Elements of the Heart - Chapter 2 - Making A Plan

  The young Pinkie tossed and turned in her sleep, her eyes snapping wide open as she began to fall, screaming as she saw the ground rushing up to meet her. Just as she thought she was about to smash into the glass floor beneath her, she stopped, landing softly on all fours.
Do not be afraid my dear. For in the darkness, there is always a hidden light. Pinkie looked around for the voice that spoke to her; It was a kind and gentle voice, echoing all around her. But as she looked around all she could find was darkness and the strange glass beneath her hooves. She stared at it, finding what looked like an older version of her as well as five other ponies.

  Two unicorns, one white, one purple. An orange Earth pony wearing a cowpony hat. And Two Pegasus, one blue with a rainbow mane, the other yellow with a pink mane and a small smile. Pinkie sat, staring at each in turn, a chill running throughout her body, both her front knees twitching a little.
"These ponies...I'll meet them someday...and we'll be the bestest most awesome friends ever!" she leapt into the air happily and giggled.

You have a special gift, but you also have another gift. One you must only use when the time is right. I fear this time is close at hand and you will have to use a power unlike any other. Pinkie tilted her head to the side in confusion, her back right hind leg twitching and her left eye fluttering.
"Something bad is gonna happen!" Pinkie spun, looking all around herself to find tiny shadows sprouting up from the glass underneath her feet. They tried jumping onto her but she leapt to the side, looking for a way to escape. She was a party pony not a battle pony. As she turned she saw stairs forming and quickly ran up them.


"That's just like when Roxas and I first discovered our Keyblades..." Sora interrupted, making the Party Pony pout.
"Hey! Who is tellin the story here?"
"Uh...Sorry..."
"Now, where was I? oh yea, So anyway..."


Pinkie ran up the stairs, the shadows close on her tail. She lowered her head and pushed her body as hard as she could, years of moving rocks and boulders finally paying off as she forced herself ahead of the shadows, skidding to a halt across another plate of glass. She turned to see the shadows and stairs vanishing, sighing a little to herself.

"So much for getting outta here..."  She looked down at the glass she stood on; she saw herself and the five other ponies. They all wore something around their necks except for the purple unicorn near the center. She wore a Tiara and the lights coming from the others seemed to focus around her, reaching to grab the one above them. Pinkie recognized the picture as Nightmare Moon.

She had heard stories of the mare in the moon, but that was all. They were just stories to make her behave and not stay up late at night. Pinkie leapt to the side as her tail started twitching. A large gray figure falling in the spot she had been moments ago. As it stood it twitched and faced her.


"BUT IT DIDN'T HAVE A FACE!" Pinkie screamed, standing on her hind hooves and raising her front hooves into the air, making a few in the room jump.
"A Nobody."Sora said quietly; Pinkie nodded and sat back down.


You will face many perils in the time that is to come my dear, but you have a powerful weapon to face this. Pinkie jumped in surprise as a large key appeared between her teeth.

"What the hay is this thingy!?" the gray figure rushed toward her and she stepped backward, lifting the strange key into the air. She opened her eyes to see that in doing so she had knocked the creature back. A small smile spread across her face and she charged forward, slamming the key as hard as she could into the gray figure, smiling as it vanished. More appeared all around her as well as the small shadows from earlier. Pinkie gripped the key between her teeth and sighed a little.

"This is weirder than that chocolate river dream I had..." she thought aloud, bouncing into the air to avoid a gray blur as it zipped toward her, managing to snag her tail in its claws. She spun in the air, slicing through the back of the blur before it could do more than give her tail a slight tug.

More and more leaped for her; Pinkie barely managing to dodge thanks to her Pinkie sense, but she was still getting hit, slight nicks and cuts into her flank and legs. She panted heavily staring down the last few shadows which began to twitch and multiply. Pinkie lowered her head, seeing no end to it all.


"How'd you get out of there?!" Scootaloo interrupted, she had never heard such an action packed story from Pinkie Pie before, it had always been about the rock farm or how she had come up with a new cupcake recipe, or what Gummy had done that day.
"I'm getting there, I'm getting there, just wait a minute silly."


There was no end to them, every time she defeated them they would just come back again and again. She threw her head in the air in frustration, the Keyblade flying from her mouth and vanishing in the air above her. She just stared into the void of darkness above her, expecting to see it come back down. But it didn't.

It was just gone. She was powerless now. She needed that strange key to fight these things and she had lost it. She sat down in defeat, her mane and tail deflating and hanging down as the shadows and gray creatures slowly closed in on her.

Do not fear the darkness my dear, for there is always a hidden light. the voice echoed around her. Pinkie raised her head to find she was staring into a mirror. Looking around she found that the creatures were gone. In their place were tons of mirrors, her reflections giving her the same defeated look she had.

"Now how am I gonna get out of here..."
"Thats a good question." Pinkie blinked, staring at the first reflection. It was of her but the mane and tail on the reflection were their normal poofy selves.  The reflection just to the left looked exactly like her, but with her color drained and a menacing look in her eyes. To the right of the first reflection was another without a face, another that looked exactly as she did that moment and one that was pitch black with a strange symbol on its body that matched the creatures she had fought a moment ago, the last matched the gray creatures but its body was twisted at a weird angle and it kept twitching its head at odd angles.

These reside within us all, fear, sadness, anger, darkness. They are things that we face every day, though we may not realize it. It is natural to feel fear, natural to be angry or sad. However, We cannot let these feelings take over us, or we will be swallowed by the darkness in our hearts. Behind you are your reflections should you give in to that darkness my dear. The black figure is you as a Heartless; the gray is you as a Nobody.

"Heartless...and Nobody? What the hay are you talking about?" Pinkie said to the air.
They are creatures who are created when a heart as powerful as yours is lost to the darkness.
"Like the darkness in the closet?"
No my dear, the darkness in your heart. Pinkie put a hoof to her chest.
"In...my heart?"

Yes my dear, should we give in, the Darkness will devour us.
"My heart is gonna eat me!?" Pinkie yelled, looking around frantically, finding only her reflections. The Heartless, as the voice had called it, began to grow as Pinkie let her fear get the best of her.
You must calm yourself Pinkie. Pinkie stopped and glared at the shadow which began to shrink back to its normal size.

"So...as long as I don't get all scared and crazy I won't be eaten by these weirdo black shadowy heartless thingies?"
That is correct my dear Pinkie smiled, her mane and tail poofing back to normal. The mirrors around her shattered, falling to the ground and vanishing. Pinkie turned finding that her Heartless and Nobody reflection still remained, marching towards her.

Do not be afraid of the Darkness Pinkie. Pinkie nodded and stood up tall, the key appearing in front of her.
"I get it! I get it! It makes sense now!" she snatched the key out of the air and leapt forward, the figures vanishing as she crashed into the floor of her bedroom, the key gone.
"Owie...why is the floor so hard..." Pinkie sat up on the floor, finding her bed sheets tossed about.

"What a weird drea..." She stopped, seeing the key in front of her on the ground.
Keyblade the word echoed in her mind as if the voice was still speaking to her. Pinkie nodded and lifted the Keyblade, blinking as it vanished.
When the time is right, it will return to you


  Everypony in the room sat in silence as Pinkie finished her story.
"I kept having more and more weird dreams. All of them telling me the same thing. My pinkie sense started telling me I needed to leave home and come here to Ponyville so I did, when I met everypony here I couldn't believe it. It was just like in the weird dream place. Then Twilight showed up and I knew it was the time the voice was talking about, I got a little worried when the key thingy didn't come back but then that was when Twilight started talking about the Elements. I remembered the voice saying I would get a certain power and figured that was it. And now you showed up, one of the ponies that was in all those pictures I saw in my dreams and I knew that this is what the voice meant when it said my key would come back when the time was right and it did!" Pinkie sat down wearing a big smile, everypony in the room absorbing her story.

"A strange voice...Keyblades, heartless, nobodies..." Twilight mumbled and paced.
"I need some time to think everypony. Sora you and your friends can have the guest bedrooms. I'm going to go see what I can find out about all of this." Twilight said, heading upstairs into her study. Applejack stood, helping Rainbow to her hooves.

"Ah dunno bout th' rest of ya'll, but ah've gotta get back to th' Orchard. Maybe we can pick up on all this tomorrow and figure out how we're gonna find this keyhole thing Sora needs to lock." Rainbow nodded, flexing her wing a little and wincing.

"Oh no ya don't sugarcube. Ye'r not doin any flyin til that wing of yers is healed."
"Well how the hay am I suppose to get home?"
"Ah guess yer jus' gonna have t' stay with me fer a while."
Rainbow sighed a little, though she didn't seem too upset by the idea. Applebloom on the other hand...

"Uh...Maybe ah should sleepover with one of mah friends while Rainbow is stayin over..." She looked over at Scootaloo and Sweetie belle who both blushed, clearing their throats and looking away. Neither of them could make themselves look toward their friend.

"You're welcome to stay here for a while Apple bloom" Nyx said with a small laugh. Apple bloom sighed in relief.
"Thanks Nyx. Ah knew ah could count on you. unlike some ponies." she rolled her eyes turning toward the other crusaders who  
stammered excuses. As things quieted down in the library ponies began leaving with their thoughts full of the newest threat to Equestria.

Applebloom sat quietly with Sora and the others. Her thoughts kept drifting to her friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had each other, her big sister and Rainbow had each other, Fluttershy and her big brother had each other. It seemed everypony but her had a special somepony.

well thats not true, Pinkie and Miss Twilight don't have anypony. But Pinkie Pie wasn't the romantic type, she was happy as long as other ponies were happy and Twilight was always too deep in her books to notice anypony besides her friends. She looked up at Nyx and laughed a little to herself.

Of course there is Nyx, though she's just mah friend. Besides ah'm pretty sure mah barn door don't swing that way. She turned and looked at Sora, his friends asleep in the room behind him.
He seems like a nice colt...

"Hey Sora...Ah was just curious, do you have a special somepony?" She asked without thinking. Sora looked at her confused for a moment and Nyx laughed. She walked over and whispered something in his ear before heading upstairs.

"Oh well...yea I guess..." he said rubbing the back of his head with a hoof. Applebloom felt her heart sink, even this strange pony had a special somepony.
"Her name is Kairi, I'm actually here trying to find her and my friend Riku." He said, the smile vanishing from his face.

"They must be real important to ya. Ah can't imagine how Ah'd feel if I lost Scoot and Belle."
"It hurts to say it, but to be honest I'm a bit more worried about Riku than Kairi. I know I'll find Kairi, but Riku..." he placed his hoof on a strange necklace he wore.

"I made a promise to Kairi and I can't break it, so I know I'll see her again. But Riku...He was lost in the darkness, fighting alone because he thought it was what he had to do. This is the third time I've lost him. The first time we ended up fighting each other, his heart was being controlled by a powerful heartless. In the end Riku fought back but his heart was too far gone to do more than slow the heartless down." Applebloom watched as tears ran down his cheeks.

"Even when I freed him of the heartless I still didn't get him back. I ended up locking him inside Kingdom hearts..." She wanted to ask what this 'Kingdom Hearts' was, but decided to let him finish his story.

"I started looking everywhere for him after that, but it was Kairi who found him. He was hiding within the darkness in his heart. I was able to find him in it because of Kairi. We were finally all together again, then...then..." Sora lowered his head.

"Then he just ran off without saying a word to anyone. I asked Queen Minnie to watch after Kairi because the King was still missing. It wasn't until about three days later that I heard that Kairi had vanished too." Applebloom gently placed a hoof on his shoulder.

"Maybe ye'r friend Riku is just confused Sora. Ah remember that Nyx was the same way." He looked over at her confused and she smiled.
"Nyx thought she had to be Nightmare Moon, a horrible Mare who tried to throw Equestria into Eternal Darkness. Me and the crusaders were just little Fillies then." She explained, telling him Nyx's painful story. He couldn't help but chuckle a little, wiping away his tears.

"She sounds just like Riku...So you think that when he gets his head straight he'll come back?" Applebloom nodded.
"Ah know so Sora. Sometimes a pony just needs time t' think and work out their problems by themselves. That doesn't mean ya can't try t' help him. It just means that ya need t' trust that ye'r friend is ok and you'll see him again." Sora smiled

"Thanks Applebloom, I really needed to hear that." She nodded
"Anytime Sora." The Alicorn stood, heading into the guest room with his friends. She moved over to the fireplace as an owl flew in through the window. She nodded to him and he flew off into the library, snatching up a book and reading quietly. Applebloom stared into the fire trying to think, but her thoughts kept drifting to her friends and how happy they were together.
"Ah wonder if ah'll ever find my special somepony..."

------

Rarity yawned loudly, trying to focus on the dress she was working on. The ordeal with the heartless and her worrying over Spikes injuries had taken its toll on her and she still had several large orders to fill. She jumped a little in surprise, feeling a large set of arms wrap around her frame. She sighed in relief as she felt the claws gently press into her coat.

"Spike, I have a rather large order left to fill and you need to rest or those injuries could open back up dear." She gasped as he caught her ear with his fangs. It took every ounce of her strength to focus on her work as his tongue danced its way up the back of her ear.

"Spike!" He chuckled a little and reluctantly let go.
"Alright alright." he sat down near her, watching her work. It reminded Rarity of the time the once cute baby dragon had spent as her Pin cushion, of course in her eyes he was still cute even if he had grown into a big handsome dragon. She shook the thoughts from her head and focused on the dress.

"Rarity...I'm sorry about earlier today..." She looked over at him in shock.
"I wasn't good enough to keep you safe and cause of that Twilight got hurt." She set her glasses down and sat in front of him, placing a hoof under his chin.

"You listen to me Spike Swift Shrike. You are only one dragon, you are the most courageous, most dependable, most loving Dragon I have ever known. You have always been there for me and your friends and I won't have you sit here and lower yourself like this. Twilight did what she thought was right and you did the best you could. When it mattered you kept us safe, if not for you and the others we never would've been able to save Twilight and we would've been overrun by those horrid things. Even here in the shop, you risked everything for me Spike..." she placed a hoof on the scar that ran over his eye.

"You would've given anything for me, even your life. I don't ever want to hear you talk like that ever again Spike, understood?" He looked into her eyes, smiling a little at the blush he saw spreading across her cheeks. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, the unicorn sighing as she rested her head against him.

"Alright Rarity, I understand. I still wish..." she stopped him with a quick kiss and couldn't help but laugh as a tint of red touched his purple cheeks.
"Not another word Spike." he nodded and the two smiled at one another.

------

Pinkie stood alone in Sugarcube corner, lost in her thoughts as she prepared for the party for Sora and his friends. Anypony who could have a glance into her mind would feel like they were riding a bullet crazy train with nothing more than a lasso to keep them steady on top of the crazy thing. Her thoughts raced around, bouncing off the walls of her skull at a mile per second.

She was excited and worried all at once, she had made new friends but also had to fight more of those heartless. Her pinkie sense had been going crazy ever since her Keyblade had come back. Something bad was going to happen and she didn't like it, she didn't like it one bit.

------

"AH! STOP!" the Unicorn laughed as her friend tickled her.
"NOPE! not until you give up!" She had tears in her eyes, kicking her hooves out and trying to push the pegasus off of her.

"ALRIGHT! I GIVE! I GIVE!" Scootaloo stopped and gently kissed her friends cheek.
"Ha! I win again. Geez Belle you always lose at these." Sweetie Belle pouted a little and rolled onto her stomach as her friend sat beside her.
"Its cause you always cheat."

"How am I cheating?"
"You know all my weak spots" Sweetie Belle argued, making Scootaloo laugh.
"Yea, and?" Sweetie belle smiled a little to herself and sat up, gently kissing behind her friends ear, laughing as her wings flung open.
"And I know all of yours."

------

Dash sighed looking at her wing. But as she reminded herself of how she wound up in this mess her frown turned into a smile. She would risk anything to save Applejack. The two had been competing against each other for years. She was Dash's only real rival and the only one who could handle her. Applejack walked into the room, noticing her staring at her wing.

"Sugarcube...Ah'm real sorry bout ye'r wing..."
"Nah it's alright AJ. What matters is we're both alright." Applejack stepped inside, carrying a bottle of Big Macintosh's Apple Brandy and two mugs. She sat them down on the table beside the bed and hopped up beside Rainbow with a small smile.

"Isn't that from Big Mac's secret stash?" Rainbow asked as her marefriend started pouring them each a drink.
"Yea well, it ain't much of a secret now. 'sides, after a day like th' one we just had a drink will do us some good." Rainbow grinned and grabbed her mug.
"I bet I can drink more than you." Applejack smiled, happy to see Dash as her normal competitive self.
"Ye'r on."

------

Books flew left and right, stopping in midair for only a moment before being replaced with another. Twilights eyes scanned each and every page but none said anything about a Keyhole or Heartless. It was so frustrating. She had all of these books and none of them held any sort of answer, any tiny tidbit she found only left her asking more questions.

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance" Twilight jumped at the sound of the voice, her eyes wide as she turned around. Every book she held in her magic dropping to the floor as she lowered her head.

"Princess Luna! I didn't expect a visit from you so late at night, oh well I suppose I should of it is your night, I'm so sorry." Luna laughed a little.
"Twilight Sparkle, your rambling. It is alright, this is not a Royal Visit. My sister thought it would be better if I were the one to come and speak with you."Twilight stood and looked up at the Alicorn; She noticed that they stood about the same height, Luna wasn't wearing her usual Vestments. She was without her crown, shoes, and crest.

"I suppose you got Spikes letter then?" Luna nodded.
"My sister and I have been worried that the heartless would return."
"Wait? Return? They were here before?"
"Yes Twilight Sparkle. It was not long before Discords Rise to power. He joined forces with the Heartless and grew into the creature of Chaos you and your friends fought."
"Why didn't he summon the heartless when we fought him though? That gigantic one in the middle of town didn't have a problem doing it."

"He was no longer bound to the heartless upon his return. They were locked away separately. Even if he had called to them they would not have answered."
"So the heartless broke free of their prison like Discord did." Luna nodded again and took a seat.

"Back then, Celestia and I managed to seal them away with the Elements as well as Discord. But when our connection was broken by...My jealousy and rage...The bonds on the Heartless Prison began to weaken. Upon my return Celestia and I had a look and saw that it was still holding. At the time nothing seemed wrong with it, but it seems small cracks have formed and the heartless are seeping through. It will only be a matter of time before they break free entirely." Twilight smiled a little which confused the Alicorn.

"This is grave news Twilight Sparkle, why are you so happy?"
"Because, if you and Princess Celestia sealed away the heartless then you know where the Keyhole is and Sora can lock it and we can avoid any kind of terrible disaster!" Luna sighed and shook her head.

"I am afraid it is not that simple Twilight Sparkle. The Keyhole has been damaged by the heartless. Any attempt to lock it would be as useless as me and Celestia using the Elements. The only way for us to seal them away is to break the lock ourselves and create a new one." Twilight nodded and reshelved her books, taking a seat near the Princess.
"Then we'll need a plan."

------

Nyx stood just far enough up the stairs that Applebloom couldn't see her. She was a bit curious how Sora would react. Applebloom had been through a lot, if anypony deserved happiness it was her. At least thats how Nyx saw it, everyday Applebloom risked her life to help her friends no matter the cost to herself. She sighed a little hearing that the Alicorn was already taken, almost running down to comfort her friend. But she realized, Applebloom was comforting Sora. The story of his friend lost in the darkness reminded her of how she too had been lost.

This Riku, he's like me. She slowly snuck past the two, using a cloak of shadow spell to keep them from seeing her as she snuck out the cracked door. Twilight had grown into the habit of leaving it open slightly at night to let in a small breeze. With any luck Applebloom and Sora would consider the door moving to be from a breeze blowing it around. She spread her wings slowly and took off into the air.

"This Riku, he's lost and confused like I was. The crusaders and mom saved me from that, but from what Sora says Riku is all alone right now. He needs someone to be there, someone who knows what he is going through." She didn't know where to look or how she was going to do it, but she was going to find Riku and help him anyway she could. Nopony deserved to live like that.

She searched all through town, through the forest and anywhere else she could think to look. But she couldn't find even a small trace of any lost Ponies. She sighed realizing how foalish it had been of her to think she could just fly off and run into him. Feeling defeated she flew back to the Library, stepping inside slowly.

She smiled seeing Applebloom sleeping near the fireplace and gently placed a blanket over her. She sat down looking into the fire for a moment, hearing the sound of pages turning. She had grown use to Owloysius and his nightly visits, she turned and smiled at her friend.

"Good to see you again Owloysius, you wouldn't happen to have seen any strange ponies lately would you?
"Hoo" she smiled and shook her head.
"I guess not." She yawned and shook herself.

"I guess I should get some sleep..." she started walking upstairs and stopped as she was about to turn to the corner to go to her room. Her mothers' door was open and inside she saw Princess Luna. The two had fallen asleep with a multitude of books surrounding them. That wasn't what surprised her, she had often come home to find her mother in a pile of books, one time underneath a pile of books.

What surprised her was that the two were snuggling close to one another as they slept. She gently closed the door and walked to her room, her thoughts racing.
"Luna and mom..." The image was trapped in her mind for the rest of the night.

------

Twilight awoke to feel something warm around her. Her first thought was that it was Nyx coming to bed with her after another nightmare. But as she opened her eyes she found Princess Luna rubbing her nose into her coat. Twilight blushed deeply and tried to think. Luna opened her eyes slowly and had much the same reaction. Both ponies pulled away from one another, turning away and clearing their throats.

"We...mu...must have dozed off in our research." Luna said quickly.
"Um...ye...yes that makes sense." looking around she found they were surrounded by books that had fallen, no longer held by their magic. Twilight busied herself with cleaning up while Luna kept her back turned, hiding her blush and hoping the unicorn hadn't noticed her wings slowly drifting into the air. she turned toward Twilight after calming down a little.

"Twilight Sparkle, I forget, how far along were we? Did I properly explain about the Keyhole?" Twilight nodded as she shelved the last book.
"Yes, we were going over plans on the safest way to break and remake the lock. I don't think we came up with much. It was pretty late..." Twilight stretched a little.

It wasn't her first time falling asleep in a pile of books but it was never comfortable, though she had been strangely comfortable with Luna there...she shook her head, jumping at the sound of knocking on her door and sighed as Nyx poked her head in.

"You two awake? I'm not interrupting anything am I?" she joked, making Twilight and Luna blush. She laughed and smiled.
"Breakfast is ready downstairs. Princess Luna I'm sure Sora would like to speak with you. Whenever you're ready I mean." she said, closing the door behind her and leaving.

"She must have seen us sleeping and jumped to conclusions..." Twilight thought aloud, not noticing that Luna's wings were slowly unfurling, her head down with a massive blush covering her face.

------

Sora stretched, amazed at what he saw. Nyx had made some of the biggest Pancakes he had seen in his entire life.
"This looks delicious!" the trio of friends said, digging in. Nyx smiled as they ate their breakfast, turning to look at a half awake Applebloom, she had stopped tying her hair back with her bowtie, instead using a small red band, styling it much like her sister Applejacks mane. She nudged her friend gently
"You alright Bloom? You're not usually so distracted in the morning." Applebloom seemed to shake from her daze and looked at her for a moment.

"Oh huh? Oh yea, ah'm alright. Just didn't sleep too well last night. Ah've got a lot on my mind ya know?" Nyx nodded. She had overheard a bit of Applebloom talking to herself the night before. Her poor friend was searching for love and had nowhere to look. Nyx herself had never really considered trying to find a special somepony for herself.

She was an Alicorn, she would live as long as Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, as long as she didn't get herself killed doing her job that was. The thought pained her, that one day she would watch her mother and all her friends pass away. But she had been through this several times with her mother, the princess' and her friends. She wouldn't be alone, she would have the next generation to teach and protect. It was how Celestia had coped with the loneliness of immortality for so many years.

When everypony did finally pass away she would go live at the Palace, or stay at the Library, she hadn't really decided yet. She gently placed a wing over her friends shoulder and smiled at her.

"You know you can talk to me Bloom. this is about Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo isn't it?" Sora looked up for a moment and nudged Donald and Goofy into the other room.
"But I didn't finish!" Donald complained as he was pushed away, giving the two some privacy. Apple bloom nodded sadly,staring at the untouched pancakes.
"Everypony is findin their special somepony. Am ah just gonna die alone Nyx?" her friend stared up at her with tears in her eyes.

"No Bloom, you won't. There is a special somepony out there for everypony. Even Celestia once had a special somepony, it's a pretty long story but you know how it ended already. Thats not the point I'm tryin to make though. My point is that your gonna find your special somepony, just like when you discovered your cutie mark. It's something that takes time Bloom." Apple bloom smiled a little, wiping away her tears. She took a small bite of one of the pancakes, her eyes wide.
"These are amazin Nyx!" She giggled a little, her friend happy once more. She looked up as a flustered Twilight and Luna made their way downstairs, neither looking at each other.

"Princess!" Applebloom bowed her head, almost knocking over her pancakes. Nyx caught them in her magic carefully and set them back down.
"Applebloom, you don't have to do that." Luna said, she was growing tired of everypony bowing to her all the time. Applebloom stood and nodded.

"Ah'm guessin ye'r here t' talk to Sora right?" Luna nodded and Sora peeked his head around the corner, a half eaten pancake in his mouth.
"you fay Sumfin?" he asked with a mouthful of pancake, making everypony laugh. He chomped down the pancake and walked into the room, bowing his head slightly.
"There is no need for such formalities Keyblade Wielder. We have much to discuss and not much time."

"That seems to be something thats always against us." they all turned to find the Doctor standing near them.
"Doc! how long have you been there?" Sora laughed.
"Just arrived actually, I thought I might be of some use." He sat down at the table
"Ah yes, the Time Lord. I don't suppose you could tell us how this all plays out?" Luna asked of him, to her dissapointment he shook his head.

"Sadly no. I've run through it a thousand times and each time I interfere the ending is the same. I can only give a bit of advice on the matter. That being that there is no safe way to break the seal, we cannot waste our time trying to find a safe way either."
"The seal?" Sora asked.
"Yes, You know it as the Keyhole." He explained, adjusting his tie absentmindedly.
"You know where it is? Great! We can go and lock it and..." Luna shook her head, sighing to herself.

"The seal has been ripped apart by the heartless seeping out of it, locking it would either stall them for but a few moments more or shatter it entirely. Our only choice is to break it open ourselves and remake it. Though once its broken all the darkness behind it will pour out and feast on the nearest hearts." The Doctor nodded and Sora put a hoof to his chin.

"How exactly do we plan to break it?" Sora asked after a moment.
"With the Elements of Harmony of course. But the experience will be draining on the users. They will need some time to recover before we can Reseal the heartless. But with them bursting free we won't have enough time." Sora grinned
"I have an idea. It's a bit reckless but it's our best bet."

"Sora my boy, you aren't possibly thinking about what I think your thinking about are you?" The doctors question hung in the air for a moment before Sora finally answered.
"Its the only way. I think I can control it now, usually it just runs wild but I've been training with Donald and Goofy, together we can hold it together."

"I'm confused, what exactly are you two talking about?" Twilight asked looking between the two ponies.
"Its simple, besides the Keyblade, the best thing to fight a heartless with is another more powerful heartless. So I'll become a heartless." Everypony in the room was silent.
"Sora thats absurd, that form of yours is dangerous!" The Doctor argued, trying to make Sora see sense.

"Well its that or we stand guard in front of the seal when it breaks. We're tough but we can't hold back an entire wall of heartless like this. In my heartless form it would be easy to hold them back."

"Sora, I've seen you face down a thousand heartless on your own when it mattered."
"And exactly how many heartless are behind that Seal?" Sora asked, Luna lowered her head.
"Hundreds of thousands. It holds almost every last ounce of darkness remaining in Equestria. The exception being the Everfree Forest and places beyond our reach."
"For there cannot be light without darkness." The Doctor stated matter-of-factly.
"And within the Darkness there is always a small light. Even within the heartless there is Light." Sora added with a smile.

"Are Goofy and Donald aware your planning such drastic measures Sora?"
"Of course we are Doc!" they said together, sitting beside their friend.
"Its not like he can do it without us." Donald said, lifting his chin a little.
"If Sora thinks we can do it then we can do it, simple as that." Goofy said, crossing his hooves.

"I see I can't convince you three otherwise, though I do hope you plan to train a bit more before taking on such an ordeal. Last time I saw that form it nearly exhausted you three to death."
"Sora, Would you care to explain this Heartless Form to me?" Luna asked. Sora nodded, his Keyblade appearing on the table.

"When we visited King Mickey's Teacher Yen Sid, the three good fairies gave me these special Clothes. they were created with magic. Within that magic it gives the power to bond myself temporarily with Goofy and Donald. I obtain different powers when bound to them like this. But when the three of us are bound together I am at my most powerful. But for a while it was just random, sometimes I would end up as a heartless, fighting for control. We got lucky and whenever it happened the form was too focused on destroying any moving thing which always happened to be heartless. After a few more attempts I managed to turn into a heartless on purpose. I actually had some control over it, Riku was a big help then. He has had experience with that sort of thing and taught me a few things about the Darkness in ones heart. With what he taught me in mind and my friends beside me we kept at it. We can hold the form for about twenty minutes before it starts fighting back then we have to let it go. Its pretty exhausting to do, but if you guys can recover in twenty minutes then we can do this."

"I am not sure if that will be enough time. Using the magic that it will require to break the seal, let alone put it back together...we might not have enough time." Sora looked at his friends and they nodded.
"Then we have work to do."

------

Twilight watched as the three stood, nodding to everyone in the room before heading outside, Sora's key in his mouth.
"What are they up to?"
"Isn't it obvious Miss Sparkle? Sora and his friends are determined to go through with this knuckleheaded plan of theirs. If what you need is more time then they plan to give it to you. They've gone to train the only way they know how."
"Which is?"

"The way a mentor of theirs taught them on one of the many worlds they have been to. I believe they called him Phil, Trainer of Heroes. In any case they most likely intend to push their limit as far as they can get it before you go to break the seal. Do you perhaps have any place that you wouldn't worry about having destroyed by such training?"

"There is the sparring arena in Canterlot." Luna suggested
"Or the Sparring circle at Sweet Apple Acres." Twilight said, putting a hoof to her chin in thought.
"Excellent, I'll catch up them and let them know, in the meanwhile perhaps you would like to come up with a backup plan or prepare yourself." The Doctor stood, nodding goodbye before going after Sora. Twilight merely sat there for a moment, her thoughts a blur. Applebloom looked between her, Luna and Nyx and cleared her throat a little.

"Ah suppose ah'll be goin, the others are probably waitin fer me. Ya comin Nyx?" She said quickly. Nyx smiled to herself realizing Applebloom had seen the same thing she had and nodded.

"We'll be back after our patrol is done, see ya mom." Nyx rushed out the door with her friend, both giggling a little as they headed for the clubhouse, though in truth it was more of a home after being rebuilt for Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. Luna risked a glance over toward Twilight, noticing that she seemed to be staring at the air.

Her sister had told her about this. Whenever the mare was truly lost in thought almost nothing could break her focus. Maybe she could bring herself to say something to her while she was like this.

"Twilight Sparkle, I have something of importance I wish to say to you." She gave a small nod, seeming to not really be paying any attention to her.

"For some time now, I have had...Feelings for you. I remember when you faced me while I was trapped...when I was Nightmare Moon. You held the power to completely destroy me, instead, you reached out to me and freed me from the anger in my heart. You replaced it with warmth...You patiently put up with me as I tried to learn how to fit in and spent hours teaching me. Even when I was stubborn you put up with it and continued on." Luna bit her lip as she pulled herself together for what she wanted to say.

"What I am trying to bring myself to say Twilight Sparkle is that in the time I have known you I have grown to love you." As the words left her mouth Twilight turned to her, making her blush and turn away.

"You...feel that way about me?" Twilight asked slowly, a blush touching her cheeks. Luna slowly turned back to her and nodded.
"Yes...I have for a long time now...My Sister thought that I would have the opportunity to speak my mind if I was the one to aid you and the Keyblade Wielder. She has taken control of the sun and moon so that I may be of as much use as possible. Celestia seems to know something I do not though, but I trust her judgment." Luna gasped as Twilight lunged for her, practically tackling her to the floor. She stared up at the mare of her dreams, finding tears and a blush.

"Twilight Sparkle..." The mare laughed and shook her head.
"Please, just call me Twilight..." she leaned down and pressed her lips against hers gently. Luna's wings unfurled instantly underneath her as they kissed. The world seemed to stop as they held one another. Twilight slowly pulled away, their eyes locking.

"I guess deep down i've always cared for you too Princess Luna. Princess Celestia use to tell me all sorts of stories about when you two were young. How you came up with each constellation in the sky and how her attempts at making such art was pointless compared to how effortlessly you filled the night sky." she smiled as the memories filled her mind.

"I would spend long nights just staring up at your beautiful night sky, sometimes just losing myself in the moon...When Princess Celestia asked me to tutor you...I wasn't sure what to say and I did my best to teach you what I knew." She blushed and looked away.

"Each night I always dreamed of you...I wasn't sure what to think of it all at first and I was afraid to say anything about it. So I kept it to myself and continued on with the lessons and was happy to have that time with you. In the end I guess I fell for you...but I thought that you could never love me...I'm just a unicorn."

Twilight moved off of her, letting her push to her hooves. Before Twilight could continue she was pulled into another kiss. Twilight leaned into the kiss, sparks dancing across her body. She was a bit breathless when Luna finally pulled away.

------

"Sora! hold on a moment!" The Doctor called. Sora stopped and turned toward him.
"I spoke with Twilight and the princess. if you intend to go on with this crazy plan of yours then at least have a good place to wreak your mayhem. There is a training ground not far from here. I'm sure Applejack will let you use it."
"Thats great Doc!" They followed him to Sweet Apple Acres, their eyes wide as they walked through the massive apple orchard.

"Whoa...this place is amazing!"
"Well thank ya Kindly." Big Macintosh said, slamming a single hoof into a nearby tree, the apples pouring into four large buckets surrounding the tree.
"I s'pose ye'r here to see Applejack. She and Miss Dash are finishin up on the other side, though Ah'd give em a minute or two before sneakin up on em" The large red stallion chuckled a little at his own joke, hefting up the buckets of apples onto a cart.

"Those look kinda heavy, need any help?"
"Nnope. Though ah thank ya for th' offer. Ah'm sure ye'r current business is more important. 'sides, Ah've been doin this fer years." Sora nodded and headed in the direction Big Macintosh had said Applejack would be, the Doc and his friends close behind. They found Applejack chastising Rainbow for trying to fly.

"Well how the hay am I suppose to help if I can't fly?!"
"Ye'r not s'pose t' be helpin, ye'r s'pose to be restin!"
"I can't stand doing nothing AJ, your already taking care of me and still working your flank off out here."

"Listen Rainbow, ya know Ah love ya but you can be a might stubborn sometimes. If ya really need somethin to do ya can help me with th' cart. But no flyin!" Rainbow nodded and hugged her.

"Sorry AJ, I just feel kinda useless..."
"Yer not useless Sugarcube." Sora felt it wrong to interrupt the tender moment, but they were on a deadline.
"Hey Applejack! Rainbow Dash!" he called out, making them both jump and turn toward him.
"Well hey there Sora, what brings you round here? Did Twilight figure out somethin?" Applejack asked.

"Well its kinda complicated. Princess Luna came by and started talkin about a lot of stuff but mostly about the keyhole."
"So ya'll know where it is? Well what are we waitin for? let's go finish this before it can start."
"Yea...thats the complicated part. Princess Luna says its broken, or cracked. Our only option is to break it and make a new one."
"So we're gonna need all the Elements right?" Rainbow asked, Sora nodded.
"Though its still not as simple as that." The Doctor added.
"What the hay are you talkin about?"

"You see, it will require a great amount of magic to break the seal, even with the Elements of Harmony. When the seal is broken the hundreds of thousands of heartless will break free. During the time they are unleashed you as well as the other Elements will be exhausted and trying to recover leaving you vulnerable. Sora has come up with a plan however. He believes he can buy you the time you need to recover and reseal the heartless. Its risky though and I personally don't approve. Long story short, Sora and his friends need to use your Sparring circle to practice a rather dangerous magical power."

"Dangerous magical power? Ye'r not makin much sense Doctor."
"With Donald and Goofy's help I can turn into a heartless. It'll give me the speed and power to keep all the heartless held back while you guys recover, but I can't hold it for more than twenty minutes. So we need to train and buy more time for  
you guys."

"Whoa whoa whoa, back that wagon up mister. You can turn into one of those freaks who tore my wing to shreds? And doing this is somehow gonna help us?" Rainbow asked in shock.
"I know its hard to believe but yes. The three of us together can control it and keep the heartless held back. But the Princess said you would need more than Twenty minutes so we need to train."

"Ah s'pose if its our only choice of action, ya'll can have the Sparrin Circle, just try not to get ye'rselves killed. Ah don't like the sound of turnin into one of those things."
"Its not exactly fun." Donald added
"Its kinda like bein stuck in a really dark room"
"But when we're together we can get through any darkness." the three smiled and headed for the Sparring circle.
"I still don't approve, but its all we have right now. I can only hope they can buy enough time without killing themselves."

------

  Applebloom knocked on the door, rapping her hoof against a soft spot on the door. Only the crusaders knew about the spot, it was their way of telling each other who they were. When hit just right it made a distinct noise that would echo throughout the entire house. Nyx giggled a little, hearing the two inside shuffling about trying to compose themselves and open the door. It was Scootaloo who got to the door first, smiling and blushing a little.

"Hey, you guys are early, somethin happen?"
"Yea, its kind of a long story, mind if we come in or should we wait until you two are decent?" Nyx teased, pointing a hoof at Scootaloo's raised wings. Scootaloo cleared her throat and sat, Sweetie Belle pushing the door open
"Come on in, I'm kinda curious what has you guys here so early." It was obvious even with the normal sweetness her voice held that she was a bit annoyed her time with Scootaloo had been cut short. Nyx took a seat on the small couch in the living room. She looked around, remembering how this use to be the only room of the clubhouse.

"So why are you two here so early? Not here to tell us you two are goin at it now are you? Scootaloo joked, only getting laughs from the two of them. She had hoped for blushes and stammering.
"Guess not."
"We're not 'goin at it' Scoots, but Twilight and Princess Luna are." Applebloom said with another laugh.

"Twilight...and the Princess?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking at Nyx then at Scootaloo and finally back at Applebloom.
"Yea. She musta shown up sometime in the middle of the night. She was there this mornin and th' two of em were more flustered than Scootaloo when the two of you told me you were fillyfoo...uh...Together." Even after all these years that word still found its way into their conversations, though it didn't bother them anywhere near as much as Applebloom thought it did.

"Its alright Bloom." Said Scootaloo, smiling to break the tension in the air.
"That joke earlier does make me wonder a bit." Sweetie belle said from her seat on the couch.
"About what Belle?"
"Well, do you and bloom have anypony special in mind? There is a dance at school comin up, mares choice." Nyx and Applebloom just looked at each other then back at their friends.

"Not really...I told myself I wouldn't bother with any attempts at a relationship." Nyx said, lowering her head a little.
"Oh come on Nyx not this again. How many times do I gotta say it before it gets into your head. It doesn't matter how long you live, you still deserve to be happy, more so than the rest of us. There really isn't any colt whose caught your eye?"  
Nyx shook her head, she hadn't been looking so she didn't notice the stares she got on a daily basis.

"Poor Nyx doesn't even notice the colts staring at her flank, how is she gonna have her eye on one of em?" Applebloom asked.
"Well what about you Bloom?" Applebloom started mumbling a bit, drawing circles in the floor with her hoof.

"Oh? So you do have a crush! Whoisit?whoisit?whoisit?" Scootaloo asked over and over
"Well...its uh..." she glanced around the room, the three ponies before her all on the edge of their seats as they waited for Applebloom to speak up.
"Ah can't say..." she finally answered, the others sighing loudly.
"Oh come on Bloom!"
"Don't pressure her Scootaloo. Remember when you two tried talking to us?"

------

  Scootaloo couldn't make herself stop shaking. It had been two weeks since she had spoken her feelings for Sweetie Belle and had been shocked when the Unicorn felt the same about her. The two sat in the clubhouse, comforting one another for what they were about to do.
"It'll be alright Scoots." Scootaloo bit her lip and nodded. Sweetie Belle didn't seem as worried as she was.

"Y...Your right, they'll understand...won't they?" Sweetie belle nodded and pulled her into a gently hug. Scootaloo sighed, rubbing her cheek against the unicorn mare slowly. All of her troubles seemed to wash away within that moment, only to be revived by the Cutie Mark Crusaders knock at the door. Sweetie Belle gave her a quick peck on the cheek before opening the door for her friends. Nyx and Applebloom walked into the room with smiles, laughing about some joke at school. Nyx still   wore her glasses as most ponies were still freaked about her eyes. They looked good on her, of course that was thanks to Rarity.

"So whats this really important thing ya'll need t' tell us? Did you two get yer cutie marks?" Applebloom asked. Sweetie Belle only shook her head, taking a seat beside the shaking Scootaloo.
"Hey, you alright Scootaloo?" Nyx asked, setting her glasses aside. She wasn't worried about her friends freaking out about her eyes. She could trust them with anything.
"I'm alright, just kinda freakin out..."

"Well whats this about? You know you can tell us anything Scootaloo. Remember the slumber party when I showed you guys my wings?" Scootaloo nodded and calmed down, the memory bringing a smile to her face.
"Yea...I remember...this is kinda different though."
"Aw come on, ya can't just bring us out here for somethin important and not tell us Scootaloo. Just tell us" Applebloom pressed. Sweetie Belle sighed a little and gently kissed Scootaloo's cheek to calm her. Applebloom just stared with wide eyes. Nyx wasn't all surprised. She had seen this coming a few weeks ago. The two of them would always sneak off to the clubhouse when they thought nopony was looking. Nyx had gotten into the habit of watching Ponyville at night. She was still just a little Filly so whenever anything happened she had to get Twilight to do something about it. Nyx smiled.

"I think that answers the question. I'm so happy for you two. But are you sure about this? We're still just kids ya know."
"Of course we're sure." Sweetie Belle spoke up. Nyx laughed at the sight of Scootaloo. The poor pegasus was staring at an empty point in space as her wings unfurled. Applebloom was in a state of shock as she stared at her two closest friends.

"So uh...just how long have the two of ya been fillyfoolers?" Applebloom asked, snapping Scootaloo out of her daze.
"Hey, its not like there is anything wrong with liking a mare!" She yelled.
"Ah didn't say that Scoot, ah'm sorry. Ah didn't mean it like that. Ah was just wonderin is all, Honest!"

"Its alright Applebloom. Your our friend. We know you don't mean anything like that. But this is why we haven't said anything yet. Everypony at school would react worse than Applebloom did. We can't keep it a secret forever and we felt it was only right to tell you two." Sweetie Bell explained.

"I'm glad you trust us Sweetie Belle, but you'd be surprised just how many ponies are like you two. I didn't want to say anything but I caught Diamond Tiara kissing Silverspoon behind the school a few weeks ago."
"No wonder she's been so nice to you!"
"I'm not the type to take advantage of that sort of thing Applebloom and I want you to Pinkie Promise that you won't either. I know she's a bully but if we took advantage of her like this we'd be no better than her." Applebloom sighed
"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye" she said, going through the motions. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle doing the same afterwards. Nopony could break a Pinkie Promise.

"Alright, I want you two to Pinkie Promise you won't tell anypony about me and Belle until we do ok?" Nyx happily complied, almost poking her eye out as she went through the motions, Applebloom was a bit slow to do it but eventually did.

------

"Ah still haven't broken that promise ya know. Ah'm not sure if anypony even knows about Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon."
"Thats great and all Bloom, but what about your crush? I don't wanna pressure you but I'd really like to know." Apple Bloom sighed.
"Its Pip..." The three ponies stared at her.
"PIP?!"