spike leans over and starts to pick up scrolls. "She's been trying to figure out how to rescue the princesses, while also doing the stuff they'd normally do, *and* trying to keep an eye on the play-princesses." He frowns with concern. "I'm not sure how long she can keep it up."

Twilight_Sparkle's eye twitches slightly. "Me? Oh...I'm fine. Ha! Hahahaha! Ha! But...this is kind of a tricky problem, and everypony expects me to solve it, and I'm having...some...minor...difficulties finding much magical precedent for all this, and bureaucrats keep sending me scrolls because Equestria has to keep functioning, right? And so I'm going to collapse on the floor, now, if that's all right with you." She falls over. *whump*

After what appears to have been quite awhile, Dynamite Rave lets out a soft breath, then pushes open the doors to the library, stepping inside his once mentor's home. He is not wearing his typical royal guard armor, instead, he is wearing what appears to be an old throwback of his. His trench coat and spiked collar. He even has a black band of sorts wrapped about his left leg. "Twilight?" His voice calls in curiously as he looks about.

Cadence is about to reply when a purple alicorn is added to the collection of rich and intelligent detritus on the floor. She jerks up, her primaries spreading a little. She then hurries forward and stoops, taking Twilight up and holding her tenderly. Warm and loving magic flows from Cadence into Twilight, her eyes closing for a few seconds. "Of course it's all right," she whispers. Then she looks over to Spike. "And that's exactly why I've come. I want to help. Tell me how I can help?" Then her ears swivel at the new arrival. "Mr. Rave?" She stiffens, but doesn't let go of Twilight. "Is that you, Dynamite? We're in the main room!" (re)

Spike slides a pillow under Twilight's head, then straightens up and wrings his hands nervously. Royalty asking *him* what to do? Things *have* gotten dire. "I'm not really sure...she was trying to figure out exactly what sort of magic caused all this, but her notes have gotten less and less sensible as she's gone on. This one just says 'flibble.'" He holds up a scroll.

Twilight_Sparkle sits up, and smiles gratefully up at Cadence. "Mm. Thanks. This is a lot to do...I don't know how you rule an entire empire and still always seem so clear-headed." She neckhugs her fellow princess gently. "I just...can't come up with any magic *I* could do that would resolve this. Every scenario I run, it ends with reconciliation, or it doesn't end." She sighs heavily, and finally notices Rave. She lifts her head again. "Oh, hi, Rave. Dynamite Rave, Princess Cadence. Rave is a former student of mine and a guard pony in fine standing."

"It is nice to see you again Princess Cadence." Dynamite Rave says as he bows forward to her with a smile once he heads into the main room, then looks over to Twilight Sparkle. With a tilt of his chin upwards, the stallion gives his shoulders a slight rocking side to side. "I thought I would check up on you and see if you needed any support from me." He says as he takes a seat upon his haunches, settling forehooves in front of him in a neat and at 'attention' manner. "Hey Spike." He calls over.

With compassion running deep--Twilight can actually feel it with her magical sense--Cadence executes a nearly perfect neck hug, encumbered by the princesses' relative positions. "A big part of that is that I only co-rule it," she murmurs to her sister-in-law. "But your brother and I are fortunate in that we don't have many crises in the Crystal Empire. The most difficult challenge so far has getting things moving again!" She cuddles Twilight. "Oh, I'm well acquainted with Mr. Rave. He's been working closely with your brother and with... my royal Record Keeper." More details can wait. "I'm so glad you're here!" she says to Dynamite. "Spike was just telling me how exhausted poor Twilight is. I'm guessing you don't know what a Flibble is, but maybe you can help us follow the movements of the two hosts." She looks back to Twilight. "Do you know where Fluttershy and Applejack are now?"

Two weeks. Two weeks! Two weeks flying the Crusader almost non-stop. Two weeks of nothing but conversation with Bardigan, Big Mac, and Diamond Dancer to keep Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom had always thought this ship would be a lonely hobby. Npw, she's so on edge she almost feels like throwing somepony overboard. Plus it's been hard to sleep with the gaping hole torn in the hull of the ship. ON TOP OF THAT two weeks of no sign of Nightmare Moon... The filly is frustrated, and angry. So, she's make a decision to go to the one place she can count on for answers... the Crusader roars over the skies of Ponyville, descending somewhat sharply before circling over the library with a loud, noticeable rumble. She will proceed to land soon.

Spike mutters, "If things are going the way they HAVE been, you really just have to follow the loud noises." Right on cue, the library vibrates with a terrific roar. He cringes and runs to the window to see what new horror is incoming.

Twilight_Sparkle looks helplessly at Rave, and shakes her head. "It's really nice to see you, but unless you've got someangle on this you've considered and I haven't, I'm afraid I'm not very--" as the library shakes, she leaps into the air, and lands with her wings spread and her eyes narrowed. "I might be needing you after all," she tells her former student. She searches her brain for the right terminology--having to deal with guard ponies on a regular basis is still new to her. "I need you to...secure the perimeter."

"Flibble is a psychotic hoof puppet in the shape of a penguin." Dynamite Rave says cooly as he perks his ears upwards at the sight of Twilight and her state, then looks over to Princess Cadence. "Scope has taught me a spell how to track Celestia in the instance that she gets.. you know.. kidnapped again or .. something, since that seems to be the going rate once or twice a year. I don't have a way of tracking Luna or Nightmare Moon. I only worked on Celestia's side of the guard so I'm familiar with her magical essence. I can give it a try but not making promises." He says as he leans forward to press a hoof into the ground, drawing a circle with the symbol of the sun within it. "If you need to take a nap Twilight, I can handle things from here. Least I can do on my way out the door." His tongue clicks against his teeth as his horn starts to glow a dark green. "Secure the perimeter? You need more than one guard for that... but.. let me see if you recognize this one." Jerking his chin upwards

Jerking his chin upwards, his horn pulses with a bright flash of light as he summons the force field around the Library as the green magic pushes outwards into the form of a shimmering bubble. With a grunt, he says, "Don't know why your brother acts like this is so..." Grunt. ".. hard .."

Cadence raises her eyebrows more than once, between Dynamite Rave's testimony and Twilight's order. She listens patiently to Rave, only jerking a little at the loud rumble coming from overhead. She lets Twilight down gently and rises to her golden-shod hooves. "I guess that makes sense," she agrees. "Is Flibble is a fictional penguin, then--" She cuts herself off. "Twilight, is this what you meant by the perimeter? Surely we're not going to protect only the library, are we?" She beats her wings, rising so she can look through the windows.

Twilight_Sparkle shakes her head at Cadence. "Of course not. If there's a threat beyond the library, we'll know in a minute." She runs for the door, turning her head to call back over her shoulder, "And disregard the whole Flibble thing! That plan turned out not to be feasible for lack of penguins."

Soon a great airship lands just outside the library, on the side is painted the CMC logo and the text: "E.R.S. Crusader" The engine whines loudly as it is turned off, and after a couple minutes, the environs are quiet once again.

Spike's eyes widen; he has plenty of experience with balloons, but this is something else altogether. "Where'd *that* come from?" he asks...well, Twilight is the intended audience, probably, but it's directed at no one in particular.

there's a...well it kind of sounds like a shriek/cry/lawn mower/cat/ten year old. Most ponies can't make that sound- but then again, Diamond is not most ponies. She comes crashing down from the deck of the Crusader, face first, and SPLATS against the cobble stone path leading up to the Libarary. She's up after only a second, however, and proceeds to march up to the door. "Hey!? Guys?! Whats wif day defense dingy?! Open up, it's me, Diamond! Wait, no, I'm not evil anymore! Don't blast me! ...Uh...Apple Bloom, you'se wanna take a whack at dis?" Squeaks a voice outside...

Twilight_Sparkle looks at the airship, then back at Spike. "It...came from the sky!"

As he peeks out the window, Dynamite mutters, ".. No, no you're welcome for.. you know.. putting up a force field at a moment's notice. Don't all thank me at once." Squinting his eyes, he drops the field with a roll of his eyes. "It's Apple Bloom's airship. Huh, she actually did it... and it didn't blow up. Kinda cool." He says as he settles back upon his haunches and wipes his brow. ".. anyways, I guess... I'll just work on that tracking spell."

Cadence finds a window on the second level she can fit through. She flies from the library, but finds Dynamite Rave's green forcefield impeding her way. She's about to try something when the field drops. Her features wear a gasp as she dives down toward the Crusader. "Yes," she tells Dynamite through the window. "But will your spell find Celestia, trapped in crystal, or Fluttershy? That's the question."

Spike says "Yeah, finding Celestia wouldn't help much. I mean, we know where SHE is. She doesn't move around much."

The hatch of the Crusader opens and a glaring Apple BLoom walks out. "Fer crawin' out loud we HAVE a HATCH!" Apple Bloom calls to Diamond Dancer. She shouts in frustration and walks up to the library. That's when she spots Cadance and Rave. Well... neither of them are Twilight. She suspects neither of them have any answers she seeks. "Where's Twalawt ah need t'see her b'fore ah *snap* and hit somepony with somethin' *very* heavy!"

"Well, if past Celestia has taken over Fluttershy if I have the score right and she is walking about looking like Celestia and using Celestia's magic, then technically she -is- Celestia and thus the spell should work.. so.. if I cast it twice.." Dynamite Rave says as he goes back to his circle on the ground as he scuffs it a few more times to connect a few lines and spirals, then steps over on top of it as he focuses with tightly shut eyes. There is another glow of green from his horn as a pair of arrows pop free in a ghostly translucent color. With a motion of his hoof, he sends them zipping away in opposite directions, then settles back. ".. Well, now we wait and see if they find her, or anything.. I guess. Scope is better than me at this."

Twilight_Sparkle is standing outside the library; she walks around the ship, to where Apple Bloom is. "Here I am! No need for heavy blunt objects...how can I be of service?"

But something is going on BEHIND Apple Bloom. The sky skines and twinkles, then ignites in a flash as Celestia, the Princess of the Dawn, appears from nowhere, looking down over the library. She flaps slowly, lowering herself to the ground, and sets her jaw grimly. "Ponies!" She cries. "Ponies, have no fear, for my sister may be near...though she be not in her right mind, I hope to dry her tears."

Ping! One of the glowing arrows starts pointing right at Celestia. ".. Found her." Dynamite says dumbly as he pushes himself back up and trots to the others.

Not far behind Apple Bloom once the hatch opens, is Big Mac, pretty much dwarfing his sister behind her and whoever stands next to her. His brow is furrowed in a mix of concern and even a bit of anger, which is almost unheard of for Mac. Nopony harms a hair on his kin... except for maybe Apple Bloom herself.

Diamond_Dancer rubs her hooves through her spikey little mane and gives a hot snort at the other filly. "Hey, I'm you'se ace in da hole in dis situation, Bloom. If dings go bad, It'll be ME dat saves your little yellow butt. Just make sure you'se can talk you'se sistah outta crazy mode. And I'm a Pegasus! Pegasi don't USE 'hatches' "She barks.

Cadence watches somewhat helplessly as the ghostly arrows zip away in search of Celestia. "All right," she says. "In that case, we--" Oh. Well, that was expedient. Cadence flies swiftly upward toward what appears to be Celestia, and then down again as she lands. "Is that you, Aunt Celly? We'll be ready for Nightmare Moon if we can be." She casts a glance back toward the Crusader and the pony she thinks of as their secret weapon, Diamond Dancer. She is not Ringo. "You understand the situation, I take it?"

Apple Bloom takes a few breaths, then closes her eyes and extends her hoof before her. Goosfraba. Goos. Fra. B-- Oh, there's Celestia. That's one half of the duo... but not the one she's been trying to find these past two weeks. She opens her eyes and drops her hoof. "... Ah'm so tawred."

Twilight_Sparkle is totally not George Harrison. Okay, so she's sort of the quiet, brainy one, and the youngest princess, and OKAY FINE I'M GEORGE. She approaches the newly-arrived 'Celestia,' examining her for a moment. She tries to be subtle about it, but she does as complete a magical scan as she can; she's desperate for ANY kind of new data.

Celestia at first jerks her head back, peering down at Twilight and Cadence as if she's never properly seen a pony before, but then she lower her head to speak sweetly. "Fillies," she says, "tell me...who are you? Surely you can't truly be..."

Diamond_Dancer gives a little groan, looking Apple Bloom over, and rolls her eyes. "You'se know I can SUMMON Nightmare Moon, right? It ain't hard. I mean, I WAS da herald of da night...huh. I wondah if she knows I ain't undah her control no more....hmmm...Ohh, She's gonna be maaaaaad." She shudders. "Bloom, gimmie da word on when you'se want her around..."

"They are, Celestia.", comes the voice from the new arrival who just happens to be standing in the doorway. It's Scope, Celestial Knight, donning his more ceremonial golden armor w/that purple gem embedded in the chestplate and he steps into the library with a quick scan of the area with his eyes, blinking calmly before looking over to the three alicorns. "You and your sister aren't the only Princesses anymore."

As he joins the others outside, Dynamite Rave blows upwards on his horn as if to dispel the lingering effects of his spell. Staring up at Princess Celestia, he leans in to gently bump his shoulder against Cadence. "So, uh.. what next? We get pint-size to summon Nightmare Moon, then we have an epic battle in the front yard, zap her with a buncha rainbows and make everything right? I'm only good for long range explosives and property damage."

Cadence recognizes what Twilight is doing. She's been the subject of that magical scan a couple of times, given the understandable security concerns that followed the Changeling Queen incident. She moves to stand beside Twilight and whispers out of the side of her mouth, in a language they used to share when Twilight was her charge in Canterlot: "Opare Copelopestopia's mopemoperopies fropom opa thopousopand yopears opagopo?!" she asks urgently. She looks from the guard she doesn't know to the guard she does with some apprehension.

... That was not something Apple Bloom needed to hear. "Y'all mean we've been flawin' around fer two weeks, cramped up in th'Crusader lookin' fer her and y'all could haive BROUGHT her here?!" Apple Bloom takes another few deep breaths. "No... it's okay. It's okay. Ah'm not goin' insane. Ah'm a HAPPY filly. Ah grew up on a farm!" Apple Bloom sees Flutterlestia and runs over. "Ah am so glad t'see y'all after our last meeti-- NOPONY IS BATTLIN' NOPONY!" Apple Bloom has now, officially, snapped. "This ain't gonna be no battle, no, si. Ah didn't git a big hole blown in mah ship and lose TWO WEEKS'A sleep t'haive y'all shootin' yer FANCY MAGIC at mah SISTER! We're. Gonna. TALK. To. Her. Celestia here already knows what's goin' on. Ah told her and she gits it!" Apple Bloom's teeth are clenched and she really does look ready to land her ship on somepony. "But ah think if we're all here gathered 'round lawk this it won't go well."

Spike points out, "Maybe you can get your cutie mark in wild goose chases!"

Diamond_Dancer laughs nervously and rubs the back of her mane. "Ahhh...ha-ha-ha, n, no. Da Stah don't excatly do what I want it to when I make a wish. It would eddah teleport us to her, or uh, her to us. It was MUCH safah just lookin fer h-OOOOOLY PONY FEDDAHS! SCOPE!" Diamond shrieks, diving for cover behind Celestia. "DON'T TAZE ME BRO!!"

At the sight of Scope, Dynamite's face lights up for a quick moment in a smile, but it soon melts away into something more mournful and frustrated as his ears wilt backwards. Turning his head back to the three Princesses, he scuffs his hoof along the ground a few times as he toggles a pebble along the ground.

Twilight_Sparkle hisses back at Cadence, "Yopes...boput thopere's sopomethoping nopot ropight opabopout thopem. Opi thopink opit's opa ropecoponstropuctiopon."She tries to gaze into Celestia's eyes inconspicuously. She's evidently a very poor judge of what's conspicuous.

Celestia gives Bloomers a sidelong and slightly weary glance; at this point, she's mostly resigned to letting the filly think negotiation really was all her idea. Better to keep peace among her subjects. Besides, right now, her focus is on...them. She lowers her head again, but this time it's a bow. She opens one eye to peer at them, though - apparently Celestia is having trouble wrapping her head around the idea of two other Princesses.

Moving over to the trio of alicorns, Scope does show a brief sign of respect by dipping his head in a brief bow which hopes will cover all three. "Don't forget, Celestia, you're a thousand years out of date." The stallion winks with a calm smile, but turns his attention to Twilight and Cadence with a motion of his head towards Flutterlestia. "What you're interacting with IS Celestia, in a sense. The best way to describe it is that you're speaking to an echo of her from a thousand years ago, an essence which has posessed this body. This is actually.. Fluttershy."

And of course, the reason Apple Bloom is so invested... "And th'one bein' Nawtmare Moon is actually Applejack. Which is wah if anypony gonna take a shot at Nawtmare Moon they're gonna haive t'blast *me* first!" Apple Bloom needs to calm down, and take it easy. "Ah already lost Nawtmare Moon ONCE when some stupid warriorheads started fawtin'. Ain't gonna happen agin!"

Twilight_Sparkle nods at Scope, and turns back to Celestia, drawing herself up straight. "Ahem! Um...greetings, Princess Celestia! I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle, and this is Princess Cadence. "Please don't be alarmed! I gather Scope's filled you in on the...situation, chronologically and corporeally speaking." She regards this pony who is at once one of her best friends, and an echo of her beloved mentor from the past. "This must be hard for you," she says, sincerely.

Cadence's ears flick to Twilight. She nods, anxious about the idea, and then sweeps into a graceful bow, hoping Twilight does the same. She rises when she judges the false Celestia is doing so. "I take it you remember the way things were a long time ago." She steps forward. "I'm used to that, by now. I am Mi Amore Cadenza, your niece." A disarming smile follows. "But you can call me Cadence." Now Scope steps forward and explains what Cadence has already ascertained. She glances to Dynamite. "If you mean the Fallen Star Miss Dancer commands, then I agree with Miss Dancer--it isn't our best option. It may be the only one available, however.

From behind a creaky door the haggard and tired Virga entered the library without drawing much attention to himself--at least that is what he hoped. He said nothing; Cadence was his reason for being present as without her he wouldn't be. Most likely. It was as the Crystal Princess had said--thanks to Scope's explanation. The pegasus, however, slowly closed in beside Cadence and silently gazed at the scene with a very stoic face, almost as if to judge what he saw. He still yet had a thing to say.

"Well, maybe we should try having a unicorn or an alicorn use the fallen star, you know.... by a pony that actually understands and knows how to wield magic. Perhaps it's a matter of instructions." Dynamite Rave says with a rise of his shoulders. "But, it seems like all the big guns are here so.. uh.. I guess I'm going to take off now. No need for me to get in the way." He trails off as he gives her a slight smile, grateful. "... It was really nice seeing you again Princess. Tell Shining I'll see him next weekend for our guy's night out if the world doesn't end."

A familiar voice catches his ear, and while looking over he IS tempted to zap the living daylights out of Diamond just for the heck of it his attention falls solely on Apple Bloom. Leaving the princesses to talk amongst themselves, the stallion steps over to the little earth filly and does his best to loooooom over, glancing downward. "S'been a while, Bloom."

Oops. Cadence returned Celestia's bow while Twilight stood even straighter. Well, such things can't be helped--it's not as if there's any protocol for this kind of thing. At least, Cadence hopes there isn't. She looks uneasily at Dynamite Rave. "Are you sure? Your tracking spell would be been invaluable if Celestia hadn't appeared! I expect your magic or your skills will be valuable again." She looks at Apple Bloom with trusting, knowing eyes, and says nothing, merely nods to acknowledge her fear for her sister. Then Cadence raises a wing to invite Virga beneath. The look she gives him is a more nervous one. They had quite a long conversation on the way here, and nothing more needs be said between them for now.

"Princess...Twilight Sparkle. And Cadence." Celestia's eye roves from one to the other. "Forgive me, please, for any trouble my sister has caused you. If only I had known, I might have been better..." Her eye rests on Twilight for a moment longer. "Is this your empire?"

"You're the bestest Cadence, it's why you're my favorite Princess." Dynamite Rave says with a weak smile to her before he lifts a hoof up and rubs his nose. "Thank you for the vote of confidence, but let's be real here.. I'm not even in the same league. Just best I stay out of everypony's way. No need for me to try and be a hero tonight." His eyes may have glanced over to Scope momentarily for a moment before his posture droops. "... I'll just guard the library or something." He says to the tri-colored mane pony of love, then starts back for the large Golden Oak.

Apple Bloom hears the voice and whirls around, and she gives Scope a big hug. "SUNFLARE!" She hasn't seen him in some time. "Ah'm glad y'all didn't get blasted away bah mah sister'r somethin'." Apple Bloom says, then blinks, turning back to Celestiashy. "There's one worry, though. Last tawm ah trawed t'git her t'listen, she thought we were castin' some kawnda voodoo on'er and flew off. Ain't there some way t'keep'er grounded?"

Virga slipped beneath Cadence's wing, a sight that was highly unusual for the flyer unless it was Celestia's wing. Yet, given their discussion the two had a deeper connection than he originally though. Both Cadence and Celestia did. His ears twitched. Scope said this was an echo a thousand years old; how..convenient. "Kadenzkri urs innit da'Slesti?" he whispered to Cadence in Vulgar Imperial, a dialect that came before Sombra.

Laughing, Scope wraps his hooves about the apple filly to return the hug, giving her a gentle squeeze.. "Actually, I jumped off the balcony at her and she shoved me back with telekenesis, hurt me pretty good. .. Though "Flutterlestia" healed me. .. I'm sorry about your sister though, hopefully we'll get her back soon.."

Twilight_Sparkle looks around. "Well...I'm kind of in charge at the moment, your grace." She addresses the false Celestia more formally than she would the real thing. Belatedly noticing Cadence's bow, Twilight also bows--just in time for Cadence to be entirely straightened. Twilight stiffens again, awkwardly. "But...ultimately, Celestia is...you're still the one in charge."

Diamond_Dancer gives a little huff and stops a hoof upon the cobblestones infront of her. "Can we PLEASE git started wif dis? I wanna save Princess Luna...err, n, and Applejack, of course." The little filly squeaks, pacing around in a tiny circle. She can't wait to get her princess back..." Come on, come on...ain't got all day!"

Spike sort of hides behind Twilight, unsure about this pseudo-Celestia. If she doesn't remember Twilight, how might she react to a dragon?

Princess Celestia nods, in a barely perceivable way. "Then you two are...?"

There is a distant rumbling noise, rather like thunder... but the sky is clear.

"We can do nothing," Bardigan answers Diamond, sitting to one side and flipping idly through the pages of the play, "until Nightmare Moon arrives. Which she will do in an appropriately dramatic fashion. I believe the stars will realign and there will be a dramatic musical pronouncement from the brass and wind section." He looks up at the sky, looking more wistful than anxious. "I wrote her as having the ability to shoot lasers from her horn. I hope that doesn't go badly for us."

Cadence settles her wing around the storm pegasus, her expression growing regal and strength seeming to enter her visage merely from his faith in her. "I'm sorry you feel that, Mr. Rave," she murmurs, her purple eyes doing their best to hold Dynamite's. "If you would prefer to guard the library, then your vigilence will be appreciated. And we'll know where to find you." She winks, and then turns her attention back to the Celestiecho. Celechostia. Yes, that's it. Though she wouldn't want to put it in 'oppish'. "My empire is to the north," she says. "This empire is yours..." Although perhaps it's technically Twilight's right now. She squeezes Virga tighter in response to his whisper, but doesn't reply. Instead, she addresses Diamond Dancer and Bardigan. "I would be willing to try making a wish on the Fallen Star, if you think it wise. I may be able to use my magic to keep it from being too... cruel, in how it grants its wish."

Bardigan's ears twitch at the thunder. "You could start by wishing for a happy ending, your highness," he answers Cadance. "But even happy endings do not come without some sacrifice."

Apple Bloom hears the rumbling. "Either 'nother airship is comin', or that's gotta be mah sister." Apple Bloom looks to the sky. She runs out, getting a little distance from the Crusader. "NAWTMARE MOON!"

"And Diamond?", calls out Scope, narrowing his eyes a little as he glares at the filly. "Please don't wish for Yakety Sax if the two start battling, I reeeeeally don't think it'd be appropriate like it was when we were running around Canterlot.."

Diamond_Dancer gives Bardigan the most dead-pan-if-looks-could-kill-you'd-be-screaming-in-agony- glare of her ten years on the planet and huffs. "And WHAT HAVE I BEEN TALKIN' ABOUT?! I can summon her, geez... OKokok, I wish Princess Luna was here wif us!" She announces- and the little gleaming gem around her throat glimmers. And Princess Luna- turned to stone of course, drops precariously atop the wishful little filly- who is squashed flat underneath the heavy stone. "...I meant Night...Mare...Moon." She choke out horsely from underneath the stone fixture of Princess Luna.

Spike peers over Bardigan's shoulder at the play. "I don't suppose you could make some edits NOW, to make things easier?"

Virga eyed the Host, then Cadence, and then back to the Host again. "Allow me?" he asked. "I've something none of you possess...it is only appropriate to see...her reaction, Princess Cadence."

Scope blink.. blinkblinks as Diamond is flattened, pointing a hoof with a snort. "Yeah, you deserved that." However, he DOES help out by surrounding the statue with his aura and dragging it to the side to let the rather invincible pegasus free.

The distant rumble comes again. Only not so distant, and much clearer. It's definitely the sound of a building falling down - rubble, distant shrieks of escaping ponies, and among it all a maniacal laugh, shrieking and desperate as though trying to convince itself something...

Spike says "THAT would be our missing alicorn, I think."

Bardigan shakes his head sadly at Spike. "The story has already begun. You can't change the ending after you've started reading. A good story won't be cheated." He jumps up as Diamond is squashed - by her own wish of course - and begins fussing over her, dusting her off and, of all things, straightening her mane. "Diamond," he whispers, "get up, little gem. It's time."

Soarin's body come hurtling through a nearby building, whump! Thump! The now out-cold Wonderbolt looks as if he tried holding off the Nightmare, most likely alone. And got squashed, oh yeah...he's out for the count, "Goodnight sweet princess..." he murmurs drunkenly before fully collapsing in the street.

Cadence raises a leg urgently when Diamond loses her patience and makes her wish--and freezes with mouth open as Luna's immobile form appears. Too late to stop Diamond from being squashed, she facehoofs instead, glad that of all ponies for that to happen to, it happened to one of the very few who could take it. It would be horrible if the statues of Celestia or Luna were ever to fall on anypony else for any reason, but of course that's a preposterous thought and it would never happen. But the wish is coming true regardless, whether by star or by destiny. She looks out toward the sound of the falling building. "She's there," utters Cadence unnecessarily. She then looks to Virga. "Are you unsure of our friend Celestia?" she asks him quietly. And in a whisper, she adds: "Ors'em, Slesti hapt ennel." Not the best Vulgar Imperial, but she's only been studying for a few months.

Apple Bloom is squinting, searching the skies desperately. She reaches into her saddlebag and pulls something glinting out, holding it in her hoof. She's got to have the guts to finish what she started. Where is she?

Spike looks around at the assorted alicorns, nervously. "So, what's our plan for when she shows up?" He tugs at Twilight's mane. "We DO have a plan, right?!"

Load all torpedo bays, ready phasers. Time to go to work. Doing what guards are supposed to do, Scope takes off in a gallop TOWARDS the sound of screams and thunder and the rising clouds of dust & smoke, vanishing around a street corner with horn aglow.

Twilight_Sparkle replies to 'Celestia,' "We're..." she pauses. "I don't quite know how to talk about it," she admits. "There's still so much about it I don't understand! But Princess Cadence and I are recent princesses. We were unicorns...I was your student, in fact. We know each other really well. I...miss you." The tenderness of this moment is interrupted as Soarin comes crashing in; Twilight lifts her head sharply, her horn illuminating like a pilot light.

Bars of vicious teal magic lance overhead, punching random holes in buildings to the sound of approaching laughter. In moments, Nightmare Moon shows herself... and she is looking rather the worse for wear. It should not be possible for ethereal patches of night sky to look disheveled, but somehow her mane and tail are exactly that. Her helmet has a crack in the middle, and there are flecks of mud on her shoes and coat. She stops suddenly as she's flying by overhead, catching sight of Celestia, and suddenly all signs of incipient madness vanish from her expression and she focuses on the one pony whose life - and death - are now everything to her.

Music begins to swell and permeates the air, as the Dread of Night's expression hardens and she begins to sing: "o/` This time it's going to be perfect / This time my strength will hold, I shall not fall / Everypony will witness me / Win my true final victory / Then they will know it's the Night that rules them all! o/`"

-> Nightmare Moon and Celestia are singing a filk of the This Day Aria

Celestia pauses for a beat, even as the distant music begins to swell. Her lips move silently, mouthing out the word: 'Twilight.' "...Twilight Sparkle. I'm so sorry that I've taken your friends for so long, but I see now that Equestria is in good hooves...and among good friends. And I'm sure that if she is anything like me, she must be very proud of you." She gives a touch of her nose to Twilght, and Spike, and then stands tall, ready to face the night:

Derpy comes flying after from the building Soarin just got tossed from, tumbling at least eight times wildly head over hocks, but eventually managing to stop just above Soarin instead of crashing. "o/` Sooooarin! Are de-aired and deflate. Goooooored in! Is so tragical fate! o/`" After singing her operatic little couplet, she falls over Soarin and smushed her head to his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"Luna!" she calls, snapping her great wings open and fluttering aloft. o/~ This time it's going to be perfect / This time my sister's walls will have to fall! / And instead of bearing hate / With all my love she'll flee her fate / In healing time, she may not bear anger at all o/~

"Places everypony," Bardigan murmurs, pulling Diamond to her hooves. "Cue sound effects. Bring down the lighting. Nightmare Moon enters stage right, accompanied by percussion and brass. She sings." He looks over at Twilight Sparkle, and he might have said something to her, but the moment has passed and he looks too regretful to open his mouth now anyway. He looks to the ground and listens to the aftermath of his play come to its cimax.

Twilight_Sparkle can't hold back; she moves in and gives Celestia a warm hug, now that they're conveniently close in size. A tear forms in the purple alicorn's eye. "You'll never know how much that means to me, Princess," she says softly.

No sooner does Nightmare Moon appear than a loud horn sounds somewhere in the direction of the Town Hall. A surge of wind and thunder rides forth, heralding the arrival of Ponyville's Weather Patrol, charging right into trouble to save everypony. "Weather Patrol, let's move out!" shouts their leader, a certain rainbow-maned mare. "Attack that big dumb faker!" She and all the pegasi around her form up into an assault formation, poised to strike!

Celestia smiles back at Twilight. "Take care of her for me. You never know what might be eating at her inside."

Virga's ears shifted, swerving here and there. When Soarin blowed his merry way through a building he had no apparently reaction to the distantly fellow Bolt. Soarin was not his wingpony...though he admired the toughness displaced. The pegasus stepped forward as Scope tended to the matter. "There's much that many don't understand, Princess Twilight," he said as he readily approached the Host of Celestia. But it was not to be...the little revelation of what Virga carried inside him. Singing. Singing?! Who called that Singing? What? He backed from the Host of Celestia and opened his wings to shield Cadence. The strangeness here he was not prepared for.

The strange operatic magic that stole the true Princesses' powers suffuses the area. Attack as they may, nopony can stop a Song.

Apple Bloom sees the weather patrol and again, her blood boils. It's like those stupid knights! Okay, time to have guts, and live up to her word! Anypony wants to do something bad to Nightmare Moon to get in the way of curing her, they gotta do the same to HER. She runs as fast as she can, holding onto that something glinting and she tries to get between Rainbow Dash and Nightmare Moon and shout, "Stop rawt there!" This, of course, is a shout to Rainbow Dash. She needs a little more inspiration for how she's going to get Nightmare Moon to listen.

After making sure casualties were light (just some ponies shaken up, thankfully), Scope returns to the scene of the ... well, is it a battle or a musical? Oh, it's a Battsical, or a Musittle. Whatever. Taking aim at the echo of the Night, Scope murmurs a song of his own. o/` Night. And the spirit of life, calling (oh oh, iyo) o/` He stops, narrowing his eyes and looking around suspiciously as there's somehow a background chorus. o/` ..Mamela (oh oh, iyo!) o/`, and how his head swings the other way as if trying to ascertain where the other voices are coming from, brow lifting.

Diamond_Dancer wobbles to her hooves with the help of Bardigan, and staggers left, then right, then squeezes her eyes shut. This wasn't at ALL how she expected things to go. She glances towards Bardigan- then Apple Bloom and draws in a deep breath. "W, WHOA! WHOA!! Apple Bloom, we don't got a lot of time, it's your cue, go for it!" She hisses, before giving Nightmare Moon a *Squee* Smile. "Y, You'se darkness! I've got somedin' for you! D, dat interlopin' filly you'se been havin' trouble wif! Yeah, She's uh...She's right here!" Diamond announces, before directing her gaze towards Rainbow Dash. Awww Pony Feddahs. "Make it good, Bloom." She huffs, and shoots herself into the air, towards the weather patrol- to by Apple Bloom some time...

Cadence finds herself being shielded from... the musical resonance in the sky. Shielded from the song by Virga. That sounds like a song lyric. So she doesn't yet start singing, but rises tall nevertheless. She watches the weather patrol unexpectedly arrive and attack, wondering how that will impact the Crusader crew's plans. "Rainbow Dash... wait! Fighting her can't possibly end well!" She starts to glow with a dim pink aura. Then she looks with surprise at Diamond Dancer... is she in on the plan?

Nightmare Moon's face twists into a murderous hatred as she glares down at her sister! "o/` Don't tell me of your lying love! / I won't succumb, I'm far too numb / Death is all you'll get from me this day o/`" She pauses to bat away a couple of pegasi and dodge Rainbow Dash... "o/` We could have ruled here together! / It was YOU who broke my tether! / The truth is I don't care now what you say o/`" And she turns back and floats slowly to the ground. She hasn't seemed to notice the fillies yet, her attention is riveted only on the Sun Princess. "o/` Make your peace and choose your tomb / In my heart there is but doom! / Now the Night will be master of Day! o/`"

Bardigan glances up at the attacking weather patrol and shakes his head. "That's... not going to work," he grumbles. "If anything, they'll just become part of the chorus." He can feel it too, the tugging in the air. The desire to just let something else control his hooves and his voice. It's the call of the stage, of course. He flips to the final act of the play. They're not singing the right words, of course... but they're still going inevitably towards the last page. "Don't get too close," he advises Diamond. "Unless you fancy becoming a background singer."

Twilight_Sparkle steps back away from Celestia, as the song begins! A few steps and she's standing beside Bardigan. "This may be the wrong time to say it, Bardigan," she tells him, "but your work has a little TOO much verissimilitude someimes."

COORDINATES SET, INITIATING TELEPORT SEQUENCE. When NMM lands the guard's horn immediately comes to life and Scope vanishes with a flash of gold, reappearing infront of "Flutterlestia" to stand between her and AJ Moon, taking aim at the dark mare with weapons at the ready. He doesn't know much about the play or anything of those details, but.. he's gotta protect Celestia. x.x

Wait, what was that that was just shouted at her? Her cue? The filly feels a little panic settle in her heart as she whirls around and looks up again. She's... she's so close again! She looks down at what is in her hooves and squeezes her eyes shut. She isn't going to sing. No, she feels singing will ruin the emotion she needs to feel. No, what she needs to do is yell. Loudly as she can. Earth ponies are good for that, right? She takes a deep breath, and she shouts as loud as she can. "NAWTMARE MOON!" Apple Bloom actually got good projection there! What would an adventurer yell? Heck with that, what should come from the heart? Something that would appeal to her sister and an emotionally wounded young sister.

"PLEASE, LET ME JUS' TALK T'Y'ALL! AH MISS Y'ALL!"

The urge to sing was strong with this one. For now, he answered to Cadence with everything else in disarray, but increasingly he felt drawn to Celestia as per the Order. "Princess Cadence...stand down," he said, his voice on the edge of breaking apart into whatever devilry this was. "Your safety is currently my priority."

Rainbow_Dash doesn't seem to hear what Apple Bloom has to say, given that she's busy trying to fight Nightmare Moon. She dodges and dives past NMM's attacks, and in return she slashes at the air with her wings...no, wait, it's some kind of wind-energy attack! "Take that, and /that/!" she declares.

"Sun guard, stand down and protect the filly," says Celestia, glancing at Apple Bloom. "Let me speak to Luna." She steps around Scope...although at this point, there's so much Celestia in her she could probably step OVER him. o/~ You must listen before it's too late, find a way to reach your heart / Hope...I've been crying from the start / To banish my only sister / Oh, how much I have missed her / I'm here for you! It's tearing me apart! o/~ She takes an extra-deep breath: o/~ For I oh-so love you, dear / Can't you see how I'm sincere? / Oh, dear sister Luna, your poor broken heart o/~

Cadence hears Virga's order, and ducks, letting him protect her from any physical attacks as well as the force of the music. But her glow is intensifying. She looks into her heart, and to her horror, she finds she's got the music... got the music in her.

The order surpri-- .. well, no, it doesn't surprise Scope at all. It causes his eyes to narrow just a bit but he accepts this command with a silent nod, stepping back with a bow and turning away to start towards the young earth filly that he knows oh so well and moving to stand by her and support her in this troubling time.

Nightmare Moon squints briefly at Apple Bloom, her eyes glinting green... then reaches out and with one mighty slap of her wings swats Rainbow Dash's airblade effect out of the air like a bug! She starts advancing on Celestia. "o/` Finally my suit has been pressed / For me to be the last princess! o/`"

Apple Bloom wasn't kidding when she told the others she'd put herself between Nightmarejack and any danger. When she sees Rainbow Dash begin to ruin things like those stupid knights did when Nightmarejack was on the Crusader. Right now, though not on a personal level, AB has to treat Rainbow Dash as an enemy. She times her jump to try and get in teh way of the attack so RD either has to break it up or hit Apple Bloom. "~You're being reckless and stupid!~"

o/~ Oh, my Luna, you must cease! / Now it's time for making peace / Equestria will be-- o/~ Celestia reaches out a desperate hoof toward her sister--

Diamond_Dancer zooms right towards Rainbow Dash with no intention of stopping- in fact, she's trying to SLAM into the blue pegasus and knock her off course- something she can't possibly expect with the attention on Nightmare Moon. "KNOCK IT OFF YOU'SE BEAN BAG! YOU'SE IS GONNA RUIN EVERY DING! "Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash, you'se is not in da loop, Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash, you'se smell like poop! Rainbow Dash, Listen here, there ain't no ding ta fear, RaaaaainBoooooooow Daaaaaaash."

Bardigan puts a hoof to his face as everypony begins falling to the singing plague. "Annnd here we go," he mutters to Twilight.

Mac has been sticking close to his youngest sibling since stepping off the Crusader, before that he kept himself somewhat toward the sturdy central parts. However as Apple Bloom charges toward Nightmare Moon, he rears and is hot on her tail, the large stallion playing linebacker just behind teh filly. ANypony thinking of stepping between her and Nightmare Moon, has the visage of a large draft stallion barrelling down at them, just behind the filly.

"No, no, no!" Virga growled, pushing against Cadence to put distance between her and this frightful, corruptive magic. He turned his back to the singers and the fighering to put his face directly against the Princess's. "You focus on me, and nothing else," he commanded as his wings spread their full span. "Look at me! You're not a puppet!"

Nightmare Moon finishes the line: "o/` MINE! ALL MINE! o/`" Then she works up a blast from her horn and fires at Celest - no! Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh, of all ponies, are suddenly in the way! It shouldn't matter, it should just vaporize them, but for some reason the Dread of Night can't fire! She jerks her head back in surprise and the blast goes up at an angle instead, taking a chunk out of the library roof and singing the feathers of an unlucky weather patroller!

Twilight_Sparkle nods to Bardigan. And sings! "o/~ Oh Bardigan my dear, this is exactly what I meeeean / you really can create a very realistic sceeeeene / but with great power comes greater re-spon-si-bi-li-teeeeee / and once you sort this out I hope you'll take advice from me-EEEEEEEEEE o/~"

o/` ACCURSED KIIIIIIIIIIIIDS! o/` Scope takes aim with his magic to snag AB away, but he's distracted by the big red machine barrelling after. o/` Siiiigh. o/` So he starts a runnin after, eyes giving an annoyed roll.

Rainbow_Dash yelps and tumbles about mid-air as both the concussive wave of Nightmare Moon's reposte and Diamond's attack (which she barely dodges) throw her off. "No, wait! I...whoa..." She sudenly feels...inspired! Artistic! What? "A servant of duty I have come this day," she recites musically, like something from the sung dialogue of an opera. "And with my flight I seek - away! - the force of fate compels me...to fight!" And so she charges right into Nightmare Moon. "Daughter of Apple, don't have a conniption. This'll be our best competition!"

Nightmare Moon works up another powerful blast, sparks flying from her horn as she lowers it at Celestia... and therefore Mac and Bloom. "Get... Get thee OUT of the way, peasants! We... must DEAL with our... sister!!"

Derpy drags the unconscious Soarin into the nearest building, which happens to be the Magical Research Center. "o/` Pleeeease not leave me Soarin," she sing spassionately. "Have only met you! Treeees not leafy morning! Is because is wiiiiinteerr! o/`"

Celestia rears up in fright. "Ponies! Please, get out of the way! I..." And then she sees that Luna isn't advancing. "Sister?"

Luna meanwhile lies in the ground, tipped over on her face at a kind of pyramid angle, since she had her wings spread when she was crystalized.

Bardigan puts *both* hooves over his face as even Twilight belts out some tunes. What on Equestria has he wrought? "~I've been living off of coffee shots / burning candle wax at the cafe shop / But now I see that with this awful plot / It's a performance I will never top!~" He slaps his hooves over his mouth and groans.

"~o I have mahself a sister, she has always looked after me. o~" Apple Bloom continues singing, and she gags. Why is she singing. She wants this to be touching. "~o But then something happened to her ah cain't explain but ah'll traw anyway.o~" Apple Bloom flails as Rainbow dash pigheadedly charges the princess. "~o Rainbow Dash is chargin'. Ah don't think she knows aitall o~"

Spike by now has dug a foxhole (dragonhole?) and is sitting in it with a flak helmet on, peering at the impending battle. And munching on a tub of popcorn. One must always be prepared for these eventualities.

Scope just.. y'know what? He's gonna shut up and fight the urge to sing, because he isn't nearly that talented to start making up lyrics that rhyme while dealing with a tense situation. Again though he's about to grab AB and pull her out of the danger zone but again is distracted, only this time it's by her lyrical speech to the dark mare.

Rainbow Dash smashes into the distracted Dread of Night right in her side, and both ponies are knocked to the ground and slide a short distance, digging a furrow in the ground! Nightmare Moon's spell fires wildly into the sky! "OOF! Get OFF of us, thou reeky crook-pated minnow!"

Rainbow_Dash tumbles about as her attack rings true! She's also very disoriented, little Nightmare Moons circling around her head, mocking her. "~Oh Applejack, can't you see a friend staring you in the face? It's time to win, to get first place!~"

Apple Bloom closes her eyes tightly as she thrusts the glinting something into the air, holding it out in the open, glinting in the sun where anypony, but especially Nightmare Moon, can see it. She doesn't sing or say anything, but she can hope that Big Mac, behind her can just understand the significance of this.

Rainbow_Dash shakes her head and peers up to see...

Through all of this, Cadence is standing back, face to face with her Storm Pegasus, who seemed to have decided that she warrants his attention just now. She stares into his intense eyes, squatting lower and lower, even while her body burns with a more intense glow, now slightly hot to look at. "Why are you so afraid, Captain?" she asks Virga. "Is singing so terrible?" Up go her wings, of a sudden--foosh!

Derpy pokes her head out the door of the Magical Research Center. "o/` Theeeese things happen... to other ponies," she sings to Apple Bloom's tune. Then she does a double take. "Wait. Not happen at aaaaalll, I mean! o/`"

EconomistBrony is somewhere in the background with a wagon hitched to his back. In it is the Celestia statue, which he just retrieved from his son's house. The other one disappeared, right as he was drinking some of Marble's tea! He had to do -something-. I mean, just one crystal statue Princess all by its lonesome was tacky. It would look far better in his villa. Boy, he's sweating and panting and everything. He gets just close enough to see everything going on and... then falls over to his side, unconscious.

Nightmare Moon rallies and gathers her strength, then HEAVES to her hooves! Rainbow Dash is sent flying by the sudden leap! "ENOUGH! We have no more time... uh... no time for this foalish... uh..." Trying to face her sister and end the battle, somehow she is being distracted over and over by a... a light. A glint. On crystal. That. It's that filly. What has she got this time? "Begone!" The monster that was Princess Luna - and before that, Applejack - makes to slap the necklace out of Apple Bloom's outstretched hoof, but stops suddenly as soon as she touches it. She squints, and reads the inscription. "... favorite... sister?..." She seems suddenly less angry, and a great deal more confused.

This part Apple Bloom manages to speak. "We both miss our sisters. Me an'Celestia. Kin we stop fawtin'?" Then the magic overcomes her again and she goes into a new song. At least it's one Applejack would appreciate... "~o We travel the road of generations / Joined by a common bond / We sing our song 'cross the pony nation / From Equestria and beyond o~"

-> Apple Bloom is singing Apples to the Core

Nightmare Moon is entirely unaware of the fact that her lips are moving to form the words, 'We're Apples forever... Apples together... We're family, but so much more'

Diamond_Dancer immediately POWER DIVES to slam into Rainbow Dash in the dirt and PIN her there. She can't do much about the other weather pegasi, but as long as Rainbow Dash is out of the picture on the ground, Apple Bloom has a chance...

Scope earperks at the scene unfolding before him and cannot help but smile, maneuvering himself around to stand on the opposite side of NMM from the Apple Family. The aura surrounding his horn quickly dissipates, powering down his arsenal but remaining cautious.

Twilight_Sparkle is having trouble taking her eyes off the spirit of Celestia past. The exchange she and the spirit of her mentor has left the alicorn pony...thinking and feeling. She sings quietly, watching from the sidelines. "o/~ O Celestia, Princess Wise / Greatest pony in my eyes / even you were filled with fear / before I was ever here o/~"

"Luna..." Celestia steps forward as well...tentatively, coming up just beside Apple Bloom. "Luna, I know you're in there." She reaches her hoof out again and stops just short of putting it on her sister's shoulder, so that it's waiting for Luna to take if she chooses. Celestia slowly eases into a song, her throat dry: o/~ Close your tired eyes, relax and then / Count from 1 to 10 and open them / All these heavy thoughts will try to weigh you down / ...But not this time o/~

-> Celestia is singing Shooting Star

Rainbow_Dash is already on the ground thanks to her attack! She's watching the scene in awe, wondering...is it really gonn- "HEY!!" she cries out, as Diamond slams into her. "What the haystack!" she tumbles about and tries to grapple the filly instinctively!

Twilight_Sparkle says "o/~ Once you struggled with the weight / of the calls you had to make / O Celestia now I see / that you are a lot like me. o/~"

"... sister." Nightmare Moon looks over at Celestia and stares, but... the rage is gone. Her gaze is intense, and she stands stock-still, listening to this latest... song of healing.

Bardigan's ears twitch as Celestia and Twilight sing over each other, their words intertwining. In spite of the chaos, they manage to harmonize and create a beautiful duo, at least to his ears. It might be the music forcing their music to complement each other... but it may be the ponies, too.

Relief breaks over Celestia's face. o/~ Way up in the air, you're finally free / And you can stay up there right next to me / All this gravity will try to pull you down / But not this time o/~ ...and her hoof touches Luna's shoulder.

Nightmare Moon recoils from Celestia's touch, but does not attack... instead, she gasps as though it hurt and takes a step back. The crack on her helmet widens noticeably, and she shudders.

Celestia just barely falters, but she steps forward to match Luna. o/~ When the sun goes down and the lights burn out / Then it's time for you to shine / Brighter than a shooting star / So shine no matter where you are / Fill the darkest night with a brilliant light / 'Cause it's time for you to shine / Brighter than a shooting star... / So shine no matter where you are tonight o/~

Virga's wings snapped upright. "I don't know what this is," he said. "I'm afraid of not keeping you safe." Sun fire sparked across his wings, the very instability he had concerned himself over when she had found him in the arctic. He breathed and shook his head, trying to keep his focus on the heartful Princess instead of whatever the [buy some apples] was occurring behind him. Celestia was....not right, nor was Luna, and Twilight already started singing. Cadence was the last sane Princess.

Mac slides to a halt next to Apple Bloom as she holds up her crystal which seems to have a great deal of effect on their lost sister, especially as she begins to sing. He smiles lightly and begins laying in a base tone behind his sisters lyrics.

Apple Bloom keeps the amulet held high. She won't lower it. Not for a second. Not while she draws breath and while she can get through to Applejack. But... she also promised Celestia she'd have her chance to have a happier ending for this historical story. She is a filly of her word. "~o No matter what comes, we will face the weather / We're Apples to the core o~"

Cadence is muttering lyrics to herself under her breath through all of this, hunched over and trying to resist the call. She focuses on the sunfire before her, keeping the music from fully infesting her, somehow. But this... this =is= right. She knows it! Finally, the pink aura around Cadence flashes white, and then fades back into her. Finally, Cadence is calm. With a knowing look at Virga, she flaps her wings in a tight curl so as to lift around his shield, and hovers several yards off the ground, staring at Nightmare Moon, at Celestia and at Apple Bloom... and from her horn flies a stream of hearts, red as wine, floating in a loose helix toward the pair of echo-alicorns. As they near the pair, they break, and move in their individual courses toward Nightmarejack and Flutterlestia. All the while, Cadence is whispering words rhythmically to herself, inaudible to anyone else.

Nightmare Moon's mouth drops open and she falters. She looks between Celestia, her sister, and the Apple siblings, her... also... sister and brother... "We... I... I..." and suddenly her helmet shatters. The pieces hit the ground at the same moment that Bardigan's Princess Luna falls to her knees. She stares hollowly at Celestia, Macintosh, and Apple Bloom for a moment, then bursts into tears!

Stepping back and away from this tender moment, Scope turns around to catch a stream of hearts heading this way. .. o.O Once he identifies the source all confusion is washed away, the guard shifting to the side to avoid the spell. <.<

And -pow-. The half-hearts strike Princess Luna on her bared head, passing through her and Flutterlestia both, and becoming one in the air between them. Heart after heart after heart. A healing stroke in a time of vulnerability, or so the pink princess hopes.

Rainbow_Dash tries to push aside Diamond to get a good look a the magic happening. "Whoa...whoa!" she declares, her mouth agape.

Virga kept his eyes on Cadence, unwilling to let her go. He'd stand as her shield for as long as he could, something he never expected to do for any Princess other than the obvious. He wanted to say something, anything, but the words just didn't come to him. Priorities were priorities.

The ersatz Princess Luna begins to sing again, softly. The tune is mournful, and clearly directed at the Princess of the Sun. "o/` No one knows what it's like / To be the bad mare / To be the sad mare / In royal guise o/`" She climbs to her hooves again, clearly shaking. Still staring at the ground, she sings, "o/' No one knows what it's like / To be hated / To be fated / To bringing blackened skies o/`" Then she looks up and meets Celestia's eyes. Her own are no longer slitted. They are instead filled with tears. "o/` But my heart / It's not as empty / As my conscience seems to be / I was left, crying lonely / I sought my vengeance / You'd never flee... o/`"

-> Nightmare Moon is singing a filk of Behind Blue Eyes

Bardigan stares emotionlessly at Nightmare's breakdown and the reunion of two families at once. Subconsciously, he has scooted closer to Twilight till their sides touch, even though he's been doing his best to avoid everyone and everypony so far. He looks down at the play in his hooves... and tosses it over his shoulder. They're not saing a single line that he wrote anymore. These are the words that *need* saying.

Twilight_Sparkle touches her side to Bardigan's.

The dark Princess stands unsteadily, then reaches out a hoof towards the bright one. And for the first time in a thousand years, Nightmare Moon smiles at her sister. "o/` No one knows what it's like / To feel these feelings / Like I do / And I blamed you... o/`" She takes a step forward, and tries to explain. "o/` No one fought back as hard / Against anger / Until my pain and woe / All broke through... o/`

Scope lifts a hoof to brush off a bit of dust that's collected on his armor, nose scrunching a little as he gives himself a brief inspection and then a quick scan of the vicinity. The cosmic battle didn't happen, things appear as if they'll be back to normal soon, no torpedoes fired. All in all an.. ok day.

Derpy, sitting with Soarin in the Magical Research Center, hoping desperately for him to wake, catches the bug and sings, barely audible through the cracked door: "o/` No one know what is like... to feel this feelings. Like a Doo. Is sad but true! No one bite back as hard... as my Dinky. On her anger woe.... why so blue?! o/`"

The Princess of the Night steps forward and reaches to hug her sister. The tears are flowing freely now. "o/` But my heart / It's not as empty / As my duty seemed to be... o/` And she finally looks Celestia in the face, shaking her head. "o/` Nothing changed, I'm still so lonely... / The path to vengeance... / Is never free. o/`

Celestia steps forward, and...takes her sister's hooves. "...We can be free, Luna. I'm so sorry I never saw your pain before." She slips her neck around Luna's. "I love you, sister."

Big_Mac remains a step beside Apple Bloom as Nightmare Moon turns to his sister to give her a hug, his beat softening as he smiles around them, pleased to see Nightmare Moon's armor crumbling, his tune changing to blend with her song.

Luna grabs her sister and holds her tight. "I'm so sorry, Celestia. I should... I should never have turned on you... I'm... I love you too."

Soarin slowly opens his eyes, finding himself inside a building now, and his ears perk as a song reaches him. His eyes lift to find those of the blond mare singing, and slowly a small smile turns the corners of his muzzle upwards.

A crack like thunder rumbles overhead, and suddenly two ponies light up. Celestia-who-was-Fluttershy, and... Apple Bloom? But it's not the ponies themselvess that lit. Spinning slowly and majestically, the gemstone Element of Honesty that Apple Bloom had been carrying and the Element of Kindness that Celestia had had lift off into the air and slowly orbit one another above the reconciled alicorn sisters, shining with orange and yellow brilliance.

Rainbow_Dash crawls out of the hole Diamond made in the ground and looks up, her heart full of wonder at the cosmos.

Apple Bloom blinks and then shields her eyes when the bright light of the element she was holding lights up. She had almost forgotten she had taken it off of Bardigan earlier. She holds onto the trinket she had made tightly in case she might lose it, but she doesn't look away from the feaux princesses.

Her magic finally released, Cadence lets her wings furl and descends to the ground, letting Virga once more take control over her. The last of the halved hearts melt into the reunited princesses, and Cadence is left dark, weary and no longer aglow. She looks up suddenly at the rumble. Her face beams in wonder at the floating Elements, activated and reclaiming their own. "Applejack," she whispers. "Fluttershy."

Celestia squeezes her sister tightly as the light of harmony begins to wash over them. o/~ A voice from the past, joining yours and mine / Adding up the layers of harmony / And so it goes, on and on / Melodies of life, / To the sky beyond the flying bird - forever and on o/~

-> Celestia is singing Melodies of Life

Bardigan takes a deep, bracing breath at the magical sight. "They wrote their own ending this time," he whispers to Twilight, miraculously no longer singing, "and it is a good one."

Scope's eyes slowly follow the pair upward, smile as wide as his face as he whispers a small little tune. o/` Ndabe zitha, nkosi yethu. Mholi wezwe lethu.. Lefatshe la bonata rona, lea halalela...o/`

A strange, distant, chanting voice emanates from the Elements together. "An ancient hurt at last is mended / The past is past, and all is ended / With Honesty, our grief we show / With Kindness, let the healing flow."

And as the magic lifts away from her, carrying the image of Celestia away from a pony awash in the glow of Kindness: o/~ Your voice will still remember our melody / Now I know we'll carry on / Melodies of Life / Come circle round and grow deep in our hearts / ...As long as we remember o/~

The Elements begin to spin harder, orbiting the two embracing ponies. The glow becomes painfully bright, impossible to look at - and suddenly is gone. There is just a moment to see Applejack and Fluttershy embracing, before with a deafening CRACK, the crystal entombing both of the REAL alicorn princesses shatters into a billion pieces of glittering dust!

Applejack promptly falls over, out cold. She looks beaten and starved. Alicorn power is not kind to Earth ponies, but even more so the madness of Nightmare Moon has kept her without proper sleep and food for days...

Pinkie_Pie drops in from above, dangling by a rope from... someplace. She's wearing the Sun costume she had on the night of the original play. She happily squeals, "Super Happy Ending!" as she waggles all four legs vigorously.

Derpy sits singing over Soarin. Her quiet, caring tunes vary and switch... now she's on "Sweet Nothings". But when Soarin opens his eyes, she gasps and lunges down to give him a kiss. The fact that there's an explosive crack outside and glowing dust swirls beyond the doorway is just an expected bonus she doesn't question.

Pinkie_Pie pauses, then puts her hooves to her chest and sings, o/~ Iiiii'm a singing POny! o/~

Rainbow_Dash is gone from her previous position; she's zipped right up to AJ and Flutters to give them a big pegasus hug! "Guys! You're back! You're really back!!" she exclaims, almost in tears.

Bardigan takes a fretful step back when the true Princesses are unveiled once again. He turns to Twilight and nudges her with his wing, towards Applejack and Fluttershy. "You should go to them."

Apple Bloom doesn't waste an INSTANT, and is running over to her sister and just.... plants her face on Applejack. Out cold. But safe. Apple Bloom finds herself overwhelmed with emotion: Relief, delight, love. All this comes crashing down on her like a tidal wave now that it's all over. "Applejack!" She is quiet a moment, then she stands, tears in her eyes. "... Big Mac... we gotta git her on th'Crusader."

Virga's ears turned back when he heard the normal voices, not the singing atrocities. Was it over? He didn't know just yet. The entire episode was too strange, this weirdness. Sparrows didn't tolerate this sort of thing, and they were cheeky little things. He didn't let it sway his attention to Cadence. The pegasus pressed himself against Cadence and made to hold her upright. He wasn't sure what she had done, but the change was obvious. She was the master of such....things. But he, Virga, was only a beast, a moderately tamed beast at best. "I should call for the chariot," he whispered. "This is no place for you to rest."

...and Fluttershy is there to catch her, easing AJ to the ground. "Applejack...?" she whispers, then glances around. "I-I feel warm. And...like I just did a really good deed."

Spike claps and whistles! "Bravo! Bardigan, this was your best play EVER."

Pinkie_Pie applauds! "And I'm not ded anymore! It's awesome!"

Wincing at the brilliance of the lights surrounding the reversal of magic that had trapped his sister and Flutershy, even raising a hoof as the light becomes too much to manage before dispercing suddenly. His tone had long faded throughout the reversal and blinking his vision back to see Applejack whole once again, albeit with Apple Bloom already on top of her, Mac follows suit and pulls both his sisters into his hooves, hugging them both with a happy tear rolling down his cheek.

There's a new cacophony, a new din. Screaming. Panicking. Flailing. Mostly screaming. ... And flailing. And there's everypony's favorite bureaucrat. Screaming and flailing. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WE'RE DOOMED! WE ARE *DOOMED!* THE STATUES!!! THEY'RE GONE! ALSO MY COLLECTION OF VARIOUS ASSORTED FORM HOLDERS!"

Soarin returns Derpy's kiss after a moment of surprise, holding her close the explosive lightshow outside seem muted, and rather distant when compared to the mare in his arms.

Cadence watches, a little slow and a little pale. She blinks twice. "Oh--no, Virga, I have to stay here," she says, realizing he's speaking to her. "These are my family. I have to pay my regards." She smiles gently upon him and walks slowly toward the broken statue of Luna... now simply Luna once more, if there is justice in the world. She wants a friendly face to be one of the first things the restored princess sees.

Scope breaks into a gallop at the sight of the freed sisters and is quickly at Celestia's side, ready to assist her if needed. However, when he looks across over to the Princess of the Night his brows furrow a little in confusion, eyes darting about.

"It's not over," Bardigan reminds Spike as he seems to try and fade into the background. "The big Princess hasn't sung yet."

Luna immediately falls onto her own head, since she was face-down in the dirt. She doesn't fuss about that. She rises sleekly out of the heap of blue and stars and feathers. Her head turns, eyes drawn to Celestia in the cart like a magnet. With gentle steps, Luna starts walking towards her sister - but even with her first step, her horn glows. Blue light shines over EconomistBrony, yanking him into the air and hauling him over to hang beside Luna like a kitten in its mother's jaws. Her voice pitched low, her face expressionless and her eyes never leaving Celestia, Luna tells the unfortunate bureaucrat, "Go to the palace. Find my squire. Most like she is in my bedroom. It is too late for medics, so seek them not. Wrap her in my sheets for burial. Under no circumstances allow any pony to see anything but her face, *especially* her husband. Do. Not. Fail. Me." Those last words come out downright harsh, but when she drops the Economist on the ground she walks past him like it never happened, shining

and teary eyes only for her older sister.

Pinkie_Pie tumbles down from her mysterious rope, cause things are way too serious.

Twilight_Sparkle steps beside Princess Luna, and wordlesslu touches her shoulder to the taller princess's.

"As you wish," Virga said, lowering his wings into a tight fold. The pegasus watched her go. how long had it been since he aided a pony like that, another who needed him to prevent their mind from being clouded? Too long. His eyes sought out Celestia, and Luna. He was whole again, that part of the Sun Princess confined within his spirit now unstrained by the crystal sealing. He took one step with his hoof and clenched his teeth in a muffled grunt. Slowly, Virga pulled way the small leather strap hidden under his wings. The bauble that was given to him so long ago fell to the ground in pieces. He slowly returned his gaze to the Princesses, Eco, but said nothing.

Cadence is standing near Luna, having turned as the dark princess walked past her. She hears the quiet orders and immediately her beatific expression is replaced with fear. She gives the economist a worried look, and then hurries to catch up with Luna. "Your squire?" she asks. Her eyes flick toward Virga for a split second, but she doesn't look his way, lest she draw his attention. "Luna, is she actually... Luna, if she lives, even if it's too late for medics, send me there. Send me there and let me try!" Her voice starts low, but rises as she speaks.

The finance minister is stirred suddenly back into consciousness. He is about to say something - but the moment he hears Luna's words, his expression sinks and he falls to the ground on all hooves. He nods his head once and then turns to depart towards Canterlot immediately with a steady, somber pace. Celestia is still standing - though her knees buckle for just a moment as she's suddenly forced back into this world, free from her crystal prison. She looks up towards Luna and steps out of the wagon and onto the ground, moving to meet her halfway. As they meet, a great white wing rises and sweeps around Luna's side to share a brief, private moment with her sister. Her eyes tremble and tears well up within them. And then she leans forward and presses her nose against Luna's own. Hidden away behind her wing - just their silhouette visible against the distant setting sun. Her wing stays up for just long enough, then falls, revealing them once more. Her horn glows a great, fierce gold and the sun sets. An

And softly, her voice begins to sing...

Celestia stares up at Luna as she begins, her voice only trembling for a moment. Her eyes keep staring at Luna, still full of tears. "o/~ Fate has been cruel and order unkind / How can I have sent you away? / The blame was my own; the punishment, yours /The harmony's silent today, / But into the stillness I'll bring you a song / And I will your company keep / Till your tired eyes and my lullabies / Have carried you softly to sleep."

-> Celestia - the real one now - is singing Lullaby for a Princess

Twilight_Sparkle finds Spike, and bends down, letting him climb up on her back.

Spike wraps his arms around Twilight's neck. "Are you okay, Twilight? You must be exhausted."

Scope had been too occupied looking over Celestia to hear the original order that Luna gave to Economist, though Cadence's inquiries catch his ear and he slowly turns his head over at the mention of a very familiar name and "medics", eyes slowly beginning to widen as his previous confusion is quickly replaced with worry. Seeing the two sisters embrace he deduces that his services are no longer required at this time and he turns about, starting a canter in the same general direction as EB.

Apple Bloom goes back to her sister again. At least she's back, though definitely not looking to be in good shape. She doesn't know what's coming. She tries to pull her sister toward the Crusader herself to no avail. "Ah kin still sav'er."

Twilight_Sparkle nuzzles Spike's cheek. "...do you think, a thousand years from now, some great playwright of some future age is going to summon our spirits to sing about OUR problems?" she asks him.

Spike says "While we're frozen in crystal? That'd be pretty weird."

Alone in her body again for the first time in ages and back to normal size to boot, Fluttershy helps APple Bloom haul AJ into the ship. "Easy, Apple Bloom. Don't jerk her around..."

Luna steps solemnly up to her sister, nose pressed to nose, horn crossed over horn. Her own wings flare out, and just as the sun disappears below the horizon, the moon creeps up on the opposite side. Her voice is much quieter, raspy and not as musical. "o/` Sunrise, sunset / Sunrise, sunset / Swiftly flow the- o/`" The last notes of music die completely, and Luna stops singing, and merely speaks. "On and on, Celestia. Together."

Derpy lies on top of Soarin, her nose touching his nose, a wide smile on her face, her teeth hidden. To the musicbox melody from outside, she rolls. Over and over, like a mechanical doll. Now she's beneath him. Now above once more.

Rainbow_Dash does her best to help her friend aboard the Crusaer, unaware of anything else. "C'mon, we gotta hurry!" she says.

Virga eyed the fragments of the bauble Firefly had given him not too long after they met. When Cadence found him in the arctic, he spoke of the wind being wrong, the stars being wrong, everything being wrong. Entirely Wrong. The way the Two Sisters behaved in the sun matched that Wrong. The bauble's breaking? Matched the wrong. He stood apart from them, they reuniting. A film of ice crept across his hooves and encrusted his fur. When he breathed it was a cold, hateful mist not unlike what was exorcised from him, when he became the white pegasus he was now. All he knew was Wrong. No specifics, just wrong. Possible death, tragedy--he always assumed death--mayhem--Wrong. He turned away from them and slowly hoofed about. Orbello never liked being right. Nor did Virga enjoy Orbello's teachings being right.

Apple Bloom pulls shut the hatch of the Crusader and rushes to the helm. "Hold onto Applejack. It's gonna be a lil rough." Apple Bloom presses the pedal to start up the Crusader's engines.

Soarin is rolled about with Derpy, unaware of the emotion outside, he is lost in the eyes of the mare whom he holds. A soft chuckle rippling in the Wonderbolt's chest. "I missed you, you know?"

Cadence stands not far from the princesses, her mouth open and neck bristling. She looks toward Virga... and sees him walking away. Her jaw drops. Tears form. She looks again to Luna, whose eyes are fixed on Celestia. If there were still time... she would have been sent there by now. She understands. Her head falls... and then she dashes off toward Virga, wings catching just the lower edge of the chilly sky.

Bardigan hears Twilight's comment about the future. "Be careful what you wish for," he tells her. "The epic problems must come before the epic retelling." What really gets him is seeing the Princesses reunited once again. He watches everything from a distance with the satisfied, if melancholy, air of a director who knows a performance like that will not be seen in their lifetime. Too exhausted to feel anything but a deep sense of resignation, he picks up the play again and shoves it into the cleft of his wing, intent on never opening those pages again.

Virga in truth didn't know what had happened, but he didn't like it. Too many signs pointed in one direction, but no definitive answer. The fact Cadence kept looking in his direction was a partial confirmation of something explicitly close. Sunfire sparked across his wings, jumping feather to feather as sky-to-sky lightning jumped between clouds. He needed to walk, run, fly, some time for himself. Or not. He didn't know what he needed. Two ponies when off towards the palace, and he knew who was there. When Cadence caught up with him he eyed here not with any dread or dislike, or even guard. "Eksli urs morqhiz ry Orbellum?"

"No... no... no! Not now!" The Crusader doesn't roar to life or take off or anything like that. It kinda whirrs, then kindly makes a low hum sound before being silent. "The core's lost its charge!" Apple Bloom rushes to the hatch, swinging it open. Maybe she can grab a unicorn really fast to charge the core of the engine!

Celestia stares back at Luna for another long moment. Celestia's voice pauses just long enough to hear her verse and she leans back in to bump her sister's nose tenderly - a few tears dripping off from her eyes as she does so. And then she turns back to the ponies in the square. After all, the Princesses are there for each other - but it is so that they can be there for the ponies they love. "o/~ Once did a pony who shone like the sun/ Look out on her kingdom and sigh /She smiled and said, "Surely, there is no pony / So lovely and so well beloved as I!" Her horn glows once more and there's a brief, radiant burst of light - the ponies in the broken building from before find their wounds slowly healing before they drift off to rest. "o/~ So great was her reign and so brilliant her glory / That long was the shadow she cast / Which fell dark upon the young sister she loved / And grew only darker as days and nights passed."

Fluttershy rubs Applejack's forehead, takes her pulse, anything else that might give a clue to her condition. She stares down at her orange-coated friend...then lets out a sigh. "Apple Bloom? I-I think she'll be fine. She's just...exhausted." Then Fluttershy remembers to breathe.

Luna remembers that - but then, she was there only a few miutes ago. She leans up against Celestia, neck stretched along her taller sister's neck, and lays her face against the rainbow mane. Eyes closed, tears dripping along her cheeks like the shards of crystal all around, Luna goes still and quiet.

In the shadow of Celestia's passionate words, Cadence draws up next to Virga, her steps starting to stumble. Her face is shadowed. Rather than a song, from her lips come a whisper: "Nyi. P'ash... P'ash Orbellum ki." She draws a haggard breath and looks back toward her aunts.

Celestia glances up to The Crusader as it suddenly putters to a stop. Her horn keeps its bright, golden glow and a beam of light suddenly shoots from her horn to the airship. It begins to whirr to life once again, but is again only just barely able to lift from the air for a moment. She turns down to Scope as he arrives and plant a kiss on his forehead. Her horn glows - and a soft aura surrounds him. Any pain he has suddenly eases - and he finds his eyelids heavy. The temptation to sleep is too great. "o/~ Lullay moon princess, goodnight sister mine / And rest now in moonlight's embrace. / Bear up my lullaby, winds of the earth / Through cloud, and through sky, and through space, / Carry the peace and the coolness of night / And carry my sorrow in kind. / Luna, you're loved so much more than you know / Forgive me for being so blind." She then does the same to Virga - planting a gentle kiss on his forehead before she eases him off to rest. She smiles tenderly to Cadence and then lifts up into the air - flying up to land on the Crusader's deck.

Fluttershy lifts her head, face taking on a strange, hesitant, questioning expression as she meets Celestia's eyes.

Scope's vision is suddenly all white when Celestia steps before him, looking up almost in panic as he wants.. NEEDS to get to Canterlot, a-- ... the smooch to his forehead stuns him at first, but then his body is awash with a familiar aura and he finds himself fighting the urge to sleep. No.. he's got to check on.. .... noooo.. He loses, staggering back and falling to his rump, then collapsing onto his side as everything goes dark.

Apple Bloom sees the Crusader start up and lift off a bit and shouts in surprise and runs for the hatch, jumping up to grab onto the entrance's threshold. She's not about to let her ship take off without her.

Celestia lands on the Crusader's deck and turns towards Applejack and her family. Her horn glows once again and she leans down close to her exhausted form. She stays there for just a moment - and Applejack's expression loses any last remnants of pain. She plants a kiss on the orange pony's forehead before sweeping her wings around Big Mac and Apple Bloom, whom she hugs tightly to her. And then she takes flight once more. o/~ Soon did that pony take notice that others / Did not give her sister her due / And neither had she loved her as she deserved / She watched as her sister's unhappiness grew. / But such is the way of the limelight, it sweetly / Takes hold of the mind of its host / And that foolish pony did nothing to stop / The destruction of one who had needed her most." She then lands next to Twilight and Spike and wraps one great wing around her pupil. And then she turns to the little baby dragon - and his eyes begin to feel just as heavy as Scope's. "o/~ Lullay moon princess, goodnight sister mine / And rest

And rest now in moonlight's embrace / Bear up my lullaby, winds of the earth / Through cloud, and through sky, and through space / Carry the peace and the coolness of night / And carry my sorrow in kind / Luna, you're loved so much more than you know / May troubles be far from your mind / And forgive me for being so blind."

Luna stays behind as Celestia heals the airship, sends Scope to sleep, and jumps up onto the Crusader to bring peace to the Apples. The sun is now down, but the moon is bright, shining behind Celestia. As Celestia sings, that shadow leaves Luna in the only patch of blackness. Even the stars in her mane and tail dim to flickers. Only bluegreen eyes shine like lamps, until with the word 'blind' Luna's wings extend again. She flaps up into the air, circling around to land on the prow of the airship, legs folded under her and watching - and listening.

Fluttershy exits the cabin, walking out onto the deck.

Rainbow_Dash guards Applejack as she slowly stirs, saying nothing. Her affection speaks for itself.

Applejack breathes easier after the Princess's attention, and moments after Celestia lifts off the Crusader's deck, she cracks open her eyes. Which are very tired-looking, but are without a doubt the same honest sap-green ones everyone knew. She stands unsteadily, and follows Fluttershy.

Celestia takes wing once more - landing back on The Crusader's deck just before Fluttershy. She leans forward and plants a little kiss right on her forehead as well. Her great wings then spread once more and she hovers up into the air, meeting her sister there. "o/~ The years now before us / Fearful and unknown / I never imagined / I'd face them on my own. / May these thousand winters / Swiftly pass, I pray / I love you; I miss you / All these miles away. May all your dreams be sweet tonight / Safe upon your bed of moonlight / And know not of sadness, pain, or care / And when I dream, I'll fly away and meet you there. o/~" And then, she turns towards Canterlot. "After you, dearest sister."

Before long Apple Bloom gets on the deck as well. "Applejack?" Apple Bloom asks, looking around, until she spots her and runs over and gives his sister a giant flying.... gentle hug. "Sister!"

Luna watches, her regally mournful face turned towards Celestia as the Sun Pony dispenses kindness and song, until Celestia returns, hovering next to the airship where Luna lies. Luna straightens up gracefully, and then very suddenly leaps off of the prow (sending the ship spinning gently behind her) and wraps forelegs and wings around Celestia's neck. She says nothing, just gives Celly a long, long squeeze as they both fail to fall to the ground because Princess. Then she pulls away, banks and rolls, and on long wings flies up into the silhouette of the moon towards Canterlot.

Applejack grabs Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh in a tight hug, squeezing like she never wants to let go... and even while doing that, looks over at Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy and gives them a grateful, knowing smile.

Fluttershy watches them go, mouth half-open in a sleepy state. When Celestia and Luna hug, she smiles, and her breast glows a faint kindness-pink. Then she wraps her wing around AJ and her friends. It's good to be back.

Applejack clears her throat. "Folks, Ah am mighty glad ta see y'all, an' Ah've come to a decision." She looks at them all and then gives a sheepish grin. "Ah reckon show biz ain't fer me after all. Aheh heh."

Rainbow_Dash smiles, and smiles, feeling so happy. Everything's going to be fine and normal again! Yet...why oes she have this funny feeling that something's wrong?

Dusk is smiling and watching all this, near the MRC, just another of all the ponies that had come out to see what was going on. Well after hiding for an hour or two for most. Ponies are that way. He's seen Derpy but has stayed out of the way. And he barely even mouthed along with most of the songs. But it has come to such a wonderful moment at last.

"Definitely not!" Rainbow Dash retorts, chuckling and patting AJ on the back. "Jus' stick to applebucking and races and stuff."

Apple Bloom clears her throat... then again holds out a certain something to her sister. It's the amulet. She's smiling.

Fluttershy chuckles. "Well...I thought you were great, Applejack. And...I feel like, maybe, um...maybe we did something important for the Princesses, too."

Applejack smiles and takes the necklace from Apple Bloom. She slips it on easily, then for just a moment looks confused because she doesn't have her hat... but that passes quickly. "Thank you so much fer this, Apple Bloom. Ah can already tell it's somethin' special." She nods to Fluttershy, then squeezes her siblings again. "Can ya point this thing ta Sweet Apple Acres, AB? Let's go home."

--EPILOGUE-- Later that night, at the little cottage outside of Ponyville, a light comes on. Fluttershy closes the door behind her, looks around, and sighs. Luckily, one of her volunteers must have helped feed the animals while she was gone. Fluttershy crosses the room and gives her sleeping Angel a pat on the head, stopping in front of a carved wooden box. She opens it--inside is a spiralled golden carrot. Fluttershy sits, peering wordlessly at it for a long time.