SiE Chapter 14: Tainted ｢ＬＯＶＥ｣

>The vaulted halls of Canterlot castle echo with Dash’s and your combined voices as you cry out Bon Bon’s name, but it’s for naught.
>Her body expels the last dregs of darkness hiding within her and remains still, her eyes unfocused and staring into infinity.
>An un-natural laugh from above draws your gaze to Bon Bon’s killer; the rouge stand known as ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣.
“Damn it. You bastard!”
>Kicking off with your foot you launch yourself through the air towards him.
>You draw back you fist and strike right at the shadowy mass that makes up his ‘body’ only to over-extend as your hit goes straight through him.
>”Tisk tisk. Let me help you there  ｢ＡＮＯＮＹＭＯＵＳ｣.”
>The shadow around your arm solidifies, and your vision is jarred as he whips you backwards into one of the colossal pillars lining the hall.
>Though she hasn’t moved Dash feels the impact all the same, bruises already forming under the fur of her back.
>｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ snears at you, each sylable of his accented speech dripping with malice.
>”Leave us be. This is between me and Luna.”
“At least have the balls to fight someone who can see you.”
>”Fight? Do try to pay attention ｢ＡＮＯＮＹＭＯＵＳ｣.”
>His shadowy form dissipates, snaking through the air before solidifying once more before the only other occupant of the room.
>”Princess! Run!”
>Luna stands her ground, casting her gaze around in a vain attempt to discern some trace of the stand baring down on her.
>”No. I’d never fight with my Luna.”
>｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ reaches out a gaunt hand towards Luna’s cheek only to jerk it away on contact, his serine expression changing to one of confusion in an instant.
>”No…”
>He reaches out, and again the moment he touches her he flinches away as if he’s touched a live wire.
>”NO!”
>Luna, seeing Dash’s disbelieving expression, takes a deep breath and affords herself a small smile.
>”So. I suppose you’ve tried, for naught, to bond with me ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣.”
>His expression turns to one of, of all things, betrayal as he take a step backwards.
>”What did you do!”
>Though she can’t hear him, Luna seems to know what he’ll say, and responds accordingly.
>”A breathing technique developed by the Griffons, older than either of us. It may not let me observe you, but I can repel your attempts to take me over all the same.”
>Luna takes another breath, and you swear you see golden sparks dance across her hoof as she raises it in front of her.
>”Never again will I let you be the dissenting voice in my ear! And with this power; Hamon, I can assure it!”
>”No.”
>Luna strikes with the precision of a cobra, right into ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣’s center of mass, and unlike your blow hers connects, knocking the stand back.
 >”NO!”
>｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ disolves into his shadowy form and lashes out at a nearby pillar, carving a chunk out of the polished marble that flies into the wall with a crash.
>”After all those years trapped on the moon by your sister! I was there for you when no-one else WAS!”
>His tirade falls on deaf ears, not that it stops him from continuing.
“And after all the meticulous planning to reunite us after the ‘precious’ elements of harmony tore us apart, das ist, wie du mich belohnst?!” [spoiler]THIS is how you reward me?![/spoiler]
“It’s over ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣! Give up.”
>”Over? No ｢ＡＮＯＮＹＭＯＵＳ｣, this isn’t over.”
>He turns back to address Luna, even if she can’t hear him.
>”If this is how you treat the ones who love you then so be it. Auf Wiedersehen, my precious moon.”
>｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ shoots backwards, the windows lining the hallway shattering in his wake and filling the air with a thousand dangerous glittering shards to cover his retreat.
>You and Rainbow Dash speed after him, the quiet tone of Luna’s magic the only reassurance you need that you’ll be able to traverse the glass filled hallway safely.
>You run through the halls of Canterlot castle, past ponies in equal part confusion and distress as you chase ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣.
“Princess, were-”
>”-is he headed?”
>”I don’t… wait. No…”
>Luna takes off with a beat of her deep, navy blue wings as she follows in the wake of ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣’s flight through the halls.
>”Get back here ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣!”
>You round a corner just in time to see ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ shatter a pair of great oak doors to splinters and dive inside.
>A scream echoes out from within and Luna cries out in return, only for her words to be swallowed up as wave of fire and heat erupts from the doorway, knocking all of you back.
>Hoofsteps draw your attention as you rise back to your feet, only to be stopped cold by what you see.
>Princess Celestia, only… not.
>Her normally tranquil mane is a raging inferno, dancing with all the colour and life of an out of control blaze.
>Her golden crown and other accessories have ceded to the intensity of the heat, melting and clinging to her formerly alabaster fur, now burnt black.
“Princess-”
>”-Celestia?”
>”Sister…”
>”No…”
>Despite her terrifying appearance her low, honeyed tone is evident even from a single word.
>”No. They are no more. We are something new…”
>The pony that was once Celestia pauses, ponderment crossing over her scorched features.
>”We are… I am...”
>A smile cracks its way across her lips and she takes a step forward, the splinters of what was once the door turning to cinder beneath her hooves.
>”｢ＢＬＡＣＫＨＯＬＥ  ＳＵＮ｣!”

https://youtu.be/aaojFmFnNKE

Chapter 14: Tainted ｢ＬＯＶＥ｣

>The thunder of hooves fills the air as a troop of royal guards round the corner, only to balk at the sight of the corrupted princess.
>Blackhole Sun turns her gaze to the new arrivals, and from the depths of her mane emerges her stand.
>Much like Celestia, her stand’s radiance has been burnt away, leaving its crystal like body dull and smokey.
>With a strangled cry it takes to the air, and Blackhole Sun’s horn lights up as she fires a beam of magic at the ceiling.
>The stone itself seems to melt away, permitting a beam of sunlight to enter, illuminating the troop of guard ponies.
>The stand flies into this beam of light, causing it to filter through its clouded body, and at once the guard ponies start to scream in pain.
>You watch, frozen, as under the fur of the closest guard his skin starts to blister and peel away.
>”｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣! Stop this.”
>”I am not ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣, Luna. I was born his sense of… betrayal. Yes. His and Celestia’s both.”
>”You’re lying! I would never betray my sister!”
>”What else was she supposed to feel when you kept the secret of ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣’s return from her?”
>”Wh-”
“-at?”
>You cast a glance at Luna, who flinches under her twisted sister’s words.
>”I couldn’t. I… I didn’t want her to worry.”
>You’re not sure who Luna is trying to explain herself to, but it doesn’t matter.
>”How selfless you are, protecting your sister, or were you just protecting yourself.”
>Blackhole Sun never once raises her voice, keeping her sickly sweet tone flat and stating each accusation as if it’s fact.
>Luna tries to grasp for some response only to come up short, and instead looks away.
>Blackhole Sun’s own gaze meanwhile turns towards you and Dash, and her horn ignites, blasting another chunk out of the ceiling.
>”As for you two, I cannot allow you to interfere.”
“Interfere with what?”
>Blackhole Sun gives you no response as her stand manifests and flies towards the ceiling.
>You’ve seen enough of its ability to know that letting it get there is a bad idea, and wordlessly Dash agrees, taking off to let you get close enough to tackle it out of the air.
>You’re not sure whether it's a reflection of Celestia’s current state or that you never got a close look at her stand in the first place, but what you thought was the smooth surface of her stand is actually covered in imperfections, with razor sharp ridges and minute cracks that dig into your palms as you grasp it.
>It lets out an indignant squawk as its diverted from its course and swipes its ‘beak’ towards you, catching you on the chin.
>You wind your arm back to clock it in the head only to be yanked backwards.
>Or rather, it’s Rainbow Dash that has been yanked backwards by Blackhole Sun’s magic, which has unfortunately dragged you along for the ride.
>”You can’t beat me, Rainbow Dash.”
>”I don’t have to. Anon easily overpowers your stand, even with its weird heat powers.”
>”It seems you don’t understand my dear. In a battle you use every power available to you.”
>A blinding beam arcs across the room, and though she’s fast Rainbow isn’t fast enough to dodge it entirely, and you both cry out as her wing is half burnt away.
>”I have all the power of an Alicorn at my disposal, and now you lack your flight.”
>”She doesn’t fight alone, however.”
>Luna takes a step forward, placing herself in front of Blackhole Sun, who just smiles.
>”We both know you won’t fight me Luna. And I won’t fight you.”
>Blackhole Sun leans forward, her voice dropping to barely above a whisper.
>”I love you, after all.”
>She attempts to nuzzle Luna’s neck, only for the lunar princess to slap her muzzle away.
>Blackhole Sun scowls and her horn ignites, her fiery mane growing more intense as a swirling, undulated mass of fire forms above her head.
>Spots appear in your vision as it’s overtaken by white and you find yourself falling, temporarily, only to find your footing on the immaculately kept pavers of a park outside, giving you a clear view as the west wing of Canterlot castle is engulfed in what you can only describe as a supernova.
>Not that it holds your attention for long as you rush to Dash’s side.
>”Is it bad? It feels bad.”
>One look at the charred, blackened stump of her wing is all you need to see, and you put on a brave face as you turn away from it.
“You ponies have some mad good healing magic right? You’ll be fine.”
>”Y-yea, I’ll be flying again in no time.”
>”Not if we don’t stop that… thing ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ has turned my sister into.”
>”But how? With my busted wing I don’t know if I can get close enough for Anon to fight her.”
>Luna pouts, casting a gaze at the smoldering castle as she considers…
>”There’s a spell. A derivative of the one that allows me to dreamwalk.”
>She turns back to the two of you, uncertainty etched across her features.
>”But if I am to maintain the spell, you two must be the ones to step inside her corrupted mind.”
“What do you need-”
>”-us to do, Princess?”
>She smiles, and steels herself as she responds.
>”If you can drive ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣’s poision from my sister’s mind… we may be able to defeat him.”
>”But I am unsure of what you will face within her psyche, or how ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ will defend himself.”
>”Those sounds like the sort of odds we can handle.”
>Dash rises, with your assistance, to her hooves, wincing as she flexes her wings.
>The three of you cast your gaze to smoldering facade of Canterlot castle, and try to ignore the cries of alarm rising from the city proper.
>Luna’s horn lights up, and in a moment you find yourself standing back in Canterlot castle.
>Ash swirls around your feet, the remnants of once proud banners and flower arrangements.
>The ornate windows have melted into brittle puddles, allowing gusts of wind to kick up draughts of ash and sending embers from still smoldering furniture dancing through the air.
>And the smell.
>It’s eerily familiar, and you try to grasp at the right word, digging deep into your memory until it comes to you.
>Barbeque.
>”Stay close to me. The spell will require you to touch both my horn and Bl- Celestia’s to work.”
>Luna leads the way through the devastated halls, her horn shimmering with magic, and as you turn to say something to Dash you jump, finding that she’s not there.
>”My magic will hopefully hide the two of you from sight, and let us approach my sister with impunity.”
>”Hopefully?”
>”I’m not sure if ｢ＡＮＯＮＹＭＯＵＳ｣’s state will reflect your own, Rainbow Dash, but we will have to hope that it does.”
>What was left of the great oak doors of the throne room have been reduced to cinders and charcoal that clings desperately to Luna’s and Dash’s fur as the three of you enter the throne room itself.
>The thin crust of melted glass caking the floor cracks with each hoofstep as you approach the throne and the sole occupant of the room; Blackhole Sun.
>”I have to say I’m getting mixed signals here Luna. You reject my love, yet here you are crawling back to me.”
>”I’ve let enough harm befall Equestria. If I have to sacrifice my well being to save it then so be it.”
>”And here I thought you were starting to warm up to me.”
>Blackhole Sun rises from her throne and steps towards Luna, each hoofstep muffled by the layer of ash atop the stairs.
>”But if that’s what you want then who am I to say no. We’ll be together forever.”
>Blackhole Sun stops in front of Luna, before turning her head and staring straight at you.
>”Just the two of us.”
>Her stands manifests and shoots towards you like an arrow, leaving you barely enough time to bring your hands up to defend yourself.
>The stand’s beak pierces straight through your palms, leaving your staring at its smokey, imperfect surface.
>At Dash’s cry of pain Blackhole Sun whips her head around, her horn igniting as she fires a blast of magic at the sound.
>Dash’s illusion shatters and you watch as she slumps to the ground, her fur matted with a combination of blood and ash from the ragged hole in her side.
>”NO!”
>Luna’s own horn surges with magic, surprising Blackhole Sun and giving the princess of the night enough time to close the distance between the two of them.
>You follow suit, remembering Luna’s words, and fling away the stand impaling your hands.
>Luna’s horn becomes charged to the point of blinding, and as she brings it into contact with Blackhole Sun’s you grab the both of them.
>Your world goes black, and takes you a few moments to realize you’re not unconscious.
“Dash? Luna?”
>You climb to your feet and look around, trying to some feature from the void surrounding you and eventually settling on a single, distant speck of light.
>Your footsteps make no echo as you walk towards the light, and really the only way you know for sure that you’re moving is the fact that your goal slowly grows in size, from a pinprick, to a ball, and then resolving itself as the shape of a pony; Celestia.
>She’s laying in a cage, but as your approach you see that apart from that she looks fine.
“Princess Celestia?”
>You reach out to touch the bars, only to jerk your hand away as liquid darkness rolls down them, collecting on the floor.
>If moves, black on black, between your legs and you turn as it takes the form of ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣.
>Before even coalescing a mouth, the stand begins to speak.
>”So this is Luna’s final defiance? Ironic, that she would rely on you of all people.”
>｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣’s mouth forms in a grin, followed shortly by his cold grey eyes.
“I’d say I’m just the right guy for the job. I’m the only one with enough height to look you in the eyes as I knock your teeth out.”
>｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ just smiles wider, showing off his pearly whites.
>”We’re not so different, ｢ＡＮＯＮＹＭＯＵＳ｣. I-”
>You make good on your word and slam your first into that shit eating grin of his, sending him sprawling.
“Should know if that’s the case then hurting Rainbow Dash was the last thing you should have done if you didn’t want to piss me off.”
>｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ rubs his jaw and spits, jet black ichor splattering against the ground.
>”And you should know the lengths I would go to to be reunited with mein liebling.”
>A tendril lashes out from the darkness, slamming into your stomach and battering you against the cage behind you.
>”What’s the first thing you remember, ｢ＡＮＯＮＹＭＯＵＳ｣?”
“Go to hell.”
>You go to stand only find the bars wrapping around your arms and chest, holding you fast.
>”I remember being alone. Falling, with naught but my thoughts to keep me company.”
>”And then there was Luna. My precious, shining moon. The only thing I had left of my world were my powers as a stand, but with her it didn’t matter. She kept me company, and I returned the favor all those lonely nights in the realm of her sleeping subjects.”
“And you turned her into a crazy megalomaniac that tried to take over Equestria.”
>”That was HER!”
>｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ stabs a finger over your shoulder at Celestia.
>”She didn’t appreciate Luna, not like I did. Working night in, night out and for what? To be shunted away from the public eye so her sister could take the spotlight? I helped her become what she deserves to be!”
“All without even thinking about her feelings.”
>”Her feelings are the only thing I think about!”
>You feel one of the bars snake its way around your throat, and take a deep breath as you feel it start to constrict.
>”I am sorry, but you’ve been a persistent thorn in my side for too long, and you need to be removed.”
>You feel heat on your back, and a bright flash burns away your constraints.
>”Oh for… I can’t leave you alone for a second can I?”
>｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ shoots forward, crashing over you like a wave before another wave of heat pushes you forward.
>When you rise, Blackhole Sun stands in Celestia's place.
>”You can’t win, ｢ＡＮＯＮＹＭＯＵＳ｣. I have powers immeasurable at my beck and call, and you?”
>Blackhole Sun’s fires a blast of scalding magic, and you throw yourself to the ground to avoid it.
>”You’re just a wayward soul trapped in this world like so many others. The only one of us in Equestria that can’t access his own abilities!”
>Another bolt of magic forces you to roll to the side, then you kick to your feet and launch yourself forwards, tackling the corrupted princess.
>Her charred fur is coarse against your hands, and with the element of surprise you manage to knock her to the ground, only for her horn to ignite again.
>Unable to fire directly at you, a sphere forms on the tip of her horn, and expands outwards.
>You throw up your hands to defend yourself, only to cry out in pain as they’re enveloped by the sphere and start to sizzle.
>As the pain creeps up your forearms you realize that they’re right; you can’t match them with your physical strength alone.
>You reach within yourself, trying to determine if there’s any truth to ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣’s words, willing some part of you to reveal itself.
>The sphere envelops your entire body, and you cry out, jerking away from Blackhole Sun as you collapse, pleading with whoever and whatever you can for the pain to go away.
>Through your own shaking cries you hear the clop of hooves, signalling Blackhole Sun climbing to her feet.
>”Odd, that spell should have incinerated you.”
>While it certainly feels like it, a frantic glance at your body reveals that despite the pain you’re perfectly fine.
>And then the answer resolves itself in your mind, plain as if you’ve known it all your life.
>You  ｢ＳＰＬＩＴ｣ the effects of her attack; the pain and the damage, keeping the former and transfering the latter to the ground below you.
>You lock eyes with Blackhole Sun as you shakily rise, and before she can react you grab her horn.
>Her eyes widen as she realizes, in part, how you survived and what you intend to do.
>”No!”
>The world blinks back into existence, and your thrown away as a thunderclap echos through the devastated throne room.
>Celestia stands there, shaking, alongside a confused looking ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣.
>His expression however changes to anger in an instant, and he lashes out towards Celestia only to be encased in a bubble of her shimmering golden magic.
>”Luna! Your hamon!”
>Luna acknowledges her sister's request and brings her hooves to the sides of the shining bubble, causing ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ to cry out as sparks of light play across its surface.
>Celestia’s magic carves away a chunk of the roof, allowing a spear of sunlight to illuminate the trapped stand.
>”｢ＷＡＬＫＩＮＧ  ＯＮ  ＴＨＥ  ＳＵＮ｣!”
>Her stand, restored to its former brilliance, flies upwards and spreads its crystalline wings.
>｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣ screams, and you watch, unable to turn away as he begins to burn away from his extremities.
>He reaches a hand towards Luna, only for it to crumble and burn away, and he slumps as his legs follow suite.
>”Luna…”
>The skin of his face burns away, and for a moment all he possesses is a skull bleached whiter than white, dripping with inky darkness, before that too is burnt away.
>The bubble compresses to the size of a pinpoint, then with a blinding flash blinks out of existence.
>When your vision clears, you see Celestia slumped on the stairs of the throne, looking smaller than you’ve ever seen her.
>Her normally ethereal mane has been rendered monochromatic and still, the pink locks of her mane lying limp against her tear streaked face.
>Luna kneels next to her, and wraps a comforting hoof around her.
>”Sister. It’s ok.”
>”I’m sorry Luna. I let Equestria down. I- I let you down.”
>Celestia looks out across the throne room, eliciting another bout of tears.
>”All those ponies. How can I ever lead them now.”
>”Remember what you told me after Twilight and her friends freed me from Nightmare’s clutches? We were meant to rule together, big sister.”
>”But-”
>”But nothing. This was ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣’s doing, not yours.”
>You make your way over to Dash and slump next to her, exhausted.
“How’s your side?”
>”Just a scratch.”
>Dash lifts her blood matted hoof, wincing as she does so, and you carefully reach down and split the pain from the wound, transferring it to the ground.
>”What did you…?
>Dash, from the unseen connection that binds the two of you, realizes the answer to her own question.
>”I knew you had to have some kickass power.”
“You know me. One of a kind.”
>One of a kind.
>That’s certainly true from one point of view, but…
>｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣, and the stand you fought in the maze; ｢ＴＨＥ　ＴＲＯＯＰＥＲ｣.
>Both humans, trapped as stands.
>And ｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣’s words still ring in your ears; ‘like so many others’, ‘the only one of us’...
>How many more are there, like you, in Equestria.
>How many of them are good?
>How many of them aren’t?
>”Do you think it’s too soon to ask the princess if she can heal my wing?”
>You can’t help but smile, and shake your head in disbelief.
“Maybe give it a couple of minutes.”
>One thing at a time.

<=To=Be=Continued==

https://youtu.be/nLoP77ODvi4