Equestria's Demise

by misseljebel

Chapter 3

The ponies sat around talking to each other, discussing their new adventure. Twilight sat off to the side, thinking. If they needed extremely powerful magic to stop Clades, well, which pony had more powerful magic than her new student Starlight Glimmer? Twilight decided she would invite Starlight along too. It would be her first big mission. She just prayed it wouldn't be her last.

Azure walked to the door, opening it up and pointing her hoof outside. "Good, now goodbye," she hissed. Twilight trotted out of her house and looked back at the other ponies.

"I'm going to get Starlight, she needs to come along with," Twilight told them. Pinkie hopped up to her, beaming, her poofy hair bouncing as she did so.

"Oh! This'll be Starlight's first time, right?" Pinkie Pie asked, and Twilight gave a nod.

All the ponies ushered out of Azure's house, and Azure closed the door behind her, locking it. They all chatted excitedly, and Twilight stomped her hooves to get their attention.

"Everypony please get ready for our mission. I'm going to head back to my castle and fetch my pupil." She ordered. Applejack walked up to her, a concerned expression on her face.

"Twilight, ya sure she's ready?" Applejack queried. Twilight outstretched a wing and placed it on Applejack's shoulder.

"You're asking if a pony who went back in time to try to alter history is ready for this?" Twilight asked, laughing. That moment, her eyes grew wide and she stared at the new ponies, who were staring at her back, their jaws dropped.

"What now?" Reverb asked. Twilight flattened her ears to her head and blushed.

She then turned and started to flap her wings. "You all get ready, I'll be right back!" Twilight called, then flew to her castle.

Upon her arrival, she threw open the door and trotted inside. "Starlight?" She yelled, her voice echoing throughout the large halls.

"In here!" A voice came from the direction of the library. Twilight ran inside and saw Starlight reading some books while Spike read his comics. She looked up at Twilight, batting her eyes. "What's up?"

"Starlight, we have a very important mission we need to embark on." Twilight told her.

"Does it have to do with that Clades guy?" Starlight asked. Twilight cocked an eyebrow.

"How'd you know?" Twilight questioned. Starlight's gaze traveled over to Spike, who gave a smug wave.

"Spike told me," Starlight replied. Twilight sighed and got closer.

"I'm afraid he'll terrify all of Equestria and eat thousands of ponies if we don't do something to stop him." Twilight worried. She used her magic to pick up a scroll and a quill. She began to write a list. "I'll make a list of what you need to bring."

Starlight rolled her eyes, and Spike laughed. She stood up and read the list over Twilight's shoulder, her eyebrows furrowed. "Doesn't that all seem a bit excessive?" She asked. Twilight shook her head and handed Starlight the scroll.

"Nope! Also, this'll be a friendship lesson for you, due to the fact there are three new ponies coming along." Twilight informed her. Starlight felt her stomach drop.

"What? O-oh, okay," Starlight responded, her voice shaking. Twilight started to gather her things, Starlight following her.

"Don't worry Starlight, they're super nice!" Twilight said, then paused, thinking. "Well, two of them." She shook her head and trotted out of the room. "Just get ready and we'll go meet everypony!"

Starlight exchanged glances with Spike. "I think you'd better sit this one out," Starlight told him, forcing a smile. He rolled his eyes.

"It's whatever. Besides, I have my comic books and seven hour bubble baths!" Spike responded. Starlight furrowed her eyebrows.

"Don't use up all the hot water in Ponyville again, okay?" Starlight laughed. Spike nodded and returned to reading his comic.

Starlight left, ignoring the list, and met Twilight outside. They both headed over to the meeting spot.

The ponies swiveled their heads when they heard the flapping of wings. There, Twilight and Starlight arrived. Twilight brought her forward, and Starlight's eyes scanned the three new ponies.

"Everypony, this is Starlight. Starlight, this is Reverb, Azure and Colada." Twilight introduced, pointing at each pony respectively. Reverb flew up and shook Starlight's hoof.

"Ah! So nice to meet you, time traveling pony!" Reverb beamed, winking. Starlight glared at Twilight, who blushed, embarrassed and ashamed.

Colada stepped forward, shaking Starlight's hoof. "Nice to meet you," Colada said. Starlight smiled and dipped her head in respect.

Starlight turned to look at Azure, but Azure just grumbled something and looked away. Starlight was taken aback, hurt, but Twilight just shook her head and Starlight caught her drift.

Twilight turned and looked at the mountains in the distance. There rested Canterlot, the magnificent city. "We'll head to Canterlot immediately. We'll talk to the princess and see what we can do."

"This is gonna be awesome!" Rainbow shouted, shaking Fluttershy. Her eyes were wide.

"I-I guess so," she agreed reluctantly.

"Oh, Canterlot! Maybe I can check of my boutique?" Rarity suggested. Everypony glared at her, and she blushed. "Heheh, just a thought..."

"Come on everypony, let's go!" Twilight yelled. She and all the other ponies took off to the train station, where they bought train tickets and headed off to Canterlot.

They sat in the train, talking excitedly. Pinkie and Cheese were cuddling, being their weird selves. Applejack and Rarity chatted about Canterlot, and Rainbow Dash was telling Fluttershy how she was going to go about taking Clades to the ground. The rest sat across from each other.

"So, Starlight, tell them a bit about yourself," Twilight told her. Starlight blushed and rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

"Oh, uh, I'm Starlight, and..." She paused, not sure of what to say. She thought there wasn't much to her except the fact she stole ponies' cutie marks and tried to alter history, but that wasn't a very good icebreaker. "I, uh, I do magic and I'm Twilight's apprentice."

Reverb's blue eyes shone with wonder. "Wow, Twilight's apprentice! How did that come about?" Reverb asked. Twilight and Starlight exchanged glances.

"I just saw how good she was at magic and decided to take her in," Twilight replied. It wasn't a complete lie. Reverb flashed them a toothy grin.

"Wow, that's cool! I bet you have to be really powerful to time travel!" Reverb giggled. Starlight blushed deeper, feeling herself start to sweat.

"W-well, what about you? Tell me about yourselves!" Starlight quickly changed the subject. Reverb clapped her hooves together.

"I'm a singer!" Reverb cheered.

"I own a smoothie shop," Colada smiled, dipping her head.

"I'm an author." Azure hissed.

Starlight smiled nervously. "Oh! Sounds lovely." She responded.

About a day passed and they found themselves at Canterlot. They disembarked the train, and the smell of perfume hit their nostrils immediately. Twilight trotted off, turning her head to the large castle.

"Rarity? Pinkie?" A voice came. Rarity and Pinkie looked over to see a familiar pony. She stepped forward and gave a sweet smile.

"Saffron!" Pinkie squealed, running up to Saffron Masala and hugging her. Rarity walked up to her.

"Namaste! What are you doing here?" Saffron asked. She peered over their shoulders to see all their other friends. "And with all your friends?"

"We're on a very important mission!" Pinkie replied. Suddenly and raced over, grabbed Cheese and brought him over. "Saffron, this is my boyfriend Cheese Sandwich!"

"Pleasure to meet you!" He shook her hoof, and she smiled.

"Nice to meet you too!" Saffron beamed, then directed her attention to Rarity. "Have you any special somepony?"

Rarity blushed and shook her head. "Oh! No, not yet." Rarity giggled. "What about you?"

"I have a girlfriend named Starlet Topaz," Saffron responded. Rarity and Pinkie's faces lit up.

"Congratulations!" They shouted, hugging her. She hugged them back, then they drew back.

"I guess I will let you go on your mission," Saffron said.

"Okay! It was nice seeing you!" Pinkie hopped up and down.

"We'll come back and visit you as soon as we can," Rarity told her. Saffron nodded and waved her hoof as they left toward the castle.

They reached the castle. Guards stood in the front, but they dipped their heads and seeing Twilight and let them all inside. They walked down a large corridor before arriving at the large room that held the princesses' thrones. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both sat in front of them, their wants magnificently flowing.

"Oh my gosh! No way!" Reverb jumped in the air, flapping her wings. "It's Princesses Celestia and Luna! I never thought the day would come when I would meet them!" She flew up to them, landing and dropping to the ground. "I grovel at your hooves!" She started to kiss both of their hooves, and the two sisters exchanged glances.

"Twilight, who's this?" Celestia asked, trying her hardest to keep the edge out of her voice. Twilight stepped forward.

"That's Reverb, and these are Colada and Azure. Pinkie’s special somepony Cheese Sandwich is also coming along." Twilight introduced. Colada, Azure and Cheese bowed down, and Celestia narrowed her eyes.

"Twilight, this is a very important mission, you can't be bringing random ponies, they could get hurt." Celestia scolded. Twilight flattened her ears to her head but kept talking.

"Azure knows a lot about Clades and the other two were very eager to come. I figured they would be beneficial to the mission." Twilight replied. She felt awkward objecting the princesses, but she remembered she was a princess too and had every right to express her own ideas.

Princess Luna dipped her head. "Very well. But you must take extra care of them." Luna said. Azure stomped a hoof.

"Now wait just a minute!" Azure hissed, walking forward. Colada watched in fear.

"Azure!" She frowned.

"I am an independent mare who can take care of herself, and I don't need nopony watching over me!" Azure rejected. The princesses looked down at her, but they didn't seem upset.

"Alright, I see." Celestia responded. "But you must realize this mission could put your life in danger."

"I know that! I also know that I can take care of myself!" Azure spat. Celestia sighed.

"Very well. Colada, Reverb, Cheese, if you have any concerns, feel free to back out." Celestia told them. Reverb jumped in the air.

"No way!" Reverb protested.

"I like the way you think!" Rainbow Dash shouted up to her, winking.

Colada's eyes grew wide when she saw the princesses' attention directed at her. She bowed down again. "I-I guess I will go, if my friends are." She agreed in her accent.

“Haha, as long as I get to be with my marefriend!” Cheese wrapped his foreleg around Pinkie and she giggled and nuzzled him. The two sisters smiled.

Princess Celestia's eyes flickered over to Starlight. "Ah! Starlight. So you're going along too?"

"Yes," Starlight answered, nodding. "I feel this will help me with my friendship lessons."

"It will." Princess Celestia dipped her head. She stood up and walked over to a wall full of scrolls, her sister following her. She used her magic to pull out a scroll. She opened it up and gave it to the other ponies. "Clades is from the lava region up past Equestria. I'd say for you all to go there, but you'd better go to the Crystal Empire and tell Cadence and Shining Armor about the situation we're in."

"The Crystal Empire!" Colada's eyes sparkled as her head shot up. "Oh my, I have always wanted to go there!"

"Well now is your chance, but unfortunately there will be no time for sightseeing," Luna told her. She dipped her head, understanding.
Celestia led them to the door. "It's time for you to leave on your journey. I wish you the best of luck." She said. Luna nodded her head in agreement.

Twilight dipped her head at them. "Thank you so much, princesses. We won't let you down." She said.

"We wish you the best of luck." Celestia told them, and they turned and raced out the castle.