The chilled wind blew through Cadence’s hair, as she walked through Ponyville. She was horror struck by the damage left in the wake. Each pony lay on the ground passed out from exhaustion. It seemed that everypony had been like this for a few days. Even the dust had finally settled. The storm clouds above where not so violent. This was probably due to the lack of hatred to feed off of.
Cadence walked around the city for a bit, looking for what she could find. Nothing was left in the city. All the buildings were destroyed, and even the farm had nothing left to harvest. But then within the brisk wind she thought she heard a small male voice call to her, “Cadence!”
She stopped to look around, “Who’s there?” She said feeling kind of silly because she know nopony was out there.
It was to her surprise when from the same distant voice as last time a response came, “Over here…”
Then for no reason she began to feel a slight tug in the direct of the stone gardens in her distant view. With a little hesitation her curiosity finally took over and she began to follow the sensation. As she walked into the garden all she saw were the fallen statues. There seemed to not be a statue left standing, but then she took a double take. Standing in the middle of the garden was one statue. It was a creature of mixed nature.
At that there was a sudden blinding light that filled Cadences eyes. She tried to close them, but to no avail. Instead she screamed, on the inside, as her eyes became blinded, only then to realize that she felt no pain. After a minute she reopened her eyes to see Discord standing before her. Instantly she was consumed by three main emotions; surprise, curiosity, and disgust.
“Discord!” she said in an accusing tone.
“Oh Cadence,” Discord announced, “I seem to get that a lot lately.” Discord turned around and continued, “Well it seems that things have not gone well.”
Cadence ignoring what he said, and responded, “Where did you come from? Weren’t you with Celestia last.”
“Ya… Well, that did not work out since Celestia disappeared and all.” Discord said without a bit of accusation, “So I disappeared too. Besides the chaos has been a bit of fun, though not quite to my tastes.”
Cadence could not help but think that Discord know more than he was leading on, “So I know you could never truly change. You will always be Discord.”
“Well yes,” Discord said with sarcasm, “I am Discord, but that does not necessarily make me bad. I never really hate anypony after all. All I really wanted was to have some fun. Just nopony really liked my kind of fun, but no, in that I have changed. I shall not ‘torture,’ if that is what you want to call it, anymore. In fact I have grown quite found of ponies. Like Pinkie Pie can have fun without hearting anyponies feelings. I can appreciate that.”
Cadence still did not quite believe him, “Then why don’t you do something? It should be in your power to take out the windigo, right.”
“No I am afraid not. As much as I would love to, but I can’t make the ponies love each other. Only you have that unique gift, but there is something I can do for you. I will wake everypony up, but then you have to handle it from there. I can’t help you after that.” With that Discord disappeared before Cadence could come up with any response.
Cadence began to walk around. At first she did not notice anything different, but the then ponies around her began to stir, one-by-one.
Cadence decided that the best thing to do was this point was to find Twilight. Twilight was the one that freed her form her own curse maybe she could help with this dilemma. So there she was off to the library, or at least what was probably left of it.
The streets where full of ponies trying to recover form there dazed state. Discord had awoken them as he promised, but he was sure to leave them somewhat exposed and dazed. Cadence figured, to her relief, that Discord did that on purpose so that everypony didn’t get the idea to start their fights where they left off.
The library was, as expected, fallen to rubble, but when Cadence got a closer look she saw the problem, and was it a big problem. Spike seemed to have grown to adult size and had fallen asleep right on top of the building. Twilight lay not too far from him. She seemed to be the last to stir, but finally she did and Cadence was relieved and happy.
“Cadence” Twilight mumbled, “Is that you?”
“Yes Twi. Just rest, for a second. We have lots of work to be done.” Cadence responded in a gentle voice.
Twilight laid there for a second until she was sure she could stand. She stood slowly only to grow dizzy as she stood. She almost fell, but Cadence caught her before she did, “Take it easy. I still need you.”
“So how long had I been out?” Twilight asked.
“I don’t know,” Cadence looked a Twilight with sorrowful eyes, “By the looks of things, you had been out for at least a couple days.”
“A couple days!” Twilight said with a bit of hysteria, “What happened, have the Windigos been taken care of… of course not… has anypony been killed… has the Crystal empire been taken yet.”
“Wait, Twilight,” Cadence said with a light chuckle, “Nothing worse had happened since we left Canterlot, but if we are going to deal with these things I need you to calm down.” Then Cadence raised her hoof to her chest as she breathed in and pulled away as she breathed out. Twilight followed suit.
“Ok so what do we do next?” Twilight said, “Did you bring the Crystal heart?”
“Yes,” Cadence said, “And to my surprise I met someone very interesting.”
“Wait,” Twilight said, “I need to check on something.”
Twilight went outside and looked around, not that there was an outside anymore. Everypony was walking slowly with their head tucked low. Each seemed to be heading back to their home. Twilight was relieved for now.
Twilight walked back over to Cadence and sat down, “Ok, so you were saying.” With that Cadence told her everything that happened in the Crystal Empire, and what happened with Discord.
Twilight sat completely stunned. It took her a second to take it all in. It all was just too much.
Then Twilight finally snapped herself from her stupor, “So now we need the Elements of Harmony. How are we supposed to do that?”
“I don’t know, I was hoping you could help me with that part.” Cadence said with less confidence then she had earlier, “Well there was one thing. When I asked Discord about why he could not fix it, he told me that only I can make one pony love another.”
At that Twilight got a bright idea, “I know, come with me. We are going to Fluttershy’s cottage.”
On the way there Twilight explained her plan to Cadence, “Because it was your magic that made this all happen, It has to be your magic that fixes it. First we will find Angel bunny, and bring him back to Fluttershy. When they are together you will have to cast your spell to make them love each other again.”
“That sounds like it might work.” Cadence said, “But how are we going to find Angel bunny, and force him back to Fluttershy.”
“Leave that to me.” Twilight assured with a slight smirk.
When They made it to Fluttershy’s cottage, Twilight released a tracking spell and began to walk. Cadence was not sure what to think of this, but she trusted Twilight and just followed along.
Twilight’s spell seemed to lead them into the Everfree forest. Though it was very dark, nothing extraordinary seemed to have changed. The Everfree forest was still that, ever free. They were there for a while before they finally came across Angel Bunny sleeping under a bush. This was going to be easier then Twilight thought. With her magic Twilight gently lifted Angel Bunny and began caring him back to Fluttershy’s cottage.
At the cottage Twilight busted her way through the door with the help of Cadence, and set Angel Bunny next to Fluttershy, “Now when I wake them, they will probably began fighting again. Just cast the spell as quick as you can.”
Twilight then shook them both awake, and then jumped back. Sure enough they looked at each other and Angel Bunny was about to rear up and hit Fluttershy right in the nose, but just then Cadence got off her spell.
The two stood there for a second dazed, then without hesitation grabbed each other in a full hug. Twilight’s idea worked. Now they just need to get the rest of them together.
“Now we need to get the rest of them all in one place.” Twilight said, “I will get Rarity and Sweetie Bell. Cadence I need you to get Rainbow Dash, and Applejack, and Fluttershy get Pinkie Pie. Then we will meet back at the library,” and with that, they each left their separate ways in search for their charges.
Two hours later Twilight came to the center of town dragging Rarity, and Sweetie Bell. They were both under the sleep spell. Cadence brought Rainbow Dash and Applejack. They did not look so well but they were mostly awake. Fluttershy on the other hand was no were to be found.
“I hope Fluttershy is fine.” Twilight said.
“She is probably fine,” Cadence responded, but not too sure herself, “She is probably just having a little trouble with Pinkie. You know how Pinkie is.”
“Ya…,” Twilight said worried, “That’s what I am worried about.”
Twilight did not have to worry for long though. Just as she said that, her fears were confirmed, and Pinky tackled Twilight into a summersault roll.
Twilight did not have much time to think. She tried to shoot a couple of stunning blasts at Pinkie, but they all missed. Cadence on the other hand had a full opening. Focusing her magic through her horn, she released the spell that she had done a thousand times.
Just as Pinkie was about to pound down on Twilight’s head she snapped to, and fell on Twilight in an all encumbering hug, “Oh I’m sorry Twilight,” Pinky began to ramble, “I didn’t know what I was doing, well I did, I just couldn’t stop myself, I didn’t want to do it I was compelled, I couldn’t stop…. …. ….”
After a few minutes of rambling Twilight finally cut her off with a hug of her own, “I forgive you. I know that it wasn’t you, and I am glad to have you back, but now we have to fix the others.”
Shortly after Fluttershy came flying in. When she saw that everything was okay she landed right in the middle of them and sheepishly bowed her head, “I’m sorry Twilight. I couldn’t stop her. I have failed you.”
“You did fine Fluttershy.” Twilight said starting to get annoyed at everypony feeling they have to apologize, “Can we just get to the rest.”
With that Twilight looked at the rest who were still lying on the ground, “Okay since Rainbow Dash, and Applejack are still awake let’s deal with them first, before they catch their breath and are ready to beat each other up again.
Cadence focused her spell on them, while Twilight and Pinky Pie made them look each other in the eyes. It was not too hard since they were still exhausted from all the fighting. After the spell was complete they both shot up and hugged each other. The hug only lasted for a second before they broke apart, coughed and then apologized.
Now it was time for the last two. Twilight awoke Rarity, and Rainbow Dash awoke Sweetie Bell. Each one stood and turned away from each other. Twilight knew it was not going to be easy to make them look at each other, but Pinkie had an idea, “Hay Rarity isn’t that your best dress that Sweetie Bell is wearing.”
Rarity shot a very pissed look at Sweetie Bell, and was about to charge her. Sweetie Bell on the other hand was horrorstruck as she looked at Rarity. That was all the time Cadence needed to cast her spell. Rarity and Sweetie Bell blinked. They looked back at each other than Sweetie Bell walked over to Rarity and rubbed the side of her head on her sister’s leg.
Twilight smiled glad to have everypony back to their normal selves. This was sort lived though. The clouds around them began to stir and the storm grew dark. Twilight ran inside and grabbed the Elements of Harmony she kept the case that had been knocked down. She tossed each their element, and cadence pulled out the Crystal Heart.
Before them appeared a black silhouette of a pony, and surely that is what it was. The creature before them seemed to suck all the light for the air around it.
“Do you really think you can stop me?” a voice echoed from the void.
Cadence stepped forward, “No. I’m not too sure what I could do, but I am sure that I care for these people, and all they have given. Twilight had taught me that as long as I love the people I care for then you have no power over us.”
With that Cadence raised the Crystal Heart and channeled her love through it, and each of the elements did the same. The elements lit up, and a beam of light of the corresponding colors shot from each of the elements into the Crystal Heart. The Crystal Heart then erupted in all different colors, shimmering similar to a quartz reflecting light, creating a dome that shot out all over Equestria.
The shadow that stood before them lit up like the sun and dissipated into the void, and the storm was dispersed from all of Equestria.
Each pony settled back to a normal state still filled with the bliss that came from the love they felt channeled from their friends through the elements.
Shortly after there was a flash of two lights, and before them sat both princesses. Celestia looked at each of the ponies that stood before her, and Luna looked around at the damage that stood in the wake of Ponyville
“Well I see that you have all done it again,” Celestia said with a slight smile on her face “and Twilight it seems to me that you have learned the most valuable lesson of all, care to explain?”
Twilight looked up at Celestia with adoration in her eyes, “Yes Celestia, I had learned that you should never give up on you friends, and love them unconditionally, for even if you feel abandoned by them, they may feel the same and need you to still be there for them.”
“You have truly learned the most valuable lesson this day,” Celestia said with pride in her heart, “And now you know what it means to be a true friend. You are ready Twilight for the last stage of you lessons. I will be seeing you soon.
“Now as for the rest of you, I am very proud of all of you. You have all came through in the darkest times of your friendships, especially you Cadence, and for that you have all come out better.”
With that Pinkie Pie yelled, “This deserves a party!” and with that a party like Ponyville had never seen followed.