Dawn of a New World

by KingBrony

10 - The Frozen Waste

"Find anything?"

"Nope...you sure we got 'em?"

"Nopony could have survived that! We blew a whole bridge up!"

Bolt and his stallions trotted along the river, soon passing where the bridge once stood. The pieces of metal and stone drifted south, away from the destruction. Bolt looked mad - he wanted to find the bodies of these ponies.

"You know what they told us about finding others! We need them to be alive!"

"There's nothing here!"

Bolt turned around. Frustrated, he walked away from the river. "I guess there are others..." He said to himself.

"Wait! I found somepony! She's still alive!"

The stallion turned back to the river. Two others were pulling an orange mare out of the river. She was badly hurt, but alive. Bolt smiled.

"Take her."

*********

Apple Bloom was silent as they walked north along the river. The last she spoke was when she wanted to go into the river and find her sister herself. They all wanted to, but it was definitely too dangerous - especially since those stallions were right there as well.

"But...how can the elements work if Applejack is..." Fluttershy peeped. Rainbow Dash didn't answer. Apple Bloom had a blank expression on her face.

The group soon reached its destination: a small train station north of Manehatten. There was one small train that seemed to be in working condition - perfect to get to the Crystal Empire easily. Fluttershy saw the others standing next to the train.

Twilight was the one who greeted them. She had finally woken up after that burst of magic and felt fine again. "You girls are okay! ...Wait, where's Applejack?"

Everypony was silent. Soon, almost everypony began to break into tears - from Twilight's short snivels to Pinkie Pie's full on wailing.

"Applejack is strong! I know she didn't...She knows where we're going, and that's all that matters!" Rainbow Dash finally shouted. She then turned to Apple Bloom. "Don't worry, kid. Your sister is fine! I'll...I'll go look for her!"

"Wait, Rainbow-"

The blue pegasus bolted off, leaving behind a rainbow trail. She went south in order to find her friend. She knew Applejack was still alive.

Rarity noticed the new filly among the group. "Who is this young dear?" She said as she approached Berry Bunches, who cowered behind Fluttershy.

"This is Berry Bunches." Fluttershy said. "I rescued her."

"She's one of us now!" Sweetie Belle squeaked happily.

Rarity lowered her head, noticing the injured wing. "You must have been through a lot. Are you hungry? Pinkie Pie here made some cupcakes! ...Somehow, but that's not the point." She laughed as she escorted the filly.

Twilight spoke up again. "The train here is working fine, and we have enough coal to get to the Crystal Empire and even back to Canterlot. Should we wait for Rainbow Dash to return before departing?"

Durango spoke up. "No." He said. "Rainbow and Applejack will be fine on their own...I believe AJ is okay too. It's easier for two ponies to travel than for all of us. We need to get going."

Twilight agreed, although she frowned. She turned back south before boarding the train. Durango jumped on top and rested.

Inside, Rarity gave Berry Bunches a cupcake, which the filly took humbly. Twilight and Pinkie were inspecting the train, while the other fillies and Fluttershy quietly sat down. Spike was the last one to board the train; as he did so, he began to cough. The others looked to him.

After giving a big cough, Spike spit out a letter. Twilight immediately took it, knowing that it is from the princess. She read it aloud:

Princess Twilight Sparkle,

I wish to say that things are getting better here, but I cannot. Soon after your last letter, things have gotten much worse. Discord's chaos has affected all of Equestria, and a group of renegade ponies has risen.

When you left, I traveled to the Crystal Empire to check on the state of things there. They are probably the most stable place in all of Equestria right now. I urge you to get there as fast as you can, before it is too late. I wish I could explain more about what has happened, but your brother can inform you once you get there.

The Elements of Harmony will prevail above all. Remember that.

Princess Celestia

It was not good news. The others were all silent as Twilight finished reading the letter and placed it down gently. Pinkie Pie even had a hint of defeat about her.

Fluttershy looked to Berry Bunches. She was silently eating a cupcake, but the look in her eyes was one of fear. Fluttershy had to protect this filly - she must never be scared. The yellow pegasus spoke up.

"I know things may look bad now, but we will succeed! There has never been a problem that we couldn't solve!" Fluttershy knew that what happened was bigger than anything they had encountered before, but she didn't want anypony to feel sad. Not anymore.

"You're right." Twilight said. "It may be a big challenge, but if we are together, we can win! Let's get going!"

"Are you sure about leaving Rainbow Dash? And..." Rarity began to say, but she trailed off.

"Yes." Apple Bloom spoke. The others were surprised at the filly's sudden interjection.

Twilight frowned. "...Okay. Spike, help me with the coal."

The purple dragon followed Twilight into the front car while everypony else took their seats. Durango clutched the top of the train as it pushed out of the station towards the north.

The train ride was nothing exciting except for one portion of the track that was hit by a meteor. Durango saw it from a mile away and managed to lift the train slightly as it reached the break point. He carried it a few feet onto the other side of the tracks, and the train held strong. The ponies flew around a little, but it wasn't too bad. Pinkie Pie tried cheering everypony up with a song.

Don't be scared! Don't you cry!

Be silly and laugh like Pinkie Pie!

After all that's said, after all that's done,

If you are happy then you'll have won!

We've been through lots from then to now,

But we can still smile, I'll show you how!

...It didn't catch on. Berry Bunches smiled and laughed, but Apple Bloom kept quiet. The others were more annoyed than relieved. Pinkie Pie soon stopped and sat down as well.

"Aww, you should have all been laughing by now!" Pinkie Pie said. "Or else...the party cannon will mean nothing!"

Right then, a loud explosion came right from under Pinkie's seat. Out poured confetti and other things that she usually tucks into her party cannon. After the mess settled on the train floor, the other ponies stared...and began to laugh.

Even Apple Bloom found that funny. Pinkie Pie smiled, knowing her job was done.

"Wait...where did that cannon come from?" Berry Bunches asked out loud.

"Just...Pinkie Pie." Twilight said with a chuckle.

It was dark when the train arrived in the north. The snow was heavy and nopony could see very far. In fact, the snow was so bad that the train began to freeze right to the tracks. The metal twisted and turned as it stopped to a halt, a good distance away from the city.

Durango had never been up this far north before and wasn't prepared for the cold. He began to shiver. "Is the Crystal Empire really in a place like this?"

The others looked to each other. "You'll see." Twilight said as they exited the car. It was indeed very cold; none of the ponies were prepared for this. The fillies huddled together for warmth as they made their way north along the tracks.

A fierce blizzard swept the land. The older ponies and Durango were able to move along fine, but the fillies and Spike had much trouble. At one point, Sweetie Belle collapsed to the cries of the others. Durango immediately snatched her up and held her close to his warm body. Every once in a while, Durango would also let out a fierce breath of fire, warming up the ponies. As they went along, he had to spread these breaths out as he began to grow cold.

Berry Bunches's injured wing was on Fluttershy's mind. Berry trekked along beside the yellow pony, slowly but surely. Her mane and face were covered in frost, and her wing looked like it would become infected.

Fluttershy moved so that her body was up against the injured wing, providing some warmth. "Are you okay?" She asked the purple filly. Berry nodded.

"I'm...a little hungry." She whimpered.

Meanwhile, at the front of the group, Rarity spoke up. "Do you think Discord's been up here too?"

Pinkie Pie stopped, stared at the snow-covered ground, and scooped some into her mouth.

"Ice cream!" She yelled as she ate more.

"I guess that means yes..." Rarity said as she picked her front hoof off of the ice cream-covered ground. "Quite."

The fillies had smiles on their faces and went right for the ice cream. It wasn't healthy, but it filled them up all the same. The blizzard did let up a little bit, but it was still freezing cold. Durango's breaths were cold as well at this point.

"We're almost there...I can feel it." Twilight Sparkle said to her group. They looked ragged. Twilight frowned as she turned again.

Soon enough, the ponies did make it to the outskirts of the crystal empire. By then, Durango was carrying all of the fillies and Rarity on his back. The fierce cold gave way for sunshine and a warm air. The place looked unharmed. The crystal buildings glistened in the light as the large tower at the center of the empire stood strong.

Everypony was excited upon entering the empire. Twilight stood there, thinking. "Hmm...I wonder..." She said as she fired up her horn. It worked! Twilight teleported a few feet and screamed with delight. "Magic works here! It really works! Oh, there's so much we have to do!"

Following the tracks, the group made it right to the train station. It was empty, but beyond the tracks were all of the crystal ponies in their glory. There was no doubt that they had heard of what happened to the rest of the world, as Twilight could see the looks on their faces - not as happy as usual.

The fillies were all ecstatic about the crystal empire. "We can finally explore the place!" Sweetie Belle shouted to her friends. Apple Bloom smiled, but she remained silent.

Durango quickly fell behind the others. "Maybe it would be better if I stayed behind." He called out. Fluttershy looked to him, then to the crystal ponies. A few had noticed him and had uneasy looks.

"I'll stay with you." She said calmly.

"Okay then," Twilight started. "Rarity and I will go meet Princess Cadence and my brother...Pinkie Pie, can you keep watch on the girls!"

"Just like watching the baby Cakes!" Pinkie shouted. "Come on, girls! Let's go explore!"

The fillies followed Pinkie Pie in a line as Rarity, Twilight, and Spike went off to find Princess Cadence. Fluttershy stayed behind with the dragon. His blue eyes shimmered just like the crystal ponies.

"Durango..." Fluttershy peeped, as if to ask a question.

"Yes?" He said back.

"Have you...ever killed anypony before?" The pegasus didn't know why she asked the question, but she did.

"Yes." He was very blunt about it. Fluttershy turned to him.

"Did you...enjoy it?"

"What are you getting at?" His eyes stared right into Fluttershy's soul.

Even though Durango was a friend, Fluttershy couldn't help but cower. "It's just..."

"Dragons kill, steal, and fly. That is all we do." He said. "Such is our nature. We do it to survive."

"Survival."

"Yes. Killing for survival is natural. I have never killed a being for fun, I can tell you that. And I don't plan to."

"But...don't you ever feel something after killing? Like...you'd want to do it again and again?" Fluttershy was bringing up her own feelings, those she had forgotten about since she saved Berry Bunches. They were flooding back in now. Durango looked at her.

"What happened that night? The night that figure emerged in the sky?"

"I...I killed a Manticore. And I loved it." The pegasus's expression was blank. "But...I..."

"Survival." Was what the dragon said. "Think of it as that and you will be fine. You are not capable of being a murderer. You deserve to survive. We all do."

Fluttershy nodded, still unsure.

*********

"Twily!!" Shining Armor yelled as he saw his sister enter the palace. They gave each other a hug. Princess Cadence stood behind him with a sad look on her face.

"I'm glad you're both okay." Twilight said to her brother and sister-in-law. "So tell me, how is the Crystal Empire doing?"

Shining Armor led Twilight and Rarity into a large room filled with guards. "Ever since the meteors fell and magic was lost, Canterlot fell apart. Most of Equestria fell with it as well. Up here, the magic field was not disrupted for long, and soon our magic was normal again." The white stallion used his magic to move a bunch of papers around that lay on a table.

"We are the only safe place left."

Twilight stared at the papers. One was a map of Equestria, covered in X's and drawn lines.

"What is going on? What happened to Canterlot? I received a letter from Princess Celestia...they can't be hurt, are they?"

"Discord is traveling all of Equestria, spreading his chaos around. I've heard rumors of a group of rouge ponies destroying and burning all they cross, adding more to their ranks."

Twilight thought of Applejack and what happened in Manehatten.

"And through all this chaos...the changelings came forward and attacked Canterlot. With a lack of magic, Celestia and Luna were unable to keep them back. Don't worry, they are unharmed, but Queen Chrysalis has her eyes set for...us."

Cadence added. "She will march with an army up here. If she can take the Crystal Empire, the last remnants of Equestria, she will be in charge, and all will be lost."

There was much to think about. How did Celestia and Luna fall to the changelings? Did she write that letter to warn us?

"But we have magic!" Twilight said to her brother and the princess. They nodded.

"That is why we do not have much to fear." Shining Armor said. "However...There's no telling if Discord will pull for one side or the other. Or, he could condemn us both."

Twilight then remembered her main objective. "If we can find the last Element, we can stop Discord and you can defeat the changelings!" She exclaimed.

"But, Applejack..." Rarity pitched in. She had a frown on her face. Twilight lowered her head.

Shining Armor didn't realize what had happened at first, but he soon realized. "...I'm sorry. I still believe we can defeat Chrysalis, even with Discord's distractions. We'll deal with him later."

Princess Cadence stepped forward. "I will create a magical shield to keep the changelings away as long as I can."

"Twilight..." Shining Armor placed a hoof on his sister's shoulder. "I'm sorry that things have to be this way. You were all so happy not too long ago. Princess Celestia told us about what you had to go through...You look like you've traveled long." The white unicorn looked tired; they all did.

"I still don't understand why Chrysalis would attack us up here...I mean, with our magic..."

"We are the only thing that can stand against her new kingdom. She's in control of Canterlot and most of Equestria. If they were to bring us down, there'd be nopony to challenge her." Shining Armor explained.

There might be somepony, Twilight thought to herself. All she could see was the giant figure from the clouds.No, I won't let them win. The elements will prevail.

...Applejack...

*********

Rainbow Dash arrived at the bridge...rather, what remained of the bridge. Lots of the smaller pieces had floated south, soiling the once beautiful water. When she got there she saw one stallion with a red bandana. There were no others nearby. This was when she decided to strike.

In one swoop, she tackled the unsuspecting pony and held him down.

"Where's my friend!?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

Rainbow Dash smiled, then hoisted the pony into the air. He was only an earth pony, so he was useless in the air. Rainbow Dash flew up high with the now screaming stallion.

"Let me ask again...WHERE. IS. MY. FRIEND!?"

"You mean the orange mare? Please, don't kill me! I'm just a new recruit! Just joined yesterday!"

"Well, you better get talking, bub!" Rainbow Dash dropped a few feet, making the stallion scream again. He seemed to be a few years older than Apple Bloom and the fillies. He was green with an orange mane. His cutie mark was a baseball.

"They took her away! And they told me to keep watch for a few hours, just in case anypony else showed up!"

"Who are these ponies!?"

"They call themselves the Chosen." The stallion whimpered. "They believe they were the chosen survivors, to rebuild Equestria. They follow what they call the pony gods; our leader claims to have spoken right to them! Anypony who believes can be a brother or sister as well...If you believe, you can be a sister!"

Rainbow Dash dropped another few feet before returning to the ground. She didn't understand what this Chosen group was all about.

"That just sounds dumb!"

"Oh, but I've talked to the gods as well..." The pony started saying. "I prayed to them yesterday, when I joined. I didn't believe at first, just like you, but they spoke to me! I heard it! They told me I will help rebuild Equestria!"

Rainbow Dash made a face. Clearly, this pony was crazy, just like the rest of their group. All she wanted was to find Applejack.

"What does this have to do with my friend?"

"Oh, well the gods say that in order for us to rebuild, we must cleanse the land of...non-believers. Sacrifice."

The pegasus's heart dropped.

The green pony continued. "When she wakes, she will be offered to join us...if she refuses, then she will be cleansed." He started laughing.

This is messed up, Rainbow Dash thought.

"Where is she!?"

"Like I'm going to tell you! Go ahead and do what you want to me, I'm not telling!"

Rainbow Dash groaned until she heard the sound of a radio:

"Green Greens, you there? Hurry up and get over here! We're in a small cave west of Manehatten."

The pony known as Green Greens looked at Rainbow Dash and laughed, moving the radio behind him. Rainbow grabbed the radio and smashed it before flying off to find her friend.

*********

Durango finally decided to walk among the crystal ponies. Fluttershy flew right above him to make sure everything would be okay. The ponies were very hesitant about him at first, but his eyes calmed them down. Durango was very cautious as well, but Fluttershy was able to get him to be more confident.

"See, I think they're starting to like you!" Fluttershy said to the green dragon. They both made their way to the crystal palace when they saw Twilight and Rarity exiting.

"Oh, Twilight." Fluttershy called. "What's going to happen now?"

Twilight had a sad expression on her face. "The changelings are...coming here."

A magical beam could be heard as the sky turned pink. A magical force field enveloped the city. Fluttershy squeaked when it happened, but soon realized what it was.

"I think we should find your element." Fluttershy said to the princess. Twilight nodded.

"I don't know how, though..." Twilight said before taking a deep breath. "The element of Magic...do I just need to cast some spells?" She asked herself before levitating her dragon companion. Spike started yelling at the purple pony. Twilight teleported around a few times before a weird look in her eyes emerged. She looked frustrated.

"There has to be a way!" Twilight looked back and forth as she ran around in circles.

"Twilight!" Fluttershy yelled, snapping Twilight out of her trance.

The princess raised a hoof and took a deep breath. "I apologize." She said calmly.

"HI THERE!!"

Pinkie Pie's voice broke Twilight's calm demeanor. She bounced into the area, followed by the fillies. Berry Bunches looked the happiest she'd ever been since Fluttershy found her.

"Pinkie, now's not the time!" Rarity said to the bouncing pony. "Those dreadful changelings are coming. Oh, I hope I don't have to fight them again."

"Changelings?" Berry Bunches asked the group.

"They are evil little creatures that can change their appearance into anypony!" Pinkie pie said, gesturing as she did so. This caused Berry to cower in fear.

"Maybe it would be better if the fillies went into the palace." Twilight said. Everypony nodded.

Fluttershy spoke up. "I'll take them; I'm not so good at 'fighting' anyway." She smiled as she made her way to the palace.

Really, I'm scared at what I would do... She said under her breath. As bad as those changelings were, she didn't even want to think about what would happen if she decided to snap on them. Not when Berry had to be protected, as well as the other fillies.

The high walls of the palace never ceased to amaze Fluttershy, but the fillies were even more excited.

"We finally get to enter the Crystal Palace!" Sweetie Belle squeaked as the four fillies trotted inside. It was all lavish and beautiful, like always. More of the crystal ponies were inside than before, due to the events happening outside.

"Do you want to see the balcony?" Fluttershy asked the fillies.

It was a unanimous "Yes!", sans Apple Bloom, but her eyes glistened at the thought of seeing the princess's balcony. The four made their way upstairs to the balcony. It was a very beautiful sight - one could see all of the Crystal Empire from there. The pinkish shield surrounding the kingdom dampened the mood as it made Fluttershy think of what will happen.

*********

A cave. A dark, disgusting cave. This was what Rainbow Dash saw as she flew in to rescue her friend. It was located away from any paths or roads, deep in a forest. It was by chance that RD actually found the cave; she heard some ponies talking and followed them in secret.

When she reached a giant chamber, Rainbow Dash ducked behind a crate. There were candles lit all over the place and red stained the walls in archaic writing.In the center of the room was Applejack, tied to a table and surrounded by hooded ponies with knives. They were all chanting, as if possessed by some demon.

Rainbow Dash didn't have time for this craziness and thought of a plan of action when the main pony spoke up.

"As you know, our gods command the sacrifice of a fair mare in order to give them power. They say we are the chosen ones - the ones who will cleanse this land and make it a better place for all." He took the knife and jammed in onto the table. Applejack was awake at this point, squirming around.

"Let me outta here!" She wasn't scared at all - she seemed quite angry in fact.

The ponies began changing. "Sacrifice. Sacrifice. Sacrifice!" The main pony picked the knife up once again and was ready to do his work, to appease these gods.

This was when Rainbow Dash flew into action. She zoomed by and grabbed the knife. The ponies were all confused at first, but then saw Rainbow Dash hovering in the air.

"That pony is disturbing our ritual! The gods will want her head!" Some ponies started flying up to Rainbow Dash, holding knifes. The blue pegasus smiled and flew to the other side of the room. Most of the ponies smacked right into the cave wall and dropped like flies. Rainbow Dash then doubled back and tackled the main pony before using the knife to free Applejack from the ropes. The other ponies stood silent.

For a bunch of fanatics, they aren't that aggressive, Rainbow Dash thought to herself before motioning to the exit. Some of the ponies snapped out of their trance and tried following the two, but Applejack would buck them right in the face.

Leaving the cave was the annoying part. AJ couldn't see in the dark, but Rainbow had a good idea of where to go. Before they knew it, they were outside. The dark trees loomed overhead. Applejack had an idea.

She approached one of the trees and gave it a great buck. It snapped and fell right onto the entrance of the cave, breaking and blocking the ponies trapped inside.

"While they try escapin', let's go! Where are the others?"

Rainbow Dash pointed north. "Crystal Empire."

"Ah don't suppose you can fly us there, right?"

*********

A dark cloud appeared over the Crystal Empire. It was distant at first, but it crept closer and closer to the magical shield. Fluttershy thought it was the Sleipnir again, but those thoughts were discarded when she saw the wings. The horns. The green eyes.

The Changelings.

The creatures spent no time waiting and began pounding right into the shield, just like they had done at Canterlot before Princess Cadence's wedding. Fluttershy wished for those times again, because at least the world wasn't so...

"Fluttershy?"

It was Princess Cadence. She appeared from behind the pegasus and the fillies. She had a solemn look on her face as her horn lit up, supplying more energy to the shield.

"Hello, Princess." Fluttershy bowed.

"Please rise." She said in a happy tone. She stumbled a little, obviously being drained of her energy from the shield. "I wanted to know how you were doing..." The princess noticed Fluttershy's appearance: She was no longer the cute and shy pony she was...well, she was, but her hair was discolored and mussed. Dirt covered her fur, and the cuts from her previous encounters were still there. Cadence frowned as she approached the pegasus.

"Oh, I am okay." Fluttershy said, trying to bring her old tone back. "I'm more worried about the fillies here."

Each one was disheveled in her own way. Apple Bloom lay silent, Scootaloo quiet, Sweetie Belle tired, and Berry Bunches hurt. Cadence approached the purple filly and looked at her wing.

"I am sorry for your injury...maybe I can fix it?" Cadence said sweetly.

Well, she is a princess...I'm sure she could, Fluttershy thought. Berry's eyes lit up as she smiled at the princess.

"Oh, I would like that very much!"

Cadence smiled before her horn twitched. The spell was definitely taking its toll on her. The thuds on the surrounding shield were so loud that they echoed into the palace. Fluttershy did not want to keep watching the changelings trying to bust in.

On the outskirts of the Crystal Empire, Shining Armor made his way to Twilight's location. Hundreds of royal guards stood on the perimeter, ready to attack. Of course, since the changelings could fly, there were other guards farther into the city as well. They were all waiting for the moment to strike.

"Cadence's shield will only last for as long as we need to prepare for battle." Shining Armor said. "They won't catch us off guard this time, unlike in Canterlot."

"Where is their leader? Queen Chrysalis?" Twilight asked her brother. He shrugged.

"As soon as she shows her face, I will charge.

"But when they enter, they will be able to change their appearance...It will be hard to fight them if they could look like any of us!" Rarity whined. She was in no mood to fight.

"Don't worry," Twilight replied. "If our magic really does work here, then I doubt there will be much of a problem."

THUD.

CRACK.

The shield soon gave way as it shattered into thousands of pieces. It all crumbled and turned to dust around the Crystal Empire. The swarm charged right into battle. Royal pegasus guards flew up to meet them. On the ground, a wave of changelings entered, bringing Twilight right into the heat of the battle. They had changed their appearances to look like members of the royal guard.

"Don't kill until you're sure you're fighting a changeling!" Shining Armor called out to his ponies before charging into the fray.

A fight broke out reminiscent of the fight against the changelings in Canterlot. Changelings flew in every direction, disguised as anypony they wanted to be. Twilight fought off a few ponies that looked exactly like her.

Rarity wasn't a fighter, and she didn't plan on changing that anytime soon, but the unicorn used her magic to lift and toss the changelings. She managed to accidentally pick up the actual Twilight, to her dismay.

Pinkie Pie had her party cannon and shot the changelings down, one by one. Nopony knew where it came from, nor did they question the pink pony.

The three ponies could easily tell that there were at least twice as many changelings here than there were in Canterlot. They swarmed the skies, the ground, and everywhere in between. The sea of black pushed ever so strongly into the city. Before long, Twilight was shooting magical spells right in the city streets. The crystal ponies had retreated into the palace, leaving the streets deserted and open.

Durango, meanwhile, was in the air, swatting the creatures. A stream of green pierced the black sea as it rained changelings. He did his best to fight the changelings, but several of them turned into fierce dragons fully equipped with claws and sharp teeth. They dug and tore at the green dragon, eventually tearing his right wing. Durango fell to the ground.

The swarm of beasts was too much for the ponies to handle. While weak, there were too many for the ponies to effectively keep back. Shining Armor and Twilight retreated into the center of the city, already filled with casualties and fighting bodies. The crystal heart spun in its place in the middle of the destruction; Twilight and her brother stood right next to the peaceful crystal.

"I don't know what we can do..." Shining Armor said in a low voice. Twilight was busy shooting a beam at a changeling, but she could tell that her brother's voice was...unusual. Even for a battle. The princess looked to the unicorn.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Twilight."

Shining Armor gave a great buck and hit the crystal heart. It shot right out of its spot and slid across the ground. It cracked a few times and the luster of the crystal was gone. In fact, the rest of the palace began to lose its luster as well. Twilight stood in horror as her brother soon dawned a menacing grin on his face.

"Why did you do that???" Twilight yelled at her brother. He only laughed.

Soon, his voice changed. "Oh, I'm sorry! Did you need that?" It sounded very familiar...Chrysalis!

Shining Armor's image changed right in front of Twilight, leaving behind the Queen of the changelings herself. She laughed as she towered over the princess. Twilight prepared to use magic before Chrysalis zapped the purple princess with a freezing spell.

"What did you do to my brother!?"

Chrysalis laughed. "It's so easy to infiltrate the place you ponies call sanctuary...first Canterlot, and now here. First that Cadence, and now Shining Armor. Don't worry, he's perfectly safe...for now."

The surrounding scene was no better. Changelings began to effectively push back the soldiers. Anypony who didn't die was hurt badly. The streets were littered with bodies, both changeling and pony. What was even worse was that the changelings soon began feasting on the dead. Any pony who had fallen were all ripe food to be taken. It was a very gruesome sight.

Two changelings grabbed Twilight. "Bring her inside." Chrysalis commanded.

Inside, Fluttershy and the fillies watched as the Crystal Empire fell apart and invaded by the changelings. When Cadence's magic wore off, she collapsed. The ponies did their best to move the princess into the throne room and onto the throne.

"We must close the door, girls!" Fluttershy said to the fillies. They did so and moved a giant blue table to hold the door closed. It wouldn't do much in the long run, but it was all they could do.

It was silent for what seemed like forever before Apple Bloom spoke for the first time in a while. "Fluttershy, you have to go find help!"

"Oh, I don't know what use I would be...I don't even know if I can escape here fast enough." Fluttershy quickly replied.

Scootaloo spoke up. "You need to find Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy! You can escape through that window there and make your way into the snow!"

"I won't leave you girls alone."

"We'll be okay." Berry Bunches said in a calm voice.

"I'll protect them any way I can," Princess Cadence managed to wake up and stand once again. She looked tired, but the fillies all went to her side.

Fluttershy nodded before leaping out of the window. She looked back to see the girls reinforcing the door. She zoomed down to the street and ducked behind a cart. She saw the bodies of changelings and ponies all over the place. The beasts were gliding along the streets, terrorizing the scared crystal ponies. Others were...preparing for a meal. Fluttershy did remember Chrysalis talking about how she needed to feed her changelings...The pegasus didn't want to think of it anymore.

The yellow pony stealthily made her way to the edge of the green grass of the Crystal Empire. The changelings were busy in the actual town, so she was able to escape pretty easily. The blizzard was as fierce as ever, causing the pegasus to grow extremely cold.

It was a few minutes before Fluttershy came across a mound of ice cream snow. In front of it looked like a crater, as if something crashed right into the spot. As Fluttershy got closer, she saw it move. A green and black scale popped through the snow, and she knew what it was.

Durango lifted his head at the sound of somepony walking in the snow, and saw Fluttershy. As the pegasus approached, he gave her a sad look and shook the snow off.

Fluttershy gasped in shock as she saw his wings torn and various cut and bite marks on his body. His eyes, which always seemed to be as livid as he was, were dimming.

"I got beat by fake dragons...I guess I failed...I'm sorry." He managed to let out a weak breath. Fluttershy placed a hoof on the dragon.

"It's ironic...Dragons are supposed to be the toughest creatures...I guess I'm no dragon."

Fluttershy began crying. "You can't die here, Durango! We need you!" She cried into his scales. Durango placed a claw on the pony.

"Don't worry." The dragon said softly. "You have to be strong...for everypony. You can do anything, Fluttershy. I believe in you." The dragon fell silent. His eyes grew dull, and he ceased movement.

Fluttershy cried even more. She looked deep into the pale, empty eyes of the dragon that once saved her life. A chill went up and down her spine as she backed away. Snow slowly covered the dragon once more - his final resting place.

"Thank you." Fluttershy said to her friend. She thought she saw something in the sky that looked like a blue stream of light - Durango's soul, traveling into the cosmos and away from the destruction of the world that used to be.

The pegasus closed her eyes and cried. She didn't know how to find help - Rainbow Dash was gone and could be anywhere. How can I find her? Fluttershy thought to herself before feeling the metal around her neck.

The Element!

Fluttershy closed her eyes and concentrated. She could feel some light...something in the air - 5 somethings in the air, actually. She could feel Rarity, who was currently being taken with Twilight and Pinkie Pie into the castle. She felt Twilight's Element, which was also somewhere in the Crystal Empire.

Then, she felt Rainbow Dash. She used all of her power to try to communicate with the pegasus.

Rainbow Dash! We need you!! I need you!!!

Soon, Fluttershy really felt Rainbow Dash as the blue pegasus crashed right into her. Rainbow was laughing as she helped Fluttershy to stand back up.

"I heard you! How did you do that?" Rainbow Dash asked as she hovered above Fluttershy.

"The element." Fluttershy said as she looked at the gem around her neck. "I guess Celestia was right when she said these are our only hope." The pegasus then remembered: "Did you find Applejack??"

Rainbow nodded as she looked south. Standing right there was the orange mare herself. She looked very rugged and tired, but she was safe. Fluttershy flew and gave the earth pony a big hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Fluttershy yelled as she let go.

Applejack smiled. "Ah have Rainbow to thank fer that. Ah still can't believe you could fly this far while carrying me!"

The three laughed before Rainbow Dash noticed the mound of snow. She got near it and saw the green. Backing away, the laughter died as well.

"Is that..."

Fluttershy nodded. Both Rainbow Dash and Applejack bowed their heads.

"We can't let his death be in vain!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "I'm going to take care of this Chrysalis myself!"

"It's much too dangerous!" Fluttershy squeaked, remembering the ponies littered all over the palace and city.

"There has to be somethin' we can use to -" Applejack started saying, before all three looked at the gems around their necks.

"We have to get Twilight to find her's!" Rainbow Dash said. "Where are they now!"

*********

Sneaking into the city was harder than trying to leave, especially now that there were three ponies trying to enter. The changelings were moving bodies into the center of the city - some bodies were those of recently killed crystal ponies. The sight was absolutely revolting, fueling the anger of the three ponies even more.

The city began to change as the three made it to the palace. Without the crystal heart, it grew bleak and snow started falling - although not as strong as the blizzard.

It didn't take long to find where the missing ponies were. "You can hear Rarity's complaining from miles away." Rainbow chuckled before standing outside the door to one of the large rooms.

Rainbow Dash busted in and found what she was looking for. It was a fairly large room. There were a dozen changelings surrounding Queen Chrysalis, Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. The mares were being held by changelings as Chrysalis stood over them.

"...And that will be the story of how Equestria fell. A pair of princesses who thought they could keep peace in their land, only to fall apart. Us changelings taking over their stronghold, then spreading out to the Crystal Empire. We already have your Canterlot Castle; once this place falls, we will be in the position of power!" Chrysalis was remarking as Rainbow kicked the door in. Everypony turned their heads.

The blue pegasus was angry now. Behind her came in Applejack, which lit up the eyes of the ponies in captivity.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Chrysalis barked. "Get her!"

The changelings flew to the pegasus, but she moved out of the way. Applejack bucked one right in the face, knocking it across the room. Fluttershy slowly followed her friends into the room.

In the confusion, Twilight used her magic to teleport herself and the others right to the entrance. The six of them were all together for the first time since deciding to split up in Manehatten.

Chrysalis laughed. "I don't see what good this will do. You're too little, too late! My babies have probably eaten everypony in the entire kingdom by now! Equestria will be mine!"

Twilight stood her ground. "That's where you're wrong. You see, I've learned a lot from everything that's happened ever since the world ended...It doesn't matter what you've been through, or what hardships are thrown your way. As long as you have your friends to support you through the tough times, then there will be a clear resolution in the end! You will never take Equestria as long as we are together! Our friendship has been put through so much, that there is nothing that can stand in our way!"

The room began to glow in a pink light. A moment passed before it faded, leaving the Element of Magic resting right on Twilight's head. Finally, all of the elements were together once more.

Twilight looked to her friends.

Pinkie Pie - who never failed to keep us happy and smiling even in our darkest times.

Rarity - who has helped us out several times along the road, offering her generosity to make the best of what's happened.

Applejack - who's honesty keeps us focused and together even during the toughest struggles.

Rainbow Dash - who will stay loyal to her friends no matter how bad things have gotten.

Fluttershy - who has dealt with so much since the beginning...providing all of us with a sense of hope that we CAN survive.

The six elements began to glow fiercely. Twilight used her magic to teleport everypony in the room outside, right in the center of the city. Each element swelled with power and connected to one another.

Fluttershy felt extremely proud at that moment. All thoughts of her being a cold killer went away as she was filled with a feeling of kindness.

It was too much for Chrysalis to bear. She began burning up as she was hit with the elements at full force. The changelings all around her disintegrated and vanished into thin air. Others were knocked far into the air before vaporizing.

In an act of desperation, Chrysalis flew into the air and away from the Crystal Empire. "You fools! I'll be back..." Her voice trailed away as the elements reached their full potential. The crystal heart returned to its original state and hovered back into its rightful place. The city shined once again as it was bathed in a very warm light.

Soon, it faded away, leaving the ponies to stand together in a great group hug. They looked around to see the surviving ponies all cheering - the Crystal Empire was saved....

...However, it didn't return the ponies who were lost.

*********

The fillies soon left the castle with Princess Cadence to meet Twilight and the others. Upon seeing Applejack, Apple Bloom immediately lit up and ran to hug her sister.

"Ah missed you!!!" Apple Bloom cried.

"Ah'm sorry...Ah won't ever leave ya again." Applejack said solemnly before hugging her sister even tighter.

Berry Bunches ran to Fluttershy. "You were amazing, Fluttershy!" She exclaimed as she hugged the yellow pony. Fluttershy blushed.

Cadence approached Twilight. "I cannot thank you enough, Twilight...all of you. The Crystal Empire really owes you." She bowed.

"The elements really can fix this all..." Twilight said, looking at each of the girls. "Now, there's only one thing left to do."

"And what would that be?"

Discord appeared right above the ponies. He had a bag of popcorn in one hand and a soda in the other.

"I was pretty impressed at the show...too bad it ended early." He said before floating down. Rainbow Dash tried tackling him once again and failed.

Twilight got the girls ready. "Your chaos ends now, Discord!" She said to the laughing draconequus.

He laughed even more. "Oh, you don't think our little showdown will happen here, will it?" He said before snapping his fingers. He disappeared.

Twilight groaned in frustration. "Canterlot. He must be there!" She said before looking to the others. "We have no time to waste! Will you be okay here, Cadence? ...Wait, where is my brother!?" Twilight remembered that Chrysalis took the form of her brother...somehow, she managed to get the better of him. He was somewhere, she could feel it.

Cadence closed her eyes. "I will take care of that. Please, you must defeat Discord and put an end to this chaos! After that, we can focus on rebuilding Equestria." She said calmly. Everypony nodded.

As they got ready to depart, Berry Bunches turned to Fluttershy. "I'm sorry, but I think I should stay here." She said quietly to the pegasus. Fluttershy nodded.

"I would like that very much...it is much safer here now...Princess Cadence will take care of you."

The other fillies looked to Twilight. "We can still go, right?" They all asked.

"I'm not sure." Rarity responded. "It might be pretty dangerous."

"But, we have to go!" Sweetie Belle squeaked. "We have to make sure you defeat Discord!"

Twilight smiled. "It's okay...I feel that with the elements, nothing can stop us!"

Spike emerged from behind the ponies. "I'm definitely going too!"

Twilight laughed. "We'll need all the help we can get!"

Princess Cadence addressed the ponies. "Please be careful. I know you can do it; All of Equestria is counting on you."

This is it, Fluttershy thought to herself.

"This is what it's all been leading up to. The final showdown!" Rainbow Dash yelled. The others all smiled and stood ready to depart.

Ready for the final fight...