The Jewel Within

Secrets

A/N: Hey, sorry about that chapter being so small, I kinda wrote it a bit too quickly and accidentally ended it too fast. But I didn't want to erase and do it again. Thank you for reading this far and hopefully you are enjoying it. Here is the big surprise behind everything that has happened. Enjoy!

"Mother" both Sapphire and Ruby asked in unison. They were shocked and couldn't believe their eyes. How was their mother still alive? It had to be some kind of illusion. A cruel joke or something.

"Yes, my girls. I have been looking for you this whole time." Moonstone said, her voice soft as the strum of a harp. "I was so worried." She said, a tear running down her cheek. She then came closer and reached to Sapphire.

Sapphire reached back, but stopped. "How can I believe you?" She asked, something telling her it was wrong. Something just wasn't right.

"Because, I am your mother. You should know me. Moonstone Jewel, the one who gave birth to you and your sister." She said, slightly offended. "I raised you the best I could." She huffed.

"But... They said both my parents were dead... How did you get away?" Sapphire narrowed her eyes.

"I had to run. I was being chased. Someone was after us. Your father gave his life to protect me. Come now, everything you have been through must be exhausting you. Let us relax." She said, placing a hoof on Sapphire's shoulder.

Sapphire batted her away, then glared angrily. "I... I get it now. Everything that has happened... How would you know about it?" She asked with caution.

"Come now, everyone knows. Sapphire returns, train crash." She smiled sadly. But Sapphire saw something else. Something not right. Something in her eyes. An anger deep down. A... hatred that was burning, but only because she had failed.

"You... This all happened because of you..." Sapphire had come to a realization. "Why did you do this to us?"

"What? H-how, Moonstone? Then why did you heal me?" Blitz butt in.

"I see... So I cannot hide it. Blitz. I needed you to find her for me. I healed you because you didn't know what you were doing. You had no idea how powerful that book is." Moonstone started. Then she turned to Sapphire. "But you were never meant to get hurt. Your father chose an evil path."

"And you killed him for it? And because you killed him, we had to suffer for it? I have lived my life thinking that no one was there for me. That my family was dead! And now you are telling me that it was YOU!?" Sapphire screamed.

"I did it because I was trying to protect you! I had to burn that book! If I had let your father keep it, he would have brought upon us all a great Nightmare!" Moonstone rose her voice, stifling Sapphire's dominantly. "But you took the book, and you dragged your sister along! You think I wanted to hurt her? That I wanted to hurt you!? I never intended that. You were supposed to find out that I was alive, and I was going to take you guys to a safe place. A place where you would never be hurt again."

Sapphire couldn't believe her. She found herself backing away. Everything she had ever had to deal with, the scars both mentally and physically. It was all because her mother. The one she had always trusted.

"And I can still take you there. I just need the book. Please, Sapphire. Please." She said, holding out her hoof. She wanted a hug.

Sapphire found herself taking a step towards her mother. Her body was acting on it's own. Her head lowered and she placed it on her mother's shoulder. "I am doing this for us, Sapphire."  Ruby said, forcing Sapphire to embrace her hug. "Alright." She said out loud.

Moonstone smiled and embraced Sapphire gently. Sapphire heard Blitz gasp, but before she could say anything she felt the blade pierce her chest. Her breath escaped her and the seering pain pierced her thoughts.

"Sapphire... I'm sorry, but I cannot let you live. I see your father in you too much." Moonstone said in a hushing voice. "You have his curiosity, his lust for adventure. You have his... What is that?" She asked as darkness pooled over her blade, spilling to the floor and evaporating.

Sapphire raised her head, eyes closed and sighed. "I saw that coming, you know." She said, opening her eyes. The voice was not her own. There was nothing but dark orbs and an evil smile.

"I knew you would betray her. But what you don't know is that her father could never properly use me. However, she can, and she has." It stated as it pushed the bled out and sealed the wound.

"Nightmare..." Moonstone uttered.

Her eyes shifted to a dark purple with a haze coming from the sides. Her mane became ethereal like the night sky, and she started to grow a bit taller, her legs becoming skinnier. And she spread wings that sprouted from her back. "And now she knows the truth. You created the whole Hidden blades cult. The cult you made around me and my destruction. You sent the orders to kill her when she found out. You had them strike the windmill all those years ago. You didn't count on her ability to survive, however. You paid the mayor to exile them. You had trained Daisy from early life. You had hoped to have your own daughter die in the everfree, but I guided her to survival. I brought her back from the brink of giving up. I showed her how to fight and live. If anything, I raised her!" The mare standing before her did not resemble Sapphire anymore except for the facial features.

"I see... So it could not be avoided... Your power lingers... And it can't be stopped..." Moonstone said, then muttered, "Onyx, Ruby... I'm sorry."

Sapphire cackled and shook her head. "It's far too late for that, Moonstone." She said, flicking her head, sending her flying through the wall near the window. She landed in the street below, causing ponies to panic and flee. Sapphire was out nearly the same instant, landing in front of her.

Moonstone was already on her feet, her horn lit up and orbs of light surrounded her. "I am not going to die without a fight!" She said, launching her orbs at Sapphire.

Sapphire twisted herself in difficult ways, avoiding the orbs. Her horn lit a dark color that only the purest of evil could achieve. Her on orbs, corrupted with darkness, flew at Moonstone, who managed to dodge them. Where they hit, the ground simply turned to dust, leaving little craters.

Magically, she knew she could not beat her, so she summoned a sword nearly as big as herself. "The one time that I eish you didn't inherit the Jewel family's magic capabilities." She said as she rushed in, the sword swinging hard.

Sapphire didn't budge, instead she put up a wall of darkness to block it. When the two magics collided, it created a shockwave of power, breaking glass and uprooting nearby trees. The ground shook and Sapphire smiled. "Now this is going to be fun."

She then created her own weapon, a rapier of the same size as Moonstone's. She was going to play with her. Tease her and torture her before she was going to be done. She thrust forward so that Moonstone would block, but to her surprise, she did not. She only got closer, sliding past her sword, bringing her hoof up.

Sapphire dropped, tucking her wings, then threw herself upwards, colliding with Moonstone. She flew upwards, flipping and landing on her aide, then rolled to her hooves. "You're quick, I'll give you that. But I can't let you continue to use my daughter." She narrowed her eyes. Her sword was back and she swung it again, but Sapphire simply parried, their swords creating flames, not just sparks.

The battling continued and Sapphire slowly wore Moonstone out. After nearly and hour, she was breathing heavily and sweating. The royal guards had surrounded them, but were far too afraid to interfere.

"You... are a demon..." Moonstone huffed. "And I cannot... let you remain here... You... must be destroyed!!!" She bellowed, her body glowing and a blinding white light spearing out from her in all directions. Each of them created a wide arc that flew in Sapphire's direction.

Sapphire immidiately brought up her orb of darkness, encasing herself. She smirked, knowing it was going to hold and she would expend her life for nothing.

"This is for you, Sapphire!" Moonstone practically screamed as her soul fractured and her essence was drawn through the light.

Suddenly, Sapphire's bubble crashed, shattering and the light pierced her body, lighting her skin and eyes. The darkness in her form tore away and her vision blurred. Only a blinding light could be seen before both Sapphire and Moonstone dropped to the ground, smoke rising from both.