> Rainbow Connection
>  by ahilty
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prologue


Equestria
Sweet Apple Acres
In the near future…

“Granny!  Granny wake up!”
Apple Bloom opened her eyes and yawned slightly as the young filly, her granddaughter, prodded her gently with a small hoof.  The now elderly mare raised her head and smiled down at her granddaughter.  The little one was almost her age when Apple Bloom had became a Cutie Mark Crusader, and was in many ways just as impatient to get her mark as Apple Bloom had once been.
“What is it, dear?  Shouldn’t ya be asleep?  It’s a big day tomorrow.   Isn’t your class goin’ on that field trip?”
“Well…yeah.”  The filly scuffed her hoof.  “Ah was just gonna ask about…ya know…the Valley?”
Apple Bloom smiled to herself.  “Ah yes…Dream Valley…Remember it like it was yesterday…when me and Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell found the gate ta the other world…now you youngin’s pass over there all the time to play with Bushwoolies and Stonebacks and all them other critters…was different back then…for both sides…”  Apple Bloom trailed off, watching her granddaughter for the tell tale signs of a bored filly.  But she was looking at Apple Bloom with wide, expectant eyes.
Apple Bloom settled back into her rocking chair, the some one used by her own Granny Smith all those years ago…
“I guess we got a little time for me ta tell ya the story…”
“Start with the witches!  We’re gonna visit em tomorrow as well!  Ah wanna hear about em first!”
“Now all that started long before we found the gate…but ah heard enough from ol’ Draggle to tell you what happened…it’s not a nice story though…but yer old enough ah reckon…” Apple Bloom’s granddaughter nodded enthusiastically.  She was a big filly now, after all!
“Back before the connection was made, long ago, the world of Dream Valley was a perilous and dangerous place, like the Everfree Forest, if the forest covered the entire land.  The Dream Valley ponies had to suffer from the most terrible of foes.  Tirek, the Lord of Darkness, Grogar the Terrible, Arabus the Cloud Demon, but one of the most terrible foes they had to face was the Smooze, a being of pure misery summoned to that world by a trio of witches.  Hydia, and her daughters, Reeka and Draggle.  This story ain’t about the Smooze itself, but what came after.  Two great failures would set Hydia on a path that would separate her from her daughters, forever…

Long ago, in the Volcano of Gloom…”



Dream Valley
Volcano of Gloom
The Past…

The Volcano of Gloom was a very appropriate name, for this was Dream Valley, and for the most part it was a very dangerous place.  Monsters stalked the land, usually unopposed by all but the brave police force of Crabnasties, or the efforts of noble knights.  Swamps, dangerous deserts, treacherous mountains, and sinister forests (where even the trees probably wanted to eat you), surrounded a few bright spots in the Valley.  One of these few bright spots was called Ponyland, and it was here that the little ponies dwelled.  Unlike Equestria the ponies of Dream Valley never really had an opportunity to separate into tribes.  Small tribes of ponies had the tendency to be eaten, corrupted, or have their souls stolen.  But despite the chaos that surrounded them, the ponies of this world had managed to surround themselves with friends and allies.  The Grundles, the Bushwoolies, the Sea Ponies, and of course the Flutter Ponies.  The Flutter Ponies, slender, butterfly winged ponies, ruled the neighboring kingdom of Flutter Valley, which unfortunately also put them within a day’s flutter from the Volcano of Gloom.  Together, this small conclave of good aligned beings stood as a bold testament against the darkness, indeed, stood defiant against it.  So far not a single foe had beaten the ponies of Dream Valley, or their friends.
And this is probably why Hydia, the matron witch of the Volcano Coven, was in such a state.  It was bad enough her ‘coven’ now consisted only of her and her two incompetent daughters; in fact her own mother would had run out of patience long ago with screw ups like Reeka and Draggle!  Along with this the ponies had not only taken over the land which was once hers, but had converted it to a lovely, bright, happy place full of smiles and laughter and other such useless rot.  She was a witch!  An evil witch aligned with the dark powers of this world!  Sunlight burned her skin and made her itch.  Sugar and pleasant foods made her sick to her stomach.  To say nothing of what bright and cheerful songs to did to her ears!  It wasn’t just a matter of disliking such frivolities; it was as if all the things the ponies stood for went entirely against her nature.  And indeed, that was the truth.  It was the same for all the witches of her line.  It was even the same for her daughters.  The ponies were the opposite of everything a witch was supposed to be, and this was the main reason Hydia wanted to get rid of them.  
That and they stole her ancestral land and purified it.  That rankled.  A lot.  And the fact that she couldn’t seem to take it back rankled even more.
After the defeat they had been handed at Flutter Valley, Hydia had put a temporary halt to their plans of domination.  Her daughters were too weak.  Especially Draggle.  Hydia had not forgotten that the numbskull had been tricked into letting the ponies go at one point.  Though punishment had to be halted, that didn’t mean Hydia had forgotten, or forgiven.  So for the past year she had been training her daughters, after discovering a lack of ability from them that simply would not do.  Reeka had, with some ‘encouragement’, was finally shaping up from ‘incompetent’ to ‘passable’.  All it took for her was the promise of plenty of worms and bat wings to eat, and the added promise of ice cream and cookies if Reeka failed.  With this method Reeka had stuck her nose firmly to the grindstone and was making progress.  With her lazy nature curbed towards actual study, Hydia was, for the most part, satisfied with that daughter’s progress.
Draggle, on the hand, was an entirely different matter altogether.
“What in Tirek’s name is WRONG WITH YOU!  Can’t you READ!”
“I can read!”  Draggle gave her mother a sullen look that she had started to develop over the past few months.  Hydia didn’t understand it.  SHE had never given her own mother that pissy, bratty glare, but then Hydia had a brain when she was Draggle’s age!  Although aside from the red hair they both shared it was a bit hard to tell that Draggle was related to Hydia.  For one thing Draggle was the tallest of the group, even towering over her mother.  She was also skinny as a beanpole, and the fact that she was a teenager added some general clumsiness to this package.  Not that she had been a model of grace beforehand, but now it was worse.  And even more irritating to her mother.
“Read it again!  This time turn that rat inside out or I’ll pull out the cookie jar!”
Draggle grumbled and glared at the trembling rat.  She frowned.  She kinda liked this rat.  Why did she have to hurt it?  Poor little thing was giving her such a terrified look.  She grumbled again and listlessly recited the spell, trying to ignore the rat’s panicked squeaking.  She blinked and gasped a bit as the rat suddenly swelled to the size of a small poodle and grew bat wings.  She blinked again as the rat suddenly ran, overturning a few discarded bits of trash as it went.  Reeka, who had been munching a bowl of roaches, her studies done for the day, laughed and pointed as the rat leaped on Draggle’s head and launched into the air, flapping its new bat wings to safety.  It ended up flying right out the door and into open air, where it confused rats and bats for the rest of its rather eventful existence.  But that’s a different story.
“You IDIOT!”  Hydia grabbed up one of her large potion spoons and bonked Draggle on the head.  “I told you to turn it inside out!”
Draggle grumbled again and batted the spoon away with her arm.  “Oh who cares, it’s a dumb spell anyway!  Besides, I liked that rat.”  She folded her arms and glared at Hydia.  “I didn’t want to hurt it!”  Draggle didn’t know why she felt way.  She felt strangely hot whenever this happened, whenever she argued with her mother.  It was odd, a year ago she had been so eager to please Hydia, would have done anything to gain her mother’s approval.  But nothing she did worked.  What was the point?  Even if she had managed to hurt that rat it probably wouldn’t have been enough for Hydia anyway!  Nothing was.  Stupid old coot…
Reeka laughed again, stuffing her face with more squirming bugs.  Reeka was about half the size of Draggle, but about double the width.  She seemed to favor Hydia in appearance in all but her hair, which was black. “You still can’t even turn someone other then yourself purple!  You couldn’t have done it anyway!”  Reeka continued to tease.
“I could if I wanted to!”  Draggle snarled at her sister.  “I just didn’t want to!”
“Yeah right, and pigs fly!”  Reeka laughed again.  That laugh was really starting to piss Draggle off.  
“You’d know about pigs, wouldn’t you.”  Draggle retorted.
“At least I can tell the difference between a landslide and a landpie!”
Draggle leaped at her sister and the fight was on.  The two of them seemed to erupt in a whirling mass of kicked up dust and dirt.  It was easy enough to kick up dust in the Volcano.  The place was never clean, always dirty, dark and with the hint of horrid smells.  Just the way witches liked it.  With that in mind it was no surprise that Reeka and Draggle kicked up dirt every time they fought.  They fought a lot beforehand, but now it was becoming more and more frequent the more and more Draggle’s temper developed.
Hydia was sick of it.
“Enough!”  She didn’t usually use magic to punish them, at least not lethal magic, but all this damn noise and struggle was getting to her.  A quick fireball spell separated the two witches.  Hydia, so mad at both of them, snapped.
“You!”  She pointed at Reeka.  “Sit down and shut up!  YOU!”  She turned the finger on Draggle.  Out!”
Draggle blinked.  “O-out?”  The angry feelings she had towards her mother drained away to be replaced by panic.  Was she being kicked out of the Volcano?  It was the only place she had ever known!
“Just…get out.  Go do something evil.  Maybe practical lessons will work where study has failed.  Just get out of our hair and stop messing up in here!”
“Bu-“
“OUT!”  Hydia crossed the distance between them booted Draggle out of the Volcano’s door before her daughter could utter one more word of defiance.  “And stay out until you’ve done something evil!”  Hydia bellowed at the wood.  She wasn’t even sure if Draggle was still at the door at all.  More then likely Hydia had probably managed to boot Draggle right down the stairs again.  It happened often enough.
Hydia turned to see Reeka making her way to the door.  Hydia glared at her other daughter.  “Where do you think you are going?”
Reeka paused.  “Well…I always go with her, right?”
“Not today.  Let her figure out how to stand on her own feet.  High time she did.  You, at least, have some use.”  Hydia growled and stomped to her room.  “You stay until I tell you you can leave!”  She bellowed as she climbed the Volcano’s interior stairs to her lair, leaving a confused Reeka alone.
For a moment Reeka stared at the door, the urge to follow her sister was strong.  Even though Reeka knew her sister was, well, stupid, she had always gone with her.  Hell, Reeka was almost sure that Draggle would probably not last ten minutes on her own but…
But then again Draggle was supposed to be a witch, and she wasn’t supposed to need anyone, not even her own sister.  Or her mother.
So after a few minutes Reeka shrugged and went back to eating.  She was sure Draggle wouldn’t get into serious trouble.  She was a bit to dumb after all.


Draggle had indeed ended up rolling down the outside Volcano stairs to the ground below.  After grumbling and shaking a fist in the general direction of the door, although if this fist was aimed at her mother or her sibling was hard to tell, Draggle eventually dragged herself and marched into the forest.  She aimed herself away from Flutter Valley, not willing to march into the bright land of flutterings.  That would just make the day.
As she walked Draggle seethed.  How in the world did Mama expect her to learn magic if she never stopped to explain!  She never told Draggle what she really wanted.  Just ‘turn this rat inside out’ or ‘turn the ponies purple’ or ‘make Ponyland dank dark and dreary’ never ‘I want you to cast a spell, this is how you cast it.’  It was like Hydia expected her to just pull the magic and the right words out of the air on total instinct!  How was Draggle supposed to do that!
Hydia just didn’t understand how hard it was for Draggle.  How difficult it was to direct magic, and remember the words at the same time.  It was as if Draggle couldn’t do both actions, drawing the necessary magic and then directing it through spells.  Reeka could do it no problem.  Reeka’s only flaw was her laziness.  But then she could pick up a spellbook and cast with little to no issue.  If Draggle tried that it usually ended in failure.
After of a few hours of stomping and being generally annoyed, Draggle found herself next to a river.  She eyed it suspiciously.  You never know when a stinking Sea Pony would rear its warped head and shoo-be-doo at you.  If there was a pony race out there more irritating then Flutter Ponies, it was a Sea Pony.
Ponies.  Blah.  She could attack them, but what would be the point?  They’d just kick her back to the volcano, and then Mama would yell at her, and Reeka would laugh and the ponies would go back to their little estate and laugh at her as well.  Stupid ponies.  Stupid magic.  Stupid everything.
Draggle kicked a loose rock into the water and watched it sink.  No Sea Pony appeared.  She sighed.  She was just so bad at this…but what else could she do?  She just wasn’t cut out to be a witch…but then again, it was what she was born as…what else could she be if not a witch?  Just a failed one?  That…was depressing.
Draggle sighed at the river again, and for a moment wondered what it would be like if she didn’t go back home at all.  She wouldn’t have Mama and Reeka badgering her anymore.  Probably would be more quiet.  Maybe if things were quiet she could learn magic at her own pace?  Then she could come back and show them…but where would she go…
Her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar sound of clattering hooves.  Great.  Looked like she was going to run into a pony anyway.  
One of the little earth ponies erupted from the bushes in front of her, and even though Draggle was half expecting it from the sounds of galloping hooves, the pony still startled her a bit.  She was so startled that she didn’t notice that the pony had leaped into her arms, sending her crashing to the ground and almost into the stream.
She stared at the pony.  The pony stared back.  A few things became apparent.  One, this pony was a foal, a blueish green one, with a pink mane and a little baby rattle symbol on its flank.  Two, it was clearly terrified, but Draggle didn’t think at her.  Three, it was trying to talk, but was so scared that only small squeaks could emerge from her tiny muzzle.
Well…Draggle could…do something terrible to it…wait, her, it was clearly a filly…her right now.  Or she could take it to Mama and she could do terrible things to it…but…why was it, she, hugging Draggle’s neck and whimpering?  Awww…it was doing…something to her.  Draggle wasn’t sure what.  She felt odd…what kind of odd pony magic was this?  Somewhere around the chest area…a warm feeling.
And then the boar stepped out of the bushes.
Most of the time the inhabitants of Dream Valley were a bit more…magical then your average boar.  Granted this boar towered over Draggle, which was hard to do seeing as how Draggle was a fairly tall witch, and it also had very sharp tusks.  And fangs.  And big hooves.  It had very wonderful rotten meat breath though.
The boar snorted.  The pony screamed and clung to Draggle like a small lump of blueish moss.  The boar bellowed in pure utter hate and charged them.  
All thoughts escaped Draggle as the boar…well bore down on her and the little pony.  Acting mostly on instinct she jumped to her feet and, still holding the baby pony, leapt over the river and started to run.  The river slowed the boar down by about three seconds, just enough for Draggle to duck out of the way of its tusks.  Draggle, who really had no idea where she was, or the wherewithal to figure it out, just charged into the trees.  Her body, still responding to some odd instinct she didn’t know she had before, sort of hunched down to protect the filly, even though by all rights she probably should have thrown the creature at the boar.  Would have given her some time.  But she didn’t think about that.  Or at least, that is what she would say later.
So she ran, the boar’s delightful rotten meat breath steaming over her as she dodged its tusks and fangs.  The pony was wailing, and kept clinging to her as if it thought Draggle was its mother or something.
The trees thinned considerably, and the boar began to gain ground.  Draggle sped up and sound found herself racing out of the trees into open ground.  A cliff wall was right in front of her, towering over, offering a bit of protection.  Draggle dashed towards the cliff wall and flung the pony upwards.  The filly latched onto the cliff edge with her front hooves.  Still wailing the pony’s back legs kicked feebly at the dirt of the cliff face.
“Oh for Tirak’s sake!”  Draggle growled as she scrambled up the cliff wall herself.  “Get up there you idiot!”  She lifted her arm and attempted to push the pony upwards.  Suddenly she felt something impact her back.  The boar’s tusks ripped into her clothes and caught.  The huge beast flicked his head and tossed Draggle aside.  That done it put its two huge hooves on the cliff face and leaned upwards to grab the pony by the tail, or perhaps a hind hoof if he could get it.  It slathered hungrily, squealing in anticipation of its next meal.
Draggle, who was only slightly scratched, sat from where she had been thrown and watched.  Her mother, or Reeka, at this point, would probably had simply sat down and watched the show, perhaps with some bat wings to serve as a treat.  Clearly the boar had little to no interest in witch legs for dinner.  It wanted fat, chubby pony, and it was determined to get it.
Perhaps it was because she was frustrated, angry and just wanted to ruin someone’s day.  Perhaps the odd feeling the pony had cursed her with had infected her brain.  Perhaps a long dormant good gene unknown previously in Draggle’s make up simply activated that day.  Whatever the reason, Draggle felt a strange, angry emotion erupt from her, but there was something else there as well.  Something similar to her desire to not hurt the rat.  It was stronger though, and Draggle could not help but follow it.
She had memorized three spells.  One that turned you purple.  Useless.  Besides, half the time she just turned herself purple anyway.  Less then useless.  The second involved making water flow harder.  No water, still useless.  And the third, the infamous Landpie spell.
Okay, Landpie it was then.
Canting the incorrect spell for a Landslide, as she had never gotten the difference, Draggle gathered up the energy for the magic, using the confused words as the trigger.  She aimed the power at the boar’s hind feet.  The earth suddenly started to shift around, and the boar squealed in surprise as he dropped suddenly into the mud.  The mud bounced around, attempting to get into his face.  Some of it spring at Draggle and coated her with the mess, but she hardly cared.  It was working!  It was…
Only mud.
Roaring and squealing the boar heaved itself out of the mud and charged for the witch, letting the mud splatter against his face as he drove his snout at Draggle’s stomach, tossing her to the ground again.  But this time it didn’t leave.  This was too much.  
The boar leapt at Draggle, who tried to skitter away on her back, but she was to slow.  Her concentration broke, and the mud just kind of sloshed to the ground, useless.  The next thing that Draggle felt was a resounding snap and shearing, horrible pain as the boar brought his hoof down on her left thigh, hard.  She shrieked and tried to scramble away, dragging her leg, but the boar, with sadistic, patient deliberation, placed his hoof on her right knee.  Pinning her to the ground.  He leaned down and stared at her.
A small, childish part of Draggle really wanted to start begging.  A stronger part of her made her lean forwards and sock the boar in the eye.
The boar reared back, and his leg suddenly descended.  Draggle screamed in pain again as the boar’s hoof broke her knee.  She cursed at the thing, and the angry boar roared at her.  Deliberately he moved his hoof back and forth, crushing her knee ever further.  She had never felt agony like this before.  Not even her mother was so sadistic as to inflict this sort of thing on other!...or…well at least not to her kin anyway.  She flailed at the thing with her fists, but the boar simply caught her left arm in its teeth and gave her a harsh bite, snapping her arm in two places.  She hollered and attempted to struggle with her remaining limb, but the pain was by now overwhelming.  She felt her struggles becoming more and more feeble as she started to slip into unconsciousness.  She knew if she blacked out she would die…
But then again, she could also see it in the boar’s hateful eyes.  She was going to die anyway.  She was going to die for a pony.  How…shamed her mother would be.
“…sorry Mama…”  She mumbled as the boar brought his hoof against her chest and broke her ribs.  It just…sort of melded with the rest of the pain.  And even that was fading.  She was numb.  Utterly numb.  It didn’t hurt as much.  She could hear herself whimpering, and a detached part of her brain wondered why she had to sound so pathetic as she died…
She turned her head to look away from the boar.  Oh look…the little pony was up the cliff.  She was safe.  Two winged figures stood on the cliff next to the pony.  Other ponies.  Pegasi.  How…nice.
Draggle closed her eyes as the boar placed a hoof on her skull and prepared for one last stomp.  She could hear shouting somewhere, but she wasn’t sure where…
A gust of wind suddenly ruffled Draggle’s hair, and the pressure was gone.  She looked up.  The boar was on its hind legs as huge gusts of wind brought bubbles to its eyes.  Draggle felt something bite her shirt, and all of a sudden she was being dragged off.  She wheezed from the movement, but the mouth wouldn’t let her go until they were well away from the boar.  She gasped as her rescuer released her.
“I do apologize, Draggle, but I could not let you remain so close to the battle zone.”  A soft, gentle voice came from above her.  Draggle moved her head just enough to see the speaker.  A pony, an adult.  A Pegasus.  The blue one, with the pink mane, and the whistles.  What was her name?  Something Whistle?
She blinked, and probably would have said something very rude to the pony…but she was so tired…her eyes slide closed, and she let the darkness take her.  There was no pain there.
No pain at all.


Wind Whistler frowned slightly as the young filly witch, Draggle yes that was defiantly her name, slid into unconsciousness.  She leaned down and listened to the filly witch breath.  Steady.  That was good.  It didn’t sound like that last blow from the boar had punctured her lungs.  Wind Whistler had known that was a distinct possibly if she had been moved, but the boar would have crushed her if Gusty and Fizzy were not careful, and from the way Gusty was shouting Wind Whistler knew that the unicorn would not listen to her advice.  Not when she was in such a state.
Wind Whistler lifted her head to check their progress.  Her compatriots were doing well.  Gusty’s wind and Fizzy’s bubbles were blinding the boar, allowing North Star and Surprise time to dive bomb and pummel the boar’s head and shoulders with their hooves.  Galaxy was in front of the boar, blasting it with heat from her horn, her normally calm face contorted in fury.  But where was…there they were!  Truly had found Baby Cuddles safely on the cliff, and was herding the little filly towards Wind Whistler and safety.  Wind Whistler nodded as the two came up.  
“Come on, Wind Whistler.  Leave that…horrid thing and let’s go!”  Truly gave Draggle a contemptuous look.
Wind Whistler opened her mouth to chastise Truly, after all the witch did save Baby Cuddles, but the little filly did her job for her.  The little one threw herself next to witch and wailed.
“But she saved me!  We can’t just leave her!”
“Nonsense, that’s a witch Baby Cuddles!  Just leave it!  Its kin will come for it!”
“And if her mother and sister don’t discover her whereabouts in time?”  Wind Whistler asked calmly.
Truly huffed.  “In time for what?”
“She is badly injured.”  Wind Whistler pointed with her hoof.  “She has sustained excessive damage to her knee and femur, as well as a crushed ribcage, and lacerations from that boar’s hooves.  She will not survive an hour on her own out here without medical attention.”
“So?”
Baby Cuddles wailed again.  “You aren’t gonna let her die!  She saved me!  Don’t let her die, Truly, please!”  The filly clung to Truly’s legs and gave her the most wide eyed look a filly can give.
“Baby Cuddles is correct.  We owe this witch.  It would be against our very way of life to abandon her to the elements.”
“Hey!  Shouldn’t you be moving!  Oh never mind, we kicked that boar’s flank!  It’s never coming back!”  Gusty ran up to them, following by Fizzy and Galaxy.  North Star and Surprise landed next to them.  “Hey, is that Draggle?”
Wind Whistler nodded.  “We should take her back with us.”
Gusty looked at her, then laughed.  “HA!  Good one!  You’re getting better at the whole kidding thing!”
“I am not making a joke, Gusty.  We should take her with us and give her the medical attention she needs to survive.”  Wind Whistler gazed into each of her friend’s eyes.  “She aided one of our young ones.  We cannot simply leave her.  It is wrong.”
Galaxy looked at Draggle, then at Wind Whistler, then at Cuddles.  “…Baby Cuddles, did this witch really save you?”
Baby Cuddles did not need much encouragement.  Sensing an ally in this debate she gave a rather rushed, though somewhat accurate, interpretation of the events, skipping over the part where the boar found her in the first place.  Wind Whistler knew the young filly had been out of bounds, but right now the subject of discipline would have to be put to the side in favor of the issue of a life debt.  A far more important prospect, seeing as how the life debt in question would remain unfulfilled if they could not convince the others of the rightness of the action.
Once Baby Cuddles was done, Galaxy nodded.  “She’s right.  We can’t leave Draggle here after she saved Baby Cuddles.  We should help her.  It’s our duty as Ponylanders.”
Surprise grinned and reared, flapping her wings.  “Oh boy!  A houseguest!”
“Now wait a minute!  Are you guys forgetting the Smooze?  And the Sunstone!  And the bees?”  Gusty argued.  
“And the fact that you three tricked her once, making her believe you were a friend, whereupon you betrayed her?”  Wind Whistler asked lightly as she looked from Gusty to Fizzy to Surprise.
“HEY!”  Gusty stamped and turned to Wind Whistler.  “First off, miss smart mouth, we only had until sundown to save Flutter Valley, and you know it!  She was not going to betray her MOTHER for us, at least not in time to save the Valley! And for that matter you weren’t in that net!  You weren’t in that situation.  Don’t tell me you, Miss Logic, wouldn’t have done the exact same thing!”
“Exactly.  I would have.”  Wind Whistler said.  “But I would also acknowledge that, greater priorities aside, the action itself was still cruel.  Can you deny that?”
Gusty took a deep breath then sighed.  “Alright…so it was underhanded.  But really Wind Whistler?  Why do we have to take her in?”
“I shall break it down for you all.”  Wind Whistler said.  “First, there is actually very low risk in this action at this time.  Let me explain, you two.”  Wind Whistler stopped Gusty and Truly from talking as soon as they opened their mouths.  “She cannot fake these injuries.  Even if she wanted to cause us harm during her stay, she could not perform any physical destruction to either us or the Estate.  She is simply to injured to even walk, much less fight.  Second, we all know, from your own testimonies, Gusty, Surprise and Fizzy, that she is a poor witch at best.  Between the talents of our own unicorns, and Magic Star’s academic knowledge on the subject, we can keep her own magic abilities curbed until she is well enough to be released.  Third, while we do not have much experience with witch magic, we know someone who does.  Catrina and her friend Rep are still around, and while I know that she has experienced a sharp decrease in her power, she is likely still knowledgeable enough to know when, and if, Draggle would plan anything to harm us, as well as giving us insight into helping her.  Fourth…” She paused.  “Are we not supposed to be better then Hydia and her ilk?  If she found one of use injured she would not come to our aid.  She would probably kill that pony herself.  Are we so much like her that we would do the same?  Because you all know that leaving this child, yes Truly I said child, out here will be her death, correct?”
Gusty had the grace to look a bit ashamed at this last bit, though Truly still was looking at Draggle like she was a rather irritating cockroach that had crawled on her hoof.  Gusty sighed.  “I don’t want her wandering around the Estate.”
“I am not suggesting we give her free range and the keys to our bedrooms.  I actually think we should place her in the basement.”
“Wait…the basement?”  Fizzy looked appalled.  “What about the guest room?”
“Because the basement has stairs, and she would not be able to climb them.”  Wind Whistler said.  “Plus, if you remember your own statements, these witches like dark and dreary places.  Our basement, while not particularly dank or dreary, is indeed dark.  She is likely more comfortable in a dark place.”
“Makes sense.  I have no problem with this.  And I don’t think any reasonable pony would.”  Galaxy looked at Truly, who huffed and turned her head aside.  
“That thing does not go near the nursery.”  Truly huffed.
“Very well.”  Wind Whistler agreed.  
“And I ain’t taking care of it.  You’re in charge of it!  This isn’t some innocent puppy dog after all!  You just keep that nasty thing away from me and the foals!”
“I’ll help you Wind Whistler!”  Fizzy slid next to them.  
“Me too!  Me too!”  Surprise grinned happily.
“I am sure most of us will.”  Galaxy nodded.
“Yeah, I guess I will.  But only to make sure she doesn’t sell us out to Hydia!”  Gusty snorted, stamping again.  “And how are we getting her to the Estate?  I am not carrying her!”
“Fizzy.”  Wind Whistler nodded at her slightly scatterbrained friend.  “Can you create a sufficient amount of buoyancy to bear her to the Estate?”
“Can I do the what now?”  Fizzy blinked her crystal eyes at Wind Whistler.
Gusty sighed.  “She means can you make a bubble and float the witch?”
“Oh!”  Fizzy thought for a moment.  “I think so!”
“Good, let us be off then.”  Wind Whistler stood as Fizzy created a nice cushion of bubbles for Draggle, and soon they were on their way.
North Star launched into the air, hovering over them.  “I’ll go find Catrina and Rep, meet you back at the Estate.”  With a small frown at Draggle North Star caught a breeze and soared into the air, turning to head for the last known location of the feline witch and her shape shifter friend.
Wind Whistler frowned slightly to herself, though she had won the argument, she still felt something…ominous.  She shook herself.  She needed to keep those thoughts away.  They would only distract from what needed to be done.  Wind Whistler depended on logic, and she knew that logic would see her through.
To bad the feeling would not go away.


To say that the residents of Paradise Estate were startled to find a witch among them was a slight understatement.  Shady, Posey and Sweet Stuff ran off to the other end of the Estate, unwilling to go near Draggle.  Magic Star had rushed out to examine her, mostly out of scientific curiosity.  Wind Whistler didn’t object, since Magic Star didn’t get in the way.  In fact, after a quick exchange of words, Magic Star managed to lure the retreating bushwoolies, who had tried to follow the trio of ponies huddling in the bushes at the far side of the Estate, to help her set up a small clinic in the basement.  Spike, who sort of felt guilty for his part in tricking Draggle a year ago, took charge of taking apart a bed and carrying it down the basement, urging bushwoolies to aid him as he went.  Meanwhile, Magic Star had run to her personal library and began to pull out books on bipedal medication and biology.  
Cupcake had taken one look at the injured witch and rushed into the kitchen.  She quickly busied herself with pots and pans, muttering ‘What do witches have for treats anyway…’ For lack of anything better to make she set about making a small pie to cheer their guest up for when she woke up.
“Hey Wind Whistler, the beds ready!  You can bring her down now!”  Spike’s pale pink poked out of the door and he waved the ponies over.  Wind Whistler nodded her thanks and urged Fizzy to, carefully, nudge the bubbles down into the Estate, and towards the basement.  
“Your control has improved greatly in the past few seasons, Fizzy.  You should feel pride in this accomplishment.”  Wind Whistler said.  She was fairly impressed, mostly because Fizzy had not managed to lift the poor witch into the stratosphere at all.
“Huh?”  Fizzy’s bizarre crystal eyes stared at Wind Whistler, and she almost lifted Draggle to the ceiling.  
“I said you’re doing great.”  Wind Whistler sighed.  You would think that her efforts to expand pony vocabulary would pay off…
Wind Whistler winched slightly when Fizzy accidentally dumped Draggle into the bed, making the filly gasp, though she didn’t wake up.  Wind Whistler walked to the edge of the bed and sniffed Draggle, mentally marking off the locations that she felt needed the most aid.
“Can one of you fetch Buttons, please?  We need her telekinetic abilities.”  Wind Whistler said.  “Or Mimic if she is unavailable.  And some bandages, and sticks.”
“I’ll go.”  Galaxy trotted up the stairs, calling for Buttons or Mimic.  Eventually the two unicorns appeared at the top of the stairs.  Buttons had a pinched, uncertain look on her muzzle, but she was telekinetically floating a bundle of bandages in her horn’s magical grasp.  She and Mimic trotted down the stairs.
“Okay…you know I’ve only done this for ponies before, right?”  Buttons said.  “Can’t remember the last time Megan or her siblings got injured this bad…not sure they ever did, so…not sure how all her bits should fit…”
“I can help with that.  Here.  Anatomy of your basic human.  And she’s a human witch, right?”  Magic Star trotted into the basement as well, carrying an anatomy book on her back.
“I am…fairly certain…she is not an elf or a gnome in any case.”  Wind Whistler said.
“Alright, we shall go carefully then.”  Mimic nodded and began to lift Draggle’s leg with her own powers.  “I can feel it a bit with my own magic…I think I can fit her leg back in place…oh dear that knee looks awful…”
“Surprise, Fizzy, Gusty, please, let’s give them some space.”  Wind Whistler was not sure where Truly had gone, and a part of her didn’t want to.  Truly was a friend, but she was also clearly in a mood of some kind.  Besides, she was probably taking care of Baby Cuddles.  
The four ponies climbed out of the basement, Spike following them, though he cast a few worried glances at the still working unicorns.  He was the last to exit.
“What exactly happed out there?”  He asked, and a few other stray ponies and bushwoolies gathered around to hear the story.  Wind Whistler recounted the tale as best she could, all the while gauging the other ponies for their reactions.  To her relief most seemed inclined towards sympathy.
“Poor thing.”  Paradise shook her mane.  “Never thought she’d be the one to do that, but I’m glad she did.  Most of the stories say witches are not inclined to help others, even neutral ones.”
“…her mother isn’t going to show up, is she?  I mean, we do have her child here…” Heart Throb looked out the window nervously.  
Wind Whistler nodded.  “Surprise, Masquerade, can you two keep watch over the estate?  Without making it to obvious.”
“Hahaha!  Of course I can surprise that old crone if she comes up!  I’ll let you know if I see her!”  Surprise galloped out of the estate and into the air.  Masquerade sneered and followed.
“Witches are nothing but trouble, but I’ll keep an eye out.  They’ll never see me coming.”  With a more subdued leap Masquerade followed Surprise into the clouds.
“Whizzer, are you here?”  Wind Whistler asked.  The speedy Pegasus darted over.  
“YeahI’mherenoproblemwhatdoyouneed?”
“Do you know where Firefly, Medley and Lofty are roaming?”  Wind Whistler asked.
“NotexactlybutIcanfindem.”
“Find them, we may need backup before long.”
“AlrightshouldItellthebigbrothersifIfindem?  Theyshouldbeclosebyit’sthattimeofyear.”
“Yes.”
Whizzer zipped off like a pink dart.  Wind Whistler turned to the last Pegasus on her list.  “Heart Throb, is the rainbow path available?”
“Yes, it just showed up again.”
“Then lets go find Megan and the others.  They might be able to help with a creature who’s similar to them.”  She looked at Magic Star and Spike.  “Do you two mind supervising here until Heart Throb and I come back?”
“Not at all.”  Magic Star nodded.
“Then let us be off, Heart Throb.”  Wind Whistler started to head to the door, but stopped.  “Ribbon, can you send a telepathic message to Queen Rosedust?”
“Of course.”
“Tell her and the Flutter Ponies to keep an eye on the Volcano of Gloom.”
“No problem, Wind Whistler.”
Wind Whistler nodded to Hearth Throb and the two of them leapt into the air.  Quickly locating the rainbow path, a unique rainbow pattern that was not in fact a rainbow at all.  It was a magical bridge that would cross from their location to the other side of the world, where a colony of humans dwelled.  Megan and her siblings, mere farm folk who Firefly had literally pulled to the other side of the world, had become heroes in Ponyland.  Wind Whistler knew that Megan was just a child, and while she did have a good heart, that didn’t make her a leader.  Oh she would be a great leader when she matured, but right now she was just learning.  Wind Whistler felt a bit protective of the girl, and while she didn’t make it obvious she was guiding the little human filly to make the best of herself, she did help Megan often.  She already had a gift for making friends in the oddest places.
Wind Whistler found herself thinking.  If they didn’t have to worry about the witches, if they could make them allies…
Between her intellect and Megan’s natural charisma, Wind Whistler knew if Hydia arrived the witch would find herself presented with an offer that the pony thought she would not refuse.  And if this worked, they would have three new allies.
Three new friends.
Wasn’t that what they were all about?


North Star landed in front of Paradise Estate, panting a bit.  Catrina was heavy.  The cat woman slid off North Star with an apologetic look.  
“Maybe next time I should wait for Rep to come back and use him…”
“This is an emergency though.”  North Star panted.
“True…still odd.  A Gloom witch…never thought I would have to see them again.  Nasty bunch.”
“You have met them?”
“Well, Hydia and her mother.  They helped me discover the Witchweed potion…”
“Ah.”  North Star’s wings fluttered, then returned to the ready position.  “I bet they were not happy when you stopped.”
“Far as I know they didn’t care.  But lets see…is that pie I smell?”  Catrina entered the estate and strayed into the kitchen to find Cupcake finishing off her pie baking.  The white Earth Pony looked up and smiled at Catrina.
“Oh hi, you think she’ll like the pie?”  Cupcake asked.
Catrina studied the pie.  Cherry.  “Don’t…take this the wrong way, but that will probably make her sicker.”
“What?”  Cupcake blinked in shock.
“The Gloom clan is a very…specialized group.  Long ago their ancestors soaked themselves in so much dark Nightmare energy that their very beings are the opposite of good or even neutral creatures.  They can’t tolerate sweets.  Or sunlight.  It goes against their nature.  They aren’t evil and mean to be contrary.  It’s part of their nature.”
“Oh.”  Cupcake hung her head.  “I can just give this to the baby ponies then…but what can I make her that she’ll like?”
“Try something disgusting to you.  Worms, bugs, slime.  Things like that.  In the meantime, I need to use your stove.”  Catrina walked over to a counter and started to line up bottles of herbs.  “Can you boil me some water?”
“Sure!”  Cupcake, eager to help, fetched some water and set it on the stove to boil in a large pan.  “What are you making?”
“Potion.  Before the Witchweed gave me my powers I would mostly work with potions.”  Catrina started to dumb various ground up and sliced herbs into the steaming water.  “I may not be able to summon snowstorms anymore, but I can make something that will numb her, and speed up the healing.  I doubt we want her lingering here.  Especially if her mother decides you ponies kidnapped her and are holding her prisoner.” 
“Alright, I’ll go see if I can dig up some worms in Posey’s garden.  Maybe a beetle or two.”  Cupcake grabbed up a container.  “Anything else we can give her?”
“Hmmm…as food goes….try vegetable soup.  Vegetables are just healthy enough to be good for her, but not sweet enough to turn her stomach.”
Cupcake nodded and speed off to find the ingredients for a good vegetable broth, and some squirmy slimy things for a treat.  She shuddered a bit at the thought of eating worms but…well she didn’t have to eat them!  She almost collided with Gingerbread, her fellow Earth Pony chef.  She stopped.
“Gingerbread, you think you can start making some vegetable soup for our guest?”  Cupcake asked.
“Weren’t you making a pie, Cupcake?”  Gingerbread asked.
“Catrina said that Gloom witches can’t tolerate sweet things.”
Gingerbread nodded.  “Alright.”  She trotted into the kitchen.
“Make sure you don’t mix it up with Catrina’s potions!”
“I won’t I won’t.”  Gingerbread muttered in an annoyed tone.
Cupcake shook her mane a bit.  Things were going to be tense around here.  She could feel it.  There was only one solution.  Once Draggle was taken care of, cakes and milk for everyone!  That would calm the other ponies, at least a bit.  At the very least it would lure Sweet Stuff, Posey and Shady out of the bushes again.
Once outside Cupcake dug at the ground, attempting to find some worms.  After a while she was approached by Cherries Jubilee, the orchard keeper.
“What…are you doing?”  She asked, bemused.
“You know Wind Whistler brought home Draggle, the witch right?”
“Just about the entire Estate’s heard.”  Cherries Jubilee snorted.
“Apparently her kind of witch can’t stand sweets, and Catrina said worms and gross things are better for her.  I’m just digging a few up.  You know, so she can feel more comfortable.”
Cherries Jubilee sighed.  “Wait here.”  She trotted off.  A few moments later she appeared with a basket.  “Here you are.  Some of the rotten fruits we separated from the good ones.  I think some of the apples are wormy.  Will this do?”
“I’ll ask Catrina, thanks Cherries Jubilee!”  Cupcake grabbed up the basket and trotted back to the Estate.
“Any time…least someone will have use for them.”  The orchard mistress shrugged to herself.  


Draggle groaned and slowly opened her eyes.  She stared at the ceiling.  It was…wood.  Where was the rock ceiling of her room in the Volcano?  And why did she feel like Ahgg had sat on her?
“Ah, you have awoken.  Do not be alarmed.  If you cause no trouble, you will be treated fairly here.”
Draggle jolted up.  Or tried to at least.  She gasped as her legs and left arm screamed at her.  She couldn’t move them!  “What did you wretched horses do to me!”
Wind Whistler snorted a bit in surprise.  “The boar crushed several of your extremities, as well as your ribcage.  You would not be alive now if it were not for us.”
“Why can’t I move!”
“…are you unfamiliar with the concept of a cast, Draggle?”
“A what?”  Draggle looked down and found that someone, most likely a pony, had firmly encased her legs and left arm in bandages of some variety.  “What is all this?”  
Wind Whistler huffed.  Did the girl’s mother teach her nothing?  “They are casts, Draggle.”  She said patiently.  “They are meant to keep your bones straight and in line until they heal.  They will keep you from becoming more crippled then you already are.”
“…wait, what do you mean?”
“The boar applied an excessive amount of force to your knee.  He, in fact, almost completely crushed it.  Mimic and Buttons did what they could, but I am afraid you will not emerge from this ordeal unscathed.  It is very likely you will lame from now on.”
“…Mama already thinks I’m lame…”
“…not that kind of lame.”  Wind Whistler said.
“…I won’t walk again?”
“Fortunately, Mimic’s magic was able to restore you, mostly.  I apologize if I seem vague.  We are uncertain how well it heal at this time.  Hopefully, with luck, you will be able to walk.  We hope that the worst that will happen will be a slight limp, and perhaps lingering pain if you use it to excess.”
“Let me go.  I want to go home.”  Draggle struggled to make her voice forceful, witchlike, and not whiny.  Whining at the enemy was not a wise choice.
“I am afraid that is impossible at this time.”  Wind Whistler said.  “None of use are going to go to the Volcano to fetch your matron, and unless she comes here on her own you are stuck here.”
“So I’m a prisoner?”
“I would prefer you consider yourself a guest.  We will make as many accommodations for you as possible, so long as these accommodations do not cause harm to any of the residents of the Estate.”
Draggle attempted to move again, but her limbs simply would not respond.  She sneered and glowered at the pony, attempting to show no weakness.  Though truth be told she knew inside that she probably looked pathetic, like a small helpless kitten instead of a witch.  She felt pretty helpless as well.  Finally, she gave up trying to sit up and act tough.  She sighed, laying back and staring at the ceiling.  It was no use.  The pony was right.  As long as they didn’t ask her to betray Mama, she could just…lay here.
“Go away, pony.”
“I shan’t.”
“What?  You said you’d do what I want if I didn’t hurt you little fiends.”  Draggle growled.  “You ponies always lie!”
“I said we would make accommodations, but that does not include my leaving you alone.”
“So you get to be my jailer.”
“No, Draggle.  I wish to be your friend.”
“…my…what?”  Draggle let out a completely and utterly witchlike cackle, which jiggled her ribs, making her cackle end in a gasp.  “Witches are loners!  We have no friends!”
“Which is why you live with two other beings.”  Wind Whistler said with a hint of amusement.
“That’s different, they’re family.”
“Not all witches are loners.  I know one that has a very dear friend.”
“Not the Gloom Clan!”
“Is that why the Gloom Clan has lost all the surrounding areas to ponies?”  Wind Whistler asked.
“That’s because you’re thieves!  You took over my grandfather’s realm and purified it!  You made it sunny and bright and unlivable!”
“At the time the first pony colonists came to this land we were unaware of the existence of your clan, seeing as how you hole up in that Volcano, never coming out unless driven so.  Had your grandfather approached Queen Majesty from the start we would not have implanted ourselves so firmly here.  We were also unaware that your kind are the polar opposite of ours.  We may be different from you, but we mean no being, no matter how twisted their tastes from ours, harm.  We made a mistake, but your kin had part in the misunderstanding as well.  Do not shift blame on us.”  Wind Whistler gave Draggle a firm look.
Draggle really had nothing to say to that retort.
“Now, as I said.  I want to be your friend.”  Wind Whistler said.
“How can you?  I don’t understand half of what you say.  And you’re a pony!”
“Let us start by getting to know one another.  Let’s play a game.”
“Do I look like I can just leap up and start kicking balls around?”  Draggle snorted.
“Not that kind of game.  A word game.  Actually, one of inquiry.  I ask you a question, you answer, and then you ask me one.  In this way we increase our familiarity with each other.”
“That sounds stupid.”  Draggle complained.
“Can you not give it a try?”
Draggle grumbled.
“I shall start, shall I?”  Wind Whistler said, letting her voice lift in an upbeat tone.  “You do not like the things we do.  What do you like to do?”
Draggle grumbled and sighed, then answered.  “…I like fairy tales.”
Wind Whistler nodded.  “Now it is your turn.’
Draggle looked at her.  “…did that baby make it?”
“Baby Cuddles is fine.”  Wind Whistler smiled.  “What kind of tales do you like?”
“I like reading about the villains.  I don’t like it when the good guys win.”
“Naturally.”
“You know about us?”
“Now we do.”  Wind Whistler said.  “That counted by the way.  What is your favorite food?”
“Bat wings.”  Draggle paused.  “…why are you bothering?”
“Because if I am going to be your friend I wish to know more about you.”  Wind Whistler said.  “Do you like music?”
“Not the kind you do.”  Draggle snorted.  “Are you trying to turn me against Mama like those other ponies?”
“No, I wish that all of us would come to a truce.”  Wind Whistler said.  “Do you like studying magic?”
“No…what do I call you?”
“My name is Wind Whistler.  Are you hungry?”
“Yes.”
“I think that is enough for now.  Wait here.”  Wind Whistler went halfway up the stair and called to someone.  After a moment she came down with a tray.  Sitting on the tray with a bowl of vegetable soup and a bowl of wiggly worms.  “Here you go.”
Draggle looked down in astonishment.  “You…got me worms?  You’re not going to try to shove cupcakes down my throat?”
“Would you prefer cupcakes?”
“No!”
“Did I not say we would make accommodations?”  Wind Whistler asked.
“…yes, you did.”
“Eat up, I will be back.”
“Thought you weren’t going to leave me alone.”  Draggle said as she slowly started to eat the soup, saving the worm treat for later.
“I shall not crowd you, but I will be back.  We still have much to learn about each other.”
“Piss off, pony.”
“Have a nice evening, Draggle.”
As Wind Whistler was going up the stairs she met Megan.  The girl was frowning at her in worry.  
“Are you sure you want to do this?”  Megan asked.
“I am sure, Megan.  I am confidant I will win her over.  Give me sufficient time.”
“I just hope you’re right.”
“I know I am.”



Time passed.  Weeks crawled by.  
“Draggle, what does your mother like to do for fun?”
“Torture you ponies.”
“What about before?”
“…I don’t know.”


“Pony, why don’t you leave me alone?”
“You don’t really want me to leave, do you?  Who else would you talk to?”
“…nobody.”

“How can you stand those Sea Ponies and their singing?”
“I like to sing.”
“You do?  You don’t seem the type, pony.”
“I do not do so in public.”
“Why not?  Scared?”
“A bit. I am not fond of overly emotional displays.  I sing for myself.  To make myself happy.  Or if someone is overly sad or depressed.”
“Why don’t you like…overly…whatever you said.”
“I believe that emotions put one at risk when allowed to rule the heart.  I do have emotions, of course, but I try to keep them curbed in a crisis, in favor of logic.  If I feel to sad I try and think logically through it, and through this I find effective and useful solutions.  It serves me much better then useless sentiment.”
“You’re lonely.”
“…perhaps I am.”
“…is that why you want to be my friend?”
“Are you lonely?”
“…yes.”
“Even with your family?”
“…yes.”



“Magic Star wanted to know how much magic you have learned.”
“Pony…I am horrible at magic.  You all know it.”
“Your mother has not taught you more?”
“Oh shut up you stupid horse!  I’m horrible at magic!”
“Calm down, why do you think this is so?”
“You know!”
“I don’t, Draggle.”
“It’s because I’m stupid!”
Wind Whistler paused.  “Who told you this?”
“Everyone!  Mama!  Reeka!  You ponies!”
Wind Whistler placed a hoof on Draggle’s uninjured shoulder.  “Draggle, look at me.”  
The witch glowered at her.  Wind Whistler gazed at her, firm but kind.  “You must never call yourself stupid, because you are not.”
“…then why can’t I learn magic?”
“Perhaps Hydia’s methods are not suitable for you.  I have seen our own people raise our foals, and not every little filly or colt learns the exact same way.  Isolated as you are your mother might not know the right way to teach you.  You are not stupid, Draggle.  You are just different.”
“I want her to…”
“Yes, Draggle?”
“Nothing.”


“Come now, Draggle, don’t be afraid.”
“I’m not scared.”  Draggle glowered down at the floor beneath her.
“You can stand.  You can walk.  It will be fine.”  Wind Whistler encouraged.
“Will you shut up and let me do it?”  Draggle snapped, and Wind Whistler just smiled at her.  Stupid pony.  She slowly placed her left leg on the ground.  It had healed fairly fast, mostly from the potion the cat witch Catrina kept brewing for her.  Draggle mostly interacted with Wind Whistler, but other ponies and their allies had appeared.  She was annoyed greatly by the bushwoolies and Megan, could tolerate Spike and most of the other ponies who came down.  The others that didn’t come near her basement she probably didn’t want to talk to anyway.
Wind Whistler was the only one she could stand.  Her and that little Cuddles pony.  Cuddles visited often, hooves full of books to read to Draggle.  At first Draggle had been grouchy and annoyed, but eventually she submitted to the baby’s attempts at friendship.
It was…strange.  The ponies were so…nice.  Gentle and kind.  She never had someone be kind to her.  Not since she was six and her mother had decided it was time to stop coddling her.
Speaking of which, time to stop stalling.
Draggle lifted herself off her bed and wobbled slightly.  She grabbed the long staff that Magic Star was holding out to her and placed it on the ground, leaning on it as her crushed knee almost buckled and dumped her to the ground.  
“It belonged to a wizard, you know.  I thought it might help you.  Who knows, it might even be magic itself.”
If the staff was magic, it was pretty dormant.  Still, it made a useful crutch.  The staff was simple.  No runes.  No crystals, just a long stick of smooth tan wood with a leather strap wrapped around the middle for gripping.  Draggle grasped the strap and leaned on the staff.
With slow, deliberate steps, Draggle lifted the staff and placed it in front of her, followed by her left leg.  She lifted the other, and oh it felt so strange!  Wind Whistler was mostly right.  The knee pained her, and while her broken femur was supporting her weight, the knee felt like it could buckle at any time.  She felt ill.  Was she really going to hobble around like this the rest of her life?
She managed to make it to the window, then back to her bed.  Panting she sat down again.
“…when can I go home?”
“Can you stand being here another month?  I do not want to send you back unless we are sure you have your strength back.”
Draggle grumbled.  “Sure sure.  One more month in shiny bright hell…”
Wind Whistler nudged her.  “I will take you back myself.”
Draggle jerked and stared at her.  “You’ve gone crazy, pony!”  Even Magic Star was giving Wind Whistler an appalled look.
“I will have words with your mother, Draggle.” 
“She’ll eat you for breakfast you fool!”  Draggle felt an odd jolt in her heart.  She didn’t want her mother to meet Wind Whistler.  Or Magic Star.  Or Cuddles.
“I do not think she will.  I will be returning her offspring to her.  She will let me live long enough to state my case.”  Wind Whistler said.
“You…idiot!  You stay away from her!”
“Why Draggle, one would think you are concerned for my welfare.”
Draggle grumbled and glared at the ground.
Stupid pony.
Stupid stupid pony.



“Have you flipped your lid, Wind Whistler!”  Truly bellowed at the blue Pegasus.  “Your gonna fly that BEAST into her lair with her evil dame lurking around!  Are you asking to get killed!”
“I have no intention of being deceased, though you are correct that my chances of survival are slim.  However, I believe the gain is worth the risk.”
“Look, Wind Whistler.  I admit that Draggle has been…well behaved.  For a witch, but this is insane!”  Gusty shook her head.  “At the very least take Firefly, Medley and Surprise with you!  And the rest of us can follow on foot!”
“No.  Draggle trusts me.  I will not drag an army to her doorstep.  It must be me alone.”
“But-“
“Once again, you have not let me finish.  I will be going to the Volcano alone, but that does not mean I will not have support.”
“You don’t think that witch-“
“Hardly, Truly.”  Wind Whistler said.  “I will be taking Masquerade, and I have asked Surprise, Ribbon and Fizzy to be in the woods near the Volcano.  Hydia likes long, complicated means of death.  If she wishes my end I will simply open my mind to Ribbon, who will alert Surprise, Masquerade and Fizzy.  They will come to my aid if need be.”
“Why Masquerade?”  Gusty asked.
“Cause I can hide from the witches without Draggle knowing, so if she does turn on us, she won’t know the ace in the hole.”  Masquerade’s eyes shone with anticipation.
“…Okay, so you aren’t as nuts as I thought.”  Gusty nodded at Wind Whistler.  “I still think it’s a big risk.”
“It is.  But most worthwhile endeavors are.”
“Sometimes I think you take this ‘friendship’ thing to far.”  Gusty snorted.
“Perhaps Gusty, we shall see in the morning.”


“Look down, Draggle, isn’t it an impressive sight?”
“You can let me down now, I can walk this far.”  Draggle said as she clutched at the blue Pegasus’ mane.  She looked at the forest that only a few months ago she had been stomping around, fuming in.  The boar seemed like a lifetime ago.  Now she was flying home on a bushwooly brained Pegasus who thought she could befriend a witch like Hydia!  It was crazy!
“You don’t think I would let you trudge up that mountain on your own?”  Wind Whistler asked in an almost playful manner.
“I think you’re gonna be pony pot pie if you don’t!”
“Ah I love alliteration, don’t you?”
“Gah!  You’re worse then Reeka!”
“I am looking forwards to properly meeting your sibling.”
“GAAAAAH!”
Wind Whistler chuckled.  She never knew making another being roar in rage would be funny, but for some reason seeing Draggle do it was amusing to her.
The Volcano of Gloom loomed in the distance, an angry, bubbly cauldron of fiery hate.  Draggle reluctantly pointed her pony companion to the door in the side of the mountain, and Wind Whistler landed.  Relieved to be off, even though she knew that this was going to be a horrible scene, Draggle slid off, leaning on her new staff to keep her balance. 
“Last chance to save your hide, pony.”  Draggle said.
“Shall I knock on the door, or you do want to?”
“Infuriating equine imbicile …”  Although the words were muddled due to poor understanding on Draggle’s part, Wind Whistler was pleased to see that her vocabulary was rubbing off on someone.  Especially since previously it seemed that long words were not Draggle’s forte.
Wind Whistler was walking to the door, and Draggle had no choice but to follow.  Just as the pony was lifted a hoof to knock, the door opened, and Hydia glared at them both with a face that almost resembled a tomato it was so red.  Draggle had the distinct impression that her mother would start steaming from the ears soon.  Hydia grabbed Draggle and tossed her inside.  Wind Whistler blinked, remaining in the door.
“Five months.”
“Yes Ma-I mean Hydia…”
“Five.  Months.  You have been sitting in the ponies little house for five…months…and what have you been doing in that time?”
“…being injured from-“
“From saving a wretched little foal!”  Hydia bellowed.  “I send you to out there and do evil, and YOU SAVED A FOAL!  Then you have the gall to be injured and RESCUED BY PONIES!”
“…you saw it all in the pool.”
“OF COURSE I DID!  I saw you saving that pony!  I saw you fight that boar!  I saw that blue beast take you in!  I saw all your little conversations!  Oh pony!  I’m lonely!  Waa waa waa!  You make me sick, Draggle!”
Draggle shrank from her mother, her harsh tone a sharp contrast from the gentle pony voices she had become accustomed to.  All of a sudden something blue, with a pink mane, stepped between her and Hydia.  “That is quite enough of that, Hydia.”
Hydia hissed, her fangs bared at Wind Whistler.  “You dare come between me and my daughter?”
“I dare.  I have many things to say to you, Hydia.  First…I would like to extend a formal apology from the Dream Valley colony to you.  We were unaware of-“
“I know that!  I saw you telling the idiot!”
“…then I will skip the formalities and get to the point.  We do not wish to fight you, Hydia.  Or your daughters.  We would much prefer a peaceful conclusion this debacle, and extend our hooves in friendship to you and your offspring, and any other members of you clan that wish it.  We wish for cooperation, and peace.  We do not need to fight anymore.”
“For once, Draggle is right.”
“I am?”  Draggle asked.
“You, pony, are an idiot!”  Hydia pointed, and Reeka dropped down from above, holding out a net.  She knocked her sister aside and wrapped Wind Whistler in the net, tying her up.  The Pegasus bucked and flapped her wings, but the weight of the fat witch and her tangly net grounded Wind Whistler.  
Draggle stared in horror, not knowing what to do.
Wind Whistler glared up at Hydia.  “Your last chance, Hydia.  There will not be another.”
“Let me tell you what I am going to do, pony.  I am going to use Draggle to get to your friends.  She is going to go back and lure your friends into a trap.  At the very least she managed to get you fools to think of her as friendly.  I will kill each and every one of you, through her.  You die first.  Then that little baby pony you failed to kill, Draggle!  She will be the very last!”
“H-hydia wait…they helped me…they-“
“They only helped you to use you to get to us!  The only reason I haven’t exiled you from this Volcano is because you are still useful!  Do you want to become a liability!?”
“…you saw her hurt with your magic, and you did nothing.”  Wind Whistler stated.
“So what?  She’s a witch!  She needs to learn to take care of herself.”
“You abandoned your own daughter to die.  Reeka, was it?  How does it make you feel, knowing your mother left your sister to die.  Knowing that if you were in the same position she would leave you as well.”
“Aww, shut up pony!”  Reeka punched Wind Whistler in the side, but the pony continued.
“You sit there and berate your child, Hydia, but when she needed you…you would not come.  Now I stand before you, despite knowing what you have done, and despite knowing how you treat your daughter, and I still offer you forgiveness and friendship, yet you fling it back at me?”
“Draggle!”  Hydia grabbed up the net and shoved it in Draggle’s hand.  “Feed her to Ahgg!  Redeem yourself!”
Draggle stared at Hydia.  “But…Hydia she’s…my friend.”
“You don’t have friends, you don’t need friends!  NOW DO IT!”
Draggle held the net in her hand and gave it a jerk, ripping it from Reeka’s grasp.  Her sister, thinking that Draggle was going to comply, as always, grinned. 
“Let’s go, Draggle.  I wanna see the pony squirm.”
“…no.”  Draggle whispered.
“What did you just say?”  Hydia snarled.  
Draggle limped backwards until she hit the door.  With a flip she dropped the net, letting it fall away from Wind Whistler, who sprang up and shook the remains of the net off her back legs.
“Draggle this is your last chance!  Get that pony back!  If you even THINK of stepping through that door with it then you are not my daughter any more!”
“…I can escape later.  You don’t have to try and save me.”  Wind Whistler whispered.
Draggle looked down at her.  She thought of the basement.  She thought of the soup.  She thought of the question game.  She thought of the sounds of the annoying Sea Pony shoo-be-dooing.  She thought of the rat with bat wings.  She thought of her home.
And suddenly she realized what the warm feeling she felt with Wind Whistler and Magic Star and Cuddles really was.  She had known all along, but now she could admit it, after she had finally said it.
She thought witches couldn’t make friends.
She was wrong.
“…Mama.”
“DON’T CALL ME THAT!”
“…I’m sorry, Mama.”  Draggle’s hand found the door handle and she flung it open.  “Wind Whistler!  Fly!”
“Not without you!”  Wind Whistler grabbed her up in her teeth and spread her wings.  The heat from the Volcano lifted her upwards.  A good thing as well, as Hydia shrieked and started to throw lightning at the two, not even trying to miss her own child.  Reeka just stared, too shocked at this turn of events to do much except gape.
“Draggle!  No!  Come back!”  Reeka felt sudden panic.  They had always been together!  They had always been…been…one.  Sure they fought, but they were witches!  Draggle was the only company Reeka had, and now she was flying away with some stupid useless pony!  What did they have that she didn’t have!?
“You worthless little flying rat!  Bring her back!  I’ll get you for this!  Damn you both. I’LL KILL YOU ALL FOR TAKING HER!”  Reeka shrieked at the sky.  Hydia stared at her daughter, then grinned.  
“Well well, Reeka…you found your hate…at least this day was not a total loss.”


Wind Whistler wobbled in the sky as she landed somewhere between the Volcano and the Estate.  One of her wings had been clipped by the lightning, and she stretched it out in pain.
Draggle slid off and studied her wing.  “You’re hurt.”
Wind Whistler turned her head and nudged her.  “So are you.”
“Naw, Mama missed me.”
“I mean here.”  Wind Whistler put a hoof against Draggle’s chest.  “I am so sorry, Draggle.  I did not mean to cause a schism between you and your parent.”
“She never…what is that word…for when you really like someone more then anyone else.”
“…Love?”
“Yeah.  That…she never did…that.”
Wind Whistler didn’t contradict her.
“I’m…banished.  Forever.  She won’t let me come back I…what do I do?”  Draggle dropped to the ground, letting her staff clatter beside her.  She felt something wet around her eyes, and without meaning to unwanted tears started to flow down her cheeks.  “Where do I go?”
“You can come back with me.”
“Your ponies don’t want me!”
“I want you.  Magic Star wants you.  Cuddles wants you.  In time, when they get to know you, many of the others will want you as well.  You can learn magic with Catrina.  You can be…better.  The first Gloom witch to have friends.”
“…Mama would be so ashamed.”
“Do you really care what she wants after that?”
Draggle sat up and wiped her face.  “…she saw me.  And she didn’t even try to help me.”
“Correct.”
“…do I have to eat sweets?”
“Of course not.”
“Do I have to sing useless silly songs?”
“Only if you wish.”
“Can you find me someplace dark?”
“I think I know a few places on the Estate that would work with some fixing up.”
“…will you stay?”
“As long as I am able.”
“…alright po-…Wind Whistler.”
“You can ride me, I can still walk.”  Wind Whistler smiled sadly as Draggle swung gingerly onto her.  “Now…shall we go home?”
“Yeah…home.”


“An’ she did learn lotsa magic, didn’t she Granny Bloom?”
“Well…not at first.  Draggle always had a bit of a thing about learnin’.  Books were hard fer her.  But Catrina was patient, and so was Magic Star, and between the two of em, Draggle got better.  She wasn’t the perfect Ponylander, no sir.  She still had a rude streak, most witches do.  She still had that love for dark places.  Never could get her to sing along with them bright cheery tunes.  But she…adapted.  And so did the Ponylanders.  Even Gusty, eventually.  A lot of things happened between then and when the portal opened…but if we talk about that we’ll be hear all night…”
“You found the portal, right Granny?”
“Eyup.  Lets skip over to that part.  I can tell you about the between times some other day.  So, about three years after Draggle and Wind Whistler escaped from Hydia something happened that would change both our worlds, forever.”

“I was a filly then.  A silly little thing.  My friends called ourselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  Oh we got into so much trouble, crusadin’ fer our cutie marks, but this adventure would be one for the history books…”



> Chapter One
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter One

Equestria

The Everfree Forest was…actually rather pleasant today, to be honest.  While it did have the unfortunate tendency to take care of itself, rather then be taken care of by ponies, the forest seemed peaceful.  There were no Timberwolves, cockatrices or other monsters lurking, as this seemed to fine a day to really do much pony munching.  It was perhaps this cheery atmosphere that helped to make Apple Bloom feel a bit less apprehensive about coming to the forest.  At least this time it was high noon, instead of the middle of the night.  Still, she eyed the trees warily, just in case something popped out at them.
“Ya know, we really should be practicing fer the Equestria Games.”  She pointed out, still trying to find a way to wiggle out of this adventure.  Sure, she liked adventure as much as the next filly, but the thought of the Equestria Games…
“We’ve been practicing all week!  It’s time we did a little Crusading!  And I know just the place to go to get an explorer Cutie Mark!”  Scootaloo said from her place in front of the pony line.
“Isn’t the old ruins dangerous though?”
“Oh how dangerous could it be!  Rarity took Fluttershy there, of all ponies!”
“She does have the Stare, Scoots.”  Sweetie Bell pointed out.  “It’s not like she’s helpless.”
“I know, but she still scared of everything!  If a shy pony like her can make it there and back with no trouble, we can do it to!  Besides, they’re even cleaning the place up!  How dangerous can it be?”
Apple Bloom shook her head.  Once Scootaloo got an idea like this in her head she wouldn’t let go of it.  And…to be honest after hearing all the stories that Applejack told about the place, Apple Bloom was a bit curious about it as well.  Surely a little peek wouldn’t hurt?  It wasn’t that far into the woods, Zecora was just a few gallops away in case they got into trouble, and if they didn’t linger they’d probably get home in time for Apple Bloom’s evening chores.
Apple Bloom perked up a bit when they trotted across the bridge to the other side, and caught the sight of the ancient ruined castle.  Despite the recent efforts to clean it up, the place still was falling apart.  Looking down Apple Bloom could glimpse a small root coming out of a cavern underneath the ruins.
“…how ‘bout we avoid the Tree of Harmony and just go into the castle, okay?”  Apple Bloom said.
Scootaloo laughed.  “Scared of a tree?”
“Ain’t you scared of a tree with evil tentacles?”  Apple Bloom asked.  “I’m just sayin’ we shouldn’t push our luck.”
“Oh come on!  Twilight and the others took care of the tentacle thing!”  Scootaloo huffed.
“Weren’t they roots though?”  Sweetie Bell pondered.
“Oh who cares!  Come on!  Let’s find something the others haven’t seen before!  Maybe we should check the back!”  Scootaloo started across the bridge.  “And watch out for the Pooony of Shaaddowwws!”  She snickered.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell looked at each other and rolled their eyes.  The two trotted after their hotheaded friend.  It was a good thing at some point somepony had fixed the bridge.  Big Mac probably could have easily trotted over it now, when before it had been rickety and crumbling.  But now that the former Element Bearers were restoring it, the bridge had been rebuilt, courtesy of Applejack.  
The palace didn’t look nearly as dark and terrible as Applejack had described it, at least not with the noonday sun sparkling through the cracks and gapes in the roof.
“Well…what do we do now?”  Sweetie Bell gazed around at the huge tapestries of Celestia and Luna.  
“We…poke at things.”  Scootaloo said, marching over to a dark corner to ruffle through an ancient fallen chest of drawers.  She emerged with an ancient frilly robe that crumbled into bits.
“Aww, this is borin’ Scootaloo…” Apple Bloom wandered back down to stairs to the outside.  She breathed in the fresh air and shook her tail.  “Borin’ ol ruins…”
Apple Bloom’s head jerked up as she…something, dart away in the corner of her eye.  She turned towards it, just in time to see something dark and black skitter around the corner.  She lifted her ears and, curiosity overtaking her, followed the specter.
“Apple Bloom, did’ja find something?”  Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo peeked out of the castle at her.  
“Ah think somepony’s here with us…follow me.”  Apple Bloom marched around the corner.  The three of them followed the wall around the to back of the ruins.  They found themselves at what at first appeared to be an overgrown field.  Branches and vines covered the place, overtaking what appeared to be sets of statues.  Apple Bloom picked around a statue that looked a bit like Luna, especially with the moon carvings around the base.  She blinked at what looked like an arch, overgrown with weeds.  
“Hey…does that look familiar to ya two?”  She titled her head.  The other two walked up next to her and tilted their heads at it as well, in the same direction as Apple Bloom.
“…hey, it looks like the Canterlot Palace Gardens!  You know, back when we took that fieldtrip before Discord got loose!”  Scootaloo exclaimed. 
“Hey yeah!  But why would they have a copy here?”  Sweetie Bell asked.
“Maybe the one in Canterlot is the copy after they abandoned this one here!  Come on, let’s check it out!”  Apple Bloom, momentarily forgetting about the shadow she saw, galloped under the arch, ignoring or dodging the weeds.
“Wonder why no one’s ever explored this part.”  Scootaloo followed at Apple Bloom’s heels.
“Maybe they thought it was just a part of the forest?”  Sweetie Bell shrugged.
Apple Bloom grinned.  This was finally getting fun!  They were bolding exploring the unknown!  Maybe this would be the day they got their Cutie Marks!
“Hey, if this is a maze…why isn’t it turning?”  Sweetie Bell asked.
“Ummm….I don’t know.  It’s…just a path with a bunch of bushes on either side…” Scootaloo paused a bit.  “Weird…hey, look, there’s another arch up ahead!”
Scootaloo was right.  Up ahead of them was another arch like arrangement of plants.  Apple Bloom paused at the base of one of them and pulled at the vines with her teeth.  She wanted to see what was under it.  The vines tasted horrible, and clung stubbornly.  However, eventually they gave.  She blinked, realizing what was in front of her.  
“Girls…I’m starting to think this wasn’t just a garden…” She said.  “I think these arches were stone, all the way up…”
“Apple Bloom, look.”  Scootaloo pointed with a hoof.  Apple Bloom turned her head and her eyes widened.  
Before them was another building, separate from the ruins of the castle.  It was circular, but above the cylindrical base extended the broken ruins of a tower.  A vine covered, upside down steeple lay on it’s right side.  Clearly this had once been a tower, but it had been broken in half, and the trees surrounding it now covered it from sight, keeping it hidden.  Two moss covered statues of what appeared to be Pegasus warriors flanked the gaping entrance to the tower.
“Let’s check it out!  This is huge!”  Scootaloo grinned wide and charged in, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell following, identical huge grins on their faces.  
Due to the top of the ancient steeple being missing, the light flowed into the room they found themselves in very nicely.  In the very center of the building was a raised dais, on which stood a crumbling stone table of some sort.  On the walls were ancient carvings, moss covered just like the rest of the place.  Still, it appeared that the moss had not totally taken over in here.  Apple Bloom studied one.  It showed three ponies, a unicorn, an Earth Pony and a Pegasus surrounded by what appeared to be ghostly, skeletal forms of horses.  After squinting a bit, and knocking off some of the moss, Apple Bloom exclaimed. 
“Hey!  It’s Hearth’s Warming Eve!”  She pointed.  “Ya know the story!  Those must be the Windigos!”
“They look a lot scarier…”  Sweetie Bell said.  Indeed the elongated fangs and icy breath on the carvings made the Windigos look much more horrifying then they did in the plays.
“It’s like the glass windows at the castle Applejack told me about!  The ancient ponies musta carved their history on these walls!”  Apple Bloom.
“So, its like a library?”  Sweetie Bell asked.
“Hey, what’s that?”  Scootaloo pointed to the other end of the room.  “There’s more inside.”  She started towards the archway in front of them, dodging past the crumbling stone table in the middle.
“She just can’t sit still and look at one thing at a time…” Apple Bloom sighed and followed her friend.  “Wait up, Scootaloo!”
They entered a long hallway, lined with rusted suits of armor, some for each race of pony, and each clutching a spear or a lance in their left hooves.
“Wonder why they all are carryin’ weapons in their left hooves…” Apple Bloom wondered aloud.
“Maybe the Princesses had a thing for south hooves?”  Scootaloo chuckled.
They came to the end of the hall, and Apple Bloom blinked.  In front of them were two statues.  Both of unicorns.  But…the one on the right was odd.  It was…fat.  The pony statue was of a clearly overweight pony, with thick legs and huge muscles.  The unicorn had fading blue paint on her mane, and on her flank was adorned with five flowers, of the same fading blue as her mane.   The statue was rearing on its hind legs, extending a hoof towards the other Unicorn statue.  The second unicorn was a more normal looking mare, though the stance was the same.  Apple Bloom blinked and all of a sudden recognized the figure.
“The one on the left…Princess Platinum…but who’s this fat unicorn?”
Scootaloo wiped off some of the moss from the statue’s stand.  “In honor of…Queen…Majesty the first.  May the Rainbow always connect.”?
“I don’t remember a Queen Majesty…” Sweetie Bell shrugged.  “And what’s that about rainbows?”
“Sonic Rainbooms!”  Scootaloo jumped up, wings fluttering.
“Ah doubt it…” Apple snorted.  She studied the door.  Carved in the ancient wood was what looked like a rainbow, extending across the door.  One the left side was what looked like a mirror, touching the rainbow as if the two had been connected.  She followed the rainbow with her eyes, and noted that the other side of the door was a similar mirror touching the other end of the rainbow.
Taking a deep breath she pushed the door with her hood.  It creaked open.
This room, unlike the others, was dark.  A small circular room with columns, but in the center was a beautiful, shimmering mirror, covered with jewels and glittering all on its own.  The surface seemed to shift and move like water.
“G-girls…is that…” Apple Bloom gapped.
“It is!  It’s a portal mirror!”  Scootaloo lifted higher into the air, and for a moment it seemed her wings would finally lift her into the air, but she dropped down a few seconds later.  “A portal mirror!  Oh this is so cool!  Wait till Rainbow Dash hears about this!”
“Guys…I think we should go back now.”  Apple Bloom said nervously.  “Lets just go back ta Ponyville and tell Twilight.  She’ll do a real study of this place.  Besides, she’s the one that dealt with that other world before.”
“Yeah…I remember Rarity telling me what happened to Twilight over there and-“
“Just one peek!  One peek!  I heard those stories too!  Canterlot High isn’t dangerous!  We just have to make sure we don’t run into our huy-man doubles!  Come on!  Aren’t you guys a bit curious after hearing all those stories.”
Apple Bloom sighed heavily.  Yes she was a little curious after listening to Twilight talk about her adventures in the huy-man world.  Princess Celestia, although she didn’t want the others going to that other world, hadn’t told Twilight she could not tell her friends of her adventures.  In fact, the tale was now one of the CMC’s favorites, if only because the human world of Canterlot High was so alien and strange.  It was clear that now that they had found a second portal…of course Scootaloo wanted a peek.
And to be honest, so did Apple Bloom.
“Alright…one peek.  Ya hear me, Scootaloo!  One.  Peek.  Then we go back to the farm and tell my sister.”
“Yeah yeah, sure sure, sister!  Let’s go!  As one girls!  Cutie Mark Crusader world explorers!”
Apple Bloom stepped up next to Scootaloo, and Sweetie Bell took her other side.  The filly trio, as one, stepped their hooves across the mirror’s surface, and Apple Bloom felt an odd tingle run up her body as he hoof vanished.  Then, a pulling sensation as the three of them were pulled inside, as if there was something sucking them in.  Apple Bloom screamed as the tingle ran all across her body.  She suddenly wondered what would happen to them if the connection was damaged.  Would they end up just going through the other side?  Or would they be lost in some magical limbo?  Why did she agree to this!  Oh this was dumb!  So dumb!  She felt herself tumbling end over end, the prismatic colors of a rainbow flashing before her eyes.  It felt like she was tumbling end over end over a rainbow.  Up, up, then down, down down!  She screamed, but no sound came out…
Until she felt her back connect with hard ground.  Scootaloo ended up on top of her, and Sweetie Bell soon landed on Scootaloo.
“Ow!  Get off!”  Apple Bloom struggled.  She managed to wiggle out from under her two friend and shook her head.  “Ya guys need ta stop eatin’ at Sugar Cube corner all the time!”
“Girls…we’re still ponies…and this doesn’t look like a school.  It…it’s a cave.”  Sweetie Bell rolled off of Scootaloo and looked around.  “It’s a very dark…cave.”
Apple Bloom looked around.  “Okay…cave.  And we are still ponies.  We’ve had our peek.  Let’s go back now.”
“And you call me a chicken.”  Scootaloo rolled her eyes.
“I ain’t a chicken!  Ah just have more good sense then ya do, Scootaloo!”
“Aw, you’re just a bucking coward an-“  Scootaloo kicked backwards, hitting what at first Apple Bloom had assumed was a rock.  
Until it moved.  
The rock moved and uncurled itself.  Apple Bloom blinked at a strange, alligator like muzzle.  The thing was about their size, with razor sharp teeth, huge claws, and sleepy eyes. It almost resembled an armadillo, but with a long snout.  It yawned at them, licking its fangs.  It snorted.
Apple Bloom shrieked and, instinctively, turned her back to the creature and bucked it square in the jaw.  The creature reeled backwards, then shook its head.  It roared at them, lifting up on its feet and snorting, clawing at the ground with a horrible grunting bellow.  
“Run!”  Apple Bloom charged into the cave, followed quickly by Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell.  She heard the monster roaring behind them, following them.
“Faster!”  She bellowed.
“Wait!”  Sweetie Bell stopped.  “We can’t just charge into a cave!  Wait!”  Her horn glowed, and a portion of the roof beginning to shine the same color as her horn.  
“Are you crazy, you’re going to bring the whole cave on our heads!”  Scootaloo bellowed.
“I’ve done this with Rarity before, don’t worry!  We aren’t that far from the surface!  I can feel it!”
“Well ya better hurry it’s coming!”  Apple Bloom shouted.
“Just got…there!”  Sweetie Bell grinned as a section of the roof separated and collapsed just as the beast was gaining on them.  Apple Bloom wasn’t sure if the thing was buried or not.  All she could see was open air.  For a moment she wondered if the creature had really been hostile…but then it had bared its fangs at them.  If it didn’t want to eat them it should have said so!  Still, she hoped it was alive.  Either way, she followed Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell out of the shallow cave to open air.
She looked around.  It was a forest, similar to the Everfree but…it was not.  Despite the Everfree’s chaotic nature, that forest had always seemed…alright.  Dangerous in the past, but in this modern time it was almost…approachable.  This place felt different.  Even the trees felt different to her.
“Where are we?”  Sweetie Bell asked.
“Well, we ain’t in Ponyville anymore…” Apple Bloom said with a gulp.
This was bad.  Very bad.




The creature was called a Stoneback.  He could not talk.
If he had, he could have told the strange fillies he meant them no harm, though he was very annoyed by the pain in his nose.  That filly was strong!  Most ponies were, though.  Stronger then you would think.  It was why Stonebacks liked ponies.  Not like annoying Furbobs.  Furbobs were…not as good friends as the Stonebacks thought they would be.  Still, the Stonebacks would not attack a friend, no matter how annoying.  
But ponies were better friends.  He couldn’t understand why friends had kicked him.
The ponies needed to know.  The ponies would help their rude fillies.
The tunnel would have to be fixed though.
The Stoneback turned and started to tunnel a new path.  Flutter Valley.  It was close.  Very close, and the ponies would be there for the sun party thing of theirs.  Like years ago, back when the Stonebacks made friends of them, and they celebrated the return of the Sun Stone together.
It would be good to be back.




As Celestia started to lower the sun in the sky, Applejack was just finishing pulling the last cart of apples into the barn for the night.  The tough Earth Pony unhitched herself from the cart and exited the barn, kicking the door closed with her hind hoof.  She looked around, a frown on her face.
“Where ta hay is that filly…” She snorted.  She knew that Apple Bloom had left the farm earlier to play with her friends.  Actually Applejack assumed that her sister was going to practice her routine for the Equestria Games.  However, Apple Bloom had been gone way to long.
Big Mac trotted up from the other side of the fields, his own frown matching his sisters.
“No sign of her?”  Applejack asked.
“Nnope.”
“Ya checked everywhere?”
“Eyup.”
“Even the clubhouse?”
“Eyup.”
“Not even the other two?”
“Nnope.”
Applejack stamped.  “I’m gonna go talk ta Rarity, see if she knows anything, or if Sweetie Bell made it home.  Ya hold up the farm here, okay Big Mac?”
“Eyup.”  Big Mac nodded and paced around the barn, still frowning in worry for his little sister.  Applejack picked up her lasso from its place on the fence and looped it around her saddlebag.  She had a good idea of where her rambunctious sister might have gone to, and if she was right that little filly was going to be in for a world of hurt…
By the time she had galloped into Ponyville, Luna had already begun to raise the moon, and a few stars twinkled merrily the sky.  As she crossed the bridge Applejack took a brief moment to admire the Princess of the Night’s work.  After considering what happened last Nightmare Night, and thinking about the Nightmare Moon incident, Applejack found herself sympathizing with Princess Luna’s feelings of being unappreciated.  After all, the Princesses both worked hard for ponykind, and it was sort of a shame that one of them had been slighted for so long.  So Applejack felt that it was the least she could do as a friend to just admire the younger alicorn’s work.  However, she only lingered for a second.  The darker it got, the more worried she became.
As soon as she trotted close to Carousal Boutique, the door flung open with a burst of unicorn magic.  Rarity practically leapt at Applejack.
“Where is she?  Tell me she spent the day with you at the farm!”  Rarity looked mildly frazzled, her usually perfectly maintained mane starting to fall in a mild state of disarray.
Applejack shook her head.  “Apple Bloom hasn’t been back since noon, and ah ain’t seen hide nor hoof of ta other two, what about you?”
“Nothing since this morning!  Oh Applejack I’m so worried about the three of them!  Where do you think they might have gone?”
“Well, I know Apple Bloom likes visitin’ Zecora.  Maybe they went there?”
“Let me get my saddle bags.”  Rarity ducked back into her shop, and a few second later emerged with saddle bags full of…who knows with her?  Applejack suspected it was beauty products, but then again it wouldn’t do much good arguing with the fussy unicorn.  After all, even though Applejack found Rarity’s habits silly, the Element of Generosity was still a good ally when the chips were down, and while Applejack would have preferred someone like Rainbow Dash or Twilight, the fact was she wanted to find her sister fast.  If only-
“Hey guys!  You having a midnight party!?”  Out of whatever subspace she seemed to inhabit when she popped out of nowhere like this, Pinky Pie was suddenly there, bouncing in front of them.
“Ack!”  Applejack jerked a bit.  “Pinkie!  Have you seen Apple Bloom and her friends?”
Pinkie paused.  “Hmmmm, nope!  Not since this afternoon!  They looked like they were heading for Zecora’s!”
“Well, they haven’t been back.  Rarity and I are gonna go ask Zecora if she’s seen em.  Can you go tell Twi and the others?  Ask em to catch up with us at the hut.”  Applejack asked.
“Okie dokie!”  Pinkie bounced away towards the library.  Applejack sighed and nodded to Rarity.  
“Let’s get a head start.  It’s still star spider season.  They don’t come out durin’ the day, but at night…”
Rarity nodded, and the two of them galloped for the forest.





“I am afraid they are not here.  Although I do think, something bad is near.”
“Whatja mean, Zecora?”  Applejack asked.
“As I said, they didn’t pass this way, though in the ruins, something dark hold’s sway.  A strange creature I have seen, with a odd magic, and translucent bug wings.”  Zecora looked towards the castle ruins, frowning.
“Wait!  Bug wings…odd magic…ya can’t mean Changelings, Zecora!”
“I am not sure, I have never seen such creatures.  And they are careful to hide most of their features.”
Applejack stamped.  “The ruins ya say?  We gotta check it out!”
Rarity nodded.  “Oh when I find that Sweetie Bell…thank you Zecora, we really appreciate this.”
“I will keep watch, my friends, just in case trouble comes around the bend.”
Applejack nodded.  Secretly she wondered why the zebra kept up the whole rhyming scheme.  It seemed like it would be a hassle to keep up that speech pattern all the time.  Still, it seemed to work for Zecora.  Giving one last thanks to Zecora, the two ponies turned down the path to the ruins.
“…ya think maybe we’ve taken this place fer granted…”  Applejack said.
“Whatever do you mean, Applejack?”  Rarity asked.
“I mean we’re always telling the girls about our adventures here, and we keep coming here over and over…I think maybe Apple Bloom and her friends have forgotten how dangerous it can be here…”
“…hmmm, familiarity breeds contempt…you might have a point, Applejack.  I supposed I might…overdramatize the forest a bit…
“Ya overdramatize everything…” Applejack rolled her eyes.
“I do not overdramatize, I merely express myself without hesitation.”
“Oh really?”  Applejack placed her hoof over her forehead and, with great drama and airy tones, gasped out “This is the WORST!  POSSIBLE!  THANG!”
Rarity huffed.  “It’s not my fault that happened to be week I was asked to make the dress for Madam le Pompadour in the Ponyville Players production.  I was merely trying to get into the mind of the character to construct the perfect outfit.”
“Of course, Rarity.”  Applejack chucked.
The two of them approached the ruins, both of them falling silent as the great crumbling castle loomed before them in the darkness.  Both them felt the strange sensation of being watched…
They were right.




The creature’s wings buzzed as it noticed two of the hated ponies entering the ruins.  And what was worse, it recognized them.  Two of the Elements of Harmony.  Well, the Elements, from all accounts, were gone now.  But the two of them…might still cause a problem, and an opportunity.
It looked two its two compatriots.  “My my, the gate is getting a lot of visitors.  First the fillies from our end, then the group from your end, witch, and now Element Bearers.”  A black, holed hoof pointed at the biped.  “You, keep watch.”  He ignored the creature’s sneer.  He didn’t like the hate filled being any more then it liked them.  Still, they were necessary.  He turned to his brother.  “I think the one with the bow, yes?  Just like before?”
His bother nodded.  With a shimmer the second creature shifted, and before them where a horrible, inscetoid pony thing had been was a small copy of the missing Apple Bloom.  The first creature, the Changeling, nodded and shimmered as well.  It was not a hard change to do.  All he had to do was change his body and wings.  Before them now stood a slender, long limbed blue pony with a pair of glittering, butterfly wings, like the one he had seen before.
“This should turn them against Dream Valley.”  The faux Flutter Pony grinned.  “Be sure to scream nice and loud, brother.”
The other Changeling nodded as the first scooped him up in his jaws.  The two of them fluttered to the back of the ruins.  Creeping up, the faux Flutter peered around the side of the castle, noting the two Element Bearers talking about their missing foals.  His brother wiggled a bit.
“You ready?”  The fake Apple Bloom asked.  The faux Flutter nodded.
“HEEEELP!  BIG SISTER, HEEELP!”
The Changeling ducked away as he heard the clattering of hooves.  He stood there, legs spread and defiant, as Applejack and Rarity turned the corner.  The two gasped, and then glared at the thing before them.
To them a Flutter Pony was completely and utterly alien.  The slender form, the butterfly wings, and the oddly pointy head made the creature before them seem like some sort of monster.  A pretty monster, to be sure, for a Flutter Pony could never be described as ugly, like a Changeling could, but the two Equestrian ponies had learned long ago to not judge a book by its cover.  Though this creature was pretty, it was clearly foal-napping Apple Bloom. 
The Changeling turned Flutter Pony ran, heading for the ancient spire and its mirror portal.  It worked to dodge the lasso tossed at him by the enraged Applejack, and just barely managed to zip out of the way.  Under the arches, and into the main building, he could tell his pony pursers were barely noticing that they had never been to this particular place in the ruins before.
The Changeling leaped over the ruined stone table and charged down the hall, kicking a few suits of armor down as he ran, to slow the ponies down.  He knew now there was nothing eh could do to stop them, and indeed he didn’t want to stop them, but he knew that he had to make it look like he was trying to escape them.  He charged through the open doors and leaped through the mirror, Rarity and Applejack hot on his heels.
The Changeling kept his eyes closed, not willing to subject his eyes to the whirl of the rainbow path.  As soon as he felt his tail hit the rocky surface of Dream Valley he spread his Flutter Pony wings and leapt into the air, almost colliding with the ceiling.  He hesitated, as the Equestrians emerged from the portal.  
“Ya monster!  Ya let her go!”  Applejack attempted to jump up and grab the Changeling by the hooves, but he ducked down and ran through the cavern.  The cave entrance should be around here, and…yes!  Bless those stupid Stonebacks and their incessant tunneling!  They made the perfect escape route!  He could see the moon’s light shining from the other end of the cave’s tunnel.  Ducking past stalactites and stalagmites, the faux Flutter erupted from the cave and began to flutter his way to Flutter Valley.  The captured foal in his mouth suddenly shifted forms, transforming into a small bird and dropping to the ground.  The faux Flutter grinned, seeing that he was coming up on the main section of Flutter Valley, and he could see the Ponylanders.  He couldn’t tell which Ponylander from which, but thanks to the witch, he could speak the Dream Valley Common tongue.  
And he would bet his last bit of stolen love that the Element Bearers below him did not.
He landed and began to run, dragging his wings behind him.  “Help!  Help!  They’re going to hurt me!”  He tripped, hopefully not to overdramatically, over a rock, and tumbled. 
As quick as a flash Applejack was on him, bucking him in the chest.  “Where’s ma sister ya varmint!  I-hey!”
“Leave her alone!”  A white unicorn with a five maple leaves…Cutie Mark?  The Changeling wasn’t sure.  Either way the unicorn was charging at the Element of Honesty, ears back and teeth bared.  A gust of wind picked up, throwing Applejack off the Changeling.  The Ponyland Unicorn leaped over the Changeling, standing over him protectively.  “Watch out, Morning Glory!”
Ah, so that was this bodies’ name.  What was even better, Applejack was staring at the unicorn with surprise.  “What ta hay did’ja just say?”
The unicorn blinked.  “What the…Applejack?...no...you can’t be…Applejack wouldn’t attack our friends!  What kinda monster are you!”
The Changeling suppressed a grin.  As he thought.  The Element of Honesty could only understand Equestrian, while the maple leaf unicorn could only speak Dream Valley Common.  As long as neither discovered the truth…
The Changeling began to cry crocodile tears.  “They took the others!  They almost took me!  Don’t let them hurt me!”
“We have you, Morning Glory!  Don’t worry!”  A pink Flutter Pony landed near him, giving him a brief nuzzle.  She looked up and glared at Applejack.  The Changeling could feel a distinct feeling of love coming from the pink Flutter Pony.  Not bright sweet taste of romantic love, but the fierce tang of sibling love.
All around them Ponylanders were charging forwards.  Two pegasi landed on either side of the maple unicorn, one of them a pink one with a compass Cutie Mark, the other a yellowish one with masks.  The yellowish one charged Applejack, headbutting her.  Applejack snarled and turned, bucking the yellow Pegasus in the flank.  The Pegasus jumped back and went in for another shot.
“Applejack!  What’s wrong with you!”  The Pegasus shouted.
“Subdue her, Masquerade!”  Another Pegasus, blue with a pink mane and a set of whistles for a Cutie Mark, landed near the Changeling and the pink Flutter Pony.  “Whatever madness has overtaken them, they may yet be cured!”
He had to nip this in the bud.  “It’s not Applejack!  It’s some sort of monster!  It...took her form!”
The blue Pegasus looked at him.  “Whatever do you mean?”
“…I saw them!  They killed Applejack and stole her body!”  He wailed.  “They’re going to do the same for the others!  That’s why they look so strange!”
The Changeling suppressed a grin as he felt a wave of horror overtake the Ponylanders.  This horror increased when Rarity charged up, grabbing up Masquerade with her telepathy and flinging her aside.  She began to shriek at the Ponylanders, demanding the return of Sweetie Bell, but to the Ponylanders all they heard was some sort of shrieking odd gibberish.  Already primed, the group of them charged.  Even the pink Flutter Pony joined in.  The maple leaf unicorn charged Applejack again, dodging the farm ponie’s flying hooves and giving her a harsh headbutt to the side, her horn scraping down Applejack’s side.  Clearly the unicorn now meant business.  Rarity turned and shrieked at the maple unicorn again, and attempted to grab the aggressive unicorn by the tail with her magic.  The unicorn snorted and winked over to Rarity, who eeped at the sudden teleportation.  The maple unicorn raised up on her hind hooves and slammed Rarity’s shoulders.  The Element of Generosity staggered back, shocked and clearly not used to such aggression from a fellow unicorn.
For a moment the two Equestrians stood there, snorting defiance at the Ponylander mob.  The two were bruised, battered and clearly outnumbered.  Rarity turned and whispered something in Applejack’s ear.  The other nodded and they turned and galloped away.
“Whizzer!  Masquerade!  North Star!  Gingerbread!  After them!”  The maple unicorn bellowed.  She turned and charged back to the Changeling and his two ‘protectors.’  “Morning Glory, what happened?”
“We found a…ah..oh come and see!”  The Changeling jumped up.  He knew that he couldn’t let the Ponylanders find the gate.  Or, if they did, they must never come back from it.  “I’ll show you all, but we have to hurry!  There might still be time for the others!”
The pink Flutter Pony nodded.  “I’ll go after the bobble heads.  You’re safe now, Morning Glory.”  The Flutter Pony…well fluttered, and headed after the group chasing after Applejack and Rarity.  The Changeling sighed.  Still, he had to work fast.  He got to his hooves and started to trot back to the cave.  The two remaining ponies whinnied at his sudden movement and followed.
“Morning Glory, do you not think we should alert your Queen?”  The blue Pegasus asked.
“No time.”
“…Hey, there’s only three of us, how many are we going to have to fight?”
“There are only a few.”
“And yet they subdued Draggle, Fizzy and Surprise?  I…have a hard time giving this credence.  Fizzy may act silly, but she is more powerful then she knows, and she could easily escape from a small force, to say nothing of what the other two are capable of…Morning Glory are you…quite sure?”  The blue Pegasus gave the Changeling a look.  The Changeling speed up, hoping running would keep the noisy pony from cracking his scheme apart.
The unicorn snorted at him.  She turned to her Pegasus companion and whispered in her ear.  The Changeling started to gallop.  He just had to lure them far enough to the cave…
Yes!  Finally!  The Changeling darted through the cave, not letting the two Ponylanders catch their breath and question him.  He skidded to a stop next to the mirror and lay down as if exhausted.  
“I…promise I’ll bring the others…but please!  I know the two of you can help them, and we’re losing time!”  She gave the blue one a desperate look.  “Don’t you care at all about them?”
The blue one gave him a measured look, then she nodded.  “Very well.  But I am not done speaking with you, Morning Glory.  You are acting most out of character.”  The blue one gave a toss of her head, and stepped through the portal, followed by the maple marked unicorn.
The Changeling grinned as a small bird flapped next to him, then changed into his partner.  “Time to move the mirror.  Lets take to the Volcano.  Right into the dungeons, I think.”
“Should have taken it there in the first place.”  The second Changeling said.
“Eh, it worked out.  Now both groups will be at war.  They’ll be so busy fighting each other it will be to late!”  The first Changeling removed a stone from the mirror and it powered down.  If the two ponies were lucky they would be on the other side when it powered down.  
If not…
To bad.



Applejack and Rarity slid to a halt and looked behind them.  They had run for a bit, and ended up on the edge of a strange looking, Everfree like forest.  Applejack had to leap a bit over a hole in the ground, almost breaking her leg.  “I think we lost em.”  Applejack said, looking over at the gouge the big unicorn had taken from her hide.  “That mare was built like a guardpony!”
“The uncouth monsters!”  Rarity gasped.  “I didn’t see our sisters in that crowd.  What could they have done with them?”
“I don’t know, but we need ta find out.  We gotta be stealthy this time, though.  They’ll be expectin’ us now.”
“Wait a minute!  Look!”  Rarity stood up and walked forwards.  “Is this what I think it is, Applejack?”
“Lemmie look.”  Applejack stood and walked to where Rarity was.  “Tracks!  Filly tracks!”
“Could it be them?  Maybe they escaped!”
“Might be.  Let’s follow em and see.  Besides, not sure them aliens ain’t behind us…”
“Aliens?”
“Well, they don’t look like proper ponies, do they?  With them pointy heads and them heavy bodies…almost looked like stallions, cept them necks of theirs.  Freakish…” Applejack shook her head.  “Wouldn’t mind, mean they can’t help what they are, but they’re also fillynappers!”
“Agreed, Applejack.  Shall we go?”  Rarity asked.
“Right, let’s get moving, sugarcube.”
The two of them followed the hoofprints, unaware of the hungry eyes watching them.

> Chapter Two
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Two
Dream Valley

There was not a single cloud in the sky over Flutter Valley.  Not a cumulus, not a stratus, not a single little fluffy bit of cover to interrupt the celebration of the Sun Stone.  For most of the partygoers this was wonderful.  Ponies of all three types played in the grass, singing happily the song of the Sun Stone.  It was a song that celebrated the power of the light and of the day, and for most of them ponies, Flutter Ponies, and Sea Ponies, this was one of their favorite days of the year.
Unfortunately to witches it was…irritating.  It didn’t help that the Flutter Ponies, for the most part, had not forgotten or totally forgiven Draggle’s part in the theft of their precious stone years ago.  They tolerated her as a resident of Paradise Estate, but did not embrace her as they had Spike and the bushwoolies.  To be fair she didn’t really want to join in with the joyous singing or dancing either.
In the three years she had been around the ponies, Draggle had adapted a bit to the lifestyle.  She had changed a bit, though not enough to be unrecognizable.  At some point Buttons had made a pair of boots for her, as the unicorn had noted that she didn’t really have much in the way of shoes.  Feeling that might have contributed to Draggle’s general clumsiness, Buttons had modeled a pair after Megan’s own work boots.  Draggle had to admit they were a bit better then what she had before, so taking them made sense.  Buttons also made a wide brimmed hat for the witch, again knowing she had intolerance for sunlight.  This had also been accepted, though Draggle had resisted any more changes.  She was still a witch.  She still preferred shabbiness.  She preferred the dark still, and still wasn’t to fond of sweets or songs, but sunlight was just a bit more…tolerable now.  Not pleasant, but tolerable, though she did do her best to avoid it.  She never got used to excessive amounts of sugar, though she could tolerate things like muffins or bagels, though again they were not her preference.  So, instead of joining the ponies in the sunlight, for now she was resting under a tree.
That is not to say she was totally alone, or that all of the Flutter Ponies avoided her.
Morning Glory was still the forgiving, kindhearted mare she had always been.  She was the first, and so far only, Flutter Pony who not only forgave Draggle, but had easily accepted her.  The Flutter Pony made sure to at least come up and say hello to the witch, just to make sure she was all right.  
“How you are doing?  You sure you don’t’ want to join in?”  Morning Glory asked as she landed near Draggle’s tree.
“Bit to sunny out there.  I’m fine.”  Draggle pointed to where Gusty, Wind Whistler, Fizzy and Surprise were gathered, Gusty standing her hind legs and apparently kickboxing with an invisible foe.  “Besides, this is a bit interesting.”
“What are they doing?”  Morning Glory asked.
“Gusty got in her head to start practicing battle moves.”  Draggle snorted.  “She thinks she’s a pony knight or something.”
“What?  Is she going roaming?”
“No, she just thinks that they depend to much on the Rainbow of Light.”  Draggle shrugged.  The ponies pauses a bit and approached.  Apparently Gusty had heard them.
“Hey, Morning Glory.”  Gusty grinned.
“Hi, Draggle tells me you’re learning to fight?  Why?”
“Why?  Well we can’t all live in Flutter Valley!  And we keep getting attacked, over and over!  I thought, why should we just sit around and hope the Big Brothers show up, or keep having to depend on the Rainbow of Light?  I mean, yeah they’re useful, but what if the Big Brothers are to far away, or we can’t get the Rainbow to work, like…well the Smooze thing.”  Gusty shrugged at Draggle, who didn’t react.  Gusty didn’t really mean any harm.  “We need to stand on our own four hooves at times, and I thought that instead of just waiting for trouble to come we should be a more…what did you say, Wind Whistler?”
“Proactive.”  Wind Whistler said.  “It’s a good idea.  While I do not suggest we go questing for dangerous situations, we should have a formalized emergency plan.  And having the more…loose ponies practice defense is a good way to do this, and fill our time.”
“Loose ponies?”  Morning Glory asked.
“Ponies like myself or Gusty here, who have no real job that can occupy their time.  Cupcake and Gingerbread are cooks.  Cherries Jubilee and Posey care for the gardens and orchards, and so on.”  Wind Whistler said.
“So that’s all you do now?  It sounds exhausting!”  Morning Glory said.
“Oh no.  As I was telling Gusty, we cannot simply do this and nothing else.  We ponies are not accustomed to such a strenuous schedule.  Play is natural for our kind.  So, we practice as often as we can, but with frequent breaks.  In fact we were taking a break right now.  Gusty and I were going to join the rest of the celebration.”
Surprise bounded over.  “Hey Draggle, now that we’re done, wanna play ball?  I got one over in that bush, and we can duck into the woods to play!”
Draggle paused.  She usually did.  Play was…not natural for her, at least not as natural as it was for pony.  Play just wasn’t encouraged in the Gloom Clan, and it taken a bit for Draggle to feel comfortable enough to join in with what her kin had always seen as silly and a waste of time.  Wind Whistler had even explained to her once that the purpose of play was, for a pony, a combination of exercise and a way to bond.  Eventually she had tried it.  It wasn’t that bad.
Draggle got to her feet.  She had been resting since they arrived, and her knee wasn’t bothering her that much.  Especially since she had kept Magic Star’s staff.  
“Why not?”  She finally responded.
“I wanna come to!”  Fizzy grinned at Wind Whistler.  “I’ll come to the celebration later!”
Wind Whistler nodded.  “I will meet you three later…unless you are staying as well, Morning Glory?”
Morning Glory grinned.  “Ball sounds fun!  I’ll stay for a bit.  Have fun at the party.”
Wind Whistler nodded and trotted over to where the Flutter Ponies and the rest of the Estate ponies were singing.  Gusty followed her, giving a nod to Draggle as she went.  Draggle and Gusty where not exactly the best of friends, but after a few incidents Gusty had mostly accepted Draggle’s presence, and treated her like any other Estate pony, for the most part.
Gusty had grown more and more protective over the years, and the end result was a pony who had found a calling in defending the Estate and the creatures that lived there.  Gusty had always been bold and hotheaded, but the constant attacks on the ponies, ever since Tirac had been defeated, had proved to Gusty time and time again that sometimes fighting was the only way to solve an issue before pony lives were put at stake.  She hadn’t quite descended into a ‘kill them all’ attitude, more of an attitude of hitting first, then asking questions later.  In her mind it was better to apologize to a creature later for hitting them, rather then letting them attack and hurt someone if they turned out hostile.  Still, despite this Gusty had come to the conclusion that Wind Whistler had been right about Draggle.  She was no pony, and probably would never completely be like a pony, but she wasn’t hostile, and that was enough for Gusty.
As the two ponies galloped over to the celebration, Surprise darted for the bushes, leading the other three to the ball she had hidden.  Nudging a bit with her nose the excitable Pegasus nudged the ball out into the open.
“Alright so.  No magic or flying.  Right?”  Surprise grinned as she balanced the ball on her nose.  “Sticks allowed though.”
“Be gentle, I’ve never played this before.”  Morning Glory said.
“Don’t worry, here, catch!”  Surprise bounced the ball upwards with her nose, then smacked it with her forehead.…gently, towards Morning Glory.
As a Flutter Pony, Morning Glory was smaller and physically weaker then your average pony, but was much more magical.  However, due to Surprises’ gentle bounce, Morning Glory was able to raise up on her slender back legs and kick the ball towards Draggle.  The witch leaned a bit to the side, putting her weight on her good leg, and smacked the ball to Fizzy with her staff.  Fizzy leaped into the air and bounced the ball back to Surprise with her hip.  The Pegasus knocked it back to Draggle, who smacked it back Morning Glory.
This went on for about ten minutes, when Fizzy got in a pretty good shot that sailed over Surprises head.  The cheery Pegasus laughed and chased after the ball, which landed on a hole.  Something grunted within.
Surprise stopped in front of the hole, and the ball reemerged, sitting atop a Stoneback’s head.  The Stoneback snarled and grunted at her, the ball rolling off his head.
“Oh!”  Surprise smiled.  “Hello Mr. Stoneback!”  She noticed that the Stoneback’s nose was a bit puffy.  “Are you okay?”
The Stoneback reached out of the hole and grabbed her leg.  He tugged gently, still grunting and trying to communicate.  Surprise blinked.  “Something’s wrong?  You want us to follow you?”  She asked as the other three ran up behind her.  The Stoneback nodded.
“Down the hole?  Are you sure, Stoneback?”  Morning Glory asked, her wings fluttering slightly. 
Fizzy cringed, blinking her crystal eyes.  “Umm…maybe we should get the others.”  The Stoneback snorted and flashed his fangs.  “…you’re really upset, aren’t you Mr. Stoneback…”
“Let’s just see what’s going on.”  Surprise said.  “If it gets to dangerous we can always run back.  Lead the way, Mr. Stoneback.”
The Stoneback nodded and dove back into the hole.  He knew those fillies were in trouble, and surely between a Flutter Pony, a Pegasus and a unicorn the group would be able to herd their young back.  All the Stoneback had to do was lead them to the strange mirror they had found and follow the filly tracks.
Fizzy shivered a bit as she followed Surprise and Draggle into the tunnel.  She didn’t really like tunnels.  It reminded her of how she got her eyes…the crystals…all the crystals…she shuddered.  
Morning Glory trotted up beside her and nudged her cheek with her nose.  “Are you alright?”
“I just…kinda don’t like being underground…”
“Ah…”  Morning Glory nodded.  “We’re with you.”
“Yeah, I know.”  Fizzy took a deep breath.  Wind Whistler wouldn’t be scared.  So neither would Fizzy!  Besides, not every tunnel led to evil crystals.  Still, there was something about this tunnel.  Some odd magic in the air that, for some reason, was putting Fizzy back in the mind of that long ago day when Applejack had rescued her and the other Twinkle – eyed ponies from the Jewel Wizard.  She blinked her jeweled eyes and put it out of her mind.  There were no jewels here, just her friends and an upset Stoneback.  She could be a tough pony!  She could!
The tunnel opened up into a cavern, and Fizzy gasped.  The room was dominated by a huge, shimmering mirror.  Light from various gems glistened on its frame, and the surface shimmered like water.  Fizzy trotted past the others and approached.
“What is this?”  She wondered.  She hardly noticed the Stoneback walking over to a set of filly hoofprints and pointing at them.  She was to busy being entranced by the mirror’s surface.
Draggle snorted and turned her head away from the brilliance, muttering something about it being tacky.  She suddenly looked up from where the Stoneback was pointing and limped closer to Fizzy.  “Wait, don’t touch-“
Fizzy cried out as her hoof went through the mirror and seemed to catch.  Something was pulling her inside, and she planted her hooves to the ground, struggling.  “Aieee!  Help!”
“Idiot!  Why did you do that!”  Draggle, though cursing Fizzy for touching the mirror, still lunged for the young mare and grabbed her back legs, attempting to yank her back.  The mirror, as if sensing the resistance, seemed to pull on them harder, as if determined to fulfill its duty and take them to…well they didn’t know where.  Surprise gasped and bit down on Draggle’s arm sleeve and attempted to help her, while Morning Glory did the same with Draggle’s other side.  The Stoneback, realizing what was happening, ambled forwards and grabbed the witch’s ankles, attempting to push her down and anchor her.
The pull of the mirror increased, as if reacting to them.  Fizzy’s hoof was tingling like mad, and the pull from her friends was being to hurt her spine.  She eeped again as the mirror yanked one last time, sweeping them inside and over the rainbow.
Fizzy’s eyes closed as the rainbow colors swept over her.  She tumbled, end over end, screaming, but with no sound coming out.  Her mind whirled in panic.  What in the world was this?  It was like the rainbow path that connected their land to Megan’s, but only Pegasi could use that path!  She was a unicorn!  What was going on!
Fizzy landed finally, and she grunted in pain as the others piled on top of her.  The Stoneback slide from the top of the pile and stood on his hind legs.  He tipped over to one side, then the other, and then rolled on his back, legs in the air.  Fizzy was pretty sure that his eyes were rolling as he tried to get a handle on the fact that the world was no longer spinning.
Draggle rolled off Fizzy and scrambled to a corner.  Fizzy winched as she heard the poor witch heaving.  Fizzy got up and gave her a few gentle pats on the back.  
Morning Glory winched, fluttering her wings to make sure they were not damaged.  “That was…odd.  Not at all like the normal rainbow path…”
Surprise leaped up and grinned.  “That was fun!  Hey, where are we?”  She looked around.  She trotted over to Morning Glory and looked the Flutter Pony over.  “Everyone good?”
“So…much…rainbow….” Draggle moaned as Fizzy gave her a little nuzzle.  “Just give me a minute.”
“Aww.”  Surprise ducked her head, then looked at the Stoneback.  “Poor Mr. Stoneback is sick too…give me a second.  I’ll check out where we are, and come back.  We’ll have to go back the other way, I think, but lets give you two a second to recover.”  Surprise trotted outside, pausing a bit as she exited the odd room they were in.  She sniffed.
Ruins.  It looked like it was once some sort of tower.  Surprise looked up and then pulled the rest of herself through the door.  She looked up at the statues flanking the door.  The one on the right, Surprise gasped.  
“Queen Majesty!”
“What?  Queen who?”  Morning Glory slipped through the doorway and looked at Surprise.  
“Queen Majesty!  There have been three of them before, the first dating back almost a thousand years ago.  Paradise told us the story once!  A thousand years ago the fair queen Majesty once ruled the great Pony Empire.  But then one day a dark force came from her magical mirror and swept across the land.  Queen Majesty destroyed her own castle to bury the mirror, and fled with her people to the far corners of the world.  Her line would always dream of returning, and about ten years ago the last of her line, Majesty the Third, led us ponies back here and reestablished Dream Castle.  That’s why we call it Dream Valley, because the line of Majesty always wished to return to our ancient homeland.  I remember the move when I was a filly!”
“What happened to Majesty the Third, I never met her.”
Surprise ducked her head.  “No one knows…”  She stepped near the mirror.  “But this statue looks so much like Majesty…”
“Wait, a mirror…could this mirror be the origins of the dark force that took over the Valley a thousand years ago?”  Morning Glory asked, startled.  “This must be a terrible land!”
“Yeah…lets take a look further ahead.  I wanna be able to tell the others about it.”  Surprise dashed down the hall, her mind starting to fill up with memories of her fillyhood.  The last Majesty had been a kind and just mare.  She had shed most of the trappings of royalty, as the last few thousand years of pony history were fraught with danger.  She had considered herself more the pony’s protector rather then just their queen.  If this place held the answers to what happened to Majesty’s proud line, then Surprise was determined to find it.  It was the least she could do.
Surprise barely paused when she got to the large room with the stone table.  Only pausing to note that someone had been here before.  She looked down at the ground.  Hoofprints in the dust.  Odd.  Someone was around, and they were of the hooved variety.  That didn’t mean they were friends though.  She heard a strange insectiod buzz above her head, and she looked up just in time to see something dart away.  “…I think something is trying to get the drop on us…”
Surprise turned her head as she heard footsteps.  She sighed as Draggle and Fizzy emerged from the hall, followed by an irritated looking Stoneback.  “We need to be careful, we aren’t alone.”  Surprise said.
“No you aren’t, ponies!”
Surprise turned and instantly stamped her foreleg.  She felt Draggle and Fizzy come up next to her, Draggle holding her staff in a defensive manner.  
“Reeka!  How did you get here?!”  Draggle demanded, glaring at her sister. 
The other witch had almost not changed at in the past few years, unlike her sister’s slight changes; physically she was basically the same, right down the weight.  However, there was a bit of a difference.  In the past she had been mean, sure, and took pleasure in hurting ponies, but it was more of a passive, occasional dislike that was only prodded when their mother shouted at them.  However, the incident three years ago had left Reeka with the distinct impression that the ponies had somehow brainwashed and stolen her sister from her.  Like Hydia she was now much more active in her attempts to hurt the ponies.  
Reeka cackled, making Fizzy’s hair stand on end a bit.  “I brought some ponies to meet you all!”  She bellowed out a strange word in a language none of them could understand, and a pair of wings suddenly overshadowed the sun.  Fizzy looked up and pressed her back against Surprise’s, as the two things descended to block their path back.  She gasped in horror.
They were monsters!  Strange, pony like beings with huge round heads, tiny malformed snouts, wide big eyes and compact goatlike bodies.  They had horns similar to a unicorn, and the wings of a Pegasus.  One was hot pink and the other was a deep purple.  The two winged unicorns spread their wings and smirked at the group of Ponylanders.
From the opposite entrance two Earth Ponies and a unicorn emerged.  The unicorn was white with a blue mane, almost like Majesty, but her symbol was different.  It almost reminded Surprise of Sparkler’s.  One of the Earth Ponies was hot pink, with a symbol that resembled Surprise’s own, but the second one, the orange one, made Surprise gasp.  
“Applejack!  No!  What have they done to you?”  It was horrible!  Applejack had already been transformed by Tirec!  Now Reeka has somehow…warped her!
Two more figures, a yellow Pegasus that reminded Surprise of Posey and a blue one with a rainbow colored mane, leaped in as well, their wings spread in aggressively.  Surprise lowered her head and snorted.
“I don’t know what you did to these ponies, Reeka.  But it won’t work.  You know it won’t.”  Draggle looked at her sister.  “…just…stop it Reeka.  Please.”
Reeka cackled again, then spoke another strange word at the warped alien ponies.  The aliens reared and charged.  Surprise snorted and reared as well, her hooves slamming against the warped Applejack’s.  The force of it, as well as the angry glare from her former friend shocked, Surprise.  She remembered Applejack from when they were foals back in Dream Castle, before Applejack went roaming with Sparkler and Ember!  Now the poor mare had been transformed into this rail thin, bug eyed thing!
“I’m sorry to do this, Applejack.”  Surprise jutted her head forwards and slammed her skull against Applejack, who reeled back.  “But I got to stop you!”  Surprise lunged forwards, and Applejack reared to meet her, but Surprise suddenly ducked down and headbutted her gut, sending the twisted mare on her back.  “Surprise!”  She bellowed, it was almost her battle cry by now, as Surprise twisted and kicked Applejack in the jaw.
She was a close to celebrating when the pink Earth Pony leaped her back, biting at her ears with a crazed grin on her face.  Surprise bucked and flapped into the air, turning midair and dropping down.  Before she could splat the pink one in the ground the other bounced off and to the side.  Surprise thunked to the ground, and the blue Pegasus and the purple winged unicorn jumped on her and stamped on her ribs.  Surprise bucked and struggled, attempted to get to her feet and regained her momentum.
The blue one raised a hoof to smash Surprises’ head, but then looked up and dodged to the side as a bolt of lightning almost hit the blue one in the wing.  Draggle’s staff lashed out and bonked the purple winged unicorn in the side, making it back up.  Another small bolt of lighting erupted from the witch’s eyes, hitting the ground near the purple one’s hooves.
Surprise grinned and flipped over.  “Ha!  Surprise on you, buggy eyes!”  She grinned.  She didn’t know much about magic, but she did know that it had taken almost two years for Draggle to learn the two real combat spells that Catrina had retained.  The lighting eyes spell had a much shorter range for Draggle; indeed it was the same for Catrina now that she didn’t have the Witchweed.  The other big disadvantage was that it temporarily blinded the user.  The wind breath spell also suffered from short range.  Still, it was something, and more then Draggle had previously.
“Ah!  Surprise!  Help!”  Surprise looked up as the pink pegicorn thing grabbed Fizzy and lifted her into the air, heading for the hole in the roof.  Surprise whinnied and shot into the air after the pink freak, but was blocked by the yellow one, who smirked at her.  Surprise snorted and attempted to ram the yellow freak, using her greater size and weight to overpower the skinny thing.  She whinnied again as the blue Pegasus shot into the air as well, the Stoneback clutched in its forelegs.
“No no no!”  She screamed, and looking down she could see the other purple pegicorn attempting to herd Morning Glory into the sky.  The poor Flutter Pony’s wings had been damaged, and she couldn’t get a good angle to unleash the Utter Flutter on the pegicorn.  Surprise kicked the yellow one in the chest and dropped down.
“SURPISE, BOBBLE BRAIN!”  She yelled as she landed on the purple one.  “Get off!”
The purple one screeched and backed off, clearly not expecting this much resistance.  Surprise stepped in front of Morning Glory, who pressed near the other Ponylander.  Surprise snorted and watched as Draggle also came closer to her, warding off aliens with her staff, and occasional lighting bolts.
“They got Fizzy, we need to make a break for it!”  Surprise said as Draggle finally joined them.  “I’m not letting what happened to Applejack happen to Fizzy!”  Surprise wasn’t a serious pony by nature, but the sight of her old foal friend in such a state…that was too horrible!  No way was she going to let poor sweet Fizzy suffer the same way!  “Get on, Draggle, Morning Glory, can you run?”
“I can make it.  I have to.”  Morning Glory panted.
Surprise nodded as Draggle got on her back.  “Never leave a pony behind.  Come on!  CHARGE!”  She reared and charged for the doorway to the outside.  Draggle clung to her mane, letting out more bursts of lighting as they ran, keeping the alien ponies at bay.  Morning Glory rushed on Surprise’s heels, panting and wheezing as her much weaker Flutter Pony legs struggled to keep up with the sturdier Surprise’s.  Surprise slowed a bit to make sure Morning Glory stayed with them.  As one they charged into the Everfree forest, the alien ponies right on their heels.  As Surprise darted to and fro into the woods, dodging vines and branches, she could hear their pursuers hoof beats getting further and further away.  After a few more twists and turns in case the aliens still pursued them, Surprise found a river.
An expert at hiding and losing hunters, Surprise led them into the river.  “This should hide our tracks.  Follow me!”  She let the stream take her away, gripping Morning Glory’s mane so the Flutter Pony wouldn’t drown.  Surprise kicked her hooves and spread her wings from the normal upright ‘ready’ position to a more horizontal one, using them to help her float.   After a few moments of floating she saw a collection of rocks.  She gripped Morning Glory harder and paddled, latching a hoof onto the rock.  Draggle got off Surprise and scrambled onto the rock.  Dropper her staff just long enough to grip Surprise by the mane and yank her and Morning Glory onto the rocks.
Morning Glory whinnied tiredly, collapsing to the ground.  Her eyes were closed in exhaustion, and her delicate wings fluttered weakly.
“Surprise, you got to find Fizzy and the Stoneback.”  Draggle glared up the river, probably mentally cursing the aliens.  “I’ll look after Morning Glory.  Can you fly?”
“I need…a few minutes…”  Surprise said.  “But I’ll find them.  Count on it.  Draggle, what was Reeka saying?”
“I have no idea.”
“You don’t remember that…spell?”
“Not even sure it was a spell.  Didn’t sound like spell language at all.”
“Alright.”  Surprise lowered her head, still panting.  Just a few minutes.  Then she could fly.
And she would find Fizzy.



Fizzy stopped screaming as soon as they were over a lake.  The flight had been horrible as the alien leaned down, speaking strange words to her in a cruel tongue.  She had no idea what the thing was saying, but from the way it was licking its lips Fizzy had the horrible feeling that this thing saw her as dinner.  But then they were flying over the lake, and Fizzy got an idea.  
Concentrating hard she reached into the water.  She strained, her horn feeling as if she was trying to pull molasses out of it.  However, after a few seconds the magic began to respond.  Bubbles lifted from the lake, and floated towards them.  
Fizzy was not, by Ponylander standards, a particularly heavy young mare, but to the creature carrying her…well she was easily double the skinny thing’s weight.  To that end the creature had dipped close to the lake, unable to fly too high with the heavier Ponylander in its grasp.  The bubbles shot at the creature’s face, popping harshly in its eyes.  The creature shrieked and waved a hoof at the bubbles, and Fizzy smiled.  
“Take that!”  She concentrated harder, and a swarm of bubbles surrounded them, each one popping harshly in the creature’s eyes.  Fizzy twisted in the things grasp and kicked it in the belly.  The creature shrieked and lost its grip, dropping Fizzy into the lake.
Fizzy looked around underwater.  Surely there was a friendly Sea Pony…but she saw none, and the creature was circling over her.  She concentrated one last time, and formed a bubble cushion of bubbles between her and the creature.  She swam, clumsily, but she swam.  
Coming to the shore she shot one last string of bubbles at the creature, which by now was screaming at her rage.  She giggled.  
“Hate to bubble and run!  Bye!”  She reared and charged into the nearby forest, laughing.






The Changeling disguised as Princess Cadence bore its fangs as the retreating Fizzy.  He turned his head and snarled.  Damn it, all the shouting was starting to draw some Pegasi!  He turned his head and made the horn disappear, altered the face, and changed the Cutie Mark to a single crystal stone.
“Hey!  I heard some shouting over here!  What’s up?”  Rainbow Dash, the real Rainbow Dash, air skidded to a halt.  “Hey!  You look like you’re hurt!”
“I…I was attacked!”  The Changeling began to cry, playing the part of an innocent Pegasus.
“What?”  Rainbow Dash snorted.  “Who are you?  I’ve never seen you before!”
“I’m…” He gasped, using his ‘injuries’ to cover for him while he searched for a name.  “Crystal Shine.  I was just passing by when this strange unicorn jumped me!  I don’t know why!  He…or she…kept shouting in some odd gibberish!  I think he’s gone mad!”
Rainbow Dash snorted.  “Say no more!  Hey, Thunderlane!”  Rainbow Dash waved a dark male Pegasus over, who had obviously been helping her clear out the clouds for the evening.  “Help her over to the clinic.  I’ll go look for this rogue unicorn!”
“Right!”  Thunderlane flapped over and supported the Changeling.  “Don’t worry miss, I got you.”
The Changeling sighed.  Well, he wasn’t going to be able to take the Ponylander back to the hive, but at least he could turn the Equestrians against Fizzy.
“Be careful, she looks…strange.  She’s really big, almost like a stallion, and her head is shaped funny.  There’s something wrong with her eyes.  They’re like pink crystals.”
“Shouldn’t be to hard to spot then.  Don’t worry!  Rainbow Dash is on the case!”  Rainbow puffed out her chest and grinned.  “You just worry about getting better!  Be back before you know it!”  Rainbow flapped her wings and speed off in the direction that the Changeling pointed.  
The Changeling grinned a bit as Thunderlane carried him off.  He could slip away later, but right now, an Element of Harmony was about to do his job for him.




The Stoneback had found himself in a similar situation to Fizzy, being dragged through the air by a blue Pegasus.  He was irritated.  How in the world was he going to help those strange fillies if he was being dragged through some strange dark world by freakish looking ponies who were nothing like the fun, happy ponies of his world!
Snarling he bit down harshly on the Pegasus’ hooves.  Strange…were his fangs going through…holes?
The Stoneback grunted and slapped the Pegasus upside the head with his tail.  The blue one glared, and the Stoneback slapped her again…then something odd happened.  The blue Pegasus shimmered, and green light tore down her body.  No longer was the Stoneback being carried away by a strange blue Pegasus, but an awful looking black…thing.  
The Stoneback roared and bite, kicked, clawed and struggled.  The Changeling hissed at him, and eventually his grip started to slip on the Stoneback.  With one last kicked the Stoneback connected with the Changeling’s jaw, and he was let loose.
Unfortunately he will still in the air.
The Stoneback fell, curling into a ball as his rocklike form ping ponged through tree branches, until he finally landed upside down in a bush.  The Changeling circled, then looked up.  Seeming to spot something the creature darted into the trees and out of sight.
The Stoneback snarled and struggled, his back legs kicking aggressively.  The bushes stirred and something stepped it.  It was the yellow freak!  The Stoneback hisses and struggled some more.  They were everywhere!
“Oh, you poor strange creature!”  Fluttershy, for this was the real Fluttershy, approached the creature.  She had heard some commotion from her cottage, which was not far.  She didn’t expect to find such an odd looking creature trapped in a bush though.  And from the way it was holding itself it was clearly hurt.
“Don’t you worry little friend, I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”  She gently removed some of the bush branches from the Stoneback, who immediately kicked her in the snout and rolled out of the bush.  He retreated a few yards back, snorting and stamping weakly at her.
Fluttershy, who would have folded if she knew that this was something far more intelligent then an animal, merely rubbed her nose and approached again, gentle voice calling out to the injured Stoneback.  “It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you.  Just let me grab you and I’ll make it feel all better.  I promise little guy.”
The Stoneback, though a tough beast, had been battered pretty badly by the Changeling, and the drop hadn’t helped.  He snorted, but allowed the yellow one to gently pet him with a hoof.  This was…odd.  A minute ago this yellow not pony was attacking him and his friends, now it was petting him and acting like it wanted to help.  Clearly the not pony didn’t think he was intelligent…
Perhaps he should let it take care of him?  Maybe it would give him a hint of what was really going on?
Relaxing the Stoneback allowed himself to be picked up and carried back to Fluttershy’s cottage.  He snorted.  This was…different.
He only hoped the ponies were safe.





Fizzy’s first instinct was to hide in the Everfree forest.  Unaware that the Equestrians shunned the place, and only seeing a forest with cover, the Twinkle-eyed unicorn had hid in the brush.  Occasionally she would see glimpses of a blue Pegasus, a small, warped one that was clearly not Wind Whistler.  She didn’t know what to do!  She was so lost in a strange dark world full of horrible, alien, big-headed ponies with wide staring eyes that wanted to hurt her and her friends!  They had already done something terrible to Applejack!  Now…oh it was just so horrible!  Not willing to fight anymore, and to scared to do much else, Fizzy simple ran from one bush to the other, growing more and more tired.  It didn’t help that she was very sore from the aliens beating on her!
So she ran at the sight of the rainbow maned Pegasus whenever she caught a glimpse of her, and eventually she stopped seeing Rainbow Dash at all.  The Element of Loyalty, though determined to find this poor mad pony and get her help, knew that it would be hard to find her after the sun fell, especially in the Everfree.  Knowing that Twilight Sparkle would be able to help with the search, Rainbow eventually flapped back to Ponyville, unaware that Applejack, the real Equestrian Applejack, and Rarity had just galloped into the forest in search of their missing sisters.
Fizzy kept moving, coming to a break in the trees.  Still lost, and unaware of her exact location, Fizzy stumbled out of the trees and gasped.
“A Big Brother!”  She smiled.  “Oh there are real ponies here after all!  She ran towards the fence before here, a Big Brother Pony was standing on the other side of it, looking around as if searching for something.  She could even see the feathered fetlocks!
Then the Big Brother looked over and picked up a lamp, turning his head towards her, letting the light shine over his body, and Fizzy skidded to a halt in horror.  To late she tumbled over the fence and landed in front of the stallion.
From a distance, in the dark, he had looked like a Big Brother, but his eyes!  The same horrible, wide eyes of the aliens!  Fizzy trembled before him, feeling she was about to faint at the sight of his freakish eyes.
He looked down at her, his brow furrowed in…worry?  Was that worry?  He set down the lantern and spoke, a single word that Fizzy couldn’t understand, but it was so gentle.  So unlike the screeching of the alien’s before.  It was almost calming.
“Don’t hurt me!  I haven’t done a thing to you!  None of us have!”  Fizzy felt like she was about to burst into tears.
The alien blinked and spoke a single word again.
She blinked back.  She tilted her head.  “You…don’t seem mean.”  She stood up.  “I’m Fizzy…can’t you speak Common?”
The stallion seemed to think, then spoke again.  A different word this time, though still slow and gentle.
She tilted her head to the other side and parroted him.  “Nn…nnope?”
The stallion blinked, then spoke the other word.  She parroted him again.  “E..yup?”
The big stallion blinked again, clearly puzzled.  Fizzy sighed and sat down.  “This isn’t getting us anyway at all, is it?”
The big stallion shrugged, and then looked up as something howled from the forest.  Fizzy tiredly got to her feet and aimed her horn at the darkness.  Who knows what would slither out!  The stallion spoke again.  She looked at him and repeated.  
“Tim…bar…wolves?”
The stallion nodded.  “Eyup.”
Fizzy thought then stamped her hooves and tossed her head at the forest, as if indicated that they should fight.  The stallion widened his eyes and put a hoof on her shoulder.  “Nnope!  Nnope!”  He shook his head vigorously.
Fizzy snorted.  “Then what do you want to do!?”
The stallion, hoof still on her shoulder, picked up his lantern and waved his head towards the little farmhouse in the distance.  He pulled on her shoulder, as if urging her to come with him.
Fizzy was uncertain, but it was either go with this stallion, who at least seemed willing to try and talk instead of following Reeka, or stay out here with the howling Timberthings.  Maybe if she could communicate with these alien ponies she could find out why they were on the witches’ side!  Maybe she could lure them, or a few of them, to the Ponylander side!  Wind Whistler…she’d try!
So Fizzy nodded and trotted alongside the strange red stallion, already starting to brighten up.  She jabbered at the stallion, knowing that he couldn’t understand, but just wanting to be able to talk to someone about the day!  The stallion smiled gently at her and nodded as if he was actually listening to her.
He was a very nice Big Brother…for a Big Brother Alien…





Big Mac had been waiting for Applejack to return.  He was worried about her.  She always took up so much on her shoulders, unwilling to let others share her burden if she could help it.  Big Mac always felt that she did too much, but she didn’t really listen to him.  So he paced around the farm well into the night, looking for any sign of his two missing sisters.  He tried not to think too much about what poor little Apple Bloom might be going through.  That filly was such a handful, but…if anything happened to either of his sisters…
He couldn’t think of it.
He was getting really worried when he heard something shout at him and run from the Everfree forest.  For a second he thought it was another stallion, but when the strange heavy pony tumbled over the fence before him…
He…she…was so strange looking!  She was big and tough looking like a stallion, but with a lilting, airy mare voice.  The voice of a mare barely out of her fillyhood.  She was a unicorn, with a five pack of fizzy sodas for a Cutie Mark.  But the oddest thing about her was her shimmering, alien, crystal eyes.  Big Mac wasn’t one to judge other ponies by how they looked, but this mare was just so…off.  The eyes might have scared off another pony, but again…it probably wasn’t her fault, so it wouldn’t be neighborly to turn her away just for her eyes.  It was getting dark, and the Timberwolves were out.  It was not fit for a poor, beaten up, lost pony to be outside, and Big Mac wasn’t going to turn her away.
So the big stallion brought her to the farmhouse.  He knew that Applejack and Apple Bloom wouldn’t mind a guest.   Even one that babbled in an odd tongue that Big Mac didn’t understand.
She chatted at him soon as they got in, and Big Mac only nodded and ‘eyuped’ at her.  He looked around.  There was Granny Smith, fast asleep on her chair.  He didn’t want to disturb her, though his houseguest cringed at the sight of the elder pony.  Big Mac looked at her and gave her a gentle nudge.  She was just so strange!  Poor thing acted like she had been terrorized by somepony.
Big Mac gently edged the mare to the kitchen.  She looked around with wide glimmering eyes, as if taken aback by everything she was seeing.  It was as if she had never been in a farm before.  Maybe she was a city pony of some kind?  Big Mac took her to the table, and indicated that she should sit down.  She smiled and sat, still babbling at him gently.  He ‘eyuped’ and went over the cupboards.
Big Mac brought her some oats in case she was hungry.  She grinned at him as soon as he brought the oats over and dug in, though she gave them a strange look, as if not used to just plain oats.  He smiled and got her some apple cider as well, which seemed to be received with more gusto.
He watched her, guessing that for some reason she didn’t know Equestrian.  He blinked, and nodded to himself.  He patted the table in front of them.  She looked up and watched him.  He tapped his chest with a hoof.
“Big Mac.”  He said.  He pointed to a family picture on the wall, tapping Applejack’s face.  “Applejack.”  He then moved to the one with Pinkie Pie and tapped her face.  “Pinkie Pie.”  He then tapped Apple Bloom.  “Apple Bloom.”  Then Granny Smith.
She looked at him, then to the pictures, then to him.  She stared at Pinkie Pie and breathed heavily, as if scared.  Big Mac frowned, and tapped her.  “You?”
She stared at him, and then breathed deep.  He tapped his chest again.  
“Big Mac.”  Then he pointed his hoof at her.  She blinked, and then pointed at him.
“Big…mac.”  He nodded.  She then tapped herself.  “Fizzy.”
Big Mac grinned and nodded.  “Eyup.  Big Mac.”  He tapped her again.  “An’ yer…Fizzy.”  He tripped a bit over the strange syllables.
She stared at him, and grinned wide.  She tapped herself.  “Eyup!  Fizzy!”
Big Mac chuckled.  They would get this down.

> Chapter Three
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Three


Dream Valley


As night fell on Dream Valley, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were getting tired.  It seemed like the forest they had run into had no end at all.  The place was clearly similar to the Everfree, as they had seen no Pegasi directing the clouds at all.  Apple Bloom’s hooves were getting sore, as well as her temper.  After running blindly into the woods they were now completely and thoroughly lost.  Apple Bloom thought they were heading south…maybe.  She was never that good with directions.
Scootaloo looked behind her.  “Oh come on, it’s not that bad!  Just a forest!  We’ll find other ponies soon!”
“Darn it Scootaloo, we are so lost it ain’t even funny.  This place is…wrong!”
“And if we don’t find shelter soon…” Sweetie Bell frowned at the forest.
“Oh stop whining!  We’ll figure something out!”  Scootaloo said.  Apple Bloom knew that her friend was just as worried as the other two, and she was only trying to keep up their spirits but as it grew darker Apple Bloom became more and more worried about the place they were traveling through.
“Hey, look!  A light up ahead!”  Scootaloo grinned and sped up.  “Betcha it’s somepony that can help us!”
“Sootaloo, wait!”  Sweetie Bell speed up as well.  It might be…eek!”
Sweetie Bell screeched to a halt and dove into a bush, latching some of her magic on Scootaloo’s tail before she could emerge from the brush and dragged her back.  Apple Bloom dove into the bush as well, though at first she didn’t see what had startled Sweetie Bell.  
With a timid peek she briefly lifted her head above the bushes.  She blinked.  It was a huge…lizard thing.  Twice the size of a pony, with green scales, a narrow nose and four clawed limbs, the beast resembled a dragon.  It was lounging on a stump, and apparently relaxing.  But it was what it was eating that made Apple Bloom glad that Sweetie Bell hadn’t let Scootaloo just run out.  It was casually, almost sleepily, gnawing on a bone.  Specifically it was using the bone to pick its teeth.  Apple Bloom had never heard of a dragon that ate meat, they preferred gems and stones after all.
“Look at what it’s eating.”  Sweetie Bell pointed out.  Scootaloo froze, staring at the creature from their cover.
“Yeah…you’re right…this was stupid.”  Scootaloo edged a bit closer to the bush’s trunk.  “This is far to dangerous and-“
The dragon thing looked up, and stared at the bush the fillies were hiding in.  It slowly stood up and started to march over.  It reminded him almost of Spike in its movements, walking on its hind legs.  Apple Bloom reached over and gripped the other two, shaking a bit.  
“Git…git ready ta run…” Apple Bloom said.  “Ah don’t think it’s friendly.”
The dragonic creature nosed and snorted around the bushes, its huge snooze an inch or two from Apple Bloom’s face.  Apple Bloom stared at the huge nose and trembled.
All of a sudden somepony shouted, and Apple Bloom heard the sound of galloping hooves.  The dragon thing reared and something darted in front of it.  A small stream of blood erupted form the dragon’s shoulder and the terrible lizard roared to the side and spat fire.
The Crusaders poked their heads out of the bushes just in time to see a strange sight.  There stood a black equine, bigger then a pony, with long slender legs with white fetlocks and sharp looking hooves.  It had a pointed, triangular head and small ears, and a white stripe blazed down its muzzle.  It was covered with armor from its head to its withers.  But the strangest thing was the creature atop it.  Like a large hairless ape, the creature was also covered with sparkly steel armor.  It had a lance in its right paw, a shield in its left, and a sword buckled at its hip.
The horse reared and bellowed a war cry at the dragon, while the creature on its back lowered the lance and the two charged.  The horse darted to the side as the dragon swiped at it, letting his rider get another shot in on the dragon.  As the horse landed on the other side of the dragon it bucked, kicking with his hind legs at the dragon’s back.  The dragon swiped his tail and broke the knight’s lance to splinters.  The knight drew his blade and leaped on the dragon’s back, hacking at the creatures horns.  The horse circled the dragon, leaping away from its flames and claws and bucking the thing at every opportunity.
Soon the dragon roared and began to run away, the knight still astride its head.  The horse whinnied and charged after them, as if determined to help his rider.
Apple Bloom’s eyes were wide.  It…couldn’t be…they couldn’t be…killing that poor thing?  Could they?  No no…it…it was just a big misunderstanding of some kind!  No way…
Scootaloo trembled.  She backed close to the trunk of the bush and covered her eyes.  “Oh Celestia…I’m sorry!  I’m so sorry!”  She sounded like she was close to tears.
Apple Bloom had a lot of reasons to be mad at Scootaloo.  After all, she and her hot headed nonsense had gotten them into this mess.  Still, watching her friend cry and whimper like that…it wasn’t Scootaloo.  Apple Bloom slid closer to her friend and hugged her tight.  Scootaloo wrapped her hooves around Apple Bloom’s shoulder and cried.
“I thought…It’d be Canterlot High!  I didn’t think it would be like this!”
Apple Bloom nuzzled her, and Sweetie Bell came up and hugged them both, offering comfort as well.
“It’s alright.  We know you didn’t mean it.  We’ll survive this, you’ll see!  It’s okay, Scoots.”  Sweetie Bell said.
From up above them they heard somepony talking in a strange tongue neither of the little fillies had heard before.  They turned around and snorted, small legs tensed and ready to run away.  
It was the horse.  He lowered his armored head and blinked at the fillies.  He seemed to frown at them, and spoke to them in a stern, almost angry manner.  He stepped closer, ears lowered as he apparently demanded something of them, though because of the language barrier Apple Bloom couldn’t tell what.  Apple Bloom stepped closer to him and smiled as cute as she could.  The big pony blinked at the look and his eyes softened a bit.  Clearly he was not immune to the cuteness of a small filly.  He spoke again, softly this time, and patted the still crying Scootaloo on the head in a comforting way.  He swished his tail, and then nuzzled them, like Big Mac would have done.  
“Please Mr horse, can ya help us?  We’re lost.”  Apple Bloom asked.  The horse lifted his head and cocked it to the side.  He swished his tail again.
The human, it had to be a human, trotted up.  His sword had no blood, and he wasn’t barbarically dragging a skull or some claws with him, and Apple Bloom hoped that she had been right and there had been a nice peaceful solution there in the bushes.  But…she wasn’t going to go check.  For her sanity.
The human stared at the fillies and spoke at the horse.  The steed turned and jabbered at the human, pointing at the fillies with one hoof.  The human came over, took off his helm, and leaned down to the fillies, smiling gently.  Apple Bloom studied the ape creature.  It was rather ugly, but he didn’t seem to mean.  It spoke to them again.
“Ah’m really sorry, mister, but ah can’t talk huy-man.”  Apple Bloom said.  The human frowned and spoke to his horse friend.  The two nodded to each other and the horse leaned down next to the fillies.  The human patted the horses rump, then waved at the fillies in a upwards motion.
“You want us to follow?”  Sweetie Bell asked.  The human smiled gently and patted his partner once again.
“What do you think, Apple Bloom?”  Scootaloo asked, almost hesitatingly.”
“Let’s do it.  Ah don’t think he means us harm…” She looked around.  “An’ we really got no choice.”  She walked over the horse and leaped on, settling on his back.  After a second Scoolaloo and Sweetie Bell followed.  The human got on behind them and spoke to the stallion.  The stallion nodded and started to trot off, south again.




“Who do you think these fillies are, your Highness?”
The stallion, Far Stride by name, shook his mane, eyeing his human partner from behind.  For centuries on this world human knights partnered with equine steeds to do good deeds, or protect their realms.  It was a partnership that served both parties well.  The humans had hands and fingers to wield tools, and the equines would bear them into battle.  In the ancient past many believed that this relationship has once been that of master and beast, but horses, ponies, zebra and other hooved races could speak, so for many it had become a partnership.  
The human patted Far Stride.  “You know you don’t have to call me that, my friend.  We’ve been partners for almost five years now!”
“You’re still a prince.”
“I know, I know, but we’re on the road!  You can call me by my name.”
Far Stride whinnied a laugh.  “Okay, okay, Scorpan…”
There was a long silence, in which Prince Scorpan studied the fillies.  They weren’t Ponylanders, he could tell.  Ever since the little ponies and their human ward Megan had helped him defeat Tirac, Scorpan had been a firm ally of Ponyland, if a distant one.  Unlike the Flutter Ponies or the Grundles, who were relatively near the little ponies, Scorpan’s kingdom was further away.  But these little equines were different.  They had no symbols on their flanks, and they had odd round heads.  So the poor lost things could not Ponylanders.  Still, they clearly needed his help, so he would give it!  He had a lot to make up to the ponies.  All ponies.
“…you okay, Scorpan?”
“Just thinking.”
“You know no one blames you for Tirac, right?  And that dragon wasn’t like little Spike.  He was raiding villages, and he wasn’t going to stop.  We warned him off three times, Scorpan!”
“I know Far Stride.  That doesn’t make it easier.”
Far Stride whinnied.  “Very well…to bad we don’t know the way to the Moochick.  He could probably figure out these little one’s tongue…”
“Why Far Stride, are you saying the court sorceress can’t whip up a translation spell?”  Scorpan chuckled.
“Hehehe, I guess she could!  Shall I speed up?  If I gallop we can make the castle by tomorrow!”
“If you’re not to tired.”
“Who am I, Scorpan?  I am Far Stride!  No one roams far as I.”  The stallion whinnied again and began to gallop to the south.  The Cutie Mark Crusaders clung the speeding horse as his legs begin to eat up the miles.
Apple Bloom watched the trees pass by.  If she closed her eyes and concentrated, she could believe it was Big Mac giving her a ride, not a strange looking horse and his human.  She curled into a ball and shivered.  She wanted to go home.  She wanted to go home so badly.
She could see home right now, in her mind.  Big Mac and his calm, gentle voice.  Applejack’s upbeat whinny.  She could imagine Rainbow Dash reclining on a cloud as she shirked work, Fluttershy herding animals.  She could imagine Zecora’s clever rhymes and gentle smile.
As her eyes closed she entered a fitful sleep, and for a few moments, the imaginings became real as Apple Bloom dreamed of home.



Applejack and Rarity followed the tracks until they burst into the scene of the battle, not four hours later.  By then Far Stride was halfway to Scorpan’s castle, as the longer legs of a horse carried him farther and faster then the two lost Equestrians.  
Rarity, for once heedless of her state of her mane, ducked her the bush where the filly tracks led.  She rooted around the bush.  She could see where the Crusaders had laid in the grass, but she could find neither hide nor hair of them.
Rarity reemerged.  “Oh where could they have gone?”  She heard rustling, and noticed that Applejack was following the trampled grass and brush.  She got up to follow Applejack, but the farm pony suddenly whirled around and pushed her away.
“Applejack, what-“
“Ya don’t wanna see that over there, sugercube.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“It’s…bad.”  Applejack snorted.  “Real bad.  Just…don’t look.
“But Sweetie Bell!”
“Jus…let me look fer em.  Ya just…keep watch, okay?  Holler if anypony, and I mean anypony comes…” The farm pony turned and darted back into the bushes.
Rarity snorted.  Honestly, just because she was more…feminine then Applejack didn’t make her weak!  She wanted to follow Applejack to see what all the fuss was about, but then again…the part about keeping watch made sense.  Rarity wasn’t a fool.  What Applejack found…was probably something to horrible for a decent pony to think of.  Whatever could do…whatever it was that Applejack had seen must be horrible, so somepony had to keep watch for it.
Rarity waited, contemplating what had happened here.  There was a lot of scorched and trampled underbrush.  She sighed, frustrated.  She yearned to find Sweetie Bell and rescue her from these heavyset ponies!  Rarity didn’t much care about the weight, although in her opinion a few trips to the spa and the gym would be a GREAT benefit for the strange ponies’ physical health, but they had hurt her sister!  This!  Would!  Not!  Stand!
Applejack eventually emerged from the bushes again.  She looked rather frazzled, her eyes wide and staring.  Rarity gasped.  She had never seen Applejack looked so unnerved before!  She trotted closer to her friend.  “Darling, are you alright?”
“Yeah, just…need some air.”  Applejack sat down.  “Ah…gotta focus…there’s so much trampled ground here…Ah have no idea where they could be…what do we do now?”
Rarity looked around.  She noticed that there were several sets of tracks.  The tracks from their sisters and Scootaloo, big, clawed ones, and another set of hoofprints that seemed shaped oddly.  She noticed that the odd hoofprints bore to the south.
“…there was another pony here, or at least something like a pony.  Perhaps we should find this other pony.  It might be one of them.”
Applejack got up and nodded.  “Right, let’s move sugarcube….wait a sec do ya hear that?”	
Rarity looked up to see a pink blur darting towards them from above.  She eeped and leaped to the side as a pink alien Pegasus landed near them.  She, he, whatever, turned her gaze on Rarity, whose own eyes widened.  Somepony had…jabbed a pair of what looked like emeralds into this pony’s eyes!  They twinkled at her in a harsh, cold manner, and the pink Pegasus stamped.
She babbled at Rarity in a rapid fire manner of speech, that Rarity wasn’t sure she would have been able to follow even if this Pegasus could speak Equestrian.  She lowered her horn and considered manipulating the gems in this pony’s eyes, but then threw the idea out with a shake of her head.  What was she thinking!  That was too cruel!
“Now, miss, I am sure there is a very good reason you foalnapped my sister.”  Rarity began.  “So if you would please return her, we can all go home and no one will have to be hurt.”
The pink Pegasus lunged for Rarity, fast, almost as fast as Rainbow Dash.  In fact, Rarity was almost sure that the only reason this Pegasus might be considered slower then Rainbow was a matter of sheer aerodynamics.  The creature was to fat to be as fast as the slim athletic Rainbow, but that didn’t stop her from being swift.
But Rarity, despite her appearance and attitude, could take care of herself.  Her horn glowing she telekinetically scooped up dirt, and, twisting her head, she hurled dust into the pink Pegasus’ face.  The pink one tripped and rolled forcing Rarity to duck out of the way.
“Ah got her!”  Applejack took out a lasso and twirled it, wrapping it around the pink Pegasus’ chest.  “Ha!  Now ya-” Applejack didn’t get to finish the sentence as the Pegasus suddenly violently bucked, leaping the air.  Applejack pulled on the rope, using all of her strength, but for once that was not enough.  The pink Pegasus buzzed, and soon Applejack was swept up into the sky.  
Rarity gasped and galloped after them, using her magic to snag at Applejack’s rope.  She attempted to pull using her telekinesis but…the pink one was so strong!  She knew that if she let go of her magic she would lose Applejack, and that she could not bear!  She pulled the rope in close and latched onto it.  Where Applejack went, she did!  The pink Pegasus pulled harder and soon Rarity and Applejack were in the air, dangling and bounding along as the alien Pegasus bucked and darted around in the air.
As they passed over a river, something else darted into the air at them.  The pink Pegasus whinnied as the strange thing raked its claws against her wing.  Rarity twisted her eyes and blinked at the feathered menace.  It looked almost like a large eagle, but twice the size of an alien pony.  It pecked for the pink Pegasus, and the pink one dove down.
Rarity waited till they were closer to the ground, before grabbing the bird’s tail with her magic and plucking.  The bird squawked and turned its beak towards her, but Applejack leaned over and bucked it in the eye.  The bird, deciding there was better prey, flapped its wings and speed off to find a nice mouse or something.
Panting the Pegasus lowered herself to the ground next to the river, panting, and drops of blood dripping from her feathers.  She collapsed to the ground, clearly exhausted.
Applejack and Rarity found themselves tumbled to the ground as well.  The rope was still attached to Applejack’s mouth and she let go, stamping on the rope to keep her tenuous hold on the pink thing intact.  The pink one turned her head and babbled at them, still rapid fire.
Rarity stood up and looked at the strange Pegasus’ side.  The feathers were bent at an awkward angle, and long, but thankfully shallow scratches ran down her side.  “Oh Applejack, I know she helped take our sisters but…oh we can’t just leave her like this!”
Applejack stared at her, then looked at the exhausted Pegasus.  “…ya, think yall’re right…but I got nothin’ I can use ta help.”
“No problem, Applejack, I have come prepared, as usual.”  Rarity telekinetically reached into her mercifully intact saddlebag and pulled out a first aid kit.  She primly trotted up to the pink one, who glared at Rarity.  
“Now dear, I am sure you can tell this is a first aid, kit, yes?”  Rarity even opened the kit so the strange Pegasus could look at the bandages.  “Now, I am going to help you with those cuts.  Please don’t preform any random acts of violence on my person.”  Rarity floated a bottle of alcohol out of her bag.  Gently dousing some gauze with the alcohol, she lifted it to the Pegasus’ cuts.  “Now this will sting.”  She began the clean the Pegasus’ wounds.  She winced and glared at Rarity, but didn’t try to attack.
Gently Rarity artfully and skillfully bandaged up the Pegasus’ wounds.  She watched Rarity, her defensive, angry look being replaced by one of curiosity.  She jabbered at Rarity some more, but Rarity didn’t understand the other mare at all.  
Applejack, meanwhile, kept watching the sky, making sure nothing else was coming to attack them.  She barely noticed the Pegasus watching her with curious, but sad eyes.  Even through the strange crystals, Rarity could sense that the other mare was getting sad as she looked at Applejack.
Rarity sighed and shook her head.  “This is going be very difficult.”  Still, she finished up, and in her opinion the pink Pegasus was now not only healthy, but she had made sure the bandages would compliment her frame.  She nodded to herself.  Rarity had done it again!
But the pink Pegasus seemed to be focused mostly on Applejack.  She gave Rarity a grateful nod, but trotted over to Applejack.  Applejack looked at the Pegasus and nodded politely, tipping her hat. 
“Hey there, sugar cube.  Look…Ah’m sure this is all a big misunderstandin’ right?  How’s about a nice filly like you give us a hand finding our little sisters, okay?”
The Pegasus held up a hoof against Applejack’s mouth and began to talk.  Very slowly, or at least much slower then she had before.  The Pegasus stared into Applejack’s eyes, as if desperate to get the farm pony to understand her.  The Pegasus’ voice hitched once or twice, and tears formed in the strange crystal eyes.  She even pointed with a hoof at her eyes, as if trying to get the other mare to understand her.  Applejack blinked.  The Pegasus was acting as if she knew Applejack, like she was desperately trying to get her to understand something.  Applejack sighed.
“Ah’m sorry.  Ah have no clue what you’re saying.”
The Pegasus hung her head and sighed.  She looked around and pointed at a tree.  She then got up and trudged over.  Collapsing under the tree she lowered her head and looked at them, as if waiting to see what they would do.
Rarity shrugged.  “This is the first positive sign we have seen.”  She got up and walked over to the Pegasus.  She lowered her head and lay across from her.  “I loath the dirt, but I’ll stay with you, miss.  I don’t think this a good place to sleep alone.”
“Yer right, Rarity, I’ll keep watch.  Then maybe we can get all this figured out after a rest.”  Applejack trotted over and sat down near them.  The pink Pegasus nodded at Applejack once then lowered her head.  Soon she was asleep.
“…I think she knows you, Applejack, do you remember her at all?”  Rarity asked.
“Naw, never seen her before in my life…maybe she knows somepony that looks like me?”
“That is…unlikely.  A one in a million chance!”
“Yeah but…the way she looked at me…like Ah was a friend she knew long ago.  But I know I never seen her before.”
Rarity shrugged.  “We will have to see.”
Applejack nodded and looked up at the sky.  “Hey…Rarity?”
“Yes?”
“I know we don’t get along, but…I am glad that yall’re here with me.”  Applejack said.
“Oh Applejack…you are an uncouth, rugged tomcolt with no sense of hygiene or personal grooming…but you are also one of the most dependable and loyal ponies I know.  You know that.”  
“Yeah…and I reckon you’re like this one pool on the farm.  You see, ya look at it at first, and it don’t look that deep, but you jump in and it’ll go far over yer ears.  Ya know what Ah’m saying?”
“Why yes, I think I do.  Goodnight, Applejack.”
“Night Rarity.”




The next morning Applejack shook herself from a stupor and walked over the river.  She was tired from staying up all night, but the other two had slept peacefully.  Applejack knew that she was going to pay for staying up all night like this, but there was nothing to do for it.  She leaned down and started to drink.  She blinked and reared.  There was something there.
A pony head peeked out from the water, pink with a blue mane.  Applejack backed up, staring.  The pony’s body was that of a fish.  Two more popped up, a blue one with a pink mane and a lavender one with another pink mane.  They stared at her, then sang at her, grinning as if they were old friends or something.
Applejack titled her head, then waved.  “Er…howdy?”  Sweet Celestia those eyes were creepy!
The three chattered at her, but she shrugged.  “Sorry, yall, I don’t know what you’re saying’”
One of them, the blue one, flapped her fins, apparently upset at something.  The lavender one looked up at Applejack and asked what sounded like a question.  Applejack just shrugged at her.
The trio looked at each other, then flipped into the air.  As one they began to sing, a strange, odd little tune.  The three of them flapped their fins in time and bobbed, singing at her in a language she couldn’t understand.  Although…the song seemed to have a nice little beat to it.  She smiled a bit at the second verse and started to tap her hooves to the tune.  She couldn’t understand it, but she kinda liked it.  It seemed old fashioned, like a tune from her Ma’s age, but it was…good.  She laughed a bit at the flipping and bobbing and flapping of the…sea horse things?  Naw…river ponies?  Maybe.
The song wound down, with a great triumphant flourish of their fins.  The river ponies looked at Applejack, expectantly.
Feeling it was best to be polite, she stamped in applause.  The river ponies drew back, and blinked at her wit their wide, owlish eyes.  She stopped.  “Aww, ya guys are pretty good!”  She grinned at them, hoping this would make them happy, but they still gazed at her as if they were trying to figure out what was wrong with her.
“Well, if there is music in this place, then perhaps it is not all bad.”  Rarity, apparently the singing had woken her up, trotted up.  She clapped at the river ponies, who looked at her strangely.  “…Perhaps they would like an Equestrian song?”  She pulled out her instrument from the Pony Tone’s songs and whistled out a little measure.  She tapped her hoof on the ground, and the river ponies watched her.  
“Now, just a few simple lyrics, hmmm?”  Rarity began to sing a simplified version of the Pony Tone’s signature song, it didn’t sound quite right without Big Mac’s bass, but soon the river ponies were bobbing along with the melody, and, with some tripping over the words, they begin to sing the lyrics, though it was clear they were merely parroting Rarity.  Even so the river ponies began to flip and bob just as they head for their own song, and soon Applejack herself couldn’t help but join them as well.  
Applejack felt her strength returning a bit, as the music begin to lift her spirits.  So, it was really true.  
Not everything here was evil.





Whizzer had gone to sleep rather depressed.  Applejack didn’t remember her at all!  She couldn’t imagine what could have happed to her to make her this way!  She barely seemed the same cheerful, clumsy, slightly silly Applejack that had saved Whizzer and the other Twinkle-eyed ponies.  She didn’t respond at all to Whizzer’s attempts to get her to remember that day she had defeated the wizard and saved them all!
So it was with a heavy heart that the usually zippy Whizzer feel asleep.  However, she awoke that morning to the oddest song.  She lifted her head, hearing a familiar ‘shoo-be-doo’…but something was odd about it.  She got up from under the tree.  She briefly looked at the bandages that the odd unicorn had used on her.  It did feel better.  Strange how these bobble heads had attacked her, stole Applejack from them but…these were…nice to her…
Abruptly the singing reached her ears.  She blinked as she watched the unicorn take out a…was that a ukulele?  Whizzer wasn’t sure.  She blinked as the unicorn sang at the Sea Ponies lined up on shore.  The Sea Ponies laughed and began to parrot the strange words back.  Whizzer watched as Applejack laughed and joined in as the Sea Ponies harmonized with the unicorn.  
Whizzer smiled.  Maybe Applejack was there after all!  She approached and listened.  She flicked her ears and, at the next stanza, joined in, almost as clumsy with the odd words as the others, the issue doubled as she tried to contain her natural instinct to race through her words.  She managed it though, stamping her hoof in time with the others.  The unicorn turned her head to Whizzer and gave the Pegasus a wide smile.
As the finished the odd foreign song Whizzer laughed at turned to Applejack.  “I-can’t-believe-you-can’t-remember-at-all-can-you?  I-mean-you-saved-us-Twinkleeye-ponies-you-know-that-Fizzy-and-Sweet-Stuff-always-looked-up-to-you?”
Applejack just sort of looked at Whizzer with those huge eyes and Whizzer sighed.  “I-hate-this.”
“Whizzer, what’s going on?”  The blue Sea Pony, Seawinkle, swam over, frowning a bit despite the singing from before.  “She doesn’t remember us!”  This clearly upset the Sea Pony, as Applejack had been a good friend to them after they had saved her and Megan from the river.
“I-don’t-know-she-and-this-unicorn-attacked-Morning-Glory-but-we-don’t-know-what-happened-to-her!”
Wavedancer swam closer as well.  “Have you tried the Moochick?”
Whizzer blinked.  “Of-course-the-Moochick-should-know-what-to-do!”
Wavedancer grinned.  “We’ll head to the Estate and let the others know!”  She flipped and waved at fin at Applejack.  “Bye Applejack!  I hope you feel better!”  She grinned and, out of pure fun, splashed both Applejack and Rarity.
Applejack laughed, recognizing the fun for what it was.  Rarity, however, shrieked.
“Why you uncouth FISH!”  Rarity screamed.  “How DARE you!”
“Aww come on, Rarity, she was just having some fun.”  
Rarity looked at Applejack, mane soaked and ruined, and gasped once, then huffed, then gasped again.  It was all very affected.  Whizzer fell on her back and laughed.
“Hahahaha-are-we-sure-she-isn’t-Truly-look-at-that-face!”
Whizzer and Applejack continued to laugh at poor Rarity, who huffed and looked away from them.
“Oh!  Here you are…ummm…is Applejack better?”
Whizzer looked up and smiled.  “Hi-Sweet-Stuff-I-didn’t-know-you-were-coming!”
“Galaxy ran back to Paradise Estate and told us what happened.  Magic Star started to organize some searchers.  I came here looking for you.”  The light blue Twinkle-eye Earth Pony emerged from the bushes.  She gave the enraged Rarity a meek look, and edged closer to Whizzer.  “Are they better?”
“Well-the-unicorn-fixed-my-wing-can’t-fly-but-it-feels-better-but-they-are-still-acting-strange-was-gonna-take-them-to-the-Moochick-wanna-come?”
Sweet Stuff looked at the two alien ponies, then nodded.  “Yeah, do you think I can really help though?”
“Yeah-of-course-let’s-go!”
Sweet Stuff approached the two Equestrians, flinching a bit at Rarity’s glare.  She shrank back from Rarity.  “Ummm, please come with us?  Please?”
Applejack placed a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder.  “Aww, come on, Rarity, you’re scarin’ her.  Look at her, she’s like Fluttershy!”
Rarity took a deep breath.  “Why is everypony here filthy mean and rude!”
Sweet Stuff blinked and ducked her head.  Rarity noticed the wounded look the shy Earth Pony was giving her and sighed.  “Oh I am sorry miss…whoever you are.  But really!”  She huffed.
Sweet Stuff smiled and waved a hoof indicated that they should follow.  She took a few steps towards the Mushromp and waved again.  Whizzer stepped next to her and waved a hoof as well.
Applejack frowned.  “Ya think we should follow those two?  I mean, they ain’t hostile anymore but…”
“I believe that we should take a leap of faith, Applejack.  Be wary, but perhaps they will lead us to Sweetie Bell and the others!”  Rarity attempted to shake her mane back into its fabulous state, even as she walked forwards to follow the two Twinkle eyed ponies towards the Mushromp.
They had no clue what they were in for.





Wind Whistler paused at the base of the mirror, shaking her head and attempting to get the world to stop spinning.  “That was…unlike the normal rainbow path.  It is not usually that violent.  Or illness inducing.  Nor is there suction.”
“…I feel like I’ve been through a washer…” Gusty moaned.  “Where’s Morning Glory?”
Wind Whistler turned towards the mirror.  She stepped towards it, but all of a sudden the surface went dark.  She frowned and placed a hoof on the surface.  Instead of the tingle and tugging her hoof merely met glass.  She snorted.
“Gusty, we have been deceived.”
“By Morning Glory!?  Of all Flutter Ponies!”
“I doubt that was the true Morning Glory.”  Wind Whistler said.  “It is not as if we have not encountered such magical influences before.  Mind control, a shape shifter…anything could be possible, especially since this place is clearly hostile to us Ponylanders.”
“Then we need to find the others, and fast!”  Gusty said, stepping towards the door.  “Come on, Wind Whistler!”
“Hmmmm….” Wind Whistler eyed the statues as they exited.  A part of her wanted to stay here and study this mystery, but…Gusty was correct.  Right now the most important thing was finding their allies.  Study, and the need to figure out the logistics of this place, wasn’t the top priority right now.  Logic dictated that they find their friends, rescue them from whatever peril, then when all heads were in the same place they could go from there.  So despite her urge to study these very interesting murals on the walls Wind Whistler ignored them in favor of keeping up with Gusty, who didn’t give the old carvings a second glance.
“Once we find them we will need a base of operations.  If we can’t find an immediate way back we will need a fallback position.”
“Right, which way do you think we should go, Win-AH!”
“HI!”  A pink Earth Pony with balloons on her flank, poofity hair, and the apparent ability to suddenly get the drop on you similar to Surprises’ suddenly materialized before them, babbling at them in Equestrian.  “I was looking for the Cutie Mark Crusaders and my Pinkie Sense told me to come here!  But they aren’t here!  Everyone is so worried about them!  I’m worried to because I keep having the feeling they’re in a scary place, but that just means I have to work extra super duper hard to make sure everyone doesn’t get all frowny faced!  Frowny faces never help anyone!  That’s what my Granny Pie always used to say!  You two look a little frowny yourselves!  You look strange but you can’t be dangerous or mean!  My knee isn’t getting pinchy, so you CAN’T be mean ponies!  I’m Pinkie Pie!  Who are you?”
“…did they turn Surprise into a pink Earth Pony and give her coffee?”  Gusty asked, bewildered.
“I…am uncertain…Surprise…is that you?”  Wind Whistler asked, as dumbfounded as Gusty.
“Hmmm, I can’t understand what you’re saying!  Hey!  I should take you to Twilight!  She’ll have something!  Or I can find something for her and she can cast it!  The right books are always falling on my head, and I mean ALWAYS falling on my head!  How weird is that!  Hey, you know what is also weird?  Your wings.”  She tapped Wind Whistler on the chest, who just stared at her.  “You keep holding them up like you’re excited, but your face isn’t excited!  Your face kinda looks like a rock!  I don’t mean your grey or anything, just that you keep that same expression on your face like a rock!  Anyway, we should head to Ponyville!  I’ll find the right spell, and you can tell me about your wings!  Then we can have a search party for the fillies!  Then a Welcome Home Party for them and a Welcome to Ponyville Party for you two!  Three parties one day!  How great is that!”  Pinkie turned and bounced away, confidant that the two Ponylanders would follow her.
“…that is an…odd form of locomotion.”  Wind Whistler said.
“…that’s the only thing you found odd about her?”
“For the moment that is all my tenuous grip on my sanity can take.”  Wind Whistler snorted gently.  “But, despite her…eccentrics, I think we should follow her.  She might lead us to the others.”
“Or directly into an ambush.”  Gusty stamped.  “I don’t trust that freak!”
“Nor do I, but you do you have a better suggestion?  If so I would be delighted to hear it.”  Wind Whistler said.  In any other pony this would be sarcastic, but the calm Pegasus was clearly being serious, and honestly wanted to hear if Gusty had a better solution.  “Keep alert, Gusty, as she very well may be leading us into a trap.  But between you and I, I think we can escape if this is so.”
“Right…lets go…I must be crazy…” Gusty began to follow the hot pink bounding pony.  “Or everyone in this place is crazy…”
“Hey, have you ever been to Ponyville before?  I think I’d recognize you if you had, cause you’re so funny looking.  You look like you’d like Sugar Cube Corner though!”  And the stream of consciousness just continued to babble out of Pinkie’s mouth.  Gusty snorted, growing irritated by the foreign babble.
“I think I might hate this pony.”
“Oh, I don’t know.  I find the babble rather soothing.”  Wind Whistler said.  “I am unsure that a pony like this would mean us harm.”
“Just wants to talk our ears off.”  Gusty said.
Wind Whistler gave her a gentle smile, and continued to follow the strange pink one.  Though she felt the pony wasn’t a threat, it was still wise to be cautious.
However, the pink one did seem to know her way through the forest, as soon enough they came to a town.  Wind Whistler had seen a few towns in her time, and this one seemed nice enough.  The buildings were small and quaint, almost like Bright Valley, but smaller, with a tendency towards circular roofs.  She blinked as they approached a huge tree with windows.  The pink one bounced over and started to knock on the door.  Wind Whistler and Gusty stood a bit apart from Pinky.
“I am not going into her freaky treehouse.”  Gusty said.
“I believe that is very wise.”  Wind Whistler said.  “I will not be caged in a small space without the safety of the air.”
“Yeah…to be honest I don’t like how these buildings press in…Wind Whistler I don’t like this at-“
“SURPRISE, BOBBLE HEADS!”
“Surprise!”  Wind Whistler looked up to see the white Pegasus drop down on them and buck the pink one into the door…or she would have if the door hadn’t opened just then to reveal a purple unicorn…with wings?  Wind Whistler had never seen a winged unicorn before.  She stamped in shock.  Meanwhile the pink one had collided with the purple pegicorn, the two tumbling into the tree with the sound of falling books.  Wind Whistler peeked in to them covered in fallen books.  Apparently this was some sort of library.
“Gusty, Wind Whistler!  Run!  She’s got a TORTURE CHAMBER in there!”
“What?”  Wind Whistler stepped back.
“I was spying in there while that purple freak slept!  She’s got machines like a gizmonk!  Wires and blinking lights and everything!  They attacked us before too!  These very same ones!”
“I told you!”  Gusty whinnied as the two alien ponies untangled themselves from the books and started towards them.  “Take this!”  Gusty aimed her horn and swept a gust of wind at the surprised aliens, blowing the purple one backwards.  The pink one, on the other hand, crouched near the ground and pulled toward them, still babbling.
“Gusty, Surprise, Retreat!”  Wind Whistler reared and kicked the door in Pinkie Pie’s face.  “I shall follow, but GO!”
Gusty nodded and turned, charging away.  By now she knew well enough to follow Wind Whistler.  The Pegasus backed away slowly as her friends got a head start.  The door was surrounded by purple energy, and the winged unicorn burst out, looking rather mad.  She screamed at Wind Whistler, snorting in anger.
“I promise you, stranger.”  Wind Whistler said calmly.  “You shall not harm any of us.  I shall ensure it.”  She darted low, headbutting Twilight Sparkle and slamming her against the door.  With the strange beast shaking her head in dizziness, Wind Whistler launched into the air and spun, following on Gusty and Surprises’ heels.




Twilight shook her head, staggering.  “PIIINKIEEE!”
Pinkie leaped out the window.  “Twilight!”
“What…was…all that?”  The alicorn shook her head.
“Well, I found them in the woods behind the castle!  They’re lost!”  Pinkie said.  “I mean, clearly they’re lost!  Did you see how big they are?  And their wings!  It’s like they have a constant, oh what’s it called?  A-“
“Pinkie, why did your new friends just buck me into my library?  And where are the girls?”
“I don’t know!  I think they’re scared and lost and confused, and they aren’t thinking clearly!  And they can’t understand us, so I brought them here so they can, but that new one was really really scared, couldn’t you tell how scared she was?  She really needs to learn to laugh at scary things!  Anyway, they aren’t bad ponies!  They just don’t understand us!”
“That blue Pegasus didn’t seem scared.”  Twilight said.
“Oh she was the scaredest of all!  I can tell!  She was trying to hide how scared she was with that big meany rock face!  But I can tell these things!”  Pinkie grinned at Twilight.
Twilight studied Pinkie.  Despite just getting slammed into various hard objects…she knew that Pinkie could sense things fairly accurately, even if she sometimes got so excited she would blab these things out loud when they were not needed or wanted.  It was like the pink pony had no internal filter that said ‘stop talking now’.  Still, her feelings were often accurate, so…
Twilight went back into her library.  “I know I have a universal translator spell here…if I can find it we can cast it on them so we can get a dialogue going.  You can find them again, right?”
“Yepper depper!”  Pinkie bounced in and within two seconds, produced a language book.  “Here you go!”
Twilight nodded and opened the book up with her magic.  “Just give me a while to memorize the spell…”
“Oh, okay.  I know!  I’ll go make some cupcakes for them while we wait!  I’ll be back!”  Pinkie bounced out.
Twilight nodded absentmindedly.  She had a funny feeling that getting to the bottom of these strange alien ponies would also lead them to the girls…
As she studied, the sun began to peek over the horizon.

> Chapter Four
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Four

Fizzy really felt at home here, despite the issues she was having communicating with Big Mac.  Perhaps it was because the big farm pony was so calm and welcoming, even to someone who wasn’t his kind of pony.  Fizzy liked him, and really wished she could talk to him normally, but all she had was the scattered bits of Equestrian he tried to teach her.  They had talked, much as they could, until poor Fizzy’s face was drooping into her oats.  She was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.  Seeing this, Big Mac had tapped her on the shoulder and led her to his room.  Feeling that a tired, injured mare should have his bed, he gently guided her there, and then took up space on the couch, half between wakefulness and sleep.  He kept one tired eye on the door, in case Applejack burst in with Apple Boom.
Of course by the time that Celestia started to raise the sun nopony had come home.  Feeling very concerned now, but knowing that someone had to keep the farm running, Big Mac rose with the cawing of the roosters and started to make breakfast for Granny Smith and the foreign pony.
“Mornin’” Granny greeted as she slowly made her way to the table.  “Where’d the girls go?”
“Still not back yet.”  Big Mac said.
“Hrrmpp…dog gone young fillies these days…” Granny started, but the sound of hoofsteps on the stairs silenced the ancient mare.  She turned and squinted as Fizzy took the last few steps off the landing and gazed at them both, blinking with her strange crystal eyes.
“Big Mac…what in tarnation have you been up to?”  Granny asked.
Big Mac sputtered.  “It ain’t like that, Granny…”
Fizzy’s mouth turned up into a nervous smile, but she took a deep breath and walked over to Granny.  She ducked her head and babbled at Granny.
“Eh?  Stop mumbling young filly!  My ears aint’ what they used to be.”
“Don’t think she can speak Equestrian, Granny.”
“Eh?”
“She’s foreign.”
“Oooooh, getting on with these foreign fillies, eh boy?”
“It ain’t like that, Granny.  I found her lost and hurt last night.  Just tryin’ ta be neighborly.”
Granny gave a good natured chuckle, deciding to tease Big Mac just a bit more.  “Awfully neighborly, eh miss?”  She winked at Fizzy, who tilted her head in puzzlement.  Still, she smiled at Granny, trying to be as polite as she could while not actually being able to talk to her.
Big Mac placed a large stack of pancakes, with toast, apple jelly, butter and of course, apple juice.  Carefully he placed a few pancakes and toast on one plate, then another.  He placed a plate in front of Fizzy, and another for Granny.  Granny smacked the syrupy pancakes with her hoof.  The flapjacks flipped into the air and straight into Granny’s mouth.  Big Mac looked at Fizzy, expecting to see her use Unicorn magic to levitate the food.  Instead she grabbed a fork and knife in her hooves and began to eat like an earth pony.  Big Mac grunted.  Well, he supposed it wasn’t his business if she didn’t like to use her magic.  For a moment he thought that Fizzy was putting on odd airs like that one unicorn that Rarity had been so obsessed with, the one that had a crush on his sister, but Fizzy was giving him such an earnest smile he didn’t think that was possible.  It could be she was raised by earth ponies or pegasi, like the Cake twins.  Big Mac shrugged, not letting it bother him.
When they were done with breakfast Big Mac headed off to buck the south field.  He’d be at it all day without Applejack and Apple Bloom, so he figured he couldn’t stick around and entertain his house guest.  Fizzy, for lack of anything better to do, followed.
Fizzy eyed him as he went into the barn and tried to hitch himself up to the cart.  He looked at her while he struggled with his harness and snorted.
“Now, I ain’t saying ya hafta, but I could sure use some help out there.”  Big Mac said.
Fizzy looked at the cart, then looked at Big Mac.  Big Mac sighed, and pointed to the south field.  He grabbed a stick and drew a little apple tree, Fizzy following with her eyes.  He pointed to the tree, then made a stick figure Big Mac bucking the apples down from the trees.  Fizzy babbled at him.  She pointed at the trees, then pointed at herself.  He shrugged, trying to get her to understand that it was up to her if she wanted to help him or not.
Fizzy looked up at him and nodded.  She trotted over and attempted to help him into the harness.  Again, using her hooves instead of her magic.  Big Mac watched, feeling extremely awkward, as Fizzy clumsily attempted to place the harness over his body.  She somehow managed to get her hooves tangled up and bound on his back.  Eventually he had to help her out, and he wondered if he would have had better luck just doing it on his own.  She kept chattering at him in an apologetic tone, ears down sadly.
“Hey, it’s alright.  You’re just not used to this kinda thing, I reckon.”  Big Mac said.  “Better get them apples in before we lose anymore daylight.”  Big Mac started off, heading for the south field, as Fizzy followed behind, looking rather sheepish.
Big Mac lapsed into his usual silence as Fizzy started to talk to him again, and Big Mac let out an occasional eyup for her benefit.  He was starting to get used to her, just a bit.  She was clearly a chatterbox, but it was alright.  She seemed happy enough to talk to him even if he couldn’t fully understand.
Although he had to admit out here in the light she looked even odder.  He wondered where in Equestria she had came from.  She was so odd looking, like a colt, but clearly a mare.  And the eyes were still giving him the heebie jeebies.  If it weren’t for her unnatural appearance she might be cute, but…she was just a bit to alien.  But, despite that, that didn’t mean she was a bad pony, just one that gave him a nervous feeling when he thought too much of it.
They approached the first tree, and Big Mac pointed at the apples, then pointed at Fizzy’s horn, hoping that this time she would do a little unicorn magic.  She gave him a startled look, looked up at the apples then shrugged.  She turned to the tree and her horn began to glow.  Big Mac smiled, and then lifted a foreleg in puzzlement as a small storm of bubbles seemed to erupt from the air.  The bubbles began to float upwards, enveloping the apples and bobbing in the air.  Fizzy frowned and her horn glowed again.  With some clear effort she managed to place the apples into the cart.  Big Mac blinked.
“…might be quicker if I just…bucked em…”  Big Mac shrugged and headed for the next tree.
A sudden shout made him stop, and the oddest…thing jumped down from the tree in front of his snout.  It was long, tall, and stood on its forelegs like a diamond dog.  However, its face and snout sort of resembled a gorilla or a chimpanzee, only hairless and pink.  Though it did have a rather long impressive red mane.  It screeched at him and wacked him on the head with the long stick it carried.  Big Mac let out a cry of surprise as the creature hobbled to Fizzy and grabbed her mane.  Fizzy let out what was clearly ‘Ow.’  Big Mac turned and stamped at the ape.
“Nnope.”  He snarled and prepared to charge.
“Nnope!”  Fizzy tore away from the ape and stood between Big Mac and it.  At first Big Mac thought she was trying to defend him, as silly as that sounded, but no.  She was standing protectively in front of the ape, shaking her head and using the one word she knew for no at him.  The ape’s face crinkled in what Big Mac assumed was dislike, and it attempted to shove past Fizzy, stick raised.
Big Mac stamped again.  
If the ape wanted a fight, he would bring it!




Fizzy pushed against Draggle, not wanting to hurt her, but also not eager to see her pummel her new friend.  He WAS a friend.  He could have harmed her so many times today, or last night.  But he didn’t.
“Draggle, please!  Stop!”
“Get out of my way so I can-“
“Please!  He saved me!”
“He’s one of the ones that attacked us!  They hurt that Flutter Pony!  Surprise never came back!  We can’t find the Stoneback! They’re all hos…hos…”
“…stop trying to use Wind Whistler words.”
“Whatever!  Idiot, let me close so I can zap him!”
“Draggle, enough!  Please!”
Morning Glory poked her head out of the apple tree and fluttered down.  “Look at him, he’s trying to protect Fizzy as much as you are!”
Draggle sneered and glared at Big Mac, who stamped again and snorted.  He waved his hoof at Draggle in a clear ‘bring it’ motion.  Draggle’s eyes flashed briefly with the lightning spell, which only made Big Mac sneer more at her.
“Now, wait.  Please, Draggle.  He’s...look at him.  Look at that harness.  Look at what he’s doing.  He’s just some work pony.  He’s probably just a normal citizen of this place.  He’s not a fighter.”
“No!  He’s nice!  His name is Big Mac.  He’s really nice!  He let me into his house with old grandparent…I least I think its his grandparent…some old pony!  He gave me pancakes.”
Draggle paused.  “…so…we’ve been running around that forest…looking for you, Surprise, and a Stoneback…dodging wolves and manticores and these really strange looking dogs…and you have been snuggling in a nice farmhouse…eating pancakes.”
“…they’re very good pancakes.  They have apple slices in them.”
Draggle glared at her and, spinning, wacked an apple trees.  “Of all the stupid ponies why did we have to get stuck with you!”  She paced around the orchard, muttering what Fizzy assumed were very naughty words, and banging her stick on things.
Fizzy was used to these kind of outbursts from the witch.  She pawed the ground; a bit embarrassed that Big Mac got to see this.
“Draggle, you are being to mean!”  Morning Glory protested, but Draggle didn’t seem to hear.
“Oh, it’s okay.  She doesn’t mean it.”  Fizzy shrugged.  “She does this when she gets frustrated.”  She lowered her voice, leaning towards Morning Glory.  “It’s a witch thing.  Her mother does it too.  Wind Whistler explained this to me.  It’s just a thing with them.  She doesn’t really mean to call me stupid.”
“Well then she needs to learn how to express herself differently.”  Morning Glory frowned.  
“Wind Whistler is trying.”  Fizzy shrugged.  “She said something once about spotty leopards and stuff…”
“Oh, right.  A leopard can’t change her spots!”  Morning Glory nodded.  And I suppose we have asked her to change so many spots she must still have a few on her.
Morning Glory turned her head at an awkward cough.  The Big Brother was looking at her, scuffing his hoof in embarrassment.  The stallion pointed to the apples, then to the cart.  He then pointed at the sun.
“Oh, you’re an apple harvester!”  Morning Glory said.  “I see…you were helping him, Fizzy?”  
“Oh!  Yeah!  I thought since he saved me and feed me.”  She ignored a particularly foul curse from Draggle.  “I should help him…hey, you guys wanna help, it’s actually really fun!...Draggle?”
Draggle stopped.  “I am not pulling a cart.”
“Well of course not!”  Fizzy reared.  “I’ll pull, and you can blow the apples down!  Come on!  Maybe he’ll feed you to!”
“He better.”  Draggle looked at Morning Glory.  “You should come with us just in case…where do we find the carts?”
“This way!”  Fizzy ran over and gave Big Mac a little nuzzle, before tapping the cart with a hoof.  He blinked, backing away from the sudden unwelcome contact.  Fizzy reared and charged back to the barn, which was still in sight.  Big Mac frowned as she pulled out another cart and babbled at Draggle, who walked over and, with a puzzled frown, attempted to hitch Fizzy to the cart.  This involved almost as much pulling, tugging, puzzled glances, and grunting as it had this morning, only the occasional witchy shriek was added in for good measure.
“How does Megan do this all winter?”  Draggle grumbled again.  “You sure you can pull that thing?”
“Oh no problem!  Let’s go!”  Fizzy trotted over to where Big Mac was standing.  Seeing that the aliens were not attacking anymore, and able to tell that they now were helping with the harvest, Big Mac gave them a smile, letting the incident from before flow away from him like water under the bridge.  Besides, it was clear to him that, despite the ape’s screeching, the creature must have been concerned for Fizzy.  So with a friendly head toss he started to the next tree.
The odd butterfly pony followed, and soared upwards.  Cleary he had a new partner now.  The butterfly pony turned her back to the tree and fluttered at the apples.  The apples fell into Big Mac’s cart from the force of the Utter Flutter.  He looked to the side and widened his eyes.  The ape was literally blowing the apples down, and Fizzy would occasionally bounce bubbles up there to knock the apples where they needed to go.
He grinned.  They weren’t so bad.




By noon every single apple had been either blown or Utter Fluttered down.  Big Mac, noticing that by now Draggle was starting to limp rather badly, walked over to her and gave her a nudge with his nose.  She scowled down at him, but he ignored that.  He figured it meant something else, since her face was so flat and odd he figured he was misinterpreting her meaning with the scowls.  He tossed his head, and then patted his back.  
“Mighty grateful ta ya, partner.  Ah’ll take ya back.”
Draggle gave him a suspicious look, but in the end she chose to take the ride.  She could already feel the small throbs of pain running her up leg, and she didn’t want to walk.  Mentally cursing certain foul tempered pigs, she swung up on Big Mac’s back.  She was so thin that, while Big Mac felt awkward, he didn’t mind the weight, even with the apples.  He motioned for the others to come along, and Fizzy pulled up beside him, still talking to Big Mac.  Draggle leaned down and grabbed her ear.
“He can’t understand you, Fizz-brain.”
“Oh I know!  I just like to talk to him!”  Fizzy smiled up at Draggle.
“…yeah, that sounds like you.”  Draggle snarled.
Fizzy watched her for a bit.  “…we will stop her.”
“Eh?”
“Reeka.”
“…Reeka can boil her head in a cauldron.”  Draggle snarled.
Fizzy nudged her gently.  “It’s okay.”
“Stupid sappy ponies…” Draggle growled.  Fizzy grinned at her again.  Draggle sighed and scratched Fizzy’s ears, but made to sure to not look at her while she did it.  Fizzy was not fooled.
By the time they got back to the barn it was the afternoon, and, through hoof gestures, Big Mac managed to convey that they should just leave the carts in the barn for now.  With another wave of his hoof he pointed for the house.  He had a feeling they would be hungry, and again it seemed that he should feed them.  
He was halfway to the door when something once again leaped out at him from the sky, yelling.  This time, however, it was a white pegasus with a very Pinkie Pie ish Cutie Mark.  This was enough to startle him into backing up, especially when the pegasus pawed the ground like he she or whatever was going to charge.
Fizzy darted in front of him.  Again.  She was making an unfortunate habit of this.
“Surprise!  It’s okay!  He’s nice!”
“Nice!  Nice!  Fizzy have you lost it!”
“She’s right, this alien is aright.”  Morning Glory said gently, and even Draggle nodded.
“We assumed, after flying over, that you had perhaps been captured and enslaved.  I assume this is not the case?  I see nothing indicating incarceration.”  Wind Whistler trotted from behind the house, followed by Gusty, who was looking around and snorting aggressively.  She glared at Big Mac, who huffed back at her.
“Now I’m trying to be understandin’ but it’s a bit hard when ya’ll’re glarin’ at me like that.”  He grumbled at them.  None of them understood, of course.
Surprise sat down.  “…are you sure he’s okay, Fizzy?”
“Yeah, I’m sure!”  Fizzy walked over to Big Mac and nuzzled him a bit.  “See?  Look!”
Wind Whistler hummed to herself.  “…it would be best if, seeing as how nothing has indicated your impression is false, we should take a break.  It’s been a long night.  We cannot linger.  Even if the populous is not all evil, the leadership, or at least a faction, clearly are.  We should not get our new ally in trouble.  If he is willing to shelter us for a brief time we should take this opportunity, but…I think we should move on as soon as we are feeling better.  Anyone have any strenuous objections?”
“…naw, I guess if there are so many of us we can overpower em…but I’m keeping an eye on the windows.”
“A logical precaution, Gusty.”
“Aww, you’re rubbing off me.”  Gusty gave a brief smile.
And so the reunited group of Ponylanders, save one Stoneback, trotted in after Big Mac.  Big Mac decided it was time to pull out the big stores for when the rest of the family would drop in unexpected.  It was a simple fare of oats and more apple juice, as well as a nice helping of apple fritters for desert.  The only one who didn’t appear at least halfway pleased with this was the ape, gave the oats a cautious gnaw, but it was clear from the way it frowned oats were not its thing.  Neither were the fritters, which she kept sliding to either Wind Whistler or Fizzy every time they appeared.  Eventually Draggle just ended up snagging a few apples and eating them instead of the oats, as they really didn’t appeal, almost as much as the fritters did not appeal.  Big Mac just shrugged his shoulders, assuming her kind just didn’t eat pony food.
Big Mac studied each stranger.  The blue pegasus was calm, even if her eyes kept wandering to the windows, as if she was prepared to leap to her feet and buck down the walls if she needed to leave.  Fizzy seemed content to smile at him in that almost endearing way, and he smiled back every time her eyes met his.  She wasn’t his type, but she was a nice pony nonetheless.  Gusty paced the room, more obvious about her window watching then Wind Whistler.  Surprise, now feeling she didn’t have to be quite so serious now that Wind Whistler was here, at fritters and chatted with Fizzy.  Morning Glory ate more slowly and more politely, but she seemed just as relaxed as Fizzy and Surprise.
Big Mac settled in with his own fritter.  They were okay, and it was nice to have a full house.  If only he could share this with Applejack.
He looked out of the window himself, frowning in worry.




Twilight Sparkle closed her book, the spell memorized.  She sniffed the air, smelling waffles.  A plate full of them suddenly rose under her nose.  She blinked, wings fluttering.
“You’ve got to stop these all nighters.”  The plate lowered to reveal Spike’s frowning purple face.  “You look like you’re gonna drop.”
“I know Spike, but a lot happened last night.”  Twilight levitated a waffle to her mouth and took a quick bite.  “The girls are still missing.  And there are so odd ponies wandering around.  They bucked me into the wall.”  Twilight waved to the wall.  Spike looked at the piles of books and groaned, already knowing who would be in charge of straightening the collapsed wall.
“Strange ponies?”  Spike asked, hoping to keep the inevitable book stacking as far in the future as possible.
Twilight nodded and, though bites of waffle, told Spike what happened last night.  The dragon sighed and rubbed his scales.  “You think we should tell the princesses?  Maybe they know something?”
Twilight lifted her wings as she finished breakfast.  She nodded.  “I’ve researched differnet obscure pony types before.  Like Princess Luna’s night ponies, or the rumors of hippocampi under the sea, or hippogriffs, but I’ve never seen a pony like them before.  Spike, you’re right.  Take a letter, please.”
Spike grinned and pulled out some parchment and a quill.
Twilight cleared her throat.  It had been a while since she had to write the Princess.
“Dear Princess Celestia…”




Princess Luna stood on the battlements, lowering the moon into the sky as her sister landed next to her.  Celestia smiled and watched the moon lower.  “Another beautiful night, Luna.”
“Thank you, sister…I have been sensing something…off in the forests of Ponyville though.”  Luna frowned at the offending Everfree forest in agitation.  “I have almost regained my powers fully but…I am uncertain.”
Celestia was about to reply when a scroll popped in front of her face.  She blinked and opened it.  “I didn’t expect a letter after…”  Wondering what in the world Twilight could have been messaging her for, because she no longer had any need for friendship reports, Celestia looked at the letter.  She gasped.
Not used to hearing her normally calm, wise sister gasp, Luna looked behind her and walked over ot peer at the letter over Celestia’s shoulder.  “What is it?”
“They…are back.”  Celestia lowered the paper so Luna could take a good look.  “They have not changed much, from her description.”
Luna read aloud.  “Dear Princess…last night I encouraged a very odd variation of pony…large and heavyset…triangular heads….spoke an odd dialect…”  She muttered through some of the words that Twilight had managed to remember Wind Whistler saying.  Luna flapped her wings and hovered.  “Queen Majesty’s subjects!  But why would Queen Majesty’s loyal subjects attack a princess of Equestria!”
Celestia gently folded the paper and made it vanish, not looking directly at her sister.  Luna frowned.  
“It si me, isn’t it.  You think it’s becase of my actions a thousand years ago.”
“They would be unaware of your redemption, Luna.  In fact, they might have been unaware of what the Nightmare did to you, and they…might have assumed you were acting on my orders.  After all, the gates closed after you returned to face me in the castle, and I couldn’t find the gem to reactivate it…they were attacked, by us, and didn’t know why…”
Luna frowned.  “We must fix this.”
“…I must.”
“What?”
“Give me a moment to raise the sun.  Can you teleport to Ponyville with me?”
Luna nodded, not even thinking of sleeping right now.  She could remember, very vividly, the day she had attacked Majesties ponies in a fit of rage.  The unicorn queen of the other world had always tried to calm Luna’s doubts about her role and importance to Equestria, but as the Nightmare had wormed its way into Luna’s mind, Luna had begun to think that Majesty had meant her ill.  Just as the Nightmare had warped Luna’s perception of her sister, it had warped Luna’s perception of their ally.  In the end, when Luna had arrived at the unicorn queen’s castle, demanding her aid in overthrowing Celestia, the queen had refused.  She had tried to help Luna, but Luna had…
Luna shook her head, not wanting to think about what she had done.  She watches Celestia raise her sun, and tried not show her anxiety.  
Yes it had been a thousand years.  Yes the original Queen Majesty was probably long gone but…what of her line?  What of her descendants, and her beloved herd?  
How would Luna ever be forgiven by them?
Regardless, by the time the sun was fully up, Luna had mentally prepared herself for the trip.  She nodded at Celestia and the two reentered the castle.  
“Tell the steward that Princess Luna and I had to make an emergency trip to Ponyville, and, if you see any strange looking, heavy set ponies that speak a language you don’t understand, do not hurt them.  Restrain them if they cause trouble, but don’t cause any lasting damage.”
The guards, who got…interesting orders all the time from the occasionally playful princess, saluted.
Celestia nodded at Luna, and the two vanished from the guard’s sight without a trace.  For a moment the two of them fidgeted nervously, but eventually one left to let the rest of the castle staff know of this little…oddness.





Twilight jerked a bit as both royal princesses teleported into her library, upsetting the stack of books that Spike was carrying.  With a small huff Spike gave the two princesses the most annoyed look he dared to give before he got up, dusted himself off, and proceeded to gather the books up again.
“Princess Celestia!  Princess Luna!”  Twilight’s wings spread in surprise.  “…this is more serious then I thought, isn’t it?”
“Indeed, it is.”  For once Celestia didn’t have her small, gentle smile.  She sighed.  “Twilight…have you every studied the Queendom of Dreams?”
“Queendom of Dreams…Queendom of Dreams…oh!  It was discovered after the founding of Equestria by Princess Platinum, but there is very little information about it.  Mostly mythology about a land of mysterious monsters and ponies with little magic, but great physical strength and power.  It was ruled by a unicorn queen.  Nopony knows the exact location, because all the books just say it was ‘over the rainbow’, which of course is nonsense!  It’s believed to be a myth.”
“It is not a myth, Twilight.  A thousand years ago, during Discords rule, Princess Platinum, Commander Hurricane, and Chancellor Puddinghead took many ponies to the Queendom of Dreams.  Discord’s evil threatened to destroy us all, and it was all we could do to flee.  Platinum discovered a magical mirror, similar to the one in the Crystal Palace, that led us to a different world.  No, Twilight, not Canterlot High.  This world was inhabited by ponies, similar to us, but different in many ways.  The unicorn’s magic was…limited and primitive.  The pegasi could not manipulate the weather or walk on clouds.  The earth ponies had no special skills with the land, though they were effective farmers.  To make a long story short, Luna and I were raised there, became alicorns there, and launched out campaign against Discord there.  With the Dreamlanders we were able to fight a guerrilla war against Discord, and eventually found the Elements of Harmony, with the help and wisdom of a creature called the Moochick.”
“Then, what happened, why did the gates close?”
“Nightmare Moon happened, Twilight Sparkle.”  Luna scuffed a hoof, her face hard and serious.
“There will be time for all of this later.  I must go to the Rainbow Gate.  No doubt after the Nightmare’s attack on them, the Dreamlanders must have thought we turned on them.  After thousands of years we are no doubt seen in the same light Luna was by many before ponies got to know her.  I must go and find their new queen.  I must convince her of what happened in the past is done with.”
“Alright!  I’ll pack my bags and-“
“Twilight, I must go alone.”  Celestia said.
“Wha-!”
“Twilight, a few months ago you took up the reins of Princesshood, and did a wonderful job.  But now I am afraid I must again leave Equestria in your and Luna’s hooves for now.  In case they do become unreasonable I don’t want us all to be attacked.  For now our ponies need the two of you.”
“And you don’t want me to go back there and spark another war.”  Luna frowned.
“Please understand, Luna.”
“I do…I do…Just go, sister…good luck.”
Celesta gave her and Twilight a farewell nudge.  “I’ll be back before you know it.  If Majesty’s line is anything like she was, they will understand.”  Celestia trotted out of the library, to the shocked gasped of a few passerby, and lifted off into the air, soaring for her ancient castle.
Luna sighed as she watched her sister go.  Twilight watched her, knowing that if the princess spent too much time thinking she would start to brood.  Twilight lifted her wings.
“Want to help me gather my friends.  We have some missing foals.”
“Missing foals…yes, gather your friends.  We shall look for them, and the Dreamlanders on this side.  I can speak their tongue…though an archaic form.  You shall need me to translate.”
“Alright, let’s start with Applejack.  I’m not sure if she made it home with Apple Bloom last night, but if she did that would be the best place to look…are you okay without your guard?”
“Twilight Sparkle, I am the Princess of the Night.  I can handle myself.”
“Of course Princess.”  Twilight smiled and looked back at Spike.  “Hold the fort, Spike.”
“Sure sure.”  The dragon grumbled as he placed the books…basically where they were supposed to be.  Twilight and Luna spread their wings and began to soar towards Applejack’s farm, Twilight leading the way.
The two of them swooped down on the farmhouse, Twilight keeping an eye out, hoping her friend would come out so they could talk to her.  However what burst out of the door of the farm, snorting and stamping, was not Applejack, but the fierce white unicorn from last night.  Luna pulled ahead of Twilight and landed in front of the unicorn.  Almost slipping into the Royal Canterlot Voice, the alicorn began to babble at the unicorn in a rhythmic, formulaic sounded version of the odd language.  Twilight landed behind Luna and, quietly, started to prepare the translation spell.




“Stand down, warrior of Majesty!”  Luna bellowed.  “Thy enemies are not we!  Stand down and raise thy horn!”
Gusty snorted and stamped.  “Fat chance!”
The other Ponylanders charged out as well, Wind Whistler on Gusty’s left side, Surprise on the other.  Morning Glory and Fizzy stayed behind them, while Draggle couldn’t get through the door at this point.  Gusty pawed the ground again.  Wind Whistler frowned up at Luna.  
“Your speech patters are indicative of a pony from the olden days.  Days only a few ponies know of.  Identify yourself.”
“I art Luna.  The Princess of the Night.”
“Princess of…no.”  Wind Whistler stamped, for a moment looking like Gusty.  “I recall you.”
“You do?  Who?...wait…oh no not her!”  Fizzy backed closer to Morning Glory, shivering.
“Every Ponylander from Queen Majesty’s ilk knows this story, even I, and I am not prone to flights of fancy.  You…” By this point in Wind Whistler’s speech Twilight had completed the spell.  A small wave of invisible energy exploded outwards, and while both Fizzy and Gusty felt…something, their own magic was a bit less developed then a Equestrians, so they took it for a mere shiver.  Morning Glory, however, looked around as if puzzled, and Draggle hissed like a wounded cat.
But Wind Whistler was not finished.  As the spell was completed her next words seemed to be in Equestrian, to the Equestrians’ ears at least.
“You are the Mother of Tirac.
“Wait, really?  Let me see?”  Draggle pushed past Morning Glory and stared.  “…are you sure, she’s awfully…sparkly.”
Luna recoiled.  “A witch of the Gloom Clan!  What madness hath overtaken you!”  Luna turned her gaze to Wind Whistler, astounded.
“Yeah?  And you don’t look like you mothered Lord Tirac.”  Draggle pointed out.
“I did not MOTHER him!”  Luna bellowed, shockwaves emitting from her form.  “I…merely gave him his powers…”
“And that makes it acceptable?  Do you have any idea what he has done?”  The Ponylander’s turned their heads and stared at Wind Whistler.  She never, ever raised her voice, and she really wasn’t raising it now.  But her calm, logical tone had gone even colder then it ever had before.  Her hooves were instinctively starting to spread out, and her wings were starting to shake with stress.  She glared at Luna.  “That beast drove us from our home.  For thousands of years our kind wandered without a home, and when we finally got it back the Gloom Witches had taken it for their own, and saw us as the invaders, sparking even more unnecessary conflict.  Tirac stole our young, turned them into monsters.”  Wind Whistler stamped a bit closer to Luna.  “He killed the last Queen.  Our last queen was barely a queen at all.  Almost all the adults save a few were gone.  Only her and handful raising us foals in order for our very kind to survive.  And he took her away from us.”  Wind Whistler stamped.  “He killed our mother, and you are responsible.”
“And after that you stand shoulder to hoof with a WITCH!  One of the most depraved and wicked beings in your own lands!”  Luna shouted back.
“How dare you accuse her of wrongdoing after claiming to be the traitor!”  Wind Whistler shouted.  The other Ponylanders stared at her, Draggle and Fizzy backing away from the enraged pegasus.  Neither of them had ever heard Wind Whistler raise her voice.  Ever.
Draggle put a hand on Wind Whistler’s shoulder.  She opened her mouth, but couldn’t find the words she wanted to say.
Wind Whistler took a deep breath, and allowed her face to return to its stoic state, but her eyes remained cold.  She drew herself up, tall and unflinching as stone.  “You.”  She said firmly.  “Are not permitted to pass blame upon another, especially one who you know nothing about.  It has been a thousand years.  Things have changed.”
Luna sneered.  “Clearly.”
“We.”  Wind Whistler snorted.  “Are leaving.  You have nothing to say that we are interested in hearing.”
“Agreed.”  Gusty snarled.
“No!  Wait!”  Twilight pushed past Luna and approached the Ponylanders.  Gusty stamped and gave her a warning gust.  
“Not another step, you skinny freak!”
“Please!  Listen!  I know Luna has done some horrible things in the past, but she’s different now!  We’re trying to make up for what happened before!  Look, I know it might take you a while to forgive her, but your kind and ours were friends once!  We can be friends again!  Please!  You forgave her, right?”  Twilight pointed at Draggle.
“There’s a bit of difference between doing what your mother wants and creating the most evil creature that ever lived!”  Gusty snorted, then gave Draggle a quick nod.  For a second the witch seemed touched by this statement.  Meanwhile, Wind Whistler was giving Twilight a calculating look.  For a moment Twilight thought she saw something in the strange pony’s face, that maybe if she found the right words she could reach her…
“Oh and I suppose all the ponies her kind ATE would love to here one of their warriors defending that!”  Luna pointed at Draggle, who snarled at her.  Wind Whistler’s face closed off from Twilight, and the moment was gone.
“I don’t eat ponies.”  Draggle said.
“Your ancestors did.”  Luna retorted.
“…you know in all the rants Mama gave me about being evil witches she never really mentioned eating ponies.”  Draggle didn’t mention the decorative hats.
“Luna, please calm down-“
“Twilight I shall not stand here and simple watch that thing-“
“I have had quite enough of this.”  Wind Whistler stamped.  “As I said before.  We are leaving.  You creatures are not welcome in Ponyland, or any part of Dream Valley.  We are returning, and if you follow us, we shall retaliate.”  Wind Whistler jerked her head towards the Everfree forest, and Gusty nudged Draggle long enough for her to mount up.  The group of Ponylanders edged towards the forest, watching warily as Luna fumed at them.
Big Mac, who had been watching this from the window, and listening, trotted out.  “Wait.  Fizzy?”
Fizzy blinked and smiled back at Big Mac.  “Oh, I’m sorry Big Mac…but…”
“Ya can’t believe that stuff about the Princess.”
Fizzy frowned, and looked at Luna.  She backed away, shuddering a bit as Wind Whistler returned.  She nudged Fizzy.  “Do not linger.”
“I…sorry Big Mac.  But Tirac…I can’t forget it!”  Fizzy turned and trotted off with the others, giving Big Mac one last sad look before the group disappeared into the trees.
Twilight sighed, wings sagging.  “I thought that learning their language would help…”
Luna breathed.  “…Celestia was right to go alone…it…is still close to me.”
Twilight draped a wing over Luna.  “Ponyville was shy around you at first, once they get to know the real you they’ll come around.”
“I’m not sure we have that time.”  Luna sighed.  Big Mac trotted up, bowing.
“Princess…they ain’t bad ponies, Ah don’t think.”
“You’re right, Big Mac, they just…” Twilight sighed.  “It’s just a very bad misunderstanding…”
“Princess Twilight!  Princess Luna!”
The two alicorns looked up as a Royal Guard pegasus landed before them.  “An urgent message from the Crystal Empire!  They have been attacked!”
“By whom?”  Luna snapped out of her miserable state to full on princess mode.  
“Alien pones with heavyset bodies that speak a strange foreign language!  Princess…they took Princess Cadence!”
Luna’s wings snapped in alarm.  “No.”

> Chapter Five
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Five


Apple Bloom felt someone nudging her with a hoof.  She groaned.  “Aww, come’on Big Mac, just five more minutes?”
“Apple Bloom, wake up!”  It was Sweetie Bell’s voice, not her big brother’s.  Apple Bloom groaned again and rolled, searching for her covers to pull over her.  Instead she found herself tumbling from her bed.  Something grabbed her by the waist and lifted her before she could reach her floorboards.  Startled she opened her eyes and…
Fiddlesticks, last night wasn’t a horrible dream after all.  She blinked tiredly at the human, who was smiling at her in gentle amusement.  He set her back on his horse friend’s back, who looked behind them and whickered gently.
“Ha ha, very funny.”  Apple Bloom grumped at Far Stride.  The horse smiled at her, and jerked his head forwards.  Apple Bloom looked up and blinked.  
“Huh…not exactly Canterlot, is it?”
“Naw, but I like it!  It’s…cool!”  Scootaloo grinned.  Apple Bloom snorted.  She knew that Scoots’ humbling from last night wouldn’t last to long, but hopefully she wouldn’t do anything like this again…or at least not something quite this stupid again.  Scootaloo was, in general, good at learning her lessons.  It was quite interesting that the only thing all three of the fillies were bad at learning was the way to get their Cutie Marks.  But that is a whole different kettle of fish.  Either way, Scootaloo was good at getting into trouble, but at least it was different kinds of trouble.  
To bad this was the biggest, worst bit of trouble she had gotten the three of them into.
Still, Scootaloo did have a point.  Before them was a castle, made of normal grey stone.  It was of a simple, but functional design, from what she could see from atop the horse.  It had four tall towers at each corner of its long square walls, that encircled…insquared?, a simple square building in the middle.  Apple Bloom wasn’t an expert in castles, but it looked really simple and plain compared to the sight of Canterlot Castle.  Not that Apple Bloom knew Canterlot Castle that well, but the tour to Canterlot that one time had left Apple Bloom with a general impression.  Canterlot Castle was tall, impressive and fancy.  This was a fort with mild delusions of grandeur.
Apple Bloom looked around.  They appeared to be in a small valley, a the forest from last night behind them.  Another thing that Apple Bloom failed to notice up till now was the fact that they appeared to be trotting through a village.  The buildings were almost Ponyvillian in design, save for the fact that each building lacked the personal expression that characterized Ponyville.  You would not expect to see a Sugar Cube Corners here.  You would be lucky to find a saloon without dirt on the floors.  Still, from the fact that there were huymans everywhere, coming out of their shops and homes and waving cheerfully at them, gave the place a bright feel, even if it was what Rarity would call ‘excessively dirty.’
“Hey, look at those huymans!”  Sweetie Bell pointed at a small group wearing green and brown tunics.  “They have pointy ears!
“Huh…wonder if it’s like the difference between pony types?”  Apple Bloom wondered.  She watched as one of the pointy eared huymans rushed over to their huyman and bowed.  He chattered rather frantically at their human.  Their huyman blinked and spoke a single word.  “Scree?”  The huyman frowned and spoke more rapidly at Mr. Pointy.
Their huyman nodded and shouted at a few humans wearing metal chain shirts and goofy looking helms that came to a ridiculous point.  Apple Bloom thought it was the silliest armor she had ever seen.  Still, the armored humans saluted and bowed at their huyman, and one of them shouted a bit more.  The guard huymans spread out, apparently on alert for something.
“What’s up with them?”  Scootaloo asked.
“They’re acting like they’re nervous…not sure I like this.”  Apple Bloom said.
“Think we’re in danger?”  Scootaloo tensed a bit, and started a bit when the huyman gave her a little scratch behind the ears.  She blinked owlishly and relaxed.  “…okay, you keep doing that…”
Sweetie Bell chuckled.  “Awww, you’re turning into Opal, Scootaloo!”
“Hey, we can’t all levitate backscratchers.”  Scootaloo replied.
“Ya can’t just use a tree?”
“I don’t see a tree handy.  He is though.”  Scootaloo grinned at the huyman.  “Thanks!”  The huyman gave the little pegasus a gentle smile.
“…I really hope this guy doesn’t turn out bad…”  Sweetie Bell said.
“…huh?”  Scootaloo looked at her.
“Well you know those books in Twilight’s library on the school book list, the ones about knights and stuff?  You know, questing?  Well in almost all of em theirs always this really evil temptress or something that lures the heroes into her evil web so she can lull them to sleep and then suck their eyeballs out!”  Sweetie Bell’s eyes widened with each word, and a few of those squeaks escaped her.  Scootaloo shivered.
“Now Big Mac says ya shouldn’t judge a pony before ya get ta know em.”  Apple Bloom said.
“Yeah, but he’s not a pony.”  Sweetie Bell pointed out.
“He sort of is.”  Scootaloo tapped Far Stride’s head, whose ears wiggled.
“He’s a HORSE.”  Sweetie Bell said.
“Nopony’s perfect.”
By this time the point was moot as they had just crossed the drawbridge and entered the courtyard of the castle.
“We’re just gonna havta keep alert.”  Apple Bloom said.
Apple Bloom looked around as the huymans in the courtyard bowed to their huyman, and to the horse.  A few delighted cries and waves accompanied the bows.  Their huyman bellowed a name out, and leaped off the horse.  Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell jumped off as well.
“Thanks!”  Sweetie Bell squeaked at the horse, who nodded as if he could understand them.  He whinnied at a few humans and trotted towards a stable.  The humans rushed to follow him.  He turned his head and said something to his huyman as he entered the stable.  
The huyman waved at the fillies to follow them, and headed for the big building in the center.  Apple Bloom looked around.  One the west side of the keep was group of huymans wearing the same armor theirs was, practicing fighting moves with wooden swords.  Alongside them were a few horses and donkeys and even a camel or two, practicing their bucking and rearing.
“Think they’re expecting trouble?”  Sweetie Bell asked.
“Maybe…maybe that lizard wasn’t the only one?”  Scootaloo wasn’t going to give that thing the name dragon.
“I hope not…” Sweetie Bell lowered her ears.
The building itself was a plain on the inside as it was on the outside.  Everything was oversized and tall, meant for huymans and maybe horses, but not for small ponies like the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but Apple Bloom supposed that if they were full sized it might be a bit more accessible.  Weapons of various varieties lined the walls, most of them crossed.  There were banners hanging on the walls, red banners with a pair of bat wings spread wide, hovering over a sword.  Apple Bloom had no idea what that ment.
Still, they followed the huyman down a hallway and up a flight of stairs.  Apple Bloom sniffed the air. 
“Hey!”  She sped up.  “Ah I know that smell!  It’s like Zecora’s!  Someone’s brewin’ up a potion!”
“Hey!  Think they are taking us to a zebra?”
“Maybe!”  Apple Bloom grinned.  She had developed an appreciation for potions.  The idea of being around them once again was like a relieving balm of fresh air.  Something familiar and close to home that she could cling to.  She was at the huyman’s heels as he pushed the door open and spoke to the person inside.
Apple Bloom stopped, a but disappointed.  Yes the person inside was brewing a potion, but it was not a zebra.  It was…a cat.  A female, in fact, that wore a long dress, and of course was on its hind legs.  In fact, she seemed just as bipedal as the huyman.  She turned, looked at the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and looked up at the huyman.  She folded her arms and babbled at him.
The human pointed at them and babbled back.  The cat alchemist looked at the CMC, then at the huyman, then leaned down.  She babbled at the fillies.
“Er, hi.  You’re makin’ a potion?  I like potions.  You might want a dash of that herb right there.”  Apple Bloom leaped on the table where the cat had been brewing and pointed her hoof at a small green flower.  Then pointed at the cauldron.  The cat blinked, then grinned, a slight purr coming to her throat.  She nodded at Apple Bloom, but didn’t go for the flower.  Instead she let the cauldron simmer and walked over to a shelf.
The room, along with a cauldron and the table where the cat had piled up the ingrediants for the potion she was making, had long shelves on each wall, on the left were bottled ingredients and powered things, and on the other side were completed, bottled and labled potions.  The cat rummaged a bit, then came out with a dusty bottle.  She blew on it, then dusted it off a bit.  The cat walked over to Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo, opened the bottle, and sprinked some sparkling dust on their heads.  The two sneezed, and the cat approached and did the same to Apple Bloom, who sneezed as well.
“What is that!”  Sweetie Bell sneezed again.
“There, I can understand you now.  Can you understand me?”  The cat asked as she replaced the bottle.
“Hey!  I can understand you!”  Sweetie Bell smiled.  “Thanks!  How come you can’t do that, Apple Bloom?”
“Hey, Zecora ain’t taught me that one yet!”  Apple Bloom objected.  “Ah’m just startin’ ya know!”
“Is this Zecora your teacher?”  The cat asked.
“Yeah!  Well…one of em.  Twilight Sparkle teaches us too!  And we go ta normal school too!”  Apple Bloom grinned.  “Oh, by the way, Ah’m Apple Bloom!  My friends down there are Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell!”  She pointed at each filly, who chimed in with a squeaky ‘hi’ and a ‘yo’ respectively.
The cat nodded.  “I’m Catrina.  Always nice to meet a group of young ponies.”
“You’re an alchemist?”  Apple Bloom peered at the cauldron.
“No, a witch.”
“A witch?”  Apple Bloom looked up at her.  “That ain’t a good thing ta call yourself!”
“It’s true.  I don’t just do potions.  I know a few spells.  Even passed a few of them on to another witch…”
Scorpan blinked.  “You passed two on, and it took her two years.”
“That’s…not really Draggle’s fault, Scorpan…”
“I know, I know, and Wind Whistler keeps vouching for her…and she’s…alright…still makes my hair stand on end.”  The huyman snorted.
“Well you don’t exactly have a saint as your castle sorceress now do you?”  Catrina’s whiskers twitched slightly.
“…probably should discuss this later.”  Scorpan grumbled.
“Oh what was your first clue, princy.”  Catrina’s whiskers twitched again.
Apple Bloom jumped down and walkedto her friends.  She lowered her voice.  “Guess growups are all the same no matter what species.”  Scootaloo chuckled.
“Wait, you’re a pince?”  Sweetie Bell asked.
“Well, yes.  Prince Scorpan.  You…never heard of me?”
“Nope.  We’re kinda from far away from here.”  Apple Bloom said.
“How far?”  Scorpan asked.
“Equestria.”  Sweetie Bell replied.
“I’ve never heard of that kingdom.  Catrina?”  Scorpan looked at the feline, who shook her head.
“It’s not a kingdom, it’s a diarcy….er…dirary?  Diary?”  Scootaloo blinked.
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes.  “It’s ruled by two princesses.  Princess Luna and Princess Celestia.”
“Luna…Luna…why is that name familiar…”  Scorpan rubbed his head.  “I know none of our knights have mentioned it before…but…I can’t help but think I’ve heard that name before.”
“Take them to other ponies.”  Catrina eyed the group.  “They look a bit like they come from Bright Valley.”
“Are you sure?”
“Well…okay they have odd skulls, but I don’t think they are Ponylanders.  They have less in common with them.  Maybe the Bright Valley ponies know where they came from?  And they are a bit closer then the Ponylanders.  And you can always turn around and go the other way if they can’t find anyone they know in Bright Valley.”
“…we don’t have odd heads.  We have perfectly normal heads.”  Sweetie Bell said, offended.
“Most ponies here don’t have quite that…round.”  Catrina said.
“Not all fault ya’ll’re pointy.”  Apple Bloom said.
“Either way, we can get you to Bright Valley easily enough.  Unless you know the way back to your lands?”  Scorpan asked.
“Not…really…”  Apple Bloom said.  After the panicked run through the forest she had no clue where that mirror thing was.  “We came here through a funny mirror thing, but we got a bit…lost.  Think these Bright Valley ponies’ll help?”
“If not them, then the Ponylanders will.”  Scorpan said.  “They are a very kind group.  They’ll help just about anyone who’s not a complete monster.”
“Sounds go ta me…my sister’s prolly havin’ a cow…”  Apple Bloom winched.
Scorpan frowned slightly.  “How about we get you something to eat, then we can discuss the triop…Catrina?”
“I’ll talk to Rep.”
“Good, and get some of those firebottles ready.  The elves noticed some scree in the area.”
“Scree?  They never give up do they?”
“Apperently not.”  Scorpan opened the door, and the three fillies went to follow him.
“Hey, Prince, what’s a scree?”  Scootaloo asked.
“You’ve never seen them?”
“Nope.”
“Well, they’re large birdlike creatures, that can morph into large egglike stones when they duck their heads to the ground.  They used to be able to predict the future, but the Ponylanders…ah…took their crescent of visions.  It made them particularly hostile to the ponies and their allies.  Many of them have turned to raiding out of spite.”
Sweetie Bell blinked.  “IF these Ponylanders are so nice, why’d they steal the scree’s crescent thing?”
“Apparently one of their unicorns needed it to live.  From what Megan told me they tried to get it fairly, but the scree cheated by using the crescent…course the scree claimed that the ponies never should have made a bet with them in the first place since they had been told that scree never make bets unless it’s a sure thing, but again…one of their friends was going to die without that crescent.”  Scorpan shrugged.  “You can’t expect a Ponylander to just watch their friends die.  Just not going to happen.”
“Ah…still don’t seem fair.”  Apple Bloom said.
Scorpan looked down and shrugged.  “Not sure about your Equestria, but this land is dangerous.  The ponies may be one of the brightest spots in Dream Valley, but not even they can afford to be completely fair all the time.”
Sweetie Bell lowered her voice.  “This place is…”  she shook her head.  
They followed Scorpan to a large dinning hall.  A few people, including Far Stride, were seated at a long table filled with various food, suitable for equines and apes alike.  Far Stride looked up and waved a hoof at them.
“Did you get them fixed up, Your Highness?”  Far Stride asked.
“Sure did!  Hi!  Ah’m Apple Bloom.”  Apple Bloom jumped up till she was seated next to Far Stride.
“Far Stride.”  The horse nodded as the other two fillies jumped up next to Apple Bloom.  He moved a plate nearer to them.  “Want a scone?”
“Sure, thanks!”  Sweetie Bell buried her head in the plate of scones and emerged with three of them clamped in her jaws.  
“So, where’d all your armor go?”  Scootaloo studied the now bare Far Stride.
“Stablehands took care of it for me.  Best thing about humans is their thumbs.  Very useful.”
“Nice to know I’m just a pair of thumbs to you, Far Stride.”  Scorpan sat down at the head of the table and snagged a scone for himself.
“It can’t be your sparkling conversation, can it?”  Far Stride grinned.
Apple Bloom sat back and enjoyed a scone herself.  For once she didn’t feel out of place and frazzled.  It helped that she could finally understand their new friends, and they didn’t seem to be bad at all.  For the first time things were starting to look up.
Then a large boom echoed through the keep.
“Aww horseapples…”



Rarity was disgusted by everything and everypony around her.
It didn’t help that she was traveling though nature.  And not even normal, pegasus scheduled, orderly nature.  This was Everfree nature and it was gross.  Usually she tried to be more eloquent, but gross was defiantly the best word to describe this place.
Applejack, on the other hand, blended into the place like a chameleon.  And their new companions seemed to think so as well.  The young earth pony was sticking closely to Applejack’s side, occasionally trying to talk to her.  Applejack would smile and talk back, but neither understood each other.  The pegasus, on the other hand, trotted about the path, occasionally flapping her wing, and babbling in a rapid way that made Rarity’s head hurt a bit.
“Do we have any idea where they are going?”  Rarity asked.
“Ah don’t know, but we are headin’ south, and that’s good enough fer me at this point.  Ah don’t care if we have to comb this entire land, Ah’m gonna find them girls.”
“It would be useful if we have a more specific direction other then ‘south.’”
“Well if you find that direction Ah’d be glad ta hear it!”  Applejack snarled back.
Rarity huffed.  “This place is disgusting and I have no intention of staying any longer then I have to.”
“And what about Sweetie Bell!”  Applejack snarled.  Sure Rarity was a friend, but after two days of only her for company (and the natives didn’t count because no matter how much Sweet Stuff talked to her Applejack just couldn’t understand her), Applejack was starting to get annoyed.
“Of course I’m thinking about her!  This horrid place isn’t fit for a delicate filly like her!”
Applejack snorted a bit.  She liked Sweetie Bell, and she wouldn’t call her ‘delicate’.  Excitable, yes, but that was just cause she was a growing filly.
“Ya know if ya could just be a bit more accommodatin-“
“ACOMMODATING!”  Rarity glared at Applejack and snorted.  “My hooves are CAKED in MUD!”
“And my hooves are about ta give ya a good smacking if ya don’t sit down and shut up!”
“Why you-“
By this time the two of them had stopped in the middle of the road and were shouting at each other.  Applejack vaguely wished for Twilight or Pinkie or anypony else were here to act as a buffer.  Neither Applejack nor Rarity could really stand to long in exclusively each other’s company.  They were friends, yes, but they got on each other’s nerves way too much to stand each other for to long.
Around then point Sweet Stuff sort of politely got between them and gave them both a pleading look.  Applejack sighed and backed off.  Sweet Stuff pointed ahead of them with her hoof in a rather urgent manner.  Applejack sighed and turned.  “Let’s just get ta where we’re goin’” She grumbled and followed the path again.  Sweet Stuff turned back to Rarity and gave her a gentle nuzzle, as if sensing Rarity’s distress and trying to comfort her.  Rarity sighed.  She smiled back at Sweet Stuff.  She did seem like a kind mare, but that didn’t really help the skin crawling feeling that Rarity felt every time her hoof squelched in the dirt.  She really needed the spa after this.  Perhaps for the entire day.  Maybe two days.  And she was so taking it out of Sweetie Bell’s allowance.
Rarity glanced around at the forest.  It seemed to her there were a lot of mushrooms around.  Lots of large, tree sized mushrooms.  
A loud crash echoed through the forest, and the Ponylander’s pricked their ears and run forwards.  Rarity sighed and struggled to catch up, Applejack of course kept pace with the Ponylander’s easily enough.  Rarity blinked and noticed the mushroom they were running towards had a door.  It was a house!
How garish!
Another loud crash and a very irritated seeming rabbit bounded out, holding out his hands as if to stop the ponies in their tracks.  The ponies screeched to a halt, and Whizzer babbled out a question.  Habbit the rabbit stamped and pointed frantically at the mushroom house.
“Why HELLO my little ponies!”  A distressingly familiar voice came from the mushroom house, and Rarity groaned.  “Isn’t this a nice little reunion!”
“Discord.”  Applejack looked at Rarity and rolled her eyes.
With a pop the discombobulated draconequus poped in between Applejack and Rarity, eagle claw and lion arm draped over their shoulders.  “Fancy meeting you at the Mushromp!”
“…mushromp?”  Applejack blinked.
The Ponylanders blinked, and Sweet Stuff walked into the mushroom house, speaking quietly.  She was gently, but firmly, pushed aside, and the oddest looking creature stepped out, giving Discord a slightly irritated look.  The creature was apelike in apperance, with a funny little mushroom hat with two little ears poking out.  The creature strode over to Discord, then blinked at the Equestrians.
“Egads, tis true.  Thy old foe is an ally to Equestria now?”  The creature sounded a lot like Luna before Twilight had started to give her modern Equestrian lessons.  He didn’t have the Royal Canterlot Voice though.
“Oh we are just the BEST of friend, Cowchicken!”  Discord grabbed Rarity and Applejacks lips, aided by two extra limbs, and turned them up into big wide grins.  The Moochick frowned at him.  Applejack and Rarity slipped away from Discord.
“How the hay didja get here, Discord?”  Applejack asked.
“Oh just a hop skip and a jump over a rickety old rainbow.  Same as you!”  to illustrate this a rainbow suddenly appeared and Discord skipped over it.  By now the Ponylanders had backed up behind the Moochick, fairly sure that the gnome wizard would protect them from the crazed being before them.
“Thy art still a despicable creature.”  The Moochick observed.  “What hath brought thy two here?”  At this point Whizzer tapped him and babbled.  “Oh!  Thy can’t speak common now, canst thee?”
“Ah yes!  A few thousand years can do that!  Let me help!”  Discord grinned and tapped Applejack’s head.  Applejack opened her mouth, and a quack came out.
Whizzer’s eyes widened, and she struggled to hold in a chortle.
The Moochick frowned and tapped Applejack with his staff.  Applejack turned to Discord and said.  “You little-“
Another tap from Discord, and she quacked again.
Another Moochick tap and Applejack roared at Discord.  “Ya stop this-!”  Tap  “Quack”  Tap.  “I’ll give a piece of my” Tap “Quack” Tap “NOW BOTH YOU!” Tap “QUACK!”
A mushroom suddenly wrapped itself around Discord’s neck and burst in his face.  Discord blinked, then fell over, snoring, twitching, and muttering something about chocolate cupcakes.
The Moochick tapped Applejack once again, smiling.
“…jerk.”  Applejack glared down at the sleeping Discord.
“How long hath he been reformed?”  The Moochick asked.
“…couple of months.”  Applejack said.
“Ah, that explains much.”
Whizzer spoke up again, clearly confused.  The Moochick switched back to modern common, then snapped his fingers.  He looked at the Equestrians.  “Wait here.”  He rushed back into his home, and a few objects came flying out.  A table leg, a book, a ball, and a small (about the size of a cup) kitchen sink came flying out of the mushroom home.  Rarity and Applejack sat there, blinking.  Habbit sighed and walked into the mushroom, and the clattering grew even louder.
“…this is very particular.”  Rarity finally said.  Applejack nodded.
The Moonchick finally emerged with a bottle of some strange substance.  Applejack stood up, almost ready to back away, but the Moochick swiftly poured some of the sparkly stuff out and tossed it over their heads.  Applejack and Rarity sneezed.
“Did-it-work?”  Whizzer spoke, and Applejack finally understood.
“Well.”  Rarity sneezed.  “An odd way to do it, but at least we can understand one another now.”  
“Wow-it-worked-thanks-Mr-Moochick!”  Whizzer grinned happily.
“Applejack.”  Sweet Stuff trotted closer to her.  “Can you remember us now?”
Applejack blinked.  “Wait, how’d ya know my name?  I’ve never seen ya before in my life!”
Sweet Stuff visably wilted.  “But…but, you saved our lives!  Both our lives!  How could you forget us!”
“Aww, I’m sorry sugar cube, but Ah think ya got the wrong pony.”
“That is entirely possible.”  The Moochick rebottled his translation powder.  “You see, these ponies come from an entirely different world then ours.”
Whizzer blinked.  “Is-that-why-they-got-those-funny-heads?”
“Excuse me!  I take very good care of my head!  It is certainly not funny looking…though it has gotten a bit…misaligned from all this…brush.”
“Well…your eyes are a bit large…and…creepy.”  Sweet Stuff admitted.  She blinked her own relatively creepy eyes.  “So…you really aren’t our Applejack?”
“Ah think Ah’d remember if Ah’d ever been her before.”
“…oh.”  Sweet Stuff scuffed her hoof.
“How-would-there-be-two-ponies-in-two-different-worlds-that-look-alike-are-they-related?”
“Possible, but unlikely.”  The Moochick admitted.  “The two worlds were in contact around a thousand years ago, but there wasn’t that much…interbreeding.  It’s probably just a coincidence”
“Odd coincidence, but we are skipping around the issue.”  Rarity said.  “She turned to Whizzer and flattened her ears.  “Now that we can speak…WHERE IS SWEETIE BELL?”  She darted to Whizzer and stuck her nose in Whizzer’s face.  Whizzer’s uninjured wing fluttered.
“Sweetiewho?”
“Sweetie Bell!  My sister!  This high, unicorn, no cutie mark, WHERE IS SHE!”
“You-two-are-the-only-big-head-ponies-I-have-seen.”
“Stop making rude comments about my head!”  Rarity bellowed.  “And we SAW your bug winged friend snatch Apple Bloom!”
“Morning-Glory-didn’t-kidnap-your-babies-you-just-attacked!”
“I attacked cause she had my sister in her teeth!”
“She-did-not-I-never-saw-a-filly-in-her-teeth…”  Whizzer paused.  “She-did-have-a-funny-bird-at-one-point.”
“A funny bird?”  Applejack asked.
“Yeah-now-that-I-think-about-it-it-almost-did-look-like-a-yellow-filly-but-then-it-flashed-green-and-it-was-a-bird-I-thought-my-crystals-were-just-on-the-blink.”
“Flashed green…oh no.”  Rarity looked at Applejack.  “Changelings!”
“Changwhatnow?”  Whizzer asked.
“Changleings!  Oh they are horrible creatures!  Normally they look like black ponies mixed with inscets.  They feed off love.  They’re also shapeshifters.”
“Shapeshifters…we’ve met a few.”  Sweet Stuff admitted.  “Are you sure that bird you saw wasn’t a penna?”
“What’s a penna?”
“Birds-that-shapeshift-but-it-wasn’t-a-penna-it-looked-like-a-pidgeon-or-a-robin-or-maybe-a-thrush-and-I-don’t-remember-Pluma-ever-flashing-green-like-that.”
“But Changelings do flash green when they shift!”  Applejack snorted.  “Ah bet ya all the apples in Sweet Apple Acres that butterfly pegasus was one too!”
“Flutter pony.”  Sweet Stuff gently corrected.  “They’re called Flutter Ponies.”
“Ah…what kind of ponies are you…other then a pegasus and an earth pony?”  Rarity asked.  “I mean I don’t mean to be rude, but your eyes…”
“We’re Twinkle-eyed ponies.”  Sweet Stuff ducked her head at Applejack.  “Our Applejack saved us.  A wizard who had us mining bright jewels had enslaved us.  All of us went blind, but our Applejack knocked him into a pit and saved us.  These jewels give us our sight.”
Rarity gasped.  “Oh you poor things!”
“Aww-it’s-not-so-bad-we-can-see-and-I-think-it-looks-cool!”
“…I find them a bit creepy, but…you get used to them.”  Sweet Stuff said.  She shivered.  “I don’t ever want to be blind again.”
Applejack put a hoof around her.  “Don’t worry.  Ah may not be your Applejack, but now that we got that filly kidnapping thing settled, Ah don’t mind calling ya friend, and nopony hurts my friends!”
Sweet Stuff smiled.  “Thanks!...any…pony?”  She looked at Whizzer, who shrugged.
Whizzer reared.  “Anyway-we-should-go-find-your-babies-I-wouldn’t-want-to-leave-fillies-out-there-alone-I-can’t-fly-back-so-I’ll-come-with-you-you-coming-Sweet-Stuff?”
“Of course…um…if you think I can help?”
“Of course ya can, sugar cube.”  Applejack smiled.  “Ah…didn’t catch your name.”  She looked at Whizzer.
“I’m-Whizzer-I’m-the-fastest-current-flyer-in-Dream-Valley-cause-I-think-Firefly-roamed-off-somewhere-and-she’s-real-fast-but-I-can-give-her-a-run for-her-money-she-hates-that!”
“She’s better at trick flying then you are.”  Sweet Stuff pointed out.
“Never-said-I-was-the-best-trick-pony-just-that-I’m-fastest-at-a-dead-fly.”
“Our friend Rainbow Dash might wanna challenge ya one of these days.  She’s pretty fast herself.”
“Great-I-can’t-wait-love-a-good-game!”
“Still, we need to find the girls.”  Rarity said.  She walked over and kicked Discord.  “Wake up and help us!”
Discord sprang up.  “Well is that any way to treat a friend?”
“There are many ways to treat a friend, especially one that causes no amount of trouble.  Now, help us find our sisters!”  Rarity demanded.  She barely noticed the Moochick look up from where he had wandered off to do…whatever it was the Moochick did when he wasn’t playing the guide for the little ponies.  He eyed Discord, but said nothing.
Discord taped his chin.  “Hmmmm, no.”
“NO!  My sister could have been captured by Changelings and you are telling me NO!”
“Why, don’t you see my dear Rarity!  This is your big chance to bond with your chubby pony cousins!”  He blatantly ignored Sweet Stuff’s and Whizzer’s looks of outrage  “Why, traveling together!  Singing little songs!  Dodging monsters!  What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t let you four boooond!”  He laughed and encircled the group, squeezing them together in his snakelike coils, a group hug that left poor Sweet Stuff eeping in terror.
The Moochick watched this, a small smile on his face.  He was uncertain at first about his old foe but now…Discord’s heart seemed to be in the right place, if warped with his chaotic and slightly mean nature.  Clearly the creature’s issue was more of  a fact that he simply didn’t know how to be nice…or the Moochick was misjudging Discord and Discord was just making an ass of himself.
“Can ya at least tell us where we are going!”  Applejack gasped.
“Oh how dull…okay.  Bright Valley.”  Discord let them go.  “Head there and you’ll find your poor wittle wost babies.”  Discord slithered over to the Moochick.  “Sooo…moony…how’s your gout?”
The Moochick looked back at the ponies.  “I’m afraid that this time I don’t have anything I can give you…” He looked at Discord.  “Want to play chess?”  The Moochick summoned a chessboard in front of the Spirit of Chaos.  “Your rules?”
Discord grinned evilly, and Applejack suddenly realized the Moochick was indeed giving them a gift.  He was keeping Discord off their backs.
“Let’s push off before Discord gets bored.”  Applejack herded the group south out of the mushromp, just in time to see poor Habbit dart into the brush, pursued by a pack of pawns.
“I feel bad about leaving Mr. Moochick with that…creature.  What is that thing?”  Sweet Stuff looked back.
“He’s Discord, the Spirit of Disharmony and Chaos.  Our friend Fluttershy reformed him…sort of.”  Rarity said.  “He’s still the most loathsome creature that ever existed…eh just happens to be friends with our friend.”
“Well-at-least-he-won’t-follow-us-nasty-thing…”
“Agreed!”  Rarity nodded.
A long pause, then…
“So-why-do-you-have-round-heads?”
Rarity’s exasperated shriek echoed all the way back to the mushromp.


Celestia trotted through the large dungeon she found herself in.  It was your typical gloomy dark place with dripping floors and the occasional squeak of a rat.  Not the place she was expecting to materialize in, she had to admit.  She kept her wings spread, horn primed and ready.  She felt something close.  Something familiar.  
Her wings snapped up once again in alarm as the smell came to her nose.  It couldn’t be.
“Chrysalis…” Celestia stamped cautiously.  “I thought you would have given up!”
“Given up?  When my children are starving?  What kind of Queen would I be?”  The rail thin Changeling Queen emerged from a handy shadow.  Celestia wasn’t about to misjudge the creature now.  She didn’t look much different then she did before.  Clearly she had been feeding on something, or she wouldn’t be confronting Celestia now.
The alicorn suddenly leapt at Chrysalis, her wings flapping.  Instead of getting into a beam contest with the frail Queen, which Celestia had lost the first time, Celestia instead chose to rely on brute strength.  Celestia embodied the strengths of every one of her ponies, and that included the great physical power of the earth ponies.  It was a power she was fairly confidant that Chrysalis didn’t have.
Celestia felt a surge of joy as she ducked a green beam from Chrysalis and socked her in the jaw, lifting her from the ground and slamming her into a wall.  She darted forwards and reared, battering Chrysalis in the ribs before she could retaliate with her horn.  Celestia was so focused on Chrysalis she didn’t notice the long spider leg emerging from the shadows, or the wide figure on top of it.
The figure suddenly leaped on Celestia’s back, and Celestia jerked, then bucked, attempting to get the strange monkeyish form off her back.  She felt the creature grunt and jab something over her horn, like a horn ring.  She attempted to use magic, but pain suddenly jolted through her head.  The ring must be some sort of magical block.  
Still, that didn’t mean she was totally helpless.  She jerked again, bucking the creature off her back.  She turned, snorting, and then pawed the ground.  
“So you have allied yourselves with the Gloom Clan?  You fool.”  She snarled at the battered from of Chrysalis, before charging, horn lowered, at Reeka.  The creature seemed…and smelled, smaller and distinctly less evil then the horrible Gloom Clan that Celestia knew thousands of years ago, but the sheer spiteful look that Reeka gave her convinced Celestia that this one was up to no good.  So Celestia lowered her horn again and charged.
“Ahgg!”  Reeka bellowed as she somehow managed to roll herself away from Celestia’s stamping hooves.  Celestia looked up to find a huge, towering spider over her, fiddling around with a web.  The spider dropped the web, and Celestia flapped away.  Ahgg took a swipe at Celestia, who dodged.  She dove down and kicked Ahgg in the face with her hooves, stamping down hard.  Ahgg staggered, and Celestia felt a jolt as Reeka launched a fireball at her underside.  She shook it off.  It would take more then fireballs to hurt her.
Chrysalis struggled to her feet and launched a beam of green energy towards Celestia.  She winched as she felt something drain from her.  She clenched her teeth and flipped her wings, avoiding the next two blows.  Celestia flapped behind Ahgg and bucked the creature in the back of the head, making him stagger forwards.  Ahgg took a swipe at the dodging princess, who air skipped to his other side and kicked him in the face again, a large fang springing loose and falling ot the ground.
Two more blasts from Chrysalis’s horn made Celestia stagger in midair.  Those blasts were draining her, and it was getting worse with each blast.
Still Celestia twisted and kicked, sometimes Ahgg, sometimes Reeka (in fact at one point she managed to ping pong the witch between a pair of dangling cages), and then attacking Chrysalis again.
With one last teeth knocking kick she managed to make Ahgg topple over and land on Chrysalis and Reeka.  Celestia folded her wings and landed.  
“It seems the Gloom Clan has weakened.”  She turned and started to trot away.  “To bad.”
Another fireball erupted against Celestia’s side.  She turned and snorted.  “Another one?”  
The short midget witch before her grinned.  She pointed behind Celestia.  Celestia flapped her wings and turned, attempting to slam into the figure behind her.  It was an indistinct, shadowy thing that enveloped the Princess of the Sun in its horrible grasp…and at this point, as the draining sensation took over her, that Celestia realized that she might have made a bit of a miscalculation.  The thing greedily feed on her life force, stealing bits of the alicorn’s essence and absorbing it into itself.  It glowed faintly, consuming the princess’s light.  Celestia might have been able to shoot back at the thing, if it wasn’t for that witch’s damned horn ring.
“Great, this princess in distress thing is getting old…” She muttered.
“To bad, Celestia.”  A familiar voice hissed in her ear, before the shadow left her.  She gasped and stumbled.
Celestia managed to turn her head and hiss at the thing.  “You won’t…take her back.  She’s stronger now.”
The dark mist formed into a shape resembling a pony, yellow eyes glared at her.  “Now I don’t have to…”
Celestia stumbled, again, and fell.

> Chapter Six
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Six


Wind Whistler trotted through the forest, focusing her mind.  She hadn’t wanted to shout; hadn’t wanted to lose her temper, for the first time in years no less.  It was unacceptable to let her emotions carry her away in this situation.  However, the sheer hypocrisy of the so called night princess had hit several of Wind Whistler’s well hidden buttons, and she was finding it somewhat difficult to bury her emotions where they belonged, in the back burner.  Anger, sharp and unpleasant, burned in her heart, not only from the creature’s harsh words towards Draggle, but also the memory of the last queen.  It was distracting, irritating, and threatened to take over her brain.  But in order for her to be effective she had to control it.  She tried to get her mind in order.  Morning Glory’s presence worried her immensely, but for right now they needed to find shelter of some kind…
Suddenly, she felt her hooves brush against some odd looking blue flowers.  She stopped, listening to the others behind her screech to a halt as well.  The rest of them were at the edge of the flowers, their hooves and feet out of the way of the strange foliage.
“Wind Whistler?”  Fizzy peered at her from behind Surprise.
Wind Whistler opened her mouth, and for some unfathomable reason burst out laughing.
Fizzy and Draggle, who after the shouting thing were now seriously concerned for Wind Whistler’s sanity, backed far away from her (and the blue flowers).  The two of them stared at her, uncertain.
Gusty, on the other hand, charged right into the flowers, Surprise with her.  The two each grabbed a wing and started to drag Wind Whistler out.  She continued to laugh uncontrollably, and kicked a bit from the odd sudden bought of the giggles.
“Is it those Frazzit things again?”  Fizzy asked, looking up at the sky.
“I don’t think so.”  Gusty said, but her voice was…changing.  It was going higher and higher, becoming squeaky and high pitched.  “Hey!”  By this point her voice resembled a squeaky whistle.
“I –hahahaha-don’t-hahahaa-feel any different-snort-I simply-ha-can’t stop-” Wind Whistler collapsed into laughter.  “Please stop-hahahaha-this is starting to hurt.”  More laughing.
Morning Glory came over and plucked a leaf off Wind Whistler, tossing it aside.  “I-” She blinked, and began to shrink.  A pair of antennae appeared as she shrunk to the size of a bird.  She blinked.  “…what?”
Surprise looked down and blinked.  “It’s the flowers, don’t touch them.”  Her hair suddenly began to sparkle, although she didn’t notice this.  Fizzy and Draggle did though.  
“Er…Surprise…your head is flashing.”  Fizzy said.
“What?”  She looked behind her at her mane.  She blinked as her mane flashed yellow, then green, then yellow again, rotating between lights.  She grinned.  “Hey, this is kinda cool!”
“What do we do?  Draggle, what are those things?”
Draggle reached into a pocket and pulled out a spell book.  In her rush she ended up flipping through it, and Fizzy blinked.  She tapped Draggle.  “It’s upside down again.”
Draggle gave her a slow look, then snorted and flipped it right side up.  “I knew that.”  Fizzy smiled slightly, and didn’t contradict her. 
Eventually Draggle cursed.  “Alien plants, not in here.”
“HI!  I foooound you!”
“GAH!”  Fizzy and Draggle jumped.  The witch dropped her book and grabbed the stick.  “Back off!”
“Oh no!  Your friends got into the poison joke!  Didn’t you see it?  Do you have eye issues?  I mean none of you are cross-eyed, buuuuut…”
Draggle took a swat at Pinkie Pie, who dodged, and grinned even more happily at her.  “Oh!  You wanna play ball?”
“Yeah, with your head!”
“Oh!  Head keep away!”  Pinkie stopped bouncing and tapped her chin.  “But if we’re gonna help our friends over there, we should wait a bit for the games, don’t you think?  Stone face their sounds like she’s dying laughing.  Which would be a fun way to go, buuuuut, I don’t think she wants to go that fast, don’t you?”
“…you know that plant?”  Draggle asked.
“Yep that’s poison joke!  I know a zebra that can help you!  Just follow me!”
“…how can we trust you.  You attacked us!”
Pinkie blinked.  “I don’t attack ponies, I party with them!  Well…unless they’re bad ponies like King Sombra or Nightmare Moon or even Trixie when she went all evil alicorn amulet on us, but you aren’t bad ponies, so why would I attack you?  Oh please let me help!  I want to be your friend!”
Draggle looked at Fizzy, and then looked at Wind Whistler and the others.  Draggled sighed.  “Promise you won’t give us away to your leaders?”
Pinkie blinked again.  “Why not?”
“Just don’t or I’ll fry you!”
Pinkie tilted her head.  “…you don’t have to do that.  I don’t understand, because the princesses are really really nice, even Luna is really really nice when you get to know her and I’m sure this is all a biiiig nasty misunderstanding.”  Pinkie took a breath.  “But if it means you’ll stop acting like silly fillies and let me be your friend and help you, then I’ll Pinkie Promise I won’t tell anypony where you are…unless you tell me I can, okay?”
“How do we know you’ll keep it?”  Gusty walked over, her angry face sort of spoiled utterly by the airy squeaking.
Pinkie suddenly frowned and squinted her eyes.  She leaned close to Gusty.  “Nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise.  No.  Pony.”  Her eyes bugged a bit, and Gusty snorted, ears laying back.
“We don’t have much of a choice, Gusty.”  Fizzy pointed out.
Gusty looked at the other two.  Surprise was a bit to busy oogling her hair, but eventually she looked at Wind Whistler, who was quickly losing breath, and nodded.  Morning Glory buzzed over and nodded as well.  
Wind Whistler gasped. “Yes-aahahahahaha!  Can’t breath!”
“Alright, we’ll trust you, for now.”  Gusty squeaked.
Pinkie Pie then did a very fast rendition of her Pinkie Promise, baffling all by digging out a cupcake from her mane and sticking it in her eye.  Although she liked to see her friends smile, Wind Whistler’s smile was a bit more of the pained kind then the fun kind.  She could tell the difference between happy smiles and unhappy ones, smiles were her forte.  Not that she always knew what to do in response to unhappy smiles, but she did know the difference.  Good thing this time she knew what to do!
“How can we trust this zebra though?”  Gusty stamped.  “I don’t want anyone unnecessary to know about us.”
Pinkie bounced.  “If that’s how you feel I’ll bring the antidote to you then!  Quick!  I know a cave around here with a nice pool!  It’s not the kind that duplicates you, though, so it’s safe!  Come on!”  Pinkie bounced away, heading towards the cave she knew was around here somewhere.  By now the Element Bearers had a good lay out of the forest.  And Pinkie was so fearless she felt she could just happily stroll through Everfree without a thought.  She hadn’t been eaten, or even badly hurt, yet, so clearly she was doing something right.
So she bounced off towards the cave, near the gem quarry that Rarity had encountered the diamond dogs that one time.  The dogs had not bothered anypony since Rarity, so Pinkie Pie deemed it safe.  Draggle, sighing a bit at the fact that they were now depending on a clearly airheaded pink dingbat, but seeing no other solution, helped Fizzy put Wind Whistler, who by now couldn’t walk with the uncontrollable laughing, on Gusty’s back.  Gusty grunted a bit, but didn’t mind the weight at all.  With a few grumbles, because she didn’t like Pinkie at all, Gusty followed Pinkie’s bouncing path through the wood.
Despite their doubts on Pinkie Pie’s reliability, they made it to the cave with little incident.  Though she still was chortling, Wind Whistler was managing to get the laughing under control, at least enough so that it didn’t hurt her sides so much.  Pinkie smiled gently and gave her a little pat on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry.  Auntie Pinkie will be right back with the cure!  And some treats!  Be right back!”  She bounced away.
“…I have a bad feeling about this.”  Draggle growled.
“I like her.  She seems fun.”  Fizzy said.
“Yeah!  We have the same symbol!  I like her!”  Surprise said.
“…for once I agree with the witch.”  Gusty squeaked.
“…HEY!”  Draggle frowned at Gusty.
“Hope she comes back soon, I really don’t like being small.”  Morning Glory landed on a rock.  “And these things on my head feel strange.”
“I think it’s kinda cute.”  Fuzzy leaned down and smiled at the tiny Morning Glory.  
“Her voice is irritating.”  Draggle said.  Morning Glory sagged and Draggle snorted at her.  “You sound better big, is all.  Blame the flowers.”  Morning Glory nodded, though she still looked a bit hurt.
Fizzy nudged her, offering some comfort, unfortunately she nearly knocked Morning Glory to the ground.  Morning Glory sighed, her wings dropping.  “She’s right.  I feel like a bug.”
“Don’t worry.  Even if…Pinkie I guess?  Even if she doesn’t help after all, we’ll figure something out.”  Fizzy said, figuring she would have to keep their spirits up.  Even if she personally missed Big Mac, for some odd reason her mind kept wandering towards him when she let it, she had to focus on her family first.  Big Mac was nice, but he wasn’t family.  Unfortunately.
Draggle found a rock to sit on and took out her book again.  She squinted angrily at the pages, and Fizzy came over to peer over her shoulder.  “What are you doing?”
“Just in case we have to fight again.”  Draggle said, still frowning at the pages.  Fizzy knew that she had issues reading.  It wasn’t that Draggle was dumb, as he mother always accused her of; it was just that she, for some reason, had a hard time memorizing spells. Fizzy knew as soon as Draggle found what she wanted, and memorized the words; she would probably forget them an hour later.  Still, at least she could do something for right now.  
Fizzy stayed with Draggle, silently giving her support.  Gusty, unwilling to talk for fear of the squeaking, paced around at the outside of the cave, watching for danger, or Pinkie.  Morning Glory sat on her head, keeping an eye out as well.  Surprise hovered over Wind Whistler, who by now was lying on her side on the cave floor, legs twitching and giggling in a pain filled manner.  Surprise frowned and nuzzled her a bit.  
“It’ll be alright.  She’ll come back, and you’ll be fine Wind Whistler.”  Surprise said, her good humor gone now that her friend was suffering.
Fizzy sighed, and perked a bit when Draggle absentmindedly gave her a little pat between the ears.  Fizzy smiled gently.  It would be all right.  She knew it.  She yawned, and cuddled up next to Draggle, her eyes drooping as she fell asleep.




Twilight stood up and faced the pegasus guard.  “Explain to us what happened.”
The pegasus panted.  “It’s…actually very strange.  A few moments ago, while Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were gone, a small group of Crystal Ponies, along with your brother, showed up at the palace.  They claimed a group of alien ponies attacked, and put a spell over the Crystal Empire, and captured Princess Cadence.  No one can get in or out.  Not even the trains are moving, and pegasi say there is a large black cloud completely covering the city.  It seems to have happened overnight.”
“That…is awfully fast.  And there was no hint of an invasion before this?”  Luna asked.
“None, the entire court was shocked by this.  We are not even sure when it began.  Captain Shining Armor is being…very vague…”
“Princess…I think there is something more going on here then just an invasion and a misunderstanding.”  Twilight said.
“Indeed…you two, can you give us a moment?”  Luna looked at Big Mac and the guard.  “Just a few moments.”  The two nodded.  Big Mac looked at the woods, sighed, and went back into his house, looking fairly downtrodden.  The pegasus guard lifted off and went to examine how things were doing from the air, giving the two princesses their space.
“Luna, you shouldn’t have-“
“I know…you must understand, Twilight Sparkle.  I cannot fully remember everything that happened when I was trapped on the moon.  It was like being asleep.  I can remember a few things, but for my own sanity I chose to…hibernate.  A thousand years in that cold hell would have driven me madder then I was, and subconsciously I knew that.  So until I was able to be free I did not allow myself to be fully aware.  To me the time that we were in contact with the Dream world was not that long ago.  I…can remember the Gloom Clan.”  She looked at Twilight, her face pained.  “I saw the things they did.  I witnessed it happen to ponies I called friends.  Ponies who loved the night as I did, and whose lost weighed heavy on me.  The girl’s smell, and the way she looked…It was hard for me to see her, and remember what her kind did…to my friends, Twilight Sparkle.  Celestia has had time to cope, thousands of years to, and you never saw the way they were like before.”
“But it was thousands of years ago, Luna.”  Twilight said.  “That’s plenty of times for them to change.”
“Logically I know that.  Logically I know I shouldn’t have come on so strong.  I wasn’t prepared.”  Luna looked up.  “That is why it must now be you.  You must befriend them, and find your foals.   They don’t trust me, but you are a different matter.  In the meantime, I will attempt to break through this barrier between us and the Crystal Empire.”
Twilight nodded.  “Alright.  But-” Twilight paused as Pinkie Pie went bouncing by with a tub of water on her head.  “Pinkie, we nee-“
“Hi Twilight!  Bye Twilight!”  Pinkie grinned at her and bounced into the forest.
“…your friend is very particular.”  Luna said.  “Did she have a tub on her head?”
“Yeah, that’s just Pinkie being Pinkie.  She’ll be there when we really need her though.”
“Are you certain?”  Luna asked.
“Positive.  She’s probably looking for the Cutie Mark Crusaders…in her own special way.”
“Why does she need a tub for that?”
“It’s Pinkie Pie.”
Luna blinked.  “…If you say so.”  She paused and looked up at the sky.  “I will return to Canterlot.  I trust you to have things handled here, Twilight.  Good luck.”  Twilight nodded as Luna took to the air, spoke briefly with the pegasus guard, and soared back towards Canterlot.  Twilight looked back at the farmhouse door and trotted over.  She knocked.
Big Mac opened the door and stepped back out.  He bowed his head briefly.  “Eyup, Twilight?”  He asked.
“Where is Applejack, did she come back?”
“Nnope.”
“…Big Mac, what were the aliens doing here?”
Big Mac blinked, and Twlight sat down, doing her best to look nonthreatening.  She knew from Applejack that her big brother was actually very shy, which was why among strangers he usually only said ‘eyup’ and ‘nnope’.  He just didn’t like to talk to other ponies.  So she waited until Big Mac was ready to talk to her.
“Found Fizzy last night.  She was hurt, and lost, so I helped her.”  Big Mac said.
“Fizzy…which one was that?”
“The bluish unicorn.”
“Not the one that was blowing wind at us?”
“Nnope.”
“How did you talk to her before I cast the translation spell?”
“Didn’t.  Just listened.”
Twilight blinked.  “Ooookay…”
“I’m worried about my sisters, Twilight.”  Big Mac rumbled.  “And I’m worried about them aliens.”
“Will you help me find them?  I promise I don’t want hurt any of them.  And they might know what happened to the foals.  I don’t think that their appearing here, and our friends disappearing, is unconnected.”
Big Mac frowned.
“Will you help me?”
Big Mac thought.  “Eyup.”
“Great!  Meet me at the library, we’re going to get organized.  I’ll find the others.”
“Ya mean the other Element Bearers?  Ya ain’t gonna try and make me the new Applejack?”  He snorted.
“No, we just need your help.  Besides, the elements are back in the Tree of Harmony.”
“Eyup.”  Big Mac nodded and started down the hill, heading for Ponyville.  Twilight lifted her wings and shakily took to the air.  She was getting better at the whole flying thing, and she had to admit it was easier to get around long distances then just walking.  She would try Fluttershy next, one eye on the ground in case of aliens.




Meanwhile, back at Dream Valley…specifically back at Paradise Estate, the remaining ponies of the Estate were gathered, in a mild uproar.
“Now settle down.”  Magic Star snorted.  “Head count…” She took another count of the heads.  “…still the same.”  She looked at Galaxy.  “Wind Whistler and the others are still not back, and neither are Whizzer and Sweet Stuff.”
“Oh something awful happened to them!  I know it!”  Shady was in a mild panic attack, pacing back in forth.  “We won’t ever see them again!”
“Shady, please.”  Magic Star stamped a bit.  “This isn’t the time to panic.  We have to think this through.  Calmly.”  She looked a certain blue unicorn with a ribbon symbol.  “Ribbon, any luck?”
“I’m having a hard time contacting Fizzy or Gusty, it’s…like in Tambelon.  I couldn’t contact anyone from that side unless they were asleep, and it’s harder with Whizzer and Sweet Stuff being so far away…one moment, please…” Her horn glowed, and she smiled.  “Got them!”
The other ponies pressed in, only to be warded off by Megan, Magic Star, and Galaxy.  “Give her some space, you know how hard this can be for her.”  Megan gently shooed Shady and Heart Throb to the side, both of whome were anxiously awaiting the verdict.
Ribbon suddenly jerked.  “Oh!  Oh no!”
“What is it?”  Megan asked.  “What did they say?”
“They’re from another world…I am not certain, but that may be where Wind Whistler and the others are.  But…their lost foals are here.  The two strangers came here looking for them.  There are shape shifting monsters, called Changelings.  It’s…fragmented, but…” She frowned. 
“…Ribbon, are you certain you can’t contact Wind Whistler’s group?”  Galaxy asked.  “I have a feeling it may be important they know this.”
Ribbon looked at Galaxy, sighing a bit.  By now most ponies knew that when Galaxy had ‘a feeling’ it was usually correct.  Galaxy’s intuition was, in many ways, her greatest skill, and if she felt that the others needed to know this information, then she was probably right.
Megan gave Ribbon a head rub, smiling at her.  “You can do it, Ribbon.”  Ribbon smiled a bit.  Megan’s usual positivity was infectious, in many ways.  Ribbon knew that Magic Star, Galaxy, and Wind Whistler had been subtly trying to guide the girl as she grew.  And it was working.  After a few nudges in the right direction, Megan could come up with solutions to problems, and very good ones, in a timely manner.  Most of the younger ponies, especially the baby ponies, considered her an older pony sister, and a role model.  And Megan herself loved to be around the younger ponies.  Ribbon suspected she knew that Magic Star and the other older mares were watching out for her, but she didn’t seem to mind it.  
Ribbon sat down and concentrated.  “I need everyone to be quiet.  Please.  If they are asleep, I will be able to connect…I’ll try Gusty first.”  The unicorns would be more receptive to her magic, being of the same kind as she.  Though Gusty was more of a combative pony, and Fizzy was, well, and airhead, the two’s magic would respond the best to Ribbon’s.  
Ribbon cast her mind outwards, focusing on the familiar mind of Gusty.  Violent, defensive, athletic and brave.  She knew the feel of all her friend’s minds, after briefly touching each of them, never deep enough to be intrusive, but enough to know how they felt.  Gusty’s mind always felt strangely steady.  She was a pony who knew who she was.  The defender.  Ribbon could feel her, but she just couldn’t connect.  She frowned.  Fizzy then.  Nice, bubbly Fizzy.  Unlike Gusty Fizzy’s mind was more erratic, moving from one subject to the other, light and airy as her bubbles.  But here…Ribbon could feel her.  In her mind she could see Fizzy in front of her.  She was…dreaming about a huge eyed red pony, but the image popped like a bubble as soon as Ribbon came upon her.
“Ribbon!  Where are you?  Wind Whistler is-“
“Fizzy, you have to listen to me!  The alien’s foals are here!  Applejack and Rarity!  Tell the aliens those names!  Tell them the Changelings are coming!”
“But Ribbon!”
“The Changelings, Fizzy, remember the-” But the connection blew away, and Ribbon couldn’t tell her anymore.
Ribbon opened her eyes.
“Did you find them?”  Megan asked.
“I found Fizzy…I gave her as much as I could.”  Ribbon lifted her head.  “I just hope it’s enough.”




Fizzy jolted awake, nearly kicking Draggle off the rock.  She glared at Fizzy, as she had been deep in her book.  “Do you mind?”
“Changelings!”  Fizzy blurted.”
“Changewhatnow?”  Draggle asked.
“I…don’t know.  I saw Ribbon.  She said something about Changelings, but she didn’t tell me what they were.”
“Useful.”  Draggle said sarcastically.  She looked up at the sound of four hooves bouncing.  Pinkie hopped happily past Gusty, who snorted at her, a tub balanced on her head.  How in the world Pinkie managed to not only lift the tub, which was circular, wooden and large enough to fit three ponies, but carry it on her head…it was mildly baffling to all.  And, somehow, still defying the laws of physics, logic and good sense, somehow Pinkie dipped the tub into the small pool and emerged with the tub, now full of water.  She placed the tub down and leaped on the side of it.  Pinkie took out a bottle of something from her hair and started to sprinkle it in.  “I got the cure!  All you have to do is bath in it, and you’ll be fine.  We’ll need to warm it up a bit though!”
“Guess I can do that.”  Draggle didn’t want Pinky to heat the water, in case she decided to boil them and make pony soup.
“Just don’t burn the tub.”  Gusty squeaked.
“I’m not going to burn the tub!”  Draggle protested as she flipped through her book.  Everyone backed away a bit, except Pinkie, who didn’t back away from manticores, much less funny humans with silly books.  Everyone held there breath as Draggle, very carefully, found a spell.  She placed her hand on the tub and, with the air of someone about to light as stick of dynamite, slowly and carefully spoke the words necessary.  There was a brief pop and a hiss, and the water began to steam.  Draggle sighed in relief.
“Wow!  You can do magic like a unicorn!  Where do you keep your horn?”  Pinkie asked.
“I’m a witch, I don’t need a horn.”
“Can you teach me?  Please please pleeeeease!”
“No.”  Draggle said quickly.  This pony was already off the wall.  She clearly didn’t need to learn magic spells.
“Pleeeease!”
“No.”
“PLEEEEEASE!”
“NO!”  Draggle swung her stick at Pinkie, who ducked.  Pinkie shrugged.
“Okie dokie Lokie, but If you ever change your mind…”
“No.”  Draggle growled.  Pinkie just grinned incessantly at her.  Draggle almost found herself smiling, but she didn’t know why.  Maybe it was because Pinkie was one the few ponies that didn’t get terribly offended by her temper, which for some reason was becoming more and more Hydia like as she aged.  Pinkie was still annoying, but then again unless that pony was named Wind Whistler or Magic Star Draggle found most of them annoying to various degrees.  Even Fizzy’s airheadness was annoying, even if she was a friend.
Gusty managed to get the still chuckling Wind Whistler on her back.  Fortunately Wind Whistler had managed to modulate her breathing enough so that the danger of her asphyxiating was less, but it was still clearly an effort on her part.  Gusty jumped on a rock, then leaned over the tub, gently sliding Wind Whistler into the warm water.  She leaped in immediately afterwards, Morning Glory dipping in from her perch on Gusty’s head.  Surprise plopped herself in afterwards, careful not to crush Morning Glory.
After a moment, Wind Whistler’s head emerged from the steaming bath, her face once again smooth and serious.  “That feels much more acceptable.”  She raised her head fully and nodded.  “In fact it is actually very soothing.”
Surprise ducked her head in, then emerged, her mane’s flashing light dimming to nothing.  A few moments later Morning Glory grew out of the tub, the antenne on her head dissaparing.
“Well, I guess I have to admit it.”  Gusty’s voice was totally normal.  “You came through, loon.”  She nodded at Pinkie.  
“My name’s not loon!  It’s Pinkie Pie!”  Pinkie bounced.  “Pinkamena Diane Pie!  But everyone calls me Pinkie!  You guys should call me Pinkie!  Who are you?  I can’t keep calling her Stone face!”  She pointed at Wind Whistler.  “Unless that’s your name?  Is it your name?”
Wind Whistler blinked.  “Not in the slightest.  My name is Wind Whistler.”
“Oh!  That’s a really pretty name!  You should smile more!  You really should!”  Pinkie grinned at Wind Whistler, who just sort of stared back at her as if trying to figure her out.  Pinkie eventually tore her eyes away to look Fizzy with great inquisitiveness.
“I’m Fizzy!”  Fizzy smiled at Pinkie, who grinned back.  Surprise bounced out of the tub, splashing Pinkie.  “Surprise!”  
Pinkie laughed.  “That’s a good one!”
“I know!  It’s my name too!”
“Really?”
“Really!”
“That’s great!  I love surprises!”  Pinkie bounced some more, and Surprise smiled.  Thankfully she didn’t bounce, as Ponylander bodies were not meant for the same up and down motion that Pinkie was displaying, but it was clear that Surprise liked the other pony, now that she seemed less hostile then before.
“I’m Morning Glory, it’s nice to meet you.”  Morning Glory jumped to the ground, shaking her butterfly wings to dry them.  Pinkie stuck her face close to her wings.  
“Oooo!  Pretty!  Did you get a spell for them?  My friend Rarity once got a pair of wings like these, only they burned up in the sun!  She almost died, but Rainbow Dash saved her!”
“..no, no magic.  I’m a Flutter Pony.”  Morning Glory replied.
“…why are you smiling if someone who call friend almost died?”  Draggle asked.  
“Well she didn’t did she?  Rainbow saved her, and everything was fine!”
“But what if she didn’t?”  Draggle asked.  Pinkie frowned at her.
“But…she did.  Why dwell on something sad that never happened?”
“…she’s just as stupid as the rest of you.”  Draggle said.  Fizzy grinned up at her.  “Eyup!  I really like that word!”
Draggle sighed.  “We aren’t going to get you to stop doing that, are we?”
“Nnope!”
“Who are you?”  Pinkie asked Draggle, the smile still on her face.  Draggle shrugged and told her.  Pinkie tilted her head.  “Draggle?  That’s a funny name!”
“Like I said, I’m a witch.  We have names like that.”
“You look like a human.”
“That’s because I am.  I’m a human witch.”
“Are their other kinds of witches?”
“Just about any race can have witches.  Ponies don’t.  You have unicorns for that.”  Draggle said.
“That makes sense!”
“We’re almost mostly evil.”  Draggle pointed out.
“No you’re not!  You aren’t evil!  I can tell.  My Pinkie Sense says so!”
“…you’re what?”  Draggle blinked.
“My Pinkie Sense!  It tells me things!”
“What kind of things?”  Wind Whistler asked, curious.
“Oh, things!  Like if there’s gonna be something falling on your head or if it you’re about to be splashed with mud or if something scary is going to happen!”  Pinkie smiled.  “But you don’t set off my ‘scary’ Pinkie Sense, so you can’t be scary!”
“…if this sense functions as you claim…then that is actually quite…logical.”  Wind Whistler blinked.  “How particular.”
Pinkie looked at Gusty.  “I haven’t heard your name yet!”  Gusty blinked, and shrugged.  “Gusty.”
Pinkie smiled again.  “It’s gonna be hard to fit all these names on one cake, but I’ll just have to bake an extra big one!”
“Cake?”  Gusty blinked.
“Of course silly!  For the Welcome to Ponyville party we’re gonna throw you!  Oh, but you want to be kept secret, so it’ll have to be a secret Welcome to Ponyville party…or maybe just a Welcome to the Drafty Equestrian Everfree Forest Cave Party!”
“I fear we have no time for revelries.”  Wind Whistler flapped out the tub and landed.  “I am afraid this floral setback has delayed the current difficulty at hand.”
“Yeah, the Mother of Tirac back there.”  Gusty landed at Wind Whistler’s side with a snort.
“That is not which I am referring to, Gusty.  There is a more important matter.”  She turned to Morning Glory.  “Where were you last night?”
Morning Glory blinked.  “I was with Draggle all night.”
“You did not cross over back to our world?”
“No!  I was hurt to badly, and my wings were soaked!  I couldn’t fly at all!  I had to walk all the way to that apple orchard!”
“Draggle, can you confirm her location?”
“Yeah, Wind Whistler, she was with me all night.”  Draggle looked at Wind Whistler, confused.
“She never left your sight?”
“Not once.”  Draggle said.
“Then why did Morning Glory come across the gates yesterday afternoon, being pursued by an orange earth pony resembling Applejack, and a white unicorn with Sparkler’s symbol on her flank, who attacked her?  Furthermore, why did Morning Glory then claim that the ponies on this side of the gate attacked them, and deformed Applejack?”
Pinkie Pie gasped dramatically.  “You have an Applejack too!?”
Wind Whistler looked at Pinkie.  “…hold that thought, if you will.  Well, Morning Glory?”
“We were attacked yesterday by them.”  Draggle nodded at Pinkie, who blinked at her, confused.  “But only on this side.  Morning Glory never crossed back over.”
“I see…Pinkie, correct?”  Wind Whistler looked at Pinkie, who smiled.  
“Yep!”
“Did you and your allies attack our friends yesterday afternoon?”
“No!  I was looking for the Cutie Mark Crusaders yesterday afternoon!  I only found you two last night!”  She pointed at Gusty and Wind Whistler.  “I never saw the rest of you!”
“Discribe Applejack for me.”  Wind Whistler asked.
“Oh well, she’s Big Mac’s sister!”  Fizzy blinked at Pinkie in surprise, and Pinkie rambled on.  “She’s the Element of Honesty!  Or she was.  Probably still is.  But she’s honest and dependable and tough and she can get really really serious if it has to do with her farm, but she’s really nice and she’s one of my best friends and she might actually be my cousin!  Several times removed!”
“Is she…clumsy?  Or prone to silliness?”  Wind Whistler asked.
“Nope!  She’s really athletic, and not silly at all!”  Pinkie squinted at Wind Whistler.  “Is your Applejack silly?”
“…she can be.”  
“Does your Applejack have a hat?”  Pinkie asked, from seeming nowhere.
“No…” Fizzy blinked.  “Wind Whistler!  Ribbon contacted me!”
“…can it not wait?  I feel we are on to some solution to this-“
“It’s important!  She mentioned Applejack!  But…not our Applejack!  She said they were looking for the foals!  She said beware the Changelings!”
Pinkie suddenly thrust her head in Fizzy’s face, her smile gone.  “Did you say Changelings?”
“What’s a Changeling?”  Wind Whistler asked.
“Oh, they’re this awful black bug ponies that can turn into other ponies, so they look normal, but they aren’t normal!  They feed off love!  They attacked us a year ago and tried to take over Equestria!”  Pinkie’s smile was back, but it was a bit less wide.  
“Shape shifters…” Wind Whistler looked at Morning Glory speculatively.  “…we could not cross the gate back after Morning Glory led us there.”
“…you think the Morning Glory we met at Flutter Valley wasn’t our Morning Glory?”  Gusty said, giving the real Morning Glory a dangerous look.  She jumped up.
“I-I’m not a shape shifter!  I’m the real Morning Glor-Akk!”  Draggle grabbed her ear and forced her to look at her.  
“…tell me about the bees?”  Draggle asked.
“Sting?  And Queen Bumble?”  Morning Glory started to babble.  “Sting is my friend, the first bee friend we had.  I taught him to fly, and he helped me escape from the bees.  He helped me find Megan and bring her to Ponyland.  You…you and your family were corrupting our Valley.”
Draggle looked at Pinkie.  “Can they read minds?”
Pinkie shrugged.  “Not that I know of.  But Twilight Sparkle can find out!”
“How?”  Wind Whistler asked.
“She knows a spell!”  Pinkie grinned.
Wind Whistler closed her eyes.  They clearly only had half a story, and if these Changelings were influencing events…she had an idea, but it was risky.  Very risky.  Far to risky.
“Gusty, Pinkie, step out here with me.”  Wind Whistler looked at Draggle, Surprise and Fizzy.  “Guard her.”  Morning Glory looked down in sadness as the stern pegasus led the other two out of the cave and well away from the others.
“I have this feeling you are about to tell me something I won’t like.”  Gusty snorted.
“Take it step by step.  We encountered what I now believe to be an imposter Morning Glory, who trapped us on this world.  Our friends were attacked by what can only be more Changelings, posing as Pinkie and her friends.  But why attack us?”
“Because we would fight back, especially after we found out about the Princess of the Night.  We’d assume they were servants of a greater evil then Tirac, and we would have proof of them attacking us.”  Gusty’s eyes were starting to widen.
“And it is very possible these missing foals were taken to our world to spark the same on this end, as well as getting Applejack of this world out of the way, and to shock us.  Pinkie…tell me about the Princess of the Night?”
“Luna?  She used to be a big mean grumpy evil pants!  But we saved her!”  Pinkie said.
“Saved her how?”
“Well, we friendshiped the evil out of her!”
“…friendshiped?”
“We used the Elements of Harmony!  I told you!  I’m the Element of Laughter!  Applejack is the Element of Honesty, Rainbow Dash is the Element of Loyalty, Fluttershy is the Element of Kindness, Rarity is the Element of Generosity, and Twilight Sparkle is the Element of Magic!”
Wind Whistler closed her eyes and sighed.  “Pinkie…what do these ‘Elements of Harmony’ do?  How do they work?”
“Well we put on these sparkly necklaces and the elements blast things with a giant rainbow and the evil goes poof!  It turned Luna back to Luna!  She isn’t Nightmare Moon anymore!”
“Rainbow…the Rainbow of Light!”  Gusty looked shocked.  “Wind Whistler, you remember what Twilight, our Twilight, Twilight Unicorn, what she told us!  When Megan used the Rainbow of Light at Tirac's castle it purified everything!  Including Scorpan!  He was a monster, but then he became a human once purified!”
“The tales never mentioned anything about the Princess of Night being possessed…or transformed.”  Wind Whistler said.
“But that was a thousand years ago!  Who knows how much the story changed!"
“Luna was imprisoned on the moon for a thousand years!”  Pinkie said helpfully.
“If this Element of Harmony rainbow works in a similar fashion to the Rainbow of Light…then it would indeed have purified the Princess, just as the Rainbow of Light purified Scorpan and the creatures transformed by Tirac’s magic…and if Tirac’s magic came from this Luna…it is very possible we have been in error.  Perhaps she did not betray, but was instead infected, and merely spread the infection to Tirac.  Tirac, according the stories, was already evil, so the Rainbow of Light merely scattered him, instead of purifying.  But if Luna was more like Scorpan then Tirac…it fits.”  Wind Whistler sighed.  “I reacted in haste.”
Gusty sighed.  “Wind Whistler…I know Majesty was like a mother to you.  She was like a mother to a lot of the orphaned foals.  Twilight Unicorn, Applejack, Sparkler, Galaxy, Magic Star, Firefly, Medley, they all thought of her as their mother.  I think that for once no one is going to blame you for getting emotional.”
“But I have hampered our progress with my emotional outbursts, and put us at risk.  This is why I chose to control myself, Gusty.”  Wind Whistler said.  “And that is why I must fix this.”
“Wind Whistler…”
“I need to speak to this Twilight Sparkle.  If we combine our tales we will get to the truth of this Changeling plot.”
“You are NOT going alone!”  Gusty stamped.
“No, she isn’t.”  Draggle limped over from the brush.
“I told you to watch Morning Glory.”  Wind Whistler said with a stern, but gentle look.
“She’s fine.  Unless you’re going to accuse me of being a Changeling as well?  She was with me all night!"
“I am in doubt that a Changeling would be able to possess your magical skills, Draggle.  Even if they were to replicate your battle skills, they would be unable to duplicate your…unique methods.”
“And that is why I’m going with you.  You know you can depend on me.  And if you’re wrong and this princess is evil, or if these Changelings have evil magic, well, guess who won’t be as effected by that crap like you would?”
“You have not been an evil witch for three years-“
“But I’m still a witch, and I’m still resistant to nasty.  You aren’t.  I’m coming.”  Draggled tapped her stick.  “Besides, you don’t think it’s illogical to go into a dangerous situation without backup?”
Gusty laughed.  “She’s got you there!”
Wind Whistler sighed.  “Very well, Draggle.  You understand the risk?”	
“Yeah yeah, sure sure.”  Draggle said dismissively.  “Besides, you guys still need to find the Stoneback.”
“I’ll handle that with the others.  Be careful, Wind Whistler.”  Gusty said.
“I shall be fine.  The purple one seemed willing to be friendly.”  She looked at Pinkie.  “Now, Pinkie, take us to your leader.”
> Chapter Seven
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Seven


Galaxy sighed as she paced around the outside of the Estate, weaving in between the main building and the nursery, ears pricked and ready for anything.  She had a very bad feeling, and it just would not go away.  She couldn’t sleep, couldn’t sit still, and couldn’t eat.  She just felt twitchy and uncomfortable.  She flicked her tail slightly, as if flicking off a fly, and snorted again.
“Galaxy, it’s the middle of the night.”  Megan closed the door to the nursery and stepped out.  “You should be asleep.”
Galaxy smiled.  “So should you.  Is Baby Gusty alright?”
Megan frowned gently and put a hand on Galaxy’s back, petting her.  The pony knew very well that she did this mostly out of habit from raising non-intelligent ponies, and didn’t take offense.  Besides, Galaxy suspected having something to pet gave Megan a bit of comfort.
“She’s worried about Gusty.  I’m worried about her too…I’m worried about all of them.”  Megan watched as Galaxy’s crystalline eyes scanned the horizon.  “What are you looking for?”
“I’m uncertain.  I just have a very bad feeling.  A very very bad feeling.  Like we’re surrounded by something that means us harm, but I can’t see a thing.”  Galaxy raised a foreleg, and then put it back down.  “It’s making it very hard to sleep.”
Megan frowned and looked in the direction that Galaxy was gazing.  “Want me to stay with the baby ponies for a bit?”
Galaxy smiled.  “Perhaps, Megan.”
“Hey” Megan smiled.  “I don’t mind being the go to pony sitter.”
Galaxy was about to reply when the earth began to shake under her hooves.  She gasped and backed up, and a huge horrible claw reached out of the earth.  At first thinking this was a Stoneback, Galaxy gasped again as a pointed canine face followed the claw.  The creature had small gems around its neck, pointed ears and fangs, and yellow eyes.  It grinned and pulled itself out.  Still more followed it.  Eyes darting from side to side, Galaxy could see more holes popping out, and more of the strange canines emerging.  They almost remained Galaxy of gorillas mixed with dogs, who for some reason wore jackets filled with small gems.
“Who are you?  What are you?”  Galaxy asked as the dogs began to slowly creep towards her and Megan.
“Diamond Dogs.”  The lead creature grinned.  “We want gems.”
“I’m sorry, we don’t have gems.”  Megan said, backing towards the nursery.
“No, but small witch has gems.  She said she give gems, if you come with us.”  The lead Diamond Dog licked his lips hungrily.  He creeped forwards, claws bared and ready to grab.  “You come now.”
“Small witch…Hydia?”  Megan clenched her fists.
“Yes.”  The dog chuckled.  “You come now!”
Galaxy snarled and stepped forwards, horn lighting up.  She pointed the light at the Diamond Dog’s head, who screeched a bit at the sudden light.  Galaxy screamed.
“Wake up!  Wake up!  We’re under attack!”
Megan suddenly darted to the side, scooping up a mallet that was lying on the ground, a leftover from a croquet game.  Three Diamond Dogs, covered with armor, lunged for her, claws extended.  Megan stood up and swung, hitting on in the ribs with her mallet.  It grunted and was lifted of its feet, and slammed into the ground.  The second leaped over his friend to claw for Megan’s eyes but she ducked and swung again, hitting the dog in the face.  The last one managed to circle behind and raked its claws against Megan’s back, and the girl gasped in pain.  Fortunately before it could do any real damage Galaxy lowered her horn and head butted the dog in the side, sending him flying.
She heard the galloping of hooves, and looked just in time to see Truly almost fly past her.  Four Diamond Dogs clawed at the nursery door, and Truly set upon them like a battering ram.  The prissy white pony, usually stuffy and full of herself, was clearly enraged by the sight of these things going after their children.  She head butted the first, reared, kicking two more in the chest with her front hooves, and as they flew away, stamped her hooves and bucked the last to aside.  She turned as the dogs got up and surrounded her, snorting.
“Not another step!  Don’t you even THINK about touching our babies!”  Truly glared defiantly at the dogs, pawing at the ground and tossing her head.  The four dogs sprang, but were suddenly bum rushed by North Star, Lofty, Lickety-Split and Ribbon.  The four mother ponies each slammed into a Diamond Dog, determined to protect their offspring within.  The ponies were clearly more vicious and battle ready then the Diamond Dogs had thought, and the four at the door were thoroughly pummeled.  They galloped away, whining and whimpering in pain.  None would die from their wounds, but they would certainly remember this group of ponies!
“Get the babies out!  Get them into the Estate!”  Galaxy reared and kicked another dog in the teeth.  “More of them are coming!”
And it was true, more dogs were appearing from the holes, leaping at the ponies as if this was the only strategy they had in their heads.  Mere charging soon proved to be an easy enough challenge for the ponies.  Megan, Truly and Galaxy backed up to the door, each defending as the four mothers piled into the nursery.  Though they each had their own daughters here, each named after themselves, North Star, Lickety-Split, Ribbon and Lofty herded the rest of the children, along with Megan’s youngest sibling, Molly, into a tight formation.  With two mothers at each side the group of them exited, still covered by the other three as they herded the baby ponies out the door.  The Diamond Dogs rushed them, clawing and biting and attempting to take small chucks out of the ponies.  One of them managed to get a hold of Truly’s ear, and would have ripped it out had Megan not given the mutt a stern mallet-to-face talking to.
Within the door to the Estate, Spike, Danny and Paradise covering the door in the same way the others had before.  Danny was wielding a thick frying pan, bashing dogs on the head at each opportunity.  Spike was launching fireballs, and Paradise was simply flailing at any dog that came within reach of her.  Galaxy was impressed, as Paradise was most certainly not a fighter in normal times.  Still, the gentle white pegasus was giving it her all.
Paradise and Spike stepped out of the way as the horde of ponies rushed into the Estate.  Spike kept a stream of fire at their backs, holding the dogs off as he backed into the doorway, the last to cross the threshold.  As soon as he was inside they slammed the door shut, Spike stopping his breath as the door closed.  The small pink dragon panted.
“What are those things?”  He asked.
“They called themselves Diamond Dogs.  Paradise, North Star have you heard of them?”
Paradise shook her head.  “Not in any story I’ve heard.”
“I never encountered any on my travels either.”  North Star said.
“They’re apparently working with Hydia.”  Galaxy said.  “They want to exchange us for gems.”
“What!  Why those awful brutes!  How could they do something like that!”  Truly edged closer to the babies in a protective manner.  The dogs would have to go over her dead body to get to the foals!
“I don’t know, but I’m not going let them get through.”  Megan said, hefting her mallet.  She nodded as Danny stepped beside her, firm grip on his frying pan.
Galaxy looked at the ohers.  “We need to board up the windows and doors.  Now.”  As she said this they could here the dogs starting to claw at the building.  “Now, go!”
Ponies scattered, two to a window or a door, building up barricades by shoving furniture against them, using magic or hooves whenever they needed.  Galaxy snorted.  She knew this was not going to last.
All of a sudden a collection of fuzzy bright colored fluffs bounded up around her hooves.  She looked down and smiled.  “Bushwoolies, you think you can slip past the dogs?”
The blue one, who seemed to be a leader of sorts, although since bushwoolies seemed to operate on a hive mind it was unclear if he was a leader in the traditional sense, uncurled and nodded.  “Yeah, we can.”  The others chimed in with variations on his words, most of them one syllable agreements.
“Can you go tell the Flutter Ponies and the Grundles we need some backup?”  Galaxy asked.  “We can’t stay boarded up in the estate forever.”
“Yeah yeah!”
“Right!  Of course!”
“Find Flutter Ponies!  You got it!”
The bushwoolies re curled into their ball like state, and bounced for a handy window.  Buttons helpfully moved the dresser against the window away with her telekinesis, and the bushwoolies bounced out.  
The Diamond Dogs, having never seen a bushwooly before, were taken aback, and a few sprinted for the brightly colored bouncing balls, barking in joy.  If there was one thing they liked more then gems it was chasing funny things!  The dogs ran for the bushwoolies, who simply bounced away at top speed, rolling past the dogs, and occasionally bouncing off a head, to escape in the brush.  They didn’t slow down their rolling, instead turning towards Flutter Valley.
Most of the Diamond Dogs returned, the lure of gems more important then chasing fuzzy things.  The Diamond Dogs studied the house, scratching their heads.
“Not sure what big deal is.  Only want to meet friend.”  The lead Diamond Dog shrugged.  “Pony’s strange here…”




Reeka scoffed.  “And you call me stupid?  Those mutts don’t even know what we want with the ponies!”
“For once I don’t need them to actually hurt the ponies.  Those mutts have gems on the brains!  But they’ll keep the ponies distracted.”  Hydia waved her hand over the pool, switching targets.  “Meanwhile, while they are either chasing the Equestrians or dealing with dumb dogs, you are going to get what we need from Midnight Castle.  Just a bit longer.”
“You had best not mess up my future form.  I’ve heard about the Smooze incident.”  The shadowy, vague pony shape slithered close to the viewing pool, glaring at Reeka with its creepy yellow eyes.  Reeka just sneered at it.  It didn’t scare her, no matter what it was.
“I don’t have anyone to get in my way this time.”
“Just make sure you get back here fast.  I’m getting impatient.”  The shadow form snarled.  It turned its eyes to Hydia.  “The spell is ready?”
“As soon as we get the last few ingredients, it will be.”  Hydia turned to her daughter.  “Get moving.”
Muttering something about there better not being any carnivorous plants in her future, Reeka stomped towards the exit and was soon gone.  The shadow turned towards Hydia.  “Your children are very disagreeable.”
Hydia didn’t answer it.



Celestia made a mental note to herself: no matter how powerful an alicorn you were, backup was a good thing.  A very good thing.  She supposed that, after a thousand in years in a relatively peaceful land, where the only issues had been few, if clustered together.  Nightmare Moon, which she had only had to observe to make sure Twilight was safe, and the unicorn hadn’t been aware of it.  Discord, again taken care of by the Elements of Harmony.  Chrysalis’s first invasion, which had been beaten by…well by her own inability to realize the very force that she fed on, could be turned against her.  But then again Celestia supposed that it was the equivalent of being smashed in the face by a particularly deadly pie.
However, the fact that she was currently trapped in a cage, with her horn’s magic on the fritz, and having been drained by the shadow, and Chrysalis, wasn’t what was really bothering her right now.  She knew with time she would either get out herself, or Twilight and the others would show up.  The thing that was really bothering her was the sleeping creature next to her in the next cage over.
Slowly the other prisoner opened her eyes, and Celestia coughed.  The other turned her head and blinked.
“…what are you?”
“You don’t remember me?”  Celestia asked.
“I’ve never seen you before in my life.  That black thing has been draining my energy, not my wits.”  
“Are you not Queen Majesty?”  Celestia frowned softly.  The unicorn beside her was indeed the spitting image of her old friend.  She had thought that the original queen would be dead, but the resemblance was uncanny, and unicorns could live a long while.  Who knows what magical affliction could be affecting her?
The unicorn chuckled.  “I haven’t been called queen in a while, I hardly qualify for the title.  But I am Queen Majesty, the third.  The third, and the last.”
“The last?”  Celestia blinked.  
“Yes.  I’ve had no babies, save for the foals I adopted.  Who and what are you?”
“Princess Celestia.  Did your ancestors keep no records of Equestria?”
“Records!  Ha…we were lucky to survive for the past thousands of years…stupid witches though…they thought that they could cause me despair by showing me what my children have been doing, but…the queendom may be no more, but they are surviving.  In fact, they are thriving.  But, as for Equestria, I haven’t heard of it.”  Majesty slowly lifted herself up into a sitting position.  She did not have the height and thinness of Celestia, in fact for all appearances she was a normal looking Ponylander, but there was a hint of her royal linage in the way she held herself.
Celestia, watching the unicorn with some concern, told her about Equestria, the history between the two world, her sister and her redemption, and the recent events.  Majesty listened, but Celestia was not certain how much of her story the queen was buying.
“That’s…a bit to take in.”  Majesty eyed her, as if she didn’t quite trust Celestia just yet.  
Celestia allowed a bit of silence to settle in, as the unicorn contemplated the other side of the wall.  Eventually, Celestia’s curiosity couldn’t take much more.
“How did you end up here?”
“Do you know Tirac?”
“A centaur, and evil one, that was imprisoned by your ancestor a thousand years ago, for horrible crimes.”  Celestia replied, frowning.
“Our stories say, what little they do say of you, tell that one day a great evil crept from your world, and gave Tirac the power of eternal night.  My ancestor deactivated the rainbow gate, but Tirac had grown to powerful.  She stole the Rainbow of Darkness from him, and fled with it and her subjects across the sea, with the aid of the Sea Ponies.  A thousand years passed, and the Rainbow of Darkness seemed to remain dormant, protected by my kind.  We tried to find ways to destroy it, but to no avail.  By the time I was born, however, the Rainbow began to become active.  It brought misfortune to us.  We tried to contain it, but many ponies began to either lose their lives, or their hearts, to the darkness.  In the end I was left with only a few faithful courtiers, and many orphaned or cast aside foals.  I felt that the answers lay in our original homeland, that perhaps we could find a way to destroy the rainbow.  I thought Tirac must be dead.  He was not.  He did not attack right away, but left the aggression to the witches of this volcano.  We were unprepared when he struck, about five years into our move.  I fought him off, but I failed.  While I was able to beat him back, he damaged me very badly, and took the rainbow for himself once more.  He gave me to the Gloom witches, who kept me around to draw magic from me.  As an act of revenge he planned to us my children to draw his carriage to bring about the night that never ends.  However, thanks to several of my old friends, Twilight Unicorn, Applejack, Firefly, Medley and a human named Megan, they found the thing that could stop the Rainbow of Darkness, the Rainbow of Light.  Tirac is dead.”  She grinned.  “I can be happy about that.”
“How long has Chrysalis been around?”  Celestia asked.
“The bug?  A few months.  She has been feeding off me.  I am not sure what, or how.  It feels different then from when Hydia takes my magic.”
“She is the Changeling Queen, they feed on love.”  Celestia said.  “Most likely she has fed off your love.”
“…that’s probably why she keep gloating about my feelings towards my children.”  Majesty snorted.
Celestia blinked.  So they hadn’t been feeding of Majesty’s romantic love, but instead the motherly love she felt for her subjects…no her children.  It was clear that this queen was close to her kin.  They shared something, it seemed.
“We will get through this, I promise you…how many witches are there?”
“I know that Hydia’s mother is dead.  She is the one who originally took me, but she was old.  Hydia has daughters of her own, but I have only seen the one called Reeka…and only very recently.  I think she feared her offspring would let me loose somehow.”
Celestia nodded.  “We will just have to think so something, shall we?”  Celestia smiled gently at Majesty.
Majesty blinked, then smiled back.  “I suppose we must.”




Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell jumped at the sudden booming noises came from the courtyard.  The three of the hunched closer to the table and Far Stride suddenly sprang to his hooves and rushed to the door.  He peeked out and stamped, turning his head.  “We got scree!”
Scorpan stood up and picked up his sword.  “Far Stride, take the little ones to Catrina, have Rep take them Bright Valley.  Scree can’t fly.”  He took long strides over to the door, and Far Stride turned and headed for the CMC.
“Now wait, who said we was leavin’?”  Apple Bloom asked.  She was not quite sold on the fearsome nature of the Scree.  That was until one of them burst through the door, clawing at Scorpan’s arm.  
The creature did indeed resemble a large ostrich, with nasty long claws and a sharp beak.  Scorpan turned and swung his sword at the bird, slamming its head into the wall with the flat of his blade.  “Go!  Now!”
“Hurry girls, run!”  Far Stride nudged them towards the door with his nose, and the four of them ascended the stairs.  They finally barged into Catrina’s chambers.  Standing in the middle of the room was a huge green bird, to whom Catrina was attaching three small baskets to the back.  The bird fluttered his wings.
“Are these them?”  He asked.
“Yes.  Better get out before the scree know you’re here.”  Catrina finished tying down the last basket.
“Hi girls, I’m Rep, nice to meet you.”  The bird smiled at them in a friendly way.
“Hi!”  Apple Bloom leaped into a basket and introduced herself and her friends.  “Thanks for the lift!”
“No problem.  I owe ponykind.”  Rep grinned as he walked towards the window.
“We both do.”  Catrina gave Rep a small pat on the head.  “Fly safe.”
“I’ll always come back to you, Catrina.”  Rep said, and Scootaloo gagged, while Sweetie Bell grinned at the two.
“Say bye to the prince for us, okay!”  Apple Bloom waved at Far Stride, who for some reason was grabbing some potions in his mouth.  The horse turned his head and nodded and galloped down the stairs.
“Duck.”  Rep hopped on the windowsill and spread his wings.  He seemed to fall forwards, and caught a breeze with his wings.  He flapped, and soon the group was soaring through the air.  Apple Bloom looked down and saw that the scree had set up a pair of catapults against the keep walls.  One of the birds stepped on the catapult, ducked its head, and turned into a giant egg shaped rock.  The other scree pulled the lever, and the egg rocked scree flew over the keep’s wall.  So that is how they got in!
Apple Bloom watched the keep slip away from them as Rep soared even higher.  Scootaloo had a big grin on her face, like she did most every time some other pony took her flying.  
“Look at that, you can see the crystal desert from here.”  Rep said.  “Bright Valley is only a few hours away!”
“It’s quite a sight…but…”  Apple Bloom scanned the horizon.  A huge volcano loomed in the distance, beyond the desert they were skirting.  Looking north she could also see the forest, and a small valley beyond it.  Looming to the north was a purple expanse of mountains.  She looked further south, and saw the sea.
Suddenly, Rep jerked in midair.
“What it is?”  Apple Bloom asked.
“Down there, take a look.”  Rep was no longer soaring, but hovering in place.
Apple Bloom looked down and saw the ruins of a castle on the surf.  The place looked…darker, grimier then the fort they just came from, despite the simplify of Scorpan’s kingdom.  It had a forbidding, sinister feel, a feel that Apple Bloom didn’t like at all.
“What is that?”
“Midnight Castle.  In ruins since the ponies beat its evil master, Tirac.  But look at what is parked on the shore?”
Apple Bloom looked down at the shore.  Parked there was an odd ship, with a birdlike wooden prow and a sail that…looked like it was in two circular lumps.  It was very particular looking, and Apple Bloom didn’t know what to make of it.
“Yeah, what it is?”
“That’s a Gloom witch ship.”  Rep said, troubled.
“Never heard of em.”
“You must come from pretty far away then.”  Rep said.  “They’re not a nice group, and they can’t be down there doing something good.”  He flapped his wings to speed up.  “Sorry, but we don’t have time for sightseeing now.  I got to get you there, and come back and see what the witches are up to!”
“Hey, we can help!”  Scootaloo protested.
“No way!  You’re just kids!”
“Actually, we’re fillies, not goats.”  Apple Bloom corrected.  “And if’n them witches are as bad as ya say, then what if they ain’t there when ya circle back?  What if yer too late to stop em.”
Rep sighed.  “Well…they aren’t very smart…” Rep folded his wings and turned around.  “But if it gets to dangerous I’m pulling you out.”
Rep landed in a portion of the ruined courtyard, the same place that, unbeknownst to the small group, had been the site of the battle between the Rainbow of Light and the Rainbow of Darkness.  Rep ducked behind some rocks and the fillies jumped off.  To their shock Rep shook off the baskets and suddenly transformed into a much shorter, lizard like being.  
Apple Bloom gasped and backed away.  “Yer a Changeling!”  She hissed.
“What?”  Rep looked at her.  “No, I’m a chameleon.  What’s a Changeling?”
“Yer a monster that feeds on love!  Yer kind tried ta take over Canterlot!”
“Feeds on…what?  I eat normal food!  How does eating love work anyway?”  Rep blinked at them.
Apple Bloom spun and ran.  Showed her for trusting weird creatures!  The other two followed, and Rep hissed at them. 
“No!  Wait!  Stop!”
Apple Bloom was so busy looking over her shoulder she didn’t notice the person in front of her before she collided with it.  She looked up and blinked.  Reeka, who had something in a bag, scowled down at the small pony.  
“Er…hi?”  Apple Bloom backed up.  She didn’t like the look on this human’s face.  Not one bit.  She liked it even less when the witch lifted her hand, formed a ball of flame, and tossed at her.  Apple Bloom darted away, followed by Sweetie Bell.  Scootaloo leaped the other direction, tiny wings whirring to help her speed.
“Ah!  Stop!  We don’t wanna fight!”  Scootaloo screamed.
“Oh?  Then sit still so I can roast you!”  Reeka laughed and fired another fireball.
“We ain’t done nothing!”  Apple Bloom protested.
“You’re ponies!  It’s enough for me!”  Reeka cackled again as she launched fireball after fireball at the little fillies, clearly determined to roast them all.  Apple Bloom tripped over a bit of rubble and rolled.  She looked up to see a ball of flame heading right for her.  She screamed, and something green leapt between her and the fire.  The thing yowled in pain, and Apple Bloom looked up.
Rep, in the form of a very large, very green tiger, looked down at her.  “East…run.”  He snarled at Reeka, who laughed at him.  Rep crouched and lunged, claws swiping at Reeka.  Reeka ducked and swung another fireball at Rep’s flank.  Rep roared in pain, and charged, this time knocking Reeka over and rolling her on the ground.  “Run girls!  Run!”  Rep roared.
Scootaloo galloped to Apple Bloom and nudged her to feet.  “Come on, run!”
“But…Rep…” Apple Bloom blinked.
“I’ll catch up, now go!”  Rep shouted as he slashed at Reeka.  Apple Bloom stamped, torn between helping the changeling creature, and running.  Sweetie Bell galloped up, eyes wide and terrified, and Apple Bloom knew they had to get away.  The three of them ran, jumping over the walls to the ground and began to speed down the path.
Apple Bloom stopped and looked back, expecting Rep to be right there with them…but all of a sudden a massive fireball erupted from the old castle, and Apple Bloom heard something shriek, and it wasn’t the witch.  She gapped until Sweetie Bell tugged on her shoulder.  
“Apple Bloom, come on!”
“It can’t…he can’t…”
“Apple Bloom!  Move!”
“He…he…”
“Apple Bloom!”
Apple Bloom felt Scootaloo come at her from behind and start to push her from behind.  Working on autopilot she forced her legs to move.  
Out fault…all our fault…the words rolled around her mind, even as her friends guided her to the east.




Despite the situation, Applejack felt herself becoming much more cheerful now that they were not only on the right track, but had company through this ordeal.  And that they could actually talk to said company.
“So, if you don’t mind me being forwards.”  Rarity, who was just as interested in the alien ponies as Applejack, smiled at Sweet Stuff. “What do you ponies do all day?  Do you have jobs?”
“No-not-really-well-Gusty-wants-me-to-help-her-pratice-her-battle-plans-and-I-do-soemtimes-it’s-alright.”  Whizzer shrugged.
“I haven’t decided what I want to do yet…Gusty wants me to help her to…but I don’t know…” Sweet Stuff ducked her head.
“Ya-know-no-one-is-going-to-think-less-of-you-if-you-decide-not-to.”  Whizzer said.
“Oh I know…”
“Ah would have thought ya would be doin’ something involvin’ candy.”  Applejack said, confused.  “Ah mean, ya don’t look like you have a warrior Cutie Mark.”
“A what?”  Sweet Stuff looked at her, puzzled.
“Cutie Mark.  Ya know, the thing on yer flank?”
“Oh!  My symbol!”  Sweet Stuff gave her symbol a smile.  “Maybe.  But like I said, I haven’t decided what I want it to mean yet.”
“But…didn’t you earn it when you found your passion?”  Rarity asked, puzzled.
“Earned…oh no, I was born with it.  It’s why they named me Sweet Stuff."
Sweet Stuff replied.
“Ya mean ya didn’t earn yer Cutie Mark?”  Applejack said, baffled.
“Earn…how do you earn a symbol?”  Sweet Stuff asked.
“Yeah-if-you-don’t-have-a-symbol-means-you’re-another-breed-right?”  Whizzer asked.  “Nothing-wrong-with-that-of-course.”
“Well, in Equestria young foals earn their Cutie Marks when they find their one true passion in life.  For example –my- passion is designing and making clothes, and I do it by using gems and other such beautiful things.  When I discovered my passion I got my Cutie Mark.”  Rarity pointed to the three diamonds.
“And Ah got mine when I realized my true place was with my family at our farm!”  Applejack said.
“Ha-that’s-odd.”  Whizzer paused.  “Our-foals-are-usually-born-with-their-symbols-most-of-the-time-that’s-how-they-get-named-if-they-don’t-look-like-their-parents.”
“I was born with these gumdrops, so they called me Sweet Stuff, guessing I would like candy.  I kinda do, but I’m not sure I want to make or sell it or anything.  Haven’t decided, like I said.”
“And-they-knew-I-would-be-fast-so-they-named-me-Whizzer.”  Whizzer said.
“That just seems confusing.  How do you figure out what ya’ll’re supposed ta do if ya don’t earn a Cutie Mark?”  Applejack asked.
“Well-the-symbols-give-some-hint-but-it’s-not-always-exact.”
“How do you mean?”  Rarity asked.
“Wind-Whistler-for-one.  Her-symbol-is-whistles-but-she-doesn’t-do-a-lot-of-whistling-or-couching-or-really-anything-invovling-whistles.”
“What does she do then?”  Applejack asked.
“She’s-a-professional-grump.”  Whizzer chuckled.
“She’s not that bad.”  Sweet Stuff frowned at Whizzer.
“Aww-I-know-trust-me.”  Whizzer shrugged.  “Wish-she’d-loosen-up-a-bit-sometimes-afraid-she’ll-snap.”
“I don’t think she’ll snap.”  Sweet Stuff said, looking at the other two.  “She’s actually very nice.”
“But she doesn’t do anything associated with her Cutie Mark…er, symbol?”  Rarity asked, trying to wrap her head around this.
“No-sometimes-when-we-play-she’ll-get-all-twitchy-about-the-rules-but-I-wouldn’t-call-it-her-job.”  Whizzer shrugged again.  “She-didn’t-do-that-when-she-was-a-filly.”
“Well a lot of us aren’t the same ponies we were as fillies.”  Rarity noted.
“Yeah-I-guess…” Whizzer said.  “Either-way-we-are-born-with-our-symbols-we-don’t-earn-them.”
“Really weird.”  Applejack shrugged.  “But I guess to each his own…”
“Wonder-what-other-things-are-different…”  Whizzer asked.
“Well, can ya manipulate the weather?”  Applejack asked.
“I-what-now?”  Whizzer asked.
“Ah just noticed that there’re no pegasi workin’ the clouds.  Don’t ya manipulate the weather?”
“Who-could-do-that-it’s-the-weather?”  Whizzer asked, puzzled.
“I suppose that’s another difference.”  Rarity shrugged.
“How does it work?”  Sweet Stuff asked, puzzled.
“They sorta push clouds around with their hooves…Ah don’t know, I ain’t no pegasus.”
“That-sounds-silly!”  Whizzer laughed.
“But how do you manage nature if you can’t control the weather.  It is sort of a vital part.”  Rarity asked.  The two Ponylanders stared at her.
“…manage…nature?”  Sweet Stuff blinked.  “Nature takes care of itself, it doesn’t need us.”
“So…you don’t take care of your world?  But who raises the sun and the moon?  And who changes the seasons?”  Rarity asked.
“They-do-it-themselves-it-doesn’t-work-like-that-in-your-world?”
“Oh no, not at all.  In our world Princess Celestia raises the sun and Princess Luna raises the moon!  Pegasi take care of the sky and earth ponies take care of the land.  We unicorns use our magic to take care of anything else.”
“Your magic must be very powerful.”  Sweet Stuff blinked.
“Oh well, I don’t need that much magic.  I could control the clouds if I want, but I chose not to.”
“…you call that not much?”  Sweet Stuff blinked.
“Well, can’t your unicorns…well I guess not if you don’t need to change the seasons.  What kind of magic do your unicorn’s have?”  Rarity asked.
“All-unicorns-can-wink-out-and-they-usualy-have-some-personal-magic.”  Whizzer said.
“What’s winking?”  Applejack asked.
“Going-from-one-place-to-the-other-in-a-blink.”  Whizzer said.
“Oh, like teleportation.”  Rarity said.  “I can’t do that spell, it’s to complicated for me.”
“So you can’t wink at all?”  Sweet Stuff said, startled.  “…maybe I should play tag with you next time…”
“I’m surprised they can teleport to any place they can, but they can’t control the weather.”  Rarity said.
“Oh-winking-isn’t-that-powerful-they-can’t-move-through-solid-objects-and-it’s-short-ranged-not-sure-what-the-exact-range-is.”  Whizzer said.
“Oh…well that makes more sense.”  Rarity said.  “So what other things can they do?”
“Well-Galaxy-can-make-heat-with-her-horn-Ribbon-is-telepathic-Buttons-can-move-things-Gusty-makes-gusts-of-wind-Fizzy-can-make-bubbles-they-do-all-sorts-of-things.”
“That is quite the variety.”  Rarity said.  “Ummm…where are we going?”
“I-thought-we-should-pass-through-the-Crystal-Desert-it’s-hot-but-we-have-a-friend-there-gotta-watch-out-for-the-goblins-though-can-you-make-light-at-all-Rarity?”  Whizzer looked at Rarity.
“Well, I can.”
“Oh-good-nothing-to-worry-about-then!”
“Why?”  Rarity asked.
“Goblins don’t like light.”  Sweet Stuff said.
“We didn’t bring any water to get through the desert though.”  Applejack said.
“It’s alright, the crystals there will give water if you make a hole in them.”  Sweet Stuff said.  “Megan and our other friends found that out when they first visited Niblik.”
“Who’s Niblik, is he your friend?”  Rarity asked.
“He’s-a-troll-but-he’s-a-nice-guy-to-us-cause-we-found-a-friend-for-him…still-might-need-ta-pay-the-toll-for-his-bridge.”
“I have some bits.”  Rarity levitated a small wallet out of her saddlebag and lifted some coins out  “Will they do?”
Whizzer looked over and examined them.  “Never-seen-coins-like-that-they’d-probably-be-rare-here-so-sure!”
A few hours later the group was deep inside the desert, and had already taken two water breaks.  Whizzer was sure the place was even hotter then before, despite the fact that the rain now fell on Dream Valley.  Still, Whizzer remembered the way from when she and Megan had flown here, and was not deterred.  She even managed to flap up in the sky, carefully with her sore wing, to look around and get their bearings.
“Well, this place isn’t so bad.”  Rarity said.  “Still abominably dirty, but…”
“Aww Rarity it’s the outside, of course it’s dirty.”  Applejack sighed at her friend.
“It’s very inconsiderate!”  Rarity said.
“…inconsiderate…of the outside.”  Sweet Stuff blinked, and leaned over to whisper in Applejack’s ear.  “Is she always like this?”
“All the time.”  Applejack rolled her eyes.
After the break the four of them had only a few more hours to go. Now they were passing through a canyon, which Whizzer claimed was only a few trots away from Niblik’s bridge.  Applejack was starting to worry a bit, if only because she was sure they should have come across some sort of opposition by now.  This trip was going way to damn easy and…
As if some karmic god watching down on them was reading Applejack’s thoughts, she heard something above her.  Applejack looked up and blinked.  Small blue creatures lined the sides of the canyon, pushing huge boulders to the edge, and rolling them down the canyon sides.  Applejack reared.
“Run ya’ll!”  She started to gallop.  Whizzer and Sweet Stuff took one look up each and ran to catch up with her, Rarity following behind.  Rarity’s horn began to glow as she started to deflect the boulders getting to close to her and the others.  Using her magic she knocked each one back, but the effort started to make her pant.  She slowed, the effort of hurling so many boulders up into the air.  She gasped as her horn’s light faded, and screeched to a halt as a boulder landed in front of her, blocking her from the others.
“Stupid rock!”  Rarity was really starting to hate rocks.  A lot.
Whizzer suddenly flew over the rocks, and Rarity blinked.  She had thought the pegasus’ wing was still injured.  Still, she dove for Rarity.  Rarity eeped a bit as Whizzer wrapped her legs around Rarity’s waist and lifted her up in the air.  She dove and dodged, avoiding the falling rocks and lifting herself upwards.  Rarity felt Whizzer’s bobbing in the air, as if she was lopsided.  Rarity looked up and gasped.  Whizzer’s injured wing was flapping slower and stiffer then her other wing.  Whizzer’s face was pinched in pain, and her eyes were squinting.  Whizzer spread her wings wide and soared, dodging a few more rocks as she went.
“Dear, you can let me down you-“
“Notimeit’salright”  Whizzer wheezed out, folding her wings and diving.  Rarity looked ahead and noticed a canyon, with a bridge crossing it, and a house on a small mesa in the middle.  Applejack and Sweet Stuff were already across, and Applejack had turned, eyes wide as she watched Whizzer dive in with Rarity in her hooves.  She blinked and turned to go into the house as Whizzer blew through the door, dropping Rarity in the middle of the floor.  Whizzer attempted to stop herself, but ended up rolling on the floor and crashing into the wall.
“…thathurt…”  She gasped.
“You ponies alright?”  
Rarity blinked and raised her head.  The creature in front of them was short, round and actually fairly ugly.  It scratched its head with its long arms, snorting slightly.
“Hi-Mr-Niblik.”  Whizzer said as she righted herself.  “We’re-kinda-in-a-fix-here.”
“What happened?”  Niblik asked as he righted a table that somepony had knocked over.
Whizzer launched into a fast paced explaination of the situation.  Niblik listened, occasionally rubbing his chin.  After Whizzer was done Niblik looked outside his door.
“Well, long as you have something for the toll you can stay here until the goblins go away.”  Niblik shrugged.  “Hate to charge you ponies, but I do still have to make a living.  Won’t ask you for anything to expensive though…”
Rarity adjusted her mane, or tried to.  She pulled her wallet out of her saddleback and placed it on the table.  “Well I have this from mine and Applejack’s homeland.  They’re the local currency.  They’re called bits.  How about this.”
Niblik opened the wallet and nodded, taking one of each type of bit.  “This’ll do.”  He walked over to a small chest and placed the coins inside.  He then walked to another room, and called back.  “I’ll get you something to eat, just make yourselves at home.”
“Gee, thanks Mr. Niblik.”  Sweet Stuff smiled and sat down next to Rarity, nuzzling her as if trying to comfort.  “Are you okay?”  She asked softly.
“Oh, I will be alright, darling, don’t worry about me.”
“That was really brave.”  Sweet Stuff said gently.
“Think nothing of it.  Anyone would do it.”  Rarity smiled back at Sweet Stuff.  She looked at Whizzer.  “Are you alright, dear?”
“Just-peachy.”  Whizzer grinned at Rarity, wings slumped and exhausted.  She looked up as Niblik brought them some soup.  “Hey-where’s-your-roommate?”
“he had to run an errand.  He’ll be back.”  Niblik said, and Applejack smiled at him as he gave her a bowl.  She sniffed the food and then she noticed an odd tic at the corner of the troll’s mouth.  She watched him closely as he gave some of the soup to Rarity and Sweet Stuff.  The two of them dug in with abandon, but Applejack noticed Whizzer giving Niblik an odd look as well.  She looked up as he gave her a bowl.
“Hey-do-you-mind-giving-me-water-I’m-kinda-tired.”  She said, and Niblik smiled and nodded to her.  He headed back into the kitchen as Whizzer lowered her head near the bowl.  As soon as he had turned his back, Whizzer suddenly picked up her bowl and dumped the soup outside.  Applejack trotted over, carrying her bowl, she dumped hers out as well.
“Ya getting the same funny feeling I am, sugarcube?”  She lowered her voice.
“Why-would-anyone-be-out-with-those-goblins-and-why-isn’t-he-worried-they-are-good-friends-there-is-something-wrong.”
“Why whatever do you two…oh…”  Rarity wobbled and slumped to the ground, snoring gently.  Sweet Stuff eeped and slid to the ground next to her.  Whizzer looked at Applejack.  “Playdead?”
“Play dead.”  Applejack curled up on the ground next to Whizzer, closing her eyes and pretending to sleep.
She heard Niblik returning.  For a moment she could feel the troll hovering over her, and then heard him sigh.
“I don’t want to do this…I’m so sorry, ponies…”




Queen Rosedust, leader and monarch of the Flutter Ponies, paced around the base of the Sun Stone, her wings fluttering in agitation.  Honeysuckle, a pink Flutter Pony, landed near her.
“We still can’t find Morning Glory at all!”  Honeysuckle said.  “I’m getting really worried, you know how…well how gentle she is.  And I can’t find Wind Whistler or Gusty either.”
“Something has happened.  The other ponies went off to look for their other friends, or to go home, but…Morning Glory was attacked, and now has vanished.”  Rosedust shook her head.
“You don’t think that witch has something to do with it?”  Honeysuckle asked, her eyes narrowing.
“Draggle…perhaps.  I don’t trust witches.  But three years is a long time to planning something…” Rosedust paused and thought.
“She was with Morning Glory and some of the other missing ponies before they vanished.  And Wind Whistler is far to trusting of her.”  Honeysuckle growled a bit.  The aggressive Flutter Pony had never liked Draggle, though to be fair many Flutter Ponies, who were never the most open of species, didn’t trust her either.
Rosedust was about to reply when several fluffy things bounced into the meadow and rolled in front of the two Flutter Ponies.  The bushwooly leader sprang up and waved his hands at them.
“Ponies in trouble!  Surrounded!”  The others sprang out of their ball shape and chorused affirmatives at the Flutter Ponies.  “Big dog creatures!  Very mean!  Need help!”  The lead bushwooly said.
Rosedust nodded and turned to Honeysuckle.  “Bring half of our forces, and have the other half patrol our borders.  Something is going on, and we need to be ready.  Go.”
Honeysuckle nodded and fluttered into the air, calling for other battle ready Flutter Ponies.  Rosedust turned to the Bushwoolies.  “Have any of your missing ponies returned?”
“No.  None.”  The other Bushwoolies chorused negatives as well, and Rosedust sighed, resisting the urge to paw the ground.  
“Very well.”  Rosedust watched as Honeysuckle landed with Lily, Peach Blossom, and Forget-Me-Not.  About five other Flutter Ponies circled around the Sun Stone, ready to leave at their queen’s call.  “are you ready to go back?”  Rosedust asked the bushwoolies.  
They nodded as one, and Rosedust fluttered into the air, turning to her people.  “Flutter Ponies, as you know, Morning Glory, as well several of our pony allies are missing.  Now, our friends at the Estate are being attacked.  Are you ready for battle, Flutter Ponies?”  She smiled a bit at the roaring affirmatives from her people.  
Rosedust nodded and twirled in midair, her wings fluttering as she rose higher into the air and sped for the Estate.  Honeysuckle grinned as she fluttered up almost beside Rosedust.  
“Been to long since I got to Utter Flutter a villain.”  Honeysuckle grinned.
“You just got to do it to those odd ponies.”  Rosedust chided gently.
“Yeah, to long.”  Honeysuckle smiled.  
“Sometimes you worry me, Honeysuckle.”  Rosedust sighed.  
Still, it would be nice to eradicate evil again…she was getting to used to this.  But then, she thought, the old way, while comfortable, wasn’t as good as I thought it was at the time.  I thought to keep my people safe, but with the ponies we have traded safety for something far more valuable.  Life is harder now, but I do not think I would not go back.  She smiled to herself.  And I don’t think my people would either.

> Chapter Eight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Eight


Twilight Sparkle folded her wings and came to a soft landing near Fluttershy’s cottage door.  Fortunately nopony came out of the cottage or the nearby woods to kick her or buck her or blow strange magic in her face.  Perhaps the morning’s chaos had not reached Fluttershy yet?  She hoped so.  It would be bad enough involving her now, but it was clear to Twilight they would probably need each other soon.  Even if they could no longer use the Elements, there were no other ponies that Twilight would rather have beside her in a fight.
She gently knocked on the door, and Fluttershy opened the door, smiling gently at her.  “Hello, Twilight…” She frowned, noting the look on Twilight’s face.  “Is something the matter?”
“Yes, we have something of an emergency an-what the hay!”  Twilight blinked as a strange armadillo creature with a dragonic face butted its head against her leg, as if trying to get her to move.  The thing looked up at her and snorted, pawing at the ground.  It’s back, tail and legs were bandaged, and it glared up at Twilight with foul tempered eyes.  Fluttershy gently placed a hoof around its back and pushed it back in.
“Oh no, little friend, you’re still not well enough to leave.  I promise it won’t be long though, but you need to rest.”  Fluttershy looked up at Twilight.  “I’m sorry, he’s very anxious about something, but I’m not sure what.”
“What is he?”
“I’m not sure.  I’ve never seen a creature like him before.”  The Stoneback snorted and pawed at the ground some more, rolling his eyes.  “He doesn’t speak any language I know.  He really only seems to snort and grunt.  He looks mean, but he’s a real softy.”
The Stoneback slumped to the ground and huffed in irritation.  Damn ponies were worse then furbobs here!  Couldn’t they understand ‘emergency’!?  Even the human did after a few grunts!
“Fluttershy, I need you to come meet me at the library, we have a problem, and I need you.”
“Does it have something to do with the foals?  Did you find them?”  Fluttershy blinked as the Stoneback jumped up and down spitting at them.  “Oh please settle down, you’ll reinjure yourself!”
“It might.  I’ll tell you all when you get there.  I need to find Rainbow Dash, Rarity…and eventually I need to find Pinkie.”  Twilight said.
“Oh, I’m not sure I can leave him here…he might try to run away.  I never met a creature so eager to leave my care before…I know he’s terribly upset about something, but I can’t tell what.”
“Bring it along then, as long as he doesn’t eat my books.”  Twilight lifted her wings and flapped.  “I’ll met you there, Fluttershy.”  She turned and soared upwards towards Rainbow’s cloud home.
“Oh…I have a bad feeling…” Fluttershy shuddered, but the Stoneback grunted and pushed her with his head towards the road, gently.  She nodded.  “I have a feeling you know something, don’t you friend?”  He nodded.  “Maybe Twilight can help us figure out what you’re trying to say.  This is the first time I’ve ever been at a lose, but…” She leaned down and scooped the Stoneback on her back.  “You’ll like my friends, and you’ll like Ponyville.”  With a small smile she fluttered her own wings and headed back to Ponyville.
A few seconds after Fluttershy had left, Pinkie bounded out of the woods, followed by the Ponylanders.  The others didn’t want Draggle and Wind Whistler to make the trek through the forest alone, and Wind Whistler eventually agreed to let them come as far as the forest’s end.  Through whatever strange power that Pinkie possessed, it had managed to guide her and the others right were they needed to be to see Fluttershy departing with the Stoneback.
“Hey, it’s the Stoneback!  So that yellow one had him!”  Gusty leaped out of a bush, pawing at the ground.  “I’ll take care of her!”
“No!  Wait!  That’s Fluttershy!  You can’t be mean to her!  She’s really super sensitive!”  Pinkie bounced in front of Gusty, who blinked.
“Gusty…we are trying to not cause anymore unfortunate incidents.”  Wind Whistler put a hoof on her shoulder.  “Please, desist.”
Gusty growled in frustration and sat down.  “Fine fine.”
“…I have an idea…Pinkie.”  Wind Whistler looked at Pinkie.  “Instead of bringing us to your princess, please instead bring her and the yellow one, and the Stoneback here.”
Pinkie squinted at Wind Whistler, then nodded.  “Okay!  I’ll be right back!”  She smiled and bounced down the hill after Fluttershy.
Gusty looked at Wind Whistler.  “…this is going to be another of those ideas I’m not going to like, isn’t it?”
“Prisoner exchange.  We will go with them in exchange for the Stoneback.  No doubt they will want to interrogate us, and when they do, I can inform their monarch of the events on our end.  In this way we get our friend back, and there is no more unnecessary fighting.”  Wind Whistler said, eyes on the road.
“I knew I wouldn’t like it.”  Gusty sighed.
“Trust me, Gusty.”  Wind Whistler said gently.
“I do I do…”  She glared down the hill towards Ponyville.  “It’s them I don’t trust.”



Twilight had found Rainbow Dash, who had been asleep after a long day of looking for Fizzy, with relative ease.  After waking up the snoozing pegasus, Twilight and Rainbow soared back down to Ponyville, heading for the library.  
Now that Twilight had gotten a bit more flying experience, she now understood a bit why Rainbow had been so obsessed with it.  IT really was a wonderful feeling, being able to soar above the sky under your own power, to flap your wings and ride the little gusts of wind and thermals into the air.  It was very nice, and while Twilight was in no hurry to compete in flying contests, she was starting to enjoy it the same way she enjoyed activates like the Running of the Leaves.  Not enough to want to be the best, but just enough to enjoy flying in general.
As she and Rainbow Dash came upon the library, Twilight noticed something odd.  There was a small crowd gathered in front of the library door.  She could see Big Mac standing beside it, looking a tad irked, and Fluttershy was cowering behind him, the Stoneback still perched on her.  Right in front of the door was a large white unicorn, which Twilight recognized as her brother.  Backing him was a group of four crystal pony guards.  On the other side, opposite Big Mac, was three Royal Guards.  One pegasus with a dark coat, and two smaller white unicorns.  As soon as Twilight landed the Royal Guard ponies turned and bowed.
“Princess Twilight, Princess Luna sent us to act under your orders until Princess Celestia gets back.  We are at your command.”  The pegasus declared, with an odd funny look at Shining Armor, who…sneered at him?
Twilight had never known her brother to sneer.
She looked at the three guards, who gave her expectant looks.  She didn’t like to take up the reins of a princess, but it was clearly what Celestia, and Luna, wanted her to do with two other alicorn’s missing.  She had to show the same leadership here that she did during the plunder vine invasion. She tried to think of what Celestia would do, and she drew herself up into a more dignified pose, and nodded.  “Thank you…Shining, why are you here?”  She turned to Shining Armor, who snorted.
“I’ve come to take care of the group of invaders I heard was near here.  They kidnapped Cadence, Twilight, and I’m not going to let that go!”  He stamped, and Twilight blinked.
“Uhuuuuh….” Twilight studied Shining Armor, and then seemed to shrug.  “I understand, Shining.  But don’t worry, we’ll get her back.”  She turned to Big Mac, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, who landed next to Big Mac.  “Where are Rarity and Pinkie?”
“…not sure.”  Fluttershy squeaked.  “I haven’t seen them…”
“Grrr, Twilight we’re wasting time!”  Shining shouted.  Rainbow glared and flared her wings.
“Hey, what’s your big deal!”  Rainbow demanded.
“My wife is missing!”  Shining snarled back.  
Twilight frowned slightly at Rainbow.  “Its alright, Rainbow.  He’s just worried about Cadence.”
“But-“  Rainbow protested, then stopped when Twilight gave her the most obvious wink she could and mouthed ‘quiet’ at her.  Rainbow stared at her, then sighed.  “Fine.”  She hovered again, folding her arms and giving Shining a look.
“Now, we need to-“  Shining began, but was interrupted by a mild pink explosion.  “Acck!”  He jerked back.
“Oh Shining, you remember Pinkie, don’t you?”  Twilight said, eyeing him again.  He gulped and nodded.
“Who-who wouldn’t?”  He stuttered.
“Hi!  I found all of you!  Come one!  Wind Whistler wants to talk to you, Twilight!”  Pinkie tried to grab Twilight by the wing and yank her back towards the forest.
“Wait, who?”  Twilight asked.  From the corner of her eye she saw Shining twitch slightly at the random name that Pinkie had blurted out.
“Oh!”  Pinkie let go and bounced up and down.  “She’s one of the new alien ponies!  The one that smacked you last night, the pegasus with the grumpy face!  She said she wants to talk to you, and she wants you to bring Fluttershy-” Fluttershy eeped at the thought of meeting an alien pony.  “And the Stoneback on her back!”  At this the Stoneback gave a very loud grunt and nodded vigorously at Pinkie.
“Wait, you knew where they were, and you’ve been hiding those fiends!”  Shining snarled.  “Ho-how dare you shelter them!”
Pinkie stopped bouncing.  “I Pinkie Promised them not to tell unless Wind Whistler let me!”  
Rainbow Dash’s face met her hoof.  “Pinkie, honestly.  Aliens are invading and you not only hide them, but you’re on a first name basis with them?”
“They’re not invaders!  They’re lost!”  Pinkie protested.  “And they’re really really nice!”
“Oh yes, I’m sure they kidnapped my wife to just give her a little tea party!”  Shining snarled.
“…I haven’t managed to give them any party at all yet…” Pinkie said, scuffing a hoof.
“…Pinkie, you said their leader wants to meet me?”  Twilight asked.
“Yep!”
“Great, then we can go there and catch them all red handed!”  Rainbow flapped her wings and shot towards Fluttershy’s cottage.  “I’ll take care of them!”
“Rainbow wait!”  Twilight tried to stop her hotheaded friend, but Rainbow was already speeding away.  “Everypony, follow me!  Keep up with her!”  Twilight flared her own wings and started to follow.  “Fluttershy, bring that creature!”
Fluttershy eeped, but Big Mac nudged her gently as encouragement.  She nodded at him, and they began to follow the others, mixing a bit with the crystal ponies and the guards.  Fluttershy clenched her eyes in nerves, but the Stoneback nuzzled her a bit with his nose as if to encourage her.  She turned her head and looked into his eyes.  
“They’re…your friends, aren’t they?”  The Stoneback nodded.  “Then…I will get you to them.”



Gusty was pacing back and forth at the tree line, snorting in anger and impatience.
“Gusty, please, you are working yourself into an irrational rage.  You must sit and recollect yourself before we encounter the Princess.”  Wind Whistler said.
“I can’t sit, you know that.”  Gusty said.  She twitched her ears and looked up at the sky.  “…is that a rainbow?”  She titled her ear to the side as she heard Draggle hiss in annoyance.  Witches and rainbows didn’t mix well.  Gusty reared slightly as the rainbow landed at her, feet, revealing itself to be not a real rainbow, but a rainbow maned blue pegasus.  Gusty stared.
Rainbow Dash snorted and faced Gusty, pawing the ground.  “Alright, freaks, now you’re dealing with the Dash!”
Gusty lowered her head in a similar position and pawed the ground as well.  “Oh yeah?  Bring it Bobble Head!”
“Gusty, we are here to parlay, not to fight.”  Wind Whistler chided.
“Aw shut up fatty!  I’m takin’ you all in!”  Rainbow snorted at Wind Whistler who blinked.
“I…am not fat.”  Her head ducked slightly, and Gusty, after living a while with her, remembered that tone from the time she accused Wind Whistler of not having feelings.  She snarled at Rainbow.
“Just cause she’s not a goat looking LOSER doesn’t make her fat!”  Gusty shouted.
“LOSER!  Oh I am so going to kick your flank, hornhead!”
“You couldn’t kick a weed with those toothpicks you call legs!”  Gusty bellowed.  By now both mares had leaned in so close that Gusty’s horn was almost touching Rainbow’s mane.  She suddenly turned her head and slammed the side of her skull against Rainbow, pushing her back.  “You ponies are so skinny I can see through you!”
“Yeah if I ate as much as you did I wouldn’t be able to see past my next meal either!”
“EAT MY HORSESHOES!”  Gusty shoved Rainbow Dash with her head.  She reared and smacked Rainbow Dash in the face with her hoof, and managing to shove her away.  Meanwhile, both Wind Whistler and Draggle had covered their eyes with a hoof and a hand respectively and were shaking their heads.  Wind Whistler was silent, but Draggle was muttering.  Fizzy just watched, fascinated.  Surprise was chuckling, and Morning Glory just looked generally depressed at all the fighting.
Twilight, followed closely by the others, finally skidded into the clearing to witness the Element of Loyalty berating one of the aliens, who was shouting right back at her, trading insults like a pair of old sailors.
“Pointy nosed freak!”
“Bug eyed idiot!”
“You’re voice sounds like a DUDE!”
“You look like a rainbow threw up on your head!”
“What’s your Cutie Mark mean, that you brush leaves for a living?  How lame are you?”
“Lame?  I’m not the one with the mullet!”
“At least I’m not a she-male!”
“I have a daughter you twit!”
“Oh?  Who was the mother?”
“That’d be Wind Whistler over here.”  Draggle snorted.  Gusty turned at her.
“Whose side are you on?”  She snapped.
“Eh, it was a good one.”  Draggle said.
“…Draggle, do not drag me into this nonsense, if you will.”  Wind Whistler sighed.
“Well Truly isn’t here…” Draggle chuckled.
“Draggle, please discontinue.”  Wind Whistler asked.
“Okay, I think I’m done.”  She grinned and patted the space between Wind Whistler’s ears.  Wind Whistler nodded and nudged her.  
Twilight stepped forwards, Shining Armor right beside her, snorting aggressively at Gusty.  Gusty noticed this and snarled, ears laying back.  She stamped and, thankfully, backed up a few steps.  Twilight eyed Shining, and stopped next to Rainbow.  Shining made as if to move forwards, but Twilight held up a hoof and blocked him.
“Let me handle this, Prince.  As a royal alicorn, this is my duty, not yours.”  She said.  Rainbow, who had been ready to taunt Gusty some more, looked at Twilight with shock.  She landed.
“Uhh, what are you doing?”  She whispered in Twilight’s ear.  “Since when do you pull rank on your BBBFF?”
“Play along, Rainbow.”  She whispered.  “Please.  This is very important.”
Rainbow looked confused, but nodded as the crystal guards trotted over to hover behind Shining.  Each of them seemed tensed and ready to charge.  The royal…her guards took a similar position behind Twilight, and Big Mac trotted up next to them, with Fluttershy still hiding behind him, supporting the Stoneback.
Wind Whistler nodded at Draggle again, the two of them came over to stand next to Gusty, who was still snorting and bearing her teeth at the enemies lined up against her, glaring at both Rainbow and the clearly hostile Shining Armor.  Wind Whistler nudged her on the neck, but Gusty just flicked her ear at Wind Whistler.  Fizzy gave Big Mac a brief look, but only a brief one.  She walked over to Gusty’s other side and leaned against her.  Surprise soon joined Fizzy, stifling her previous laughter in the face of a serious face down.  Morning Glory fluttered out, and the Equestrians gasped at her.  Twilight could hear both Rainbow, Fluttershy, and the guards gasp…but Shining and the crystal guard did not.  She flicked an ear, but said nothing.  Morning Glory stayed behind the others, hovering slightly to see them better, and letting them get a nice good long look at her shimmering butterfly wings.
Pinkie just leaped over the Equestrian line and bounded over to the aliens.  She paused between the two groups, and looked form one to the other.  “…we’re playing now?  Is this a game of volleyball or something?  Equestrians vs. Ponylanders?”
“…how did she learn that word, do you remember telling her that?”  Gusty asked Wind Whistler.
“It is inconsequential at this time.”  Wind Whistler said.
“If you are going to stand with those animals, Pinkie, then you will suffer their-“
“Prince Shining Armor, enough!”  Twilight turned her head, giving her brother a look.  “I will speak with them.”  She looked at her guards.  “Don’t let anyone step out unless I give the word.”  The guards looked from her, to their prince and, for all three of them, commander at one point.  Then they nodded.  
“Of course, Princess.”  The pegasus guard said, and Twilight could tell from the look in his eyes he would obey, even if he was confused by the way both Shining Armor and Twilight were acting.  Twilight tried to hold herself the same way Celestia did, and stepped out of the line, walking slowly until she stood beside Pinkie, who looked from the Equestrians to the Ponylanders with sheer confusion.
“Twilight…I don’t understand.”  She said.
“It’s alright Pinkie, just let me take it from here.”  Twilight patted her friend on the shoulder.  “I’ll take care of it.”
“…please don’t be mad at them.”  Pinkie asked, suddenly realizing how serious this had gotten.
“Don’t worry.  Go help Fluttershy.”
“…okay.”  Pinkie, giving the Ponylanders an uncharacteristically disappointed look, she walked, with no bounce, back to Fluttershy.  Fluttershy leaned close and spoke to her in a gentle, calming tone.
Wind Whistler drew herself up and stepped closer to meet Twilight in the middle.  Draggle gave Fizzy a farewell pat before limping behind Wind Whistler.  Fizzy made a small fearful noise and trembled.  She felt Morning Glory hover over her and place a hoof on her shoulder blades.  
“They will be fine, I don’t think that the winged unicorn will hurt them.  She does not seem a cruel Queen.”  Morning Glory said.  Twilight looked up at her.
“Er, I’m an alicorn.  And a Princess, not a queen.  We don’t have queens in Equestria.  At least not pony queens.”
“Ah, my apologies your Highness.”  Morning Glory dipped her head.
“What exactly are you?”  Twilight asked, her curiosity overwhelming her.
“She,” Wind Whistler said.  “Is a Flutter Pony.  But all of us pony or otherwise, are Ponylanders.  As is the Stoneback you have in your custody.”  She pointed a hoof at Fluttershy, who eeped.  “We wish him returned to us.”
“He’s not a prisoner, you know.”  Twilight said.
“Not from where I’m standing, but I realize that we cannot in good faith demand his return without an individual of equal or greater value to exchange.  Though I don’t wish to sound a braggart, I do believe that two prisoners that can speak is preferable to one who can’t.  You will not learn a thing from that Stoneback.  They are incapable of speech.  Myself and Draggle, however, are very much capable of discourse.  And I believe that discourse is the only way we can come to a satisfactory conclusion to this particular predicament.”
“…what is Celestia’s name did she just say?”  Rainbow shouted loudly.
“She’s trading herself and our friend for the Stoneback you dingbat!”  Gusty bellowed back.
“…thank you, Gusty.”  Wind Whistler sighed.
“Looks like we have some very similar friends.”  Twilight said, eyeing Gusty.
“I do not believe we have anyone on our side with the same physics and scientific defying traits as your pink subject.”  Wind Whistler said.  “Though Galaxy comes close.  Not in the energy portion, but the uncanny intuition is very similar.”
“Oh really?”  Twilight smiled.  “That’s fascinating!  I’d love to discuss the similarities and differences between our two worlds sometimes.  It already sounds intriguing.”  Was she busting out her big words in response to Wind Whistler’s own?
Wind Whistler’s ears waggled.  “I must say, most ponies are incapable of fully understanding my vernacular, must less keep up with it.  It is very pleasant to meet one that can.”
“…now there is two of them.  Gusty!  Are you seeing this!  There’s TWO of them!”  Draggle bellowed back to Gusty.
“We aren’t trading places, witchy!  You’re stuck with Wind Whistler One and Two down there!”  Gusty shouted.
“You are such a saint, blowhard.”  Draggle said.
“Ram it!”
“Gusty!  Draggle!  Please!”  Wind Whistler turned her head to give them both a frown.  “I do apologize.  They are both rather hotheaded.”  She turned back to Twilight with a shrug.
“I know what that’s like.”  Twilight nodded.
“Twilight!  Stop talking with them and arrest them!”  Shining took a step forward, but the pegasus guard stepped closer to him as soon as he moved.
“Prince, I am afraid I must ask you to stay back as per the Princesses’ orders.”
While this was going on Wind Whistler lowered her voice.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle, I have reason to believe that creatures known as Changelings are among you, but I cannot explain fully here.  Take me and Draggle into custody and I will explain in full.”
Twilight blinked, and her eyes cut to the still shouting Shining Armor.  She turned and flared her horn with light.  Recalling Luna’s Royal Canterlot Voice she attempted to duplicate the effect.  Just a single word.  Just one word.
“Enough!”  The word gave a small reverberation, not as much as Luna’s, or as loud, but it did the trick.  Rainbow, Pinkie and Big Mac boggled at her as the shockwave ruffled their manes, and Fluttershy cowered.  Wind Whistler drew back, looking mildly shocked, and Draggle stepped forward, grabbing her mane.  If this was meant to comfort Wind Whistler or Draggle, or for some other purpose, Twilight didn’t know.
Twilight looked over at Wind Whistler and Draggle.  “In Celestia’s name, as Princess of Equestria, I accept your offer.  Fluttershy, please bring your friend over here.”
Fluttershy eeped and crawled closer, going very very slow, as all the shouting and arguing had driving the poor pegasus into a terror.  She also was scared of the Ponylanders, deeply.  Morning Glory, seeing the crazy unicorn male was about to snap again, fluttered closer.  
“If you permit, you Highness, I will take him.”  Morning Glory said as she landed beside Twilight.  Twilight nodded.
“Let her pass.”  Twilight commanded, and not even Shining argued with her this time.  Morning Glory stepped closer, and crouched to meet Fluttershy’s level.  It wasn’t that difficult, as Flutter Pony proportions were closer to an Equestrian’s, at least in size and weight.  She still looked a bit strange to them with her triangular head and small eyes, but she was of a more manageable size.
“It’s alright, miss.  The Stonebacks are our dear friends, and I would never hurt an innocent pegasus.  I promise.”
Fluttershy looked up at Morning Glory, who kept smiling gently at her.
“I’m Morning Glory.  It will be alright.”
Fluttershy looked into the Flutter Ponie’s eyes, and sat up, the Stoneback still clinging to her.  She stared for a long while at Morning Glory, and nodded.  “…okay.”  She nudged the Stoneback.  “Thank you for being such a nice house guest.”
The Stoneback, for once not snorting and growling, rubbed his head against Fluttershy’s, the only way he could thank her.  He reached over and gripped Morning Glory’s mane and swung on.  Morning Glory bowed politely to the other ponies, and backed away, not wanting to startle Fluttershy.  As soon as she got beside Twilight she fluttered and flew backwards to the Ponylander side.
Twilight faced Wind Whistler, who was giving her a calm, steady look.  She was starting to understand why Pinkie kept calling her Stoneface.  The alien pony’s face was almost totally unreadable; though from her time in Canterlot High Twilight could tell that the…witch was tense, and perhaps a bit frightened.
She turned to her unicorn guards.  “You two, come here.”  The unicorns nodded and trotted closer.  “Take them in custody, but don’t harm either of them.  The rest of their group is free to go.”
The two unicorn guards trotted over, horns glowing.  Magical ropes appeared in the air.  One of the stepped next to Wind Whistler.  “Please lower your wings into a more comfortable position.”  He said.  She blinked at him.
“This is their most comfortable position.”  She replied.
“…mid flap?”  He asked.
“All Ponylander pegasi hold their wings aloft, though if it makes you more secure.”  Wind Whistler slowly lowered her wings, a feeling of nervousness overcoming her the instant they were down.  Ponylanders were just not designed to hold their wings against their sides.
As Twilight studied the strange pony’s wings she became curious agian.  She watched them.  “It looks like their bone structure is totally different then ours.”  Twilight extended her own wing.  “Ours naturally fold against our bodies, but you keep your erect?  Is this cultural or natural?”
“I believe that it is a survival trait brought on by our natural environment.  Our foals are born this way.  A baby pegasi will have very wet wings, due to the natural birthing fluids, and they will usually hold them horizontally at this state, but still extended.  Once they are fully dried they will began to hold them vertically for the rest of their lives.”
“Interesting, your bone structures must be entirely different from ours, at least when it comes to the wings, and the head…I would bet that your bodies are similar to ours, just heavier muscled with denser bones.”  Twilight said, looking Wind Whistler over.  “You won’t mind if at some point I take a few scans, right?”
“Scans?”
“X-rays.  They’ll show me pictures of your bones.”
“…this shan’t give me an incurable condition, will it?”  Wind Whistler asked.
“Oh no, it’s perfectly safe!”  Twilight said as the unicorn guard decided to ignore the princess geeking in front of him in favor of gently wrapping the magical rope around Wind Whistler, and thanking Celestia that he was used to certain other odd princesses.  After Celestia, Twilight was almost normal.  He eyed his fellow unicorn carefully wrapping the other stranger, and trying to take her stick.  She was having none of it.
“It’s not a weapon you dolt, I need it to walk.”  Draggle tried to keep her voice calm.
“She is not lying, she does need that to aid in her locomotion.”  Wind Whistler looked at Twilight.  “Do you mind, Draggle?”
“Bah, I’ll tell em.  Boar crushed my leg.  Never really healed right.”  Draggle looked at the unicorn, daring him to contradict her.
“…I can’t let you keep the stick.”  The guard said.
Draggle suddenly grinned.  “You can have the stick if I can ride you.”
“…what?”  The guard stared at her.
“Princess over there did say unharmed, and if you force me to walk all the way back to your dungeon, or whatever, then there will be harm unless I take the stick.”
“I’m a royal guard!  I don’t haul monkeys on my back!”
“I’m a witch, thank you.”  Twilight almost giggled at that, as Draggle for a second sounded a bit like Wind Whistler.
Big Mac rolled his eyes and walked forwards, nodding at Draggle and patting his back as he got near her.  He gave her a little wink.
Draggle cackled and, with a little boost from Wind Whistler, got on Big Mac’s back.  “Thanks, Red.”
“Eyup.”  Big Mac said.  He looked at Fizzy and gave her a friendly wink.  She smiled at him.  Then her eyes wandered to Wind Whistler and she suddenly frowned, her face dropping in sadness.  She broke ranks and trotted up, the guards tensing as she approached.  Ignoring them she ran to Wind Whistler, tears forming in her crystal eyes. 
“Please stay safe.  I couldn’t bear it.”  She nuzzled under Wind Whistler’s chin.  “Please…”
“Fizzy, I won’t leave.”  Wind Whistler whispered.  “Not forever.  I’m not like that.  You know…”
“Yeah…I know.  I’m so sorry!”  Fizzy blinked.
“You just keep yourself safe, Fizz-brain.”  Draggle said, and Fizzy reared to nuzzle her too.  “Bah, enough with the mush, get out of here before you give the sparkly prissy dingbats a hernia.”
Fizzy looked at Big Mac, wide eyed.  “You’ll watch out for them?”
Big Mac smiled.  “Eyup!’
Fizzy beamed.  “Thanks Big Mac!”  Suddenly bubbly again, Fizzy turned and galloped back to Gusty, who gave Wind Whistler a respectful nod, before urging the others back into the forest.
Shining glared at the two.  “For your sakes you better know where Cadence is.”  He looked at Twilight.  “You should have waited for them to give her to us.”
Wind Whistler gave Shining a mild look.  “I don’t know a Cadence.”  Shining’s ears lay flat.
“If I have to break both of you to get her back-“  Shining began, but Twilight cut him off.
“I will keep the promise I made, Shining Armor.  We will keep searching for Princess Cadence, but we aren’t going to be breaking ponies, or witches, to do it.”  She gave Shining her most Celestia like look.  “Now, let’s go back to Ponyville.  I need to update Princess Luna, and see if she has discovered anything about Cadence’s location on her end.”
Shinning nodded.  “Very well.”  He finally backed off, letting Twilight and the others surround Wind Whistler and Draggle.  Twilight was relieved that her brother was letting her take the reins at last.  They started out towards Ponyville, and Twilight was a bit surprised that Fluttershy was going with them.  She pulled up next to Big Mac, big eyes on Draggle.
“T-“  Fluttershy swallowed and tried again.  “Tell me if you start to hurt to much.  I think I can find something if you need it.”
“What are you, a doctor?”  Draggle asked.
“No, I take care of injured creatures.”
“Ha, a vet then?”
“Well, I don’t just take care of pets.”  Fluttershy said.  “I just…you’re winching a bit when Big Mac steps.”
“Leg.  Been using it to much.”  She shrugged.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”  Fluttershy said.
Draggle grunted.  “It’s my own fault.”
“You did it to save a foal, Draggle.  I keep telling you that you don’t have to be ashamed.”  Wind Whistler said.  “Witch or no.”
Twilight watched them, then asked.  “What’s the difference between a witch human and a normal human? “
“Witches are evil.”  Draggle grinned.
“Unless they are neutral.”  Wind Whistler said.  “But there are a few…biological differences.  Witches like Draggle here cannot tolerate sweets or pleasant foods.”
“Not pleasant to me.”  Draggle said.
“Right.  In fact, their biology is exactly opposite to a pony’s.  Where we prefer sunlight they prefer darkness, and so on.”
“Interesting.”  Twilight said.  “She doesn’t look any different then the humans I met…her color’s a bit odd though.”
“You have wings and a horn.”  Draggle pointed out.  “That’s just strange for a pony.”
“She’s an alicorn!”  Rainbow darted in front of Draggle’s face, hovering.  “She’s one of the four most powerful ponies in Equestria!”
“Rainbow, I’m…not that special.  I’ve only been an alicorn for a few months!”
“What were you before?”  Wind Whistler asked.  “And how did you become this?”
“I was a unicorn, and I became an alicorn when I completed a spell that not even the greatest unicorn mage in history could not complete.”  Twilight said.
“Interesting.”  Wind Whistler said.  The two ponies began to chat amicably to each other, and if it weren’t for the rope around Wind Whistler’s wings the two might have been a pair of new friends chatting about common interests.  Rainbow snorted and flapped around Draggle, studying her with interest.  She had never seen a creature that could use magic without a horn.
“So if you can use magic, where is your horn?  Is that stick a replacement horn?”  Rainbow asked.
“I don’t need the stick, or a horn.  I just do it.”  Draggle said.
“Yeah, but how?”
“I don’t know!  I just…do it.”  She grumbled.  “When I –can- do it.”  She raised her voice.  “And will you stop that, your mane is making me dizzy.”
“How is my mane making you dizzy?”  Rainbow asked.
“It’s a rainbow.  It hurts my eyes to look at.”
“Wow…” Rainbow blinked.  “Stoneface over there was right about you being the opposite of a pony.”
“Her name’s Wind Whistler.”  Draggle growled.
“Yeah yeah, sure sure.”  Rainbow snorted and Draggle glared at her.
Pinkie watched her two groups of friends interact, and her smile returned.  She was sure that somehow things would be alright.



By the time that Luna had returned to the palace in Canterlot, the steward pony was waiting for her.  As soon as she had touched down the steward trotted over, eyes darting around in worry.  She was a small, iron grey earth pony with a darker grey mane and a rolled up scroll for a Cutie Mark.  She stopped in front of Luna.
“Princess, there is…an entourage to see you and Princess Celestia.”  She stuttered.
“Princess Celestia is unavailable, but I would be pleased to meet with this entourage.  Pray tell, who are they and what do they want?”  Luna said.
“It’s the ambassador from the Griffon kingdoms and…a dragon, your highness.”
“A dragon?”  Luna frowned.  “They rarely have time, or a care, for other creatures.  Why does this one approach us?”  
“I am not sure, but both of them seem rather anxious.”  The steward said.
“Thank you.  Bring them into the throne room in ten minutes.”  Luna nodded at the steward’s bow, and teleported directly to her and her sister’s throne room.  She took a seat on her own throne; her sister’s conspicuously empty.  She took a deep breath, having never entertained foreign guests alone.  But right now, she had to.  She noticed a pair of her special night ponies, ponies with large bat wings, tufted ears and small fangs, come into the throne room and flank her throne.  The night ponies were a special breed of pony, born in the caves underneath Canterlot and almost completely nocturnal.  They had served her before her transformation into Nightmare Moon, but had not followed her in treason.  However they had been happy to welcome her back, and many now served as her personal guard.
Luna nodded at the two, carefully folded her wings, and breathed, composing herself.  A few moments later, the huge doors to the throne room opened, and two figures started up the hallway.  
One of htem, the dragon, dominated the room, a gigantic form that made the very foundations of the castle quake.  The dragon was twice the size of the young male that had taken a cave near Ponyville, whose nap almost caused a disaster there.  He was pure white, with a long snout, a spiked tail, and narrow yellow eyes.  The dragon loomed over boht Luna, and the figure beside his right claw.
The griffon ambassador was a more familiar sight to Luna.  Despite the rather bratty nature of many younger griffons, Galenad was an elder griffon.  Many of his red feathers had started to grey, especially around his neck, making it appear as if he was wearing a grey collar.  He moved a tad slow, normal for a griffon of that age, and his talons were dull and dusty, but Luna always had a feeling the old griffon would be able to bring a good fight if provoked.  Luna had never had reason to provoke Galenad though.
Luna had a feeling that she would have to use the Royal Canterlot voice, if only to make sure she could reach the ears of the dragon.  So she filled her lungs with air, and as the two approached, spoke.
“Greetings, Ambassador Galenad.  Greetings, sir dragon.  What do you ask of the Princess of the Night?”
The dragon rumbled.  “I was told there was two of you.”
“Princess Celestia is on a diplomatic mission to a foreign land, but she will return soon.  In the mean time, I am here to aid you in anything you might need.”
“Princess, there is something you must know.”  Galenad said, beak frowing in worry.  “A few weeks ago the King of our lands was approached by a strange creature, asking for our aid in overthrowing Equestria.”
Luna blinked.  That was…strangely upfront.  “Explain, please.”
“This creature resembled a zebra, but walked on two legs, and carried a strange bag with him.  He attempted to sway the King to his side, but griffon and pony have been allies for a long time, and it is not a peace our King wishes to squander.  However, he managed to get a large number of our young on his side and…” The griffon paused.  “Last night we found our young, drained of their energy and only barely alive.  Not long after a large dark cloud was seen on the horizon, heading for the Crystal Empire.”
Luna blinked.  “A black cloud?  Tell me, Ambassador, did your young cast shadows?”
“No, they do not.”
“I expect your people have experienced something similar?” Luna looked at the dragon.
The dragon rumbled.  “Dragons do not care for each other, in general.  We are not a community, only coming together for migrations or when a greater threat rears it head.  But yes, this zebra approached a few dragons.  Most turned him down, but several young teenage drakes were tempted.  One of them was my hatchling.  I found him recently, drained as the young griffons were…and no he now casts no shadow.”  The dragon’s nostrils filled with smoke.  “I care not a wit for any of them, but this zebra and his cloud attacked my hatchling.  That is the only reason I come to you, and the only reason I would throw my lot in with your kind.”
Luna frowned, her eyes widening at each word.  “No shadows…”
“Your Highness…what do you know?”  Galenad asked.
“I know the name of this cloud.  I met it a thousand years ago.  There are few creatures that can face it, and they are…not friendly.”  Luna said.
“What is it?  And who can beat it?”  The dragon asked.  “I can…convince them.”
“No being in Equestria, or anywhere else in our world.  Only the legendary Flutter Ponies can fully defeat this evil, and they are not only out of our reach, but it is unlikely that would help at all.  They did not aid my sister and I when we fought Discord the first time, due to their reclusive nature.”
“I’ve never heard of a Flutter Pony.”  The griffon ambassador blinked.
“As I said, they are reclusive, and rare.  Even more rare then the Breezies.”
“Bah, we will have to settle without them.  Tell me the name of our foe, Princess.  I like to know whom I am crushing!”  The dragon thumped the floor with a claw.
Luna looked up at him, then looked outside, remembering a long forgotten world, and the isolationist ancestor of Queen Rosedust…and the evil black cloud that once ruled a portion of the land.
“Arabus.  Our enemy is Arabus, the Cloud Demon.”

> Chapter Nine
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Nine



Sweetie Bell urged Apple Bloom forwards with gentle shoulder nudges, eyes scanning the area for anything that even looked remotely nasty, which to her would be just about anything at this stage.  Heck, even fluffy bunnies dancing a field of gumdrops would raise Sweetie Bell’s suspicions at this point.  It would probably end up being some sort of trap.
Apple Bloom started to wander to the side, and Sweetie gently nudged her back on the path.  Sweetie sighed gently, and Scootaloo twisted her head from where she had been leading them to look behind.  
“Still no change?”  She asked.
Sweetie Bell shook her head.  “She’s been like this since the castle…” That had been a day ago.  The Crusaders had been walking determinedly on the path sense, hoping against all hope that there were indeed going to be ponies at the end of said path.  This horrible place, however, seemed to have gotten to Apple Bloom, and she had been walking around in a haze.  The other two took turns making sure she kept on the path with them, and kept an eye on her in case.  Sweetie Bell knew that her spunky friend would snap back.  She just needed…some mental alone time.  She had taken the thing with the lizard creature rather hard.
Sweetie Bell was making sure that nothing snuck up on them, as well as keeping Apple Bloom on the path. Who knows what evil, creepy thing was stalking them right now and what was that! Sweetie Bell lifted her ears.  “Hey, you hear that?”
Scootaloo stopped, and nodded.  “Bushes, side of the road!”  She fluttered her wings and disappeared into the brush, while Sweetie Bell urged Apple Bloom down into the brush as well.  It was getting louder.  The distinct sound of tromping hooves and what Sweetie Bell was starting to recognize as feet, usually humanoid feet.  Both Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo had decided that from now on they would avoid everything and everyone until they got to Bright Valley.  And to be fair Sweetie Bell was having her doubts about Bright Valley as well.  Who knew if the ponies there were really friendly or if they were horrible?  Though, right now at the very least they would be ponies, and Sweetie didn’t know how long they would last out here alone.  But still, until they found other ponies, Sweetie and Scootaloo were not willing to just walk up and talk to something alien.
Sweetie Bell placed her hoof on Apple Bloom’s back and gently pressed her down in the dirt.  Apple Bloom’s eyes darted back and forth, wide and scared.  Thankfully she didn’t make any noise, but simply shivered there in fear.  Sweetie hated this.  Apple Bloom was always tough, but not now.  Now she needed her friends, and while Sweetie Bell was terrified herself, terrified to the core, right now she needed to take care of Apple Bloom.
Sweetie Bell squinted through the brush and the clopping grew closer.  Maybe it was a pony?  It sounded like there were a lot of them.  Something bony and white entered her vison and Sweetie blinked.  It was indeed a hoof, a black tipped hoof, but something was odd about it.  The leg attached was skinny, skinner then her’s, or even a horse like Far Strides’.  Sweetie Bell followed the hoof upwards with her eyes, and blinked.  The leg was…very thin.  White and…wait a minute why was it in two pieces like that?  It…oh no…oh sweet Celestia no!
Sweetie felt her gut drop somewhere around her own hooves as the skeleton leg lifted, pausing as if on the verge of brushes the bushes back and finding her.  Her eyes rolled all the way upwards to see…oh no.  The head that hovered above her was not a head at all.  It was a skull, just a bleached white horse skull.  Or…no it was a pony.  A pony skeleton.  A zombie pony.  The skeleton paused, tilting his horrible head to the side, as if it could sense the foals.  However, something whistled.  Sweetie Bell looked up to see a biped creature with batlike ears and huge jowls grabbed the skeleton by the head and turned it back to the path.  The skeleton trotted back down the path, as if urged on by the creature.  Sweetie Bell cringed as she could see more of the creatures leading a small herd of skeleton horses on the path.
Sweetie Bell gasped as something poked her in the side.  She started and looked up into the small eyes of one of the bipeds.  She whirled, attempting to blast the creature with her magic.  Heart racing she tried to pick up the creature’s spear, but the lime green energy fizzled, and the creature poked Sweetie Bell onto the path.  She pressed close to Apple Bloom, protecting her as best Sweetie could as the creature forced the two onto the path.  A few moments later another creature emerged, poking Scootaloo onto the path.  Scootaloo fluttered to Apple Bloom’s other side, bearing her teeth at the creatures in defiance, determined to protect their friend.
“Who are you, what do you want?”  Sweetie Bell struggled to ignore the skeleton ponies surrounded them.
One of the creatures sneered.  “We learned our lesson from Tambelon.”  He hefted his spear.  “If it weren’t for ponies Lord Grogar would have taken this land!  Kill them.”
The creatures lifted their spears and advanced on the Crusaders.  Sweetie Bell sparked her horn and, with a grunt of effort, managed to yank a spear out of a creatures’ grasp and fling it away.  Another came at her and she managed to knock it away, but the third scraped against her flank, and she jerked away before it could fully spear her.  One of the creatures lifted its huge boot and kicked her, pinning her to the ground.  Sweetie’s horn sparked and flashed, but the magic just wasn’t coming anymore.  She could hear Scootaloo screaming in rage in pain, but it seemed that neither filly could do a thing.  Sweetie closed her eyes.
“NO!  NOT AGAIN!”
Sweetie looked to the side and saw Apple Bloom, who had been cringing on the ground, suddenly spring up and lunge at the lead creature.  He swung with his spear, but missed, and Apple Bloom grabbed something strapped to the creature’s side as she flew past.  Sweetie blinked and laughed when she saw that Apple Bloom had just grabbed the creature’s sword.  She darted to the side and, sword gripped her teeth, swung her head and split the spear the creature was aiming at Sweetie in half.  Sweetie scrambled away, kicking at the creature that was pinning Scootaloo in the shins.  The creature screamed and backed away, and the three fillies backed down the road, Apple Bloom still holding the blade in her mouth, swinging aggressively with her head at skeleton and biped alike.
“Ha, you’ve never held a sword in your life!”  The lead creature picked up his spear.  “Give that back, you fool!”
Apple Bloom stamped her hoof and snorted in response.
“Just kill them.”  The creature pointed with his spear, but to her shock Sweetie Bell heard something galloping on the path in front of them, to the east.  Sweetie snarled, head lowered.  They would not go down without a fight!
“I don’t care how many of you there are, you aren’t hurting my friends!”  Sweetie bellowed.
“Yeah!  Same here!”  Scootaloo nodded, wings fluttering.
Apple Bloom nodded vigorously and stamped.
“Charge!”  Someone shouted from the other side of the road, the place where Sweetie had heard the hoofbeats.
Sweetie Bell blinked in surprise as a white pony with a poofy purple mane, wearing a rather silly looking blue and red jacket, exploded onto the skeleton horses, bucking one in the flank and badly cracking the bones.  More strange ponies followed, with long muzzles and bodies and dull colors, four more of them.  Sweetie, for the life of her, couldn’t tell if they were male or female.  However, they launched themselves at the skeletons and the creatures, bucking, kicking and sometimes nipping.  Apple Bloom snarled and lunged, swinging her new sword at a creature’s hind end, slapping him and making him howl. 
Though they were scary at first glace, the skeletons proved fragile, and soon the creatures had broken ranks and were fleeing, a few cracked and broken skeletons shambling along behind.
“Yah!  Take that, troggles!  Grogar is NEVER coming back!”
“Yeaahhh!  Cutie Mark Crusader Flank Kickers!”  Scootaloo reared in joy.  “We sure shoed them!”  She looked at Apple Bloom, who still had the sword in her mouth in a death grip.  Scootaloo edged over and nuzzled her.  “Hey, we are okay.  It’s okay…” She lowered her voice gently.  “Please, Apple Bloom, we need you…”
Apple Bloom blinked and put the sword on the ground.  Though she placed a possessive hoof over the weapon, she seemed more alert then she had been.  She looked up at the other two, and Sweetie Bell cringed inwardly at the haunted look in her friends eyes.  Apple Bloom grinned, and Sweetie Bell just knew it was fake.
“Fine…Ah’m fine…it’s okay.”  Her eye twitched.
“Are you girls alright?”  The purple maned white stallion trotted over, his voice gentle and soft.  Sweetie Bell blinked.  He didn’t have a Cutie Mark…in fact…all of the new ponies that had rescued them had blank flanks.
“Hey!”  Scootaloo blinked.  “None of you have Cutie Marks, and you’re all adults!”  She looked at Sweetie Bell.  “They’re a herd of blank flanks?”
“Blank what?”  The white stallion blinked.
“Blank flanks, ya’ll don’t have yer Cutie Marks.”  Apple Bloom pointed at the stallions bare flank.  He blinked.
“Oh!  You mean symbols?  Like the Ponylanders up north?  We’re from Bright Valley!  We’re not the same breed they are!”  The stallion smiled gently at them.  “I’m Knight Shade, but you don’t have any symbol’s either…so you can’t be from Paradise Estate…and I don’t remember you seeing you last time I was up there.”
Apple Bloom slowly blinked, then looked at her friends.  Scootaloo’s mouth was hanging open, and Sweetie Bell was shaking her head.
“They sent us here…cause we’re blank flank’s ourselves.”  Sweetie Bell tapped her hood against her head.  “Just…typical…”
The blank flanked ponies stared at each other.  “Knight Shade…do you have idea what they are talking about?”  A tan Bright Valley asked.  Knight Shade shook his head.
“Look, we just ain’t earned our Cutie Marks…symbols, whatever yet!”  Apple Bloom said.  “Once we find our what our destinies are, we’ll get em!”
The Bright Valley ponies stared at them.
“You’re…not from around here, are you?”  The tan pony, who Sweetie thought was a mare, asked.  “Everyone knows that Paradise ponies are born with their symbols.”
Scootaloo blinked.  “Born…with their Cutie Marks?”
Knight Shade looked around.  “This isn’t the best place to talk about this.  Who knows when the troggles will come back, and Zeb is probably still around as well…” Knight Shade snarled to himself, and then looked at the fillies.  “Whatever kind of pony you are, you should probably come with us.”
Sweetie Bell looked at Apple Bloom, who had grabbed her new sword from the ground and was holding it in her mouth.  The sight of her friend, casually holding a weapon, and a weapon that ponies did not use as rule, sent a shiver down Sweetie Bell’s spine.  Even though Apple Bloom nodded at them, and indicated that they should follow, Sweetie Bell was badly unnerved.  Her best friend, one of the kindest ponies she knew, was now trotting beside an odd blank flanked stallion, carrying a sword around as if she was now attached to the thing.  What was worse, Scootaloo was right beside them, smiling a bit and clearly happy, and unbothered by the presence of the weapon.
What was happening to them?




Sweetie Bell would probably have liked Bright Valley in any other circumstances.  The place was settled in a nice canyon, the houses were nice and it looked like a normal village.  But by now Sweetie Bell was so sick of this entire land that she didn’t feel that kindly towards Bright Valley.  That and the fact that, within a few meters, they found not only bipedal mice wandering around, but more of the bat faced creatures that Knight Shade had called troggles.
Sweetie Bell tensed the moment she saw one, and so did the other two Crusaders, Apple Bloom even stamping aggressively and backing towards the others.  Knight Shade paused and looked at them.
“…I guess that back there was the first time you meet a troggle?  Don’t worry.  The ones here don’t serve Grogar.  It’s only a small faction of them that do.”
“Who’s Grogar?”  Scootaloo asked.
“Grogar was a demon ram necromancer…or maybe a warlock.  I’m not sure.”  Knight Shade shrugged.  “He was a magic user, at least.  A dark one.  He lives in an enchanted city called Tambelon, which he is bound to magically.  Once every five hundred years Tambelon returns, and he gets a chance to take over Dream Valley.  The last time he showed up was a few years ago.  Most of the troggles, who he enslaved, rebelled, and he was banished by the Ponylanders.  However there is still a small faction of troggles loyal to Grogar, and those are the ones on the road you met.”
“Well…alright.”  Scootaloo said.  “But I’m keeping my eye on em.”  Scootaloo eyed a troggle, who gave her a confused look.
Knight Shade sat down and smiled at the fillies.  “Now that we’re safe in Bright Valley, can you tell me what happened?”
Apple Bloom put her new best friend down and gave Knight Shade a brief outline of what happened to them.  Knight Shade frowned slightly, and continued to frown when she had finished.  He looked over at the tan mare. 
“You think you can take some troggles and mice to Midnight Castle.  If one of Scorpan’s is in danger we should help.”
“Are you sure we should get involved?  I know you have an attachment to the Ponylanders but…” The tan mare frowned.
“We never would have gotten rid of Arabus if it hadn’t been for them.  And things are getting worse and worse here.  First Grogar’s followers took out Munsterville, then someone freed Arabus and Zeb.  I think we should start talking to the other good people of Dream Valley before it’s to late!”  Knight Shade stamped, and Sweetie Bell got the feeling that Knight Shade and the mare might have had this conversation before.
Sweetie piped up.  “When we left these scree creatures were attacking Scorpan’s castle.”
“Scree are always attacking somebody ever since they lost the ability to rig bets.”  The mare grumbled.
“Yes, but think about it.  Grogar’s followers rose up and took Munsterville, then not a week later someone frees Arabus and Zeb.  Now these fillies tell us that they spotted a Gloom Witch poking around Midnight Castle.  You know as well as I do that they don’t have any good business being around that place.  Something is fishy and I don’t like it!  What’s worse is that we haven’t seen Arabus around ever since he got lose.  I know Arabus.  He’d want revenge, and I don’t know why he is taking so long to get around to it.  One incident would be chance, two a funny coincidence.  All of this taken together?  Something’s going on, and it might not end up just affecting Bright Valley, but everywhere!”
The mare hesitated, and then nodded.  “Alright.  I’ll take them myself.”  The mare got up and trotted over to some troggles, and after an exchange of words the creatures nodded and grabbed some spears.  Within a few moments a small group of ponies, troggles and bipedal mice were heading for Midnight Castle.  Apple Bloom breathed a sigh of relief.  She looked up at Knight Shade.  “Look…we really, really want to go home.”
Knight Shade nodded.  “I’ve been all over Dream Valley.  Usually I’m a singer, but when Arabus was freed I came home to help.  But I’ve never heard of Equestria.  So…let’s go consult the Sea Ponies.”
“Sea Ponies?”  Sweetie Bell asked.
“Yes.  Some call them hippocampi.”  Knight Shade waved them over with a hoof.  “They’ve been all over this world.  Well, all the bits that are underwater.  Surely they know exactly where Equestria is!”
Apple Bloom sighed.  “Run around again…”  She grumbled as she went to pick up the sword.  Knight Shade put a hoof on her shoulder.
“Are you really going to keep that?”  He asked.
She laid her ears back.  “Ah’m tired of havin ta run away from things all ta time!”
Knight Shade nodded.  “Well, let me make a suggestion.  Not all ponies use those, cause they aren’t designed for us.  But I know a mouse blacksmith in town that can modify the handle to be more comfortable for a mouth, and he can probably get a sheath for you so you don’t have to lift it all the time.  He should be through modifying it while we talk to the Sea Ponies.  Fair deal?”
Apple Bloom studied him.  “…alright, but he better give it back after he’s done.”
Knight Shade led the way to the blacksmith, and Sweetie Bell got the opportunity to study the sword more.  Now that she looked at it she realized that the weapon was probably more along the lines of a dagger, or maybe a short sword at most.  It was just big enough to be called a sword in Apple Bloom’s small hooves, but in one of these bigger creatures it was probably just something to use in case they lost their big pointy spears.  Still, Sweetie Bell didn’t like the thing, at all.  She wished that Apple Bloom would give it up permanently.  It didn’t suit her at all. 
The mouse blacksmith had set up a small shop alongside a pony one, and it was clear that the rodent refugee was using the place in lue of whatever he had back in Munsterville.
“Hey, can I talk to you?”  Knight Shade pointed at Apple Bloom.  “This little one needs a sword modified for pony.”
The mouse turned and looked the filly over.  He blinked, and then nodded.  “You gonna pay for that, Knight Shade?” 
Knight Shade nodded and pulled out coins of some variety.  He tossed a few at the blacksmith.  Apple Bloom blinked.  “Why ya payin?”  She asked.
Knight Shade shrugged  “Let’s just say I have a lot to make up for…”
“…why does everyone we met say that?  And why is it usually in reference to these Ponylanders?”  Scootaloo asked.
The blacksmith picked up the blade and studied it.  “Well, the Ponylanders have done a lot for Dream Valley.  It’s been a much better place to live since they came.”  He nodded at the Apple Bloom.  “I’ll have this ready in a few hours.”
Apple Bloom nodded and looked up at Knight Shade.  “Sea Ponies now Ah guess?”  Knight Shade nodded and trotted off to the edge of town, the fillies following.  He eventually led them to a small river on the edge.  It was a gentle, calm river, and seemed very peaceful and clean.  Apple Bloom looked at it.  “That…ain’t no sea.”
“Sea Ponies are just called that because they have a kingdom under the sea.  They can live in any body of water.  They actually keep their young in small protected lakes and streams all over Dream Valley, to keep them safe from the dangers of the open ocean.”  Knight Shade picked up a seashell and tossed it in.  “One or two usually pass by around here, going back and forth from Ponyland where they have a small nursery, and their kingdom.  They’re attracted by sea shells.”
A few minutes passed, and Apple Bloom snorted.  “Are ya sure they-akk!”
There was splash, and a blue pony head, attached to a small body with flippers and fins emerged.  The creature bobbed and sang out a ‘shoo-be-doo’ at them.  Apple Bloom blinked.
“What’s…with the singin’?”
The blue Sea Pony smiled.  “It’s how we Sea Ponies say hello!  Wait…hey I’ve seen you before!”
“What?  Huh?”  Sweetie Bell squeaked.
“Well, okay, not you you, but I’ve seen ponies like you!  You know Applejack, right?”
“Applejack!”  Apple Bloom jumped.  “That’s my sister!  You’ve seen my sister!”  She jumped around.  “Ah knew she’d be lookin’ fer us!”
“What about my sister!  Rarity!  She’s a white unicorn with three diamond Cutie Mark…or wait…you call em symbols, right?”
“Yeah, we sang with her!  Didn’t understand a word she said, but she’s got good rhythm!”  The Sea Pony smiled.  “I’m Seawinkle!  Nice to meet you!”
“Is Rainbow Dash here too?”  Scootaloo asked.  “Can’t mistake her.  Blue, rainbow mane, the best flyer that ever lived!”  Her eyes widened in curiosity.  Seawinkle stopped smiling.
“No…I’m sorry.  Whizzer was with them, but she was the only pegasus around.  She’s pretty fast though.”
“Oh…” Scootaloo deflated a bit, and Sweetie Bell patted her on the back.
“I’m sure she is looking for us back home.  You know she wouldn’t abandon you, Scoots.”  Sweetie Bell said.  Scootaloo nodded.
“Yeah!  That must be it!”
“You need em to go find them?  I can tell them where you are.  Since you’re their sisters and all, they must be worried about you.”  Seawinkle asked.
“Yeah!”  Apple Bloom cheered.  “We’re going home!”  She jumped up, pumping her fist in the air and making the Dream Valley natives blink a bit at this odd display of flexibility.
“One more thing, Seawinkle?”  Knight Shade said.  “Has anything strange been going on underwater?”
“Now that you mention it…” Seawinkle flicked her fins, growing serious.  “There seems to be an influx of octopi and squid, and some Sea Ponies are saying they’ve spotted a…a kraken.”  She said the last word in a hushed, awed tone.
“What’s a crackydo?”  Asked Scootaloo.
“A kraken is a huge squid, bigger then any other squid that ever lived.  It eats Sea Ponies, and…well anything else it comes across.”  Seawinkle shuddered.  “And the dolphins are acting funny.”
“Aren’t dolphins nice?”  Sweetie asked.  Seawinkle shook her head.
“You would think that, with all the smiling and giggling they do but…they smile to fool you.  They can be real bullies if you don’t show them a strong front.  They like to play, but their games are mean, and they’ve been a bad influence on some of our young.”  Seawinkle said.  “Sharks are okay, believe it or not.  You get what you see with a shark, and if you prove yourself tough enough, you’ll win their loyalty.  But dolphins…you never know.”
“Sounds like fishy Flim Flam brothers.”  Apple Bloom said.
“I don’t know a flim flam, but I know you can’t trust a dolphin.  Either way, they are getting more aggressive.  Even the shark shivers are becoming more…approachable towards us because of dolphin attacks.  Neither of us like dolphins, even though Sea Ponies and dolphins are more similar, if only because we are both mammals.”  Seawinkle shrugged.  “I’ve been hoping that we can arrange a peace treaty with the sharks, if only to keep them from going along with the dolphins.”
Knight Shade nodded.  “There’ve been some pretty strange things happening up here as well.  I don’t like it.  Between Grogar’s followers, Arabus escaping and scree running around causing everyone grief, and now krakens and dolphins?  I don’t like it.”
“Neither do I…” Seawinkle flicked her fins.  “But, for right now I will just swim on over the river and look for your sisters.  I’ll point them here.  Just stay put!”
“Thanks a bunch Seawinkle!”  Sweetie Bell grinned.  Things were finally looking up.






Whizzer watched Niblik out of the corner of her almost closed eye.  Niblik had a strained, regretful look on his face as he dug up some rope out of one of his many storage containers.  Whizzer suspected he hadn’t wanted to do this, not really, but she wasn’t about to lie down and let him haul them off to who knows where!  As soon as the troll stepped past her to approach Applejack, rope in hand, Whizzer swung her back legs around and kicked upwards, catching Niblik in the side and sending him crashing to the ground.  Applejack, reacting instantly, grabbed the rope in her teeth and leaped on Niblik’s back.  She twisted the rope around, hogtying him.  She leaped off and turned to glare at him.
“Now what the hay do ya think ya were doin’?”
Whizzer trotted next to Applejack and frowned at Niblik.  “I’m-disappointed-after-Megan-and-I-found-you-a-friend…”
Niblik blinked sadly.  “That’s just the problem!  They took Scrum!”
Applejack blinked.  “Who took him?”
Niblik growled.  “About a week ago that Gloom Witch, Hydia, showed up.  She babbled a bit about taking over the world, and destroying you ponies.  Bunch of nonsense.  I told her to take a hike.  But, three days ago, some troggles showed up and kidnapped Scrum.  They said if I didn’t help Hydia and their allies they’ll kill him!”
“That-explains-it!  You-know-you-could-have-told-us-from-the-start.”  Whizzer looked at Applejack.  “Ya-don’t-mind-a-rescue-mission?”
Applejack smiled.  “Shoot, Whizzer, it’s like you can read my mind.”
“Naw-but-Ribbon-could!”
“I was talkin’ mettyforically.”
“Huh?”
“…never mind.”
Niblik looked up.  “You gonna untie me?”
“Nope!”  Whizzer grinned.  “We’ll-go-rescue-Skrum-then-come-back!  I-like-you-Niblik-but-I’m-not-going-to-risk-Skrum’s-life-in-case-the-troggles-come-back-and-realize-what’s-going-on.”  She grinned and flicked her wings.  “So-where-are-they-keeping-him?”
“A few miles to the north…you should go now.  It’s about noon, and the goblins will be back in their holes.”
Whizzer nodded and trotted to the door.  “Come-on-let’s-hurry-Applejack-we-don’t-have-all-day!”
Applejack blinked, a bit taken aback by the speed of these decistions.  However, she walked over to Whizzer anyway.  She looked behind her.  “Are ya sure we should leave Rarity and Sweet Stuff here?”
“Well-we-can’t-carry-them-but-if-we-hurry-we-can-be-there-and-back-in-time.”
Applejack shot a worried look over her shoulder, but followed.  Whizzer sped up, galloping to the north, and Applejack had no choice but to follow.
“Ya got a plan?”  She asked when she caught up with Whizzer.
“Ummmm….” Whizzer blinked.  “I-will-figure-it-out.”
“That ain’t that reassuring’”
“I’m-no-Magic-Star-not-even-a-Gusty-I’m-doing-my-best.”
Applejack sighed.  “I guess I get your point…I ain’t no Twilight Sparkle myself…wish she was here.”
“Yeah…”  Whizzer sighed slightly as the two pressed on.




It wasn’t long before the two ponies came to a giant crater in the ground.  It was a small, shallow crater, relatively, and Applejack could spot a small collection of tents at the very bottom of the crater.  Whizzer squinted, narrowing her crystal eyes.
“Yer eyes any better’n mine?”
“Can-you-see-the-troggles?”
“Naw…what’s a troggle?”
“Golbinoids-bat-faced-guys-usually-with-spears.”
“Ah can see…figures, but I can’t see any details.”
“I-can-see-em-down-there-“
“Can you see the troll?”
“No-let’s-sneak-closer.”
Applejack nodded and slid down the crater, jumping behind rocks and bushes.  Whizzer followed, showing a surprising amount of stealth.  It didn’t take them that long to reach the edge of the small camp, and the two ponies ducked behind a tent, keeping low to the ground.  Whizzer gently lowered her nose to the and peered around.  She looked back at Applejack and whispered.
“I-think-there-are-only-a-few-here-.  I-can-lure-them-away.  You’ll-have-to-be-fast-and-search-the-tents.”
Applejack looked around, there had to be about ten of them.  “Alright.  Are you sure you can make it?”
“Yeah-no-problem.”  Whizzer began to step out, but paused.  “You-do-know-how-to-carry-right?  Just-in-case.”
“Carry?”
“Carry-a-two-leg-on-your-back?”
“…Once or twice with a baby dragon.”
“I-hope-you’re-strong.”  Whizzer said.
“Ah’m plenty strong.”  Applejack snorted in irritation.
Whizzer nodded.  “Alright-here-I-go.”  Whizzer reared and leaped out from behind the tents, snorting and pawing at the ground.  She charged, and Applejack peered around the side of the tent, watching about twenty or so troggles pick up spears and run after Whizzer, who was speeding off towards the other side of the crater, occasionally stopping to buck a few troggles in the chin to keep them interested.
Applejack ran to the first tent and charged in.  She blinked, coming face to face with a troggle.  She whirled and bucked him in the chest, sending him into a nearby barrel.  She looked around, no troll.  She kicked the troggle in the head again, knocking him unconscious.  She ran out and tried the next one.  This one held no troggles, but no troll either.  Gritting her teeth in frustration she ran across to a third.
Two troggles stood next to a large cage, containing a tall troll that was sneering at the two troggles.  The troggles blinked and lowered their spears.  Applejack snorted and took out her rope.  She twirled it as the leftmost troggle charged, lowering his spear to skewer her.  Applejack sidestepped and flung her rope, catching him around the shoulders as he ran past.  She yanked and ducked, sensing the other troggle jumping at her.  The two troggles’ heads slammed together, stunning them.  Applejack darted around them, roping them up.  She dropped her lasso, knowing she couldn’t keep it.  She looked down at one of the troggles and grabbed the keys hanging on his belt.  She dashed to the cage and, after a bit of fumbling, managed to get it into the lock.  The troll pushed the door open.
“Are ya Skrum?”  Applejack asked.
The troll nodded.  “You are an odd looking pony.”  The creature’s voice tones almost reminded Applejack of Rarity, if Rarity were male.  And a rather ugly biped.
“Ah’m from Equestria.  Now let’s vamoose before them troggle doohicks come back!”
Skrum’s frown deepened and he nodded, following Applejack out of the tent.  She looked to the far end of the crater, noting Whizzer still leading the troggles on a chase over rocks and bushes.  She nodded and ran the opposite direction with Skrum.  It didn’t take them to long to get out of the crater, and Applejack turned to make sure Whizzer hadn’t been caught yet.  Sure enough, Whizzer was still running around the crater.
Applejack whistled and Whizzer turned her head their direction.  Applejack raised a hoof and waved at her, and the pegasus nodded.  Whizzer, with a great flap, launched herself into the air.  Her wings caught a stiff breeze, and she quickly soared their direction.  The troggles collided into each other, not expecting Whizzer to leap into the air.
Whizzer landed next to Applejack, flexing her wing in pain.  She tossed her head and started to run back to Nibliks.  “Let’s-go-before-the-catch-up!”  She gasped.  Applejack nodded and followed, keeping an eye on their troll friend as they ran.  To her relief he followed fast enough, but the sounds of many running feet soon reached Applejack’s ears.  She looked behind her and snorted.  Troggles were on their heels.
Whizzer turned her head and snorted.  She dodged to the east, yelling over her shoulder.  “Let’s-try-this!”  Applejack blinked, but followed.  The desert was starting to give way to small grasslands, and Applejack didn’t really understand why they were running this way.  Then she spotted the river in the distance, and it connected.
“Do…ya…think?”  She gasped.
“I-hope-so!”  Whizzer sped up towards the river.  She ducked her head under Skrum and lifted him onto her back.  Whizzer’s wings buzzed as she hovered across the river, troll on her back, while Applejack leapt over the river in one huge jump.  She paused on the other side and looked behind her as the troggles started to wade into the water.
“It’s not wor-“  Applejack blinked as one of the troggles went down, splashing and kicking at something before the surface.  A blue Sea Pony head burst from the waves and suddenly turned as she smacked a troggle in the head with a large flipper.  More of the adult Sea Ponies bobbed up, slapping troggles with their fins and flippers, knocking them into the river, and making rather bold attempts to drown them.  The majority of the troggles ended up being floated down the river, who knew where.
Seawinkle smiled and bobbed over to three land dwellers.  “Takes care of them!”
Applejack sighed and sat down.  “Much obliged ta ya.  Ya really saved our tails there!”
“Wow, you can talk normal now!”  Seawinkle grinned and clapped her front fins together.  “Great!  Do you remember me now, Applejack?”
“Awww, Ah’m sorry ta say, but I ain’t yer Applejack.”
“Not our Applejack?  What do you mean?”  Seawinkle asked, confused.
“It’s like this.  Ah and my friend Rarity been lookin fer our lost sisters, and we ain’t from around here.  We’re actually from a land called Equestria. Fer some reason ya got a pony that looks similar to me with my name, but we ain’t the same pony.”
Seawinkle blinked.  “…that does explain why you have that huge creepy head.”
“…my head ain’t that creepy…”  Applejack snorted.
But Seawinkle kept talking.  “And you have sisters, right?  Apple Bloom?”
Applejack leaped up.  “Yeah!  That’s my sister!  Do ya know were she is?”
“Sure do!  At Bright Valley!”  Seawinkle grinned.  “Hey, I got an idea!”  She dove into the water and a few minutes later she and three other Sea Ponies were supporting a large clam shell.  “We can take you to her the fast way!”
Applejack’s mouth hung open, then she shook her head.  “Mighty nice of ya, but we should get Rarity and Sweet Stuff first…”
Skrum, who had been listening quietly, nodded.  “I think I need to get Niblik and myself out of the desert for now.  Just in case those troggles or anyone else of Hydia’s ilk comes by again.  I’d rather not go through this a second time.”
Whizzer nodded.  “Sounds-like-a-plan-think-you-can-hold-the-shell-for-us-till-we-get-back?”
The Sea Ponies nodded.  “Why sure, take your time!”





The trek back to Niblik’s house was fortunately uneventful, and by the time they got there Rarity and Sweet Stuff were waking up.  Applejack untied Niblik, who was grumpy, but still pleased to see his friend.  Almost immediately the two of them started to pack, eager to get out of dodge before the troggles regrouped and came back for them.	
“Where are you going to go?”  Rarity asked, still trying to decide if she should be offended at being poisoned or grateful that Applejack had taken care of things so quickly.  Rarity had to admit that Applejack always seemed to pull through when you really needed her.
Niblik looked at Whizzer and Sweet Stuff.  “Even after…what happened, do you think we should go to Paradise Estate?  At the very least we can tell em what’s going on.”
Whizzer nodded.  “Yeah-sounds-good-sorry-you-have-to-flee-though!”
Niblik scowled.  “Not your fault.  But if I ever get my hands on that witch…” He growled slightly as he glared around his home, eyes flicking over his various treasures.  “Bah, let’s go.”  Without another word Niblik stamped out the door.  Skrum muttered something about manner less oafs before following.
“…they are a very odd pair.”  Rarity said as she trotted towards the door.  “Shall we go?  Mustn’t keep our ride waiting.  It’s terribly rude.”
Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle a bit as she followed.  Still, she couldn’t help but be eager.  She was so close to her sister!  Soon they would be headed home, and Applejack couldn’t wait.




The clam was a very soft transport, and Applejack was pleased that she and Whizzer could get a rest, but that they were also traveling at a very swift pace due to the Sea Ponies pushing them with their heads.  Occasionally one of them would swim up for a chat.
“Yer wing doing alright, Whizzer?”  Applejack asked.
“Should-be-mostly-alright-now-still-hurts-but-not-as-much.”  She worked the wing up and down.  “Think-it’ll-be-sore-for-a-bit-but-like-you-saw-I-can-fly-if-I-really-have-to.”
“Your wings must be very strong.”  Rarity said, looking at him.  “But why do you keep them held upright like that?”
“Dunno-just-the-way-we-hold-em.”  Whizzer shrugged.
“So, other Applejack?”  Seawinkle poked her head out of the water.  “Do you have any Sea Ponies in Equestria?”
“Well, not that Ah’ve seen.”  Applejack said.  “But we got Crystal Ponies, and there are Princess Luna’s special guards.  They’re like pegasi, but they got bat wings.”
“Hmmm, maybe all your Sea Ponies don’t like to come to the surface?”  Seawinkle grinned, totally confidant that there were Sea Ponies everywhere.
Applejack smiled.  “Maybe…how much further?”  She lifted her head and peered around them.  They had passed by the desert and Applejack was getting edgy.
“Not far, just around that bend.”
Rarity leaned forwards, almost unbalancing the clam.  She wasn’t the only one, as Applejack leaned forwards as well, eagerly watching the bend as they sailed around it.  She spotted a small bridge up ahead, that lead to some village of some sort.  She managed to spy some equine figures up ahead near the bridge, and she whooped in joy.
“APPLE BLOOM!  YEEEHAAAAAAW!”  At her cry one of the figures looked up and leaped into the air.
“APPLEJACK!”  The young filly started to run forwards to meet the clam, grinning wide.
“RARITY!”  Sweetie Bell’s voice squeaked adorably as her usually well groomed sister leaped off the clam into a small muddy portion of the bank, but right now the awful experience of DIRT was nothing to fact that Sweetie Bell was RIGHT THERE!  Rarity squealed in joy as the two unicorn sisters collided into each other.  Rarity scooped Sweetie Bell up in her hooves and squeezed her to her chest, sobbing.
“Oh Sweetie I was so so worried!”  The stress from the trip, and her worry over her sister, finally overwhelmed Rarity, and she openly sobbed into Sweetie’s mane.  As if responding to her sister’s emotional turmoil, Sweetie began to cry in joy as well.
Apple Bloom slammed into Applejack like a small yellow rocket, and while she didn’t cry she did manage to knock her strong sister to the ground, clinging to her neck like a overly emotional monkey.  Apple Bloom nuzzled her sister’s neck, burying her face in Applejack’s fur and trembling.  “It was AWEFUL big sis!  This place is horrible!  Ah hate it here!  AH HATE IT!”
Sweet Stuff and Whizzer, who at first had been smiling at the reunion, looked at each other, clearly a bit taken aback by the violent reaction against their home.
Scootaloo buzzed over, looking at the clam as if expecting someone.  Seeing only Whizzer and Sweet Stuff she blinked.  “Hey, where’s Rainbow…and what’s wrong with your eyes?”  She squinted at the two Twinkle eyed ponies.
Sweet Stuff blinked.  “There’s nothing wrong with my eyes.”  She ducked her head, as if embarrassed that the filly had brought up the crystals.  Whizzer flicked her wing across Sweet Stuff’s shoulder in comfort and looked hard at Scootaloo.
“Haven’t-seen-a-Rainbow-just-us-and-we’re-Twinkle-eyed-ponies.”  She nudged Sweet Stuff.  “It’s-nothing-to-be-ashamed-of-and-you-know-it,-Sweet-Stuff.”
“It’s just that they’re freaky…everything here is freaky!  And wrong!  Even the ponies are wrong!”  Scootaloo snorted.  Inwardly she was mad, and hurt, that Rainbow hadn’t come with Applejack and Rarity.  She thought that she meant something to Rainbow!
Sweet Stuff, however, took this as an insult, and turned her face away, trying not to show weakness and failing.  “…I’m sorry.”  She whimpered, and Whizzer glared at Scootaloo as if she was seriously considering plucking the small pegasus of her feathers.
“Don’t-be-mean-to-her-she-didn’t-have-to-come-along-just-to-find-some-rude-foal-she’s-never-met-before-then-get-insulted-by-her.”  Whizzer stepped in between Scootaloo and Sweet Stuff.  “Neither-of-us-had-to-help-your-kin-but-we-did!”
Scootaloo was about to reply when Applejack, Apple Bloom still clinging to her neck, put a hoof around her shoulders.  “Scoots, she’s right.  These two are just like any old pony!  Ya shouldn’t go around insultin’ em.”
Scootaloo sat down.  “I just thought Rainbow would be here…you know…she…” Scootaloo sighed and looked at the ground, scuffing a bit with her hoof.
“Ya don’t think she’s scouring Equestria right now?  Ain’t her fault ya stumbled into another world!  She and the others are probably lookin’ fer all of us, and if she ain’t I’ll eat twenty of my spare hats!  Pinkie Promise!”  Applejack winked at Scootaloo.
Sweet Stuff, momentarily distracted from her sadness looked at Applejack and then looked at Whizzer.  “…spare hats?  Pinkie Promise?”
Whizzer shrugged.  “Bobble-heads-are-weird.”
Knight Shade, who had hung back while the fillies reunited with their sisters, slide over to the two Ponylanders.  “Nice to see them back together, is everything okay at the Estate?”
Whizzer looked up.  “Far-as-I-know-why-do-you-ask?”
“A lot of strange things have been going on…”  Knight Shade outlined the events so far, and Whizzer frowned the more he talked.  She stood up.  “Knight-Shade-have-you-ever-heard-of-a-Changeling?”
“A what?”  Knight Shade blinked.
“Something-from-their-world-that-feeds-on-love.”  Whizzer flicked her ears towards Applejack and Rarity, who were now listening to the conversation, still holding their sisters, but each had a hoof around Scootaloo, giving her some sisterly comfort as well.  Whizzer continued.  “One-of-them-tricked-us-into-thinking-they-attacked-a-Flutter-Pony-Niblik-the-troll-was-blackmailed-into-helping-Hydia-and-now-all-of-this?”
Applejack’s ears lowered in aggression.  “Anypony else getting’ the feelin’ we’ve been missin’ a rather big forest fer the trees?”
Knight Shade nodded.  “I think…we need to hurry back to your Estate.  From there we can contact the Flutter Ponies and get in contact with this Equestria place.”
“From-what-Ribbon-said-through-a-bit-of-telepathy-Wind-Whistler-and-Gusty-are-probably-already-there-they-might-know-more-but…” Whizzer paused.  “Ribbon-hasn’t-tried-to-dreamwalk-in-my-head-what-about-you-Sweet-Stuff.”
“No.”  Sweet Stuff shifted uncomfortably.  “I think we really need to head back.  I have a very bad feeling.”
Knight Shade stood up.  “Bright Valley can last without me.  I’m coming to.  Arabus is involved, and I’m not letting that big sack of wind have his way again!”
“Aright.”  Applejack stood up, still clutching Apple Bloom.  “Then how’s about we get back on the Sea Pony Express and make water tracks ta yer home, ladies.”  She nodded at Whizzer and Sweet Stuff, who nodded.  “I want ta get you back ta the farm, but if memory serves that rainbow doohick we took should be in that direction anyway…that is if ya Sea Ponies don’t mind?”
Seawinkle ducked her head.  “Not at all.  We should check on our young as well.  If something bad really is stirring up all the evils in Dream Valley, we’ll need some adult Sea Ponies to look after the babies!”
Alright then, let’s saddle up!”  Applejack leaped back on the clam, craddeling Apple Bloom.  She was soon followed by a still slightly muddy Rarity, as well as Whizzer, Sweet Stuff, and Knight Shade.  The Sea Ponies attached some kelp ropes to the clam and began to drag them up the river towards Paradise Estate.
Applejack eyed Rarity, mentally counting.  When she got to five Rarity suddenly screamed.  Knight Shade leaped around, eyes darting for danger.  “What is it?”
“OH my beautiful hooficure is RUINED!  There’s mud EVERYWHERE!  WHHHHHYYYYY DOES THIS PLACE HAVE TO BE SO DIIIIIIRRRRTY!”
Whizzer and Sweet Stuff leaned away from Rarity, clearly wondering if the unicorn had lost her mind.  Applejack just chuckled at the baffled looks on their muzzles.  “Don’t worry, that’s just Rarity.”  Applejack finally reassured them.
“…bobble head ponies are weird.”  Seawinkle sighed.
Knight Shade watched Rarity with a mixture of awe and fear.  In fact, the arrival of such strange and high pitched bobble head ponies had caused the musician to completely forget about the sword Apple Bloom had found.
And perhaps that was for the best.

> Chapter Ten
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Ten



Ponyville did not have anything much in the way of prisons.  There was little need for them in their society.  However, that is not to say there were none, just that the prison in question was last used about fifty or so years ago, when two ponies had gotten in a dispute over carpentering rights.  They had ended up leveling town hall, and both ponies in question had been incarcerated for a day so they could cool their hooves.  There was no sheriff in town, as the job was just taken by whatever strong upstanding citizen was needed at the time.  Generally this pony would be an earth pony.  Still, the place was not often used, or even remarked upon, unless it was needed.
So, after getting some directions to the little used building, Twilight was sure that the place would be decrepit.  Surprisingly it was not.  Sure there was a layer of dust in the room, which sort of resembled and old western jail, but the place was somewhat maintained.  Twilight speculated that somepony must have been taking care of it in case it was needed.  In the middle of the room was an old desk, which a single old looking clipboard on it.  Clearly it was for incident reports.  There were two adjoining cells, each with a cot, a sink and a hole in the ground.  The guards led Wind Whistler into one, and Draggle into the other. The two guards stepped out and closed the doors, locked them, and then used their magic to banish the ropes.
Twilight looked at the two, her mind racing.  She folded her wings and turned.  “You two are going to have to stay here a while.”
“I must-” Wind Whistler started, but Twilight had already opened the door and trotted out with the guards.  Wind Whistler’s only sign of her great disapproval was a slight frown.
“…oh this is going well.”  Draggle sat down on the cot and grumbled.  “I just love your plan, Wind Whistler.”
“…I had hoped she would be understanding…”
“Should we bust out?”
“…let us give her till tomorrow morning.”  Wind Whistler said.
“That long?”
“I am thinking, oh say, one in the morning?”
Draggle cackled gently.




Twilight turned to her three guards, eyeing Shining Armor and his forces, and trying not to look like she was too suspicious of them.  She nodded at the guards and smiled.  “I need you three to go back to Canterlot and bring Princess Luna here, please.”
The three looked at each other.  “Are you sure you are protected here, Princess?”  The pegasus asked.
“I’m sure.  I have my friends, and Shining Armor is here.”  She grinned, hoping it didn’t look fake.
The guards nodded reluctantly, and the two unicorns headed for the train, the pegasus lifted off and flying.  It would take them a bit to reach there, and unfortunately neither unicorn was skilled enough to use teleportation like Twilight could.  As soon as they were out of earshot she turned to the others.
“This way girls…er, and guy.”  She smiled at Big Mac, who nodded at her gently, “Follow me.”  Twilight led her rather confused and puzzled friends to her library, which fortunately had a decent view of the prison.  She sat, observing it through a window, as Spike leaped on her back.
“Hey, what’s happening?”  He asked.  Twilight suddenly turned her head and blasted him with a small.  He eeped in shock and fell to the ground, more startled then anything else.  Quick as a flash she cast the same spell on Rainbow, Fluttershy, Big Mac and Pinkie.  As soon as she was finished she was met with a pair of angry, scared, confused and in the case of Pinky wide and mirthful, eyes each.  
“What the hay Twilight!”  Rainbow bellowed.
“Changelings.”  She said, and the group as one gasped in realization and a bit of fear.  Twilight looked out the window again, studying the prison.  “That pegasus, Wind Whistler, told me that there were Changelings around.  It made me think.  Shining Armor never calls me anything other then Twili, and he doesn’t talk, or act, like he did today.  I could chalk it up to stress…but when that alien mentioned Changelings…”
“What!  Shining’s a Changeling!  Then why don’t we go get him right now!”  Rainbow asked, lifting into the air.
“Rainbow, you remember what happened when I charged into my brother’s wedding rehearsal, accusing Cadence of being evil?”  Twilight asked.  Rainbow sagged.
“Oh yeah…” She flapped.  “But you were right!”
“But no one believed me, and I had no evidence.  If I hadn’t escaped then the Changeling queen would have won.  I am not making the same mistake.  I want proof before I accuse Shining.  If I’m wrong, then all is well.  On the other hoof the aliens might be Changelings as well, trying to cast doubt and divide us.  But Shining, or Changeling Shining, seemed very eager to cause them harm.  If we just leave them there, there is a good chance he might try something…so…Pinkie?”  Pinkie jumped up, grinning.  “This is very very important, Pinkie.  It might be vital to helping your new friends.  If you fail, it could be very disastrous.  I need you follow Shining, without him knowing you are there.  You must not be caught.  At all.”
Pinkie nodded.  “You can count me, Twilight!”
Twilight nodded.  “Rainbow, you and I will watch the jail from the skies.  If Shining or the aliens try anything, we will know.  Big Mac, Fluttershy, Spike, I need you three in reserve.  Be around the general area, but don’t make it look like you are watching the place.  Take turns.  You got that?”
Rainbow zipped her, giving Twilight a friendly bump on the shoulder with her hoof.  “You can count on me!”
Fluttershy nodded, hiding a bit in her mane, but Twilight didn’t think she would waver.  Pinkie bounced out a window and vanished to spy on Shining.  Big Mac just took a seat near Twilight’s window and looked at the jail with intense focus.
“Alright.”  Twilight stood up.  “Time to do this.




At first Rainbow Dash was excited.  She was on a genuine, honest to Celestia stake out!  There they were!  Waiting and watching for the evil Changelings to make their move!  Ready willing and able to fly into combat with the most evil creatures in Equestria!  Soon they would be locked in deadly combat worthy of a Darning Do novel and…
Rainbow was about to go nuts!
No one had bothered to tell her how incredibly boring being on a stake out was.  Usually the stories skipped past all the waiting and got right to the evil afoot.  It was taking all of Rainbow’s willpower to not sleep…okay it took several harsh nudges from Twilight to get her to stop snoring.  But it was sooooo boring!  She had a feeling that she was driving poor Twilight insane as well with her constant twitching, because Twilight kept hissing at her to be quiet, or to stop, or to be still or of course to stop snoring.  But Rainbow couldn’t help it!  This was driving her nuts.  So was Twilight, and she had a feeling she was driving Twilight insane as well.
Night was starting to fall.  Luna must have been able to lower the sun, Celestia’s normal task, and raise the moon herself.  Rainbow thought that was awesome, but it didn’t make the job any less boring.  Rainbow was about ready to call it quits.  This was stupid.  But then she felt a sharp nudge on her side, and she jolted awake.  Twilight frowned at her and pointed with a hoof.  Rainbow peered over the cloud they had been resting on and blinked.  Shining Armor was stealthy sneaking to the jail, his crystal guards following through the alleys and setting up positions near the jail, as if ready to charge in in case of trouble.  Rainbow felt Twilight wrap her hoof around Rainbow’s neck, and a sudden tugging sensation, then a flash of light.  She blinked as her world was suddenly dark.  She might have cried out if Twilight handed stuffed her hoof in Rainbow’s mouth.
Slowly Rainbows eyes adjusted to the darkness, and she could see that they were in the jail, hiding on the other side of the desk.  Twilight eased her down under the desk, till both of them were hidden.  Rainbow peered over and saw that both prisoners had not noticed them.  Even if the alien pegasus seemed to eye their corner, it wasn’t for long, and she raised no alarm either way.  She simply stared into the darkness.  Her expression sort of reminded Rainbow of Pinkie’s weird sister.  Still, she hadn’t noticed them.  Great!  Everything seemed to be going smoothly.
Rainbow tensed as the door to the jail opened, and Shining Armor trotted in.  Despite the sudden appearance of the prince, the alien pegasus simply turned her head and stared at Shining, as if he was of little to no importance at all.  A slight tilt of her ears was the only indication she was paying any mind to Shining.
“So, you’re Wind Whistler.”  Shining approached, slight unpleasant smirk on his face.  “You don’t look like much.  From what the witches keep saying I would have thought you’d be more…impressive.”
“Changeling, correct.”  Wind Whistler studied Shining.  “Truth be told I was expecting something a percentage more imposing myself.  It appears we must both be disappointed.”
“Oh?  I don’t scare you?”  Shining’s horn began to glow green.
“Hardly.”  Wind Whistler chuckled slightly.  “Are you going to monologue now?  Do tell me.  I am afraid I am missing my popcorn.”
“Let’s skip it then.”  Shining suddenly lifted Wind Whistler with his magic and slammed her against the wall.  “I think Reeka is going to appreciate getting your head.  After all, what are friends for.”  He suddenly yelped as Draggle grabbed his tail and yanked him closer.  She leaned forwards against the ball, eyes meeting his.
“Guess again, witches don’t have friends.”  Draggle grinned, and lightning burst from her eyes, striking him right in the pupils, and sending him to the ground.  Green light spread from his body, and all of a sudden there was a Changeling there.
Twilight darted from under the desk and leaped forwards.  “NOW RAINBOW!”  Rainbow cheered and changed the stunned Changeling, bucking him harshly.  She looked to the side and noticed Twilight telekinetically break the locks on the alien’s cells and open them both as once.  Draggle grabbed Twilight by the horn and yanked her forwards.
“You used us as bait.”  She growled.
Twilight nodded.  “I know.  I’m sorry.  It was wrong, but I had to make sure he was a Changeling.”
“If I had a coin for every time a pony said that to me-“
“You’d have an average of two gold, Draggle.  Do settle down.”  Wind Whistler frowned at Twilight.  “I do no approve either, but I understand your reasoning.”  She looked over Rainbow’s shoulder and tensed.  “Look out!”
Rainbow turned as the Changeling attempted to latch its fangs on her shoulder.  She growled and bucked it again, even harder this time, straight out the door.  She leaped into the air and followed it outside, screaming.  “CHANGELINGS!  THE CRYSTAL PONIES ARE CHANGELINGS!”  She grinned as Big Mac came bursting out of the library, charging for them as the crystal pony guards surrounded her, dropping their illusions and becoming Changelings.  To her shock and horror more ponies slipped out the shadows, copies of the various faces around town, who dropped their illusions and then began to switch.  Some became Rainbow.  Others Twilight, and few even took the forms of the alien ponies.  There had to be at least fifty of them.
Rainbow spread her wings and lowered her head, ready to charge as Big Mac tried to barrel to her position, knocking Changelings aside, but he wasn’t going to make it in time.  The front line Changelings charged for Rainbow, intending to pummel her.  All of a sudden wings blotted out the moon, and a white pegasus landed on a doppelganger of herself who was charging for Rainbow.
“Surprise, dumbbells!  There’s only one of me!  Gusty!  The shape shifters are here!”
“CHARGE!”  Rainbow lifted her head and looked around to see the aliens charging from around the jail, followed by Pinkie, who grinned at Rainbow.
“I brought frieeeeends!”  She laughed and pulled out her party cannon from…somewhere, and blasted a gaggle of Changelings, startling the heck out of Fizzy, who turned her head to see what that was that just shot past her.  She blinked at the sudden appearance of the cannon and tripped, rolling into another group of Changelings like a bowling ball.  Two more attempted to tackle her, but the funny butterfly pony suddenly fluttered between them and Fizzy, turned her…her butt to them?  What in Equestria was it thinking and-…oh apparently she could shot magic of some kind from her wings.  That made more sense.  Rainbow grinned in glee as the Utter Flutter striped away the illusions from the Changelings, revealing their true forms.
“Heck yeah!  Nice going, Butterfly!”  Rainbow hoof pumped the air.
“Morning Glory.  Pleasure.”  Morning Glory fluttered closer to Rainbow, stripping Changelings as she went.  Rainbow looked behind her at the jail, and saw that Twilight had galloped out, shooting magic from her horn.  Rainbow blinked when Wind Whistler emerged, with the human riding her.  Then Rainbow remembered the human was technically a cripple.  That made sense.  Must be a pain in the tail, for everypony.  Though the fact that she could shoot lighting out of her eyes, and thump Changelings with her newly returned staff as Wind Whistler charged around, adding her own headbutts, well it seemed effective enough.  
Still, nopony would ever see Rainbow with a monkey on her back!
“Are you going to stare, or fight, Skinny?”  The white unicorn from before, Gusty wasn’t it, was suddenly before her, snorting in derision.
“Bet I can kick more flank then you, sister!”  Rainbow laughed.
“Oh you’re on, Toothpick Leg!”
“Put your hoof where your mouth is, Cubby!”  Rainbow charged into the fray, bucking several newly revealed Changelings.  “That’s three!”
Gusty turned her horn towards a gaggle of five and let loose with a gust of harsh wind, splatting them against a building.  “Five!”
“Oh it is on!”  Rainbow rushed forwards, bucking and stomping and flapping.  She could never resist a challenge!  It felt almost like Applejack was back…though Applejack was much better company.
The Changelings were starting to rise into the air, clearly intent on fleeing.  Though they outnumbered the group, it was clear they were outmatched, and a few had even abandoned the swarm and were flying off, looks of panic on their snouts.  At first Rainbow was certain it was all them…then the voice of Princess Luna echoed.
“FLEE, FIENDS!”  Rainbow looked up to see the Princess diving downwards, accompanied by not only a squad of dark grey pegasi, but also a squad of her special bat winged night ponies.  They tacked the swarm from mid air, and the Changelings scattered and fled.
“YEEEEHAW!”  Rainbow hoof pumped again.  “Fly back home, you little bugs!”
Surprise landed with Morning Glory, laughing so loud it almost remained Rainbow of Pinkie.  The fact that Surprise apparently had almost the exact same Cutie Mark sort of scared Rainbow.  Two of them?!  Equestria was doomed.  Rainbow noticed that the aliens were grouping together across from the Equestrians, and Rainbow darted over to Twilight’s side.  She bowed as Luna landed and approached them, her forces following the Changelings to make sure they had left town.
For a moment, just like before, the two groups stood across from her, but Rainbow felt that she didn’t want to fight them anymore.  Gusty was a jerk, but she could fight!  And that butterfly pony was pretty cool!
Rainbow looked on worriedly as Luna stepped closer, closing the gap between her and the blue pegasus…Wind Whistler.  Draggle, who was still on Wind Whistler’s back, gripped her mane, glaring at Luna.  Wind Whistler simply studied Luna, as if mentally judging her.
Luna met the other ponies’ strangely soft pink eyes, then bowed her head, still totally graceful and princessy in the action.  Luna raised her head and lifted her hoof.
“I, must apologies for my accusations from before.”  Luna said.  “I was not in my right mind a thousand years ago, and to me those times are very recent.  I am willing to admit that things must have changed since then, despite what I saw with my own eyes.  If a subject of Queen Majesty says that a Gloom Witch is a friend, then I should at least hear her out.”
Wind Whistler tilted her head.  “Define not in your right mind.”
“The Nightmare is…was…a voice.  It convinced me that as long as I let it in, I would no be alone.  And I was…very lonely.  Once I did let it in…I can only remember bits after that.”  Luna sighed.
Fizzy had ducked behind Gusty and Wind Whistler, but now she peered over them.  “R-really?  So you were right Wind Whistler!  She’s more like Scorpan!”
“Scorpan?”  Luna asked.
“Your Nightmare spread to more then just Tirac.”  Wind Whistler said, her voice gaining a small disapproving edge.  “However…I understand.  I myself was hasty.  Draggle is a friend of mine.”
“To be fair, you’re not that far off.”  Draggle shrugged.  “I don’t remember Mama ever talking about pony eating, but she is evil.  So’s my sister.”
Luna blinked.  “I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry about.  I chose it.”  Draggle shrugged and sort of gestured at the ponies.
“Now, might I suggest that we put these debacles behind us, all of us, and focus on the matter at hand.”  Wind Whistler gave a short nod at Luna.  “There is far more at stake here then your actions, your Highness.”
“I agree.”  Luna said.
“YIPPEEE!”  Pinkie burst in between them, spewing confetti from…somewhere.  “Now we can finally have that Welcome to Ponyville party!  We can everyone over and there’ll be cake and streamers and pie and I even made some baked bads for Draggle!”  She leaned in close to Wind Whistler and hissed.  “It’s cause she doesn’t like sweets!”
Wind Whistler blinked.  “…I am aware of her dietary needs, Pinkie Pie, but we must discuss the proceeding events.  It could be vital to survival of both our dimensional planes.”
“Er…what?”  Rainbow looked at Twilight, but Gusty rolled her eyes.  
“She means we need to compare stories.  Get on the same page.  Do I need to speak in much smaller words?”
“As if the only reason you can understand her isn’t that you’ve grown up with her.”  Draggle chuckled.
“Hey, you picked it up really fast…which doesn’t say much for Rainbutt’s brains.”
“It’s Rainbow!”  Rainbow darted over to Gusty, who didn’t even blink.  “I’m gonna-“
“Neither of you are helping.”  Wind Whistler stepped between them.  “Desist.  Immediately.”
“Are you trying to impress everypony by throwing big words at us?”  Rainbow asked.  Wind Whistler blinked.
“No.”  Wind Whistler seemed surprised.  “It…is more a force of habit.”
“And ‘immediately’ isn’t THAT big a word…to anyone with a brain.”  Gusty laughed.
“You are still not helping.”  Wind Whistler gave Gusty a stern look.
Twilight approached and put a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder.  “How about this.  Pinkie, why don’t we hold on the big welcome party for later.  When we aren’t in a crisis.”
“Oh…Okay!  Hey!  Best idea!  We can discuss the whole invading Changelings things, and enjoy some of the cupcakes at the same time!  I really don’t want them to go bad, unless they are bads, and this way we get two bushels of apples with one buck!”  Pinkie grinned.
“…I’m kinda hungry.”  Fizzy spoke up from somewhere behind Gusty.  She peered over her friend’s back and smiled gently.  “We’ve been wandering around that forest all day!”
Wind Whistler chuckled, giving Fizzy a brief affectionate smile.  She looked at Pinkie.  “That sounds acceptable.”





Twilight was glad that the aliens…the Ponylanders, didn’t have to deal with a Pinkie Welcome Party right off the bat.  After returning to the library, which was now being guarded by several royal guards, Pinkie somehow managed to materialize the cupcakes and baked bads to the middle of the room, right beneath the huge horse head statue.  The small group of ponies sat casually around the table, even Luna, and listened to both Wind Whistler and Surprise, who took turns telling their sides of the story.  
“Still haven’t figured out why you led us here, Stoneback.”  She shrugged at the Stoneback, who had been getting reacquainted with Fluttershy.  The creature huffed at them, then tapped his claws three times.
“OOOOH!  Charades!”  Okay, three words?”  Pinkie grinned.  The Stoneback shook his head, tapped three times, and tapped Fluttershy, then Pinkie, then Twilight on the head.  Pinkie smiled.  “Three ponies?”  The Stoneback nodded and reached a claw over his head, then drew it downwards.  “Three…small ponies…three…”
Twilight flapped her wings.  “THREE FOALS?  You saw our missing fillies!”  The Stoneback nodded vigorously.  “Where are they?”  The Stoneback pointed at the Ponylanders.  Twilight gasped.  “In their world?”  Another vigorous nod.
“…you know you could have tried this before.”  Draggle grumbled as the Stoneback turned to glare at her.
“So…” Twilight summarized.  “At some point the CMC ran across the mirror, and being curious and…slightly reckless they took a ride over, and you saw them?”  The Stoneback nodded, then mimed coming up from a burrow, and being kicked in the face by a filly.  He then made little galloping motions with his claws, away from him.  Wind Whistler frowned.
“You scared them, just like you scared the Furbobs.  They ran…and you naturally assumed more ponies would help.”  The Stoneback nodded.
“Then you grabbed us, we got pulled over, and then Reeka chased us off with the Changelings.”
“At some point two others must have crossed over.  Ribbon mentioned another Applejack in her dream message.”  Fizzy said, mouth covered with white icing.
“Dream what?”  Twilight asked.
“Ribbon is one of our friends, she’s telepathic, but it’s spotty across dimensions.  According to Fizzy she defiantly mentioned something about another Applejack, and when we told Pinkie about it she mentioned you have a friend with that name.  The Changelings must have either chased them over to Dream Valley, or they followed your baby’s tracks.”  Wind Whistler explained.
“That makes sense.  Two of them are Applejack and Rarity’s sisters.”
“Oh man…poor Scootaloo…” Rainbow sighed, landing for a bit.  “I should have gone with them!”
“You know what’s bothering me?”  Draggle studied what could be a green muffin like object with a worm waving at her.  She consumed it one bite, looking briefly pleased before continuing.  “Reeka.”
“Not that your family issues aren’t tragic and all, bu-” Rainbow began, and Draggle cut her off.
“It’s not that.  It’s all of this.”  Draggle said.
“What do you mean?”  Twilight asked, though Wind Whistler’s eyes started to widen slightly.  “Hydia…would never approve of Reeka finding allies of any sort.  Not unless there was something to be gained.”
“And after my little…whatever you want to call it, I don’t see Reeka going against her.  She’s been following Mama’s orders like a puppy ever since.  Why change now?”
“Unlikely, so Hydia must have something to do with this.”
“Don’t we already know this?”  Rainbow asked impatiently.
“Witches don’t have friends, Rainbutt.”  Draggle studied another baked bad.  “We sometimes make allies, but we usually try and backstab the at some point.  It was one of the first things she taught us, right up there with lying, stealing, and proper cauldron maintenance.  So.”  Another big bite.  “What, exactly, is my family getting out this little arrangement with the Changelings?  And how did she find them in the first place?  They don’t exist in our world…do they Wind Whistler?”
“Not to my knowledge, though Paradise would know more…” Wind Whistler thought.  “Still, that does not explain how they came over here in the first place, and why they are allies.”
“That is not all.”  Luna said.  “Arabus, the Cloud Demon, is the one behind the Crystal Empire’s siege.  I would bet that is why the Changelings impersonated Shining Armor, because he is probably dealing with the demon.”
“WHAT?  BULL!”  Gusty stamped.  “Arabus was sealed away in Bright Valley!  After the Flutter Ponies took care of him!”
“Wait, Flutter Ponies?”  Luna looked at Gusty.  “They…helped you?”
“You’re looking a Flutter Pony right there, Princess.”  Not even Gusty was so bold as to insult a princess to her face.  She did point a hoof a Morning Glory, who nodded.
“She is a Flutter Pony?”  Luna said.  “I had never laid eyes on one…” She got up and studied Morning Glory.  “I thought your kind would be…bigger…and had more wings.  That is what they told us a thousand years ago.”
Morning Glory shrugged.  “I wasn’t born then, so I don’t know.  I do know that my kind were even more reclusive then, and our recent activism is new.  In fact, I had a part in encouraging Queen Rosedust to aid the ponies.”
“So, will you help us free the Crystal Empire?”  Luna asked.
“Why, naturally.  Why wouldn’t I?”  Morning Glory nodded.  “I am only one Flutter Pony, but I would be pleased to help.  Arabus can be badly damaged by my Utter Flutter, but if I am fast, and if I have help to wear him down, I think I can do it.”
“How much vital essence has Arabus absorbed?”  Wind Whistler asked.  “How much has he grown?”
“He’s covering the entire city.”  Luna said, and Morning Glory gasped.
“But how?  He was large before, but not as big as a city!”
“He absorbed the essences of several griffons and dragons, perhaps others.  We don’t know the exact number.  But your kind have vast magics at your disposal, right?”  Luna seemed puzzled.  Mostly by the fact that Morning Glory was now shaking.
“I…I’m just one Flutter Pony.  I could defiantly do it if he were just human sized or even a couple of heads above a human’s height, but…” Morning Glory shook.  “I’m not sure I can do it alone.”
“You’re not going to be alone!  We’ll be there to help you!”  Rainbow grinned.  “Not going to let you have all the fun!”	
“She has a point.  Our pegasi can manipulate the weather in a way that Ponylander’s cannot, so you will not be totally alone in the air.”  Luna snorted.  “I will lead the attack myself.  I cannot ask you to do this without risking myself as well.”
“And we should have a ground team to find the crystal ponies and Shining and Cadence.”  Twilight said.  “Just in case these witches show up with more Changelings.  Shining is my brother, so I’ll go with them.”
“Alright, sounds like a battle plan!”  Rainbow landed beside Morning Glory and gave her a surprise noogie, which made her eep like Fluttershy.  “Don’t worry, you got me to watch your back!”
Gusty leaned over to Wind Whistler.  “Please in the name of all that’s good in Dream Valley keep her safe.”




While the others were busy talking battle plans, Draggle slipped out of the door, nose sniffing.  She knew something was around, lurking.  It wasn’t that hard for her to recognize that smell.  She had literally lived with it her whole life. 
Draggle followed her nose, knowing what she would encounter here, and not looking forwards to it at all.  But…she had to know, and maybe this time would be different.  Maybe.  She could hope.
Draggle found what she was looking for a few meters from the library, between two buildings and hiding behind a barrel.
“Wow, inspired hiding spot.  Don’t have your Changelings for this?”  Draggle peered over the barrel.
Reeka sneered and rose to her feet.  “They’re idiots.”
“I noticed.”
“So are your new pony friends.”  Draggle was amused that Reeka managed to use the exact same tone that Hydia did whenever she said the word pony, and friend.
“Very very true.”  Draggle smiled and leaned against the wall.  “Why are you doing this, Reeka?  Are you always going to do what Mama tells you?”
Reeka bristled.  “Call her Hydia, you don’t deserve to call her that!”
“Why not?  She wants you to call her by her name.  We only ever called her mother when we were mocking her.”
Reeka squinted at her sister.  “Or you’d forget.”
“…yeah.”
The stared at each other for a good five minutes.  Reeka frowned.  “Why don’t you come back?  You can bring those alicorn things to Hydia.  She’ll probably be so grateful she’ll forget what’s happened.  You know…you probably could have come back years ago.  She got over it…I keep telling you that you could.  Why don’t you?”
Draggle sighed.  “I can’t.”
“Why not!  What the hell do those beasts have that I don’t!  We’re only a year apart.  Hell, we didn’t even have separate rooms!  We were always together, but you ran off.  Why!  What do they have that I don’t!”
“I-“
“So they’re nice, and bright and cheerful, but you and I aren’t supposed to like that kind of dribble. I know you don’t!  I know you hate what they do, and you stick around them anyway!  What could they possibly be giving you!  You’re miserable with them, and you know that too!”
“I’m not miserable all the time.”  Draggle said.  “…and I’d be more miserable with our mother.”
“WHY!  We’re your kind, not them!  We’re your family, not them!  Don’t you remember anything Hydia taught us!”
“Yes.”  Draggle snarled.  “And that’s why I’m not coming back.  I may not like everything in the estate, but I…you remember what she always told us about our family?  You remember the paintings?”
“Course I do, she’s been talking to them half the week!  Can’t go into the portrait room without one of them bursting out and whispering.”  
“I don’t’ want to be like them.  Not anymore.”  Draggle said, looking straight into Reeka’s eyes.  “Do you?”
“Of course I do?”
“Really?  Then why do you keep begging me to come back?”
“You’re my sister!”
“Is that really supposed to matter?”
“Only family matters!”
“Why?”  Draggle sneered.  “We’re supposed to be alone, but you said it yourself.  We were always together.  We fought, bickered, but we were always together.  You didn’t face the phlume plant on your own.  You didn’t wake up Ahgg on your own.  You did nothing on your own…” She sneered.  “Except leave me when I almost died, when I really needed you.”
Reeka sighed.  “I wish I had been there.  I wouldn’t have let that thing hurt you.”
“And why would you care?”
“…I care.”
“And so do the ponies.”
“What are you saying, Draggle?”
“I’m saying that we have a lot more in common with them then Mama admits.  We never were nice to others, but we cared about each other.  Even when I was trying to trick you to get the plume on your own, I didn’t want you to get hurt, and in the end we got it together.  I don’t think we would have gotten it otherwise.  The ponies do the same.  Hell, some of them even bicker like we used to.  I…the only difference is you insisted on fighting everyone else in the Valley, but think if we didn’t?  If we had…friends, if Mama had friends, our Clan wouldn’t be dying.”
“Our Clan isn’t dying!”
“Reeka, there’s only you and Mama.  Even if you be generous and count me, that’s only three witches.  The only way we would be able to revive if would be if we both found husbands and started popping out more daughters.  How likely do you think that is with Mama’s iso…iso…what is that word Wind Whistler uses…oh never mind, you know what I mean!  If we’re always alone how can we make more witches?”
“So what?  We could do what you just said!  You could help us!”
“No, Reeka, dear, can’t you see?”  Draggle sighed.  When did Reeka get so stubborn?  Or was she always this way, and Draggle hadn’t noticed.  “The Valley is changing.  The ponies changed it, and it’s not going back to the way it was.  It can’t.  Do you know why?  It’s the thing Mama has been fighting against all along.  Not the good or the light or the sugar, but friendship.  The ponies can call on so many people.  I’ve met some of them.  They’d give their lives for the ponies, because they are friends, and they know the ponies would do the same.  We thought we were strong alone, but we’re not.  We’re weak.  That’s why the ponies kept beating us.”
Reeka smiled, but it wasn’t a pleasant smile.  “That blue pony brainwashed you well.”
“Mama brainwashed you better.”
“You really think that creature cares for you.  Sad, really.   She’s just using you.  That’s was all she was ever trying to do.”  Reeka said.
“No.  You’re wrong.”
“You think they would ever truly care about you?  They were just using you to get Hydia on their side.”
“Then why did they let me stay?”
“Because your magic is useful.”  Reeka said.
“Ah, but I was horrible at magic back then.  How would they know I would get decent?  If they wanted a good spellcaster, they would have gone for you.  They helped me, Reeka, because it was the right thing to do.  I promise you that.”
“And I promise you this, Draggle.”  Reeka stepped forwards.  “If I have to slaughter every pony in both worlds, I will get you back.”
“If you slaughter even one pony in any world, you never will.  I have a better idea.  Come with me.  Tell the others what’s going on.  Help us, and we can both get out from under Mama’s thumb.  You don’t have to be alone anymore.”  She walked forwards a bit, leaned over, and for the first time in a while, hugged her sister around the neck.  
For a moment Reeka tensed, then to Draggle’s joy she actually returned the gesture.  For a moment Draggle thought Reeka was going to agree, that she would have her sister back.
“You know that you’re not the only one who knows how to channel lighting, right Draggle?”
Draggle shrieked as electricity tore through her body, channeled from Reeka’s hand straight through her.  She mentally cursed herself for not thinking of this, and attempted to throw her own lighting at Reeka.  Her own body’s jerking and twitching made that nearly impossible and her spell fizzled.  She gasped and backed away as Reeka finally canceled the spell, still smirking.
Draggle suddenly grabbed her staff and swung it hard, sweeping Reeka off her feet.  Putting her weight on her good leg Draggle pounced on her sister, her earlier affection melting away in favor of aggression.  She dropped her stick and began to punch her sister, not aiming at anyplace in particular.  She snarled suddenly as Reeka grabbed her hair and gave it a good yank, and the two rolled out into the street, punching, clawing, and kicking up a rather nicely formed dust cloud, which obscured them nicely save for an occasional flailing limb.  It was…
Almost like coming home.
A few moments later Draggle found herself pinned on the ground, she wondered briefly how Reeka had gotten so good at fighting.  Reeka lifted her hand, more electricity starting to form on her fingertips.  Draggle glared upwards, but before she could respond to Reeka’s attack a rainbow blur slammed into Reeka’s side.  She shrieked, rolled and landed on her feet.  Reeka stood, glaring at Rainbow, who was now standing protectively between Draggle and her.  Draggle could only stare at Reeka, wondering where exactly in the conversation she had gone wrong. 
Draggle blinked as Gusty galloped past her, and the two ponies flung themselves at Reeka, who shot some more lightning at them, which both of the dodged.  Reeka glared at Draggle, their eyes meeting briefly.  Draggle struggled to come up with words, any words, but none came.  She could only watch as Reeka fired more at Gusty and Rainbow, before suddenly pulling some sort of teleportation spell and vanishing.
“Are you okay?  Who was that?”  Twilight galloped up beside her, giving her a look of concern.  Wind Whistler was behind her, giving Draggle that quietly sad look she got whenever Reeka showed up.
Draggle lifted herself to a sitting position, not meeting Twilight’s eyes.  “That was my sister.”
“Oh!...I…”  Twilight was taken aback.  “She…”
“She’s evil.”
“Oh no, I’m sure that’s not true.”  Twilight’s wings trembled a bit.  “I mean, she’s your sister, right?”
“…not all sisters get along.”  Wind Whistler sighed.
Twilight stared at the two, as if they just told her the sun didn’t need Celestia to move it.  “Well, yes, but-“
“…we used to be close.”  Draggle glared at the horizon, seeming to talk to herself.
Wind Whistler walked over and nuzzled her gently.  She looked at Twilight and flicked her tail.  “Would you be so kind as to give up some space?”
Twilight’s eyes were huge as they stared down at Wind Whistler and Draggle.  She had only seen the end of the battle, and had not even recognized Draggle and Reeka as related.  The look on Reeka’s face had been one of pure hate, and while Twilight was not an expert on human faces, she didn’t detect a single hint of family love in Reeka’s expressions.  For a moment she was back at the wedding rehearsal, the time she accused the queen Changeling disguised as Cadence to be evil.  She remembered her brother’s harsh words, and the feeling that her brother, her best foalhood friend, hated her now.  Her heart went out to Draggle, but she knew she didn’t have the words, but Wind Whistler might.  She nodded.
“I’ll make sure you aren’t disturbed.”  Her horn flashed, and she teleported them, as well as herself, to her own bedroom.  She flapped down to the door and exited, turning her head around.  “Stay as long as you need to.”  She exited, making sure to close the door gently.



Wind Whistler wrapped a foreleg around Draggle’s shoulder and leaned in close.  Truth be told she didn’t know what to say, but she knew that she didn’t need to say much, or anything at all.  Draggle said nothing either.  She simply gripped Wind Whistler’s mane, leaning against the pegasus’ shoulder.  She didn’t cry, but she shook, and Wind Whistler simply stayed there, letting Draggle lean on her, and waiting for her to regain composure.
“She hates me.”  Draggle managed to choke out.  
“If I could change it, I would.”  Wind Whistler said gently.
“Thanks…”
“What is a friend for?”




On the Volcano of Gloom Hydia stared at her viewing pool, watching Wind Whistler comfort her daughter.  She frowned, fists clenched.  Damn pony.  Damn wretched theif!  As if the beast knew anything about witches, or anything about her daughters!  Damn beasts!
“I’ll kill her.  Slowly.”  Hydia snarled.  “one day…”
The shadow creature looked at her, yellow eyes hard.  “The traitor?”
“The pony.  Wind Whistler.”  Hydia spat the words out like a curse.
“…don’t forget that the traitor will suffer as well.  I will not tolerate the faithless.”
“Maybe.”  Hydia dismissed the words almost as soon as they reached her ears.  “The pony will suffer more.”
The shadow laughed.  “As you wish…”

> Chapter Eleven
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Eleven



Applejack happily relaxed on the clam, enjoying the scenery.  Now that she was not focused on finding Apple Bloom, who was nestled on her back with intent to stay there until they reached Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack could now gaze around the alien landscape and admire it.  Sure it was kinda strange seeing all this nature in its abnormal state, but it did have a certain beauty when you looked at it the right way.  Applejack always thought that natural beauty could only come from the hooves of earth ponies, but the landscape here was just as pretty as home, if a bit wilder.
“How long till we get ta yer home?”  She asked Sweet Stuff.  She smiled gently at Applejack.
“Shouldn’t be that much longer.”
“Thank Celestia.”  Apple Bloom sighed.  “I can’t wait ta get home!”  Sweet Stuff frowned at Apple Bloom, who pretty much had this same attitude the entire ride up the river, and even Sweet Stuff was getting sick of it.
“Our home isn’t that bad.  You’ve only see the bad side.  There are good things here to.”
“I’m just sayin’ ya’ll be happier and safer in Equestria.  Hey!  Maybe ya can move there!”
Whizzer blinked.  “Leave-Ponyland?  It’s-our-home-why-would-we-leave?”
“Just cause your home is more peaceful doesn’t make it better.”  Sweet Stuff grumbled.  “It sounds cramped.  And lonely.  From what you’ve been telling us there are more ponies in your town then in our entire Estate, and, if I understand this, you only stick to your family groups.”  Sweet Stuff had frankly heard enough of Apple Bloom talking about Ponyville.
“Well, yeah, but it’s safer!”  Apple Bloom maintained.
“Apple Bloom, they got the right to live in their home if they wanna.  It’s not our place to judge.  Hell, how’d ya feel if a fancy unicorn from Canterlot came ta the farm and insulted it?”
Apple Bloom wilted a bit.  “Ah’m sorry, Ah just…”
Applejack nudged her.  “You’re just homesick.  We’ll be back soon.  Don’t worry.”
“I’m sure your home’s really nice, Apple Bloom.”  Sweet Stuff said.  “But Ponyland is our home.  I can’t imagine living anywhere else, not after all we’ve done to keep it.  It seems…cruel to abandon it after our Queen…” She paused, a sad look coming to her jeweled eyes, but then she brightened.  “But maybe once we get this mess sorted out, we can visit.”
“I-do-agree-with-Sweet-Stuff-you’re-home-sounds-pretty-cramped.”  Whizzer said thoughtfully.  “And-dividing-into-small-family-groups-sounds-off.”
“Guess Ah never thought about it.”  Applejack said.  “Ah mean, Ah consider my friends part of my family, but…”  She shrugged.  “We weren’t raised together.  But how about you?  Are ya’ll all related?”
“No, not really.  A few are…I think that Gingerbread is my aunt.  I think.”  Sweet Stuff shrugged.  “I didn’t know my parents, and Queen Majesty treated most of the younger foals like she was our parent…”
Whizzer frowned.  “I-think-Wind-Whistler-is-related-to-Heart-Throb-but-they-really-don’t-act-it.  Almost-total-opposites-.  I-think-Firefly-might-be-my-cousin-but-I’m-not-sure.  And…hrmmm….”  She pondered.  “I-think-Truly-is-Tex’s-sister, but-that-could-just-be-the-accent.”
“Wow, you guys really don’t know who’s really related to who?”  Sweetie Bell asked.
“Well-I-can-remember-being-a-filly, I-didn’t-have-a-mother.  My-mother-got-infected-by-the-Rainbow-of-Darkness-she…”  Whizzer gasped, and her speech slowed...  “She…left.”
“Left?”  Applejack’s eyes widened.
“The Rainbow of Darkness did a lot of things.”  Whizzer said, her voice slowing to an almost normal pattern.  “Tirac used it to turn ponies to monsters, but even in its bag it could warp you.  It would whisper things, and play on your nature.  Darter, my mother, always wanted to explore, so one day she just…upped and left me alone.  I never really knew her.  Majesty took care of me.  She took care of a lot of us.”
“Wow…Ah’m really sorry.”  Apple Bloom stared at the floor of the clam.  She never considered how lucky she was to have Applejack and Big Mac.  “I never knew my parents either.”
Applejack put a hoof around her shoulders.  “They’d be proud of ya, Apple Bloom.  Ah know it.”
“Thanks sis.”
Rarity snuggled a bit closer to Sweetie, suddenly very glad she had both irritating, but very much alive and loving, parents.
“Ah look!  We’re here and…oh no!”  Seawinkle blinked.  “They’re under attack!”
The ponies looked just in tie to see the side of Paradise Estate.  Four armored Diamond Dogs clawed at the walls, and they could hear more growling and snarling.  A few more patrolled around the edges, barking and scratching and being annoying and utterly terrifying to the ponies inside.  Rarity watched them for a millisecond, before narrowing her eyes and lowering her ears.
“Oh not on my watch.  Applejack, darling, can you watch Sweetie Bell for a moment while I take care of this.”  Rarity gently nudged Sweetie towards Applejack.  Sweetie gulped, but nodded at Rarity.
“Ummm, Rarity?”  Sweet Stuff started, but Rarity had already lapsed out of the clam and was stomping towards the dogs, still somehow retaining her regal grace.  Sweet Stuff eeped.  “They’ll tear her apart!”
“No they won’t.  Just watch.”  Applejack grinned.  She was going to enjoy this.
Rarity reached the edge of the dog pack.  One of the armored ones looked at her, blinked and whimpered.  It backed up to the wall of the Estate, whimpering like a…well like a whipped puppy.  Rarity looked down her nose at him, then bellowed.
“DOGS!  HEEL!”
The dogs looked up, and as one shrieked as if the boogymare had just leaped out at them.  They began to shove each other in front of each other, attempting to hide behind themselves.  Eventually, the leader, who Rarity recognized as the rather ugly one that had captured her before, was shoved in the front.  He took one look at Rarity’s expression and whined.
“What, precisely, is the meaning of this?”  Rarity asked in the manner of a stern and very disappointed schoolteacher.
The lead dog twiddled his claws.  “Er…hi nice pony?”  He said, and Rarity’s glare intensified.  The dog stammered.  “Oh, sorry!  Miss Rarity, right?  Sorry sorry!  Please no whining!”  He was doing a very good whine himself.
“I repeat, what do you think you are doing?”  She asked.  “I demand an explanation!  You are acting like brutes!  How dare you come to somepony’s house you don’t know and try to tear down their…very garish pink walls…unless they asked you fix that fashion disaster I don’t think you should be using your filthy claws on them.  And that’s another thing; have you dogs still not discovered showers yet?  Or water in general for that matter?”  By now Megan, Danny, Magic Star and Galaxy had exited the Estate to figure out what was going on, armed and ready for battle.  None of them expected to see a white alien pony standing there dressing their attackers down like this.  The four of them blinked at Rarity, then Danny broke into a grin.
“That is the weirdest, and coolest, pony I have ever seen.”  Danny grinned.
“Hi!”  Whizzer flapped over to them, Scootaloo on her back.  Scootaloo had wanted a better view, and despite the rough first introduction Whizzer had been happy to carry her.  Applejack, who had the other two Crusaders, and Sweet Stuff, who trotted over to Magic Star, followed her on the ground.  Whizzer set herself down.  “That’s-Rarity-don’t-worry-she-and-other-Applejack-aren’t-really-hostile!”
Magic Star blinked was about to reply when the Flutter Ponies dove out of the sky, intent on the group of Diamond Dogs and Rarity.  They turned in midair, about to unleash the Utter Flutter, when Whizzer looked up and darted towards them, shouting.
“Hey-hey-!  Wait!  The-bobble-heads-aren’t-the-enemy-they-thought-we-attacked-their-foals-look-I-have-one-right-here-her-name’s-Scootaloo!”  Whizzer pointed to Scootaloo, who peered over her head to blink at the Flutter Ponies.
“What in Celestia’s name is up with your wings?”  She asked.  
Honeysuckle narrowed her eyes at Scootaloo.  “Are you sure, Whizzer?”
“Well-this-one-here-is-rude-but-that’s-all.”
“HEY!”  Scootaloo objected.
“Well-you-are.”  Whizzer said.
“I hope you all have a very good explanations for all of this.”  Queen Rosedust said, looking down at the…scene below.  “I do not appreciate my ponies being attacked.”
“That-wasn’t-the-real-Morning-Glory-just-come-down-and-we’ll-explain!”  Whizzer said.
“Very well.”  Rosedust nodded, and the Flutter Ponies landed peacefully.  Most of them were watching Rarity dress the Diamond Dogs down.  Applejack looked over to them and tipped her hat.
“Sorry fer all the trouble.  Ah’m Applejack, but Ah ain’t their” she waved a hoof at the Ponylanders  “Applejack.  Ah’m from Equestria.  Nice ta meetcha.”
Rosedust studied her.  “…I’ve heard the name Equestria before…”
“Awww, that’s great.  Hope ya don’t mind if Ah just watch the Rarity Show over here fer a bit.”  Applejack grinned over at her friend, who was receiving the very very good reason for the Diamond Dog’s attacks.  Gems.  Of course.  Dogs had a one track mind.
“This pony is amazing your Highness.”  Danny grinned.
“And then the witch said if we bring ponies they give us gem!”  The hapless Diamond Dog said.
“You were going to sell us to Hydia for gems!”  Galaxy interjected, still very much pissed about this.
“WHAT!”  Rarity stamped at the dogs, who cringed.  “That is a whole new low for you ruffians!  Selling ponies for gems!  Giving them to some monster that wants to torture and kill them!”
“…what torture Miss Rarity?”  Asked the leader.
Rarity’s voice lowered as did her eyelids.  “Dear, do you happen to remember ‘whining’?”  The dogs made pained ‘eeeing’ noises.  “It’s like that.  Only worse.”  Her eyes widened and her voice raised at the last word.  The dogs shrieked as one and the leader threw himself on the ground at Megan and Galaxy’s feet, whimpering and crying.
“Please!  We sorry!  Don’t let her whine at us!  We’ll be good!  Please please plllleeeeeease!”
Galaxy smiled and nodded at Megan, who stepped forwards and started to lecture the dogs about proper behavior and such, while Rarity flicked her mane, looking a bit like how Opal looked after she swallowed a canary.  Applejack relived Whizzer of Scootaloo and walked over to Rarity, smiling.
“Awful impressive, sugarcube.”  She thumped Rarity on the shoulder.
“One does not always need to rough someone up to fight them, darling.”  Rarity smiled.
“I have to say, that was…interesting.”  Magic Star and Galaxy walked over to the Equestrians, followed by Whizzer.  “Whizzer has been telling us what happened.”
“Then perhaps you could tell me.”  Queen Rosedust fluttered over with Honeysuckle, who was still eyeing the aliens with suspicion.  “I want to know why you attacked Mornign Glory.”
“It’s like this.”  Applejack turned, Sweetie and Apple Bloom dropping off of her back to eye Rosedust with curisoty and fascination.  “These three troublemakin’ fillies apparently found some weird mirror thing leading from our world ta yours.  We come from a place called Equestria, and we had no idea this place existed.  Me and Rarity-“
“Rarity and I, dear.”  Rarity interjected.
“…thanks Rarity.”  Applejack snorted.  “Anyway, we went lookin’ fer em, and we found what looked like your friend foalnappin’ em.”
Honeysuckle snorted.  “You liar!  Morning Glory would never kidnap a baby!”
Applejack lowered her ears.  “Ah’m gonna let that slide cause ya don’t know me, pardner, but call me a liar again and Ah’ll buck you all the way back home.  Ah don’t lie about important things.  Besides, it wasn’t really your friend.  It was a shape shifting monster from our world called a Changeling.  It took your friends form just so we’d all fight each other.”
Galaxy paused.  “That…makes some sense.”
“And it would explain why we haven’t seen Morning Glory since that night.”  Rosedust nodded.  “And as I said, I have heard the name Equestria before, but I can’t remember where…”
“So do I…”  Magic Star said.  “In my magical history books.  Something about a mystical land where every type of pony has some kind of magical skill, and even us earth ponies can wield magic.”  She looked at Applejack.  “Can you use magic?”
“Well, no, Ah can’t learn spells or nothin’” Applejack said, but Rarity nudged her.  
“Earth ponies have magic, its just not a matter of casting spells, dear.  You can manipulate the land and make things grow.  Even rocks.  And ponies like Maud can manipulate the earth like a unicorn or a pegasus can’t, and don’t forget Pinkie.  You can’t tell me that is not magic of some variety.  It’s not the same as spells, but it is inherent magic.”  Rarity said.
“How…”
“Not all of us fall asleep during Twilight’s lectures.  It’s rude to snore, Applejack.”  Rarity said.
Magic Star blinked, then looked at Applejack.  “You…grow rocks?”
“Naw, I grow apples.  My whole family does, save for a few.  But our friend Pinkie Pie’s family grows rocks.”
“…like…a mine?”  Asked Galaxy.
“Naw, a rock farm is where ya grow rocks from the ground.  We trade the stones with dragons and griffons.”  Applejack said.
“So, the legends are true.”  Magic Star said, getting exited.  “I would love to see that!”
“It’s not that impressive, it’s just rock growin’.”  Applejack seemed puzzled.
“Rocks don’t grow here.”  Galaxy said.  “They’re just…in the ground.”
“Huh…this place is so strange.”  Applejack sighed.  “Anyway, that’s pretty much our side o’ the story.  But there’s something else.”  She looked at Knight Shade.  “Ya wanna pick it up from here, pardner?”
As Knight Shade begain to tell Galaxy, Magic Star and Rosedust his parts, Danny walked over to Rarity and Applejack and tried to pet Rarity’s mane.
“Hi, I’m Danny.  You were amazing back there!”  He smiled, eager to met this new interesting ponies.
“Rarity.”  Rarity nodded her head.  “Very pleased to meet you.  Human, correct?  I…honeslty can’t tell.”
“Yep!  Danny looked down at Sweetie, who waved at him with a hoof.
“Hi!  She’s my sister!  I’m Sweetie Bell!”
Danny visablity melted at the sight of all that cute in one little pony.  “Awww, you’re a cute baby.”
Sweetie frowned.  “Hey!  I’m not a baby, I’m eight!”  She squeaked at him.  Danny blinked.
“Gee, sorry.  Most of the baby ponies here are called that.” 
“It’s probably just a local colloquialism, Sweetie, I doubt he means any harm.”  Rarity said.
“Colony of what now?”  Sweetie asked.
Danny shrugged.  “Most of the foals here are just referred to as baby, especially if they look like their moms.”  He pointed at a small filly, who was poking her head out of the Estate window to look.  “Like Baby Ribbon up here.  Hey, would you mind telling everyone its safe?”
Baby Ribbon blinked.  “Is it?”
“Yep.”
“Okay Danny.”  The small blue head vanished.  A few moments later several curious baby Ponylanders trotted up to peer at Rarity, Applejack and the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  They stood at least a head or two above the Equestrian fillies, and they were of course wider.  Ribbon and Heart Throb followed, keeping a close eye on their young, just in case.  The two groups of young ponies stared at each other.  Then, Molly came out, and let out a small scream of joy.
“Oh they’re so cute!”  She smiled.  Sweetie and Apple Bloom shifted around in embarrassment, while Scootaloo snorted.
“I’m not cute!  I’m awesome!”
“Oh yeah?  What’s so awesome about you?”  Baby Lickety-Split snorted at her.
“Give me a scooter and a road and I’ll show you!”  Scootaloo’s wings buzzed.
“How come you’re so small?”  Baby Ribbon asked curiously.
“We ain’t small!  You’re fat!”  Apple Bloom announced.
“Apple Bloom!”  Applejack glared down at her sister.  “Mind your manners.”
“Sorry.”  Apple Bloom scuffed her hoof.
Molly stood up and smiled.  “Hey, are you three hungry?  Maybe we can track down Gingerbread and get some lunch?”  She hoped that she would be able to defuse a situation like her big sister could…
“Ah…that okay, sis?”  Apple Bloom looked up at Applejack.
Applejack looked at the listening Whizzer, who nodded at her.  Applejack turned her head back to Apple Bloom.  “Yeah, that’s prolly a good idea.  Ya go have a bite while we talk them.  We’ll head right home afterwards.”  
“Okay.”  Apple Bloom said, standing up and following the small crowd of baby ponies, who were hungry after the siege adventure, and eager for some lunch.  Heart Throb followed them, still determined to keep an eye on her daughter and the other fillies.  Ribbon paused and smiled gently at Applejack.
“Don’t worry.  Nothing will hurt them here.  I promise.”
Applejack tipped her hat to Ribbon.  “Thanks, er…”
“Ribbon…what do we call you?”
“Still just Applejack.”  She said.
“This will be…strange…” Ribbon said with a small shrug.  Still, she turned and followed the fillies, giving an amused glace to Megan, who by now had enlisted the Diamond Dogs into cleaning up the estate.




Pegasus feathers are strong, not to mention inherently magical.  They have to be, as they have to lift a creature that, frankly, should not be able to lift itself off the ground in the first place.  Magic was really the only way to explain it.  Celestia suspected that even Dream Valley ponies must have some sort of magic to be able to get off the ground, but now really wasn’t the time to speculate.
Being a near immortal, even she didn’t know how long she would live after ascending to alicornhood, Celestia had a lot of time on her hooves.  Enough time to decide that pomp and circumstance were boring, and one had to branch out to other hobbies or one would go mad.  She attributed Luna’s own corruption in part a result of a lack of hobbies.  If she had something to keep herself busy then the Nightmare wouldn’t have found her such an easy target.  
So over the centuries Celestia had found herself little hobbies.  One of these was lockpicking.  Because you never knew when you needed to get out of a cage when your magic wasn’t working.  Unfortunately, being an inherently magical being Celestia was out of practice.  She had already broken several of her own quills on this stubborn lock.
“Are you sure it’s going to work?”  Majesty asked, still lying on the ground.  The poor queen barely had any energy, due to be locked for so long in a cramped cage with little to no exorcise, and having her energy drained for so long.  Still, her eyes were bright and alert, even if her body was not.
“I’m sure I will get it in just a few more feathers.”  Celestia reached back and plucked another of her feathers from her wings.  She held it in her mouth and jiggled it into the lock, exploring and fiddling around.  After a few moments there was a satisfying click.  Celestia smiled and pushed the cage door open with a hoof.  She stepped out, looking around.  They seemed to be in some part of the Volcano, judging by the rocks.  She turned and smiled, spotting the keys hanging on the wall.  She trotted over, picked them up in her mouth, and began to try each one on Majesty’s cell.  After three keys, the cell opened.
“Can you walk at all?”  Celestia asked.
Majesty attempted to lift herself up.  Legs trembling she managed to walk to Celestia before her shaking limbs gave way, and she started to collapse.  Celestia extended her legs and caught her before she hit the ground.
“Damn those witches.”  Majesty growled.  “You have to go on without me.”
“No, you have been here far to long.  Your ponies need you.”
“They have been getting on well without me.”
“But do they want to?”
Majesty sighed.  “…you will have to carry me.”
“I know, it is alright.”  Celestia nosed under Majesty and rolled her gently on her back.  She flexed her wings, grunting a bit as the large unicorn’s weight settled on her back.  Though Celestia did possess the great strength of an earth pony, for some reason she felt oddly weaker then usual.
“The shadow took something from you, didn’t he?”  Majesty said.
“I think so.  This should be as difficult as it is.”  Celestia said.  She usually didn’t get this tired, but she was.  Majesty’s weight was making her back start to scream.  She felt her heart starting to race and he legs shook a bit.  What had that thing done to her?  She felt at only half her normal self.
But Celestia was determined, and she was not about to leave Majesty here.  Grunting silently, she began to walk, one hoof in front of the other.  Every step felt like agony, but she was going to stop.  She could feel the sun, even here, and she wasn’t going to stop till she found it.  
Celestia closed her eyes and listened hard, letting herself become in tune with the earth.  Earth ponies had a special connection to the world, even to a world that wasn’t their own.  Earth was not just a name for these ponies; it was part of who and what they were.  Sure, some would lose that special connection if they didn’t cultivate it, but Celestia had a lot of time on her hooves, and she had studied the ways of the earth pony, as well as the other two.  She cast her earth senses deep.  They were somewhere near the top of the Volcano, to Celestia’s surprise.  To her left was thick rock, leading to the outside, but the right…
“They’ve escaped!”
Celestia opened her eyes and looked up to see a Changeling fleeing down the hall, screaming.  She snarled and looked over her shoulder at Majesty.  “Hold on to my mane.”
Majesty blinked, but bit into Celestia’s mane anyway.  Celestia turned and reared, her hooves moving at a high, jackhammer rate of speed.  Rocks and dust flew into the air even as Changelings began to pour towards them, chattering and clicking.  Celestia kicked the rocks harder, smacking a few in the face as she went and burrowing.  She began to feel intense warmth under her hooves, and soon bright red light glowed from the rocks.  With two more hits the wall collapsed, revealing the open crater.  They were close to the lava, and any other creature might have been burned, and Celestia could even feel Majesty winch a bit in pain.  But she didn’t have that much time to think of that.  
Changelings nipping at her heels, Celestia charged forwards, wings flexing.  She opened them wide catching the hot air that came from the magma below.  She flapped hard to get a good balance, before spreading her wings and soaring upwards, boosted by the hot winds.  She extending her wings to their full extent, pain shooting through them as she struggled to lift both herself and her new friend.  It shouldn’t be this hard.  Growling to herself she flapped hard, churning the wind.  Damn it, she was out of shape!  But no!  She wasn’t going to give up!  She could feel the Changelings rushing behind her…wait!
Suddenly rolling in midair she dove, holding her wings to her sides, Celestia sharped her body like a spear, and dropped.  She could feel Majesty gripping her mane in a deathgrip, but she ignored that for the moment in favor of ripping through the Changelings like a hawk.  As she dove she saw the Changelings scream and dodge away, but a few didn’t make it in time.  She felt her horn slam against chitin, and several of them were sent spinning or falling.  She winced, hoping she didn’t hurt them to badly.  It wasn’t their fault they were Changelings, or that their queen was a fool.
As soon as Celestia neared the Volcano again she flared her wings and burst over the crater, leaving a soft, multicolored trail of light behind her.  She laughed.  She had never felt so alive in centuries, save for when Twilight was around!  Oh how she missed this place!  How she missed adventure!
She allowed herself to slow down a bit, then hovered gently.  Her wings ached, but it was a bit better up here.  Celestia found a thermal and relaxed a bit, letting the air carry her.  She looked around, getting her bearings.
“Over there!”  Majesty pointed with a hoof.  “I think that is my little one’s new home!”
Celestia turned her head and smiled.  There indeed was a nice little pink building, a small house, sitting there past the forest.  She wondered how many ponies could really fit there, but perhaps it was magic.  It was about an hour’s fly from where they were.
“Can you make it, Princess?”  Majesty asked.
“I can.  It’s a bit easier up here.”  Celestia spread her wings and began to soar towards the Estate, catching thermal after thermal, and enjoying the fact that she didn’t have to flap too much.  
“What do you think that shadow is?  Did Hydia mention anything around you?”  Celestia asked.
“No, she’s been doing surprisingly little monologing.  It worries me.  Usually she comes down and brags a bit when her schemes are going well, but this time, nothing.”
“Hmmm, I doubt that’s a good thing.  And that creature.  It seemed…familiar.  Like I have tasted that kind of evil before.”
“I wish I knew more.”  Majesty lifted her head and sniffed the air, closing her eyes.  “Right now though…it feels so wonderful to be free!”
Celestia smiled and settled into a comfortable silence with the other ruler.  She eyed the ground.  It hadn’t changed that much over the years.  The trees looked newer, as the old ones had probably died and sprouted new saplings, which then turned to mighty trees themselves.  She wondered briefly how many generations of tree had gone by.  It was an odd, strange little thought, but it wouldn’t leave her.
She flapped her wings slightly and concentrated on the path in the sky ahead, admiring the view as she flew.




Apple Bloom had to admit; they didn’t make a bad pie here.  Not as good as an Apple Family apple pie, but a decent pie nonetheless.  Alongside the pie they also had several verities of veggi sandwiches, some rolls, potatoes and various juices.  It was nice, almost like home, if a bit crowded with young ponies.  After some initial awkwardness the three Equestrian fillies started to talk with the Ponylander fillies, and while Apple Bloom found Baby Lickety-Split annoying, the rest of them seemed okay enough.
After they were finished eating Baby Cuddles leaped up, smiling at the Equestrians.  “Wanna play hide and seek?”  She asked.
“Hide and seek…where?”  Apple Bloom asked.
“Out there!”  Baby Cuddles pointed with a hoof.
“Isn’t it dangerous?”  Sweetie Bell asked.  
“Dangerous?  At Paradise Estate?  Of course not!”  Baby Lofty laughed and jumped up as well.  “Come on!  We’ll show you!”
“Are you sure it’s safe?”  Apple Bloom asked.
“Aww, you three are bigger chickens then Shady!”  Baby Lickety-Split laughed.  “Come on!  It’s not that scary out there!”
“Hey!  I am not a chicken!”  Scootaloo shouted, nearly upturning the bowls as she raced outside.  “Last outside’s a dork!”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell raced to follow their friend, followed by Baby’s Ribbon, Cuddles, Gusty and Surprise.  The rest of the Ponyland fillies separated off to do other things or play other games.
Baby Cuddles tapped a nearby tree stump.  “Okay, let’s use this home base.  I’ll be it first!”  She looked at the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  “You guys do have hide and seek in your world, right?”
“Yeah, course we do!”  Said Apple Bloom, although they only played it on the school playground these days.  They were to busy earning their Cutie Marks!  Still, it would be nice to have a little good clean fun.
Baby Cuddles put her head on the stump and covered her eyes, counting.  The others scattered, the CMC sticking together.  Apple Bloom looked up and grinned.
“Up here.”  She screeched to a halt in front of a tree and Sweetie Bell jumped on her back, followed by Scootaloo.  Apple Bloom climbed up, then reached down for the others, hauling them on her branch.  She grinned, and the three of the climbed a bit higher, finding a nice thick branch full of leaves.  The three of them huddled there, suppressing giggles.
It was interesting watching the Ponylanders play.  Soon Baby Cuddles had finished her count was racing around the estate, looking for other baby ponies.  Apple Bloom noticed that sometimes the adult ponies would wander by, clearly keeping an eye on things.  This made her feel a lot better, and she felt that Applejack was close enough so there little risk here.  It felt strange, and good, to finally be out of danger.
Suddenly something blotted out the sun, and Apple Bloom almost shrieked as wheatever it was shot above them, heading for the estate.  Scootaloo gasped and leaped out the tree.  
“Apple Bloom!  It’s the Princess!  Look!”
“Huh?”  Cuddles looked up as Scootaloo raced past her.  “That’s not how you play hide and seek!”  She blinked as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo raced past her, eyes wide in shock.  “What’s going on?”  She shrugged and followed, the other Ponylander babies coming out of their hiding spots, curious.  They followed the Crusaders around the side of the estate and gasped.
“Look at that!”  Baby Lofty pointed.  “She has wings and a horn!”
The baby ponies stared at Princess Celestia, who had landed in the middle of the group of Ponylanders, Equestrians and Flutter Poinies.  She panted a bit from the effort of carrying Majesty.  She smiled at the ground and lowered herself, letting Majesty slide off and stand as best she could.  
“Hello.”  Celestia smiled.  
“Your Highness!”  Rarity looked down at herself.  “Oh no I look terrible!  I could just die!”  Rarity almost fainted at the knowledge that her Princess could see her in such a horrid state!  Still, she did her best to bow before Celestia.  Applejack did the same, followed by Crusaders, who gathered near their sisters, and bowed as well.  Celestia sighed.
“Please, I appreciate it, but you don’t need to bow.  Not you five.”
Meanwhile, Magic Star was gapping like a fish at Majesty.  She took a cautious step forwards.  “My…my queen?”  She gulped.  “Is that really you?”
Majesty smiled, a wide, unqueenly grin, and she stepped forwards.  She stood a head or so taller then the others of her kind, and her horn was longer, but she was clearly a pony like them.  She lowered her nose and touched Magic Star on the head.  
“It is.  I’m home.”  She said.
“Majesty!”  Sweet Stuff suddenly burst through the crowd and charged forwards, almost knocking Celestia over.  In fact she also almost knocked poor Majesty over as she collided with her legs and gave the queen a fierce, tear filled hug.  “You’re okay!”
“Oh Sweet Stuff, you’ve grown so much, little one.”  Majesty smiled and almost to a pony her subjects swarmed her, as if having to confirm for themselves that the queen was truly there.  Even the most sensible and reserved of them came forwards, crowding her.  “Woah, hold on!”  Majesty laughed.  “Settle down!  It really is me!”  
Sweet Stuff suddenly flung herself at Celestia and gave her a hug as well, tears flowing from her crystal eyes.  “Oh thank you!  You brought her back!  Thank you!”
Celestia smiled and patted Sweet Stuff on the head with a wing.  “You are very welcome, little one.”  She said gently.
“Er, Princess, how’d ya and that other get here?”  Applejack asked as she straightened from her bow.  Celestia sighed and let herself sit on the ground.  Her wings ached from the trip, but she was feeling very satisfied at the happy scene next to her.   Quietly, she told a bit of the story, Majesty eventually untangled herself from her happy children and lay down next to Celestia, interjecting with her own bits.  The Ponylanders backed up a bit, giving her some space.
“So, the witches and the Changelings have the mirror that gets us home.”  Applejack finally said.  “That makes things a bit harder.”
Magic Star, who had finally stopped crying herself, snorted.  “We will have to retrieve it, then.  You, Princess, have done a great thing for us.  It is the least we can do to help you get your mirror back, and get you all back home.”  Magic Star looked towards the Volcano.  “They might not notice a small group of ponies, and time is of the essence.  They may be off guard.”
“Normally I would help, but I am afraid the shadow that dwells there left me drained.”  Celestia frowned.  “And I need someone to get this thing off my horn.”  She pawed at the magic dispelling ring that still was stuck to her horn.
“I will be happy to work on it with you.”  Galaxy said, studying the thing.  “I’m sure I can come up with something.”
“I’ll help, darling.  Besides, I don’t think I’ll be much use in a sneak attack.”  Rarity said, looking at the horn.  “I’m no Twilight Sparkle, but I might be able to come up with something.”
“Ah’ll come with you.”  Applejack smiled at Magic Star.  “Be glad ta help.”
“Ummm I know this is a really bad idea, and I’ll probably mess it up, but-” Shady fidgeted.
“Come along, Shady.  We can use you.  You need to stop thinking so negatively all the time.”  Magic Star nodded at them and turned.  “If that’s all, then lets go before the witches think to double the guards at the Volcano.”
“I know.”  Megan grinned and took off the heart shaped pendent from around her neck.  She approached Applejack put it around her neck.  
“What the hay?”  Applejack asked.
“It’s the Rainbow of Light.  It’ll protect you.  And you can probably use it to come back.”  Megan said.  Applejack nodded.
“Arighty then!  Let’s go!”
“Applejack!  You can’t go!”  Apple Bloom shouted.  “What if you never come back!”
“Apple Bloom, if’n I don’t go, then we never’ll get back home.  Don’t you worry, you got the princess here to protect you.”  Applejack nuzzled her.  “Ah know yer scared, but you can’t let what’s happened in this place get to ya.  You’re an Apple, and Apple’s don’t give up.  Ya have to be brave, right?”
“…Ah guess.”  Apple Bloom sighed.
“Ah’ll be back, sis, don’t ya worry about me.”  She gave Apple Bloom one last little nudge, before galloping to follow Magic Star and Shady.
“Let’s see if you can use the Rainbow to get us there.”  Magic Star said.  “It will be faster, and they won’t expect it.”
“Sounds good ta me.”  Applejack, though some flexible method that frankly puzzled the ponies, opened the locket with relative ease.  The Rainbow of Light soared out, hovering over the ponies.  Applejack stared at it.
“Er…what do I do?”
“Ask it to take us to the Volcano.”  Magic Star said with a little smile.
“Ah…aright…”  Applejack looked at the Rainbow.  “Hey…rainbow.  Take us to the witches’ Volcano.”  The rainbow dipped at them, and then dove, swirling around their bodies.  With a small flourish the rainbow lifted them into the air, and began to streak for the Volcano.
The Rainbow dropped them off through the hole in the wall that Celestia and Majesty had made previously.  Applejack had expected the place to be more guarded, but there was nobody there, not a single Changeling guard or even a worker fixing the hole.  Applejack didn’t like it.  It smelled like a trap.  Still, they had this Rainbow with them, and it felt almost like her old Element.  She opened the locket, letting the Rainbow settle back into its home.
“Darn handy little thing.”  Applejack smiled.
Magic Star nodded.  “Let’s find the mirror and be gone.  We shouldn’t linger.”  She raised her head and sniffed.  “Draggle once told me the basic layout, just in case…I think that Hydia keeps her treasures…this way.”  Magic Star turned and headed to the right.  “Follow me.”
Applejack had expected the place to be more…lively then this.  According to the Princess the place had been crawling with Changelings, now…nothing.  Not a single insect wing.
“I don’t this.  It’s to quiet.  It’s to dark.  They’re going ot get us.”  Shady whimpered, and Applejack resisted the urge to turn around and smack the other pony.
“Why’d the hay you come if you’re just gonna complain all the time.”  Applejack asked her fiercely.
“I wan to help, but I’m…useless.”  Shady sighed.
“Oh for Celestia’s sake, you’re never gonna be useful if you keep tellin’ yourself that.  Buck up!  You’re an earth pony!”
“I can’t fly, or do magic…” Shady said, but Applejack cut her off.
“Naw, none of us can.  But look, we’re the strongest of all ponies!  I bet even ya Ponylander earth ponies are the strongest.  Wings and magic mean nothing if you don’t have the heart, and it’s our hearts that make us earth ponies strong.  Our determination and our will.  You should never think less of yourself, sugar cube, just cause your abilities are more down to earth then the others.  You understand?”
Shady stared at Applejack.  “You…think so?”
“Ah know so.  The three of us are all earth ponies, and we’re bringin’ that mirror back.  Ain’t nothing gonna stop us!”  Applejack stared hard at Shady, even as the group started to trot up a flight of stairs.  She was more concerned now with the troubled pony beside her.
“I think this is it.”  Magic Star stopped at a door in the wall, on a small landing.  The staircase wound upwards and downwards in a crazy pattern, and Applejack had no clue how Magic Star had managed to traverse it so well.  Magic Star pushed the door, but it wouldn’t budge.  She sighed.  “Locked.”
“Allow me, sugarcube.”  Applejack smiled and turned her back to the door.  With a mighty kick of her hooves the door flew open with a bang.  She winched.  “Okay, that was a bit…loud.”
“Let’s hurry then.”  Magic Star started to step through the door, but as she did she leaned close to Applejack and muttered.  “Thank you.  She needs to hear that more often.”  Applejack nodded and smiled at Magic Star.  She entered the room, which was wall to wall junk.  Stuff was piled in various corners, books, cauldrons, metal pointy things that were probably weapons, sharper pointy things that defiantly were weapons, a few sinks, a collection of dead bugs, and copious amounts of slime. It would have reminded Applejack of Golden Delicious’ house, if her cousin were a worse housekeeper.  And insane.
“Hey, didn’t the princess say it was supposed to be in the dungeon?”  Applejack blinked.  
“Look at all the tracks.  People and some other creatures, probably Changelings, have been in and out of here recently.  And there are scuff marks…over there!”  Magic Star pointed to a jewel encrusted mirror leaning on the side of the wall.  “They must keep moving it!” 
“Ya, but why?”
“To keep the trap fresh of course.”
Applejack turned just in time to see the door fly close an inch from Shady’s tail.  The shy pony leaped behind Applejack, trembling.  Applejack heard Magic Star gallop next to her, snorting and pawing the ground.  
“Who are you?  What are you?”  Magic Star challenged.
Shadows condensed in front of their eyes, and slowly crawled upwards.  The shadows began to form a shape of a pony, a pony made entirely of shadow.  A dark outline of a muzzle, a pair of glowing yellow eyes, with no pupils to speak of, and two small ears were the only features it had on its cloudy face.  The thing chuckled, its voice making Applejack’s fur stand on end.  She backed away, standing protectively over Shady.  Magic Star still faced the thing, determined to protect her friends.
“Your friend knows who I am…don’t you, Applejack?  Element of Honesty.  You told of me, not to long ago…or did you think the Pink one was the end of it?”  The creature before them chuckled; its voice was distorted and cruel, and somehow male.  Its eyes flashed with barely concealed amusement.  It licked its shadowy lips, a long dripping tongue lashing out and slithering.  It seemed a mixture of both tar and cloudy shadow, a combination that made Applejack’s stomach turn.
“What are you talking about?”  Applejack asked.
The figure laughed, then spoke in a horrible, ghoulish mockery of Applejack’s voice.  “When I was just a filly, Granny Smith told me of an ancient legend…when night falls on the castle…”
“No…ya can’t be.”  Applejack stomped.  “Nightmare Moon is gone!  We banished her!  We freed Luna!”
“Your granny was right, not all of the evil was banished.  The Nightmare, you see…the Nightmare never ends.”  The creature seemed to lower its head.  “For now, I am the Pony of Shadows…but soon you will all call me Master.”
“Ah got something here that’ll fix your wagon!”  Applejack opened the locket, freeing the Rainbow.  “This ends now, Nightmare!  TASTE THE BUCKING RAINBOW!”
The Pony of Shadows jerked, as if afraid.  The Rainbow flew towards the Pony, and the Pony suddenly laughed, raising its hoof.  The Rainbow hit its hoof, and to Applejack’s shock, seemed to be absorbed into the Pony’s hoof, disappearing completely.  Magic Star, on the other hand, was not bothered.
“It did this before with Tirac.”  Magic Star said.  “You are through, shadow!”
“On the contrary.”  The Pony laughed.  He extended his hoof, and a dark Rainbow suddenly lashed out like a horrible tentacle, dripping wet with shadow as if it had been dipped in tar.  It slashed at the ponies, violently knocking Applejack and Shady into a pile of books.  “I planned for this.”
“Impossible!”  Magic Star backed away a step.  “You, you can’t-“
“You little fool!”  The Pony of Shadows approached Magic Star.  “You depend so much on your Rainbow, ignoring all the ways it can be rendered useless.  You let a human girl take the lead, in a foolish attempt to train her.  Now look at you, little pony.  Helpless.  I could kill you…” It leaned down, whispering in Magic Star’s ear.  “But I won’t.  I will see Majesty’s children bow to me.  Starting with you, little one.”  He breathed, a dark mist emerging from his mouth and pouring into Magic Star’s ear.  Magic Star’s eyes widened and her legs jerked.  She began to shriek, and tried to scramble away, but the shadowy pony produced more tendrils from his back and coiled them around her legs and throat, pulling her closer to him.  Magic Star wailed in pain, and her fur began to darken from bright yellow to a more dull mustard coloration.  She gasped, moaning, her eyes rolling as her struggles weakened, then ceased.  Slowly she turned her gaze upwards at her tormenter and mouthed something that neither Shady nor Applejack could make out.  The Pony of Shadows chuckled, as if amused, and smiled in sick satisfaction.
“You can leave.  I’ll even let you have the mirror.  It’s useless anyway.  You, little one…” A tendril almost lovingly brushed against Magic Star’s cheek.  “You will be my herald.  A taste of what is to come.”  The tentacles unwound from Magic Star’s legs, and she swayed for a brief moment before collapsing to the floor, eyes closing in exhaustion.
“See you at your home…I look forwards to seeing it.”  The Pony of Shadows laughed, and vanished.
Applejack kicked the books out of her way and raced to Magic Star’s side, Shady right next to her.  Shady put her hooves on Magic Star’s side and shook her.  
“Magic Star!  Oh no no no!  Please be alive!”  She closed her eyes.  “…the monster…”
Applejack leaned down and listened to Magic Star’s gasping breaths.  “She’s alive.  Come on, you have to help me move her!”
“But I can’t!  I-“
“No!  You stop that thought train right in its tracks, missy!”  Applejack turned, ears lowered.  “Your friend needs you to be strong!  She needs you to support her!  You have to do this, and you will.  I know you can!  Just remember, you’re an earth pony!  The strongest, bravest and most determined of all ponies.  You know why you weren’t born with magic or wings?  It’s cause you don’t need em!  Your strength comes from the heart, and now’s the time for you to show that heart!”
Shady stared at Applejack.  “R-really?”
“Of course!  Now stand still, Ah’ll help you.”  Applejack lifted Magic Star with her front hooves and laid her on Shady’s back.  Shady gasped, but didn’t drop Magic Star.  Instead, she nodded.  “I…I’m strong.  I can do this…Magic Star needs me to do this…I can do this!”
“That’s right, now let me get this confounded thing.”  Applejack walked over to the mirror and bumped her hip against it, letting it fall on her back.  “Now lets go in case creepy changes his mind!”
Shady nodded, and nuzzled Magic Star briefly, who did not react at all.  Shady sighed and followed Applejack.  “We should head for Flutter Valley, its not that far.”  Shady said.
“You know the way?”
“I do.”  Shady said, trying to make herself sound confidant.  They had the mirror, and surly they would be able to help Magic Star!  They had the Queen back, and the Equestrians had their strange princess!  Surely between the two they would be able to help Magic Star!
But as Magic Star breathed in her ear, a horrible wheezing sound, Shady felt dread that even she had never felt before.  She tried to fight it, like Applejack said.   But like the wheezing, it just would not go away.  Even after they left the Volcano with no further incidents, the feeling lingered.
I’m not going to think that way anymore!  I need to be the strong one now!  For Magic Star!  Shady thought, even as she shuddered at the thousands of eyes she knew were upon her.





The Pony of Shadows hovered on the edge of the Volcano, watching the three ponies leave with the mirror.  He grinned, and looked at the witch by its side.
“Now, for the Royal Paradise.”  He said as he turned.  “And then…all of Dream Valley, and Equestria.”

> Chapter Twelve
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twelve


Twilight Sparkle stared around the field outside of Ponyville, trying not to let her jaw drop.  Huge earth ponies, male and female, stood at the heads of several battlewagons, huge carriages meant to transport troops across long distances.  They were large, carriage shaped vehicles made of metal and wood, built for defense and function rather then for display.  They had soft pillows on the roofs, and on these roofs sat squads of night ponies, pegasus royal guards or griffons.  Galenad had brought a fighting force of griffons to help in the battle.  Griffons could not manipulate the weather on the same level a pegasus could, but they were fierce fighters, and each of them were determined to help their allies, and free their children from Arabus’ evil.  The great white dragon, who never gave his name, circled above, ready to follow on the wing.  Inside the carriages sat more squads of guards, unicorns and earth ponies.  In the front of the small army that Luna had gathered was a much larger, golden carriage, pulled by the biggest of the earth pony drivers.
“Are you sure you don’t want to try armor, Twilight Sparkle?”  Luna asked, she had already donned her own golden battle armor.  Twilight gulped.
“Sorry I just…feel awkward wearing something like that.  It feels wrong.”  She said.
“Very well.”  Luna looked over the carriages.  “Try not to look so nervous.  The troops will be on edge.
“I…this is all to much.”  Twilight said.  “Look at them all…I’ve never…”
“War is a foreign concept to many of us.  Even to the guards, though they’ve trained for this.  But still, right now you must not only be a friend, but a princess.  You have done it before.”  Luna smiled at her.  “My sister and I believe in you.  You will be fine.”
Twilight nodded, and then looked over at several of the Ponylanders getting into the Royal Carriage.  Luna had felt that their alien guests needed to be here, since they not only were the only ones who had faced Arabus before, but also because they were the first Ponylanders that had been to Equestria in a while.  In a way they were like ambassadors in their own right.  It surprised Twilight that the two pegasus Ponylanders didn’t chose to ride up top with the griffon ambassador, who insisted on coming to oversee the battle and lead his people.  But then neither was she.  She wanted to be with her friends.
Twilight trotted over to Draggle, who was about to climb in behind Fizzy.  She could hear Fizzy chattering with Big Mac inside.  Occasionally Big Mac would respond, but only in one of his favorite single words.  Twilight wasn’t sure what was up with that.  Frankly Fizzy’s eyes creeped her out.  Sure, she seemed nice enough, but Twilight had a hard time looking Fizzy in the eyes.  She knew she would get over it, but it was still a bit creepy.
Twilight shoved those thoughts to the back of her mind and smiled at Draggle.  “Are you okay?”  She asked.
“Fine.”  Draggle said shorty.
“Do you wan-
“No.”
“But you haven’t heard what I want to ask.”  Twilight blinked in surprise.
“No, I don’t want to talk about it.”  Draggle said.
“But I can help, I’ve studied friendship for the-“
“No.”
“I just want to-“
“Pony are you deaf?  No.  Two letters.  N.  O.  No.  Now leave me alone.”  Draggle turned without another word, sliding next to Fizzy, who wordlessly leaned a bit next to Draggle.  Draggle turned her head away, refusing to look at Twilight.  Fizzy muttered something in Draggle’s ear and Draggle hissed at her under her breath.  Fizzy just smiled at Draggle innocently.
“But I-“
“Oh just let it go!”  Gusty walked up and glared at Twilight.  “She’s not gonna talk to you about it.”  
“Why not?”
Gusty lowered her voice.  “You idiot.  She doesn’t know you.  She doesn’t trust you.  If you want to help best thing you can do is back off and let Wind Whistler handle it.”  Gusty snorted again and got into the carriage.  “Now come on, we have a cloud to fight.”
Twilight sighed and followed, not happy about this at all.  She sat across from Fizzy and Draggle, the witch not looking at her at all, and Fizzy just smiling at her gently.  Fizzy whispered something else to Draggle, who just grunted.  Fizzy shrugged and looked back at Big Mac, who was sitting across from them next to Twilight.  
“So, what kind of apples do you raise anyway…” Fizzy started, and Big Mac listed a few.  Twilight, not comfortable with the looks that Gusty was shooting her, decided the best thing to do was pull out a book on strategy and war from her saddlebag and get to studying.  After all, a novel on the art of war would be more useful right now then trying and failing to make small talk with ponies…er people, who clearly didn’t want to hear it.  She looked up as Spike leaped in and sat on her shoulder.  He leaned down and tried to read a passage.
“Gee, Twilight, you really do have a book for everything.”  He snorted.  “How in the world do you manage to make war sound so dull?”
Twilight chuckled at her dragon friend.  “It’s just in old Equestrian.”
“I know that book.  I remember its first publication.”  Luna said as she entered.  “But a book can only teach you so much.”
“Oh I know, I just want to have a foundation beforehand.”  She said.  “And it’s going to be a while before we get to the Crystal Empire.”
Wind Whistler shrugged, sitting next to Gusty.  “Interesting.  Hardly practical, but interesting.”
“I know it sounds funny, but she’ll probably do better fighting after reading that.”  Rainbow said, sitting in the third row seat behind the others.  “It’s like an extra egghead power.”
“Speaking of eggheads.”  Twilight teased as she tossed another book at Rainbow.  “Here’s your Daring Doo novel.”  Rainbow gave a whoop as she caught it.
“…you would think some of you would want to plan instead of read.”  Gusty snorted.
“It is going to be a while.  Eventually we shall run out things to plan.”  Luna said.  “Personally until we see the actual situation at the Empire I think we are set.  We still do not know the exact circumstances.”
Pinkie grinned.  “I’m so excited, aren’t you excited, I’m excited!  Yipee!”
Morning Glory and Fluttershy, both looking rather terrified, looked at each other.  Both of them seemed at the edge of screaming and running.  Twilight was starting to doubt Luna’s faith in Morning Glory.  Oh she seemed very sweet and gentle and would probably be a wonderful friend when they got to know each other better, but she also looked fragile and far to delicate.  Twilight hoped that the Flutter Pony magic was as powerful as everypony seemed to think it was.
Twilight felt a mild jerk as the carriage began to roll across the field.  They were off.  She gulped, diving into her book in an effort to keep the nerves away.  It was all going to be fine.  They would win in the end.  They would win.  She knew it.
She knew it.




“So let me get this straight, your name is really Spike?”
Twilight wasn’t sure how the conversation began, so caught up she was in the chapter on supply trains and the best way to cut off supplies from your enemies.  In fact she wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Still, something in Gusty’s tone made Twilight look up.
“Yep!  Twilight here hatched me!”  Spike said.
“Okay, that’s just strange.”  Gusty said.
“Why?”  Spike asked.
“We have a dragon friend named Spike too!”  Fizzy said, turning her head away from talking at Big Mac.
“Really?”  Twilight fully looked up.  “Who hatched him?  Does he look anything like our Spike?”  Spike himself looked curious as well, eyes wide as he looked between Gusty and Fizzy.
“I don’t know who hatched him.  It probably was Scorpan though…what do you think?”  Gusty looked at Wind Whistler.
“I have never discussed the subject of his origins with our Spike.  You know as well as I that he does not wish to remise on that time, Gusty.”  Wind Whistler looked at the Equestrian Spike.  “As for his appeared, he is a bit taller then you, and he is pale pink, and his snout is longer and broader.”
“Huh, that’s kinda strange.  Hey, do you have a Twilight?”  Spike asked.
“We have two.”  Gusty said.
“Two?!”  Rainbow Dash exclaimed.  “How?”
“Because two different mother’s decided Twilight was a nice name I guess.”  Gusty shrugged.  “One’s a unicorn and the other’s a pegasus though.”
“So how do you tell them apart otherwise?”  Spike asked.  “I mean, if someone says ‘Get Twilight’ how do you know which Twilight?”
“If it is needed we simply refer to their species.”  Wind Whistler said.  “If I need Twilight Unicorn I simply say I want to talk to Twilight Unicorn, and vice versa.”
“Huh, that makes sense.  Hate to have another Rainbow Dash running around, though.  There’s only one of me.”
“You watch, there’s another Rainbow Dash in another world that’s either a unicorn or an earth pony.”  Draggle muttered.  Rainbow snorted.
“As if.”  She folded her arms.
“I wonder…the worlds seem to be parallel, you would think that there would be more alternate versions of each of us.”  Twilight said.  “I mean, I used to be a unicorn, but how much am I like your Twilight?”  Twilight looked at Wind Whistler.
“Not that much, but I do not know you as well as I know Twilight Unicorn.”  Wind Whistler said.  “I do know she is not an alicorn though.”
“Never seen a pony with wings and a horn before.”  Gusty said.  “So I guess you’re pretty unique, name aside.”  
“It’s not a matter of my wanting to be unique, I’m just curious.”  Twilight said.  “I’m also fascinated by your different pony types. We both share earth, unicorn and pegasus, but I know we don’t have Flutter Ponies.  What other kinds of ponies do you have?”
“Sea Ponies!”  Fizzy grinned.  “They’re nice.  They like to sing and play, and they let their babies stay with us as they grow up!  They’re really fun!  And cute!”
“Irritating.  Loud.  Use passing people as goalposts.”  Draggle grunted.
“Most of the ones at the estate are babies, Draggle.  They can get carried away.”  Wind Whistler said.
“Where are their parents?”  Rainbow asked.
“Baby Sea Ponies are kept in secure ponds and rivers in the mainland, to protect them.  They let us watch over them while they grow, and the adults come in frequently to check on them.”  Wind Whistler said.  “When they grow old enough to swim independently they follow their elders to the sea.”
“Interesting.”  Twilight had found a quill and parchment from her saddlebags and was writing this down.  “So, what about Flutter Ponies?  Can you tell me a bit more about your kind, Morning Glory?”
Morning Glory, who had been dwelling on the coming fight, looked up.  “Well, we were isolated for a long time.  We are probably one of the most magical pony races.  It’s concentrated in our wings, where the Utter Flutter comes from.  Our wings have small scales, and the wind we generate is magical.  The fluttering spreads the scales, and the scales repel evil.  It’s how we protect ourselves.” 
“Fascinating…” Twilight scribbled.  “Are you considered Ponylanders or are you an independent kingdom?”
“We have a queen, and technically I guess we are separate, but ever since…ah, a few years ago we’ve been good friends with the ponies.”  Morning Glory said.  “One of them saved my life after I fell in a well.”
“Why couldn’t you fly out?”  Rainbow asked.
“Well.”  Morning Glory fluttered her wings.  “Our wings are very fragile.  Even to much water can ground us.”
“Wow, that sucks.”  Rainbow said.  “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you can use your magic on that cloud thing!”
Morning Glory smiled.  “Thank you.”
The carriage suddenly came to a halt, and Twilight looked out the door.  She gulped, finally noticing the snow outside.  “We’re here.”  She opened the door and got out, looking around.  They had stopped on the other side of the train tracks, which stood unused since the train had stopped coming to the Empire due to the cloud demon.  Twilight could see the Crystal Empire in the distance; or rather she could see the cloud covering the city.  She lowered her ears, eyes narrowing.  That cloud was hurting her brother, and her sister in law.  It was going down.
“I am still uncertain on how I am supposed to crush a cloud.”  The white dragon landed with a huff.  “I am not a pony.”
“No, you aren’t.  Jerk.”  Spike snorted.  The other dragon looked down.
“…what is wrong with you, hatchling?”
Spike folded his arms.  “I don’t known why you are here, dragons are bullies.”
“Spike!”  Twilight shushed him.  She looked up at the white dragon.  “I’m sorry, the last dragons he met were actually a group of bullies an-“
“I know, I remember.”  The white dragon lowered his head and stared at Spike.  “I saw a bit of you at the lava pits.  My hatchling was among those adolescents.  You should not judge your own kind on the actions of a few foolish children who don’t understand what strength means.  An adult could have taught you, had you thought to ask us.”
“Why didn’t you say anything then?”  Spike asked, glared at his kin’s huge yellow eye.
“Know this, little one.  Dragons believe in strength and independence, rather then friendship, though we recognize that ponies are strong with friendship.  Young dragons sometimes think this means nothing but blind power, but they are wrong.  Your pony allies are an example.  Alone they are often weak, but with their friendship they are strong.  A wise dragon respects this strength.  A young foolish dragon only sees a small herbivore.”  The white dragon snorted.  “You base your ideas of your own kind on the actions of children.  I suggest you don’t.  Now.”  The dragon looked at Twilight.  “I hear you have one of these…Flutter Ponies with you?”
“Umm, that would be me.”  Morning Glory came out, followed by Wind Whistler and Surprise, who seemed determined to protect her.  “Ummm…hi?”
The dragon stared at her.  “You are smaller then I thought.  There is only one of you?”
“If I could bring the others, I would.”  Morning Glory said.
“Hmmm, regardless, you will have to do.  I will be there to crush them, though.”  The dragon raised his head to the cloud, and a worried frown suddenly crossed his muzzle.  “…can you ponies feel dread as I do?  There is something more here.”
“Now that you mention it.”  Twilight shivered.  “I do feel something.”
“We’ll have to face whatever it is.”  Galenad hopped down.  “The griffon’s are ready to engage.”
“As am I.”  The dragon rumbled.
Luna nodded, then surveyed the arrayed troops.  The ponies had all deployed from the carriages, the ground troops standing at attention, and the flyers, including the griffons, were hovering in the air.  All of them had armor of some sort; in fact the only ones that didn’t were the Ponylanders.  Each one held a steady gaze, ready to fight.  Luna took a deep breath, and looked over at the group that came with her.  She looked down at Fluttershy.  
“We do not have the Elements.  I know you are a very brave pegasus, and that you would do anything for us, but perhaps your talent for healing would be best with the emergency medics?”  Luna waved a hoof over at the group of nurse earth and pegasus ponies, each with a small white hat with a red cross.  They were separating first aid kits near a small tent that they had erected.  “We can use all the healers we can.”
Fluttershy looked up at Luna with pure relief, and then looked at Twilight.  “May I?”
Twilight came over and nuzzled her.  “I can’t think of any other pony I’d rather trust my life in.  Hey, Spike, can you do me a favor?”
“Sure, what do you need?”
“Can you go with Fluttershy?”  Twilight hoped he was buying her smile.  “I need somepony…er, dragon I can trust to keep her safe.”
Spike’s face fell.  “Aww, but I wanted to fight!”
“But if the Changelings come, then Fluttershy will need you.”
“Oh yes, Spike.”  Fluttershy interjected.  “I know that a brave dragon like you would rather be fighting, but I…need someone to help me.  I know that Rarity would be very impressed by your gallantry.”
Twilight blinked.  Who knew that Fluttershy could be so manipulative?  Still, at the mention of Rarity’s approval Spike sighed, but got off Twilight and walked over to Fluttershy.  “Fine fine.”  He grumbled.
Fluttershy smiled happily and trotted over to the medical team, introducing herself to the pony in charge with a small smile.  The doctor smiled and welcomed her gladly, happy to have an Element on Harmony on his side.
Luna nodded, then turned her head to the assembled troops.  She spread her wings and switched to the Royal Canterlot Voice.
“Allies!  Friends!  Soldiers of Equestria!  Today we face an evil from a world long lost to us.  I shall not lie to you!  Our enemy is a demon, a monster that steals the energy and life from his victims.  But fear not, for we have allies of our own from this world!  With them, this demon shall not stop us!  The Crystal Ponies are trapped there, and are we going to let them be taken over by evil again after so long!”
There was a roaring chorus of no from the crowd.  Luna nodded.
“The ground team shall go with Princess Twilight Sparkle.  The goal is to find the Crystal Ponies.  The air team shall follow myself and this Flutter Pony.”  Luna nodded at Morning Glory, who gulped at the attention she was getting.  “We shall face the demon head on!  Are you ready, great warriors!?”
The guard ponies once again cheered, almost in unison.
Luna turned and gave the signal and launched into the air, followed by Rainbow, Wind Whistler, Surprise and Morning Glory, who was shaking.  To Twilight’s surprise Draggle wasn’t riding Wind Whistler for once.  Instead she had climbed on Fizzy, who was sticking fairly close to Gusty.  Twilight looked at them, puzzled.
Draggle snorted at her.  “Wind Whistler needs all the maneuverability she can get.”  Twilight nodded, and turned to head to the soldiers.  She wondered if she should make a speech but…Luna was already in the air.  So instead she turned and shouted.  
“Alright!  Let’s go find Shining Armor and Cadence!”  She reared and charged for the bank of clouds in front of her.  She narrowed her eyes, running through several spells she could use in case of a Changeling attack.  She was fully prepared for the bug like creatures…in fact she could see several large pony shaped solitudes ahead of her.  This was going to be easy!
But then the clouds parted, and Twilight had to hold back a scream.
Row after row dead pony skeletons stood before them, smiling eternal, horrible smiles.  Mouths moved up and down, terrible clacks and snaps were heard as bone slid against bone.  Horrible and terrifying, Twilight couldn’t move at the sight.  The troops slide to a stop behind her, gapping at the creatures.  A few of the guard looked like they were going to break ranks and run.  But then a pink figure bounced towards the skeletons, laughing it up just as she always did.
“Pinkie, wait!  They aren’t illusions!  Laughing won’t make them go away!”  Twilight said.  “They could hurt you!”
Pinkie smiled.  “I know, but they’re just a pile of old bones!  Look at them!  They’re just bones!”  Pinkie bounced closer, and one of the things dove for her, jaws snapping.  Pinkie laughed and turned, kicking it in the skull.  The skull flew upwards, and snapped on the ground.  Pinkie dove for the rest of it, and kicked and smashed the skeleton to shards, all the while laughing.  “Don’t be afraid of scary things!  Beat them up and you’ll see!  We can shatter them!  Come on girls and boys!  Don’t we have a princess to rescue?”  Pinkie began to laugh again, and loudly sang the same song she had back in the forest, when Twilight first met her.  Twilight blinked, then laughed herself.
“Come on, she’s right!”  She looked back at the troops.  “We can buck them just as well as we can buck a Changeling!  Follow me!  Charge!”  Twilight reared and dove for the nearest skeleton, her horn blasting it away.  She saw Gusty charging next to her, kicking up huge breezes with her horn, and blowing the skeletons into buildings and shattering them.  Draggle, still riding Fizzy, swung her stick, breaking skulls open and sometimes using magic to shatter them.  Big Mac followed Fizzy, knocking aside any skeleton that dared come to close.  Unicorn guards blasted the skeleton’s apart with magic at a distance, while earth ponies kicked and bucked any skeleton that go to close.
“Stay together!  Don’t let them overwhelmed us!”  Twilight’s only fear now was that the skeletons would surround a few of them and swarm them.  Her fears were confirmed when she saw an earth pony stray to far and get swamped by a pack of five skeletons.  He screamed as the bony beasts cut into his armor with their teeth and sharp hooves.  Twilight lifted into the air with a might flap of her wings and dove, blasting the skeletons away from the guard, and then kicking the remainders away.  She leaned down and lifted the earth pony up with her shoulder, supporting him as she dragged him back towards the other ponies, not stopping even when a few skeletons swooped in to nip at her throat.  Fizzy and Draggle suddenly appeared, Draggle shocking one skeleton while Fizzy head butted another.  Two unicorns galloped up and lifted the injured solider from Twilight’s back.  Twilight just managed to note the expressions of respect the two held before they charged away with their injured friend, probably to the field hospital.  Twilight panted, turned, and rejoined the fray.
She could hear Pinkie ping ponging around the battlefield, and she laughed.  Twilight laughed, and then noticed the other ponies, even if they were hurt, laughing as well.  Twilight smiled, then began to sing Pinkie’s song as well.  The rest of the troops began to sing as well, the whole thing turning into a strange, upbeat battle chant, that lifted the ponies spirits, and helping to drive them forwards into battle.  Even the ones hurt seemed full of spirit.
Slowly the Equestrians began to push the skeleton’s back, smashing and trampling them under their hooves.  Twilight could tell that there were far more skeletons then ponies, but that wasn’t going to stop them.  The skeletons were fragile, though they had a fierce bite.  However, step after step, slowly the ponies drew closer to the heart of the Crystal Empire.  If Shining Armor and Cadence were there, then they would reach them.




Rainbow watched Morning Glory with some concern.  She really hoped that this Flutter Pony would be alright.  She seemed like she was going to pop out of her own fur.  She was so much like Fluttershy, and though Rainbow couldn’t help but like her, she did wonder if she could handle what they had to do.  She hoped so.
Rainbow looked ahead at the cloud.  It didn’t look so tough.  Just a stupid big cloud.  What was there to be afraid of?  Ha!  This was going to be a cloudwalk!
The cloud shifted, forming a face.  Okay.  That was creepy.  Rainbow had to give it that.  The face chuckled.
“Well well, if it isn’t little Luna.  Where’s your sister?  Not here?  Such a shame.”  Its eyes slide around, and it grinned as it saw Morning Glory.  “I remember you as well.  Only one of you?  Is your queen such a coward that she won’t even come when faced with a more powerful foe?”
Morning Glory bristled.  “Queen Rosedust is not a coward!”
“No, but you are.  I can see you tremble from here, little Flutter Pony.”
“I’m…afraid…but that’s not going to stop me.”  Morning Glory said.
“Why?  You have your little friends?  Well…”Arabus chuckled.  “I have something better then friends…”  
Rainbow squinted.  Something was emerging from the clouds.  Several small something, and one big something.  Arabus grinned and parted himself a bit and even Rainbow gasped in shock.  Hovering there was the skeletons of hundreds of dead pegasi, night ponies, griffons…and one huge dragon.  Arabus laughed.
“I have an army of my own now.”
At the horrible sight of so many skeletons even Rainbow felt her heart skip a beat.  It was such a horrible sight!  Rainbow didn’t know if even she could find it in herself to fight the bones of dead ponies.
But the dragon stared at his skeletal kin and roared.  “MONSTER!  YOU DARE DO THIS TO A DRAGON!  YOU SHALL FALL!”  Their dragon flapped forwards, spewing fire from his maw, roaring in challenge.  The undead dragon soared to meet his living counterpart, and the two collided in midair between the two armies, spinning through the air.  The two clawed, bit and scratched each other, blood and bones raining on the Crystal Empire as the undead dragon tore into the living one’s scaled, and the living dragon pulling bone after bone from the undead dragon and crushing them in his claws.  The living dragon ripped away from the undead and breathed a stream of fire at the undead one.  The undead dragon ducked and dove away, and the living dragon following, clawing and firing at its heels.
Luna’s horn erupted in moonlight, and she focused a beam of it between Arabus’ eyes.  The cloud demon laughed and a hand formed, swatting at the ponies.  Galenad screeched and soared beside Luna.  
“Princess, we griffons shall fight the undead!  You attack the demon directly!  Follow me, my people!  To victory!”  The aged griffon dove for a skeleton pegasus, slamming into with both claws like a diving falcon, ripping across the thing and shattering it.  His people followed, clawing and biting at the skeletons.  Though bones rained down the griffons were outnumbered, and Luna saw several of them spiral and start to fall, wings damaged from skeleton claws.  Medical team pegasi flapped in, attempting to catch the victims as they fell, and Luna hoped they got them all.  
Luna flapped her wings and rose to meet Arabus head on, using beams of moonlight against his cloudy form, dodging strikes from both the demon and the skeletons that managed to dodge the griffons.  “Wear him down!  Show him how Equestrians deal with unruly clouds!”  Her pegasi split into groups and began to clear the clouds as best they could.  Often they would find themselves having to dodge a skeletal claw or a wing, and a few pegasi began to drop as well, wings shredded from the skeletons.
Morning Glory fluttered frantically, escorted by Wind Whistler and Surprise.  Morning Glory was Utter Fluttering as hard as she could, the magic scales from her wings sprinkling through the air and dispersing the clouds instantly.  Wind Whistler and Surprise wheeled around their friend, looping around her and butting away any skeleton that came close to them.  Their elder and friend, Firefly, had taught many of the young Ponylander pegasi the double inside out loop, and though Medley would have screamed at the danger of it all, Wind Whistler and Surprise found it was effective as a defense, allowing them to circle Morning Glory and keep the skeletons at bay.  However, it was clear that, though Morning Glory’s fluttering was effective, there was far too much of Arabus for her to make much of a difference.  She might as well have been hitting an elephant with a tree branch.
Arabus laughed.  “Fools!  One Flutter Pony can’t beat me now!  Not with all the power that he has given me!  You will all die here!”
Rainbow sped through the great cloud that was Arabus, buzzing her wings at the thing and dispersing it.  She could hear the creature laugh, and for once the clouds were lashing back at her.  Strips of the cloud would break off and slap at her attempting to crush her wings or break her legs.  Rainbow dodged or struck each one, and she noticed something odd.  Every time the cloud would come in contact with her rainbow trail she left when she flew, it would recoil, as if not happy.  She wondered…
She bucked in midair when a pack of skeleton pegasi almost collided with her, claws scratching at her chest and legs.  She struck back, ignoring the pain as they surrounded and tried to tear her apart.  A white blur suddenly dove from the sky and kicked a skeleton in the face, shattering it.  Rainbow ducked as Surprise delivered a few more kicks to the skeleton, shattering it totally.  Rainbow jerked back as she noticed that Surprises’ white coat was streaked with blood, almost making her look like a candy cane.  She opened her mouth to thank Surprise when a skeleton griffon latched onto Surprises’ back and spiraled her towards the ground.  A few seconds later Wind Whistler zoomed by her, following her friend with a determined look.  Morning Glory pulled up beside Rainbow, panting.	
“He’s right!  I can’t do this alone!  I…I’m not strong enough!  There’s only one of me!”  Morning Glory’s eyes were filling up with frustrated, hurt tears.  Rainbow gritted her teeth.
“It’s not over yet!  We can’t give up…hey…I got an idea!”  Rainbow grabbed Morning Glory by the shoulder.  “How fast can you fly?  Can you break the sound barrier?”
“No…”
“Then you’ll just have to hang onto me.”
“Wha-“
“Just get behind me, grab my waist and keep fluttering!  We’re going to spread your magic all over the sky!”
Morning Glory stared at her, then did as she was told.  Rainbow soared upwards, the extra weight from Morning Glory slowing her, but if she wanted to be a Wonderbolt…she could do it!  She buzzed her own wings, flapping frantically, soaring up and up and up, dodging through skeletons and pegasi and griffons as she soared high above them.  
Arabus laughed.  “Run Flutter Pony!  Run like the coward you are!  A coward from a race of cowards!  What did your worthless kind ever truly risk for anyone!  You only fight when you think you can win!  Flee!  FLEE WHEN YOU’RE MOST NEEDED!  THAT’S ALL YOU’RE GOOD FOR!”
“Don’t you listen, we are about to be awesome!”  Rainbow said, turning in midair.  She looked down.  She could see the epicenter of the cloud, a twisted face that laughed as it swatted at anypony that came near, especially Luna, who dodged and dove in midair, blasting Arabus whenever she could.  Rainbow aimed, and looked back at Morning Glory.
“I’m the fastest flyer in Equestria.  Once I reach Mach speeds I can create a blast of rainbow energy called a Sonic Rainboom.  I’m hoping if we combine my Rainboom with your Utter Flutter we can scatter the flutter and blow Arabus to kingdom come!  You with me?”
Morning Glory stared at her.  “No Flutter Pony has ever gone that fast, I don’t know if I can do it!”
“Look, I won’t force you, Morning Glory.  I have no idea if it will even work.  If you don’t’ want to, then just let me go.  I’ll just Rainboom him myself!”  Rainbow smiled at her, not wanting to force the other.  Morning Glory stared at her, then looked down at Arabus and back at Rainbow.  
“I’m not a coward.  My people aren’t cowards.  Do it, Rainbow.”  Morning Glory began to Utter Flutter, creating a small cloud of magic.  “I’m ready.”
“Don’t worry Morning Glory!  You’re riding with Rainbow Dash!  I make the impossible happen!”  She reared in midair, and once again buzzing her wings at top speed, Rainbow dived down, narrowing her body and sticking a single hoof out in front.  She felt Morning Glory squeeze her middle and try to make herself as aerodynamic as possible, and Rainbow reached with her other leg and hooked it around Morning Glory’s leg, keeping her there.
How Morning Glory was ever able to stay on Rainbow’s back that day no one knew.  How Rainbow’s insane plan, built entirely on what the mare thought of as ‘cool’ at the time worked is another mystery.  Perhaps it was a bit of pegasus magic, an unknown element similar to that of the innate powers of the earth pony.  Perhaps the fact that Morning Glory was a Flutter Pony, another inherently magical being, helped.  Either way…	
Rainbow felt the pressure build and build on her body, till her face was screaming as she felt the sound barrier starting to form against her hoof.  Her lips pulled back from her teeth as the barrier began to show more and more resistance.  She could hear Morning Glory keening in pain in her ear, but if Rainbow stopped now then they both would be thrown back, and be no help to anypony.  Rainbow bore down, and her hoof broke through the barrier.
A sudden burst of rainbow energy, combined with the powerful magic of the Utter Flutter, exploded like a nuclear bomb, the rainbow energy carrying the Utter Flutter outwards.  The rainbow energy itself shimmered bright as it had never shone before, the Utter Flutter adding a special element that had never been there till this day.  As one the skeletons look up, and as soon as the Rainboom hit them they shattered into millions of dusty pieces, raining down on the ground like ash.  
Arabus had just enough time to look up as Rainbow Dash’s Rainboom exploded in his face.  The cloud demon roared in pain, receiving the full brunt of the rainbow attack.  He howled, his form stripping away as the Rainboom combined with Utter Flutter tore into him like a thousand skinning knives, his essence disappeared and stripping away.  Shadows began to expel from his body, griffon, dragon, pony and others that seemed humanoid, all began to escape, and skipped outwards, finding their owners, even if that owner might be in Ponyland.  As his army rained to the ground Arabus himself shrank and shrank, but it didn’t stop there.  The Equestrian pegasi, seeing this, dove at the rapidly shrinking cloud demon, bucking, flapping and blowing, using every weather trick in the book to expel even more shadows, until Arabus was the size of a small mouse.
Luna hovered in front of the small creature, frowning.  “…You are done.”  She said.
Arabus looked up at her.  “…mercy?”
“…no.”  Luna’s horn flashed, and Arabus was consumed in a shower of light.  “To Tartarus with you.  You shall never hurt another pony again.”
Luna looked up to a savage roar, and saw the undead dragon and his living counterpart falling to the ground, locked in each other claws and ripping at each other.  There was a mighty crash as the two landed in front of the Crystal Palace, the undead dragon astride the living, mouth open to bite.  Luna turned, though she wasn’t going to make it in time…just in time to see Twilight’s purple energy shoot at the undead dragon’s head.  Luna looked down at the street to see Twilight and a small number of the ground crew facing the dragon down.
Luna turned to the pegasi.  “Find as many of the wounded as you can.  Get the safety.  I shall take care of that dragon.”
The pegasi and griffons scattered to take care of the wounded, and Luna turned to the dragon.  She blinked as Galenad flew up to her.  
“You aren’t going there alone.”  He said.  “Let’s go.”  He turned and dove towards the dragon, shrieking an eagle like battle cry.  Luna smiled.  She couldn’t help but love griffons.  She dove as well, horn alight with anticipation.




Rainbow cut off the Rainboom as soon as she could, afraid since Morning Glory had said her kind didn’t go that fast.  She lowered herself to a rooftop, landing with a soft thud.  She looked behind her, and gasped in horror.
Morning Glory slid to the ground, eyes clenched in pain.  Her beautiful, shimmering butterfly wings were shredded like thin paper.  Flaps of what were once wings hung listlessly from her sides, and huge holes had been ripped open, some as long as Rainbow’s leg.  Morning Glory swayed, then collapsed fully to the ground, eyes drooping.
“Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!”  Rainbow’s heart broke at the sight of those once delicate wings shredded and slashed almost beyond recognition.  She raced to Morning Glory’s side and put her legs around her shoulder, hugging her.  “This is all my fault!  I’m sorry!  I’m sorry!  I didn’t want to hurt you!”
“Is…Arabus gone?  Did it work?”  Morning Glory asked wearily.
Rainbow looked up in the sky.  “Yeah, we did it…but you’re hurt!”
“We won…we saved…so many…it’s alright…I’m…happy…” Morning Glory blinked pain filled tears form her eyes.  Slowly her body curled up into a ball, and she sighed gently.  “So happy…my people aren’t cowards.”
Rainbow didn’t know much about animals, but she had seen animals die in Fluttershy’s care.  The gentle pony was always sad, but had seen it enough to know that it happened.  The most fragile of her creatures were butterflies, and Rainbow could remember seeing a few dead butterflies on occasion.  Right now, more then anything, Morning Glory reminded Rainbow of a dead butterfly.  She knew, from what Fluttershy said…they never could live that long without their tiny wings.
“No…no!”  Rainbow grunted and dragged Morning Glory on her back.  “I’m not letting you die!  Not after this!  You’re going to be okay!   I promise!  We’ll find Fluttershy!  She’ll know what to do!”  Rainbow lifted herself into the air and once raced to the medic tent.  But for the first time in her life she felt no joy in flight.



Twilight and the ground crew had started to charge as soon as the Rainboom exploded over them, the energy causing the ground bound skeletons to stop.  While they did not collapse at the force of the boom, they did pause long enough for the rest of the ground troops to dispatch them.  Twilight could now see a clear path to the palace, where she hoped her family was holed up.  She charged, followed quickly by the Ponylanders and Pinkie.
Suddenly she heard a horrifying scream, and Twilight looked up.  The two battling dragons suddenly crashed in front of her, kicking up dust and dirt.  The dust settled, and Twilight could see that the undead dragon had the living one pinned to the ground, and was slashing at his chest and belly.  Twilight backed her ears and charged forwards, blasting the undead dragon in the face with her magic.  The undead dragon looked up and roared at her.  Slowly it crawled off the living dragon and whipped its bony tail around.  Twilight stamped and spread her wings, not backing down.  She looked to either side and saw Pinkie, Gusty, Fizzy (with Draggle still on her back), and Big Mac stand beside her.  Every single one of them, even Pinkie, was bleeding from some place, but even as the ground soldiers began to back away, they didn’t.  They stood with Twilight, just as determined as she.
“You guys prepared for this?”  Twilight asked.
“Yep!”  Pinkie beamed.
“Eyup.”  Big Mac.
“No problem!”  Fizzy said.  Draggle just sort of grunted, but she looked resolute.
“I’m always ready!”  Gusty smiled as Wind Whistler and Surprise flew down, hovering above them.  “Where’s Morning Glory?”
“Last I saw she was with Rainbow Dash.”  Surprise said.  “I bet they made that big boom!”
“No time for talk, it’s going to charge.”  Twilight tensed, as Luna and Galenad finally arrived.
“Indeed, we are with you, Twilight Sparkle.”  Luna said.
Twilight nodded, letting her horn light up once again.  She reared, flapped her wings and charged as the dragon swung its bony tail at them.  She smiled.
It was time to teach that bag of bones a lesson!




It was another wonderful, sun shiny day at the Royal Paradise.  A spread of cakes, pies, small sandwich’s, and other foodstuffs were arranged on a table, covered with a glittering tablecloth and adorned with a decorative pony ice sculpture, courtesy of Princess Royal Blue’s magic.  Flowers hang from every available space, blooming in beautiful multicolors.  The Princess Ponies stood in a circle, each with their wands at their feet.  Another month had passed, and it was time to pick a new queen.
Princess Tiffany stood forwards.  “Once again, it is time for the crown to pass to another of us, dear sisters!  As usual Queen Serena has done a wonderful job!  We are so pleased to have you among us!”  The assembled princesses cheered for Queen Serena, who bowed to them with a small smile on her face.  “But now it is Princess Starburst’s turn to inherit the title of Queen.”  More cheers and a few hoof stomps.  Queen Serena and Princess Starburst walked into the circle and bowed to each other.  Serena took the crown from her head and gently placed it on Starburst’s.  She backed away and bowed again.  “All hail Queen Starburst!”
“All hail Queen Starburst!”  The other princess’s chorused, stamping their hooves in approval.  
Starburst bowed to them.  “My thanks.  I just hope my rule will be as successful as my previous ones!  Now…to the cake!”
The princesses laughed happily and charged for the deserts, digging in with enthusiastic, though polite glee.  Their small island was peaceful.  The Heart of Ponyland well protected, and the lava demons and the ice orcs were at peace with each other and them.  Who wouldn’t be happy?  Who wouldn’t be filled with joy?
“Help us!  Help!”
The Princess Ponies looked up to see several Ponylander pegasi diving down towards them looking bruised and battered.  Princess Tiffany recognized several of them.  Paradise.  Wind Whistler.  Surprise.  It seemed that every pegasi at the Estate was there.  Each of them carried at least one of their friends on their backs; also looking bruised and battered, as if the entire Estate had been moved here after a fight.  Wind Whistler collapsed an inch or two from Princess Tiffany, eyes wide in uncharacteristic horror.
“…monsters…”  She gasped.  “Attack…”
“Oh my!  What happened!  How can we help?”  Princess Tiffany rushed over to comfort the clearly traumatized pegasus.  It must be bad if Wind Whistler was showing such obvious fear!
“Creatures…that suck love…” Wind Whistler said.  “…you know…the worse part?”
“What?”  Tiffany asked as the other Princesses rushed over to help, as well as the new Queen.  “What is it?”
“Come closer…” Wind Whistler wheezed, and Tiffany leaned down to hear what the injured pegasus had to say.  “I’m one of them.”
“Wha?”  Tiffany started to jerk back, but something green erupted from Wind Whistler’s head, and all of a sudden Tiffany was looking into the cruel blue eyes of a monster.  The thing was half the size of a pony, and shaped very much like a pony.  However it had small sharp fangs, holed legs, a tattered horn, and fly wings.  Green shot from its horn and Tiffany felt her hooves starting to be incased with green sludge.  Tiffany attempted to fly into the air, determined to flee had she had when the lava demons attacked to find help.  The sludge shattered from her hooves and she flapped into the air, only to feel something slam into her back.  She grunted as she landed, the huge thing on her back laughing cruelly.  She looked up to see a much larger monster, with a round head, huge eyes, and long decrepit hair.  Tiffany gasped in horror.  
“Wha-…what are you?”
The creature leaned down, smiling at her.  “I?  I am a true Queen.  Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings.”  Chrysalis leaned down, licking her lips.
“Don’t get to…excited Queen.”  A shadowy fog, dripping with liquid shadow, rose from the ground, forming into the shape of a male pony with yellow eyes.  The Pony of Shadows smirked down at Tiffany, who felt her stomach clench in fear.  She shook as the thing approached her.  He reached off and almost playfully pawed at her fallen wand.
“You will never be able to use it, fiend.”  Tiffany said.  “Only a Princess Pony can use it!”
“Oh, I know, and I will give it right back to you.”  The Pony of Shadow’s smiled as the Changelings dragged the other captured Princess Pony’s forwards.  “Once you are my servants…”
“NEVER!”  Tiffany bellowed defiantly.  “We would never serve evil!”
“Oh, I think you will…It would be…fun to watch you struggle, but I am on a tight schedule.  I need to get to the Heart of Ponyland by tonight, and by then…nothing will stop me.”
“We will stop you.”  Royal Blue retorted, as defiant as her sister.
The Pony of Shadows turned his head and smiled.  “Oh no, my little Princess.  You won’t.  In fact, you shall give me Heart willing…eagerly, even.”
“There is no torture in the world you can inflict that would make us do that!”  Queen Starburst spat.
“Torture?  Oh no.”  The Pony of Shadows leaned down and licked Tiffany’s ear.  “In fact, I think you will find this very…pleasant, once you stop fighting.  Don’t bother resisting.  It’s pointless.  Even if I just breath a little bit, you will eventually fall to me…but as I said…no time for slow.  This will be quick.”  The Pony of Shadows breathed, the dark mist he not to long ago poured into Magic Star’s ear now flowed into Princess Tiffany’s.  She jerked and screamed, and the other Princess Ponies began to struggle, hoping to break free and save their sister.  The Changeling’s green chrysalis sludge kept them pinned, but cracks soon appeared as the Princesses struggled.  However, each time their prisons became to cracked the Changelings would shoot more, sealing the cracks.
“The other ponies…will stop you…” Tiffany gasped as the dark magic continued to flow inside her.  “You…can’t…you won’t…”
“Won’t I?”  The Pony of Shadows said, still pouring as Tiffany’s fur began to turn black.  She blinked, and gasped as her symbol faded, replaced by a new symbol, that of a bank of dark, wicked looking fog.  She no longer screamed.  In fact, to the other Princess’s shock, she began to smile and relax, a look of sudden bliss crossing her face.  The Pony of Shadows stopped, and lifted his head, nodding at Chrysalis, who backed off.
“Now…tell me again…will the ponies stop me?”  The Pony of Shadows asked.
Tiffany raised herself to a sitting position as Chrysalis let her go.  She opened her eyes, which now glowed yellow, and smiled at him.  “Not if I can help it, my Master.”  She purred.  The other Princesses gasped.
“T-Tiffany, you can’t…” Royal Blue stuttered.  Tiffany smiled at her.
“He’s right.  It feels so good.  So free.  Just relax, sister.  It will all make sense soon.”  Tiffany stood up.  “Shall I fetch the Heart for you, Master?”  She asked.
“Go on.”  The Pony of Shadow said as he approached Royal Blue.  “I should be done with your dear sisters after that.”  Tiffany nodded and flew off; the Changelings didn’t even bother to follow.




It didn’t take to long for the corrupted Princess Tiffany to return with the Heart of Ponyland.  By then the Pony of Shadows had moved down the line of Princesses.  Royal Blue, Serena, Sparkle, and Primrose now stood in a line, smiling at the Pony of Shadows with almost identical expressions of devoted love.  Each one was several shades darker, and each one had an altered symbol on their flanks.  Primroses’ was that of a chilly looking wind, Royal Blue’s a block of black ice, Serena’s a pair of knives, and Sparkle’s a knot of sharp twisting vines.  The Pony of Shadows was breathing the last of the mist into Starburst’s ear, her coat fading to a similar dark mustard color as Magic Star’s had, and her symbol changing to a twisted, dark rainbow.  She smiled.
“Why…did I waste my time protecting the Heart?”  She wondered aloud.  “This is soooo much better!”
“Yes, isn’t it.”  The Pony of Shadows chuckled as Tiffany placed the Heart at his feet.  “Now…I’ve won.  Are you ladies ready for the ritual that will bring Ponyland to its knees?”
The Princesses all nodded eagerly.
“Then let’s began.  We have an endless night to bring in.”

> Chapter Thirteen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Thirteen


The entire Estate was in an uproar.  The joy they had felt in Celestia and Majesty’s appearance had been swept away as soon they saw what had happened to Magic Star.  None of them had any idea what exactly the shadow had done.  Rosedust, though just as upset over this, couldn’t think of any real reason to keep her troops here.  So after a fond farewell she took her Flutter Ponies back to Flutter Valley, for the moment.  She left Honeysuckle and Lily though, in case they were needed.  Knight Shade also departed, as he felt he was needed at Bright Valley.  The Sea Ponies were happy to take him home.
So that left the ponies, Ponylander and Equestrian, to deal with the still unconscious Magic Star, and a mirror that, unfortunately, didn’t seem to work.  It was dark, and no one could pass through the glass barrier.  They had retreated inside the estate, and Applejack had found that the place was larger then the outside would suggest.  She wasn’t sure if this was some sort of magic, or if it was a simple matter of perspective.  They had put Magic Star in what Applejack assumed was a living area, and placed her on a small couch.  Applejack watched as Magic Star breathed steadily, but her eyes remained fully closed.
“The stories never did say what the Pony of Shadows could do ta ya.”  Applejack said sadly as she looked at Magic Star.  “Ah have no idea what’s wrong…Princess?”  She looked at Celestia.  Celestia lowered her head and sniffed Magic Star, frowning in worry.
“I’m not sure.  It could just be the same as it did to me…but this creature is unfamiliar to me as well.  I don’t know what it’s capable of.”  Celestia sighed.  Applejack noticed that the magic restraining ring was still around Celestia’s horn.
Galaxy paced, frowning and swishing her tail in agitation.  Applejack walked over and nudged her.  “Ya okay?”
“I just have a very bad feeling.”  Galaxy said.  “My feelings are usually right, and right now…I just have a really bad feeling.”
Applejack sighed.  “Wish Ah could have done more.”
Galaxy smiled at her.  “You did what you could.  We’re very grateful to you.”
Not mentionin’ the fact that if’n we weren’t here this’d never have happened in the first place…Applejack thought.  She shook that thought away; there was no help for it.  “How long till ya can get that mirror up and runnin’?”  She asked.  “Not that I don’t like ya’ll, but I really need ta get my sister home.”
Galaxy sighed.  Aside from Magic Star’s condition, they had found out that the mirror was apparently missing some vital component, and was dark and cold.  “We’re looking for the right kind of crystal your princess mentioned, but we really aren’t miners.”  She shrugged,  “Well find it as soon as we can, and we’ll be glad to let you stay as long as you need to.”
Applejack nodded sadly.  “Thanks.  Did that little human of yours get them dogs to go look?”
Galaxy smiled.  “Yes, she’s very good at that sort of thing.  With Magic Star…like this, and Wind Whistler missing, I’m glad we have her around.  The younger ponies have a tendency to be calmer with her.”
“Are ya’ll three the leaders round here?  Cause ya kinda act like it.”  Applejack asked.
“Not officially.  None of us are in charge, per say, but we are the most levelheaded, and most of the time the others listen to us…most of the time.”  Galaxy replied.  “And as for Megan, she’ll be a good leader for her people one of these days, when she grows up.”
“Ya, I can kinda see that too, from what I’ve seen of her.”  Applejack said.
Galaxy pricked her ears and looked over to where Celestia and Majesty had been looking over Magic Star. Her eyes fluttered open.
“Magic Star?  Are you alright?”  Galaxy walked over still she was standing next to Celestia, who was frowning at Magic Star with concern.  Magic Star raised her head and blinked at them.  It may have just been a trick of the light, but Applejack thought that her eyes seemed to hold a yellow tint to them.
“What happened?”  Magic Star asked.
“The Pony of Shadows did something ta ya.  Ah didn’t really see what on account of me and Shady bein’ knocked clear across the room.  Do ya remember?”
“I…no…” Magic Star hesitated, looking thoughtful.  “You got the mirror, right?”
“Ya, but it’s not working.”  Applejack said.  “Some gem or somethin’ is missin’.  Megan’s got them diamond dogs out lookin’ fer somethin’ that will power it back up.”
“I…see.”  Magic Star seemed to be staring blankly at a point somewhere between Applejack’s ears.  She suddenly giggled, covering her mouth with her leg.  Galaxy blinked at her.  
“Magic Star, are you sure you’re feeling alright?”  She asked.
“I…yes…no…wait…I feel strange…very...no I’m fine.  Don’t worry.”  Magic Star stood up and leaped off the couch.  “I’ll check my library.  Just…need to stay busy.  My head is buzzing.  No, wait, it’s fine.  Don’t look at me like that, Galaxy, I’m alright.”  She smiled distantly at Galaxy, who was frowning at her.
“Magic Star maybe you should rest and-“
“No.”  Magic Star’s face suddenly twisted in an ugly expression as she glared at Galaxy.  “No.”  She pushed past Galaxy and disappeared down the hallway.
“I don’t like this.”  Galaxy said.
“Maybe ya should give her a bit of space.”  Applejack said.  Galaxy nodded.
“She seems alright, if a bit cranky.”  Galaxy turned her head to Celestia’s horn.  “I’m still working on getting this off.  Physical tugging isn’t going to work.  There must be some sort of trick…”
Applejack sighed and went to look for the kitchen, trying to put the Magic Star problem out of her mind.  It looked like she was going to be there for the long haul, and she was getting hungry after all of this excitement.  She peered into a room and smiled.  It was a huge bathroom, with a big tub.  Relaxing in this tub was Rarity, being scrubbed and brushed by the two small humans, Danny and Molly.
“Ya got kids ta do your spa treatments now, Rare?”  Applejack teased.
“It’s okay, we volunteered.”  Molly smiled.  “It’s the least we can do.”
“Applejack you really should get a bath yourself.  You’re just as dirty as I was.”  Rarity said with a contented sigh.
“Ya, maybe later, after I get me some grub.  Ya’ll have fun in there.”  
“Three doors down to your left!”  Danny directed as he brushed Rarity’s mane.  “Ask for Gingerbread, she makes the best cookies!”  The boy seemed way to happy to be fixing up a mare’s mane, but then Applejack wasn’t going to judge.  She knew of her brother’s strange attraction towards an old doll that Big Mac had ‘hidden’ in his room.  Applejack smiled and headed for the kitchen, her stomach starting to rumble.  She hoped that the food here was as good as the food in Ponyville.




Magic Star entered her quarters, a long room she had taken as her own when the moved into the Estate.  She always had a fascination with magic, hence her name.  As an earth pony she couldn’t do magic herself, a fact that always irritated her, but she did collect magical items, which she kept in this room.  One side was dedicated to magical tomes she had collected over the years, some merely reference books, others genuine magical tomes.  Some were even dark magic books, but these were kept in a sealed case, as well as a few dark artifacts she had managed to acquire and locked away for safekeeping.  Nothing earth shattering, but some nasty things just the same.  She paused and stared at her dark magic collection, sitting down in front of the case and eying each artifact in turn.  There was a wand that turned its victims to ash.  There was a twisted paw that granted wishes, but twisted the wishes into something evil.  There was a jar that screamed at you when opened.  Magic Star wasn’t sure what possible use it was.
Magic Star sighed, and placed her head on the glass case, blinking at the collection.  “…why did I lie…”  She closed her eyes.  Her head felt like it was full of bees.  Or maybe ants.  Something that was crawling around inside her skull, biting and stinging and giving her an unpleasant, painful sensation.  It hurt.  Oh it hurt…
“Who cares what that stupid unicorn thinks?  She wastes her talents.  If you had her magic, you’d make much better use of it.”
“I’m an earth pony…”
“You could use magic with these.”
“No, no it’s dark magic…” Stinging stinging, oh the stinging…
“But Draggle uses dark magic.”  
“She’s a witch it’s in her blood…” Ants crawling in her skull, why wouldn’t they go away?
“How pathetic.  A weak creature like her can use magic, but you can’t?”
“That’s unkind.”  Her teeth clenched so hard she almost broke them.
“No, it isn’t.  It’s the truth.  You can do so much more, and yet you waste your time babysitting these fools.  Letting yourself be dragged down by them…look at that book.  It has so much knowledge.  So much information.  Surely you can use it…”
“It’s a dark spell tome.  Anyone can use it, but the magic is evil.”
“Take it.”
“No.”
“Just a peek.”
“N-noo…”
“What would it hurt?”
“I…suppose a small look…” Magic Star opened the case and pulled one of the books out.  The stinging was fading, replaced by a small, almost pleasant tremor in her head. “It might have information to help Celestia.  That isn’t bad.”
“Why help her?  Why help any of them?  Stupid senseless nags!”
“No, they’re my friends.”
“Are they?  Seems to me they just use you for your knowledge.  You’re a tool to them.  Pathetic.”
“No…who are you?”
“Can’t you see me?  Or rather can’t you see you?”
Magic Star blinked.  There was no one there.  She was talking to her reflection, and answering back.  The book slid out of her hooves and she pressed them against her head as the stinging increased.
“Gah…what’s happening to me…what are you doing to my head, get out!”  She gasped, and answered back to herself.  “You heard him.  You’re…I’m…his herald now.  What does that mean?  Oh you know what it means!  You can feel it.  I can feel it.  It’s inside.  Is that what the darkness tastes like…it must be.  What else could it be?”  She shakily stood up and turned to the door.  “Have to warn the others…but why?  Why should I care?  Maybe…just one more peek?”  Magic Star turned to the book, the strange sensation in her brain starting to soothe, instead of annoy.  She felt good.  It felt good.  Resisting it, the urge to tell her friends, had hurt.  But opening the book, looking over all the wonderful, terrible spells, her head felt better.  More then better.  It felt like she was being soaked in a warm bubble bath.  It was relaxing.  It was pleasant.  A part of her knew that was, in a small way, giving in, but it felt to good to pass up.  Surely as long as she didn’t actually hurt a pony she would be able to take it?  Yes.  Sure.  She wasn’t hurting anyone.  She was helping.  Of course she was.
Of course.





“It looks like we won’t be able to go home for a while.”  Celestia sighed at the mirror, which had been set up in the living area on a side wall.  The thing shimmered, but with two missing gems its surface was dark and cold and solid as a rock.  Celestia touched the surface with her hoof, but it only clanked on the smooth glass.
“I’m sure no one would object to letting you stay, would you?”  Majesty, who had recovered enough to walk, looked at Galaxy, who by now was the only one of the elder mares who could possibly be considered both capable and able to make any kind of leadership decisions.  Twilight Unicorn was off somewhere exploring.  Wind Whistler was trapped on the other side of the mirror, and Magic Star was locked in her room and acting funny.
“You are the Queen, Majesty. Most of us will follow your orders.”  Galaxy said.
“I haven’t been able to fulfill my duties as queen for a while, and I don’t want to start throwing my weight around before you little ones are ready.  Some of them might be a little shy of me yet; especially the baby ponies, and I feel I should earn their trust before I take the reins fully as your queen.  Besides, you have done well as a community thus far.  I trust you, Galaxy.”  Majesty smiled at Galaxy.
Galaxy nodded.  “Thank you, I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
Celestia sighed.  “Thank you all for your hospitality.”
“Perhaps dinner would be best right now…” Galaxy said.  “I’ll go get Magic Star, I don’t like that she’s spent all day in that room alone.  It’s making me nervous.”  Galaxy turned to walk up the stairs.  She felt a sudden clenching in her stomach as she approached Magic Star’s door.  She didn’t want to knock.  For once she didn’t walk to talk to one of her oldest and dearest friends.  But she had to.  Because Magic Star was her friend.
Galaxy raised her hoof and knocked loudly.  “Magic Star?  We’re having dinner now.  Come down and take a break.  I think Cupcake is making ice cream….”
“Go away.”
“…Magic Star, please, I’m worried about you.”
“Go.  Away.”
“But-“
The door flung open and Magic Star thrust her nose forwards, nearly head butting Galaxy.  She might even have done it if Galaxy didn’t have a horn.  “Get away from me you little blind freak!”  Magic Star snarled.  “Go feel yourself to a cliff and jump off!”  She slammed the door in Galaxy’s bewildered face.
“B…blind?”  Galaxy rubbed her eyes.  She didn’t want tears to form, but a few did.  “Y-you’re just not yourself…I…” Galaxy stood up.  “I’ll just…leave a plate for you.”  Galaxy trudged back down the stairs.
Magic Star trembled, the prickling in her brain intensifying as she slid the floor, sobbing.  “I didn’t mean it, Galaxy!  I didn’t, I…I did mean it…but I didn’t…I…” Tears leaked from her eyes.  “I’m so confused…”






Applejack helped herself to a nice spread of pancakes, cheese kolaches, fritters, oatmeal, hash browns and omelets for breakfast the next morning.  While they didn’t have any good apple products, Applejack wasn’t going to hold that against Gingerbread.  She seemed like a nice mare.  Heck they all seemed like nice mares.   Many of the Ponylanders had come before her, eating and chatting and then moving on with the rest of the day.  She wondered if that strange Posey mare, who looked a lot like Fluttershy save she was an earth pony, and a bit more approachable, would let her help in the garden.  It would keep Applejack busy, and it was a bit like farming. Applejack felt like she could relax now, and enjoy the very interesting little homestead these pony’s had.  At least until they could leave.
“Hey Applejack, they got a pool!”  Apple Bloom rushed into the kitchen and climbed onto a chair next to her sister.  “And if ya jump in the Sea Pony foal’s will play Marco Polo with you!”
“Feelin’ a bit better about this place, Apple Bloom?”  Applejack smiled at her sister.
“Yah!  Ah still miss the farm, but…Ah guess this place isn’t all bad.”  Apple Bloom smiled.  “And they got these funky lookin’ balls of fluff called bushwoolies!  They’re funny.”
Applejack patted her and let her steal a fritter.  “See?  What’d I tellya?  This place isn’t so bad.”
Gingerbread smiled at them.  “It’s a bit dangerous in Dream Valley, but we’d never let any friend of ours be hurt.  Not if we can help it.”  She gave Apple Bloom another fritter.  “But I’m glad to hear you’re having a good time with us.”
Apple Bloom smiled, nodding her head.  Applejack couldn’t help but smile at her.  It was good to see her cheerful little Apple Bloom back.  
Rarity trotted into the kitchen, accompanied by two more Ponylanders, another Twinkle-eyed pegasus, a yellow one, and a light pink unicorn.  From what Rarity was babbling it sounded like she was talking about her shop back in Ponyville.
“And then she asked for a jewel covered headdress with more feathers then I could count!  Honestly, darlings it was huge!”
“I made the dolphin stitch!”  Sweetie Bell squeaked as she scampered in to snag a pancake of her own.
“Hahaha, that’s great!  I once made a costume to hide from a pack of flories!”  The pegasus smiled.
“What’s a flory?”  Asked Applejack.
“Nasty plant things.  They suck out the life from the earth and ruin the soil.  They’re like big flowery parasites.”  The pegasus jumped onto a chair and smiled at Applejack.  “Nice to meet you, I’m Masquerade.”
“Applejack.”
“Yeah, I guessed.”  Masquerade grinned.  “Whizzer wouldn’t shut up about your trip.”
“Now hold up, she’s a decent pony.”  Applejack said, but Masquerade laughed.
“Don’t worry, I’m joking.  You’ll find we’re pretty much all family here.”  Masquerade snagged a bowl of oatmeal and a plate of hash browns and started to munch.  “Isn’t that right, Buttons?”
Buttons, the unicorn, climbed up and grabbed some juice with her horn; she was the first of these odd ponies that used levitation that Applejack saw.  Buttons nodded.
“So yer the only one that can use telekeenatic magic, right?”  Applejack asked.  Buttons nodded.  
“I use it to make clothing with Masquerade here, though she focuses on costumes more then fashion.”  Buttons said.
“I prefer making things for plays and shows, but if you need a spy in a pinch, I’m your pony.”  Masquerade smiled.
“Ah’ll remember that next time I need a spy.”  Applejack laughed.
“Buttons here has some wonderful designs of her own I’d like to adapt to Ponyville, with your permission of course.”  Rarity smiled at Buttons.  “I’d split the profit with you.”
“Aww, not sure what I’d do with…Equestrian, right?  Equestrian money.  I can’t imagine what I’d use it for.”  Buttons shrugged.
“Food.  Tools.  Books like Twilight…” Applejack listed off.
“Food, Gingerbread and Cupcake make our food, and Posey, Cherries Jubilee and others grow our food.  Tools, I have my horn, and if I need something else I can ask another pony for help.  Books, well…if we need anything else we just trade with the other settlements around here.”  Buttons shrugged.  “Oh, but I bet I can use some of those foreign coins on a dress…”
Rarity chuckled.  “That would be an interesting sight.”
“Not even the most snobby of Canterlot elite would put money on their dresses.”  Applejack laughed.
“So your world is full of snobs, is it?”
Applejack turned and blinked at Magic Star, who had finally emerged from her room.  Unfortunately she didn’t look any better for it.  In fact, she seemed worse.  Her coat was still a dull mustard color, and for a moment Applejack though she saw her eyes glint yellow in the dark like a cat’s.  Her voice was low and strained, and her eyes had large black bags under them.  Applejack could tell there was something off about her.
“Oh, hi Magic Star!”  Masquerade smiled, but Magic Star snorted at her.
“Shut up.  Don’t talk to me.”  She prowled; yes it was defiantly a prowl, over to the tray of food and sniffed.  She snorted, and then turned around.  “Never mind, smells like dung.”
Gingerbread’s mouth slowly parted her eyes widening with shock.  “But…you love my food.”
“Love your terrible food?  I lied.”  Magic Star snarled back.  “Your food makes me sick.  Your face makes me sick.”  By now everyone was staring at Magic Star in disbelief.
“Now hold on a minute.”  Applejack started, but Magic Star cut her off.
“You don’t tell me what to do you, you big eyed, bubble brained hick.”  Magic Star stalked out of the kitchen, grumbling to herself, only to collide with Truly, who hadn’t been looking where she was going, as she and Paradise were talking.  Truly turned her head.  
“Why don’t ya watch where you’re going, Magic Star?”  Truly said.
Magic Star roared.  “Why don’t you give a damn about someone other then yourself you selfish, self centered, brain dead little slut!”  Truly’s eyes widened with shock and she backed away a pace.  “You make me sick!”  Magic Star continued.  “With you snobby little attitude and your irritating as hell voice and your damned selfish greedy…EVERTHING!  You don’t do a thing around here and you expect us all to cater to you!  And you!”  Magic Star turned away from Truly, who was started to tear up from the verbal assault, to glare at Paradise.  “You’re just as lazy and selfish as she is, except you’re worse!  She’s just stupid, but I know you have a brain!  You’re just don’t use it!  You sit around telling STUPID stories to BABIES instead of getting off your fat flank and WORKING FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE!  You half ass everything!  We nearly lost our damn house cause you couldn’t be bothered to get off your butt and WORK!”  
Paradise cringed.  “M-magic Star…I…I…”
“I I I!  Is that all you can say!  For all the books you read you’re vocabulary is the size of a shrimp’s!  Is that why you only read BABY BOOKS!” Magic Star bellowed.
“Magic Star, please settle down, you don’t mean any of that!”  Buttons objected.  Magic Star snorted and glared at her.
“You pipe down you worthless sack of meat!”  Magic Star looked around, then stomped.  “LOOK AT YOU ALL!  If you’re not sitting on your butts being stupid you’re doing pointless things that no one gives a crap about!  Who cares about sewing stupid glittery buttons on clothes we don’t even need in the first place!  You’re all useless!  Either me or Galaxy or Wind Whistler have to herd you around like children!  And even then half the time you’re turning to a stupid CHILD to lead you!  Yes I can see you there, Megan!”  Magic Star turned to glare at Megan, who had just walked in from the outside to see what all the shouting was about.  
Megan walked over and got to one knee next to Magic Star, who was panting by now.  She reached out to pet her mane, and was about say something that would no doubt have been calming and gentle, had Magic Star not jerked back from her hand and slammed her front hoof against Megan’s chest, kicking her into a counter.
“GET YOUR FILTHY PAWS OFF ME YOU STINKING DIRTY APE!”  Magic Star bellowed, and by now all of the Estate could hear her.  Megan cringed away from Magic Star, tears in her eyes.  Magic Star stared at her, then shook her head and placed a hoof on her forehead.  “Gah…ah…”
“Magic Star.”  The crazed pony looked up as Celestia and Majesty somehow managed to squeeze into the kitchen, both frowning in concern.  Majesty walked over to Magic Star, who was now trembling.  “Magic Star…this isn’t you.”  Majesty said gently.  “Please, let’s all calm down.”
Magic Star gasped, then looked around.  For a moment a look of horrified despair crossed her face.  “I…I…AH!”  She pounded her head against a wall.  “I hate you!  I hate you all!  STUPID QUEEN, I HATE YOU MOST OF ALL!”  She turned and shoved her way back up the stairs, and for a moment a few ponies thought they saw her starting to cry as well.
Celestia frowned.  “Majesty, Galaxy, Applejack, Rarity, we need to talk…I think I’ve seen this before…”
They nodded and followed Celestia outside.  She sighed and looked at the sun for a moment, a sun she could not influence or control.  Once she was sure they were out of earshot of everyone else, Celestia looked at the other four.   “Applejack, Rarity, you remember what happened to Luna…and what that creature called itself?”
Rarity’s eyes widened.  “Oh no, Princess, you think…it’s the Nightmare?”
“The Nightmare?”  Majesty looked up back at the estate.  “Of course…let me guess.  The same thing happed with your sister?”
“A thousand years ago she began to act…strange.  She was snippy.  Insulting.  Rude, and said things to me that normally she would never had said.  I took it then as mere acting out, but…in the end she became Nightmare Moon.  I could be wrong, and I hope I am, but after knowing she was in contact with a bit of the Nightmare taken form…” Celestia shook her head.  “It is possible she has been corrupted.”
“How do we purify her?”  Majesty asked.
“Last time we did it with the Elements.”  Rarity said.  “But I don’t know how we will do it now.”
“For now we should watch her, if she becomes violent though…” Celestia lowered her head.  “I do not want to send another pony into exile.”
“With all due respect, Princess, that is not your call to make.”  Majesty said.  “We are her family, and we shan’t lose her.  If I have to lock her up until we find a cure then we will do it.  I will not enjoy it, but I will do so.”  Majesty stamped.  “I will not lose one of my children so soon after returning.”
Celestia nodded.  “I understand.  You have my support, Majesty.”
“Mine as well.  It’s half my fault fer letting her get into that mess…” Applejack said as Rarity nodded, a determined look in her eyes.
“My thanks to you, friends, but-” Majesty lifted her head as Truly’s voice called out, screaming in terror.  “Oh no, what is it now?”  She turned and raced back the house, the other four hot on her heels.





Truly wasn’t a kind pony by nature, at least not to most.  She was decent to the baby ponies, and she could really only tolerate the babies.  But Magic Star…she knew Magic Star since they were foals.  She wasn’t like that.  And she had been crying.  She was hurting, probably as much as she had hurt them.  And so Truly was going to get to the bottom of this.
Truly didn’t bother to knock.  Instead she just pushed her hoof against the door.  When it proved to be locked she simply lifted a hoof and pressed it against the door.  When this didn’t work either she turned and kicked three times, shattering the lock and letting her in.  Truly pushed open the broken door and trotted in.  She gasped.  
Books lay around the room, some torn and stamped and utterly destroyed.  Artifacts, from simple silly magic charms to actual full blow artifacts were strewn around the floor as well, in various states of disrepair.  How no one had heard the crashing was a mystery.  Magic Star sat in the middle of the floor, looking down at the floor and shuddering.
Truly wanted to leave, but she didn’t.  She pressed on, walking up to Magic Star and sitting beside her.	
“Get.  Away.  Truly.”  Magic Star closed her eyes, hissing at her old friend.
“No.  I know something is wrong.  You need to come down and let us help you, dear.  We all love you.”
“Love…love.  I don’t want it…but no no I do.  I want…I want…” Magic Star hissed again.  “I don’t know what I want.”
“But you can’t want to be this way.  You can’t want to hurt us.”  Truly said.  “It’s that Nightmare thing.  It-“
“He corrupted me.  You think I don’t know what’s going on?  I know.  I can feel it in me.  Sliding across my brain.  It hurts, Truly, except when it doesn’t.  When I make you cry, when I hurt you, it feels good.  But then I start to apologize, and it slices into my skull.”  Magic Star shook her head.  “It’s like knives.  Right now.  Used to just sting, now it rips.  It hurts.  I want to hurt you.  If I hurt you the pain will go away.”  Magic Star lifted her head and glared at Truly, her eyes starting to glow yellow.  “I could push my hoof against your weak little throat and crush your windpipe, and it would feel so good.  I would make me feel powerful.  I could kill you, Truly.  You should run, Truly.  You should get away before I hurt you.  Because I want to hurt you.”  Magic Star leaned forwards, ears back, but Truly didn’t budge, didn’t show any signs of the terror that filled her.  “I want it so badly…” Magic Star suddenly moved, pushing Truly to the ground and placing her hoof on Truly’s throat.  “It will be so easy…”
“Do it.  I won’t stop you.”  Truly said.  “I know I can be…mean.  I know I’m not the easiest pony to get along with.  But you, they look up to you.  They all do.  Even I do.  Please, Magic Star.  Please fight it.  This isn’t you.”
“I…don’t want to.  Why are you making this so difficult?!”  Magic Star threw back her head.  “I can’t!”  She blinked.  “But…I wonder…what does a crushed throat sound like?”  She looked down, her smile suddenly wide and crazy, and her eyes glowed yellow.  “Let’s find out, dear friend…” She pressed her hoof against Truly’s throat, and the other earth pony thrashed feebly, but only as a reflex.  She didn’t even try to kick Magic Star, her legs instead moving weakly away from her mad friend.  Her eyes began to bug out, and she gasped.
“You’re like…my…sister…” Truly gasped.  “I love…you…”
At those words Magic Star reared back, letting Truly go.  Truly gasped and raised her head.  Magic Star backed up, cringing to the floor and pressing her hooves against her head.  
“No…No, not…no.  I can’t.  I must.  Oh please help me Truly it hurts!  It hurts so much!  I…I can’t…please take the pain away!  Please!  I can’t take it!”  Tears gushed from Magic Star’s eyes.  “I can’t take the pain, but if I give in I’ll hurt you!  I’ll hurt all of you!  Please!  Stop me!”
Truly stood and backed away.  At first it seemed like she was going to run down the stairs, but then she turned her head and bellowed.  “Queen Majesty!  Galaxy!  Someone!  Help!”  She turned back to see Magic Star suddenly in front of her, grinning madly.
“I’ll eat your flesh and crunch your bones.”  Magic Star laughed at the shocked look on Truly face.  
She was still laughing when Majesty, Celestia, Applejack and Rarity arrived.  Magic Star turned her head and giggled.  “And what are you going to do now?  I lied, you know.  I knew exactly what he did, but I didn’t care…no no I do care!  Please stop me.  It’s getting worse!  It’s in my head!  I’m tearing apart!”  Magic Star gasped.  “He did this on purpose.  He called me his herald.  He’ll do the same to all of you and when he does I’ll laugh and laugh and I’ll help him!  I don’t want to help him!  Please, my Queen!  Please stop the pain!  Please stop me!  Don’t hate me!”  Magic Star’s voice slid from dark, evil gloating to pain filled guilty screams, literally in the middle of her sentences.  Her eyes flashed, yellow, then normal, then yellow again.  The two sides of her warred with each other, and none of the ponies knew exactly what to do to help as her mind fractured before their eyes.
Majesty, eyes filled with grief, walked over to Magic Star and nuzzled her, ignoring the mare’s sudden attempt to bite her.  “My poor child…there is nothing you can say or do that will ever stop me from loving you.  Somewhere the good part of you knows that.  But I need to keep the others safe, and you safe, while I find the solution.  I’ll protect you.  Trust me.”
Magic Star smiled.  “I trust you.  I’ll rip our your throat and dance on your bones.  I love you.  I’ll watch you burn.”  She blinked.  “I’m so confused…”
“I know, dear one.  It’s alright.”  Majesty’s horn glowed, and a shimmering waterfall of light encircled Magic Star.  The magic solidified until Magic Star was surrounded in a spacious silver cage.  Majesty had left enough space for Magic Star to move around, and even teleported her bed inside.  “Behave, Magic Star, or I will have to take further measures.”
Magic Star laughed, her eyes flickering to yellow, and staying there.  “This won’t stop him.  Not for long.  I can feel it.  I can taste it.  It’s so sweet, Majesty.  You’re a fool.  You’ll all die, and I’ll enjoy every minute of it…or you’ll be like me.  We’ll be a family again, oh yes…a family of dark ponies.”  She smiled.  “It will be glorious.”
“No, Magic Star.”  Majesty said.  “I will free you from this torment.  I promise.  Don’t give up.”
“Give up?  I haven’t given up.”  Magic Star laughed.  “But I will enjoy watching you fall.”
Majesty sighed and turned away, looking down at Truly.  “We can’t leave her alone.  Have someone keep a watch on her at all times.”
Truly nodded.  “Of course.”  She sat in front of Magic Star, eyes filling up with grief as Magic Star simply smiled at her, a sick twisted version of the once kind earth pony’s true smile.
“I won't give up on you, Magic Star.”  Truly said as the others left them alone.
Magic Star just laughed.




In the palace of what had once been the Royal Paradise, the sixe corrupted Princess Ponies stood in a circle around the throne room.  Eyes locked on a newly erected altar; the six of them sat totally still, eager eyes on the scene before them.  Chrysalis hovered near the ceiling, her Changeling guard surrounding her and offering security.  Scree, goblins, Changelings, evil troggles, and other monsters covered the island.  Most kept their eyes on the sea in case of a sudden invasion, but a few kept glancing at the palace in anticipation.
Hydia stood at the front of the altar, a book on a stand in front of her.  The Pony of Shadows stood next to her, licking his ethereal lips in eagerness.  Reeka, somehow back from Equestria, stood behind her mother, holding a sack.  Across from Hydia was a small, almost unassuming troggle.  He wore armor that seemed to be made of pony bones, and he held a long staff adorned with a pony head.
“Now, necromancer of Grogar.”  The Pony of Shadows said.  “Is this…sufficient?”  The Pony nodded at Reeka, who poured the contents of the sack on the alter.  A pile of dust emerged, totally black.  The troggle frowned.
“We shall need more bones to aid in the construction.”  He said.
“We have some more.”  The Pony looked at Reeka again, who, with a mild grumble, lifted what looked like human and pony bones unto the altar.  “Now, begin your ritual.  Raise the bones of Tirac.”
The troggle nodded and lifted his staff above the ash and bones.  Dark purple energy started to swirl around the skull, and the troggle began to chant.  A dark, horrible sound of whistling wind, carrying what sounded like the moans of the dead, echoed on the wind as the troggle waved his staff.  The energy blinked, and spiraled independently of the troggle’s staff.  With a sudden thrust of the staff over the bones, the energy began to flow into the bones.  The human parts of the torso and head lifted to connect to the pony parts.  Locking and snapping into place, what now stood upon the altar was a crushed together representation of a centaur.  It was, perhaps, a bit shorter then the original, but then again they couldn’t find a horse body, and the human bones were small as well.
“It will do.”  The Pony of Shadows murmured.  “It will do.”
The ash began to settle on the bones, covering the skeleton with a coating of black soot.  The bones trembled; purple light sealing any cracks and malformations in the skeleton.  The troggle nodded to the Pony of Shadows.
“A bit of the soul remains in the ash, but it is not enough to make it fully intelligent.  There will be some memories, nothing more.”  The troggle said.
“That is where I come in.”  The Pony of Shadows smiled, and then stepped upon the altar.  “Hydia.  Now.”
Hydia raised her arms and chanted a spell, Reeka stepping back a bit.  Sickly green energy, a bit different from the purple of before, soaked the Pony of Shadows as Hydia chanted.  The bone centaur stepped forward, and the Pony of Shadows leapt at the thing.  Inky black muck latched onto the bones, flowing over and gripping the skeleton in a tight embrace.  The darkness surrounded the skeleton, and soon the entire thing was covered in the Pony of Shadow’s ooze.  Hydia screamed one last word of power, and the green showered the combined skeleton and shadow.
The Pony of Shadows could see.  He could see the little ponies that defeated Tirac.  No him.  He could remember being Tirac.  He could remember the rage and anger he felt when Scorpan betrayed him.  Scorpan would die.  Painfully.  He could remember being Nightmare Moon.  He remembered Princess Celestia.  She would see her people bow before him eagerly before she died.  He could remember being the Pony of Shadows, slowly gaining consciousness as the bit that had been left over from Nightmare Moon’s banishment soaked up the Chaos energy from Discord’s seeds, the Chaos giving it, him, a mind.  He was all three.  Tirac’s body, devoid of soul save for a few fragmented memories, and the Nightmare’s fragmented soul as formed by a thousand years of existing outside of Nightmare Moon and soaking up Discord’s chaos.  He was better then any of them now, so much more then the sum of his parts.  He was one.  He was the Darkness now.  He was complete.  And all of his foes, both Tirac’s and the Nightmare’s, would fall.
The green energy dissipated, and what stood before them was the image of Tirac.  A bit shorter, due to his different bone structure, and his fur appeared to be wet, and a bit of tar flowed around his hooves.  But it was Tirac.  The face, the body, it was almost all the same.  Tirac smiled, yellow eyes glinting.  Or maybe he was not Tirac, but more like the child of Tirac and Nightmare Moon.  Perhaps he should call himself Nightmare Tirac?  Or just Tirac?  No matter.  Names could come later.
“Excellent.  Just one more step, before I can execute my revenge, and bring forth the Night.”  He raised his head and smiled at the Heart of Ponyland, which was placed at the feet of the throne behind him.  He walked forwards and placed his hand on the surface of the heart, and the thing seemed to tremble at his touch.  He smiled as the darkness flowed from his armed and caked the Heart in thick black muck, surrounded by swirling shadow.  The Heart seemed to scream in pain in his mind…then he could feel Dream Valley.  He could sense everything, from the traitor Scorpan’s little realm, to the unsuspecting ponies of Bright Valley, to the even more unsuspecting ponies in Ponyland.  He could see his new…servant, sitting in a cage.
Hello, my pet.  He mentally connected with Magic Star, as he could with all who had been touched by Nightmare.  So they put you in a cage?  Of course.  They fear you now.
No…no, leave me alone!  Magic Star's shivered in her cage.
It hurts, I know.  I am coming for you…how interesting.  You both shiver in anticipation and horror.  It won’t be long now before you succumb anyway.  I only gave you a bit of the Nightmare, but even a bit will utterly corrupt the subject.  It’s all a matter of time, my dear, before you are kneeling before me.
I’ll…warn them.
No pet, you won’t.
No.  Magic Star’s mind wept as she felt the parts of her that were Magic Star slowly fading away, to be replaced by a twisted thing that could only serve her new master.  No, I won’t.
Of course not.
But for now, there was something more important to take care of.  The ponies were completely busy with the corrupted Magic Star.  Even if they knew what he was going to do, they were to far away to stop it.  And Magic Star would do her part in distracting them, even if a bit unwillingly.  She couldn’t help it.  Not anymore.  And now was the moment.
Tirac opened his eyes and smiled at the assembly of evil.  “Now, our victory.  We have won.  Dream Valley is ours.”  Tirac lifted his hand from the Heart, and the dark ooze started to flow from the Heart.  “As the lava demons once used it to make the land crystal, so too shall the Heart turn Dream Valley into the Vale of Nightmare once more.  Eternal Night shall reign, and after that the darkness shall flow into Equestria.”  Tirac looked at the Changelings above him.  “Your kind will be free to take as many Equestrians as your food, and the land will belong to you.”  He looked at Hydia.  “You may take the land that was once your own.”  He then looked at the troggles.  “And you will get your revenge on the ponies that defeated your master, and have an opportunity to raise him back.”  Tirac smiled and sat down on his new throne.  And I will rule over all of you.  And if even one of you step out of line…I will have the ponies destroy you.  They will be my army soon.  All except Majesty.  She will watch her corrupted people serve me, until I let her die.  How…poetic.  The creatures that caused the downfall of both my predecessors shall soon be my subjects.  Once they are corrupted, I won’t even have to enslave them!  They will bow willingly.
The dark creature laughed.  “Now, the Night shall truly never end!”
The surrounding monsters and fiends cheered as the muck and shadow slid across the sea, heading for Bright Valley, and a new set of corrupted slaves for Tirac.

> Chapter Fourteen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Fourteen


Twilight tried to calm her shaky nerves as she stared at the huge skeletal dragon that had just downed a very powerful, living version of itself.  There was a bit less of the sheer terror now, mostly because this beast, though horrifying, did not resemble a pony, making it less sinister on an instinctive level.  However, it was still large, and the sheer size made Twilight’s heart skip a few beats.  The thing roared silently, flapped its decrypt wings, and swung its tail at the group.
The skeleton dragon’s tail swung at the group, a mountain of white bones sliding towards them.  Twilight blinked as Wind Whistler dove, grabbed up Draggle and lifted her off Fizzy’s back.  Twilight soared upwards and gave Draggle a push upwards to get her on Wind Whistler.  At first she wasn’t sure why they had done this, but then she looked down to see Gusty and Fizzy suddenly teleport out of the way of the bones, winking up to the roofs of two nearby buildings.  They must not be able to teleport with passengers.  She saw Pinkie bounce away clear of the bones, and Twilight grabbed Big Mac with her telekinesis and lifted him away.
Gusty looked at Fizzy and nodded at her.  Fizzy nodded back, and the two leaped off their respective roofs.  As one they winked downwards near the skeletal dragon’s feet.  The creature raised its claws and swiped at them, but they had already winked away to its rear, dodging the blows.  The thing turned slowly, presenting its back to the others.  All at once Twilight knew what Fizzy and Gusty were doing, acting as a distraction.  Twilight dove close, blasting the back of the skeleton’s head with her horn.  Luna added her own magic to the blow, and the skeleton staggered.  Galenad dove close and slashed at the skeleton’s neck, beak cracking into the bones.  The skeleton suddenly swing its claws, swatting at the griffon like it was swatting at fly, but Galenad dove between the creature’s ribs, flying into the things chest, kicking and clawing as he went.
Big Mac, who Twilight had lowered to the ground, charged forwards, giving the skeleton a mighty buck with his hind hooves, cracking a foot all the way up to the shins.  The dragon attempted to move its leg, but Big Mac dove at it like a dog with a bone, pummeling at the bone and widening the crack as he went.  Pinkie fired her party cannon, the cannon now apparently loaded with incredibly long streamers, tangling the skeleton’s left fingers and binding them.
The skeleton roared in anger and stamped the ground, kicking Big Mac away from itself and raising its arms.  It lifted itself erect, rotating its arms like a windmill, claws and talons flashing as it tried to hit all of its assailants at once.  All of them save Galenad, who clung to a rib with dogged determination, were blown back.  The skeleton suddenly ripped a bone from its own rib and tossed it at Pinkie.  Pinkie just managed to dodge away before the bone shattered against her party cannon, running it through.  She leaped into the air; jaw falling to the earth in shock. 
Gusty and Fizzy suddenly winked on the skeleton’s shoulders, each giving the skull a mighty kick at the same time.  Cracks spidered against the skull, but the skeleton suddenly swept its hand against its shoulder, scooping Fizzy and slamming her against the ground.  She squeaked in pain, and the skeleton slowly started to close its hand, slowly squeezing Fizzy and threatening to crush her.
“Fizzy!  Wake up!  Teleport!”  Twilight shouted as she dove downwards.  She was suddenly aware of Wind Whistler diving down until the two were side by side.
“She can’t.”  Wind Whistler said, eyes focused on the hand holding her friend.  “Our unicorn’s cannot wink through solid objects.”
Big Mac charged, kicking at the skeleton’s fingers, but it was clear that his efforts were in vain.  Even though the fingers were splintering, the bones of the skeleton were simply to thick for even Big Mac’s strength to break in time.  Twilight and Wind Whistler were almost there, but the creature’s tail suddenly swept up, knocking them aside.  Big Mac whinnied in frenzy and bucked even harder, the fingers were suddenly pressing hard against Fizzy, and she screamed in pain.  Even from hear Twilight could see that Fizzy was being squeezed, and hard.  Soon the thing would snap her bones in half.
All of a sudden the skeleton’s fingers cracked and exploded, showering Big Mac with shards, fortunately none of them hit a vital area.  However, he howled in pain and rage as it appeared that Fizzy had just been obliterated.  He backed away, teeth gritted in horror.
“No!”  Wind Whistler flapped her wings, attempted to right herself as Draggle shrieked obscenities at the skeleton, also enraged.  Twilight felt a shudder of hate run through her as she looked at the skeleton that had just ended the life of a mare that Twilight was started to think of as much a friend as her Ponyville friends.  
But then, the bone dust settled, and Fizzy slumped there, alive.  Bruised and battered yes, but alive.  She was surrounded by a protective pink dome, which she tapped in puzzlement as she lay on the ground, to squeezed to move right now, but still breathing.
“Twili!  I got your back!”
Twilight looked down and grinned.  “Shining!  Cadence!”
Indeed, Shining Armor and Cadence had just emerged from the Crystal Palace, and Shining Armor’s shield now surrounded Fizzy, saving her life.  Shining ran up to were Fizzy still lay, and Fizzy blinked up at him.  She seemed a bit surprised, but grinned at him anyway.  He blinked back at her, not sure about this strange mare, but clearly accepting her as an ally. 
Wind Whistler tapped Twilight’s shoulder.  “Use your magic at once.  We will distract it.”  Before Twilight could respond Wind Whistler reared in mid air and launched herself at the skeleton.  Her wings beat fiercely, and she hovered in front of the thing’s nose for a brief instant.  Draggle’s eyes launched lighting as she clung to Wind Whistler’s back, and the pegasus suddenly dipped and circled around the skeleton’s head, the creature turning its head and swiping at Wind Whistler.  
Twilight ducked down underneath the creature’s chin.  “Luna!  Cadence!  Help me!”  The other two alicorn’s soared towards her.  She nodded at them.  “At once?”
“Agreed.”  Luna’s horn flashed.
“Of course!”  Cadence’s horn light up as well.
“One…two…three!”  Twlight shot her magic at the cracks in the spinal bones left there by Galenade’s beak.  At few moments later, Luna’s pale moon magic and Cadence’s pink magic joined Twilight’s.  The skeleton roared and its head suddenly popped off, flying backwards into the Crystal Palace and shattering into a million pieces.  The body collapsed, but not before its huge hand lashed out one last time, cutting into Wind Whistler’s flank and nearly relieving her of her symbol, permanently.  It only missed Draggle by a hair, and it cut into Wind Whistler’s flesh almost to the bone.  She gasped and landed hard, skidding a bit.
Cadence landed, face frowning in concern as she raced to Wind Whistler.  She barely noticed the Ponylander’s odd shape, more concerned with her wounds.  Draggle looked up as the strange pink thing ran at them and tensed, eyes flashing as she stepped between them, holding her stick defensively.  Cadence stopped.
“It’s alright, Draggle, she’s a friend!”  Twilight landed near them.  Draggle gave Twilight a hard look, and then stepped away.  She eyed Cadence with clear suspicion, but she let her come close to Wind Whistler.  Twilight looked over to Fizzy and floated her close.  “Bring all the wounded over here!  I’m teleporting us to the medic tent!”
Surprise landed, blood drying on her coat, but she seemed to have light wounds compared to the others.  From the pile of bones a eagle’s talon emerged and Galenad dragged himself from the ruins of the skeleton dragon.  He laughed slightly, coughing a bit in the middle of his laugh.
“That’s a battle to tell the grandchicks…” He said as he dragged himself closer to them.  “Think I’m ready for a rest now…you sure you can use your magic on all of us?”
Twilight looked up at the still bleeding, barely conscious dragon.  “I can manage everyone but him.”
“I had most of the civilians take shelter in the palace, and we got a few doctors.  I’ll get them rounded up, we’ll help him.”  Cadence said.  “You take care of the other wounded, I’ll send help as soon as I can!”  Cadence smiled and launched for the palace.
“Great!  We’re stationed at the south point outside the city, you can’t miss it!”  Twilight said as Big Mac limped over.  It seemed that only Gusty, Pinky, Twilight Draggle and Luna had escaped this mostly unharmed.  Twilight spread her wings and, with a grunt of effort, teleported the group to the medic tent.  A fierce tug raced through all of their bodies, and Twilight was suddenly glad for the extra power practice and alicorn magic gave her for this spell.  She sighed gently as they all arrived at the front of the medic tent in a flash of purple light; no pony hurt any further from the magic.  
“Medics!  I can use some help!”  Twilight called out.  Three nurses rushed out of the tent, examining each wounded pony in turn.  They quickly hustled the group into the hospital tent, dividing the group and having each of them lay on a cot, or in the case of Fizzy letting Twilight use her magic to lift her onto a cot.  The tent was lined with injured ponies, some with only minor scratches, others with deep lacerations and punctures.  Most of them had been stabilized, or were in the middle of being stabilized.
Twilight urged Draggle, who had come along for the ride, over to the side.  The witch glared at her, and Twilight had a feeling that Draggle wasn’t going to leave Fizzy and Wind Whistler’s sides even if Twilight levitated her out of the tent herself, so Twilight stuck with making sure Draggle wasn’t in the way.
Twilight watched each of the wounded in turn.  Galenad was laying there, content and apparently happy.  He seemed to be only suffering from a sprained wing and a few shards of bone stuck in his fur, digging into his flesh.  Big Mac was in a similar position, with a few shards sticking out of his shoulders and hips.  Most of them appeared to be flesh wounds, and most had stopped bleeding altogether.  In fact where it not for the shards Big Mac might as well have been just sitting around on the farm.  Surprise had been slashed along her back, but the wounds seemed to be shallow, and while the blood flow did make an interesting candy cane pattern with her coat, she didn’t seem all that bothered.
It was Fizzy and Wind Whistler who seemed to be in the worst state.  A great crushing pain in her chest damped Fizzy’s normal happy outlook.  She hissed a bit, leg kicking out as she hunched a bit on her cot.  “Hurts…” She hissed.
Draggle frowned and walked over, giving her a pet between the ears.  Fizzy sighed a bit as a doctor came closer.  He was a young looking cream colored unicorn.  His Cutie Mark was a cracked bone encased in a cast.  He frowned.  
“I never worked with this kind of pony before…” He hesitated, looking at Twilight.
“Do what you can.”  She said.  The doctor hesitated, but nodded, his horn lighting up orange as he scanned Fizzy with an x-ray spell.  His eyes narrowed and he looked at Twilight.  “Is there anypony I can model?”  He asked.  
Twilight opened her mouth, but by that time Gusty had arrived, sweaty and panting, as she had clearly run all the way here to make sure her friends were okay.  Shining Armor was right behind her, looking worried.  Draggle shot Shining a rather nasty look, but by now Twilight just assumed she shot eveypony she didn’t know well a nasty look.  For his part Shining didn’t appear to notice.  Twilight waved Gusty over.  She walked over, frowning in suspicion.  Shining came and sat next to Twilight, nodding at the few ponies who took time out of their busy schedules to give the prince a brief bow.
“Relax, I just need to see what a healthy one of you looks like.”  The doctor scanned Gusty with his magic.  Gusty fidgeted at the feel of the foreign magic, but stayed still as the doctor looked her over.  Twilight took a moment to study the spell.  It was a basic spell that most first year medics knew, that she had read about in a medical journal once and memorized just in case.  It allowed the user to look at the bones and skeletal structure of the patient, so they could see where to set the bones.  After studying Gusty for a bit, the doctor turned, his horn lighting up orange again.  He turned to Fizzy, levitating a body cast while spreading his magic to Fizzy’s body.  Fizzy yelped in pain as the doctor’s magic flowed through he, and Draggle glared at him.  He ignored her, instead swiftly realigning Fizzy’s bones back into place.
“Let’s see…cracked rib, cracked rib, fractured leg, fortunately it’s just a hairline fracture, but it’ll still hurt.”  The doctor said as he levitated the casts onto Fizzy.  “There, that should do it.  Need something for the pain?”
Fizzy blinked as the casts settled around her.  She had one around her ribs, to keep them in place, and another around her back leg, which had been cracked by the skeleton dragon’s claws.  She nodded.  “I…think so.”  The doctor blinked slightly now that he got a good look at her eyes, but shook it off as he levitated a bottle next to her.  “One teaspoon every five hours.”  He levitated a teaspoon next to her.  “I’ll be back around in a few hours to check on you, but I need to get to the next patient as soon as I’ve filled out this chart.  Name?”  He levitated a clipboard.
“Fizzy.”
“Uh huuuuh…and…what exactly are you?”
“Twinkle-eyed unicorn Ponylander.”  Fizzy smiled.
“Ah…haaaah.”  Twilight smiled a bit at the doctor’s efforts to be nonchalant.  “Any known allergies, previous diseases or conditions we should know about?”
“Huh, what?”  Fizzy blinked.
“She has no allergies, and the only previous condition she has suffered from is blindness.”  Wind Whistler looked over.  While the cream colored unicorn had been taking care of Fizzy another unicorn doctor had trotted over to Wind Whistler and was cleaning her deep wounds with a bottle of something.  Wind Whistler’s wings would twitch on occasion, though from her expression she might as well have been sitting around sipping tea.  She barely winched as her doctor, a mint colored mare, levitated a needle and thread.
“Blindness?”  Fizzy’s doctor asked.
“My eyes were blinded, and replaced by the crystals.  They help me see.”  Fizzy said.
“Really?  Fascinating.”  The doctor said.  “Anyway…” He went back to the chart.
“This is going to hurt, miss.”  The mint colored unicorn said to Wind Whistler as she levitated a syringe, holding it beside the needle and thread.  “But once I numb the area you won’t feel a thing.”  Wind Whistler nodded at her.
“Understood, please proceed.  Do mind the bow though.  It is a very important feature for our kind.”  The mare doctor nodded and gave her the shot, which Wind Whistler didn’t appear to feel.  The mare doctor smiled gently at Wind Whistler.  
“You’re very brave, miss, not many ponies would be so calm.”  She said.
“What use would there be for me to panic?”  Wind Whistler said.  “It would only make your job harder, and cause myself further harm.”
The mare doctor nodded as her stallion cohort finished Fizzy’s chart.  The cream colored stallion paused to look at Twilight.  “They’re friends with that butterfly winged pony, right?  The Flutter Pony?”
“We are.”  Wind Whistler responded to him as her doctor began to levitate a needle and thread, stitching up her wounds and closing them.  “She is hurt?”  A slight wrinkle between Wind Whistler’s eyes and a slight frown were the only sign of her concern.
“I…shouldn’t say but…you two should rest.”  The stallion stammered.
Gusty stepped forwards.  “What happened?”
“She’s” The stallion gulped.  “She’s outside to the west.  Her wings were…shredded.”
“What!”  Gusty reared.  “What the hell!”
“Apparently the Element of Loyalty tried to combine her magic with the Sonic Rainboom.  It worked, but your friend’s wings are-” The doctor backed up as Gusty turned and raced out of the tent, snorting in aggression.
Wind Whistler calmly looked at Twilight.  “You should probably follow her and make sure she doesn’t start another fight with your friend.  I would, but.”  She nodded at her doctor, who had just finished Wind Whistler’s first cut and was going on to the next.  There were five in total.  Twilight nodded.
“I’ll make sure nothing happens.  And I’ll check on Morning Glory for you.”  Twilight said.
“I’ll check the rest of hospital, make sure everything is going smoothly.”  Shining Armor stood up and nudged Twilight.  “Hang in there, Twili.”  He trotted down the aisle, checking the worst of the wounded ponies and paying attention to anypony that looked like he or she might be in distress.  Twilight smiled and raced after Gusty.




Earlier in the day, while Twilight and the others fought the dragon, Rainbow Dash darted to the medic tent, Morning Glory slung over her back.  The Flutter Pony’s eyes were half lidded, and Rainbow wasn’t sure if she was awake or not.  Rainbow landed just outside the tent.
“Hey!  Hey!  I need some help out here!”  She bellowed.  Quick as a flash Fluttershy flapped out of the tent as soon as she heard her friend calling.  Her eyes widened.
“What happened?”
Rainbow attempted to calm herself.  “I…Rainboom…destroyed her wings!  I’m so sorry!”  Rainbow wailed.
“Shhhh, it’s okay.”  Fluttershy patted Rainbow on the head and then stepped close to look at Morning Glory’s wings.  Fluttershy bit her bottom lip.  “I…think I can help you, Morning Glory.”
Morning Glory raised her head.  “How?  My wings are too fragile.  There is little anyone can do for a Flutter Pony with wings this damaged.”
“Yes, but…taking care of animals is my special talent, not that you’re an animal but…I’ve taken care of sick moths and butterflies before.  And once we made friends with Zecora…well she knows a lot about potions.  She helped me make a salve that can fix butterfly wings.”
“R-really?”  Morning Glory asked.
“It works only half the time, because many of the poor little things will always sort of flutter away to soon before the salve can work. But you won’t do that, right?”  Fluttershy asked.
Morning Glory smiled at Fluttershy.  “No, I won’t.”
“Alright, let’s find a nice sunny place for you, and I’ll go mix up the salve.”  Fluttershy smiled and led them to a rock a bit away from the tent.  She managed to flag down a doctor and got him to bring her some ingredients.  As she was starting to mix up the salve in a small pot, also provided by a doctor, Gusty rushed up, glaring at Rainbow and about to give her a piece of her mind.
“YOU!  WHAT DID YOU DO!”  Gusty screeched to a halt.  Rainbow snorted, becoming defensive now that she knew that Morning Glory was being taken care of.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to get her hurt, I was trying to kill that cloud!”
“And you’d thought it’d be a great idea to kill our friend along with him!?”  Gusty roared.
“Gusty, I’m not dead.  And if I had to do it again, I would.”  Morning Glory said.  “Especially know that I know it would work.”
“But your wings!”
“Gusty.”  Morning Glory reached out a hoof and touched her on the shoulder.  “It is alright.  I promise.  I knew what I was getting into.  I don’t blame Rainbow, and neither should you.”
“But-“
“Gusty, they are my wings and it was my choice.”  Morning Glory smiled at Gusty reassuringly.  “I am fine.”
Gusty sighed and sat down.  “If you say so.”  She looked up as Twilight trotted up to them.  She blinked at the sight of Morning Glory’s ruined wings and gasped. 
“Is there anything I can do?”  She asked.
Fluttershy looked up and nodded.  “This should work.  You can help me by spreading her wings and holding them with your magic.  If you don’t mind, Morning Glory?”
Morning Glory lay on her stomach and shook her head.  “Not at all.”
“Now, see if you can get the edges to match up, Twilight.”  Fluttershy instructed, her normally shy tones fleeing, replaced by gentle, but somewhat stern and professional, tones.  She dipped a paintbrush into the goop by her side.  She lifted the paintbrush and approached Morning Glory, who watched her with trusting eyes.  Twilight gently guided the frayed edges of Morning Glory’s wings, connecting them with deliberate precision.  Very gently Fluttershy brushed each section of Morning Glory’s wings, going slowly so that none of it would be bent out of place.  Morning Glory made no motion as the brush slowly ran across her wings.  She didn’t even tremble as the two carefully worked on one wing, then the other, soaking them through and coating them entirely.
“Now all we have to do is wait a few hours.  The salve will fall off on its own, and your wings should be better.”  Fluttershy said.  “Though I don’t recommend flying to much.  You have to go easy on yourself.”
“Alright.”  Morning Glory said, letting her wings settle to the ground as she let the sun dry them.  “Even if this doesn’t work, I’m very grateful.”
“No more then we are indebted to you.”  Cadence walked up, followed by Shining Armor and Luna.  “I heard what you did for us, and what you almost sacrificed for us.”  Cadence bowed.  “I’m very thankful for what you have done for us.”
Morning Glory lifted her head proudly.  “Flutter Ponies are not cowards.  We just don’t fight when we think we will win, and we never abandon our friends.”
“Of course not.”  Cadence blinked.  “I’ve never met a pony like you before.”
“I’m the only one in Equestria, the rest are back home in Dream Valley.”
“I’m growing concerned myself.”  Luna said.  “Celestia should have been back by now.  I’m taking some of the guard to fetch the mirror and bring it back here.  We must make contact with your people, Morning Glory, Gusty.”
Gusty nodded.  “Yeah, sounds good to me.  I’d feel better if we all were together.  Somehow I don’t think Arabus is the end of this.”
“Until then, I’d like you all to stay in the Crystal Palace with me and Shining.”  Cadence smiled.  “At least until you are feeling better.”
“I’m sure most of us will be honored.”  Morning Glory said politely.  Gusty just sort of shrugged.  She lived in a palace before, and they really didn’t impress her.
Still, it would be nice to relax a bit before they headed home.




The Equestrian forces had suffered minimal causalities, a fact that somewhat surprised Twilight.  She was grateful that most of the soldiers had survived the battle, but she still felt as if they were still missing a bigger picture.  Even as the wounded were transported to hospitals around the Crystal Empire, and even when she and her friends, old and new, were invited into the Crystal Palace and giving pretty much anything they wanted or needed within reason, Twilight still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still wrong.
She couldn’t’ figure out what could be wrong though, so for the moment she put it in the back of her mind until she could figure it out.  She spent the next few hours, while Morning Glory’s wings dried, talking to Shining and Cadence about what had happened so far.  
“Hmmm, I’m going to talk to a few of the Crystal Ponies, most of them must have been alive during the time Equestria and Dream Valley were linked.”  Cadence said.  “Maybe they can help us get them back home.”
By the time Fluttershy deemed it was alright to move Morning Glory, Luna had apparently stopped to lower the sun and raise the moon.  Twilight was glad that Luna could apparently still preform the sister’s royal duties.  She wasn’t sure if she or Cadence could do it, alicorns or no.  She sighed as they arrived in the Crystal Palace, and Cadence showed them a set of rooms they could choose from.  It didn’t surprise Twilight that the Ponylander’s choose to all pile into one rather large room.  All except Morning Glory.  She said she wanted to find a balcony and look at the stars.
“Thanks.”  Twilight had said.  “It’s nice that more ponies are enjoying Luna’s night.”
“What?”  Morning Glory blinked.
“Oh, sorry, forgot your people don’t raise the sun and the moon.”  Twilight said.  It was an odd concept for her to grasp.  Sure it happened in odd magical places like Everfree, but Twilight wasn’t used to the idea of ponies living without controlling the weather.
Morning Glory, for her part, was confused by the idea that a pony could control the night.  In the end she just kinda shrugged and went off to find that balcony.
“Princess.”  A Crystal guard walked up to Twilight.  “Princess Luna has returned with the mirror.  Something appears wrong.  She wants to talk to you.”
Putting Morning Glory out of her mind, Twilight followed the guard to the side chamber that Cadence, Shining and Luna had placed the mirror.  A few guards linned the walls, but Twilight barely spared a glance for any of them.  Standing with the royal family were a pair of crystal unicorns, who were tapping at the stones that lined the mirror’s frame.  The mirror looked dark to her, as if the surface was a deep pool of darkness.  Luna was tapping the surface with her hoof, frowning.
“What’s wrong?”  Twilight asked.
“The mirror is deactivated, but not from this side.”  Luna circled it.  “All the crystals appear to be intact.”
“Is it like the mirror leading to Canterlot High?”  Twilight asked.
“In some ways, yes.”  One of the crystal unicorns, a bright marble colored fellow, looked over.  “Hello, Princess.  My name’s Distance.  I helped stabilize this mirror when it was first created a thousand years ago.”
“Do go over it again, Distance.”  Luna asked.
“Very well.”  Distance nodded.  “Before King Sombra and Discord the Crystal Empire was a place of magical discovery.  We held the most prolific magical Academy at the time, and were the envy of even the unicorn tribe.  My mentor, Bright Eye, developed the theory of dimensional travel.  Equestria was young at the time, and the tribes had just united, and the unicorns were starting to aid us in our efforts, when previously they had been rivals.  The project jumped forwards ahead greatly when Clover the Clever volunteered to help us.  Our first prototype was actually the Canterlot High mirror, but it was considered ineffectual due to its dependency on moon cycles, and its bad habit of changing the forms of whoever stepped through.  Added to this was the fact that the Canterlot High world was quite savage at the time, and it was considered to risky to try and colonize or befriend the creatures there.  This one is far more advanced, and it doesn’t alter a pony’s body.  Or anything else’s body.”
“What was the original intent of the mirrors?”  Twilight asked.
“Originally the project was meant as a form of transportation, like trains today, only far faster.  It utilized a kind of solid rainbow that can pass through space at an almost instantaneous speed.  It was proven that the rainbow technology was too powerful to be used for such sort distances as between cities.  It’s sort of the equivalent of using a stone club to break open a peanut.  Yes you would break the peanut, but at the cost of smashing the nut.  But we found that we could travel much greater distances with the technology, even breaking through dimensions.  Eventually we created our second prototype, this mirror.  It landed us in Dream Valley.  After a few misadventures with the monsters there, Clover made contact with Queen Majesty the First, the monarch of Dream Valley.  After which another mirror was made on their side, to stabilize the connection, and the Dream Valley ponies became our allies.  This continued until the rise of Sombra.  We didn’t want him to have access to the mirrors, so this one was transported to Equestria in secret, after which Princess Luna and Celestia.”  Distance nodded at Luna.  “Sealed Sombra away.”
“The mirror stayed in Equestria with us until the Nightmare began to influence me.”  Luna said.
“So, does that mean you can reconnect the mirrors?”  Twilight asked.
“Unfortunately I was a mere lab assistant when Bright Eye and Clover created the mirrors, though Clover did make some notes she left behind.  Bright Eye was one of the first to rebel against Sombra and...”  Distance scuffed the ground with his hoof.  “The notes they left behind were either spirited away, or destroyed so Sombra couldn’t have access to the Rainbow Bridge.  We couldn’t let him find and attack Dream Valley.   I’m not sure where they were hidden.  As for myself, I don’t know the combination that leads to Dream Valley.”
“Combination?”
Distance pointed to the gems encrusting the frame.  “There is a spell that activates each gem.  A certain pattern will send the Rainbow across dimensions or space to the destination.  Technically if we used the right pattern we could view Dream Valley right now and be there within the second.  The second mirror is only used as a permanent anchor to Dream Valley.  You can just activate the main gem up here.”  He tapped a large crystal ball sitting at the very top of the mirror.  “And it sends you to Dream Valley instantly, but if you have the combination for Dream Valley it isn’t needed.  It will take a day for the bridge to recharge so you can send another Rainbow, as they are a bit unstable.  The second mirror also eliminates that issue as well.  Unfortunately without the combination or the other mirror working…” Distance shrugged.
“But you worked on it before, surely you must know the combination?”  Twilight asked.
“Princess, between Sombra’s rule and the fact that I was a very young colt, and never given the combination in the first place, all I can do is try as many combinations as I can and try to find Dream Valley.  But there are an infinite number of universes out there.  I could be searching for the rest of my life.”
“Aren’t there any hints to the combination at all?”  Twilight asked.
“Maybe if you searched Clover’s old quarters, she was given a space of her own here.”  Distance said.  “She might have left a clue.”
“I'll work on that, and you can work on the combination.  Hopefully one of us with break through.”  Twilight smiled at Spike, who was on her back, snoozing.  He was a bit tuckered out.  “I’d best start tomorrow though…”  Normally she would have dove into the research, but after the dragon even she was looking forwards to sleep.
“Indeed, I’d hate to be responsible for making our newest princess collapse.”  Distance smiled.  “I’ll get to work on this while you rest.”
Twilight nodded and bide them all a good night.  As she walked back to her quarters she passed by the others rooms.  All of them seemed to be asleep, and she guessed it was the middle of the night.  She shivered, as she suddenly felt a slight chill in the air.  She gasped, wings thrashing as she slipped on an iced up portion of the ground.  She blinked.
“What’s all this ice doing here?”  She wondered.  Spike yawned himself awake.	“Wha?”  He muttered.
“Look at all this-“
“GET AWAY YOU BULLY!”
“Fluttershy!”  Twilight’s wings flared.  Her timid friend rarely used that tone, and when she did something was wrong.  She lifted into the air, Spike clinging to her back, and flew down the hall.  She gulped as she noticed the ice increasing the further she went, as did the cold.
Something was defiantly wrong.



While Twilight had been talking to Distance about the mirror, Morning Glory had been stargazing outside.  She had wanted some alone time after all of the fuss the others had been making.  She just wanted to relax and not think about the possibly of never flying again.  She wanted to trust Fluttershy.  She liked Fluttershy.  She seemed very low key compared to the other intense Equestrians.  Sure Pinkie was nice.  Rainbow seemed nice, and Princess Twilight seemed nice.  But they were all so…intense.  It was hard for Morning Glory to feel comfortable around them.
She idly wondered what would happen if Fluttershy was wrong.  What if her wings never healed?  She didn’t want to think about it, but the thought kept creeping into her mind.  She shivered, as the night suddenly turned cold.
“Well well, fancy meeting you here…Morning Glory?”
Morning Glory started and turned her head.  She had thought she was alone on this balcony.  She blinked.  There was another Ponylander, but one that Morning Glory wasn’t familiar with.  At least not until the pony stepped into the moonlight.  Morning Glory stood up.  “You’re…a Princess Pony?”  She studied the other pony’s hat, only the Princess Pony’s had hats like those, and this was clearly a Ponylander pony.  “I don’t think we’ve met.”
“No, no we haven’t.  But I do know a few things about you.”  The Princess pony was a dark, almost black navy blue, rather like the night sky, and her mane was dark red.  Her back was kept in the shadow, so Morning Glory could not see her symbol.  Morning Glory shivered as the cold grew more intense, and she could suddenly see that the strange pony’s fur was covered with small ice shards, and her hooves seemed to spread ice.  The ice pooled at the bottom of the princess ponies’ hooves.
“Who are you?”  Morning Glory asked.  She was confused, and scared.  There was something wrong about this pony.
“Royal Blue.  You were responsible for killing the cloud demon…tell me, Flutter Pony…if I pinned one of you against the wall, can I have a Flutter version of a butterfly collection?”
“Wha-“  Morning Glory managed to say before ice spikes suddenly shot towards her from Royal Blues hooves.  She eeped and darted away, her hooves skidding on the icy ground.  Morning Glory turned to leap through the door, but a wall of ice shot up, blocking her.  “No!  Stop!  What are you doing?!”
“I can’t tell you how fun this is.  So this is why…hehehe…” Blue giggled as she taunted Morning Glory, making ice shoot up inches from her, only to retract them as Morning Glory scrambled away, only to shoot up more in new places.  “Never knew it would be so much fun to watch you squirm!  I’ll have to do this more often.”
“No, stop, please!”  Morning Glory pleaded, but Blue just laughed.  
“Your kind really are useless without your wings!”  She laughed again.
“S-s-stop.  You’re scaring her.”
Morning Glory looked up to see Fluttershy land near Royal Blue, avoiding a spike of ice as she went.  “P-p-please?”  Fluttershy asked.  “She’s had a long night.”
“Oh has she?”  Blue laughed and launched ice shards at the timid pegasus.  “Maybe you would like some ice as well!”  
Fluttershy ducked, squeaking in fear as ice surrounded her, making a sharp cage around her.  Royal Blue laughed and suddenly shot a far more accurate shard at Morning Glory, hitting her on the leg and pinning her leg to the wall.  
“This is going to be fun.  Why don’t you watch me nail your friend to the wall.  Then you’re next.  How about that?”  Royal Blue smiled at Fluttershy, then lifted another ice shard, aimed at Morning Glory’s other leg.
“No.”  Fluttershy gasped in horror at the sheer cruelty of the suggestion.  “Don’t.”  She began to glare as the ice rose up to impale Morning Glory’s leg.  “Don’t…you…DARE!”
Fluttershy suddenly kicked through the ice and buzzed her wings.  Blasting through ice like a battering ram she leaped between Blue and Morning Glory.  Her wings spread wide, her body drawn up and tense.  Her neck arched and her eyes bugged.  “GET AWAY YOU BULLY!”  She bellowed, her eyes seemed to grow even wider, and all of a sudden her body seemed to radiate with a dominating aura as she gave Royal Blue the Stare.  She didn’t like to give other ponies the Stare, but sometimes it happened of its own accord, though it was rare that she used it on ponies.  Perhaps it was because of what Royal Blue was doing to her friend.  Maybe it was working because a Ponylander was just alien enough for the Stare to work.  Whichever the reason Royal Blue found herself ducking her head in submission and backing away.
“How DARE you attack my friend!  How DARE you try to kill her!  Were you raised in a CAVE!?”  Fluttershy ranted.  “You take away all of this ice right now, young lady, or I’m going to be very very cross with you!” With each word Blue cringed lower, and her ice sort of shriveled and melted, running along the balcony and dripping off.
At this point Twilight and Spike flew through the now melting doorway, avoiding stepping in the water for fear of tripping.  She hovered, watching Fluttershy staring down a strange Ponylander.  She looked over and saw Morning Glory nursing a bleeding leg, and she dove down to check on her.
“Are you alright, what happened?”  Twilight asked.
“She…attacked me.  I don’t know why!”  Morning Glory said.
“Changeling!”  Twilight turned and blasted Royal Blue with a Changeling Reveal spell, but the spell did nothing, save for startling Royal Blue out of the Stare.  She snarled and drew herself up.
“No, no Changeling.”  She said.  “I just came to give a little message.”
“What is going on…a Princess?”  Wind Whistler slid in, her hooves sliding on the water before she gave up and hovered instead, like Twilight hade.  She looked down at Royal Blue.  “Royal Blue…what is wrong with you?”
Royal Blue smiled.  “I just came to tell you something.”
“Your appearance.  It is wrong…what has happened?”  Wind Whistler frowned.
“Tirac.”  Royal Blue grinned wide.  “Has something to say to you.”  She laughed.  “I win.”
“What?”  Wind Whistler blinked.  “Tirac is dead.”
“Not anymore.”  Royal Blue pulled out what looked like a hand mirror from a sack on her back.  Wind Whistler dove at her, but she waved the mirror, and a small cut appeared in the air.  Royal Blue stamped her foot, and a wall of ice appeared between her and Wind Whistler.  Wind Whistler had to pull up before she collided with the wall.  “I wouldn’t come back to Ponyland if I were you.  Unless you want to come serve our Master willingly.”  She stepped through the strange cut, which sealed behind her.  
“Hey, come back here and fight, you coward!”  Spike shook his fist at the area where Royal Blue had disappeared, sneering.
“What was that?”  Morning Glory asked.
“That thing was from Ponyland, right?”  Twilight asked.
“She…is one of the guardians of the Heart of Ponyland.  There are six Princess Ponies that guard the Heart of Ponyland from evil.  They are…were allies.  She did not look like that before, nor did she use her snow magic like…that.”  Wind Whistler landed.  “She mentioned Tirac…he must somehow be back…or at least something has taken on his name.”
“If he did that to a Princess Pony…oh no!”  Morning Glory gasped.  “The Heart is in danger!”
“What exactly is the Heart?”  Twilight asked as Spike tilted his head, listening as well.
“The Heart of Ponyland is an ancient relic, that prevents Ponyland from completely falling to evil.  As long as the Heart remains pure, there will always be hope that Dream Valley will not completely fall to evil.  While there have been times where the Valley was mostly filled with darkness, the Heart always served as a light against it, keeping hope alive.  The more of us that keep true to our ways in the Valley, the brighter and full of life it becomes, and Heart becomes strong.  However, if you corrupt the Heart, all of Ponyland will revert back to its darkened state.  Reviving the Heart, and giving six of her kin the job of protecting the Heart, was the first act Queen Majesty did when we returned to Dream Valley, and for years it has helped us protect it.”  Wind Whistler frowned slightly.  “If Royal Blue is…like that, then something or someone must have gotten to her, and perhaps the Heart.”  She looked at Twilight.  “We must return to Ponyland as fast as we can.”
Twilight fluttered her own wings.  “I was just talking to the Crystal Ponies.  We know how the mirror works, but something just have happened to the other mirror.”
“Mirror…that princess had a mirror…a small one.”  Morning Glory said.  “It looked like it almost created a small rainbow path.”
“The Crystal Ponies mentioned rainbow power as a way to travel between Equestria and Dream Valley.  The enemy, Tirac or whoever, must have figured it out before we did!”  Twilight snorted.  “That must be how that other witch, the one on their side, is keeping contact with the Changelings.  And how they managed to get a cloud demon from Dream Valley here to threaten the Crystal Empire!”
“It is worse then that.”  Wind Whistler said.  “Think about it.  Kidnapping, or at least luring, your foals away.  Then your two friends.  Then your sun princess?  Using the Changelings to cause trouble between our two groups, having us waste time fighting.  We would have been working on the mirror problem ages ago if we all weren’t running around blaming each other for things the others didn’t do.  And then just as we get on the same page Arabus shows up, and stronger then before?  I doubt the one behind this expected Arabus to win, but he did expect Arabus to slow us down.  The fight was far to easy from the start.”
“Slow us down…so he can get to the Heart of Ponyland!”  Twilight spread her wings in alarm.  “And we fell for it!”
“Indeed…we must get home.  We must warn the Estate.  It may not be to late to go to the Royal Paradise and prevent a disaster.”  Wind Whistler said.
Twilight’s wings snapped back to her body.  “She said…that this Tirac’s message was ‘I win’.  Wind Whistler he may have already succeeded!”
“We must try.  I will not leave my friends to the Night that Never Ends.  Would you?”
Twilight bite her lip, and then shook her head.  “No.  Never.”  But the sinking feeling in her gut told her that it was already to late.  But they had to try.
They had to.

> Chapter Fifteen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Fifteen


Apple Bloom sighed and rolled over on the bed the Ponylander’s were letting her use.  How could they sleep like this!  The Estate nursery was wall-to-wall baby pony, each of them had their own bed, in the same room!  They had been happy to find room for the Crusaders, though Apple Bloom almost felt like she was in the middle of a sleepover.  Apparently the younger ponies slept here, watched over by a few of the adults, while the rest of the adults slept in the Estate.  Even though Applejack and Rarity decided to stay, along with a pegasus named Paradise, Apple Bloom did not appreciate being here.  She wasn’t a baby after all.  And to be honest, the sounds all these sleeping ponies made was keeping her up.  Some of them had the loudest of snores.  Especially Baby Heart Throb.  Good grief that pony was loud!  And she was right next to Apple Bloom.  How in the world could they do this every night?  Didn’t they get on each other’s nerves at all?
With a small grunt Apple Bloom rolled off the bed they had given her.  Sure it had been a long day, but to be honest after Magic Star’s little freak out the other ponies hadn’t been interested in doing anything more then fret, even the younger ones.  Apple Bloom guessed that was understandable, since apparently the younger ponies really liked Magic Star.  Apple Bloom got the feeling they were like a big family, like when the Apples had reunions; only they stayed together all the time.  She knew if it was an Apple in this situation Apple Bloom would be worried as well, and probably not inclined to play either.  That didn’t change the fact that while Apple Bloom could understand, and empathize, she still had some pent up energy that needed release.
Apple Bloom checked to make sure nopony was awake.  All the ponies, even Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell, seemed asleep.  She wasn’t sure how.  The sun was only just starting to set.  Apple Bloom shrugged and climbed out the window.  Not knoing where she was going, but just needed to get some of this energy out, she trotted to the west, over a small incline.
Apple Bloom gasped as she reached the incline, and almost literally dropped on none other then Celestia.  The alicorn was laying on the grass, looking up at the setting sun, wings folded as she smiled upwards.  Celestia turned her head and looked up at Apple Bloom.
“Can’t sleep?  It’s rather early.”  Celestia said.
“Ah…well…yeah Princess…”  Apple Bloom ducked her head.
“Oh come now.  Just call me Celestia.  Please.  Why don’t you come down here?  I’d love the company.”
Apple Bloom blinked.  Was she going to hang out with the Princess?  Sure she hung out with Twlight, but that was a little different.  She had known Twilight before she was an alicorn, and to be honest Twilight didn’t act that much differently then from when she didn’t have those wings.  Twilight was still the bookish pony she always was, but Celestia…
Celestia sighed and looked up.  “You never notice how beautiful it is until you look at it…”
Apple Bloom blinked and hopped down the incline.  “But ya raise the sun…”
“Apple Bloom, right?”  Celestia looked down at Apple Bloom and she nodded.  “That’s just it, Apple Bloom.  I raise our sun, but rarely do I get to enjoy it.  It’s like…watching your siblings make cider as opposed to making it yourself.  It’s hard to fully appreciate something if you have to make it.  Of course there is that wonderful sense of accomplishment, but I don’t usually get to just…watch like this.”
“Who raises the sun here?”
“I don’t know.  I have never met him.  Or her.  Perhaps nobody raises it.  Perhaps the sun simply raises here of its own accord.”
“I’d believe it.  This place is so strange.”
“I missed it.”
“The sun raising on its own?”
“Yes.”  Celestia said.  “And this land in general.  Luna and I did live here for a time, during Discord’s reign.”
“That musta been hard.”  Apple Bloom sat down next to the Princess.  She wasn’t as scary as Apple Bloom thought.  In fact, she was rather…sweet.
“It could be.  The light had long taken this place, but darkness still lurked in the shadows.  And yet Majesty…the first Majesty’s ponies covered the land.  So many of them…in a way it was a reverse of now.  Our group was so small, cut down by Discord, and their group was so powerful and great.  Ponies with little magic.  Pegasi whose only ability was flight, unicorns with simple, individualized spells, and earth ponies with seemingly no magic at all…and yet.”  Celestia sighed.  “In many ways, they are stronger then us.”
“Are they…better’n us?”  Apple Bloom blinked.
“Oh no.  Just…different.  Our world was made for us.  Made for ponies who burst with magic from every pore, even if earth ponies don’t always acknowledge it, it is still there.  I can sense it within you, you know.”  Celestia smiled at her.  “Our very land teems with magic, but this place…not so much.  Oh there is magic.  But it’s far fiercer.  Wilder.  And many creatures don’t need it.  Many actually shun it.  This place…is made for ponies like Majesty’s, just as Equestria was made for us.  Neither is better, but we do have different strengths.  But that just makes us…better friends.”
“Didja have a lot of friends back then?”
“Oh yes.  Time and years have eroded some of them from my mind.  But looking here I can remember the towns and villages that once surrounded this place.  If I’m very still, I can sometimes hear their voices and…” Her breath hitched.  “I can almost remember when I wasn’t a princess again.  When Luna and I could play here…” Celestia looked past Apple Bloom into the distance, and for a moment Apple Bloom could see them as well.  Maybe it was her mind filling in the blanks, her imagination conjuring them, but for a moment Apple Bloom thought she saw the ponies that Celestia had lost to time, and she blinked up at the sun princess.
“Ya…ya aren’t lonely…are ya?  You’re Celestia!  You have so many ponies that love ya!”
“I have ponies that put me on a pedestal.”  Celestia frowned.  “I have ponies that see me only as an ascended being…or worse yet, as a goddess.”
“But, ya ain’t?”
“Is Twilight Sparkle a goddess?”
“Well…Ah don’t think so…”
“Neither am I.  I am powerful, yes.  I am long lived, yes.  Barring accidents it is possible I might live forever, or at least until it is impossible to live.  One day Twilight will be as powerful as I, and many will think her a goddess.  But I started out as a normal pony like you.  I just became powerful enough to stand against an evil being, and won.”  Celestia sighed.  “I did it for the good of every pony, but I do miss those simple days.  I miss the days when I was just a little pony myself.  It’s why I hate it when ponies treat me like they do.  I…after Luna was banished I had no one else from those days that understood me.  It’s why I backed away more and more from pomp and ceremony.  I knew that Luna fell to the Nightmare because of how unbearably lonely she was, and the same would happen to me, if I allowed myself to be as lonely.  So I try to connect with as many ponies as I can.  I take students, in the hope that they will see me as…me.  Cadence…when she ascended it was like a gift from a real god.  And now Twilight has as well, and though a life like this isn’t easy…” Celestia said.  “I wonder how selfish I am.  This is a lot to put on a little pony.”
Apple Bloom walked over and put a hoof on Celestia’s leg.  She blinked, as if she was seeing the princess of the sun for the first time.  Not as an omnipotent and all seeing princess, but as a…pony.  An elder pony, yes, but a pony like her.  “It’s alright.  Everypony has ta have somepony ta talk to.”
“Yes.”  Celestia smiled.  “Yes they do.”
“Luna’s back, and Twilight and Cadence are around.  And…heck ya even got Discord now he’s reformed and all.”
“Now that’s comforting to my sanity.”  Celestia chucked.
“Ya know, we all love ya, right?  Even if ya think we’re bein’ to formal, we all love ya.  I can’t think of a single pony that doesn’t love ya.”
Celestia smiled and gave Apple Bloom a little nuzzle.  “Thank you.”  She looked up as the sky turned dark, and little stars began to twinkle.  
“Ya right, ya know?  Ah didn’t of it before, cause Ah was so busy bein’ scared but…this place really is wonderful.  It’s just so…big.  Its like…if we got up and just walked in a direction, any direction, we’d find something wonderful.  Probably dangerous that wants ta eat us but…”
“I know what you mean, trust me.”  Celestia said.
“Ah wish…do ya think we can come back?  Like it was in the old days ya talked about?  Keep crossing over ta rainbow and see them again.  I’d like ta show em home, and I think…ya’d like ta come back here.”
“Can’t think of a better vacation spot.”  Celestia winked.
“Oh, I didn’t know anyone was out here.  Sorry.”
Celestia and Apple Bloom looked over.  Apple Bloom blinked, trying to fit the pegasus in front of them to a name.  Pink, heart Cuti-…symbol.  Ah.  “Yer Heart Throb, ya?  Baby Heart Throb’s mama?”
Heart Throb nodded, frowning slightly.  “Just…saw Magic Star.”
Celestia winced.  “It…reminds me of my sister.  Luna.  I wish I knew how to stop it, other then the Elements.”
Heart Throb looked at her.  “I was wondering about that.  I heard from your Applejack it took a thousand years to cure your sister…it won’t take that long for Magic Star, will it?”
“I honestly don’t know.  I’m sorry.”  Celestia said.  “But I will do everything in my power to help her.”
“Thanks.”  Heart Throb sighed slightly.
“Ya’ll sort of remind me of my family.”  Apple Bloom said.  “Only ya aren’t all related.”
Heart Throb smiled.  “I love them all like family, even if we aren’t related.”
Celestia nodded, and changed the subject again.  “Do you come here often?”
“No, not really.  Usually I read, or I take care of my daughter.”  Heart Throb said.  “It’s just…well she said some…things.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”  Celestia asked.
“I don’t know.”  Heart Throb walked over and sat down.  “…I know who I want to talk to, but I’m not sure if she’d want to talk to me.”
“Magic Star?”
“No…” Heart Throb shrugged.  “It’s…nothing.”  She sighed, and Apple Bloom wondered if it was just her friend’s condition, or something else.  Apple Bloom sighed and lowered her ears as she looked back at the estate.  She could see a light coming from a window, and somehow she had a feeling it was Magic Star, and she shuddered a bit.
It’s okay.  She said to herself.  The Princess is here.  Everything is gonna be alright.



Twilight lowered her head to the river, sighing a bit in relief as the cold water flowed over her muzzle.  She was very thirsty, and the cold river was a welcome relief after walking all day.  She raised her pale pink head, letting the wind brush against her white and purple mane.  She smiled a bit at Applejack, who was just finishing her own drink.  
Had a certain purple alicorn walked by at that moment she would have been shocked, for the pink unicorn known as Twilight in this world was a close image of Twilight Sparkle of Equestria’s own mother.  True Twilight Unicorn was pink, not white, and she had two extra stars on her symbol instead of Twilight Sparkle’s mother, but at a first glance they would have been mistaken for twins.
“Applejack, where did Ember go?”  Twilight asked.  In all aspects the Applejack of Dream Valley was also the spitting image of the Equestrian Applejack, save for the lack of hat.
“Not sure.  I think she went over that ridge.”  Applejack pointed.  “Don’t worry, Twilight.  She’s fine.”
“I know…she’s grown so much.”  Twilight smiled gently.
“Yeah…you sure about this?”
“Positive.  I honestly don’t think we will find her.”  Twilight scuffed a hoof.  “And it’s high time we brought Ember home.”
“I think Truly is still cross with you for taking her along in the first place.”  Applejack laughed.
“It wasn’t her choice.  Ember is my responsibility, and she wanted to come along…besides, pretty soon she won’t be my responsibility anymore.”
As if summoned by her name a lavender pony with a pink mane galloped over the nearby ridge, laughing a bit as she slide next to Twilight and Applejack.  The once young baby pony was now the size of her elders, though a bit less round then most of Majesty’s kind, she was still fairly heavy as most Dream Valley ponies were.  Her lack of symbol made it rather obvious she was not the same breed of pony.  Still, Twilight smiled at her and gave her an affectionate nuzzle.  She ducked a bit.  “Oh come on, Twilight.  I’m not a filly anymore!”
“I know, I know.”  Twilight’s ear twitched.  “What did you see?”
“I can see the forest from here!  The Estate is only a few hours away, isn’t it?”  She laughed.
Twilight nodded, then looked up at the sky.  “It’s almost dark.  Do you two want to stay here for the night?  We can be up early and arrive at the Estate in time for breakfast.”  
Applejack shrugged.  “Yeah, I’m a bit tired.  And it seems safe enough here.”  She walked a bit away from the river and sat down.  “We’ve been walking all day.”
Ember nodded and settled in near Applejack.  “You think they’ll be glad to see us?”  She asked.
“Of course they will.”  Twilight said.  
The three of them had left the pony’s old castle a few years ago.  Twilight had been convinced that their Queen was alive, despite her disappearance during the fight with Tirac.  Even though Tirac was gone, so was Majesty, but Twilight refused to give up.  So, after Tirac was dead Twilight took frequent trips to every corner of the world they could walk to, looking for some sign of Majesty.  At first she hadn’t wanted to take Ember with her, as she had been very young at the time, but after the Smooze attack Twilight had decided it was best to take her along.  They stopped by the castle, and later the estate, from time to time, but for the most part they spent their time on the road.  But, even though it hurt to admit, Twilight had to admit that they would have found Majesty by now if they were going to find her.  The only place she hadn’t looked was the witches’ volcano, but she would need more ponies to look there, and she wasn’t sure how well the others would take that.  She had briefly met Draggle the last time they were there, and though she wasn’t sure if the girl was totally honest, she was willing to let Wind Whistler handle it.  The pegasus was a far cry from the silly filly she had been.  A part of Twilight felt bad for that, and it wasn’t the first time Twilight wanted to track down that stupid stupid…no.  There was nothing she could do about those ponies now.  Besides, she didn’t think Wind Whistler was…unhappy.  Twilight hoped not.  Though in many ways Ember was her daughter in everything but blood, she felt a kinship and protectiveness towards the other young fillies as well, though the ones she still thought of as young had actually grown into fairly mature mares.  
Either way, talking to Draggle had turned up no leads either, though Twilight was not sure if that was because Hydia didn’t know where Majesty was, or if the witch had indeed done something, but concealed it from her daughters.  Twilight just didn’t know, and just about every other evil lair or dark place in the earth had been searched.  She hated it, but it was a fact.
It was time to go home.
Twilight smiled.  Her thoughts were wandering badly.  She was probably just getting old.  Slowly Twilight lowered her head and began to sleep lightly.




Hours later Twilight Unicorn jerked awake.  She shivered.  She couldn’t really remember her dream, only that there was ice everywhere.  Surrounded her.  Never a big fan of winter, Twilight shivered again.  It was probably just a little nightmare left over from that one really bad winter.  That was it.
She looked up at the sky.  It was about midnight, judging from the position of the moon.  She got to her feet and looked over at Applejack and Ember.  Both of them were sleeping soundly.  She smiled.  Twilight quietly trotted back to the river and began to drink again.  She was always thirsty when she just got up.  She couldn’t even remember the part about the ice from her dream.  She raised her head, and blinked.  That was an awfully strange cloud blotting out the moon…she looked up, and shivered, but this time not in cold.  She backed away.  
“…Twilight…”
Twilight turned her head and looked at Applejack, whose eyes were wide and staring.  “…I…I…”  Applejack stared at the dark cloud, gaping.
“Applejack.”
“…I feel him.”  Applejack backed away.  “Twilight.  Run.”
“Feel what?  Applejack!”  Twilight turned as Applejack whirled around and nudged Ember awake.  
“Run!  Run!  It’s him!”  Applejack shouted.
“Him?  Wha?”  Ember shook her mane.
“Tirac!”  Applejack screamed.
“What!  No!  He’s dead!”  Twilight shouted as she ran up.  Applejack turned to her, and for a moment an image of the other pony being consumed by the rainbow of Darkness flashed in Twilight’s mind.
“It’s him.”  Applejack said with finality, and Twilight believed her.
“But…but…” Ember stuttered, and Twilight nudged her as well.  She looked behind them and spotted something dark and slimy starting to flow across the river, reaching for them.  
“Run.  Now.”  This time Ember didn’t argue with her elders, and the three ponies began to gallop at top speed for the nearby canyon that was between them and the Estate.  Twilight knew the place was a maze, and had a few dead ends, but she thought she could remember the path.
“Faster, come on!”  Applejack looked behind them and sped up, pulling ahead of the other two as she pounded into the canyon, zipping on way, then the other.  Ember was right behind her, and Twilight took up the rear, making sure to stay behind the others in case they ran into trouble.  She looked behind her and gasped.  The dark stuff…a mist.  It was a slimy, horrible looking mist.  It flowed over rocks, shrubs, and animals.  Twilight’s eyes winded in horror as she saw it grab a lizard.  The thing squirmed, then suddenly let out a roar.  Twilight was horrified to see the things teeth grow to huge fangs, and its eyes flashed yellow.
“Hurry!  Faster!”  She shouted at the other two.  The three of them turned a corner, and Twilight’s heart fell.
She hadn’t remembered a gorge here.
“Applejack, come on, there has to be a way across!”  Twilight looked form one side to the other, even as she heard things beginning to roar and growl in the mist as they were changed.  “We can’t let it catch us.”
“…we can’t let it catch you.”  Applejack said.
“Applejack?”
“You can wish over there, Twilight.  You can keep going.  Warn the others.  Ember and I…” Applejack’s ears laid back, but her voice was steady and calm.
“What!  No!  I can’t leave you behind!”
“Twilight, she’s right.”  Ember smiled up at her foster mother.  “We can make it.  Just go.  Get the others.”
“But…”
“You beat him once.  You can do it again.  I’ve been here before.  I can live until you get back with help.  But if you don’t go, this thing will sneak up on them.”  Applejack stepped between Twilight and the mist, which seemed to hover there as if it had a mind of its own, and was waiting to claim them.  “I can feel you, monster.”  She hissed.  “I can feel you.  You want me?  Come take me!  But you’ll never get my family!  Come on you bastard!”  Applejack reared at the mist and whined in challenge to it, and Twilight could have sworn she heard something deep in the mist chuckle.
“Go, Twilight, I know you’ll be back for us.”  Ember smiled and nuzzled Twilight.  “Go.”
Twilight sighed and nodded.  “I’m so sorry…”
“Twilight, run before it gets to you!”  Applejack tossed her head.  Twilight turned to the gorge and closed her eyes.
“I…I wish…”  I’ll be back…”I wish…”  Just hang on…”I wish.”  I won’t let you down.
Twilight Unicorn didn’t wink in and out.  Not like the other unicorns.  They could not wink through solid objects.  Twilight had teleportation.  Actual, true teleportation, though she could pass through objects, she did have a distance limit.  She felt her magic gather around her like water, and flung her over the gorge.  She paused, and looked back just in time to see the shadows being to consume her friends.  She could hear them howling, but she knew she couldn’t go back.  Instead she wished again, appearing a few miles from her starting point.  She paused, exhausted.  She could feel her magic draining away, the power flowing to her like molasses instead of like water.  She could do this one more time.  Only one.
She wished, and now she could see the forest that edged the Estate.  The only problem was she was on the opposite side.  She looked behind her.  She could no longer sense the dark mist, but she knew it was right behind her.  She staggered.  Her hooves felt like lead.  Her head, especially the area around her horn, ached terribly.  But she wasn’t going to give up.  She tossed her head, picked up her heavy hooves and cantered forwards.  She had to reach the Estate.  She forced herself into a gallop.
Ember, Applejack, don’t worry.  I’ll be back.  I promise.


Diamond Dogs are not, by nature, an intelligent species.  But the leader, Rover, knew gems, and he knew pain.  He didn’t know what a friend was, at least if you asked him the meaning of friendship he wouldn’t be able to answer, but he knew what a pack leader was.  Miss Rarity was a pack leader.  So was the Megan pup.  Following them wouldn’t be bad, and it would be better for them to side with the ponies rather then the strange small creature.  Ponies had power.  Ponies had magic.  He didn’t know what kind of power humans had, but if the human was with the ponies then it just made them stronger. 
Still, the gems here were scarce.  The dogs had been tunneling for a while, and hadn’t found the right kind of gems for the mirror thing.  Rover had seen the mirror before when the short human witch had come to them, and while Rover didn’t know much about the world in general, he knew gems.  He knew what kind of magic could be channeled through gems.  He had seen what magic Hydia used to make the mirror go.  Therefore he knew that none of the small rocks the dogs had found so far would work.  They had decided to take a short break, he and his three pack brothers.  Rover had no idea if they came from the same mother dog or not.  They had been raised in the same pack, were the smartest and more powerful of the pack, so they led the pack.  It was that simple.  Diamond Dogs were very simple.
“What we do?”  Fido, the largest of the three Diamond Dog leaders, eyed a quartz that, while pretty wouldn’t do at all.  He pocketed it.  No sense letting it go to waste.  “Don’t want to hear the Voice again.”
“Short witch had gems.  Original gems.  Remember?”  The shortest of them, Spot, said.
“Hmm, witch mean though?  And with black bug pony, right?”  Fido asked.
“Either that or the whining voice.”  Rover shuddered.  “Worse then Eternal Stench.”  The other dogs shuddered.
“Found something!”  A warrior dog popped his head out of a nearby hole and waved.  “Something lair!  Gems!  But many web to.  Like spider.  Big spider.”
Rover scratched the back of his ear.  “Either witch or spider.  Which?”  He looked at the others.  Most of the other dogs barked for spider.  “Spider it is then.”  Rover looked at his packmate.  “Lead.”
The warrior dog nodded and dove back into his hole, the other dogs loping behind him.  Different land though this might be, earth was earth, and Rover was most comfortable around earth.  He felt much better with rocks and dirt surrounded him then anything else.  Rover could sense that they were raising upwards, almost to the surface.  He could also sense something else beneath their feet.  Something like hammering and grinding.  What in the world was hammering down there Rover didn’t know, but unless they had gems then Rover didn’t care.  Gems would make Rarity happy, and would get the dogs home so they could go back to the underground they knew and away from this place.  Rover didn’t intend to talk to anything other then a dog after this for a long while.  It only led to trouble.  
The warrior in the lead paused.  “Close.  Be careful.”  He growled.  Rover nodded, and the warrior led them forwards down the tunnel, slinking low to the ground.  Rover followed, keeping low as well.  The warrior slipped into a larger chamber, sliding to the side and crouching.  Rover slipped out and looked around.
The chamber was huge, large enough for all of Rover’s pack, and they were a pretty large pack, to play fetch in.  The only thing would keep them from playing fetch were the huge criss crossed section of webs, and the huge volume of egg sacs.  Rover lowered his ears at the sight of the huge round things that clearly held baby spiders.
“Where gem?”  He asked the warrior.  The dog waved them forwards, and Rover motioned for two more to follow him.  “Only you two come.  Other’s stay.”  Rover and two other warrior dogs slunk in after the first warrior.  Rover didn’t want all of them piling in here with all these webs around.  Rover squinted.  Ah yes!  There was a pile of junk in a corner of the cave!  Diamond Dogs could spot a gem from pretty far away, and Rover could see that even though the pile of stuff mostly consisted of clothing and weapons, there was a single sword laying near the bottom of the pile, bent in half but covered with gems.  Rover looked around and noticed other similar piles of clothing and items scattered about.  He wondered what or who had left them.
Rover got only a second of a hissing warning from behind him.  He turned and gasped as a spider leaped down from the shadows, latching its fangs into one of his pack mate’s arms.  The dog squealed and slashed at the spider, but the spider didn’t appear to feel it.  The dog gasped and struggled, pounding on the monster’s head.  Within moments, however, the dog’s struggles weakened, and he went limp.  
Rover growled and leaped on the spider’s back, digging his claws into its abdomen.  Unwilling to bite the thing he settled for clawing at its face, gouging at his multiple eyes.  He howled, and the other dogs rushed from their hiding spot, swarming the spider.  The thing was about the size of a cart, and there were about ten dogs.  However, more spiders began to drop from the ceiling, hissing and leaping with their hairy legs for the dogs.  Rover snarled as he dug into the first spiders face.  The spider kicked, then collapsed, leaking black ichor as Rover ripped his claws out.  Rover barked and dove for a spider stabbing with a clawed leg at small Spot.  Rover latched onto the leg and barked.  “Run!”  Spot didn’t need to be told twice.
Rover eeped as he was flung to the side, but thankfully the pile of garbage cushioned him.  Dizzily he raised his head, and blinked as a skull of some apelike creature landed on his lap.  He blinked.  Wait…was this?  Realization hit.  This was the remains of one the spider’s victims.  Rover’s eyes fell on the sword.  He picked it up.  
This was why this creature had died.  The sword was rusted and old, but even so Rover could tell the metal was weak.  He mostly worked with gems, but any thing from the earth was at least somewhat familiar to the Diamond Dog.  In the old days they used weapons like these, and a few warriors still did, but most of the time claws and fangs did well enough against threats in Equestria.  But this sword…this sword was weak.  The metal was bad, and Rover would have bet the metal had been bad when it was new.  The blade’s material was gold, pure gold.  Gold was bad for swords.  Someone clearly intended this for show.  Rover looked down.  The clothes were silk, robes of some kind, and there was a small circlet of some sort buried in the cloth.  Rover couldn’t figure it out…but…
He picked up the circlet.  Iron.  Much better.  And there was a spike on the top, with a nice emerald.  He plucked out the emerald and quickly pocketed it, and picked up the golden blade.   Rover howled and rushed forwards, circlet in paw.  He swung the iron thing at a spider, digging the sharp point at the end into its head.  He ripped, and lunged again, using the circlet like a fist weapon, stabbing and stabbing.  The dogs howled and rallied, a few of them picking up weapons from other piles of trash and stabbing with aged spears and smashing with rusty maces and slashing with aged blades.  Most of these weapons broke, but they were hurled with such roce that most of the weapons were left inside the spiders, and the dogs would simply rush off and pick up another weapon from a pile.
There were to many.  Far to many.
“Get the hurt out of here!  Run run!”  Rover shouted.  “I have gems!”  The dogs howled.  Four stood in a line, beating back the rush of spiders, while the others scooped up injured or dying brothers and ran with them back to the entrance.  Rover stayed with the four other warriors, backing up till the last of the injured passed through.  With one last stab Rover was through the entrance, the last to cross the threshold.  Fido and Spot clawed at the entrance with precise strikes, and the entrance collapsed an inch from Rover’s tail.  Rover panted and looked up.
“Anyone…hurt?”  He asked.
“Yes.”  Fido sighed and looked down.  Three dogs lay still on the ground, unmoving, horribly bitten by the spiders.  Rover limped over and sniffed them.  There was nothing he could do.  He whimpered and closed his eyes.  The other dogs whined, and bowed their heads, taking a moment of silence.  
Rover looked down at the golden blade in his paws.  He stood up.  
“We go.  They home in new lands.”  The dogs nodded, digging a quick hole to bury them.  Then, with a small shake of his fur, Rover led the others dogs back in the direction of the Estate.  
Witch brought us here.  Bad Witch.  If I see, her, I’ll bite her.  Rover clenched his teeth as he walked.  Really big bite.




“You found some!  Thank you so much!”  Galaxy smiled at Rover, who held out the gems for her, the rest of the pack huddled behind him.  He didn’t mention the spiders.  
“Yes.  Use gems now?  Go home?”  He asked, looking at Rarity, who thankfully wasn’t raising the pitch of her voice.  In fact, she kept it rather low as she walked forwards and lifted the gems with her horn.
“Of course but…wasn’t there more of you?”  Rarity frowned.
Rover shifted a bit.  “Three no make it.  Giant spiders.  Bad.”  He said.
“Oh!”  Rarity blinked and to his surprise she patted Rover on the shoulder.  “I’m so sorry!  If I had known I wouldn’t have asked you!”
“…but…we got gems…”  Rover blinked.
“I never meant for your friends to get…hurt though.  I’m so sorry.  Please forgive me?”  Rarity asked.
“I…yes.”  Rover blinked, a tad confused.  “It okay Miss Rarity.”
Rarity nodded solemnly.  “I know we’ve had difficulties before in the past, but understand I never meant to put you or your friends in harm.  I wouldn’t call us friends, but you…”  She sighed.
“We just go, yes, and never come back.”  Rover said, the other dogs nodding.
“Right, well…living room.”  Galaxy said.  “We should get you home soon.”
“I’m sure that between Twilight Sparkle and the others, we can help Magic Star, and figure out what’s going on with these ghastly witch characters.”  Rarity shook her mane and headed inside, followed by her pack of Diamond Dogs.  “Galaxy, can you please get the others?”
Galaxy smiled slightly.  She couldn’t help but like Rarity.  There was just something inherently likeable about her, despite the fact that Galaxy hadn’t been sure what to make of her at first.  At first Rarity seemed a bit like Truly, save for the fact that she could apparently command Diamond Dogs at will.  It was odd.  But still…
It didn’t take long for most of the Estate to turn up to see the mirror repaired.  All of them save Mimic, who was having a turn guarding Magic Star.  They had to take turns often.
“She’s getting worse.  She’s doing that…switching thing every sentence.”  Paradise sighed as she sat on the couch to watch.  “I’m…starting to have a hard time telling when she’s herself and when she’s not.  I’m…not even sure if she is still herself and trying to resist, or if she’s…just playing with me.”
Megan walked over to the couch and sat next to Paradise.  She herself had not been up to see Magic Star, mostly because of how distraught she felt.  It wasn’t just that Magic Star had kicked her and called her names.  She had no idea what to do.  She didn’t know how to help her friend, and that was killing her.  So until she did know how to help Magic Star, she felt that she was better off helping the other ponies emotionally.  She could still do that.  She slid an arm around Paradise and hugged her, and Paradise leaned over and rubbed her nose on the top of Megan’s head.  
Celestia smiled.  “It will be alright.  When we pool our resources we will find a solation.  Now, Rarity.”  She turned to Rarity.  “Place that emerald there, and that garnet here, and…”
Unable to use magic herself, Celestia verbally guided Rarity into fitting each missing gem into the mirror’s frame.  Rarity’s deft hand, er horn, developed from years of working with gems, allowed her to fit the gems almost perfectly into the empty slots.  She smiled as she snuggly fit the last small ruby into place.  She looked up at Celestia.
“How do we start it?”  She asked.  “I think it could use a bit less…gaudiness.  I mean I know I like shininess but this is a bit…tacky…” She looked at the mirror.
“Every gem has a function, Rarity, though it is rather…tacky looking.”  Celestia shrugged.  “But this mirror was built to connect with the other one in Equestria.  Just pour some magic into to the top gem, and it should start up.”
Rarity nodded and poured some magic into the mirror.  The gem on the top began to flash, then several of the other gems began to flash and shine.  Rarity gasped as the mirror’s surface shimmered, and suddenly burst to light.  She leaped.  
“It worked!”
The Ponylanders cheered, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who had been sitting among the baby ponies and whispering to them about Ponyville, jumped up and down in glee.  The baby Ponylanders attempted to copy them, but Ribbon and Truly got them to stop, as plaster started to sprinkle down from the weight of bouncing ponies.
Apple Bloom charged forwards, eager to jump through, but to her surprise when she leaped through the mirror something bounced her back.  She blinked, heart racing.  “It’s not workin’!”
“Actually…it’s just activated.”  Celestia said.
“Huh?”
“Somepony is coming through.”



Distance was profoundly and completely irritated.
“All fo you need to go away and do something else.  I’ll tell you if something comes up.  Please!”
“I know, logically our staying here is useless…however.”  Wind Whistler looked over at the other Ponylander’s, including the Stoneback.  While he hadn’t fought, he had come along after the rest of them as soon as they knew the danger ot the Royal Paradise.  He was determined to get home as the rest of them, and he wasn’t going to let the ponies out of his sight again until he found himself in Dream Valley soil.  Wind Whistler sighed.  “I do not think you will get them out.  I do not think I can.”
“It just makes me feel better, okay?”  Gusty snorted.  “When that thing turns on I’m charging!”
“But-” Distance protested, and Gusty glared at him
“I have a daughter on the other side of that thing.”  She said.  “And family.  You don’t understand.  They’re all our family.  We have to get back to them.”
Distance sighed.  “Alright, but-“
“Hey, it’s doing something!”  Twilight Sparkle, who had been waiting with them, stood up.  “It’s flashing!”
Distance looked up, bursting into a smile.  “Someone must have repaired the other mirror!  It’s on!  It’ll go to Dream Valley now!”	
“Alright, out of my way!”  Gusty started forwards.  
“Wait!  You don’t know who is on the other side!”  Twilight said.
“Don’t stand in my way, princess.  I’m going home to help my friends!”
“I know, and I’m not going to stop you.  Any of you.”  She looked to each Ponylander, as well as her Equestrian friends.  “But I want to go first.  I can make a barrier in case it’s a trap.”
“Sensible.”  Wind Whistler said.  “Proceed then.  And do hurry.”
“You’re so strange.”  Rainbow chuckled and looked over at Morning Glory.  “You gonna be okay?”
“She should be able to make it.”  Fluttershy said, still looking at Morning Glory’s wings.  “Just try to fold them.”
“I will.”  Morning Glory smiled at her.
“Twili, I’m coming along.”  Shining Armor said.  “I want to see this place.”
“And I will be right behind you.”  Luna said.
“Me two.  We’re all coming.”  Rainbow grinned, and Fluttershy and Big Mac nodded, Big Mac with considerably more enthusiasm then Fluttershy.  Twilight turned to the mirror, took a deep breath, and leaped through.
She gasped as the mirror eagerly sucked her in, her body tumbling around and around as if she just been unbalanced by a harsh wind.  She gasped as she saw the rainbow spinning around her.  It was…wonderful.  It was all wonderful!  Here she was, taking the first steps into an unknown land of alien ponies!  She’d be one of the first to set hoof there in a thousand years.  Not the very first, that honor went to Applejack, Rarity and the foals, but one of the first!
She tumbled to the ground, offing as Shining fell through right after her, flopping on her back with a thump.  “Ow!  Shining!”
“Sorry!”  He rolled off, nearly rolling into Celestia.  He gasped and saluted.  “Umm…hello Princess!”
“Shining Armor.  It’s wonderful to see you…and you, Twilight…how did I know you’d be the first across?”  Celestia smiled.
“Princess!”  Twilight flapped over.  “What happened to you?”
“It’s a long story.”  Celestia said.
“It’s all kinda a long story, Twi.”  Applejack nudged through the Ponylanders to reach Twilight.  “Ah’m glad ya got here.  We’re kinda in a pickle.”
“Wind Whistler!  Gusty!”  While Twilight and Shining had been talking to Celestia, the others had come through the mirror, Wind Whistler and Gusty leading the group.  Seeing as how they had made this trip before, they managed to get their bearings and move away from the landing zone to let Fizzy and Draggle come through.  As such Wind Whistler had nearly ran into Galaxy, who had thrown her hooves around Wind Whistler’s neck.  The only hint of Wind Whistler’s surprise was a slight widening of the eyes.  
“Galaxy…what is amiss?”
“Magic Star!”
“What?”  Wind Whistler blinked, but wasn’t able to get the rest of the story as Big Mac had just emerged and was furiously hugged by his two baby sisters.
“Ya’re here!”  Apple Bloom shouted.  “Oh Ah missed ya Big Mac!”
“Eeyup…ya know yer grounded fer this stunt, right?”
“…typical.”
“Eeyup.”
“Oh my…”  Truly blinked at Big Mac.  “That is a very Big Brother, isn’t he Heart Throb?”
Heart Throb stared at Big Mac.  “…why, yes he is.”
“I saw him first.”
“Actually, I saw him first.”  Fizzy smiled at Truly innocently.
“…do ya even know what I’m talkin’ about, Fizzy?”
“Ummm…well, I’m the first Ponylander he met.”  Fizzy said.
“Eeyup.”  Big Mac looked over from his family and nodded briefly at Fizzy.
“Well he doesn’t seem that interested in you, Fizzy.”  Truly smiled.
“Ummm…what are you talking about?  He always does that.”  Fizzy said, confused.
“…somebody really needs to teach her about the birds and bees.”  Heart Throb said thoughtfully.
“…huh?”  Fizzy shrugged.  “You two are acting strange…hey, Big Mac, these are your sisters?”  Fizzy walked over to him, still smiling.
“Eeyup.”
“Hi!”  Fizzy greeting the two Apple sisters enthusiastically, and the four of them began to talk.  Or rather Fizzy talked, Big Mac eyuped, and Applejack studied Fizzy.
“Wow, it really is another dragon, Twilight!”  Equestrian Spike slid off Twilight and looked at Dream Valley Spike, who stared.  “Ummm…hi?”  Equestrian Spike said.
“…hi.”
“…wow, you’re voice is weird…and you’re pink.”
“What’s wrong with being pink?”  Dream Valley Spike asked.
“It’s not really…er…manly.”  Equestrian Spike said.
“I can breath fire.  How more manly do you want?”  Dream Valley Spike folded his arms.
“Okay!  Okay!  Sorry…so…this is gonna be awkward.”
“Why?”
“Er…I’m Spike.”  Equestrian Spike said.
“So am I.”
“I know.”
The two dragons stared at each other.
“Yeah…” Equestrian Spike said.  “Awkward.”
“RAINBOW!  YOU CAME FOR ME!”  Scootaloo bolted across the room and tackled Rainbow as she emerged.  “You really did look for me?”
“Are you kidding!  I was looking high and low…until I had to fight a giant cloud demon.”
“You fought a giant cloud demon!  I told you she was cool!”  Scootaloo yelled at Baby Lickety-Split, who snorted.
“I’ll believe cool when I see cool!”  Baby Lickety-Split retorted.
“Mama!”
“Baby!”
Gusty and Baby Gusty nuzzled each other, Gusty wrapping a hoof around her daughter.  “I missed you.”  Gusty said.
“Missed you too.”  Baby Gusty said.
“Did you miss us?”  Baby Ribbon gave Gusty a wide-eyed, concerned look.  Gusty reached over and rubbed her hoof on the little unicorn’s head.  
“I missed all of you!  Come here and give me a group hug!”  Gusty laughed as she was soon dog piled by baby ponies.  Baby Heart Throb, Baby Lofty, and Baby Surprise then rushed over to dog pile Wind Whistler, who nuzzled each of them gently. Baby Surprise then leaped at her mother, who laughed and jumped around with her daughter on the ground. 
“I want you to meet our new Equestria friend!  Meet Pinky Pie!”  Surprise nudged her baby nearer to Pinkie, who grinned wide.
“Hi!  You look so much like your mother!  I’m Pinkie!”
“Baby Surprise!”  Baby Surprise flapped her wings.  “You smell like cake!”
“I know!  I bake cakes!  And cookies!  And pie and…” Pinkie proceeded to ramble on about cake, while Baby Surprise grinned and bounced.
“Ladies…Ladies!”  Celestia tried to get the group’s attention.  “While this is all wonderful, we need to settle down and-“
“WHAT THE!  YOU!”  Gusty suddenly bellowed, pointing in the direction of Majesty, who had been sitting a bit back from the chaos that had broken out.  “It can’t be!”
“Gusty, what…”  Wind Whistler looked over and suddenly sat, eyes growing wide.  Her face remained as smooth and impassive as ever, her eyes the only indication of what she might be feeling.  Silence fell over the group as the Ponylander’s that had been trapped in Equestria looked over and saw the queen they thought lost to them.  Surprise’s mouth fell open in shock, and Gusty kept pointing with her hoof, trembling.  Fizzy backed up until she was against Draggle’s legs, and leaned onto the witch as if attempting to ground herself.  Draggle just looked at Majesty with complete and utter incomprehension.  It was just another unicorn to her, an unfamiliar one.
Wind Whistler’s mouth moved, but only small squeaks came out.  Majesty crossed the distance between them and smiled.  Wind Whistler stood and, as Majesty came close, Wind Whistler tapped her on the shoulder with her hoof.  Majesty nodded.
“I’m real.”
“So you are.”
“I missed you, dear.”  Majesty smiled.
Wind Whistler just nodded.  Her face was as blank as stone wall.  Majesty leaned down and whispered something into Wind Whistler’s ear.  Wind Whistler seemed to relax, and though she still showed no expression, there seemed to be less tension in her stance.
“What’s going on?”  Draggle leaned to the side and whispered to Galaxy.
“That is Queen Majesty.”  Galaxy muttered.  “She…adopted many abandoned and orphaned ponies.  Wind Whistler was one of them.  She’s like a mother to her.”
“Oh…I didn’t know that.”
“It’s not really my story to tell.”  Galaxy said.
“Yeah…” Draggle made a mental note to ask Wind Whistler more about this later.  In the meantime that queen was coming closer to her.  Majesty gazed at Draggle, for the first time she had to lift her head a bit to talk to someone.
“I smell it on you, you’re Hydia’s second daughter?”  Majesty asked.  “I never saw you.”
“You know her?  She didn’t mention you.”  Draggle gripped her staff a bit tighter.
“She never mentioned that she held me in that volcano for all these years?”
“What?  No.”  Draggle frowned.  “Never.”
“…I’m not surprised.”
“…she never did trust me.”  Draggle grumbled.  “Not that I care.”
“It’s alright.  You’re one of us now.”  Majesty said.
“What, I need your approval?”  Draggle asked.
“Of course not.  I can tell you’re already one of us, from the way little Fizzy stands next to you.”  Majesty smiled.  “I wouldn’t have assumed otherwise.”
Draggle grumbled, but she couldn’t think of anything to say to that.
And that’s when Twilight Unicorn wished herself into the living room.

> Chapter Sixteen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Sixteen



Twilight Sparkle, the one from Equestria, flapped her wings in shock.  “MOM?”  She and Shining both shouted at almost the exact same time.  Twilight Unicorn (of Ponyland) turned her head and blinked at the two unfamiliar ponies before her.
“Whhaaa, Mom?”  She stammered.  
“I really doubt she’s your mom.”  Draggle chuckled.  “Unless you’ve been secretly wishing yourself to other dimensions.”  She looked at Twilight Unicorn, who was gaping at Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor.
“…anypony else think that it’s kinda weird how some ponies living in two different worlds are identical?”  Applejack said wryly.
“Oh yeah.”  Spike of Equestria said as he eyed his double, who folded his arms and gave the Equestrian dragon a slightly amused look.  “Really weird…” He looked at Twilight Unicorn.  “But you do kinda look like Twilight’s mom.”
“…I’m Twilight.”  The unicorn from Dream Valley said.
“Er, so am I.”  Twilight Sparkle walked over and offered Twilight Unicorn a hoof to shake.  “Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Equestria.”
Twilight Unicorn blinked.  She shook her head.  “We don’t have time for this!  A mist took Applejack and Ember!  They’re near the old castle and-” The Equestrian Applejack blinked a bit, then remembered the other Applejack out there somewhere.  “I…Queen!”  Twilight Unicorn finally noticed Majesty, and jerked again.  “I…think I…what?”  She wobbled, and finally fainted.
Majesty sighed.  “This is going to take a while to straighten out…”



The mist spread across Dream Valley.
As Knight Shade landed back at the bridge that led to his homeland he turned to thank the two Sea Ponies that had brought him this far.  He had spotted some odd dark mist flowing into Bright Valley, but didn’t think much of it at first.  He was thinking about the odd happenings around Dream Valley, but didn’t connect any of what was going on with the mist before him.  Instead he smiled at Seawinkle. 
“Thanks a bunch you guys, I-“
“Knnnniiiggght Shaaaade…”  
Knight Shade jerked a bit and turned his head.  His mind flashed back to the time he had worked for Arabus, and he shivered at the memory of his kin hissing angrily at him in that same tone of voice.  But…he thought he and the other ponies fixed that.  That he didn’t have to worry about his people hating him anymore.  He turned as a crowd of Bright Valley ponies stumbled close to him, staring at him with strange yellow eyes.  Dark mist began to flow from the valley, sliding around their hooves and curling around.  Knight Shade took a step back.
“Everyone?  What’s wrong?”  He asked.
“You were always such a bad little pony, Knight Shade.”  Knight shad’s mother stepped forwards, smiling cruelly.  “Such a bad, bad little pony.  Don’t you think you should give up the act and join us?  You failed Arabus, but you don’t have to fail again.”
“M-mother, what are you talking about?”
“Lord Tirac has risen, my boy.  It’d be better for all of us if you just gave up.”
“What?”  He stared at the ponies, realization dawning.  “…something bewitched you…again.”
The Bright Valley ponies begin to walk closer, and Knight Shade turned to flee.  He grunted as five ponies landed on his back and drove him to the ground.  He struggled, kicking, but there were so many Bright Valley ponies, and most were bigger and stronger then him.  He whinnied at the shocked Sea Ponies.
“Run!  Go!  Warn the others!”
“What!  No!”  Seawinkle swam closer, the mist waving at her in a threatening manner.  It almost got to her, but for some reason stopped short.  Seawinkle blinked in horror. 
“You have to warn them!  Warn the Flutter Ponies!   Warn the Estate ponies, just go!”  Knight Shade kicked again, pulling his hooves as they neared his own mother’s face.  Seawinkle nodded and bit through the rope connecting her and her fellow Sea Ponies to the clam.  She ducked into the water and began to swim. 
“Where do we go?”  One of her friends asked, matching her fin flick for fin flick.
“You guys head to Flutter Valley.  I’ll go to the Estate…and start gathering up the other babies.  I want them in the safest place we can get them.”
The other Sea Pony nodded and swam away.
On the shore, Knight Shade screamed as the mist flowed into his ear.  He kicked, squirmed and struggled, even after the mist stopped, he continued to struggle, though much weaker.  His mother frowned.
“Why do you still struggle, son?  Just give in.”  She blinked as her son’s eyes flashed yellow, but he shook his head.
“No, not again, never again!  No!”  He growled.  “I’ll never join you!  Never again!”
“Hmmm, those touched by darkness are sometimes resistant to it.  Though Arabus stole all your shadows, none of you were as…close to him as Knight Shade here was.”  Tirac emerged from the mist, the dark shadows flowing back to him, like a tired dog returning to its master.  He smirked.  “It doesn’t matter…lock him up.  It should take a few days, then he will be ours.”
Knight Shade snarled.  “Never.”
Tirac continued to smirk.  “We will see, Knight Shade.”  Tirac watched as the Bright Valley ponies dragged Knight Shade away.  “We’ll see.”



Far away at Scorpan’s castle, Catrina stalked the hallways, teeth gritted.  “He should have been back by now.  What happened?”  She looked out a window, checking the sky for signs of a green bird, or anything green.  Rep was one of the few people in this world that had cared for her though both good and bad portions of her life, and she was worried.  She frowned and kept prowling around the castle halls, peering out windows.  Eventually she exited to the walls surrounded the keep, still growling in agitation.  She hissed as she nearly bumped into Scorpan, who was standing at the wall, facing Bright Valley and growling.
Catrina blinked.  She had only known the prince for a bit.  She knew that they both had once been…evil, though Scorpan was far more resistant to darkness then she.  In fact she had met Scorpan through the ponies, after they had vouched for her to him.  She didn’t have a great reputation after enslaving the Bushwoolies, but after talking the ponies Scorpan had been willing the give her and Rep a chance.  She had appreciated it.
“Scorpan?  What’s wrong?”  She blinked and looked down at Scorpan’s hands.  His nails were digging into the top of the wall, and she noticed his teeth were gritted, as if he was in pain.  “Scorpan?”
“He’s back.”
“What, who?”
“Tirac.”  He growled the name like a curse.
Catrina inhaled and looked in the direction of Bright Valley.  She squinted.  “Are you sure?”
“I can feel him, and look.”  Scorpan raised his arm and lowered his sleeve.  Catrina inhaled again when she saw that his arm was covered in thick tan hair.  “The curse he laid on me is coming back.  Started to crave rare meat again as well.”  He took a deep breath and lowered his sleeve.  “I can feel it in my mind as well, but…it’s easier to resist this time.”
“You fought back against the corruption, and even when your body had changed, your mind didn’t.”
“Well…it did at first.  For a while I was evil, but eventually it weakened.  I think it was Spike.  He helped somehow.”  Scorpan shrugged.
“For me, it was Rep…I was willing to kill a baby pony.  I almost did…but the way he looked at me.  And then he turned on me, and I realized that I was going to lose him if I didn’t stop.  I think I couldn’t bare looking at him when I was like that anymore.  It just…was wrong.”
“Trust me, I understand, but at the same time…can’t you feel it?”  Scorpan looked at her.
“Not at all, but I was never personally corrupted by him…and it’s a good thing you were.  Even if his corruption does alter your body again, I doubt he will get to your mind again.  You already have shown strong resistance to evil, and now you will be able to resist even more.  You know what they say?”
“A mind touched by darkness will be resistant to it.”
Catrina nodded.  “Evil, especially Nightmare level evil, is like a virus, and it’s like a drug.  The more you take the more resistant you become, and at the same time it will give you a…good feeling.  Makes you want to take more and more.  But, if you have something precious to you, like a good friend.”  Catrina sighed as she thought of Rep.  “It…cancels out the evil somehow.  Magic has a basis in emotional feelings, and for most creatures the bond between them, friendship or love or whatever, keeps the evil parts at bay.  I know it sounds impossibly corny, but it seems to work.  It’s why I think Wind Whistler got to the witch girl.  She has something now that she wants to keep, other then her own family, when before she got both the connection with her family, and the evil.” 
“And what if there is a creature who doesn’t have that with another?”  Scorpan asked.
“Then you get Tirac.”  Catrina said.
“Well, I’m not going to wait around until he finds a friend.”  Scorpan growled.
“Wasn’t going to ask you to.”
“Good.  Even if I have to do it as a beast, I will kill him.”  Scorpan stared in the distance, nails starting to dig into the stone.



“Alright, everypony needs to calm down…and somepony should really get her awake.”  Twilight Sparkle, attempting to use her natural ability to micromanage freaking everything, light up her horn so the other ponies could hear her.  The Ponylanders stared at her.
“Every…pony?”  Ribbon blinked.  “…I still don’t get why they say that.”  She muttered to Heart Throb, who nodded in agreement.”
“Never mind local sayings for the moment, we have an emergency…several it seems.”  Twilight looked down at her mother’s double, and looked up.  “Wind Whistler?”
Catching on, Wind Whistler looked to her kin.  “Lofty, North Star, Whizzer…and if I can ask you as well, Princess Luna?”  Luna looked up from where she had been standing near Celestia.  She nodded.
“I would be happy to help.”  She said.  
Wind Whistler nodded and looked at North Star.  “There is a very good chance that the Royal Paradise is under attack, and something has corrupted at least one of the Princess Ponies.  I need you to take them and see what is going on.  Retreat if it becomes to much for you, but we need information.”  North Star gasped at the mention of the Royal Paradise, but nodded.
“Of course.”  She looked at Luna and, with a duck of her head, motioned for the door.  “Let’s go.”  She turned and opened the door, quickly followed by Lofty, Whizzer and Luna, who said a quick farewell to Celestia.  She then galloped after the three Ponylanders and launched into the sky.
Wind Whistler turned her head to the Ponylander version of Twilight and walked over to her.  “She said they were near Dream Castle.  Surprise, Masquerade, can you take the Princess.”  She nodded at Twilight Sparkle.  “And Rainbow Dash.”  Dash grinned in a cocky manner.  “Over there and check it out?  See if you can find our Applejack and Ember.”
“Of course…nice to have you back, Wind Whistler.”  Masquerade smiled at Twilight Sparkle, who looked a bit surprised that another pony had just taken her job, and apparently did a very good job of it as well, over.  Sure she expected Wind Whistler to explain about the Royal Paradise thing, but hadn’t expected to end up having orders barked at her.  Still, this was Wind Whistler’s home, so Twilight Sparkle assumed that it was all right to take instructions from a pony who lived here.
Galaxy shifted.  “Wind Whistler…I think something is very wrong…”
Wind Whistler nodded.  “No doubt, but it’s better that we know what exactly is wrong, and if Applejack and Ember are in danger, we need to help.”
Galaxy nodded, but looked at Twilight and the other three.  “Just be very careful.”
Surprise grinned.  “Aww!  It’ll be fine!”  She laughed and tapped Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow.  “Come on!  Let me show you a bit of our home!”  She laughed again and charged out.
“Hot headed loon…wait!”  Masquerade turned and followed, and Twilight Sparkle nodded at Celestia and Shining.  Celestia nodded, feeling a jolt of pride in her student as Twilight Sparkle turned to follow Surprise and Masquerade.
Galaxy smiled slightly.  “Thanks Wind Whistler.”
“Much as I love to hear the smart ponies congratulate each other…can anyone tell me what’s going on on this side?”  Gusty growled grumpily.
“Indeed, what is this about Royal Paradise, Wind Whistler?”  Galaxy asked.
Wind Whistler took a deep breath…




While Wind Whistler caught the rest of them up at the Estate, Luna was giving a brief explanation to her new companions.
“…so…you’re the once evil Princess of the Night from a thousand years ago.”  North Star said.
Luna frowned.  “Yes.”
“And, you’re not evil anymore.”
“Correct.”
“…Blimey…” North Star shook her head.  “This is a lot to take in.”
Whizzer shrugged.  “Aww-I-stopped-trying-to-connect-all-the-dots.  Let’s-just-focus-on-checking-Royal-Paradise.”
Luna looked down at the ground.  She smiled.  “I missed this place.”  She looked up.  “The land has changed though.”
Lofty looked behind her.  “It must be strange.”
“It is.”  Luna said.  “I am pretty sure that was a pony city down there at some point, I think I can even see some ruins of a tower.”
“You-mean-that-granite-rock?”  Whizzer chuckled.
“Indeed…it was a very nice granite rock once upon a time.”  Luna smiled as they approached Midnight Castle.  She studied the place.  “That place is new though.
“Midnight Castle, Tirac’s old castle…you don’t recognize it?”  Lofty asked.
“Just because I remember events from a thousand years ago doesn’t mean I instantly recognize everything Tirac did.  Especially since I left before his apparent reign started up the first time.”
“You should talk with Paradise if there’s time.”  North Star said.  “I’m sure she’d love to hear what life was like back then.”
Luna smiled, glad that these ponies seemed willing to look beyond her past.  Maybe it was because she had arrived with their friends.  “How much farther?”
“Not that far.  You okay, Whizzer?  Are you still injured?”  North Star looked behind her, concerned.
Whizzer smiled.  “I-can-make-it.”
North Star nodded and focused back on the horizon as they began to soar over the ocean.  “We are close.”  She said.
Luna shivered.  “…It’s close.  I can feel it.”
“You can?”
“I was once possessed by it.  It’s…there.  I know it.”  Luna shivered.  North Star frowned at her.  
“Are you sure you will be well?”
“I will be fine, I-” Luna blinked.  “Look at that.”
“Blimey.”  North Star’s eyes widened.  “That mist wasn’t there before.  And it’s covering Royal Paradise.”
“It…it’s the Nightmare.  I think.”  Luna said.  “You wait here, I’ll go closer.  I’m more familiar with this then you are.”
“Very well, but careful.”  North Star hovered in place.
Luna nodded and soared closer.  She circled the area, attempting to look down.  It took a bit of squinting, but eventually she thought she could see the palace where the Princess Ponies lived.  Bracing herself she soared closer, trying to avoid the tendrils of mist.  Buzzing her wings let her dispel it, as even here in Dream Valley an Equestrian pony could still manipulate the weather.
Suddenly an aggressive gust of wind blew across her wings, almost sending her into a tumble.  She righted herself and snorted.  She looked down to see a pink earth pony, a wand clutched in her mouth.  The pony waved the wand again and more wind blew towards Luna.  Luna ducked down to avoid the gust.  She dove, landing a few feet from the earth pony Princess.
“Halt!  What is the meaning of this!?”
Primrose didn’t answer.  Instead she grinned as several sharp vines slithered close to Luna’s front hooves.  She reared and flapped back into the air, blasting them with her horn.  Luna looked to the side to see a lavender unicorn using another wand to manipulate the vines.  She glared at the two Princesses.  
“Where is the Heart of this realm?  What have you done to it?”
“It belongs to Lord Tirac now.  Soon, so shall all of you.”  Primrose smiled and sent another cutting gust to wind at Luna.  The alicorn spread her wings and lifted further into the air.  She was about to blast the corrupted princesses with her powers when she heard shouting from above her.  She lifted her head to see her three companions dodging Changelings, who for some reason didn’t seem to be changing into other forms.  Luna didn’t have time to wonder at this; instead she lifted her wings and flapped back towards Whizzer, Lofty and North Star, dodging gusts of wind as she flew.  Equestrians didn’t have the sheer wing power of a Dream Valley native, but even an alicorn was far more maneuverable.  
Flapping upwards Luna blasted a changing out of the air, hitting it on its bug wings and causing it to spiral downwards.  Luna twisted in the air and bucked another in the face.  She turned to see Lofty knock a pair away from her back.  Luna nodded in gratitude, but then her ear shot up when they both heard a gasp from below.  
Princess Sparkle (not to be confused with Twilight Sparkle), had extended the vines upwards, and had caught Whizzer by the hoof.  She was tugging Whizzer downwards, and Whizzer bit and kicked at the vine, but it didn’t seem to be working.  
Luna aimed and blasted at Princess Sparkle, hitting the Princess Pony on the head, and sending her smack into a nearby palm tree.  At the same time Lofty and North Star grabbed her by the legs and yanked Whizzer away.  Luna covered them as they flew upwards, lifting Whizzer with them.  Luna turned to North Star. 
“I don’t think we can get to the Heart like this.  I can see more Changeling’s mobilizing.”
North Star nodded.  “Let’s go.  We have to few.”  She turned to Whizzer.  “Are you okay?”
“Yeahyeahfinefine” Whizzer pawed at her ear lightly and flicked her wings.  “I’llbeokaylet’sgo!”
The four of them turned to flee as the vines started to rise up again.  However, within moments they were clear, and the vines ceased, and even the gusts of wind settled down.  
“We will have to bring more ponies to free the Heart.”  Lofty said, looking behind her in concern.”
“Yes…yes…” North Star said, shaking her head.
Whizzer just nodded, pawing at her ear again.



Twilight Sparkle of Equestria was eyeing Masquerade’s wings, and it was starting to bug the yellow pegasus Ponylander.
“Why do you keep doing that?”  She finally turned to look at Twilight Sparkle.
Twilight shook her head.  “Oh, sorry.  It’s just…I’m very fascinated by you ponies.  You’re so different from us, yet so alike.  It’s interesting.”
“How are my wings interesting?”  Masquerade asked.
“Well, from what I’ve observed your pegasi wings are built for stamina and power.  How long can your people fly without getting tired?”
“Well…ponies like Paradise, who’s kinda lazy…she can last an hour.”  Masquerade rolled her eyes.  “But ponies like Lofty and North Star can go a day or so.  Most of the time they only really have to land to get water and food.”
“Wow, that’s…pretty impressive.”  Rainbow admitted.  “Not even a Wonderbolt can last a day!”
“Yes, I guessed so.”  Twilight said.  “Our people are smaller, and our pegasus are built to for speed and maneuverability, probably because we have to manipulate the weather.  Equestrian pegasi need to be able to dodge lightning or other rogue weather patterns.”  Twilight thought aloud, leaving Rainbow and Masquerade to just stare at her.  “While you Ponylanders live in a much harsher world, so it makes sense that your people would trade speed for power and endurance.”
“Seems that most of us are physically stronger then you.”  Surprise chuckled.  “No offense.  Except Big Mac.  He’d fit in well with the Big Brothers.”
“None taken.  And you’ve mentioned big brothers before.  Why aren’t their any males back at the Estate?”  
“Our stallions have a bad tendency to wander.”  Masquerade said.  “It used to be herds of males would circle the territory, patrolling and questing and making sure our land is safe.  Most still do it, even though a lot of danger comes from inside what’s technically our territory.”  Masquerade shrugged.  “They mean well, they’re just very traditional.  Heck some mares get the urge to wander around as well.  It happens.”
“Ah, most of our stallions stay with their families if they have them.”  Twilight looked down.  “I would love to stay here at more peaceful time.  It’s just so fascinating.”
“Hehe.”  Masquerade chuckled.  “So, you’re one of them allycorn thing?”
“Yes.”  Twilight said.
“So you’re related to Celestia?”
“Ah, no.  She’s my teacher.”  Twilight outlined her ascension to alicorn hood, until Surprise flapped.  
“Look!”
Twilight looked down to see a pony very similar to Applejack, along with a younger earth pony.  The other Applejack wasn’t wearing a hat, and was shaped like a Ponylander, but for all other intents and purposes she looked exactly like Applejack.  Twilight frowned.
“Is that them?”  She asked.
“That’s Applejack.”  Masquerade nodded.  “Let’s go.”
“Be careful, we don’t know what this mist did to them.”  Twilight said.
“If it’s anything like what that shadow did to Magic Star, I can guess.”  Masquerade said grimly as she folded her wings and landed in front of the Ponylander Applejack.  “Applejack.”  
Applejack smiled at her.  “Hello, Masquerade.  Did you miss us?”
Masquerade stepped a bit closer.  “What happened to you last night, Twilight said something had happened to you.”
“Twilight is wrong.”  Applejack looked at Twilight Sparkle.  “Who is that?”
“Twilight Sparkle, from Equestria.”  Twilight said.
“Another Twilight…interesting…” Applejack grinned.  “It’s funny, isn’t it.  Two ponies named Applejack and Twilight helped defeat both Tirac and Nightmare Moon.  Funny little coincidence.”
“Hey, how would you know?”  Rainbow asked.
Applejack smiled.  “How do you think?”  She turned and attempted to buck Masquerade in the face.  Masquerade ducked and charged, rushing under Applejack’s flailing hooves and ramming her in the gut with her forehead.  Applejack grunted and fell back a bit.  Twilight dodged to the right as Ember charged for her, attempting to bit Twilight on the throat.  Twilight tried to recall the rope spell the guards had preformed before, and concentrated.  A glowing magical rope appeared in front of her eyes, and Twilight grabbed it and tossed it to Rainbow, who was still hovering.
“Tie em, Rainbow!”  Twilight shouted, and Rainbow nodded.  With a buzz of her wings Rainbow swiftly circled around Ember, who attempted to leap on Rainbow.  Rainbow hovered near Applejack’s back, and dodged at the last minute, causing Ember to land on Applejack’s back.  Rainbow pounced and twirled the rope, tangling them both.  Rainbow landed, looking proud.  
“Ha!  Let’s see Applejack do better!”  She looked down at Dream Valley Applejack and blinked.  “Er, I mean our Applejack…” She shook her head.  “You know what I mean, right?”
Twilight chuckled.  “We do.”	
“At least we can get them back now.”  Surprise tried to grab Applejack, who turned and bite her.  Surprise jerked back.  “This is gonna be nasty…”
Twilight sighed and lifted the two of them up in her magic.  “Gather around, everypony.”
“Oh man, I hate this.”  Rainbow sighed and stood next to Twilight.”
“Er…oh yeah!”  Surprise laughed and landed.  “Teleporting, right?”
“Exactly!”  Twilight smiled at Surprise as Masquerade landed as well.  “Ready?  One, two, three!”
There was a poof, and the group was suddenly gone.




Wind Whistler stared at the door leading to Magic Star’s room.  Ever since Galaxy had explained what happened, and knowing that there was little else she could do with the time, Wind Whistler wanted to see Magic Star for herself.  Not just to compare what happened to her friend with had happened to Princess Royal Blue but…Magic Star was her friend.
Wind Whistler pawed the door open and walked in.  Magic Star had her back to the door.  Wind Whistler looked around the room, noticing the destroyed artifacts and torn books, she almost winched, but kept the emotion in check.  She walked closer to Magic Star, who she could see through the sunlight pouring through the window was looking rather dull.  She stopped a few inches from the cage.
“So, you’re back.”  Magic Star turned her head and snorted.  “I’d have thought you’d ran off.  Better if you had.  You little coward.”
Wind Whistler blinked at her.  “I would never leave me friends.”
“And why not?”  Magic Star sneered.  “I wasn’t there, but Megan did tell me what you said.  Romantic idiots eh?  Sentimental fools?”  Magic Star chuckled.  “To bad you were right.  Tell me, were you telling the truth then?  Or were you lying?”  She turned and leaned forwards.  “You told the truth to that Rock dog.  You know as well as I do.  They’re all romantic sentimental fools.  Just like her.  That’s why you hate them.”
“I don’t hate them.”
“Then why do you shut us out?  Face it; you only stay with us because you think it’s your duty.  You never cared for us.”
Wind Whistler’s eyes narrowed.  “If I hated you I wouldn’t stay.  I would leave.  You don’t need me.  There is no duty keeping me here.”
“Oh yes there is!”  Magic Star suddenly lashed her hooves out of the bars and hooked them around Wind Whistler’s neck, slamming her against the bars of the cage and laughing.  “Oh yes there is!  You just don’t want to be called a traitor like her!  You hate us, but the only reason you stay is because of her!  Fool.  She hated you, you know?”
“Stop, the Nightmare infected her, just like it infects you.”
“I’m only telling the truth now, instead of lying to make you feel better about yourself!  But I was there, Wind Whistler.  I remember her shoving you away, I remember her shoving you off onto Firefly or Medley to babysit while she danced around and made googly eyes at your father!  That was even before the Rainbow took hold of her mind!”
“My parents.”  Wind Whistler said calmly.  “Cared for each other.  That isn’t wrong.”
“Oh?  So it’s not wrong for a mother to abandon her foal to others?  Because that’s why you hate sentimental romantic fools like Heart Throb and all the rest!  Because your mother was a sentimental fool.  Because like all of them once the Rainbow of Darkness took hold she was free to do what she wanted.  Because that’s what the darkness does to you, I’ve found.  It frees you.  It freed her from the sense of duty she had towards you, so she could do what she wanted.  And what she wanted to do was abandon you and you little sibling…and we never found out which baby it was…but it doesn’t matter.  She left all of us.  She left you, because she had no more duty to you.  Why stay around, when she could follow your father into the wild?”	
“Magic Star, let me go.”
“No!  Not until I’ve gotten something from you, you heartless chuck of stone!”  Magic Star sneered.  “You were just like them before you left to find them!  Then you come back and you’re a heartless golem!  What happened?  Am I not right?  Did she reject you?  Did she?  DID SHE?!”
“…yes.”
“I knew it.  I always knew.  You hateful little wretch!  Not even your own parents could stand you.  That’s why you turned cold!”
“No…I didn’t.  I use logic, because I’ve seen what excessive emotion can do.  I saw what it did to her, and I will never be like that.”  Wind Whistler looked at Magic Star.  “This is not Magic Star talking to me.  I know that.  Perhaps it is true.  Perhaps my mother didn’t love me.  But the rest of my family does.  You do, the real you does.  I will not forget that.  No matter what you say.”
“You think so?  Who really cares about you?  Galaxy and I find you useful!  The others reject you time and again, because they know what you are.”
“What I am?”  Wind Whistler asked calmly.  Outwardly calm at least.   Inside she felt like she wanted to scream.  She didn’t want to be reminded of her.  Didn’t want to hear about how much the creature that brought her to this world hated her.  She knew it already.  She didn’t think it was important, except that bringing it up hurt so much.  But the creature that was using Magic Star wanted her to break, wanted her to cry or scream or show weakness.  She wouldn’t do it.  She wouldn’t give it that satisfaction.
“You.”  Magic Star leaned even closer, their muzzles almost touching.  “Are a freak.  You’re a pony nobody could ever care for.  You never deserved their love.  You never deserved their friendship.  What kind of foal is so monstrous that even its own mother can’t stand it?”
“My mother’s issues were not my fault.”
“Then whose were they?”
“Her own.”
Magic Star laughed.  “Are you sure?”
Wind Whistler blinked.



She was a young foal.  No, perhaps not a foal anymore.  An adolescent.  A young pony, but still reaching the age where she would soon be an adult.  She wanted to leave the newly established Dream Castle….
“I want to find her, Majesty.  I just…I need to.”  She had said, and Majesty had nodded.
“Be careful, you will always have a home here…”


“You don’t belong here.”
“Mom, please…”
“Don’t call me that.”
“…mommy…”
“NO!”  Wind Whistler barely avoided her mother’s hoof.  “Leave us alone!”
“He’s dead mother!  You won’t wake him!”  Wind Whistler rushed to her mother and shook her.  “He’s gone, please, you have to-“
“Don’t you know anything about love, you heartless beast!?”  The insane mare rolled her eyes at Wind Whistler and snorted.  “He’ll wake up, because I love him.  Or I’ll die, and join him.  Either way…”
“You haven’t even met my sister-“
“Do you even know who she is?”
“No, but.”
“And I’m not telling you!  I don’t care about that little poop machine.  Majesty can keep her, and keep you to!  Why did you come!  I left you for a REASON!”
Wind Whistler couldn’t help the tears forming in her eyes.  “But…I love you…”
“You know nothing about real love.  The love for a stallion is far more important then any other love.  Just go away.”
“You’re being irrational!”
“Oh, using big words now, missy?  I won’t tell you again!”
Wind Whistler ducked her head and sobbed, but just managed to sense a hoof coming for her face.  She dodged back, wings flapping.  “Mother!”
“GO!”  Whining in mad rage, the mare darted for Wind Whistler again, but the young pegasus was already up in the air.  She blinked, then shook her head.
“You…romantic fool…” She shook her head again.  “If this is love…I want no part in it!”  She turned and fled, unable to look at the creature below her anymore.  
I want no part in this love.  It only hurts the people you care for.  I will not be like her.  I will not let foolish sentiments rule me.  I will be…logical.  I will learn how to control my heart, so it doesn’t control me, and I hurt my friends.  I will protect what I have.  What is really important to me.



“I have returned.  Where is Majesty?”
“Wind Whistler…are you alright?”  Truly had asked.
“I am quite well, Truly.  It is marvelous to see you again.”  Wind Whistler said, but her face was cold and emotionless as stone, and her voice was even and clipped.
“But…why aren’t you…why are you lookin’ at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“You don’t look excited.  Or happy.  What happened to your mama?”
“I have no mother anymore.”  Wind Whistler said.  “Where is Majesty?”
“You don’t…what happened?”  Heart Throb asked, looking as confused as the rest.
“…her foolish sentiments resulted in madness.  She is not important.”  Wind Whistler said.  “Please, tell me where Majesty is?”
“She’s gone…Tirac…” Heart Throb shook her head.  “Wind Whistler what happened to you!?”
“Nothing.  I merely had…an epiphany.”  Wind Whistler had said.  “I have come to the conclusion that excessive emotional outbursts lead to pain, sadness and ultimately provide no great service to the community as a whole, so I have endeavored to disregard unwarranted-“
“You got rid of your feelings!  Why would you do that?!”  Heart Throb wailed.
“No, you don’t comprehend, you see-“
But they never understood.  Not really.  At first they treated her like a mental patient, unable to comprehend how a pony would ever want, or choose, to use logic instead of feelings, as the rest of them were ruled by it.  But Twilight Unicorn had, on some level, understood.  Medley had understood.  It took years, but eventually she thought the other ponies began to understand, if only a little.  Dear little Fizzy never seemed to care that Wind Whistler wasn’t the same.  All she saw was her elder ‘sister’ returning, and while she was different…Fizzy still accepted her.  Wind Whistler had grown apart from many in the Estate, but only for a while.  She had to go to outright stating her affection towards the others, because they couldn’t tell that she did care for a long time.  Her actions also helped as well.  She was different now, but…it was alright.




Wind Whistler blinked at Magic Star again.  “I know.”  She placed her hooves on the bars and yanked.  At the same time she sharply flapped her wings and thumped Magic Star on the head.  The earth pony jerked back, as the wings were pretty damn strong, and more then enough to push her back.
Wind Whistler backed out of grabbing range.  “You remind me of her now, you know?  But it will be different this time.  I do care deeply for you, even if I don’t show it as the others do.  You will be free.”
“I am free!”  Magic Star bellowed.  “Except for the part where you fools caged me!  I’m freer then I’ve ever been!  I’ve tasted what real freedom is, and no amount of rainbows or love or friendship will ever change that!  I don’t want to go back to what I was!”  She pressed up against the bars, teeth bared.  “I wonder.  When you are freed, what will you be like?  Will all that anger and hate and pain that you bottle up inside explode out?  Will you finally be unchained?  I’ve seen how much you repress your anger and hate.  You hide it from the others well, but I can see it.  I think you’ll be the worst of us, once you are Tiracs…or will it make your repression worse…I can see that to.  I can see you closing off from everyone, going further and further into your safe little turtle shell until you really can’t feel anymore.  How will that be like?  How will the cold be, Wind Whistler?  How will it be?”
“I shan’t care to find out.”  Wind Whistler said as she turned to leave.  She ignored Magic Star as she pushed herself out the door and closed it.  
Once she was outside she leaned against the door, closing her eyes and fighting back tears.  She didn’t want Magic Star to see her cry, but she knew she was close to it.  She hated it.  She didn’t want to cry.  To cry would be to admit what Magic Star was saying.  Being rejected by her mother had hurt, and she hated to think of it.
“Wind Whistler?”
She looked up and straightened.  She hadn’t noticed Majesty there.  “Majesty, hello, my Queen.”  Wind Whistler bowed.  Majesty blinked.
“I heard…most of that.”  She said.  Wind Whistler raised her head.  “Do you want to talk?”
Wind Whistler hesitated for only a moment.  “I think a talk is long overdue.”
Majesty nodded and waved her head for Wind Whistler to follow.  The two of them descended the stairs, leaving out the back way.  Neither noticed that Luna’s group had returned.  And no one else noticed that, as Luna began to tell the story, Whizzer crept up to Magic Stars door.  
She stared, frowning, and pawing at her ear.
“Feelsostrange.  Sostrange…so…”




“You knew her when she was sane, my Queen.”  Wind Whistler said.  “Did she…”
“You can call me Majesty, you know.”  Majesty smiled at Wind Whistler, sitting next to her on the lawn, facing Posey’s garden.  She put her leg around Wind Whistler’s shoulders.  
“Very well.”
“…you’ve changed.”
“I didn’t want to be like her.  I still don’t.  The others assumed I was injured in some fashion.  But I wasn’t.”
I think they were right in more ways you know, but…”Are you happy, Wind Whistler?”
“Now that they are beginning to understand me, yes.  I just…couldn’t do it.  I couldn’t be like her.  The others…I don’t mind if they are silly.  Well, I mind, but they wouldn’t be happy if they were like me.  And to ask them to take my path when they are unwilling would be harsh.  I just…want to make sure they are safe.”  Wind Whistler sighed.  “I must apologize.  I left my home to pursue a foolish wish for a parent, when I had all the family I needed here, and we lost you.”
“I watched you.  I was always watching.  You…all of you are precious to me.  I had hoped you would find her, and bring her home.”  Majesty sighed.  “But the fact that learned from her, and became a better mare for it, I can’t say I’m unhappy about that.”
“I learned the kind of mare I didn’t want to be.”
“And that’s fine.”  Majesty said.  “You don’t have to be like the others, but you know that already.”
“…why didn’t she care for me?”
Majesty took a deep breath.  “I wish I had a clear answer for you.  The fact is…it might have been the Rainbow of Darkness, using her love for your father to drive her away from her children.  Or…sometimes mares aren’t happy after they have a foal.  No one is sure why, but it happens.  Sometimes, these mares do refuse to care for their young.  I am not sure if it was the Rainbow, or if she was merely ill.  Or perhaps it was none of that, and she simply wasn’t a good mare like I thought she was.”  Majesty looked at her.  “Your father loved you.  I know that.”
“I barely remember him.”
“He died trying to save us all.  Remember that.  I don’t think he knew how to take care of a baby his mate could or would not take charge of.  He tried, but he died before he could fully take care of you…that was his plan, you know.  He was sick of his mate ignoring you, and wanted to stay with the herd instead of wandering with the other stallions.  He was going to stay for you, but that chance was taken from him.”
“…I have a mother.”  Wind Whistler looked at Majesty.  “…if you do not mind that I call you that?”
Majesty leaned down and nuzzled her.  “I’d be proud to be called that.  Magic Star is wrong.  Or the evil controlling her is wrong.  I always wanted you.  I want you all.”  Majesty chuckled.  “Maybe I’m selfish.”
“To take in the foals that by all rights should be your subjects as your children?”  Wind Whistler snorted.  “Hardly.”
“I’m glad I left such a good example.  That’s why you adopted those humans?”
“Megan and her siblings?”
“Yes…and the young witch.”
“There are…similarities in our situations.”  Wind Whistler said.
“I know.  I didn’t see either of her children, but I could hear it when Hydia shouted at them…and I wished I could help them.  Neither Reeka or Draggle deserve what she dishes out.”
“I know.  I wished I could help all of them.”  Wind Whistler said.
“…just remember.  Magic or illness or just plan terrible parent.”  Majesty looked down at Wind Whistler.  “It was never your fault.  And you should never think it was.”
“...I know…Majesty?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
Majesty opened her mouth to say something else, but all of a sudden there was a bang, and someone inside the Estate screamed.
The two mares sprang to their feet and galloped back.
	

> Chapter Seventeen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Seventeen


“We’ll have to launch a bigger attack on the Royal Paradise.”  Gusty paced, frowning.  “Even if we can’t get the Princesses free, at least we can possibly steal the Heart back.”
“What would we do with it once we got it?”  Galaxy mused.
“Well there has to be some way to purify it?”
“…we could take it back to Equestria.  I can get my unicorns to work on purifying it.  We do have quite a few resources at our disposal.”  Celestia said.
“Hmmm…” Gusty looked at Galaxy.  “I don’t know much about magic…what do you think?”
Galaxy nodded.  “Since we do have them as our allies, I see no reason why we shouldn’t ask for their help.”
“What about the Rainbow of Light?”  Megan asked, frowning in concern.
“We may have to figure out a way to defeat Tirac without it.”  Celestia said thoughtfully.  “Normally I would suggest the Elements, but our Elements were rendered unusable as well.  I’m not sure what will do without them.”
“We will just have to think of a solution.”  Galaxy said.  “I-“
Galaxy was abruptly interrupted by a sudden pop, and Twilight Sparkle and the others poofed into the room, still holding onto the ropes attached to Dream Valley Applejack and Ember.  Galaxy reared, startled and screamed, not expecting this little display.  Quite a few of the other Ponylander’s screamed at well at the sudden intrusion, and Equestrian Applejack jerked back, staring at her counterpart.
“Okay, that’s weird.”  She said.
“Eeyup.”  Big Mac blinked, rather like a large confused red owl.  It was weird, seeing this odd pony that was almost the twin of his own sister.  It was even worse seeing her snapping at the others, attempting to attack them.
Twilight grunted slightly as Ponylander Applejack attempted to take a chunk out of her neck.  She resisted the urge to nip her back.  Instead she summoned more magic rope and tied Dream Valley AJ’s mouth shut.  Twilight Sparkle panted and moved away.
“This is crazy.”  She shook her head.  “What are we going to do with them?”
“Unfortunately this place clearly wasn’t designed for holding prisoners.”  Twilight Sparkle looked up to see Majesty and Wind Whistler arriving.  Majesty sighed.  “Although to be fair Dream Castle didn’t have dungeons either.  I never got around to building them.  And it’s filled with Grundles now either way.”
“What are Grundles?”  Rainbow asked.
“Allies.”  Galaxy said.  “We originally thought there were only a few left, but more and more started to turn up after word spread that they had a home again.”
“We can house them in Equestria, and that other one to…Magic Star, right?”  Shining pointed out.  “We do have dungeons, not to mention more guards.  I’d volunteer the Crystal Empire, but…”
“There could be leftover dark energy from King Sombra’s reign, and though the Everfree does have quite a bit as well, Canterlot itself is filled with mostly light energy, due to our presences.”  Luna remarked.  “And the castle itself does have a holding area.”
“We shouldn’t give Tirac any more opportunities to harness dark energy over in Equestria, especially since his followers can apparently zap over there at will.”  Shining mused.  
“Well…what was your name, miss?”  Galaxy asked, looking at Shining.  He blinked in surprise.
“Er…I’m a stallion.”  He stammered.
“You are?  But you’re so…thin compared to him.”  Galaxy nodded at Big Mac, who looked a bit embarrassed.
“Everypony looks thin compared to him, he’s massive!”  Shining waved a hoof at Big Mac, then winced.  “Sorry, no offense.”
“None taken.”  Big Mac said, not sure what to make of this.  It wasn’t everyday a unicorn prince referred to you as massive.  “Besides, I thought Fizzy here was a stallion when I first met her.”
Fizzy blinked at him.  “You did?”
“Eyup-oof!”  Big Mac winched as Applejack (Equestria) hit him.  
“Mind yer manners.”  She said.
“Oh, it’s okay!”  Fizzy grinned.  “I don’t mind.”  
“Stupid as ever I see, hey Fizzy?”  Dream Valley Applejack launched a kick at the younger unicorn, who sidestepped with a puzzled look.  “You-“
“I think I’ve had enough of the name calling.”  Majesty’s horn suddenly glowed, and a cloud of dust appeared over the two corrupted ponies and dropped on their heads.  The two of them sneezed, swore, hurled promises of doom, and then slowly fell asleep.
Morning Glory, who had been sitting near the window letting sun hit her still gooey wings, blinked.  “…how much magic do you know?  I’ve only known unicorns to have a limited amount of magic.”
“They say my ancestor, the first Queen Majesty, could do much more.”  Majesty said.  “Things like turning goblins into soap bubbles and witches into trees…or was it the other way around…” she shrugged.
“Either way, with your permission, I would be happy to take them back to Equestria while we find a solution.”  Celesta said, looking at Galaxy and Wind Whistler.  The two looked at each other and nodded.
“You may.  I can’t think of a better solution at the moment.”  Galaxy said.  “My Queen, can you put Magic Star to sleep so we can transport her as well?”
“Of course.”  Majesty nodded and turned to head up the stairs.  “Ill be right down.”
Galaxy looked at Morning Glory.  “Are you wings well enough to get back home?  Honeysuckle and Lily are outside with Posey, if you want to head back to Flutter Valley.”
Morning Glory got up.  “I think I should, if only to tell Queen Rosedust what is going on.  If Tirac is back she’ll need to know.”
“I could come along if you need help…ummm, I mean…if that’s alright.”  Fluttershy said, eyeing Morning Glory’s wings with concern.  “I have some of my potion with me…”
“Of course, I’d love to introduce you to our home.  I think you’ll like it.  We have a wonderful colony of butterflies in the north.”  Morning Glory smiled.  As she was talking her fellow Flutter Ponies finally made their way inside.  Honeysuckle smiled and rushed over, then noticed Morning Glory’s wings.  She snorted.
“What?  Who did this?!”  She snorted and looked around the room aggressively.
Rainbow opened her mouth, but Morning Glory smoothly interjected.  “It’s alright, Honeysuckle.  We fought Arabus in the other world, and I got a hurt a bit.  But these ponies helped me.  Especially this one.  Her name’s Fluttershy.”
Honeysuckle blinked.  “You fought Arabus on your own?”
“No, I was with them.”  Morning Glory pointed at the Equestrians.
“…what is that stuff?  It’s not honey is it?”
“It’s a potion.  Her wings got a bit…ummm…torn…you see I made it for butterflies an…” Fluttershy squeaked a bit, and Morning Glory smiled reassuringly at her.
“You’re a wonderful healer, miss Fluttershy.”  Morning Glory said gently, and Honeysuckle, who finally figured out she had somehow managed to scare Fluttershy, nodded.
“Just never seen anything like it.”  Honeysuckle said.  She looked at Morning Glory.  “You ready to go?”
Morning Glory stood up.  “Give me a second.”  She approached Rainbow and nudged her.  “You’re very brave.  I would do it again, if I needed to.”
Rainbow smiled, happy that Morning Glory didn’t hate her, her confidence coming back.  She landed near Fluttershy.  “You gonna be okay?”
“Of course.”  Fluttershy smiled at her.  “I…am a bit curious about the creatures here and…” she turned her head and eeped, ears flying upwards.  Rainbow looked and blinked.  Posey had finally decided to peek in to see what was going on, and while Rainbow knew by now that they had doubles wandering around, at first the Ponylander did startle Rainbow.
“Wow, is that another Fluttershy?”
Posey looked up at Rainbow.  “No.  I’m Posey.”  Rainbow then noticed that her Cutie…er symbol, was a collection of pink tulips instead of butterflies.  And Posey was apparently an earth pony.  Rainbow also noticed that while Posey seemed quiet, she didn’t appear to be as almost cripplingly shy as Fluttershy.  “I’m a gardener.”
“Ah, cool.  I’m Rainbow, and that’s Fluttershy…I guess you probably guessed that.”
Posey nodded politely at Fluttershy, then backed out the door.  “I have roses I have to check on.”  She trotted right back out the door, frowning.
“…ooookaaaay.”  Rainbow blinked.
“She’s not used to different creatures.”  Galaxy said.  “Even after the crabnasty incident she’s more comfortable around plants.”
Fluttershy let her hair fall over her face.  “Umm…it’s fine…” She followed the Flutter Ponies as they trotted outside as well.  “I’ll see you later, Rainbow.”
“Right!”  Rainbow waved as the four of them fluttered, even Fluttershy’s shy flaps could be considered a flutter, upwards.  Fluttershy let the Flutter Ponies lead the way, eyes focused on Morning Glory’s wings, making sure she would hold out.  Fluttershy briefly looked down to see the two Spikes out on the Estate’s front yard.  The two of them were blowing fireballs at each other, and at first Fluttershy thought they were fighting, then she heard the pinkish Dream Valley dragon laugh.
“Ha!  I told you my fire was hotter!”
“No way!  One more round!”  Equestrian Spike grinned toothily.
“Just don’t burn down the trees!”  The male human creature, Danny, laughed.  “But yeah, our Spike is up by five points!  You think you can keep up, Equestria?”
“Heck yeah!”  Equestrian Spike reared back and blew a long stream of fire out of his mouth.  Dream Valley Spike stood next to him and did the same, and Danny darted to the side, trying to visually measure the flames.
Fluttershy smiled.  At least they seemed to getting along.



“Bright Valley is attacking!”
Scorpan, who had been aggressively filing his nails in an attempt to keep them somewhat human looking, looked up at the elf scout in shock.  To the scout’s credit he didn’t mention the fact that his ruler had taken a sudden surprising interest in nail care, nor did he comment on the fact that Scorpan was now looking distinctly hairier.  Though the prince was not fully monstered yet, he was started to think that, free mind or no, the physical manifestation of the thing he had once been was coming back.  He didn’t like it, but on the other hand he had been a bit stronger as the monster version of Scorpan, and he could fly then.  Flying had been kinda nice.  
But still, this was far more important.
Scorpan took up his blade and turned.  “What is going on?  Why would Bright Valley attack us?”
“I’m not sure, but there’s an odd mist with them.”  The scout said.  Scorpan nodded and rushed out the door, sword in hand.  He darted to the gates.  Villagers were rushing through, attempting to take refuge in the fort.  Far Stride trotted to up to him from the direction of the stables, and Scorpan swung onto his back.  With a few well practiced leaps Far Stride had cleared the heads of the villagers and was galloping across the drawbridge that led over the moot.  He reared as the last few villagers passed across the bridge.  Scorpan’s eyes narrowed as the strange dark mist flowed closer.  He could pick out a few ponyish shapes in the darkness and he gritted his teeth.  Was that his imagination, or were his teeth getting shaper and longer?  He could hear more hooves, and a small squad of his knights crossed the bridge as well, lining up behind him.  Scorpan calmly watched the mist, but inside his stomach was churning.  He knew what this was.  
“Tirac.”  He snarled.  Far Stride gasped and looked up at Scorpan.  “Are…are you sure?”
“Positive.”
Far Stride shivered, but only for a moment.  “I’m with you, Prince, don’t worry.”  Far Stride pawed the ground.
The mist stopped right before it reached them, as if it had a mind of its own.  Scorpan squinted, and growled.  Yes, he could see it.  There were not only pony shapes in the mist.  He heard the clop clop clop of hooves approaching, and out of the mist stepped…he had shrunk.  His eyes were yellow now.  Glowing yellow.  But it was him, or at least a being very much like him.
“Tirac.”
“Hello, Scorpan.  Did you think I’d forgotten you?”  
“I had hoped you were dead.”
“I was, for a while.”  Tirac smiled.  “You can feel it, can’t you?  I can even see my spell starting to manifest in you again.  But…to bad.  I’m not taking the risk again.  Your knights, your people, will be mine…but human or monster, you’re head is going on a pike.”
Scorpan gripped his sword and pointed it at Tirac.  “Com on, then, my people will never betray me!”
“Oh no?”  Tirac looked behind him and nodded.  Something else strode out of the mist, something that made Scorpan almost drop his sword.
“Rep?”
The chameleon smiled at Scorpan.  His grin grew as Catrina, who had been watching from the parapets, suddenly leaped down and charged across the bridge till she was next to Scorpan.  
“Rep!  What…what are you doing!”  
“The mist has improved, Scorpan.  It takes over your mind…though it does only minor changes to the body.  Still, they are much more loyal then you ever were.”  Tirac smiled.  “Join us, witch.  Your friend is already a willing servant.  Why not?  I know how to give you the power you once craved.  You can be powerful again.  And, you will have your friend back.”
Catrina stared, and Scorpan didn’t like the thoughtful expression on her face.  He gripped his sword even tighter.
“I…”  Catrina shook her head.  “No.”
“Why ever not, Catrina?”  Even the evil version of Rep seemed surprised by this.
Catrina gave him a long look.  “…for the same reason you did.”  She said, her voice choking.
“Very well, witch.  You will all die…” Tirac raised his hand, his new army of Bright Valley ponies emerging from the mist.  They glared at the small collection of knights, pawing at the ground and snorting, ready to charge.  It seemed like the whole population of Bright Valley was there.  Further into the mists Scorpan spotted other figures.  Some looked like the undead skeleton ponies that Scorpan heard rumors about.  Some were troggles.  Scorpan even thought he saw a few Scree.  They were surrounded.  They were outnumbered.  Even if he fielded his entire company of knights…
Scorpan leaned forwards.
“Far Stride, go for Tirac.  We’re taking a piece of him with us.”
“It’s been an honor, Prince Scorpan.”
“Thank you.”  Catrina hissed quietly.
Scorpan just nodded, to choked up to speak.
Tirac raised his hand, and then dropped it, pointing his finger at the small group huddle before him…
And then an extremely large transparent fishbowl dropped over the fort, including the area were Scorpan and his allies had been standing, just barely missing Tirac’s hoof.
“What?”  Tirac snarled and looked up.  “…it can’t be…”
“Hahaahah!  Oh you should see your face!”  Scorpan blinked as the oddest creature appeared on the side of the fishbowl, leaning on it with a huge irritating grin.  “She was right!  It is just as fun on the other side!  Hahahaha!”
“Discord.”  Tirac said, his tone slightly surprised.
“Ohhh!  So you DO have his memories!  Or her memories?  Or is that mummeries…” Discord chuckled.
“What…is that?”  Far Stride blinked.  The creature suddenly teleported in front of them.
“Weren’t you listening, get the keys out of your ear.”  Discord reached into Far Stride’s ears and pulled out a set of jangling keys, making Far Stride’s eyes bug a bit in shock.  “Discord.  Spirit of Disharmony and Chaos.  At your service.”  At this a top hat and a monocle appeared on Discord’s head, and he bowed to Scorpan, tipping the hat.
“You…you are the great evil that the princesses of Equestria fought a thousand years ago.  Why are you on their side now!  They are your enemies as well!”  Tirac bellowed, and Scorpan shivered a bit as the tone started to give him a mild flashback.
“Oh Tirry Tirry Tirry.”  Discord suddenly teleported till he was facing Tirac…upside down.  “I’m the spirit of –Disharmony- and –Chaos-, not evil.  I don’t –have- to be an evil monster.  I spread chaos.”
“…and Tirac isn’t chaos?”  Catrina blinked. 
“Why not at all!”  Discord grinned.  “Tirac here is a thing of Order!  Dark and evil and oppressive order, but Order just the same.”  Discord floated around Tirac, still upside down.  “You would put everyone in a little cage and lord over them, micromanaging their lives until they were little golems parading around for your amusement.  As dull and boring as dear old Sunbutt is, at least her side has something I like.  You, Tirac…”  Discord blew a raspberry at Tirac, an actual fruit falling from his tongue to bounce on Tirac’s nose.  “Are boring.”
Tirac roared and attempted to claw at Discord, but Discord poofed away back underneath his fishbowl.  He then blew…an entire fruit salad at Tirac.
Scorpan rubbed his eyes.  What the hell did they just get themselves into?
Tirac turned and paced back into the mist.  He looked at one of the Bright Valley ponies.  “Half of you will stay here.  He will become bored eventually.”
“Yes Master.”  The Bright Valley pony bowed, and Tirac gathered his remaining forces.  He smiled.  It was just a small delay.  It was time to move against the Estate.  By the morning all of Dream Valley would belong to him once more.



Fluttershy knew she would have to come back here at some point, when the crisis was over and she wasn’t so terrified.  If only to visit her friend the Stoneback again.  She had doubted that the others had noticed, but the friendly creature had huffed off a few minutes after they had come.  Fluttershy, who was starting to understand the huffs, if only in a general way, knew that he was going to find his friends, and bring them back to the Estate to help with the crisis if they could. 
Fluttershy could see several creatures down in the trees.  Squirrels, birds, mice, and other normal critters she would love to get acquainted with.  She wondered what other strange and wonderful creatures inhabited this place, and despite the danger she was eager to learn more.  However, now was not the time.
Fluttershy looked up as Morning Glory tapped her and pointed ahead of them.  “We’re almost there.”
Fluttershy nodded at her, then made the mistake at looking on ahead in the direction of Flutter Valley.  What she saw made her let out an eep, then her wings froze to her sides.  She dropped a few inches before Morning Glory and Lily had to grab her.
“What’s wrong?”  Lily looked over Fluttershy.  “What’s wrong with your wings?”
“Cha-cha-Changelings!”  Fluttershy pointed to the sky.  Lily looked in the direction she was pointing and blinked at the black swarm closing in on their Valley.  She frowned and looked at Fluttershy, who had got her wings to work again, only to dart under a log in fear.  Lily sighed.
“Look, I can’t do the Utter Flutter.  I’ll stay with her.  You two go warn Queen Rosedust.”  Morning Glory said as she ducked down to the log.  Honeysuckle sighed in irritation, but nodded.  Honeslty, why in the world did this skittish pony come with them if she was going to choke like this.  Heck, even when Morning Glory choked it was due to some misplaced feeling of kindness.  Honestly, Equestria must be the most sheltered land in the world!  With this unkind thoughts racing through her head, Honeysuckle turned, but paused as Morning Glory poked her head out of the log to shout at her.
“Use the Utter Flutter, it will strip away their disguises!”  Morning Glory shouted.
Honeysuckle nodded and fluttered fast, buzzing her wings towards the Valley.  She started to shout as soon as she got within range.  She noticed several of her fellow Flutter Ponies poking their heads out of their homes, and Queen Rosedust flew out to meet her.
“Honeysuckle?  What’s going on?”  The queen asked.
“It’s those Changeling creatures!  They are heading for us!”  Honeysuckle pointed.  “Use the Utter Flutter!  It will take away their shapeshifting!”
“How do you know that?”
“The real Morning Glory is back!  She told me!”
Queen Rosedust nodded.  She turned to the other Flutter Ponies and spread her wings.  “Form up, Flutter Ponies!  Shift into Utter Flutter!”
The other Flutter Ponies flew up into a formation behind their leader, fluttering their wings and spreading the Utter Flutter around them.  Queen Rosedust looked up at the descending Changelings, then blinked.
“There are bees among them!”
“What!”  Honeysuckle looked up.  “…drat, they must have gotten to them!”
“They?  Who?”  Queen Rosedust asked.”
“I’m not sure on the details, but something corrupted Magic Star.  They think Tirac is back, and he’s changing good creatures to evil.  He must have already gotten to the bees!”
Queen Rosedust snorted.  “Flutter Ponies, try and spare the bees.  If they are under control they may yet be saved!  Eliminate the Changelings!  Now, FLUTTER!”
The Changelings and bees dove, but they soon found themselves hitting a wall, of sorts.  The air churned around them as the Flutter Ponies combined wing power whipped up tornados of magical wind, harshly lashing at the Changelings with their magical might.  The Changelings front line was scattered, but the bees managed to fight back, as they had faced Flutter Ponies before.  Several of them burst through the magic wind, slamming into Flutter Ponies and driving them to the ground.  Queen Rosedust looked down and gasped.  Some sort of odd mist flowed from the trees, and her people started to scream.  Gritting her teeth the Queen of the Flutter Ponies dove, but one of the other Flutter Ponies leaped from the ground to smack Rosedust in the chest.  She was nearly brought down, but Honeysuckle managed to ram the other Flutter Pony and knock her away.
“That’s the corrupting mist, isn’t it?”
“Yes!  I think so!”
Rosedust looked up to see most of her ponies being driven to the ground by either bees or her own people.  
“Reform!  On me!”  She bellowed, and the few Flutter Ponies still loyal to her darted her direction.  Their formation was ragged now, and she only had a few Flutter Ponies left.  She gritted her teeth.  How had they managed to overcome her so fast?
“Hahaha, you aren’t much of a Queen are you?”
Queen Rosedust looked to see a large Changeling, larger then all the rest.  Chrysalis smirked at her.  
Queen Rosedust looked at her rapidly dwindling people, and made a quick choice.  She leaned down to Honeysuckle.  “Get the others.  Don’t let them fall into their hands.  Lead the others to the Estate.”  Honeysuckle stared at her in shock, but nodded.  Queen Rosedust spun quickly and flew for Chrysalis.  The Changeling Queen’s eyes widened as Rosedust turned to the side at the last minute, magical wings kicking up a blade like tailwind that slashed into Chrysalis’ side.  Chrysalis stared at her side as a cut emerged on her chitin, and ooze began to flow out.  She screamed, and turned for Rosedust, who was banking to face the Changeling.
“You insect!  I’ll kill you!”  Chrysalis’ horn glowed, and the army of Changeling and corrupted Ponylanders turned and watched.  The Corrupted Flutter Ponies realized somewhere that this was their queen fighting, but the evil compulsion made them cheer for Chrysalis with eagerness.
Rosedust darted for Chrysalis again, and Chrysalis turned at the last moment, expecting Rosedust to side swipe her again.  However, instead Rosedust came to a sudden and abrupt halt, spraying Utter Flutter in Chrysalis’ face.  Chrysalis screamed and covered her eyes with her foreleg, attempting to keep it out of her eyes.  She grunted slightly as Rosedust whirled around and kicked her in the face, darting away right after her slim hooves thumped against Chrysalis’ skull.  She turned again and fluttered rapidly, producing a small tornado of flutter which she launched at Chrysalis.  Somehow the Changeling Queen managed to bear down and take the blow.
“For a weak thing…you are surprisingly durable.”
“A bloated thing like you could never best me in the air.”  Queen Rosedust said a she appeared to charge again.  This time she folded her wings and dropped like a rock before Chrysalis could swipe at her, Rosedust fluttered upwards as soon as Chrysalis passed over her.  She impacted on Chrysalis’ underside, making Chrysalis gasp in winded pain.  Rosedust could see Honeysuckle and the remaining Flutter Ponies fluttering away.  She ducked a blast of green energy from Chrysalis, and darted upwards.  While a part of her wanted to continue to fight her new rival, Rosedust knew that even if she beat Chrysalis then her changelings and corrupted forces would simply attack her en masse, and Rosedust knew that only Flutter Pony, even the Flutter Pony Queen, could not stand up to that.  Dodging and weaving Chrysalis’ magic, Queen Rosedust soared upwards, ducking into a cloud.  She noticed a few of the Changelings turn into Equestrian pegasi and attempt to move the cloud, but their hooves passed through them.  She wondered briefly if this would be true for a real Equestrian pegasi, but she decided that this wasn’t worth thinking about.  She instead turned towards the Estate, fluttering blind through the clouds.
“Go ahead!  Run!  I’m the Queen of your lands now!”  Chrysalis roared.
I’ll be back.  Rosedust thought.  And next time, I’ll destroy you.




One of the Changelings turned to his fuming Queen with a raised eye chitin.  “I thought you wanted Equestria, not butterfly pony land.”
Chrysalis stared at him.  “Oh shut up.”




Applejack watched as the three corrupted Ponylanders were carted through the mirror by a group of Crystal Guards.  The past few hours had been busy.  Celestia had gone across back to Equestria, in the hopes that her own mages could free her horn and her magic.  Luna had elected to stay, feeling that she owed the Ponylanders, and not quite willing to leave yet.  Celestia had planned to take the mirror on their side back to Canterlot as soon as she got there, but not before Shining had gone back through and organized a group of Crystal Guards.  While he wanted the mirror out of his city and in Canterlot, that didn’t mean he didn’t want to help.  A squad of Crystal jousters and archers had been deployed to help the Ponylanders, and they had set up a patrol around the grounds of the Estate.  Most of the Ponylanders had been fascinated by the Crystal ponies.  North Star had been especially interested in the archers, who had planted their bows at strategic points around the estate.  She ended up talking to one of them, a mare named Sure Shot, about Equestrian archery for the past hour, and the Crystal guard had been happy to talk to her.
Applejack, however, had other plans.  Even though the other mirror was technically in motion, Celestia and Distance had assured them that this would not result in any loss of limbs or sudden mutations or alarming poofings from the mirror.  Applejack didn’t understand the fancy smancy unicorn magic yap that Celestia had spouted at Twilight Sparkle, but she trusted both alicorns to know what they were doing.
“Are ya sure you don’t wanna come back with us?”  She asked her friends.
“I wanna stay here for a while!  It’s fun!”  Pinky said cheerily.
“I want to help with the defense efforts as much as I can.”  Twilight Sparkle said as she glanced at Shining, who was handing out orders to his troops.
“I’d like to stay until Fluttershy gets back.”  Rainbow said.
“You’ll be back in Ponyville soon though, right?”  Scootaloo asked in a worried tone.
“You bet squirt!  But I gotta make sure Fluttershy is alright!”  Rainbow said.  “Besides, these ponies need a hero!”
Applejack rolled her eyes.  “Ah’ll come back after I get these young’uns home.”  She said to Twilight Sparkle.
“We’ll all be relived to see them back.”  Twilight Sparkle smiled.  She looked at Rarity and Big Mac.  “Are you two coming back?”
“Well I have to, darling.”  Rarity said.  “I need to get Sweetie back to our parents, but I’d be a horrible friend if I left all of them here to that horrible Tirac character.”
“Nnope.”  Big Mac patted Apple Bloom.  “Ya’ll can take care of it.”
“Before you go, I want to thank all of you.”  Galaxy walked up, having overheard of bit of the conversation.  “And I’m sorry for the earlier misunderstandings.”
“Aww, ain’t your fault, like we said before.”  Applejack smiled.  “And Ah’ll keep an eye on your friends too.  Make sure they make it ta Canterlot safe.”
Fizzy trotted up to them as well.  She looked at them, then focused on Big Mac.  “I…guess you’re going home, right?”
“Eyup.”  Big Mac nodded.
“So, this is goodbye?”  Fizzy said, looking a bit sad at this.  Big Mac shook his head.
“Nnope.”  He gave a gentle nudge.  “See ya later.”
Fizzy’s ears perked.  “So you’re coming back?”
“Eyup.”
“Oh!  Okay, I’ll see you then!”  Fizzy beamed at him.
“Eyup.”
Fizzy trotted back off, smiling, probably to talk to someone else for a bit.  Applejack sort of blinked.
“…We’re gonna have a talk later.”
Big Mac sighed in exasperation.  “Eyup…”
“…anyway.”  Applejack looked at Galaxy.  “Ah’m said goodbye ta Whizzer and Sweet Stuff, so Ah’ll be off…is Whizzer okay?  She’s acting a bit distracted…”
Galaxy frowned.  “I’ll keep an eye on her.  Again, thank you for everything.”
“Aww, it was nothin’.”  Applejack smiled.  “Yall’re a nice group a ponies, and it was really nice ta meet all ya’ll.”  She turned to Twilight.  “The rest of ya will be safe, right?”
Twilight Sparkle nodded.  “We’ll be fine.”
Applejack nodded and turned the mirror.  “Ya said your goodbyes, Apple Bloom?”
Apple Bloom nodded.  “Yep!”  Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo nodded as well.
Applejack wasted no more time.  She urged her sister and her friends through the mirror, and soon they were gone.




A few nauseating spins of the Rainbow later, and Applejack found herself landing on a train bound for Canterlot.  She judged they were about halfway to the mirrors new home, and the closest stop to her home.  And entire cargo car had been converted to hold the mirror, as well as the still caged corrupted Ponylanders, who were still asleep.  The only other Ponylander there was Twilight Unicorn.  After regaining consciousness she had refused to leave her friends, and Celestia had been more then happy to let her come.  Twilight Unicorn looked up at the Apples and nodded politely, but didn’t seem inclined to talk.
“Hey, ya gonna be alright?”  Applejack asked.
“I’m find I…just want to be alone.”  Twilight Unicorn looked outside the window, but Applejack had the feeling that she wasn’t really looking at the landscape.  Applejack nodded, upset that she couldn’t help but not knowing what to do, Applejack led the rest of the family, and Rarity, Sweetie and Scootaloo, to the next car, which was a passenger car.
For a while they all rode in silence, but eventually Applejack slide over to her brother.  
“Hey, Big Mac?”
“Eyup?”
“What’s that goin’ on between ya and that unicorn?”
“Huh?”
“Fizzy.”  Applejack narrowed her eyes at her brother.
“She’s nice.”  Big Mac shrugged.
“Is that all?”
“Eyup.”  Big Mac gave her a steady look.  “Found her when she didn’t know we were allies.  She was alone and scared and she didn’t know how to talk Equestrian.  She may got creepy eyes and she looks like a stallion, but I couldn’t just leave her out there.  Not when timberwolves were a’prowlin’.”
“Ya sure there isn’t anything else?”
“Applejack, before there be ‘anything else’ Ah’d haveta get ta know her first.”  Big Mac said.  “Right now I just wanna be her friend.  If somethin’ more happens so be it.  But ya know I got plenty of mare friends without havin’ anything weird…cept that time with Cheerilee.”
“…technically that was Apple Bloom’s fault.”  Applejack smiled.
“Eyup.”  Big Mac nodded.
Reassured, Applejack settled back and proceeded to enjoy the rest of the trip back.
It was good to be home.




Twilight Sparkle let out the breath she had been holding.  She had almost expected something bad to happen to prevent their departure.  However, it was all going pretty smoothly.  Nothing was amiss, at least as far as she could see.  While she wasn’t here at a normal peaceful time here in Dream Valley, she did think it was pretty quiet so far.  Twilight Sparkle decided to trot around the Estate to see what the others were doing.
She smiled as she saw her Spike helping the other Spike organize some odd fluffy creatures called Bushwoolies into erecting a sandbag wall around the Estate to serve as a defense in case somepony attacked.  Most of them agreed that at some point Tirac would attack the Estate, as this had apparently happened before.  Dream Valley Spike had actually been the first to come to this conclusion, and had started to organize the Bushwooly creatures.  After a few moments the Diamond Dogs had pitched it, and with all of them helping it was going rather smoothly.
“You okay, Spike?  Er, my Spike?”  Twilight asked her dragon.
“It’s going pretty well!  These Bushwoolies are kinda strange-“
“Yeah!  We’re strange!”  One of the Bushwoolies piped up.
“Really strange!”  
“Odd!”
“Er…do you always do that?”  Twilight Sparkle asked.
“Yep!”
“All the time!”
“Every day!”
“You get used to it.”  Dream Valley Spike said.  “But they’re really nice!”  The Dream Valley dragon smiled as the Bushwoolies chorused their affirmatives to Twilight.  Twilight nodded.
“Are you going to build the wall over the river?”  She asked as she waved towards the river, which was only a few feet away.
“Not sure.  Need to ask the Sea Ponies if they-oh here they are!”  Dream Valley Spike hopped off the sandbag he had been standing on and waved as several pony heads emerged from the river with a rather frantic chorus of ‘shoo-be-doo.’  Dream Valley Spike frowned.
“Hey, Seawinkle, what’s wrong?”  He leaned forwards to talk to them.
“They’re coming!  They’ve taken it all!”  Seawinkle shouted.  “Get the others to the pool!  You need to hear this!”  Quickly the Sea Pony ducked back underwater.
“The pool?”  Twilight asked.
“There’s an underground river that leads to the Estate pool, it’s how the Sea Ponies get in and out…but usually just the babies are here…something’s really wrong.  Princess, can you get the others to the pool?”  Dream Valley Spike turned to the Equestrian Spike.  “Think you can keep the Bushwoolies and the Dogs working?”
Equestrian Spike blinked.  “Yeah, I guess.”
“Good, I’ll meet you all there.  I’ll go find Megan, Danny and Molly.”  The pinkish dragon charged off.
Twilight blinked.  “He’s very commanding.”
“You mean he’s pushy.”  Spike of Equestria folded his arms.
“Maybe.  He’s probably had to be more independent then you.”  Twilight Sparkle patted her Spike on the head.  “But you’re still the best number one assistant in either world.”
Spike grinned.  “You’re right!”  Spike smiled and jumped on the sandbags, directing Bushwoolies and Dogs.
Twilight spread her wings and soared into the air.  She scanned the ground, identifying Galaxy and Wind Whistler, who were standing in the middle of the lawn, keeping watch.  She soared downwards.  She hovered above them.
“There’s a Sea Pony who wants to talk to us in the pool area.”  Twilight shouted.  The two Ponylanders nodded and started shouting for more of their friends.  Twilight hadn’t gotten everypony’s name yet, but she did recognize Gusty and Fizzy running up at the calls.  Twilight then soared over the Estate and landed at the edge of the pool.  Luna soon joined here, followed by the three humans.
As soon as Wind Whistler and Galaxy, along with Ribbon, Gusty, Fizzy, Buttons, Masquerade and Paradise, who had poked her head out of a window to listen in, arrived, Seawinkle bobbed up.
“Seawinkle, what is wrong?”  Wind Whistler asked.
Seawinkle bobbed, then flicked her fins.  “The mist has spread everywhere.  Most creatures have been effected.”
“What?  So soon?”  Luna asked.
“Yes.  They have Bright Valley…we couldn’t even reach Scorpan’s kingdom.  We fear they’re lost as well.  It spread over the Manestifent forest, and we don’t know if they have the Dell Dwellers, but if not they are still deep in the earth.  We’ve seen the crabnasties join them, as well as the mice and rats.  The scree had joined willingly…”  Seawinkle sighed.  “We’ve even spotted Stratadons.”
“…so we are all that’s left in the area.”  Galaxy said.  “Could they have reached north, to the penguin kingdom?”
“We aren’t sure.  The mist came from the south, and the sea is becoming more and more dangerious.  The octopi and squid are started to become more and more agitated.  I’m scared to take our young out to sea…and soon the land may be in jeopardy as well.”  Seawinkle said.  “Galaxy…I have a favor to ask.  Can you reach the bobble head lands?”
“The mirror between Dream Valley and Equestria is open.”  Luna said.  “But why?”
Wind Whistler scuffed her hoof.  “…you think we will be enveloped by darkness, don’t you?  As it was in the old days.”
“And we can’t reach our old nesting grounds without going through the octopi.”  Seawinkle said.  “We adults are not cowards.  We will swim with you and fight Tirac…but I don’t want our babies to suffer.”
“I’m…not sure…are you asking what I think you are?”  Twilight Sparkle asked.
“It…makes sense.”  Wind Whistler said.  “You want us to take your babies to Equestria?”
“Just until we defeat Tirac.  They are getting to close to our nests.  I want to be safe.  We almost lost them when that drought occurred.”  Seawinkle said.
“I understand.  I wouldn’t want any of your babies to come to harm either.  We love them.”  Galaxy nodded.  “Is there any way your unicorns can help transport the baby Sea Ponies?”  She looked at Luna.
“Of course, we-“
“Galaxy!  Wind Whistler!  Megan!  The Flutter Ponies are back!  Flutter Valley had been lost!”  Mimic charged into the pool area, looking frazzled.
“What?  What about the Sun Stone?”  Galaxy asked.
“It’s still at the Valley…our people…many have fallen to the corruption.”  Honeysuckle landed, followed by the remaining Flutter Ponies and Fluttershy, who looked mildly traumatized.  Twilight Sparkle trotted over to comfort her shy friend.
Galaxy was about to reply when Lofty landed in the pool area as well.
“They’re coming!  I just saw them all!  It’s like the entire Valley is marching here!”
“Who is?”  Wind Whistler asked.
“Everyone!”  Lofty shouted.  “Crabnasties, troggles, grundles, goblins and trolls and elves and flories and EVERYONE!  Good and evil side by side!  They all have glowing yellow eyes!”  Lofty gasped for breath.  “He’s corrupted them all, and they’ll be here in half an hour!”
> Chapter Eighteen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Eighteen

Shining Armor burst through the mirror into the Estate living room, giving his mane a shake.  “It’s no use!  The train’s in the middle of badlands!  They can’t turn around!  I told the conductor to turn the speed on, but even then it’ll be a good hour before they arrive in Canterlot!”
“Can’t we call in some pegasi?”  Rainbow asked, hovering.  A collection of the various pony leaders had gathered, save for Galaxy, who had charged outside to double the efforts of the others.  Now forewarned of the arrival of the rest of Dream Valley, evilified, the ponies had been put on high alert.  Most of them were scrambling around either finding tubs to carry off the baby sea ponies, or shoring up the defenses.
“After this we are building a wall.  I don’t care how unwelcoming it is.”  Twilight heard one of the Ponylanders, a pegasus who she thought was named Paradise, grumble as she passed by.
“The only ones that can fly that fast are the Wonderbolts, most of the guard are either to injured from the fight with Arabus or just aren’t fast enough fliers to get here in time.”  Shining replied to Rainbow.  “And no offense to your idols, but they aren’t the most combat ready ponies.”
Rainbow took a deep breath, then let it out.  “…you got a point there.”  She didn’t want to be reminded of her disillusionment towards her foalhood heroes…but that wasn’t important right now.  “What about unicorn teleportation?”
“A lot of ponies don’t have my range or precision with teleportation.”  Twilight said.  “And even if they did they wouldn’t teleport onto a moving train.”
“Why not?”  Wind Whistler asked.  “I was under the assumption that unicorns of your variety could wink without regard to physical barriers.”
“Yeah, we can.  Or at least those that know that spell can. But a moving train would be dangerous.  If you teleported to high or to low you could end up with hooves above the ground, inside a moving train.  Or you could miscalculate and end up teleporting into a wall.”
“Stop the train then!”  Rainbow said.
“Again, none of the guards would have that kind teleportation power.  Most unicorn guards have special talents in either defense or offense, and teleporting just isn’t a spell most of us master.”  Shining said.
“And let me guess, to far for an earth pony to run…so what do we do!”
“Well, both myself or Luna can reach Canterlot castle and rally the troops to the train station, ready to go through the gate once the mirror arrives.”  Twilight said.  
“So we only have to hold them for about thirty minutes.”  Gusty snorted.  “We can do that.”
“No…”  Ribbon shook her head.
“What?!  Of course we can.”  Gusty said.
“What about the babies?”
“The Sea Ponies?”  Gusty said confused.
“Our babies.”  Ribbon looked at Galaxy and Wind Whistler.  “Remember the fire.”
Wind Whistler nodded.  “Understandable.”
“Wait…” Gusty frowned.  “You want to send out babies over too?”  Gusty scuffed a hoof. “I’m not sure I like the idea.”
“The logic is sound.”  Wind Whistler said.  “During the fire, if Megan had not used that last coin, we could have lost more then simply our home.  Knowing that there is an army coming this direction…it makes sense to evacuate the little ones, and…other none combatants.”
“Huh?”
“Posey, Truly, Cupcake, Gingerbread, Cherries Jubilee, Paradise, Sweet Stuff…”  Wind Whistler tapped her hoof with each name, and then looked at Ribbon.  “Any other mother that wishes to go should.  It will only be temporary, just to be safe.”
“I won’t be able to teleport back to the train, but I can teleport you to Ponyville where you’re safe, then I can rally the troops to rescue the rest of you.”  Twilight said.
“All of them and the little Sea Ponies?  I should help as well.  I am somewhat good at teleportation myself.”  Luna said.
“You guys should take Fluttershy back as well.  I’m staying here.”  Rainbow said.
“Anyone who is staying runs the risk of physical harm or mental corruption.”  Wind Whistler got up.  “Let’s go tell the others, and get them moving.  The faster the better.”



Twilight was not sure how they did it, but they did.  Galaxy and Wind Whistler went among the scattered gathering of Ponylanders.  This ended up with several arguments; as to Twilight’s surprise most of the ponies seemed to determined to stay after hearing of the impending invasion.  But then again maybe she shouldn’t have been surprised.  This was their home, and Twilight knew that if Ponyville were in a similar situation the ponies there would be willing to fight to the end as well.  In the end, however, Wind Whistler and Galaxy got most of the none combat oriented ponies to go, as well as Majesty, who they insisted was to drained to help, and they didn’t want to risk her.  Eventually she agreed, though reluctantly.  The majority of the Diamond Dogs were going, with only the three leaders staying, at least until they felt that they didn’t owe the ponies anything else.  The only one she could not budge was, surprisingly, Sweet Stuff, who perhaps inspired by Applejack and Rarity, chose to stay and help defend them.  Wind Whistler clearly didn’t like this, but she eventually went along with it just the same.
Twilight levitated the last two sea pony foals into a large tub, which Shining Armor lifted with his magic and carted away back to the mirror.  The poor scared things whimpered as they bobbed listlessly, a few reaching their fins out to wave at their mother sea ponies, who had lined the banks of the river to wave them goodbye.  For once none of them seemed to have the energy to sing.  Twilight lowered her head and gave them a reassuring smile.  
“Don’t worry.  I promise I’ll make sure they’re safe.”  She said.
One of them nodded.  “Thank you.”  As soon as the last of their babies were out of sight the sea ponies sank back into the river.  Twilight could see them flickering and darting through the water.  She raised her head and trotted to the mirror herself.  Several of the Ponylanders were already rushing through with the baby sea ponies, and the last tub was placed on one’s back, a whiteish earth pony.  She turned to Wind Whistler and snorted.
“I still don’t like trusting them.”  Her voice almost sounded like Rarity’s when she had been trying to impress Trenderhoof.
“It will be fine.  Do you not trust me, Truly?”  Wind Whistler asked.
Truly snorted.  “No.”
Wind Whistler looked down for a moment, just a slight downcast of her eyes, but Twilight had a feeling that she was hurt.  “Then it is even more imperative that you watch out for the babies.  If you cannot trust me and you cannot trust them, then who else is better to watch our young?”
Truly snorted and turned away, trotted to the mirror.  “Like you care.”  She shot back.  Twilight frowned, then walked over to put a hoof on Wind Whistler’s shoulder.  
“Are you okay?”
Wind Whistler’s composure had come back almost instantly.  “There is little time for sentiment, Twilight Sparkle.  I am fine.”
“But, she-“
“She has always held strenuous objections to my behavior.  It does not help that she is afraid.  Now is not the time to dwell…but if you wish we can speak on it later.”  Wind Whistler nodded to Twilight, who just had the feeling that Wind Whistler only said this to make her feel better about things.  Twilight sighed a bit.  She wanted to get to know Wind Whistler better, as there was something about the pegasus that Twilight liked.  Maybe it was the fact that she was obviously very intelligent.  Still, she was also right.  This was a bad time to dwell.  She looked around.  It seemed like she would be taking at least half of the Ponylanders with her, as well as the two youngest humans, who were arguing with Megan.
“But we want to stay.”  The male, Danny, glowered at his sister.
“Look, I know but…” Megan looked around.  “I’d rather you two stay with the baby ponies.  They need someone to look after them.”
“Truly and Paradise have already gone with them.”  Danny objected.
“You know, you aren’t going to be missing as much as you think.”  Shining Armor said.  “I had an idea.  I just erected my shield over the estate.”
“Ah.”  Twilight looked out to see a pink dome covering the place, extending from the sandbag walls to cover them all.  “Good thinking.”
“As long as I’m awake I can keep this barrier maintained in plenty of time until the other guards get here to help.”  Shining said.  “And this time I won’t have that parasite leeching off me.”
“Please?”  Megan pleaded with Danny and Molly.  Molly, who had been standing around with her arms folded, supporting and out and out pout, threw her hands in the air, muttered a ‘whatever’ and marched through the portal.  Danny just shook his head and glared at Megan as he started across as well.  He was interrupted by Surprise.
“Hey!”  Surprise nudged him.  “You gonna keep an eye on Baby Surprise, right?”
Danny smiled slowly.  “Yeah…guess I will.  I’ll see you later?  Right?”
“Course!  Hey!  Bring your camera!  Lots of interesting things to see on the other side!”  Surprise grabbed a small camera off an end table and offered it to Danny, who took it, looking much more cheery about this.  He gave Surprise an affectionate hug, and then went through the portal.
“…thanks Surprise.”  Megan said.  Surprise smiled.  
“Hey, he’s my best friend.”  Surprise shrugged.
Twilight scuffed her hoof and nudged Shining Armor.  “You’re going to be okay, right?”
“Don’t worry about me, Twili.  I’ll be fine.”
“Alright, you ready, Fluttershy?”  Twilight asked.  She had a feeling she was delaying, but she couldn’t help.  Something felt wrong about this, but she didn’t see that they had many options at the moment.  Sure if she wasn’t running on a clock and had some time she could probably think of something better, but at the moment…
Fluttershy nodded at her, leaving a bottle of her healing potion with Morning Glory and the remaining Flutter Ponies.  “And could you say goodbye to the Stoneback to me, when he gets back…ummm…please?”
“Of course.”  Rosedust smiled at her.  “You have our gratitude for what you’ve done for us.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”  Fluttershy skittered away till she was next to Twilight.  “Ummm, ready.”
Twilight tried to remember the names of the ponies coming with her…Ah…Ribbon, Paradise, Heart Throb, that one rude pony Truly, and…her brain fizzled a bit.  She just couldn’t keep all of them straight!  She’d have to learn more about them in the days to come.  After the crises was over they would have plenty of time to get to know each other, after all.
She nodded to Fluttershy, and the two of them entered the mirror.



Once on the other side, Twilight and Luna set to dividing the group they would have to take with them.  The dogs, not willing to go totally without their leaders, stayed on the train.  Luna was not only taking half the population of the refugees, but also the baby sea ponies (who still peered out of their tubs with sad little eyes that broke Twilight’s heart), as well as the sleeping corrupted ponies, their Applejack and her family, and the Dream Valley Twilight, who still seemed sad and confused and a little lost. Twilight Sparkle wanted to comfort her, but she still looked so much like Twilight Sparkle’s mom it was just plan…odd.
Still, not the time.
“Alright, so…I’ve never teleported so many before-“
“Oh that’s comforting.”  Truly snarled at her, making Twilight Sparkle blink.  Ribbon sighed and nudged Truly.
“Let her talk.”  Ribbon said gently, and to Twilight Sparkle’s surprise Truly listened, albeit with a huff.
“Yeah, like I was saying…my magical capacity has increased enormously since I became an alicorn, so we shouldn’t have much trouble.”
“Do not forget that will be lending you power, Twilight Sparkle.”  Luna gave Twilight a reassuring smile.  “It will be alright.  Now…focus on the library…”
Twilight Sparkle formed an image of her familiar library in her mind.  She then carefully reached out with her magic, enveloping everypony with her purple energy, making sure to cover every bit.  She could feel Luna taking up the slack on her end, merging with her magic along the edges, making a nice tight seal so that nopony would end up lost to the aether between spaces.  That would be a messy end.  Normally Twilight could have done this faster, but she wanted to make sure she had every single one.  She grunted, her horn sparkling and sparking like a firework and she could feel a few of them shifting in nervousness.  She blocked it out.  Unlike the times she had teleported her friends there was less of a time crisis, and more of them to carry.  She was going to be careful.
Ready.  She could feel Luna on the edges of her mind, a bit like how Celestia would when she had just been learning teleportation.  Long ago when she was little and her beloved mentor would stand at her side, her magic gently boosting Twilight’s own.  Luna’s was a bit different, due to its darker nature, but it was hardly something bad, and it was almost as powerful.
With a sudden popping poof the entire group was gone.  Or at least that’s what the ponies that remained on the train saw. A few engineer ponies who were trying their best to rush the train back to Canterlot, one or two of them still saw the lightshow, and were very impressed.  After all, it wasn’t every day you got to see two princesses teleport a large group of ponies elsewhere.  Now it was just them and a pack of lazily scratching Diamond Dogs.




Twilight gasped and staggered.  She fell to the side, her wing scraping against the bark of her library tree.  She shook her head, glancing around.  “Everypony…okay?”
“That was HORRID!”  Truly snorted and backed away from Twilight Sparkle.  “Never again!”
“…that was…odd.”  Twilight, the Ponylander, twitched.  “I don’t think I want to do that again either.  I’ll stick with my own teleportation.”
“I’ll just stick with winking in general.”  Ribbon rubbed her head.  “I feel like I ate to much ice cream.”  She winched.  “And why is everyone shouting?”
Twilight Sparkle righted herself and looked around.  She sighed in frustration.  Apparently they had the bad luck of teleporting a few meters from where the most excitable citizens of Ponyville had been walking.  Twilight Sparkle couldn’t for the life of her remember their names at the moment, only that they had flower Cutie Marks and they were all female and they had a tendency to panic at the slightest provocation.  Right now they were screaming and running in all directions, shrieking about alien invaders.  The rest of Ponyville, or at least the ponies who had been casually strolling by, stopped and stared at the sight of several very large ponies, who had been the subjects of rumors.  Oh, and several little things in tubs.
“The horror!  The horror!”  One of the panicking ponies…Lily?  Shouted.  Twilight Sparkle sighed and covered her face with her hoof.  Some of the baby Ponylanders began to sniffle in fear and stress.
Danny suddenly grinned, an evil twinkle coming to his eye.  Twilight Sparkle groaned as the boy leaped at Diamond Tiara and screamed.  “BLAAAH!  Give me your blood!  Blaargh!”  The pink filly screamed and ran off, nearly losing her tiara in the process.  Danny laughed, and Molly slapped him on the head.  
“That wasn’t funny!”
“Oh come on, that was hilarious!  Right, Baby Surprise?”  He turned to grin at the little pegasus, who was now giggling.  Soon, the other baby ponies were giggling, and even the depressed looking Sea Ponies perked a bit.  Twilight Sparkle was suddenly grateful the boy did that, even if he could have found a better way in her opinion.
“Can we stop horrifying them now?”  Ribbon asked.  “Look at that.”  She waved at hoof as some of the braver Equestrians were starting to stalk up to them, as if trying to decide if they should attack or not.
“Stop!”  Twilight Sparkle flapped her wings and landed between the two groups.  “Please, it’s alright!”  Luna fluttered to her side, but let Twilight speak to the ponies, as she was better known to them.  “Look, these aren’t bad ponies.  They’re friendly, and kind, and they had to leave their home!  They have nowhere else to go at the moment!  Something evil is coming to attack them, and they needed to get their children out!  Look, most of them are foals!  Are you really going to chase them off?  Even what he did…he’s just a colt.”  Twilight waved a hoof at Danny, who snorted at her.  “Please…everypony…”
The Equestrians looked at Twilight Sparkle, and at first she wasn’t sure what they were going to do.  A pair of grey wings suddenly unfolded, and Twilight Sparkle blinked as a grey pegasus parted from the group, flapped over, and landed right in front of the Ponylanders.  Twilight, after a moment, recognized the pegasus as the one Rainbow kept calling Derpy.  She wasn’t sure if that was her real name or a nickname or what.  She didn’t seem to mind being called that, and from what Twilight had seen she was a very nice, if accident-prone pony.  Twilight suspected it was because of the eyes.  Twilight wasn’t sure how that happened, but she had heard various stories, the most popular being the theory that Derpy had decided to try crossing her eyes one day and they had stuck that way.  This was probably based on what mothers said to foals when they made silly faces, that your face would freeze that way.  Twilight wasn’t sure if it was true.
Derpy slowly approached the nearest Ponylander, who happened to be Ribbon.  The alien unicorn stepped closer to met her, giving Derpy a gentle smile.
“Hi!”  Derpy said, extending a hoof.  “Nice to meet you!”
Ribbon stared at the hoof, as if unsure what to do.  Twilight wondered if Ponylander’s touched hooves like Equestrians would do to say hello.  But apparently humans did, because Danny laughed.  
“Looks like she wants to fistbump!”
“Don’t you need fists for that?”  Heart Throb asked, tilting her head.
“Usually!”  Danny was still laughing.
“Just touch your hoof, it’s how we say hello.”  Derpy was still smiling.  Ribbon shrugged and lifted her hoof, touching it to Derpy’s.
“Hello then.”  Ribbon chuckled nervously.
Derpy titled her head.  “How do you say hello?  I mean without actually saying hello…” She blinked as Ribbon stepped forwards and gave her a brief nuzzle under the chin.  “Umm…wow you ponies are really familiar with each other, huh?”  She blushed and backed up a step.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”  Ribbon said.  By now Twilight Sparkle was starting to wonder if a human could die laughing.
“Well, usually only family members do that here.”  Derpy said.
“We are a family.”  Ribbon said.
“W-woow.”  Derpy’s eyes rolled to a different position.  They never seemed to be able to stay in the place though.  “That’s a biiig family.”
“No.”  Ribbon sighed and looked back at the other Ponylanders.  “It should be much bigger…”



Back at Paradise Estate Shining Armor had covered the entire estate, as well as most of the lawn, in a light purple dome.  It took much less energy then the ones he had erected over Canterlot and the Crystal Empire, and he was pretty confidant that this would be easy.  All he had to do was maintain this shield for a few minutes.  Simple.  The guards that had been left here to help were manning either the walls, armed with jousting lances, or had set up the archery bows and had lined up quivers of elemental arrows.  This was going to be very very easy…
In the back of his mind he knew that thoughts like these usually ended up in Bad Things happening, he kept those feelings in the back.  No sense being negative.  
He looked up to see one of the pegasi, errr…Lofty yeah, that was her name, drop down to the ground, wings twitching slightly.  He frowned in concern.  “You okay?”
“Huh?  Yeah.  Just a bit nervous about that dome of yours.”
“Why?”
“I’m just used to having open air.”  She shrugged, and then looked to the south.  “Either way, I can see them coming.  They’ll be here in a few minutes.”
Shining nodded as Lofty went off to tell the others.  He watched as they all sort of spread themselves out, watching the outside of the dome with reasonable calmness.  The human girl, Megan, had apparently decided that a mallet would be a good weapon, and she had even distributed some to the three remaining Diamond Dogs.  Since they didn’t have their Rainbow weapon the human apparently thought a mallet would be the next best thing. Rosedust and her remaining Flutter Ponies were there as well, along with the Dream Valley Spike, who was apparently directing and looking after those bizarre puffballs called Bushwoolies.  They weren’t quite as organized as the guard would have been, but also seemed very much unafraid and ready…except for one exception.
“We’re doomed, I just know it…” A strangely pessimistic earth pony kept moaning this, or some variation of this, every ten minutes, and it was starting to worry Shining a bit.
“Is she going to be okay?”  Shining looked at Wind Whistler, who nodded.
“Shady is simply overly pessimistic.  She shall pull through for us when needed.”
“Are you sure?”  Shining asked, still nervous about a pony he was half afraid was going to bolt.  That could be dangerous in a battle situation.
“Of course.”  Wind Whistler said.
Shining was about to reply when a sudden booming crunch echoed through the valley, and Shady thankfully shut up.  He tensed a bit as several of the trees were knocked away, and something truly horrible came thumping through the brush.  IT was a huge, red and blue crab thing.  It was flanked by several more large crab things.  For a moment Shining’s eyes were locked on it, mostly because of its hugeness.  He gulped.
“That is a crabnasty.”  Wind Whistler said, helpfully.  “They are a good race, usually.”
“Then why are they called crabnasties?”  Shining asked, trying to be calm.
“…I have no idea.”  Wind Whistler then calmly pointed out the various other races that were emerging from the brush.  Troggles, Grundles, bees, trolls, dragons (who were not nearly as large and dangerous looking as Equestrian dragons) and…blank flank ponies.  She didn’t call them that though.  She called them Bright Valley ponies.  Every one of them had glowing yellow eyes.  It was fairly creepy.  Aside from the corrupted ones, Shining also noticed some strangely unchanged Changelings.  He wasn’t sure why they weren’t shapeshifted.  Maybe they felt that it would confuse their allies just as much as it would confuse the enemy?  Oh, and there were more skeleton ponies.  Shining had hoped he wouldn’t have to deal with them anymore, but there they were.  The dark mist that Shining knew was responsible for corrupting most of these creatures began to flow over the barrier, but didn’t go through.  He turned his head and noticed that the mist didn’t even penetrate the water of the river, apparently it couldn’t reach below that.
As one the corrupted denizen’s of Dream Valley rushed the barrier, slamming claws, hooves and the occasional edged weapon at the barrier.  Shining twitched slightly.  He could feel the impact against his shield, but he could shake it off rather easily.  He grinned.
“We don’t even have to watch them.  They are never getting through.”  He said.  “It’s no worse then what the Changeling’s did to Canterlot, and now I don’t have their leader draining me.”
“Comforting, but I want to keep my eye on them.  Just in case they have a surprise.”
“Even if they do, we’ll be ready.”  Rainbow grinned, hovering over the two of them.
“I can handle this.”  Shining said.
“Perhaps, but Dream Valley magic is largely unknown to your kind.”  Wind Whistler pointed out.  “And I doubt they will only use physical prowess against us.”
“You had to say that, didn’t you?”  Shady moaned.  “Look!”
Shining turned his head to focus on the enemy.  They had stopped their assault and were parting in a line.  He blinked as the mist started to back away as well.  Through the crowd came a rather large, discombobulated figure.  It seemed to be a combination of the human’s upper body and torso combined with the lower body of a pony or a horse.  It seemed wrong to Shining, not only because he was still getting used to the odd humans.  However, the reaction of the Ponylander’s was quiet different.  To a pony they glared at the figure, a few of them pawing at the ground and baring their teeth.  Even Wind Whistler narrowed her eyes, thought it was as usual a slight narrowing.
“Let me guess, that’s this Tirac.”  Shining briefly remembered that name from the long line of past threats to Equestria that most Captain of the Guards had to memorize just in case they came back.  It was part of the job, and Shining was sure he heard that name before.  But, then again he also knew about General Firefly of the Wonderbolts, and apparently there was a Firefly here as well, as well as another Applejack, a Spike and a pony that looked an awful lot like his mother.  So two evil creatures named Tirac wasn’t too much of a surprise.  He doubted applying what he knew of the Equestrian Tirac, which was little, would apply here anyway.
Whiste his mind had wandered a bit, Tirac had arrived on the edge of the barrer.  His glowing yellow eyes darted and lingered on first Rainbow, then Pinkie Pie, then finally on Megan, who it lingered on most of all.  She glared at him and tightened her grip on her mallet.
“You seem to have lost your rainbow, girl.”  Tirac said, to which Megan didn’t respond.  She simply glared at him.  “Would you like to know how I did this?”  He lifted his hand, and a dark rainbow slithered out of his palm, waving at them in a mocking manner.  It returned back into his palm, rather like a piece of spaghetti being sucked into a mouth.
“Is this not the point where you gloat?”  Wind Whistler said mildly.
“Well, why not?  It’s not like you’re escaping, after all.”  Tirac smiled, and Shining himself had to fight to keep from smiling back.  The more time this monster delayed his assult the faster the guard would get here, to say nothing of the fact that Tirac would never get past his shield.
But he was staring the gloating phase now.  “Half of my power comes from the Nightmare.  Spefically a piece of the Nightmare left behind when Celestia banished it to the moon.  It absorbed power from the underground seeds left behind by Discord, adding a bit of Chaos magic, as well as Nightmare magic.  You know, don’t you, that those touched by dark magic are resistant to it, after they escape it, yes?  It’s why using my power on that traitor over there.”  He waved a hand at Draggle.  “Would be less then effective, unless she had another reason to turn back.  It’s why it took a bit more force to conquer the one you call Applejack.  It worked, eventually, and it will eventually work on anyone else touched.  It just takes time.”
“Is there a point to this?”  Galaxy asked, looking almost bored with Tirac’s rambling.
“Well, you see.  I didn’t just absorb magic from the Nightmare, or the original Tirac, or Discord.  I also absorbed magic from Celestia.  And if your kind can resist my dark magic after being touched by it, then it follows that, after absorbing her magic…”
Wind Whistler’s eyes widened.  “Run.”  She commanded.  Shining stared at her.  
“Wait, what?”  Shining looked back to see Tirac putting his hand on the shield, and starting to absorb it.  Shining’s eyes widened and he poured more energy into it, reinforcing it.  But it was only a matter of time.  “Go!  Everyone get to the portal!  I’ll hold him off as long as I can.”
“It wont’ matter.  You can’t take everyone over.  The mist will follow you, and corrupt you.”  Tirac said.  “It may not be able to go through water, but it will go through that mirror.”
“Not if I can help it!  RUN!”  Shining’s horn glowed bright, but Tirac was draining his shield faster then Chrysalis had drained his love, but he wasn’t going to let up.  Not until as many of the Ponylanders as he could manage were through.  Suddenly he felt one of them step up next to him.  Her horn glowed, and he felt some of the pressure lifted off of him.  He looked over at the lime green unicorn, who grinned at him.
“I’ll help.  Don’t worry.”  Mimic’s horn flashed even brighter as she somehow managed to boost Shining’s magic.  He nodded.  
All of a sudden he felt something slam into the back of his head.  He looked up to see Whizzer, her suddenly glinting yellow, raise her hoof and slam it into his face again.  His shield flickered as she struck him, and he struggled, attempting to kick her off.
She was corrupted, but how and when?  He wasn’t sure, but fi he didn’t get her off him then the shield would fail.  He saw out of the corner of his eye Mimic struggling with North Star, whose eyes also glowed yellow.  How had they not noticed this before?  His guard turned to help him, but someone else got there first.
To Shining’s surprise the whining earth pony from earlier, Shady, suddenly grabbed Whizzer and pulled her off Shining, somehow managing to fling her to the side.  Shining got up and attempted to reinforce the barrier, but Whizzer had done her job.  The barrier shattered and Shining attempted to drag North Star off Mimic so they could run, but he felt a horribly slimly presence press into his ear.  He squealed and tried to jump away, but his legs were suddenly locked into place.  Within moments the dark energy rushed into his brain, circling his mind.  He swayed, gasping in pain…then the pain lifted to be replaced by an incredibly satisfying feeling.  It felt almost like his love for Cadence, but the love was being shoved aside in favor of this new devotion.  And he didn’t care.  He looked over to see Shady also sitting up, the mist flowing into her ear.  She smiled and relaxed, her eyes beginning to glow yellow.  So were Mimic’s, and even though he couldn’t see his own eyes, he knew his eyes were glowing yellow as well.  He heard a small thump and turned his head.  Rainbow, who out of loyalty had refused to leave them, was also sitting there, eyes turning from magenta to yellow.  He smiled.  The rest of his guards too were slowly being corrupted, and he felt that this was just great.  Excellent, in fact.
“Now, go after the others.”  Tirac commanded.
“Yes, my Lord.”  Shining found himself saying.  It felt right.


Wind Whistler kicked the door close with her back hooves.  She leaned her hooves against the door, holding them back.  She knew that she had left several of them out there.  She also knew it was to late for them.  At least for now.  It hurt almost as bad as it had when Gusty had been turned to stone, but like that time it would be useless to stay where they would just be corrupted anyway.  She looked up at the others.  It looked like only the Flutter Ponies, the three dogs, Spike and the Bushwoolies, Megan, Draggle, Gusty, Surprise, and Galaxy where left.  Gusty snorted at her.
“You left them!”
“I have to.  Some of you need to get past, because so there won’t be any time.”  She said.
“What?”
“Gusty, take the others.  Go.”  Wind Whistler said.  “If the gems are removed from the mirror then they won’t get past, and you can regroup.”
“But…that means someone has to stay back here.”
“Yes, someone does.”  Wind Whistler leaned against the door some more.  She felt the door being pounded on, and it slowly started to splinter.  “There is not much time.  I will hold them off.  I will remove the gems and-ah!”  She gasped as mist leaked through the splinters and started to leak into her ear.  She closed her eyes, struggling to hold it back from her mind.  “Go…”
Megan stared at her, horrified for a few moments.  Then she turned to the doorway to the living room and ushered the others in, slamming the door behind her and moving a large cedar chest in the way with the help of Rover and the other two Diamond Dogs.
“Alright, everyone through the portal.”  Megan said.
“Megan, you’re not thinking of…”  Galaxy asked, but Megan cut her off.
“We’ll take out the gems from the other side.  Now go!”
Galaxy stared at her, doubtful, but she turned and left anyway.  Rosedust also briefly stared at Megan, as if she didn’t believe Megan’s words either, but she had to take care of her remaining Flutter Ponies.  Spike and the Bushwoolies were next, as well as Surprise and Gusty, who was shaking in anger.
Finally, the other two dogs were through, and the living room door was being pounded on.  Megan looked at Draggle.  “Go on.”
The witch, who had been standing there, just staring at the wall that separated them from the hallway where they had left Wind Whistler, snorted at Megan.  “You know what pisses me off about you?”  She growled.
“This isn’t the time-“
“You’re the most damn self righteous little stuck up goody two shoes I ever met, and it’s irritating.”  Draggle continued.  “Just can’t help by save everyone, even it means hurting yourself.”
“Ummm, running out of time…” Rover looked nervously from one girl to the next.
“And the worst part, the absolute worst part.”  Draggle grabbed her staff, turned suddenly, and wacked Megan in the face.  The other girl, not expecting this sudden betrayal, fell back, stunned.  “Is that’s the reason they need you.”  Draggled grabbed Megan by the arm before she could hit the floor and tossed her to Rover.  “Get her out of here, dog.”
“But.”
“I’m a dark creature.  I won’t be affected by the mist.  I can run.  Now get!”
Rover blinked, then nodded.  He threw Megan over his shoulder and rushed to the mirror.  He leaped, letting it suck him and Megan through.  Draggle sighed and hobbled over to the mirror, watching the large crystal until it stopped blinking.  She was pretty sure that it meant that no one was on there.
“You don’t have enough time to go through now, fool.”  It was Wind Whistler, or at least what had been Wind Whistler.  “The mist can flow into the mirror, and you don’t have time to deactivate it before it would go through.  Some would be corrupted.”
Draggle shrugged and took away the gems that had been replaced.  “Now you aren’t going through at all.”
“And what do you think you are going to do with those.  You liar.  You can’t run with them.  You can’t run at all.  You’re not physically capable of flight.  You’re a cripple.  You’re weak.  You won’t get far at all.”  Draggle could hear the no corrupted Ponylander’s fighting against the chest, and she turned to the window.  Mist seeped along the edges, and she smiled.
“I’ll get far enough.”
She picked up her stick and broke the window.  Ignoring the cuts and scrapes from the broken glass she landed on the lawn, the mist flowing over her and attempting to corrupt her.  But she was already a corrupt being, technically.  It felt…wonderful, actually.  In fact it almost seemed to give her energy.  It didn’t feel bad at all, and though she did feel a sudden compulsion to give the gems back to Tirac so he could go conquer, she knew she could resist it.  She had been resisting the urges to go back to evil ways for three years.  This wasn’t a problem.  
Hobbling as fast as she could, which wasn’t that fast, Draggle struggled around the Estate to the pool area.  She could hear hooves and feet behind her, but as she rounded the corner and stumbled through the gate to the pool.  She saw a Sea Pony flitting in there, and Draggle skidded to a halt, nearly toppling over a lawn chair.  Draggle flung the gems into the pool, and the Sea Pony caught them.  The Sea Pony turned and poked her head out.
“Will you be alright?  Can you get out?”
“Yeah, sure.”  Draggle said, lying through her teeth.  “Just get those to safety.”
The Sea Pony nodded and ducked into the pool.  Powering with her tail she dove down to a small tunnel in the deep end, through which the Sea Ponies came in and out through and underground water path.
Hooves clopped towards her, and Draggle turned, holding her staff.  She smiled, even though every pony that stood before her had at one point been her friend, she didn’t let that depress her.  Megan was safe, and that irritating farm girl could pull victories out a hat like a sideshow magician.  “You’re not getting through.  And by the time you might, they’ll have found a way to stop you.”
“I doubt that, traitor.”  Tirac stomped his way through the collection of corrupted ponies, glaring at her.  Draggle tried not to shiver.  “You may have delayed the inevitable, but that is all.  Though…it is interesting.  A Gloom witch sacrificing herself for ponies?”
Draggle shrugged.  She couldn’t think of a good response.
“Espcially now.  If you give me those gems now I might forgive you.”
“Why would I do that?”  Draggle said.
Tirac turned his head, smiling at someone behind him.  Hydia strode up, shooting the corrupted Wind Whistler a glare.  Wind Whistler just stared at the witch with glowing emotionless yellow eyes.  Draggle noticed the difference.  Wind Whistler was never that cold.  Not really.  But there was something in her gaze now.  Something that suggested that she just…didn’t care.
“You love your mother, and your sister, don’t you?  Oh don’t and deny it.  Crystalis confirmed it.”  Tirac nodded to the Changeling Queen, who smiled as she landed.  
“It’s true.  My kind can sense love.  How do you think we feed?  It’s buried under shame and grief, but it is there.  It’s always been there.”  Draggle couldn’t help but wonder why Chrysalis was looking at Hydia with a small knowing grin.  Draggle decided to ignore it.  Maybe she did care about Hydia, but her mother didn’t give a damn about her, no matter how many smiles the Changeling Queen gave her.
“I can give you everything you want now, girl.  I can give you back yoru family.  On my word Hydia will take you back.  And you can have the ponies as well.  They will care for you just as they did before.  The only difference would be that they would be on the same side you were meant to be one.  Join us, give me the gems, and help me conquer Equestria.  You have nothing to lose.”
Draggle bowed her head, and for a moment it looked like she was going to agree.  Then, just as she had with Megan she suddenly swung her staff and struck Tirac on the head.  
“First, those aren’t the ponies.  They’re your slaves and they aren’t the same ones that took me in.”  Draggle stepped forwards and let electric shoot from her eyes.  “Second, you’re going to lose.  Haven’t you figured out that those sparkly pansies ALWAYS WIN!”  She swung her staff again, catching Tirac where the human torso met the horse torso.  “Third, my mother never cared for me or Reeka, and you can just GO TO HELL, MAMA!”  She spat this last bit of venom at Hydia, who to Draggle’s surprise jerked back as if struck.
Tirac growled and grabbed Draggle by the head and slammed her into a wall.  Truth be told she had half expected that.  She knew that she didn’t really stand a chance with all of them here, to say nothing of Tirac himself.  She didn’t intend to go quietly though, and poured as much lighting as she could at Tirac’s palm.  She hit him repeatedly on the head and shoulders, and kicked at him with her good leg.  This continued until Tirac suddenly dropped her.  She got up, intending to renew her attack, but he suddenly grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head back.  Lightning leaped from her eyes, but then she felt something cold and metal cover them.  Still she attempted to complete the spell, but the lightning sparked and shocked her.  She yelped in surprise.
“That’s something very similar to a magic dispelling ring.  You don’t think that you’re the only one that knows that spell?  Or how to counter it.  Normally I could just use a ring…but this has the added benefit of blinding you.  Even if you were to escape me now, you wouldn’t get that far.”  She heard him chuckle.  “Normally I would kill you.  You’ve delayed me, defied me, and you’ve betrayed your once powerful clan.  All the sacrifices your ancestors made, and you don’t even care.  Sad, really.  But I suppose this is what happens when the blood starts to run thin.”
“We’re taking her back to the volcano.”  Draggle heard her mother begin, and she assumed that Hydia wanted to take point in punishing her, but Tirac interrupted her.
“No, you are not.  You would be soft on her.”  Draggle almost laughed.  Tirac was crazy.  Hydia didn’t care.  But then Draggle supposed it didn’t matter.  She felt something with hands, probably a Grundle or a troggle or something, grab her arms.  She didn’t’ struggle this time.  She couldn’t escape at the moment, and a small Wind Whistler-ish voice in her head told her that it would be better to save her strength until she could escape.  
Besides, it wouldn’t be long until the ponies saved them.  Because she had been on both sides of this equation before.  Even when you got caught by the evil ones, you usually got rescued.  It would be alright.
“You’re hope is almost cute.”  Draggle heard that Changeling creature, Chrysalis, hiss in her ear.  “Do keep clinging to it.  It will make draining your love from you even sweeter.”
“Huh?”
“I guess you’re not paying attention.  You’re being given to my kind.  We’ll see how long your hope lasts after I’m through with you.”
“I heard you got your flank kicked by Queen Rosedust.  If you can’t even beat a tiny Flutter Pony, what makes you think you can beat the rest of them?”  Draggle replied.
“Just wait, girl, just wait.”

> Chapter Nineteen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Chapter Nineteen	

Ribbon shifted nervously as one of the Equestrians broke from the pack that had gathered and approached her.  The…mare…Ribbon hoped it was a mare and not another small male, stopped a few feet from her and ducked her head respectfully.  Ribbon’s eyes shot briefly to Majesty, who walked up beside and gave her a gentle nod.  Ribbon didn’t consider herself a leader, but then she doubted anyone on the Estate really did.  Certain ponies just sort of took up guiding roles when and if they were needed.  Ribbon wasn’t sure what Majesty would do after she came back.  The younger generation of ponies had grown used to doing things as a community, and the baby ponies didn’t know Majesty at all.  Still, Ribbon was glad she was around, even if she wasn’t acting at all like a queen.  Perhaps that was the best for now.
Ribbon focused on the Equestrian mare, who began to speak.  “As Mayor of Ponyville, I would like to welcome you all to our town and-“
“Mama, Mama, can we go explore!?”  Baby Ribbon bumped her head against  Ribbon’s back leg.  Ribbon smiled apologetically at the Mayor.  
“Pardon me.”  She looked back at Baby Ribbon.  “You and the others can go play, just make sure you don’t stray to far outside the town, and stay in groups of at least two.”  She raised her voice to be heard by the other babies.  “That goes for all of you.”  She smiled as the other babies cheered, then scattered, every one of them going in different directions, but they did go in groups of two or more.  Truly snorted and trotted past Ribbon.  “I’ll keep my eyes on them.”  She huffed at the Mayor, who just looked confused.
“Sorry about that.”  Ribbon said, and the Mayor regained her composure.  She began her welcoming speech all over again, and around the thirteenth word Ribbon’s eyes started to glaze a bit.  Eventually, Twilight Sparkle edged closer.  
“Luna and I have to go prepare the guards for the train, is it alright if I leave you here for now?”  Twilight Sparkle asked.  Ribbon nodded.
“It should be fine.”  Ribbon said.  The Mayor smiled and finally wrapped up her spiel.  Ribbon was grateful for that.
“I’ll make sure the baby Sea Ponies get to water…do you have a lake or something around?  Something without any large predators?”  Paradise trotted up, looking to the Mayor and Twilight Sparkle.
“Yes, we do have a lake.  I don’t think there is anything vicious in it.” 
“Make sure someone is close enough to help them in case they have a problem.”  Ribbon said and Paradise nodded.
“I’ll take care of it, don’t worry.”





“Hey, guys, ya’ll want us ta show ya ‘round Ponyville?”  Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo managed to catch up to Babies Ribbon, Cuddles and Gusty, who had charged off in a group of three to check out Ponyville.  They had been the only trio the Cutie Mark Crusaders had been able to catch up with.
“Sure, why not?”  Cuddles smiled at them, then eyed the thatched roofs of Ponyville.  “It’s kinda big isn’t it?”
“Awww, this ain’t nothin’” Apple Bloom smiled.  “Ya should see Canterlot sometime!”
The Crusaders led their Ponyland friends down the street, pointing out several landmarks and waving a few curious ponies, who tried not to stare too much at the young Ponylanders.  It would be rude, and most in Ponyville, while easily startled, weren’t rude.
“The others seemed ta be in a hurry…” Apple Bloom looked around for any of the other baby ponies, but couldn’t spot any.
“I guess they’d rather poke around then…think about things.”  Cuddles shrugged.  “I know that Baby Lofty wanted to talk to a few of the pegasi here.  She’s curious about how they fly.  You know she sometimes has issues flying…”	
“She’s not the only one.”  Scootaloo looked at her own tiny wings, trying not to think about it.  It was true that she didn’t feel quite as bad about her wings as she had months ago but…it was still a bit of a sore subject.  Especially when she thought of a certain two ponies.  Baby Ribbon frowned at her briefly, and then trotted ahead.  
“Watch this.”  Her horn blinked, and she had suddenly winked ahead of them…except that the only part of her that had reemerged was her head and shoulders.  Scootaloo skidded to a halt.
“Gah!  What the-!”  A few of the other ponies started as well, shouting in horror at the sight of a pony without a lower body.  Baby Ribbon shrugged sheepishly.
“Sorry…ah…I just…you seemed upset about your wings, and I wanted to show you that you’re not the only one.  I still can’t manage to wink fully in in one go…”
“You might wanna contact Ribbon before you give these guys a heart attack.”  Baby Gusty looked around.  “Hey, hey, everyone, relax!  She just needs a push!”
Within a few moments the group saw Ribbon turn the corner and approach, looking a might irritated.  She approached her daughter and sighed.  
“Baby Ribbon, you’re scaring everyone.”
“I’m sorry about that, but…” Baby Ribbon’s horn glowed, and her mother blinked.  Ribbon nodded.
“Still, be more careful.”  Ribbon touched her horn to Baby’ Ribbon’s, and soon the rest of the baby pony appeared.  She turned to the shocked crowd of ponies and smiled gently.  “See?  She just needs a bit of help coming back.”
“What is that?” One pony from the crowd asked.
“Winking.  All our unicorns can do it, but she still has some issues.”  Ribbon looked at her daughter.  “Behave.”
“I will.”  Baby Ribbon trotted back over to the other young ponies.  	
“You guys still keep shocking us.”  Scootaloo breathed, though she was wasn’t dwelling on her wing situation anymore.  “Hey, why don’t we show em Sugarcube Corner?”
“What’s that?”  Baby Cuddles asked.
“It’s a bakery!  Best cupcakes in Equestria!  It’s where Pinkie Pie works!”  Sweetie Bell smiled and started off.  “Wouldn’t mind showing you guys my sister’s shop either.  It’s really cool!”  the group of young ponies trotted off again, after saying goodbye to Ribbon, who sighed in exasperated affection.
Sugarcube Corner was doing fairly good business that day, though the Cakes were moving a bit slower without Pinkie there to mind the counter.  The two of them blinked a tad at the sight of the Ponyland babies.
“Welcome.”  Cup Cake recovered quickly.  “What would you like?”  She smiled at the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  “Are these your new friends?”
“Eyup!”  Apple Bloom said cheerily.  She put her hooves on the glass and scanned the treats.  “I’ll have an ice cream sundae.”
The Ponylanders followed Apple Bloom, gazing down at the treats.  There was a brief whispered discussion about what they should get, but eventually they settled on some cupcakes.  However, just as Sweetie was paying for them, as the Ponylander’s didn’t have bits, a certain rather snobbish voice rang out from the front of the store.
“I can’t believe those freaks are here!  Look at them!  They don’t need sugar!  They’re bigger then balloons!”
The group turned.  Diamond Tiara had apparently been told the aliens meant no harm, and had found her friend Silver Spoon somewhere.  The two of them were giving the Crusaders and their friends their usual look of contempt.  Cuddles blinked at them.  
“What are you talking about?”  She asked, confused.
Silver Spoon rolled her eyes.  “She means you’re fat.”
Baby Ribbon and Cuddles looked at each other and blinked.  “No we’re not.”  Cuddles said.
“Look at them, I can feel the ground shaking from here!”  Diamond Tiara sneered, and Baby Gusty frowned.  
“Hey, it’s not our fault your kind of pony is smaller then us!”  She said.
“Maybe that monster is fattening them up.  They’re just so stupid they don’t realize it.”  Silver Spoon said, ignoring Baby Gusty.
“Don’t you say that about Danny!”  Baby Gusty was starting to resemble her mother as she stomped a bit.  “He was just joking around.  And I noticed you ran off like a chicken!”
“Chicken!  You’re standing next to the biggest chicken in Ponyville.”  Diamond Tiara pointed at Scootaloo.  
“Oh go away.”  Scootaloo rolled her eyes.  “I know what you’re trying to say, and it’s getting old.”
Baby Ribbon looked at Scootaloo, and her horn flashed brieftly.  She frowned and looked back at Diamond Tiara.  “Let’s go.  We can eat outside.”  She picked up her cupcake with her mouth, much to the surprise of the Cakes, and attempted to march out past the two bullies, with an air that suggested that both Equestrians were very much beneath her.  Diamond Tiara scowled and treied to push her.
“See!  She can’t even levitate!  What kind of failure of a unicorn can’t levitate!”  Diamond’s hoof lashed out and smacked the cupcake out of Baby Ribbon’s mouth.  It splatted on the floor, a sad heap of icing and cake.  Baby Ribbon stared at the confection, then at Diamond Tiara.
All of a sudden Baby Gusty had winked out, then winked in front of Diamond Tiara’s nose.  Diamond Tiara jerked back as Baby Gusty pounced, wrapping a leg around Diamond Tiara’s neck and holding her down.  The Baby Ponylander’s greater size and weight pushing Diamond Tiara down and holding her immobile.  
“Take that back!”  Baby Gusty snarled, and for a second she sounded just like her mother.  To Apple Bloom’s relief Baby Gusty didn’t appear to be hurting Diamond Tiara, just pinning her down.  Silver Spoon eeked and ran out, and Baby Ribbon shook her head.  
“Get off, Baby Gusty, she’s just a coward.”
“Yeah, you could get in trouble for…oh never mind to late.”  Cuddles sat down and sighed as not only Ribbon showed up this time, but also a brown…stallion?  Maybe.  It was hard to tell.  The brown Equestrian stomped over.
“Let go of my daughter!”  To his credit he showed little fear of the alien ponies, unlike the other skittish residents of the town thus far.  Baby Gusty looked at him and snorted, again rather like her mother.  
“She hit my friend!  She started it!”
“Baby Gusty, let go now!”  Ribbon wasn’t…quite shouting, but she did seem upset.
“But Ribbon!”
“Now!”
“Awww!”  Baby Gusty let go, letting Diamond Tiara race over to Filthy Rich with a loud, rather overblown sob.  “I didn’t hurt her, and she HIT Baby Ribbon!  You told us hitting other ponies was bad!  Even Baby Lickety-Split doesn’t hit!”
“That doesn’t give you call to hit back.”  Ribbon said, and Baby Gusty snorted.
“I didn’t hit her!  I –pinned- her.”  Baby Gusty said.
“It’s still wrong, Baby Gusty.  We’re guests here.  Now apologize.”  Ribbon said.
“Pfft.  Fine, sorry.”  Baby Gusty glared at Diamond Tiara, who continued to cry as if she had been tortured.  Baby Ribbon rolled her eyes at Diamond Tiara.
“Oh stop faking it.”  Baby Ribbon said.  Filthy Rich glared at her.  
“Now hold o-“  But before Rich could continue Baby Ribbon’s horn light up and glowed.  Diamond Tiara’s voice emerged from the horn.  ‘Ugly freaks I’ll show you.  I’ll make you pay.  Just cry and Daddy will do anything and WHAT IS THAT MONSTER DOING!’  Baby Ribbon’s horn cut off as Diamond looked at her in shock.
“You…you…freak!”  Diamond Tiara shouted.  “Did you see what she did?!”  Diamond shouted up at Rich, who stared at his daughter, then at Baby Ribbon.  Ribbon herself was shaking her head at her daughter.  
“You shouldn’t do that to ponies you don’t know.”  Ribbon said.  Baby Ribbon looked up at her.
“But she’s been thinking bad things about my friends all day!”
“What are you, the thought police?!  I can think whatever I want without you pawing through my head!”  Diamond Tiara shouted.
“Yeah, but after those thoughts you start hitting other ponies.”  Cuddles pointed out mildly.
“Look, I agree she shouldn’t have hit your filly…if she did.”  Rich said, and for the first time Mrs. Cake spoke up.
“She did.  She also started the fight.”  Mrs. Cake said.  “I’m sorry, Mr. Rich, but your daughter did hit first.”
“And we are going to talk about hitting other ponies, no matter what they look like, I assure you.”  Rich turned back to Ribbon.  “But I don’t appreiacte having my daughter’s thoughts violated.  She’s just a foal.”
Ribbon nodded.  “My daughter and I both are telekinetic, but I don’t encourage her to use it unless she’s around an enemy, or she needs to talk to someone from far off, or if she needs to clear up a misunderstanding.”
“I’m still not comfortable with it.  How can I even tell if you are doing it or not?”
“Their horns glow.”  Cuddles said.  “Every Ponyland unicorn has one special magic skill, and they all know how to wink in and out.  Whenever they use their skill, or wink, they’re horns will glow.  If they aren’t glowing they aren’t using magic, so if their horns aren’t glowing, they probably aren’t reading a mind.”
Filthy Rich still stared at Ribbon with no small amount of fear, and even the Cakes were looking at her with scared expressions.  To Apple Bloom’s dismay Mr. Cake slide behind the counter to pick up Pumpkin and Pound, who had been playing behind the counter out of sight, and carried them to the back, as if concerned that the Ponylanders might do something awful to them.  Filthy Rich, meanwhile, herded his daughter out the door, leaving Ribbon standing awkwardly with the little ponies and a very nervous looking Mrs. Cake.
Baby Ribbon hung her head.  “…I’m sorry, Mama…”  She looked so dejected that Mrs. Cake suddenly realized that this creature may have the horrible ability to read minds, but she was still a filly.  Taking another cupcake from the display case she trotted it over to Baby Ribbon.  
“Here, dear.  Free of charge.”  Mrs. Cake looked at Ribbon.  “I…”
“You don’t have to say anything, I understand.”  Ribbon frowned at Mrs. Cake’s gasp.  “I’m not reading your mind.  I just…I realize it can be a frightening power.  Most of our ponies are used to it.  I’ve known all of them all my life, and everyone in my family line can do it.  It’s something we have lived with for a while, and so for them it’s not scary, and my daughter grew up with it being normal.”
Baby Ribbon looked from her mother to Mrs. Cake in sheer utter confusion.  Ribbon leaned her head down to the three baby ponies and nudged them towards the door.  
“We decided to camp near the lake.  Come one, little ones.”  She said gently.
“Wait!  Ya don’t have to go right now, do ya?”  Apple Bloom said in surprise.
Ribbon shook her head at Apple Bloom.  “You three should go back to your families.”
“But-” Sweetie Bell lifted a hoof, but Ribbon had already ushered their friends out the door.  She sighed.
“Somehow I thought things would get better when we got home.”  Scootaloo sighed.




It wasn’t just the baby ponies that were causing shock and confusion around Ponyville, for things that the Ponylanders frankly couldn’t comprehend.
Posey, not to fond of large groups of ponies in general, and not a big fan of large cities at all (at least to her Ponyville was large), had eventually wandered completely away from the group and was currently wandering towards the entrance to the Everfree Forest.  She looked at the forest and smiled.  Finally, someplace nice and quiet and natural!  She could relax here for a while before going back to the other ponies.  She trotted forwards, eager to take a look at the strange Equestrian flora.
“Wait!  Don’t go there!”
Posey sighed and turned her head.  One of the Equestrians, a dark pinkish purple one, galloped towards her, a concerned look on her face.  Posey turned the rest of her to face the other pony.  “What is it?”
“That’s the Everfree Forest!  Don’t go in there!  It’s very dangerous!”
“Dangerous?  Why?”  Posey eyed it.  It didn’t give off the same feeling of dread the forests around the Estate sometimes did.  While the forests nearest the Estate were fine for picnics and such, and Posey wandered through them all the time, once you crossed the river or cliffs it got dangerous. But this place didn’t smell like it would be bad.  “It looks like a perfectly ordinary forest.  And who are you?”
“My name’s Cheerilee, I’m the schoolteacher in Ponyville, and it’s not a normal forest at all!”  The weather changes! All on its own!”
“…wait…what?”  Posey frowned in confusion.
“The clouds move by themselves!  Rain comes without warning, and the leaves change on their own when the seasons change.”
Posey leaned forwards and examined Cheerilee.  “…are you mad?”
“I know it’s unbelievable, but it’s true!”  Cheerilee explained.  
Posey rolled her eyes and started towards the forest.  
“Wait!  Aren’t you listening!?”
“Oh go away.  I’m not scared of a few stray rainclouds!”  Posey shook her head and galloped towards the forest.  And she thought her family was strange!
Cheerilee gasped and shouted again, but Posey ignored her, trotting boldly into the forest.  The schoolteacher stopped at the forest’s edge, pawing at the ground.  She didn’t know what to do.  She was scared of the forest, like most of the ponies in Ponyville who didn’t happen to have an Element of Harmony with them.  While the younger ponies had shed a bit of their fear of the forest, older ponies like Cheerilee still found the place to strange and alien to be fully comfortable around, and she hadn’t even gotten to tell the alien pony about the dangerous creatures in the forest.  She wanted to go after Posey, but she didn’t want to go alone.
She looked around and spotted two more of the aliens wandering around near the lake, talking to a few of the strange mutant water pony things.  Cheerilee reared and galloped over to the two aliens, ignoring the water ponies, she skidded to a halt, kicking up a bit of dust.  One of the aliens, a white earth pony, lifted her hoof.  
“Hey, watch it!”  The pony sounded a bit like Applejack, but Cheerilee didn’t let this distract her.
“You have to come with me!  One of your friends just ran into the Everfree Forest!”
“The what?  You mean that forest over there?”  The other alien, a pink pegasus, pointed a hoof.  “It doesn’t look that dangerous.”
Cheerilee sighed in frustration.  What was with them!  “It’s horrible, it’s weather and animals take care of themselves and-“
“What are you babbling about?  What’s strange about weather?”  The earth pony snorted, but her friend put a hoof on her shoulder.  
“Relax, Truly, let her talk.”  The pegasus looked at Cheerilee.  “If it’s really as dangerous as you say then we should just get moving and find her.  Who was it?”
“A yellow earth pony with the pink flowers Cutie Mark.”  Cheerilee started towards the Everfree, leading the other two.  The pegasus came readily enough, but Truly grumbled.  Still, she followed, and that was all Cheerilee cared about at this point.
“That would be Posey.  Not surprised she wanted a walk in the forest…it doesn’t feel dark…” The pegasus eyed the Everfree.  “I’m Heart Throb, by the way.  That’s Truly.”
Cheerilee nodded and led them into the forest.  She shuddered again at the feeling of wild clouds above her, the other two didn’t seem bothered by it.  In fact, Truly kept grumbling loudly that there was nothing at all scary about the Everfree, and that Equestrians were clearly cowards.  It was starting to set Cheerilee’s teeth on edge.
Suddenly Heart Throb’s ears shot up and she lifted of.  Cheerilee looked ahead and saw the yellow earth pony they had been looking for, talking to a certain zebra.  She sighed in relief and sped up as well, then gasped when Heart Throb aggressively landed next to Posey.
“You!  Stay back!”  Heart Throb glowered at Zecora, who sputtered something her native tongue.  The zebra’s eyes were narrowed in irritation and Cheerilee noticed that she was blocking Posey’s path straight into a field of Poison Joke.  
Zecora spotted Cheerilee and flicked her ears.  “Do explain to them about this flower.  I cannot make them understand its power.”
“I don’t trust zebra.”  Heart Throb glowered, and Zecora snorted at her.  
“I had thought this nonsense was done.”  Cheerilee blinked.  She had never heard Zecora not ryme before.  She wondered if it was because Zecora was mad.  Not that Cheerilee blamed her.
“A zebra kidnapped my daughter once.”  Heart Throb said.  Zecora whipped her head around and sneered.
“Fool.  I am not that zebra.”  She looked at Cheerilee.  “I will come back to Ponyville when they are not around.”
“I’m sorry Zecora, I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding I-“
“I am tired of being blamed for what I cannot control!”  Zecora snapped back and turned towards the path, muttering again in her native tongue.  Cheerilee sighed.
“…she’s a very nice zebra.  You didn’t have to be rude to her.”  Cheerilee looked back.  “That flower there is called Poison Joke and it’s dangerous...but you know what?  You might not believe me, hell you ponies don’t’ want to listen to anything anypony says, but it’s true.  But if you want to learn by experiencing it yourselves, that’s fine.  But don’t say nopony warned you.”  Cheerilee turned back to Ponyville.  “And you know what?  I teach my students to not judge others by appearance when they’re five.  I can’t imagine you never learned that.”  
“Wait-“  Heart Throb started, but Cheerilee had already left.  She sighed.  “…I messed that up, didn’t I?”
“…I would have said worse.”  Truly said.  “But she does kinda have a point.”
“It’s just when I think of what happened to Baby Heart Throb and the others…” Heart Throb shuddered.
“I know, but she did have a point.”  Truly said, then looked at Posey.  “Look, I don’t like or trust any of them, but right now we need them.  We really shouldn’t panic them all.  So lets just go back and try not to cause anymore uproar.”
“And I should go apologize to the zebra.”  Heart Throb flapped her wings and lifted upwards, flying to avoid the Poison Joke.  “I’ll be back at the lake, don’t wait up for me.”
“Right.”  Truly stood as well.  “And I suppose I should try and apologize to that other earth pony.”  She snorted, clearly not liking the idea.  Still, despite her other flaws, Truly was a pony of her word.
“I…should as well.  I’ll go with you, Truly.”  Posey said, eyeing the flowers.  “I didn’t think…this is an alien world after all.  Just because it doesn’t feel dark like our forests do, doesn’t mean there aren’t alien dangers.  I should have thought of that, but I didn’t.  I just…it’s so stressful here!  All those buildings collapsing in on us!  It’s unnerving!”  Posey sighed as she followed Truly out of the forest.
“Oh I feel the same way!  It’s simple cramped in there!”  Truly flicked her tail.  “I don’t know how they can even hear themselves think!”
The two laughed at each other as they walked, happy to have someone to vent their frustrations to.





“So, in twenty minutes we have managed to scare, insult, and horrify…how many of the natives again?”  Majesty sighed at the gathered group of Ponylanders.  They had camped out near the lake, keeping an eye on the frolicking baby Sea Ponies, who had decided that even though their parents were not around, they could still play in this fun new environment.  Used to crisis of various degrees, and confidant their mothers could fight their way out of danger, they had started up a few games with the baby Ponylanders.  The entire group was outside Ponyville proper, between the town and Sweet Apple Acres.  In fact, the Apple siblings had carted out some lunch for them, mostly apple products.  The Ponylanders treated this pretty much as another picnic.  Though they invited them, the Apples didn’t’ stick around, as Applejack wanted to head to Canterlot to meet Twilight and Rarity, who were waiting for the train to arrive so they could go back and fight in Ponyland.
“…five?”  Truly shrugged.  “I did apologize.”
“And I talked to the zebra…she’s a bit…strange, but I don’t think she’s like Zeb.”  Heart Throb pawed the ground.  “I do feel awful for what I said.  I just…”
“We’ll just have to prove to her that it was just a misunderstanding.”  Said Majesty.  “But I’m not sure about your problem, Ribbon.”  Majesty looked at Ribbon.  “Now that Mayor is terrified you’re going to expose secrets.”
“I suppose I just didn’t think of it.”  Ribbon sighed.  “Maybe you need to be our spokesman from now on.”
“I think that’s a good idea…she is the queen after all.”  Truly smiled at Majesty, without a hint of her normal complaining.
“If you want me to, I’d be honored.”  Majesty smiled, glad that she was getting an opportunity to contribute again.
“I’ll try and help smooth things over.  Hopefully we won’t be here for very long.  We just have to wait for the others defeat Tirac, and then we can go home.  In the meantime lets just relax and wait for the others to get here.”
The other ponies agreed and began to enjoy their lunch, trying to, at least for the moment, forget about what was happing at home.





Megan grunted in pain as she and Rover emerged from the mirror.  She shook her head and touched the rather large lump that even now was starting to grow.  
“Megan, what happened?”  Galaxy leaned down and nudged her.  “Where are the others?”
Megan got up, still rubbing her head.  Her eyes widned and she turned to the mirror, intending on jumping through.  Her hand touched dark firm glass and she struggled to not let out a sob.  “…Draggle.”
“What?  What did that creature do?”  Queen Rosedust asked, stamping.
“Don’t call her that!  She…I…”  Megan shook her head.  “I was going to stay behind and close the mirror behind you but…she did it instead.”
Queen Rosedust’s jaw dropped.  “She…but why?”
“Oh don’t you get it?”  Gusty snorted.  “She’s one of us now.  Has been for a while.  Even I’ll admit it.  Even Truly would…when no one’s listening.  I know you guys don’t have much exposure to her, but you’d think you’d trust Morning Glory when it comes to this kinda thing.”
“I…suppose you are right.  It’s just hard for me to trust her…but if you’re telling the truth…Megan she just saved you.  I’ll…have to apologize to her.”
Megan studied the mirror, then turned around.  “Who do we have?”
“Hmmm.”  Galaxy looked around.  “It seems only myself, Gusty, Surprise and Spike and the Bushwoolies for us…”
“He didn’t get anymore Flutter Ponies…” Rosedust looked over her remaining force of a few Flutter Ponies, including Lily and Honeysuckle.  “And Morning Glory should still be with the ones we sent ahead.”
“I don’t see any of the Equestrians.”  Megan said.  “…what are we going to tell Princess Twilight…we just lost her brother and her two friends!”
Indeed, it was true.  
Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were gone.




Reeka didn’t like the new Midnight Castle.
The place was well on its way to being rebuilt, using the power of both the Princess ponies and the other Estate Ponies, and the Equestrian Crystal guards.  With their efforts Tirac didn’t even need to relay on slave labor, which sort of pleased Reeka.  She had a feeling that the dark lord would have used her sister for that, and that made Reeka strangely uncomfortable.  In fact the entire thing with Draggle made Reeka feel strangely uncomfortable.  You would think that with Wind Whistler, the bitch, on their side Draggle would stop with her silly resistance and fall back in line where she belonged.  But the idiot still insisted on continuing her little rebellion, a fact that annoyed Reeka greatly.  They had just taken away Draggle’s entire reason to betray them, and yet the betrayal continued!  It was infuriating!  Right now her idiot sister was being held by that irritating Changeling Queen being used a glorified food source, and Reeka couldn’t do a damn thing about it until she figured out how to bring Draggle around!
As if her thought had summoned the irritating blue pony, who apparently was wandering the halls just like Reeka was, Wind Whistler turned the corner and nearly rammed into Reeka.  Wind Whistler stared impassively at Reeka, who scowled at her.  Corrupted or no, Reeka still wanted to ram that ponie’s head in a swamp and leave her there.  Under the influence of the corruption, the blue pony’s coat had darkened to a midnight blue color, almost black.  Her mane had turned blood red, a color combination that Reeka could, on the surface, appreciate.  She still hated Wind Whistler herself though.
“Enjoying being evil, pony?”  Reeka snarled.  Wind Whistler blinked.
“Evil?  Interesting.  Is that what you really think?”
Reeka blinked, thrown for a loop.  “What?”
“It’s…interesting.  Relative morality has become quite clear.  I had previously read of it, but to feel it is different.  It is strangely freeing, but empty, but in the end that feeling doesn’t matter in any case.”
Reeka blinked.  “Relative what?”
“Unlike my previous view, which asserted that love and friendship were worth holding onto, I can now see the pointlessness of it.  Mere electrical pulses in the brain, dictating what is good and what is not.  The truth is that nothing is good or evil, only what is pleasing to our senses.  Why do you ask?”
Reeka wasn’t sure she followed what the wacked out pony was babbling about, but she decided to ignore it.
“I don’t understand why she doesn’t come along with you.”  Reeka said, studying the pony.  What was so special about her anyway?  What the hell did Wind Whistler have that Reeka didn’t?
“At this point neither do I.  It doesn’t make sense.  The master’s offer was very good, and she has very little chance at this point.  My only conclusion is that you were correct.  She is in fact, very stupid.”  Wind Whistler shrugged.  “And the weak or stupid die.  It’s part of nature.”
Reeka stared at Wind Whistler.  “And you don’t’ care anymore, do you?”
“No in the least.”
Reeka resisted the urge to punch Wind Whistler.  To be honest Wind Whistler’s ice cold voice and blank soulless stare was starting to get under Reeka’s skin.  Sure she had been cold before, but now it was worse.  There was a harsher tone to it, that even Reeka could detect.
The two’s odd staring contest was broken when a door to Reeka’s right flung open to reveal a troggle, who tripped between them, covered in a dripping red substance.  Reeka sneered and jerked away.  
“Pony!  Pink!  Insane!”  The troggle leaped to his feet and pushed past them, waving his arms and screaming.
“What’s up with him?”  Reeka walked through the door, curious.  She wasn’t sure, but it was either that or listen to Wind Whistler to yark about moral relatives or whatever.  How could Draggle stand it?  Damn pony was so wordy!
Reeka ducked as red liquid flew from the door and struck the wall behind her.  She could hear something, or someone, laughing in the room, and it sounded slightly manic.  Reeka steeped inside and blinked.
It was one of the Equestrians, Reeka wasn’t’ sure which one.  She was bright hot pink, with that jumpy white pegasus’ symbol on her flank.  Her mane was poofy, with long strands hanging out everywhere, making her mane look unkempt and wild.  The pony was laughing madly, high pitched and shrieking.  The pink one raised a huge hammer, splattered with red liquid, and thunked it down, splattering red everywhere.  Some of it splattered on Reeka’s face, and she spat in disgust.
“Yuck!”
“Blood?”  Wind Whistler asked.  Apparently she had followed.
“No.  Cherries.”  Reeka spat.  “Disgusting.”
“Hi!”  The pink pony dropped her mallet and bounced in front of Reeka and Wind Whistler, smiling broadly.  Reeka sneered again and jerked back.  There was something very very off about this pink abomination, even worse then Wind Whistler.  “I was going to make a biiiiig victory meal for the Master!  I wasn’t sure if he eats normal things or things like you witches, so I was going to make both!  Then we can have a Equestria Bashing Party!  Isn’t that going to be fun!  I can’t waaait to crash Ponyville and take it out!  It’s going to be the best!”
“Er…great.”  Reeka said.  “Which one are you?”
“Pinkie Pie…or maybe I should call myself Pinkamina again?  I don’t feel that much different, except I really want to serve the Master and defeat the Princesses!  I wanna see Celestia burn!  Hey, you think that will cause our world to become a hellhole of some kind?  I mean the unicorns could make the sun and moon come up again instead of the sisters…”
“I assume that the Master shall simply let the night reign, as was his goal.”  Wind Whistler said calmly.
“Whooopeee!  NIGHT PARTY!”  Pinkie hopped back over to the table she had been mashing the cherries one and continued to work.  “Unless you wanna help me make my Blood Red Cupcakes please go…we don’t wanna have any accidents…do we?”  Pinkie laughed at the look on Reeka’s face.  “Oh don’t worry!  I’m just joking!  I may be evil but I’m still a grass eater!”  Pinky laughed again, and Reeka found herself backing away.  The laughing was making her skin crawl and the hair on the back of her neck stand up.  She backed away, and then turned, getting the hell out of there.
“I hate ponies, so much.”  Reeka muttered as she stomped away.  She wanted to find Hydia and get out of here.  She shuddered again as Pinkie’s mad laughter echoed through the halls.



“Hey, boss man!”
Tirac, who had been studying the work two Crystal Ponies had been doing on his new throne, turned and eyed the hovering pegasus before him.  Rainbow Dash.  The Element of Loyalty.  He could think back on Nightmare Moon’s memories of this creature.  It seemed that corruption didn’t totally take away the now night blue pegasus’ eagerness, or her arrogance.  The rainbow on her mane had been utterly taken away though, replaced by a pure black mane.  While her fellow Element, Pinkie Pie, had simply gained added frazzledness to her mane, keeping her bright pink tone, Rainbow’s body had changed like the rest of them.  Tirac liked the new look, although he wondered if they really should call this one Rainbow Dash anymore.  
“I had a great idea, boss!”  Dash grinned.  “I was thinking we need a real Shadowbolt team, not just an illusion like before, you know?”  She darted around him, rubbing her hooves together.  “I could lead them against the Equestrian Wonderbolts!  Show those lousy fakes what a real pony can do!  What do ya think!?”
“…You sound as if you have a grudge against the Wonderbolts now.”  Tirac said.
“Well, a lot things happened since Nightmare Moon was around.  The Wonderbolts…well I found out they were lame!  And I mean reeeally lame.  For one thing they’re cheats!  That stupid Spitfire abandoned her own teammate!  I mean, you’re the boss now, but I won’t turn my back on you now!  I’m your pony for life, but that Spitfire…she needs to pay!  And they couldn’t even beat a damn dragon!  Lame!”  Rainbow snorted.  “Come on!  Give me a chance to show my stuff!”
Tirac smiled.  The Nightmare infection worked so well.  In many ways the pony’s natures were intact, just twisted in such a way so that they served evil now.  Rainbow would be loyal, yes, but loyal to Tirac instead of the Princesses…still…
“And how will you prove yourself, Loyalty?”  Tirac asked.  Dash frowned.
“Just point me at an enemy!  Any enemy, and I’ll take em down!”
Tirac’s eyes lingered on Rainbow’s distorted Cutie Mark, and he smiled.  “Firefly.”
“Huh?  The Wonderbolt’s founder?”
“No, the Dream Valley Firefly.  The one that brought Megan here in the first place.  I remember her, and her little wingmate, Medley.  They were not in the Estate, and so far have escaped my grasp.  Once they find out what has happened they will no doubt come.  To prove yourself, you may chose any two of the other corrupted pegasi and lead them against Firefly and Medley.  Bring those two to me, and you may create your Shadowbolts.”
Dash thought for a few moments.  “Whizzer, she’s fast, and she's tough…and Wind Whistler.  If she’s retained any of her previous skills from when she was uncorrupted she’ll be a good fighter.”
Tirac nodded.  “Very well.  Now go.”
Rainbow nodded and flapped off to find Whizzer and Wind Whistler.  Tirac smiled.
“I can’t wait until you get here, and see your precious best friends on my side, Megan…perhaps that traitor did me a favor after all.”


> Chapter Twenty
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty



Tirac, despite what else one could say about the evil centaur, was at the very least good to his allies.  An entire wing of Midnight Castle’s dungeon had been converted to a Changeling hive.  The creatures had gooed the walls till they shone with green light.  The Changelings themselves stuck to the walls and ceilings, apparently chatting away in an odd skittery tongue that Draggle couldn’t understand.
She grunted, testing the gunk that covered her legs and arms, seeing if there would be any sort of give this time.  There wasn’t any, but then again she was pretty much buried up to her neck in Changeling goo.  To be honest the overall slimy feel and evil lighting of the place did make her feel right at home, but the fact that she was in the enemies clutches did dull that feeling.  They had pinned her against a wall and glued her to it, though thankfully she was sitting instead of standing.  It wasn’t painful, but she still was unable to move.  This didn’t stop her from constantly straining against the goo, attempting to pull herself away, and possibly escape.  The chances of that were slim, but she had to try either way.
“I’d stop trying.  It’s pointless.  I have enough drones here to keep you in line.”
Draggle glared up at Chrysalis, they had taken off the thing around her eyes a while back, as it seemed Changelings were only mildly affected by lightning.  It was irritating, but it was also probably best that she save that spell for when she really needed it.  And she liked being able to see what the Changelings were doing.
And what they were doing was rather interesting, though Draggle didn’t think it meant anything good.  Three of the armored ones were carrying a strange sack with their magic.  It was dark black in appearance, and covered with that same green goo.  The three of them placed the sack near Draggle, and backed away.  She blinked as something moved and kicked within.  Draggle tried to draw back from the sack, but only moved her head a few inches.
“What is that?”  Draggle snarled.
Chrysalis smiled and placed her hoof around the sack, in an almost loving way.  “It’s the only one that survived…It’s the reason I tried to take Canterlot in the first place…or at least one of the reasons.  The others died, due to lack of love.  But that won’t be an issue here, because I have you.”
“…what?”
“You don’t know a thing about us.  Might as well tell you.”  Chrysalis wasn’t really looking at Draggle.  She was more focused on the sack.  “I’m actually as old as that bitch Celestia, perhaps a few hundred years older.  You see…when I was a larva our hive was vast and great.  We once had allies, creatures who would feed us love, and in return we would protect them.  It was a symbiotic thing.  But then the long winter came, and our hive was…frozen.  For thousands of years our people stayed that way, suspended in time.  But we broke free, and we learned our allies had abandoned us.  Left us to die. My hive was the only one left. My mother didn’t survive the cold, and in return I waited.  Only a queen Changeling can produce another Queen, so I laid five Queen eggs.  I planned to take over Equestria, it was the closest place filled with love, and use their love to fuel my daughters…but I failed, and all but this one have shriveled…”  Chrysalis sighed and nudged the sack.  “You, child, are going to be my daughter’s primary food source, as well as my own.  Don’t worry.  Draining your love won’t kill you…if she feeds long enough you won’t be able to feel…well anything ever again.  That rarely happens though, but she is very young.”
Draggle only understood a bit of that.  
“It’s all the fault of the ponies.  Once they are destroyed, then my kind will flourish once again.”
Draggle snorted.  “You sound like my mother, when she talks about the ponies.”
Chrysalis suddenly jerked her forwards at Draggle, sneering.  “I have nothing in common with your mother, child!  I do not abandon my own!  And if you compare me to that bitch again, I will make sure you suffer even more then you already are going to!  I don’t want to hurt you, not really.  But compare me to her again, and the process will be even more painful then it already will be.  And trust me, it will be painful.” Chrysalis raised her head.  “Even revenge on the ponies is now secondary to the next queen’s arrival.  I have MY priories straight.”  Chrysalis smiled at her egg again.  The thing pulsed and quivered.  “It won’t be long now.  I plan on keeping you here the rest of your miserable little life.  Hopefully she won’t drain you completely, and it’ll be a nice…long life.”
Draggle just rolled her eyes, clearly not that impressed.  “Work on your delivery.”
Chrysalis snorted and leaned forwards.  “As I said, don’t struggle.  It will only hurt worse if you do.”
“Wha-“  Draggle didn’t get to finish the sentence as Chrysalis’ horn began to glow.  A beam of energy leapt from Chrysalis horn and struck Draggle on the forehead.  Draggle shrieked as she felt something pulling inside of her head.  She attempted to jerk away, instinctively, but the goo held her in place.   There was no where to go as Chrysalis’s magic rooted around inside her, gripping…something and ripping it out violently.  To her surprise snippets of memory flashed in her mind.  She didn’t want that.  Most of them centered around Ponyland and the ponies, and the time she spent with them.  Draggle realized that somehow Chrysalis was using these memories to invoke the feelings she wanted from Draggle, and then sucking them out.  
Draggle hissed and, remembering a few things Ribbon told them all about resisting mind control, she attempting to think of unpleasant memories.  Her mind lingered on the time in Flutter Valley with her mother and Reeka.  Though there were a few good ones in there…the most prominent memory of that time was when Gusty and the other’s tricked her.  Her mother’s harsh words bounced in her head, but it was that quiet sentence that Hydia said that hurt the worst.
Out of all the witches in the world, why did I have to get Draggle?
Hydia hadn’t known she heard, but she did.  She had been so desperate back then to please her unpleasable mother.  It was distressing, and she heard Chrysalis growl slightly.  “Damn bitch.  Stop it.  Think of your ponies.  They didn’t abandon you did they?  They didn’t leave you.  The ponies here aren’t like that, are they?  Forgiving, kind little things.  Stop fighting it.  You are only making worse for yourself.”
Draggle gasped, and she knew Chrysalis was right.  The more she thought about the bad things the more her head hurt.  It was like there was something inside her skull beating and crushing and hitting and she couldn’t take it anymore.  She moaned, unable to scream anymore, and the bad memories started to slid away, replaced by the good ones. She felt her body going numb, and the pain eased as her pointless thrashing, but in her mind and without, stilled.  When she opened her eyes again they had begun to glow green.  She blinked slowly, and her head leaned back against the wall as she looked up at Chrysalis, barely conscious and exhausted.
Chrysalis sighed in satisfaction.  Normally extracting love had to be done delicately, gently, least the pony victim realized that the mild headache they had was more then a mere pain.  All they would know was that they had been daydreaming of a happy day with one they loved, but for some reason afterwards they had a mild ache that a few moments of rubbing or painkillers or a spell took away.  Feeding on love was naturally painful of the ponies involved, and Chrysalis had been very thankful that Shining Armor had bought the migraine explanation from her when she had been infiltrating the castle.  But this creature didn’t need to be fooled.  Chrysalis could feed to heart’s content from Draggle.  She wondered if perhaps she should have gone easier on her, but Chrysalis would need this love.  And now she was definitely not going anywhere.  So much love, drained all at once, wouldn’t kill her, but it would leave her tired and helpless.  Still, the creature’s will had been impressive for one that everyone, including her mother, said was rather stupid.  She had felt a few odd quirks in Draggle’s mind, but she had resisted the feeding.  Her will was no match for Chrysalis’, but the Changeling was starting to suspect that Draggle’s mind was stronger then Hydia had led her to believe.  It was no problem though.  The mind naturally wanted to focus on happy things, and the child’s mind was no different.  There was little love to be gleaned from Draggle’s memories of her mother, but there was much when her mind lingered on her ponies.  Still, the resistance she had put up made Chrysalis question if her spawn would have trouble feeding from her gift.
Still, it wouldn’t matter.  If her daughter had difficulty with her food then Chrysalis could always help her.  The Changeling Queen turned to her egg, her horn glowing green once more.  Light poured from her horn and Chrysalis channeled some of the love into her daughter’s egg.  It was the main duty of the queen to care for her subjects, and feed them when they couldn’t.  While adult Changelings could feed by themselves, newborns and eggs could not.  That is why they needed the queen.  Even a small baby queen could feed the hive, but not a baby worker or drone or soldier.
She felt a Changeling drone’s mind brush against hers.  Queen, the bitch is here.
She sighed.  What in Tartarus did Hydia want?  Chrysalis lifted her head after transferring some love to her unborn child and, with an irritated expression, walked slowly and gracefully to the other end of the room, where Hydia was lurking.  The dungeon’s entrance still had its door, and drones and workers hovered nearby, chatting and relaxing.  It made Chrysalis smile slightly to see her people so content.  There had been a lack of it for far to long.
“What do you want?”  Chrysalis didn’t even bother pretending to be polite.
“I want to see my daughter.”
“Last I saw she was heading down the halls.  She’s not here.”
“I mean Draggle.”
Chrysalis gapped for a moment at Hydia, the memories she had gleaned from the girl’s mind still fresh and irritating to her, like a rash.  She gritted her teeth.  “No.”
“I have the right-“
“No you don’t.”
“She’s my child!”
“And you drove her away!”  Chrysalis bellowed.  “Fool, I can see my victim’s memories.  I know everything about you, and I see no reason why I should let you in here.  For one that thing is –mine- now.  You have no more claim to her then a pony who threw out a bag of groceries as trash!  All you will bring to her is thoughts of anger and hate and contempt, and I don’t feed on those!”  Chrysalis grinned a bit at Hydia’s sudden shocked expression.  “You think she would feel anything else for you?”
“We’re witches…we…we…”
“Oh you blithering idiot!  She’s your damn offspring!  Even hyena’s care for their cubs, and they know it!  But you, you’re so wrapped up in what witches are supposed to be you never bothered to see what you were doing, did you?  Well, it’s to late now.  I’ve been through her mind, and there is NOTHING for you there.  The only things she feels for are the ponies you despite, and you know what, Hydia.”  Chrysalis leaned forwards, grinning a bit.  “It’s all your fault.”
With that Chrysalis slammed the door with her magic, sneering.  One of the drones looked at her.
“How in the world does a Queen banish one of her own hive?”  He titled his head, confused.
“That is no queen.”  Chrysalis said.  She looked at the drone.  “Are you happy?”
“We’re very happy.  We are full…it’s been so long.  We can finally stop worrying about food all the time…”
Chrysalis nodded.  “Good, things will be back to normal soon.”
“Can we snack on the prisoner?”	
“Give her some time to recharge, and only take a bit.  Don’t want to run her to the ground.”
The drone buzzed happily.  “Thank you, queen!”
Chrysalis smiled.  Life was good.





Once the train had pulled into the station at Canterlot, an entire force of Celestia’s Royal Guard attempted to pile in, determined to rush to the aid of their new allies.  The fact that the refugee Ponylander’s attempted to exit out of the cars at the same time caused a mild pileup.  Twilight Sparkle winched as the guards tried to avoid the collisions.  She and Luna, Luna once again wearing her armor, had gathered with a group of guards to reinforce the Ponylanders.  Celestia had gone back to the castle to have the royal unicorn sages look at the ring that was still on her horn.  Twilight hoped that they would come up with a solution soon.
“What happened?”  Twilight Sparkle landed on the platform and helped a few guards who had crashed on top of Galaxy and Megan.  The two guards nodded appreciatively as the ponies managed to separate and arrange themselves.
Megan looked at Twilight and took a deep breath.  Twilight noticed that her eyes seemed unnaturally wet, as if the girl was holding back tears.  Still, if the human was on the verge of crying she was doing a very good job of holding the tears back.  She seemed to have no other sign of tension, not even a shake, and when she spoke her voice was steady.
“We lost the Estate, and we lost…a lot of the others.  We lost your friends.  I’m so sorry.”  Megan closed her eyes.  “They corrupted our friends before we could defend ourselves.  Draggle…stayed behind and closed the mirror behind us.  We can’t get back through.”
“What?  Why would she do that?”  Luna asked.
“Because Wind Whistler thought the mist could travel through the gate.  Someone needed to stay behind to hide the crystals.  I would have done it, but she hit me and tossed me through.”  Megan flinched at her own words.  Twilight could tell she felt guilty for this.
Twilight nodded.  “Let’s get you to Ponyville.  Bring the mirror.  We’ll have to start planning, and I’d like all of us to be there.  It’s pretty clear if we have any hope of fighting Tirac and beating him then we will have to figure out a way to purify the others as well.”
“The Heart as well.”  Galaxy said.  “I think it may be key.  It is similar to the legend of the Fisher King.”
“Fisher what?”  Gusty asked.
“The Fisher King legend is about a land connected to its king.  When the king is good and just the land flourishes and is prosperous.  When an evil king takes the throne the land becomes barren and lifeless.”
“You think if we purify the Heart it will cure the others?”  Megan asked.
“I…am not certain, but I do have a feeling that it will help.”  Galaxy said.
“Well if Galaxy has a feeling…” Gusty chuckled, though her small smile didn’t quite meet her eyes.
Twilight nodded and went to talk to the poor train conductor.  While she didn’t like the idea of her home having a portal to Dream Valley at its doorstep, she also wanted the thing close so she could monitor it, and whatever came out.  Luna followed her, ordering the guard to enter the train, paying special attention to the black surfaced mirror.  She also had a squad of them take out the corrupted Ponylanders, who thankfully were still under Majesty’s spell, and take them to the Canterlot dungeons, where they would be safe until a purifying solution could be found.
“We have to get organized.”  Twilight said, a stern determined look on her face.  “We need to stop letting Tirac run the show.  It’s time we took control.”
Luna nodded.  “I’ll go with them, to keep them safe.  You go ahead…I feel there are going to be checklists in our future.”
Twilight smiled.  “Oh yes…Luna?  You couldn’t be corrupted by the Nightmare, could you?”
“No.  Not after being infected before.”
“Do you think it could affect me?”  Twilight asked.
Luna pondered.  “No.  Not as easily.  You have wielded dark magic before, have you not?  Often welding dark magic is the same as being possessed by it.”  Luna looked at her.  “You have an idea.”
Twilight’s smile just grew wider.





Megan gazed out at the passing landscape.  She had found a relatively quiet space, and was staring outside.  Her fingers drummed restlessly on her knee, her head supported by her other hand.  She watches the trees go by, occasionally broken by the sight of ponies either walking around down a nearby road, or flying in the sky playing with the clouds.  Or at least they looked like they were playing.  Her pegasi couldn’t play with clouds like that…she wondered if Wind Whistler would have liked to play with clouds that way…
She sniffed and wiped the corner of her eye, sighing.  She started as something nudged her arm.  Megan looked down to see Galaxy standing next to her.  
“It’s alright, Megan.  I know this must be hard for you.”
“I…don’t know why…it’s not like our friends haven’t been in trouble before.  I just…what Draggle did…I know we aren’t close but…”
“What is it?”
“It was like she thought I was more important then her.  It just bothers me.”  Megan sighed.
“Megan, you’re a very special young one.”  Galaxy said.
“Thanks, but I’m not more important then anyone else.  Sometimes I feel that the others depend on me to much and…I failed them.”  Megan wiped her eyes again.  “I don’t want to let them down, but if I go to far…”
“Megan, you know as well as I do that you’re never alone.  I and the others will always be there for you.  You know if you ever feel overwhelmed we will help you, right?”
“I know…but…thank you, Galaxy.”  Megan leaned down and gave Galaxy a big hug around the neck.  She finally allowed the tears to flow as she cuddled Galaxy gently.  “Thank you so much.”   
“Anytime Megan, anytime.”  Galaxy nuzzled her gently.





“Hey!  Why don’t you give us a hoof up here!”  
Paradise looked up from where she had been checking on the baby Sea Ponies.  She blinked at the two hovering pegasi above her.  “Help with what?”
“With the weather of course!  About half our weather team have been training for the Equestria games, and we could use a helping hoof.”
Paradise blinked at the grey pegasus in front of her.  The voice had been deep, and fairly manly.  “…are you…a male pegasus?”  She asked.
“Ummm, yeah, of course!”  Thunderlane blinked.  “What else would I be.”
“It’s just that…I’ve never seen a pegasus stallion before.  Hey Heart Throb!  Come over here!”
Heart Throb trotted over and looked up at Thunderlane.  “What’s wrong?”
“He’s a male pegasus!”
“Oh!  Really?  I thought that Armor fellow was a stallion as well, wasn’t he?”
“Why yes he was.”  Paradise nodded.  “I didn’t think of it at the time, we were a bit busy…”
“Ummm, ladies…what are you talking about?”  Thunderlane asked with a puzzled frown.
“Oh, my apologies sir!”  Heart Throb gave the first stallion pegasus she saw a rather flirty smile.  “It’s just that most of our stallions are earth ponies.  Unicorn and pegasi stallions are very very rare.”
“Oh…well we have plenty of stallions of all three varieties here in Ponyville.  But enough about that.  I still could use your help up here!”
“Hmmm, how exactly do we help?”  Paradise asked, frowning.
“Just come on up here and clear a few clouds above the square.  It’ll be quick and easy!”
“Clear…clouds?”  Heart Throb stopped attempting to flirt in favor of being mildly puzzled.
“Yeah, just push em over the Everfree, it’s no big deal!”  Thunderlane smiled and waved a hoof towards the square.
Heart Throb looked at Paradise, then up at Thunderlane.  “How do you do it?”
Thunderland blinked.  “Push em.  You know.  With your hooves.”
Paradise blinked, then looked at Heart Throb again.  “It is a very magical land, after all.  Perhaps the clouds are different here?”
Heart Throb shrugged.  “I suppose it won’t hurt to try.”
Paradise sighed.  “I’m not so sure…”
“Oh come on, a little bit of physical activity never hurt.”  Heart Throb smiled as she lifted into the air, following Thunderlane.  Paradise grumbled to herself, and followed.  She didn’t like physical work in the best of times, and this was not the best of times.  Still, they did owe the ponies here a favor or two, and it would seem ungreatful if she didn’t try to help in some way.
Soon the two were hovering over the square, watching Thunderlane buck a few clouds out of the sky with ease.  Heart Throb looked at Paradise, shrugged, and dove for a cloud.  Paradise not willing to try this until she saw Heart Throb give it a shot, watched as her friend attempted to put her hooves out and shove the cloud.
Paradise winched as Heart Throb’s hooves flew through the cloud as if it wasn’t there.  Heart Throb fell through the cloud, soaking wet and clearly irritated, and managed to just avoid hitting the top of a roof.
“Hahahaha!  Look at the freaks!  They can’t even move a little cloud!”  Heart Throb blinked and looked down to see a small pink filly wearing a little crown pointing up at her with a hoof and laughing at another, grey, filly.  Heart Throb blinked.  
“…I don’t think I’ve ever been taunted by a baby before.”  She commented.  Apparently the filly heard her.
“I’m not a baby!”  She shrieked.  Paradise landed next to Heart Throb, who was so startled by this taunting she could only stare at the filly with her mouth hanging open.
“Oh?”  Paradise smiled at the filly, eyes narrowed.  “Then why are you acting like one?”
Diamond Tiara snorted and turned her snout up into the air.  She and Silver Spoon trotted off.  Heart Throb watched them go, slight tears creeping into the corners of her eyes.  Paradise slide closer and nuzzled her. 	
“Don’t listen.  We aren’t the same kind of pony.”  Paradise said.  
“I know.”  Heart Throb looked up at Thunderlane, who was staring at them with wide, almost scared eyes.  “Let’s go back.”  Heart Throb turned and flew back towards the lake.  Paradise sighed and followed.




It was nightfall by the time Twilight Sparkle was ready.
Somepony, or rather somedragon, had built up a large fire near the lake which provided enough light to see by.  Judging from the smug expression the pink version of Spike was responsible for this.  Twilight’s Spike, on the other hand, had been busy setting up a tripod for her.
“Ya know, we really should come up with nicknames or something, since we got the same name after all.”  The Spike from Ponyland said, rubbing his chin.  
“You have any ideas?”  Twilight’s Spike.
“Actually I do.  I thought of it when we were having that fire contest.  Is your flame always green?”
“Always.”  
“Well, mine’s always a kinda orange-red, so how about while we’re both here, they can call me Red, and you can be Green?”
“You’re flame’s mostly orange though.  Why go with Red?”
“Would you want to be Orange?”
“…okay, point there.”  Spike, er, Green, shrugged.  “Why not?”
“Okay, now that you’ve settled that, Spike.”  The two dragons stared at Twilight Sparkle, and she pointed at ‘Green’.  “You ready?”
“Ready.”  Green smiled and moved to the side of the tripod.  Twilight Sparkle floated a huge placard onto the tripod.  
“Alright, everypony!  I am ready to present my plan!”  Twilight Sparkle pulled out a pointer and rapped it to get everypony’s attention.  The Ponylanders, her remaining friends, and a few curious onlookers peered at her presentation.  She couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride.  She worked hard on it.
“In order to take back the initiative from Tirac, we must first go through this point by point.  We have several issues here.  First we have the issue of getting back to Dream Valley at all.  We could wait for the Tirac to restore the mirror, or attack using what I have labeled the ‘Princess method”, where he attacked us with one of the Princess Ponies.  However, that would give him the initiative, which I am not willing to give him.  So we should work on finding a way there in order to launch a surprise attack.  Issue Two is the issue of corruption, how to resist it when it occurs.  And three, the issue of purifying the Heart, which should be the ultimate goal of our strike against Tirac.”  As Twilight spoke she gestured with the pointer at the small headings on the placard, written for all to see.  “Point one: before we can even think of taking our friends back, we must first deal with the fact that any force we put against his will be corrupted.  It won’t do us any good if we get there, and all of us become his slaves.  Therefore, resisting the corruption should be our first priority.”
Gusty sighed and rubbed her head.  “This is a lot of work to say something fairly simple.”  She grumbled.
“It pays to be organized.”  Twilight said.
Applejack smiled and adjudged her hat.  “Ah know she can come off as overly detailed, but it comes in handy.  Just bear with us.”
Gusty folded her hooves.  “I’m sitting here, aren’t I?”
Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat.  “Luna gave me an idea.  I can use dark energy.  I learned a dark magic spell a while ago.  My theory is that I can use this spell on our troops, to inoculate them against corruption.  Since dark magic has been compared to infection before, this method will buy us some time.”
“What if you’re wrong?”  Gusty snorted.  “What if it’s the wrong kind of dark magic?”
“Unfortunately without a sample of Nightmare energy, I won’t be able to tell.”  Twilight said.
“Great, we’re screwed before we start.”  Gusty huffed.
“She might have a point though.  The entire crux of Tirac’s plan hinged on him absorbing the Rainbow of Light and Celestia’s power in order to build up resistance to it.  Why can’t we do the same thing?”  Megan pointed out.
“Yeah, but how about the Heart?”  Gusty asked.
“I was getting to that.  Without the Rainbow or the Elements, and the fact that Tirac has already inoculated himself from pure light attacks, I believe that we must turn to some other school of magic for the solution to purifying the Heart.”
“…how do you purify something if you don’t have light magic?”  Rosedust asked.
“You use a more neutral source.  There are several, after all.  Only Nightmare and demonology are purely dark sources, just as only healing and Sun magic are purely good.”  Twilight said.  “at least that is how it works here.”
“It works that way in Dream Valley as well.  Half the time the intent of the magic is more important then the sources.”  Paradise said thoughtfully.  “I’m not an expert, but I’ve read enough to get the general idea of magic and how it works.”
Twilight nodded and started to tap a list on her…list.  “I have written several different schools of magic.  Animism would be a good choice, it deals with the natural world…”  she tapped the list, going down the line.  
Distance, the only Crystal Pony there, frowned at the list.  “...wait…Runecasting…”
Twilight turned to him.  “Yes?  It’s a lost art.  Nopony these days knows how to Runecast.”
“It just…reminds me…Princess Luna I know you probably wouldn’t think of it, but…”
“Absolutely not!”  Luna snarled, and Twilight stared at her.  
“Princess?”
“There’s a-“  Distance started, but Luna interrupted him.
“After what happened with Clover I will NOT awaken that thing!”
Gusty stood up and bristled at Luna.  “What do you know?”
Luna took a deep breath, and Gusty snarled.  “You gonna make the same mistake you did with Draggle?  Cause I might not have known you for long, but the last time you made that face you were talking about Draggle.”
Luna sighed.  “…very well.  I had a feeling this would come up the moment I smelled her.”  She turned to Twilight.  “What do they say happened to Clover the Clever?”
Twlight thought.  “She grew to be a very old mare, and she was supposedly yours and Celestia’s tutor.  The books were never clear of her ultimate fate, only that she died facing a great evil.”
“We didn’t want the truth of it to mar her good name.  She was one of the first ponies to find Dream Valley, originally.  While she made us great friends over there, she was becoming old and mentally feeble.  She was fascinated by the creatures in Dream Valley, but she was especially interested in the witches of Gloom.”  The Ponylanders shifted a bit and Paradise started to frown, as if Luna’s story reminded her of something.  “A few months after we allied with your ancestor, Majesty, Clover vanished.  We found her body in the lair of a lich.”  Twilight gasped in horror, and several Ponylanders snorted and stamped.
“What’s a lich?”  Applejack asked, looking at Twilight.
“A-” Twilight swallowed.  “A lich is a Necromancer that has stored his soul into an object of power, so when he dies he can come back as an undead being.  They are very powerful, and since Necromancy is one of the darker magics, usually very evil.”
“It was more then that.  We would have destroyed the lich, but it kept insisting ti was innocent.  It said Clover was his friend, that she was helping him cure his daughters.  When we paused to ask who his daughters were, he said they were the heads of the Gloom Clan.”  Luna sighed.  “We believed that this thing had tricked Clover into helping his clan with their evil.  Mind you the Gloom clan was far darker, and more numerous, in the past.  Still, when we used the elements on the lich instead of destroying him it merely turned him to stone, as it had done with Discord.  Celestia suspected there was more to the story, so we took the statue back with us.”
“That’s…horrible but…what does that have to do with Runecasting?”  Twilight asked.
“The lich claimed that he was using Runes to purify the ‘great evil’ as he called it.  We didn’t believe him.”  Luna said.
“…but it’s possible.”  Paradise said  “If he is who I think you are talking about.”
“What do you mean?”  Luna asked.  
“You’re not the only one with memory.”  Paradise said.  “I looked into the Gloom clan’s history after Draggle started to live with us.  While there is only a few snippets, there are references to a former Runecaster, then Necromancer, named Swarja Rath of Gloom.  Swarja basically means ‘Chief’.  He’d technically be Draggle’s ancestor.  It did mention something about him facing the Sun and Moon in combat and being cast into stone for all eternity, for the crime of betrayal to his clan.”
“Betrayal?”  Luna frowned.
“The snippet also mentioned the great war between Gloom and the Beasts of the North.  That the Clan had to turn to darker and darker magics to fight the Beasts, and that the voices gave them this power.”  Paradise said.  “Princess, if Rath is with you, if you could revive him…”
“We don’t’ have the elements, we couldn’t put him back again!”  Luna said.
“But what if he was being truthful?  We won’t find another Runecaster in Equestria, and if he really wanted to help ponies before, he might again.”  Twilight said.
“There is no promise his methods would work.”  Rosedust said, thoughtfully.
“Is there anyone with a better idea?”  Megan asked.  
“Other then asked Zecora…” Twilight said.
“Ah…kinda already been ta her hut and back.”  Applejack said.  “She’s awful pissed at the moment, and either way she said she didn’t know anything that would purify Nightmare.”
“Princess, I know it’s a risk, but if this lich knows anything that could help…” Twilight pleaded at Luna with her eyes.
Luna sighed.  “I don’t like it, but…perhaps you are right.  At the very least, we can ask.”  She stood.  “I’ll get my sister and the statue.  You work on inoculating the others.”
Twilight Sparkle nodded and turned to the gathered ponies.  “Who is first?”
She eeped slightly as volunteers nearly trampled each other in their attempt to get to her.  Twilight smiled slightly.  Some things were universal, it seemed.  Ponies would do so much to help a friend…





“Firefly, I have a very bad feeling about this.”
Firefly, the best flyer in Dream Valley, looked back at her best friend.  Sure when she was younger Medley’s constant warnings of danger had annoyed Firefly when she was a filly, but she had learned as she got older that Medley’s warnings shouldn’t be taken lightly.  Firefly nodded and looked down, slowly around the Estate.  “I don’t see anyone.  No ponies, no humans, not even a Bushwooly…”
“We can’t have been gone that long, can we?”  Medley asked.
Firefly sighed and shook her head.  A bit taller and thinner then the other ponies, Firefly was a born athlete and adventurer.  While Whizzer was faster, and Lofty could fly higher, and North Star better at long distances, Firefly incorporated most of these traits, as well as besting them all in sheer maneuverability.  
“I’m gonna go down and get a better look.  Stay up here and cover me, okay?”  Firefly smiled at her friend.  “And I know it’s dangerous, you don’t have to say it.”
Medley smiled back.  “I’ll be here for when you get into trouble.”
Firefly nodded and soared down.  That’s why Medley was the best wingpony a mare could have.  She had Firefly’s back, and let her know when she was going to far.  Firefly knew now that it was always good to have someone who was aware of danger watch your back.  
Firefly landed and approached the door, pushing it open with her hoof.  She snorted at the sight of broken furniture and cracked walls, as if there had been a fight here.  She pushed aside a few broken bits of furniture and knick knacks with a small snort.  Firefly sniffed, but all she could smell was the faint scent of other ponies and perhaps a bit of witch.  
“Hello?”  She called out.  “Anyone there?”  Firefly twitched her ear, listening for a response.
“Hello-is-that-you-Firefly-help!”  
Firefly tensed and raced into the kitchen, where Whizzer’s voice had come from.  Fearing that something had happened to the young pegasus, Firefly lowered her ears as she kicked through the door to the kitchen.  “Whizzer!  Where are you?!”
“Here!”
Firefly turned to see Whizzer trapped under a collapsed bit of shelf, her wings twitching.  Whizzer’s eyes were closed and covered with something white.  Maybe she had gotten something in her eyes?  “Can-you-help-me-a-bit?”
Firefly rushed over.  Was it just her imagination, or was Whizzer’s coat a bit darker then normal?  It could just be the shadows cast from the shelf, but something seemed off to Firefly.  She wasn’t’ sure what it was, but she almost felt afraid of Whizzer.  But she had known Whizzer all her life.  Why should she be afraid of Whizzer?  Firefly shook off the silly feeling and lifted the shelf with her nose, nudging it off Whizzer.  Firefly looked down at Whizzer and gasped.
“Whizzer!  Your symbol!”  She stammered.  Whizzer’s little hat symbols had changed.  Instead of just being normal hats with propellers each tiny hat had a pair of narrowed, cruel eyes and fangs around their brims.  Firefly backed up, shocked, and now she could see that Whizzer’s coat had indeed darkened.  Whizzer opened he eyes, and Firefly gasped at the glowing yellow tinge.  
“Firefly!  Watch out!”
“Medley!”  It must have been a trap!  It could only have been a trap!  Whatever had happened to Whizzer it was clear that she was the enemy.  Mind control or whatever, it didn’t matter at the moment.  What mattered was getting back to Medley, and get out of there.  She could deal with helping Whizzer out of whatever was wrong with her when she found allies.  
All of this passed through Firefly’s head as she turned, kicked the lunging Whizzer in the chest.  As Whizzer slammed back into the broken shelves Firefly darted forwards towards the back door.  She reared and kicked the door with her front hooves, just as Whizzer was getting up and scrambling for her.  Firefly leapt out off the doorway and kicked the door closed again.  She winced as she heard Whizzer hitting the door, but knew she couldn’t pause.  She spring into the air, angling her wings to catch a small breeze.  She had a knack for finding them.  She twisted her wings and aimed herself towards the front of the Estate, where she had left Medley.  She could see her hovering over the Estate, cornered by two other ponies.  After a second she hissed, realizing that the dark blue and red pony was in fact Wind Whistler.  The other was a strange looking creature that resembled a pony, but was unlike any pony that Firefly had ever seen.  Still, that wasn’t important.  Firefly flapped, getting some height.  As soon as she was over Wind Whistler she dove.  Wind Whistler looked up and spun in midair, striking with both pairs of hooves at Firefly, attempting to smack her in the face.  Firefly folded her wings and twisted in midair, grabbing Wind Whistler’s left wing and continuing to twist.  Firefly winched at Wind Whistler’s grunt of pain.  Clearly Wind Whistler hadn’t expected Firefly to come down so hard.  Firefly let of the wing at the third rotation, sending Wind Whistler spinning towards the trees.  Firefly spread her wings and righted herself.  She turned towards Medley only to come face to face with the stranger.
“Hey!”  Dash smiled at Firefly, yellow eyes gleaming.  “You are pretty good!  I’m glad everypony hasn’t been exaggerating!”
“Dash, look out!”  Whizzer called out as Medley dove towards Dash and tried to smack her from behind.  Dash dove down, hoping that Medley would collage with Firefly, but Firefly stilled her wings, dropping so that Medley missed her.  Medley spread her wings and let the breeze lift her upwards into the air and Firefly did the same, angling her wings till she ended up next to Medley as the two began to flap away from the Estate.  Firefly looked behind her, smiling a bit.  There was no way they could catch them!
“Whizzer’s fast, but she can’t use the air as we can.”  Firefly said.  “She and the others have always been power fliers.”
“True, but we should still be careful, who knows what that other can do.”  Medley said.
“Oh come on, there’s only one of her and.”
“Firefly, look!”
Firefly looked and blinked.  The strange pony creature was motoring towards them, seeming to defy the air currents and the thermals.  Even though the other ponies could power their way through the air, that didn’t mean they weren’t subject to the laws of the sky.  You flew against the wind and you moved slower…except this pony was flying as if she had her own personal wind current following her.
“Firefly, a stormcloud!”  Medley said, tossing her head.
“Alright!  Stick with me, Medley, we are going in!”
The two of them caught a thermal and soared upwards, diving into the cloud.  Firefly’s ears trembled as she watched the cloud, darting and dodging the lighting that danced from cloud to cloud  She was confidant that she and Medley could navigate the storm, they had done it before…
All of a sudden the storm began to change.  The clouds churned, the lighting danced and the thunder rolled in haphazard patterns.  Medley squeaked and almost ran into Firefly, who was desperately flapping and angling her wings in an attempt to get control.
“It shouldn’t be doing this!  What’s going on?”  Medley screamed.  “It’s like it’s forming a tornado!”
“Ponyfeathers!  You were right.  That stranger is doing this!  Dive down!  Hurry!”
Medley nodded and dove, letting her weight carry her towards the ground and keeping her wings folded.  Firefly followed, eyes narrowed as raindrops landed on her face.  She snarled as she broke through the clouds and noticed a dark blue blur circling the cloud and forming it into a small tornado.  She blinked.  That was new.  Firefly turned her head and reared as Wind Whistler attempted the same maneuver that Firefly had used on Wind Whistler.  Firefly pulled her wing to her body, fell to the side, then jerked her wing back open and kicked Wind Whistler on her side.  
Medley eeped.  “Firefly!  Be careful!”  Firefly looked at Medley.  She was looking at Wind Whistler in concern, despite the fact that Wind Whistler was attacking them, it was clear from Medley’s expression she was having trouble attacking their friend.  As if she could sense this as well, Wind Whistler suddenly flapped towards Medley and grabbed her by the wing, spiraling and aiming for the ground.  Firefly gritted her teeth and attempted to dive towards them, but she felt something tug on her tail.  She turned her head and glared at the alien pony that Whizzer had called Dash.  Firefly attempted to kick the strange alien in the face, but Dash pulled back as Whizzer soared up from below and attempted to kick Firefly, but she managed to dart away, right into a sudden small raincloud.
Before should could fully comprehend the sudden appearance of a cloud where no cloud should honestly be, the thing suddenly crackled with lightning and hit her in the wing.  Whinnying in pain Firefly jerked in midair.  She tumbled down a few meters.  She attempted to work her now injured wing, but Whizzer dove and grabbed Firefly’s uninjured wing.  Kicking and struggling Firefly attempted to wiggle out of Whizzer’s grasp, but Whizzer held on.  Firefly felt something land on her back and grab her neck.  She looked at Dash, snorting.
“Next time we’ll have a fair fight!  I promise!”  Dash grinned.  Firefly blinked.
“What are you talking about?”  Firefly asked as they finally half landed, half crashed to the ground.  She grunted in pain, but wasn’t quite done fighting.  She still attempted to struggle away.  She twisted her ear as she heard Medley crying at Wind Whistler.
“Snap out of it!  Please!  Remember we used to babysit you and the others and-“
“Oh be silent.  I recall.  Your memories made you weak, but they do not effect me.”  Wind Whistler stared down at Medley coldly, and Firefly felt and odd chill as she spoke.  She’d never heard Wind Whistler use a tone like that before.
“Just relax.  It won’t take that long.”  Dash looked up and grinned.  Firefly looked in the same direction as dark mist started to slide towards them.
Firefly screamed as the mist entered her ear.
It took a bit longer then usual with her, but in the end both she and Medley followed Dash and the others very very willingly.

> Chapter Twenty-One
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty One



Three of the most powerful unicorns in Canterlot (whose names didn’t happen to Twilight Sparkle or Shining Armor, or hell even Trixie), stood in an semi circle around Celestia, who had lowered her head to give them better access to her still non-functioning horn.  One of them, a red fellow with a curly white mane, and an absurdly frilly jacket and an opera cape that covered his Cutie Mark, hummed to himself.  Celestia couldn’t help but wonder about the odd getup, even though he did look rather dashing.  The other two hadn’t bothered with elaborate costumes.  For some reason Celestia couldn’t quite place the costumed unicorn at all.  Maybe she needed to drop by the academy more often?  
After a quick request to the guard for someone to take a look at her horn, these three had shown up at the castle.  They had talked some time about the ring around Celestia’s horn, before theorizing that enough positive energy might overload it.  There was a chance that it would explode, but Celestia’s horn could stand up to dragon fire, repeated slams with a sword, an overpowered Changeling Queen, and the Frog Incident, then she doubted a small explosion would do much to it.
One by one the three unicorns blasted the ring with their magic, and Celestia braced herself as the ring grew hot.  She grunted as it began to glow white, then yelped as a loud boom echoed through the room, and the ring exploded.  Celesta shouted and closed her eyes as the ring’s dust fell into her eyes.  She rubbed them, then blinked.  One of the unicorns lifted a mirror to her.  She eyed the base of her horn.  A little blackened, but otherwise it seemed fine.
She was just turning her head to thank the three unicorns when the costumed one spun around and, rather briskly, said something about a large lizard and dashed off.  Celestia blinked.
“Who was that?”  She asked the remaining two.
One of the remaining unicorns shrugged.  “He just sort of turned up and started ordering us around.  Rather rude, but he seems to know what he’s doing.”
Celestia watched the stranger stop at the huge doors.  A pale grey, almost white, mare with a brown mane nudged the doors open from the other side and spoke frantically to the strange unicorn.  The unicorn nodded in an almost dismissive way and pushed past her.  The mare turned a bit and snorted at him in clear exasperation.  Celestia just managed to see the mare’s Cutie Mark (a camera), before the two dashed down the hall.
Celestia was about to order the guards to bring them back, there was something a little off about that unicorn, when Luna burst through the golden doors and landed in front of her.  Celestia looked at her.
“Those two ponies you just past in the hall-“
“Twilight Sparkle wants us to free Rath!”
Celestia blinked at her sister.  Luna stared at her.
“…what about those ponies?”
“Never mind.”  Celestia decided an eccentric and his friend were a bit less concerning then this bit of news.  “Rath?  Are you serious, Luna?”
Luna nodded and proceeded to explain the situation to Celestia.  Celestia nodded.
“I don’t like it, but it does make sense.  And we did manage to get Discord on our side.  We should try it.”
Luna nodded.  “I shall get the transport chariot ready.  Can you get the…statue?”
Celestia smiled.  “Of course.  I’ll meet you there.”
Celestia turned to the hedge maze out back and spread her wings, choosing to leave via the window instead of using doors.  It was true that half the statues out in the gardens were indeed criminals and villains of various types.  A few were ponies.  For a moment Celestia thought back to when Twilight Sparkle had been a young filly.
“Princess, I read in one of your books that these statues are…”  Celestia could almost hear her student’s hesitant, young voice.  She should have known Twilight would find all sorts of books, even the ones that children shouldn’t read.
“Yes, a few of them are living beings, or were.”
“But some of them are ponies!”
“Twilight…let me show you something….”
In the present Celestia briefly glanced at one of the pony statues.  It was of a rearing mare, with a huge smile on her face.  Closer inspection would show that the smile was a bit too wide, and the eyes a bit to large.  
“Twilight, this statue was indeed a pony at one point.  She had to be turned to stone.”
“But why?”
Celestia had sighed sadly.  “Because she killed other ponies.  Five foster families, as well as her own parents, were killed by her hooves.  We tried to rehabilitate her.  We tried everything, but in the end nopony could help her.  We turned her to stone in the hopes that one day we might lean more about how the mind works to be able to help her.  I don’t believe in the death penalty, Twilight, and while turning to stone may not be the best fate, sometimes it’s the only choice.”
“Can they still…feel?”
Celestia shook her head.  “Only a being of great power can remain conscious in stone.”
Celestia shook her head and moved on.  Discord could remain aware…and perhaps Rath was as well, but she was fairly certain the murderous mare she had just turned away from was fast asleep.  She hoped so.  Would a fate trapped in stone be worse then death?  At least stone was reversible, but at the same time…she still didn’t know the answer to this question.  It always made her heart ache a bit when she walked through here.  All the ponies and creatures she couldn’t help…
But if Luna was right maybe there was one more she could help.  
The statue of Rath stood in a dark corner of the garden, mostly out of courtesy.  Celestia didn’t think that Rath could be bothered by sunlight as stone but she felt it had been better safe then sorry.  He stood at the base of a large arch built into the wall, providing shade for him through most of the day.  Celestia paused and stared at him.
The fact that the man’s face was complete and utterly gone, leaving only a bare skull behind, had probably contributed to the fact that Celestia to this day still couldn’t tell if Rath was holding out his hand in a plea or a threat.  It was a stone, bare grinning skull, and even in stone it looked terrifying to a pony.  Most ponies avoided this corner of the garden for Rath alone, and many stewards had asked Celestia to remove him.  Celestia didn’t, and this part of the garden had been left abandoned.  Discord, while terrifying alive, was only an odd looking thing while stoned, but there wasn’t much you could do to make an armored skeleton seem less scary.  Though the armor was primitive, barely a mail shirt and some odd fixture of leather around the legs, years of being in stone had preserved it.  Celestia studied the skull face, but no sign of what Rath could possibly be thinking, if he was aware, could been seen.
“Now Rath, if you can hear me.  I’m going to free you soon.  You must be on your best behavior, understand?”
No response.  A passing pigeon landed on the skull, and did…what pigeon’s do.  Celestia sighed and shooed the bird before cleaning the skull.
“Well, let’s go Rath.”  She said as she picked the statue up with her magic.  
It didn’t seem to weigh a thing at all.





A few hours later Twilight Sparkle was almost done with inoculating the other ponies against dark magic.  Her horn ached from all the dark energy flowing, but she held up against it.  She sighed and rubbed the base of her horn.  She had only two, Majesty and Ribbon, to go.  It was a good thing to.  Most of the other ponies were standing or sitting around, shaking their heads and attempting to unscramble their own brains.  Twilight hadn’t done anything specific to them, but dark energy could still hurt the unsuspecting mind.  It would take them a few moments to recover, but in the end Twilight thought that they would be able to hold up against the mist, at least for longer then they normally would.
“You sure you are going to be okay?”  Majesty asked, her muzzle wrinkling in concern.  Twilight Sparkle nodded.
“Yeah, yeah…just need a pause and…”
“Look!”
Twilight looked up and smiled.  The princesses, both of the, were sitting in a palace chariot, pulled by two rather nervous looking pegasi.  In another chariot, pulled by two even more nervous pegasi, was the statue of a rather frightening thing.  Twilight Sparkle had seen it a few times when she lived in the palace, and while it fascinated her, it had scared Spike.  The thing was a biped, and young Twilight had first assumed it had been a gorilla at some point, or a baboon.  Now she was betting on human.  The creature was wearing old chain mail, one hand upraised, palm out, fingers pointing to the sky.  The other hand was edging close to a long sword at its side.  Twilight Sparkle looked at Majesty.
“You should probably send the babies somewhere else.”
“Just what I was thinking.  Truly?”  Majesty turned to look at the grumpy earth pony, who was already in the process of herding the babies away.  Most of them protested, but Truly managed to bully them in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.  Twilight noticed that most of the adults stayed, and were watching the statue with interest.  The crowd approached the statue of Rath, eyeing it.
Celestia lifted the statue off the pedestal and walked towards the others.  “Twilight, are you prepared in case we need to fight him?”
Twilight nodded.  “I am.”
“So are we.”  Gusty stepped up next to Twilight, pawing at the ground with her hoof.  Majesty, Galaxy, and the rest of the Ponylanders surrounded the statue, as if waiting to charge or prevent the lich from pulling a fast one on them.  Celestia and Luna stood facing the statue, Celestia looking calm and serene, while Luna had a stern look.  Twilight watched, not sure how they were going to do this without the Elements, and eager to see the spell.
The two Princesses lifted into the air, using the same pose used in the Summer Sun Celebration.  Only this time instead of raising the sun only Celestia’s horn began to glow, as did Luna’s.  The sun didn’t move, but magic beamed from the two alicorn’s horns, and Twilight studied the spell as best she could for later reference.  The two beams of energy circled the state, and cracked began to appear.  Rath’s hand twitched, then suddenly slammed closed into a fist.  Jerking he drew the arm back, and the rest of the stone prison shattered.  Most of the ponies tensed, just in case.  The undead skeleton took about two steps back, lowering and shaking his skull, as if disoriented.
Celetsia landed and stared at him, then took one step forwards.  “Rath, do you know where you are?”
A long pause, then.  “…pigeons.”
“…what?”  Luna blinked.
“Fucking…PIGEONS!”  Rath suddenly jerked his skull forwards and Twilight could see that instead of eyes the lich instead had two glowing red lights in his eye sockets, as well as red light emanating from somewhere in his chest that shone from the back of his throat.  The light in his throat blinked every time he spoke.  “It’s bad enough I had to sit through fucking YEARS of watching your damn IVY growing on your FUCKING WHITE FRILLY CASTLE, but the bloody PIDGEONS and their FUCKING SHIT ALL OVER MY HEAD, YOU WRETCHED LITTLE HOOVED BEASTS!”
“…he’s grumpy in the morning.”  Surprise smiled.
“Oh I am bloody beyond grumpy!”  Twilight noticed that the creature kept waving its skeletal arms and gesturing a lot, as if he was making up for his lack of facial features by theatrical opera hand waves.  She wouldn’t be surprised if this was the case.  Despite the fact that he was currently cussing at all of them about pigeons Twilight was mildly fascinated by all of this.
“Ummm, hi.”  Twilight Sparkle walked forwards.  “Ummm, we need your help and-“
“Not interested.”  Rath turned away and folded his arms with a slight creak of bone.  Twilight blinked.
“Look, I know what happened a thousand years ago w-“
“You have no idea, alicorn.”  Rath turned and glared at Twilight.  “It’s to late, fool.  She’s dead, they’re probably dead, and its all the fault of those two self righteous twats!”  Rath pointed at Celestia and Luna, who glared at him.
“I saw your kin eat my friends.  And Clover was in your lair-“
“You idiots.  She was trying to help me cure my daughters!”  Rath snarled.
“Of what?”  Majesty asked.  “Please, for the sake of your descendant if nothing else.”
Rath paused and turned his skull towards Majesty.  He leaned closer towards Majesty, who to her credit didn’t flinch.  “What do you mean?  It’s far to late to cure them now.  That is what me and Clover were doing, you know?  No, they didn’t bother to give me the chance to explain.  My daughters played with powers they could not control, and they were infected by it.  I was developing a rune sequence to cure them, but its to late now.  Any of my ‘descendants’ as you call them will have had the evil breed into their blood.  There is no hope to cleanse them.  If I had cured my daughters a thousand years ago they wouldn’t have passed the evil to whatever children they had…as it is now…” Rath shook his head.  “There is no way I can help them now.”  He suddenly straightened and gripped the hilt of his ancient sword.  “Why should I even attempt to help you now, when there is no hope for my family?”
Megan suddenly pushed gently past Gusty and Galaxy and stepped closer to Majesty.  “Wait!  You’re wrong about them.  They aren’t all evil.”
“She’s right.”  Paradise stepped forwards.  “I studied the Gloom Clan as best I could, and there’s a pattern.  It’s true that stories from your day speak of great evil, but going forwards through the years you’ll find your clan becoming less and less evil.  Whatever your daughters infected themselves with, it must be wearing out as the years go by.”
Rath blinked.  “Clover didn’t say that.”
“Even brilliant ponies can be wrong sometimes.”  Twilight admitted.  “I’ve seen one of your grandchildren myself, and she’s not evil.”
“She does have a few darker quirks, but she’s our friend.”  Gusty maintained,
Rath’s jaw rattled.  “Then where is she?”
“That is the problem we have, Rath.”  Celestia sat down and took a deep breath and explained.





Hydia felt the situation slipping further and further from her control, and frankly that rankled.  It had seemed so simple at the start when she had found that mirror to another world.  All she had to do was zap it with a little magic, and she had found herself in the Everfree.  It was there she had met that damned Pony of Shadows, who had been waiting and scheming itself.  At first the idea of allying with it had been obvious.  It had led her the Changelings, formed the plan but…
But once again she hadn’t suspected how fast the newborn Tirac would take over the minds of the ponies, nor did she expect her daughter to still be so unbelievably stupid!  How could she still side with them after all of this!
The girl’s continued resistance to tradition and breeding had been a source of anger for Hydia every since the damned boar.  Hydia didn’t’ blame herself for kicking Draggle out, even though the idea kept flitting through her mind like a stray Flutter Pony, unwelcome and unneeded and unwanted.  It wasn’t her fault!  She had only done what generations of her ancestors had done for centuries.  It was all the ponies fault.  That damn blue bitch had brainwashed Draggle, and…maybe it was Hydia’s fault a little bit.  She hadn’t wanted to go down and get her own child out of danger.  Was that where she had gone wrong…had that pony been right?  No.  It couldn’t be…but…but if she had gone to that Estate…no they would just have attacked her and Reeka.  And Draggle was mad at her for that!  Couldn’t she see that the ponies were using her?  They weren’t family, how could they care for her?
If only she could get Draggle back to the Volcano, there had to be some spell that could cure the brainwashing.  If only Hydia could find the right spell…
Most ponies would have been surprised to know that, out of all the Elements of Harmony, even the witches believed in one.  Loyalty.  It was only loyalty towards themselves and their clan, but it was loyalty nonetheless.  And Draggle, in Hydia’s eyes, had betrayed that.  And the old witch couldn’t for the life of her figure out why.  But if she could get Draggle home and work with her for a few days…or weeks…maybe months.  Surely it wouldn’t take years to get her daughter back…could it?
“When will we get out of here.  I can’t stand the ponies, evil or no.”  Reeka grumbled.  
“Wait.  I’m not leaving without your sister.  We’ll wait till their guard is down, then take her.”
Reeka glared and shook her head.  “Centaur will call us traitors then.”
Hydia snarled, the damn Changeling’s words bashing around her head like small hammers.  “Let him.”






Celestia, Twilight, Majesty, Galaxy and Gusty each took turns to tell the story.  Galaxy and Gusty gave a brief explanation of the boar incident, and then Celestia and Twilight finished with the current crises.  Twilight had no idea if they were getting through to the lich.  All Rath did was stand there; he might as well have been stone again, staring at them with his creepy red eye lights.  Of course he had no expression, and Twilight couldn’t tell what was going through his mind.
Finally Rath looked at Gusty.  “My descendant, one of you?  Is that really how you feel?”
Gusty nodded.  “Yeah.  She’s annoying, but so is half my family.”
“…you can’t imagine how angry that makes me.  One of –you-.”  He spat the world, red eye lights dimming and shaking his head.  “…I’ll have to have a talk with the mother…in the meantime…” He looked up at the other ponies.  “Very well.  I’m willing to use my runes to help you cleanse that Heart.  However, I’m not going back into that stone.  You are going to let me back to Dream Valley.  I’m taking my clan back, and you aren’t going to stop me.”  He glared at Celestia.  “I have no interest in your damn ponies, and when I get my Volcano back, you are going to leave me and those girls the hell alone.  Got it?”
Majesty stepped forwards.  “You mean Reeka and Hydia?”
“And the third.”
“No.  Not unless she agrees.”  Majesty stamped.
Rath fixed his glare at her. “You are going to force her to stay.”
“She’s had opportunities to go back to Hydia before, and she never took them.  You can talk to her, try to convince her, but if she says no we aren’t letting you kidnap her.”  Megan said with finality.  The Ponylander’s nodded.  Even the Flutter Ponies were nodding in agreement.
Rath sighed.  “Well…damn…very well.  At least you are letting me have the chance.  Unlike some alicorns.”  He looked at Celestia and Luna.  “I am not working with you.”  He pointed a bony finger at Twilight Sparkle.  “I will work with her.”
Luna looked like she was about to explode, but Celestia lay a wing over her back.  Celestia nodded to Rath.  “Our thanks.”
Rath looked at Twilight.  “So, how much do you know about Runecasting.”
“Nothing.”  Twilight admitted.  “But I’m ready to learn.”
“Well…I can show you what Clover and I did.  I’m sure a pony that listens.”  More glaring at the royal sisters.  “Will be a nice change.”
Luna snorted at him, but didn’t object.  She tossed her head.  “I will take over the inoculations while you work with the lich.”  
Rath seemed to be glaring some more at Luna, and Twilight didn’t think it was a great idea to keep them in the same vicinity for to long.  So, she put a wing on the lich’s shoulder and teleported them both back to her library before he could say something else rude to Celestia and Luna.  As soon as they were there Rath jerked back and made a cutting motion with his arms.
“Don’t do that!  Ask before you touch!”
Twilight shrugged apologetically.  “I’m sorry, its just that we don’t have much time, and I really don’t think its going to get us anywhere if you keep arguing with the Princesses.”  Twilight determinedly ignored the skeleton’s repeated grumblings as she took out a rather large notebook and quill with her magic.  “We don’t have that much time, and I don’t know the first thing about runes.”
“Of course you don’t damn young mages these days.  Put that shit away.  Books have nothing to do with runes.”
Twilight frowned.  “But-“
“If you can’t memorize three runes you’re useless to me and everyone you care about.  Besides that, as a hornhead you won’t have to do much.  Fortunately, for you, you’re naturally magic.  If you were human this would take years.  Still going to have make sure you’re flowing right.”
Twilight blinked.  “I don’t think I get-“
“How do you normally cast spells?”
“Well, I channel energy through my horn and I think of the words I read beforehand, as well as the intent of the spell.”
“Runes don’t work that way.  Anyone can use em.  It’s like storing magic in a scroll, only less safe.  See, back in the old days and fuck me you’re writing again in that book aren’t you?”
“Oh stop complaining, you’re giving me valuable information.  I won’t use it for the runes themselves!”
Rath sighed.  “Okay, fine.  Where was I…”
“Runic history.”  Twilight tried to ignore the Dashlike voice in her head that grumbled about old people ranting about going to school uphill in the snow back in their day.
“Right, anyway.  You know about true names, right?”
“Right, speak the true name of the thing and you have power over it…that’s what runes are?”  Twilight asked.
“Basically, yes.  Words have power, or at least they can be.  I’ve heard some foreign people use other things, but that’s not here nor there, at least not for us.  Even today with all these books around you, its true.  Words have power, that’s why you’re keeping them trapped here.  Runes are unfiltered words.  Like this’un.”  Rath pulled out a small flat, smooth circular pebble from somewhere about his person and held it up.  There was a symbol on it, three straight lines pointing upwards.  “What do you think this is?”
“Ummmm.”
“Fire.  It’s fire.  Guess what I can use it for?”
“Setting things on fire?”
“Is that what you’d want to do in a library?”
“NO!”
“And that’s the kicker.  What your books do is they define.  You have a spell for say, lighting a lamp or a candle, right?”
“Yes.”
“And it uses different words then a fireball spell meant to roast your enemies, right?”
“Naturally.”
“Now with a rune it’s just fire.  If you don’t have the right intent, the right mindset, you can end up either with a small light for a candle or an inferno, if you aren’t careful.  Since runes are one of the earliest forms of magic they are naturally raw and unfocused.  Powerful, but unfocused.  They use the closest thing we have to true names to define themselves.  The focus has to come from you.  So, I can’t just give you the three runes you’ll need for this purification thing.  If you just tried to channel magic through it you could end up exploding or something.  Until you get the intent of what you are doing in your head, you’ll get nowhere.”
“So, in order to help the others I don’t just have to know the spell, I have to make sure my mind is in the right place when I do it.”  Twilight said thoughtfully.  “Can…we start with something a bit less volatile then fire?”
Rath shrugged and looked outside.  “That forest…would be good for making them.  It’s the only thing that’s natural I can sense.”
“What are you talking about!  There’s nothing natural about the Everfree!”  Twilight protested.
Rath seemed to chuckle, and Twilight imagined him smirking.  “Hooved beasts…always such fools…”






About ten minutes into the siege Scorpan wasn’t sure about the reliability of this ‘Discord’ creature.  For one thing it didn’t help that he kept looking at the corrupted Dream Valley citizens and giggling like a mad jester.  The evil grinning didn’t help either.  Also, when someone identified themselves as the ‘spirit of disharmony and chaos, well that was cause for some concern.  Still, for the moment the creature was their ally, and while Scorpan suspected the thing had the maturity and personality of a particularly spoiled five year old, he wasn’t going to insult Discord and have the thing turn on him.
And, Discord was useful, even if he had an air unreliability.  In order to get the strange giggly creature away from his men (who were increasingly edgy in Discord’s presence, Scorpan had asked Discord if there was any other ways he could help.  With a few mocking comments that Scorpan blatantly ignored, Discord eventually agreed and poofed away, a large fishbowl over his head to keep out the mist.  Scorpan wondered if he would do that for the rest of them, and how much dignity would be lost as a result of it.  But regardless, Scorpan soon noticed several…oddities coming from the Bright Valley citizen, such as sudden bouts of chocolate milk rain, a horde of dancing singing frogs that boogied their way around the army, a small flood of turtles that swam upside down over ponies heads, and a cactus.  A cactus with eyes.  That stared.  It was damn creepy.  IT didn’t do much other then annoy the corrupted ponies, but hopefully it would be enough…
And then Discord produced a large device that looked a bit like the boombox that Danny had once showed Scorpan.  Unfortunately, instead of the ‘Bowy’ songs that Danny had played, what came from this overly large boombox was a howling thumping stream of noise that nearly broke Scorpan’s ear drums and sent several elves and other sharp eared creature down to the basements to get away from it.  Discord called it dubstep.  Scorpan called it the Death of Bards.  Thankfully the ponies seemed to dislike it as much as he did.  Scorpan almost felt sorry for them as they covered their ears and cowared.
“Prince, there’s a Sea Pony at the underground pool!”
Scorpan turned to the messenger, thankful for the interruption.  Sea Ponies saved the day again.  If he was talking to them he wouldn’t have to listen to more ‘wubs’.  Or whatever the discombobulated creature called that trash.  
A while back, in redesigning the fort, Scorpan decided it would be good to have a pool similar to the one at the Estate.  A section of the fort’s cellar floor had been hollowed out, filled with water, and a small passage had been drilled from the cellar to the river.  Sea ponies could swim in and out of the passage at any time, making it easier to talk to them.  Scorpan smiled.  Finally some good news.  Apparently someone had told Catrina about this as well…either that or she had come here to escape the thumping as well.  Scorpan suspected the second, as her ears were laying flat and she kept grinding her teeth.  
“I hate that…that…chimera thing.”  She hissed.
“Is that’s what making that noise?”  The Sea Pony asked.
“It is.  I think it’s an ally.  Just not a nice one.”  Scorpan said.
“We got a problem.  The ponies fled to the other world.  We got the gems that will activate the mirror.”  The Sea Pony nodded to another, who bobbed up and spat out some gems.  “The Estate’s crawling with corrupted ponies, and they’re guarding the mirror.  It’s the only way we can reconnect with our friends.”
“Well, at least we have the gems.  They can’t use it either, right?”  Catrina said as she scooped up the gems.
“If you could only breath underwater maybe we could take back the mirror…” The Sea Pony sighed.  “But the octopi are getting bad down here.  There isn’t much we can do to help more.  If we don’t take care of the issue down here we won’t have the sea anymore.”
“Is there anything we can do?  There has to be a spell…”  Scorpan looked at Catrina.
“You need to take care of Tirac.  But-“
There was a small rumble about five feet away.  Scorpan turned and tensed, only to relax again as an armadillo like head poked out of the earth.  IT’s eyes were normal, and the Stoneback looked normal.  The creature grunted and yanked itself out of the hole.
“Ah, a Stoneback.”  Catrina smiled.  “Wait…can that mist go into the earth?”  She asked.
The Stoneback smiled and shook his head.  He rumbled over and scratched at the dirt.  Scorpan started to smile as well as the Stoneback drew a crude map, showing their fort, then the estate, and a tunnel between the two.  Scorpan nodded.
“Very convenient…seems to happen a lot these days.”  He mused.
“Karma.”  Catrina muttered.
“Eh?”
“Karma.  Put good into the world and the world gives you good back.  It’s my theory for why the decent people always get ahead.  They’re so good that the forces of the world throw them help once in a while.  Only explanation.  Other then inept help.”
Scorpan, who had once been ‘inept help’ chuckled.  He looked at the Sea Pony.  “How many corrupted ponies are at the Estate?”
“About five.  I’m pretty sure I spotted Shady, but a few of them are the bobble heads.  I am not sure who they are.”
“Alright, we should be able to take the mirror without to much trouble.”  Scorpan said.  
“Maybe you shouldn’t go, you’re kinda important.”  Catrina said.
“You and I are the most resistant to dark energy.  Unless you don’t want to go?”  Scorpan asked.
“Oh don’t be stupid.  Let’s go.”  Catrina growled and approached the tunnel.  “Think we need to bring any troops?”
“No, I don’t want to risk them.”  Scorpan looked to the messenger that had first contacted the Sea Pony.  “Tell the others where we’re going.  If we aren’t back in by tomorrow, then seal up this tunnel.”  The messenger gulped, but nodded as Scorpan checked his sword to make sure it was ready, then leaped down the hole.  He was followed by the Stoneback and Catrina.  There were five more Stonebacks, who grunted at him and started down the tunnel.  Scorpan followed.
On a normal day the trip from Scorpan’s fort to the Estate took a few hours.  It was just the same underground as it was on the surface, save for the fact that Scorpan thought it was a bit more direct this way.  He couldn’t help but wonder how many tunnels the Stonebacks had made, and if they ran all under Ponyland.  It was very possible.  Still, the tunnels helped them avoid obstacles like lakes and forests and large mountains.  Not to mention predators.  So it wasn’t that long before the Stonebacks were tunneling them upwards.  Though a few more gestures and grunts Scorpan guessed that they were below the Estate.  The Stonebacks claws scraped on tile, and several of them stood on each other’s backs.  The bottommost Stoneback looked at Scorpan and waved its claw up and down.
Scorpan nodded and climbed the Stoneback ladder until he was face to the face with the topmost one.  The top Stoneback stood on his hind legs and started to tunnel through the tile.  With a few strong strikes the Stoneback’s claw burst through the tile, and the creature offered its claw to give Scorpan a boost up.  Scorpan scrambled upwards, drawing his sword as soon as he emerged in the pony kitchen.  Thankfully there was no mist around them.  He wondered what the range on that stuff was.  No matter.  He poked his head down the hallway, looking from the right to the left.  He almost jumped as a hand landed on his shoulder.  He looked over and nodded at Catrina.  “Any idea where they would put the mirror?”  He asked.
“No clue.  Let’s search the rooms.  Maybe they put it with Magic Star.  She is their researcher.”
“Please tell me you know your way around this place, it’s bigger then it looks on the outside.”  Scorpan said.
“I know.”  Catrina said.  “I’ve been here trying to teach Draggle enough times.”
“I remember.  She’s coming along well.”
“She’s slow, but she learns eventually.  Hope she made to the other world with the others.”
“We won’t learn that by standing her.  Lead the way.”
Catrina nodded and slunk down the hall.  Scorpan tried to mimic the movements and keep silent, but he wasn’t a cat.  And he was wearing armor.  Still, he didn’t think he was being too loud as he followed Catrina up a flight of stairs.  The cat witch turned to a door and opened it.  Scorpan couldn’t help but think this was to easy, but he didn’t want to vocalize this for fear of tempting fate.
He blinked as he entered the room.  It was almost completely trashed.  Magic Star’s books on magic, artifacts and other magical paraphernalia were scattered across the room.  Scorpan noticed a few mirrors, but he didn’t know if they were the right ones.  He took a step in, only to have Catrina place a claw on his shoulder again.
“Lot of this stuff is cursed.  She usually kept it all in a special place, but it looks like someone broke into it.”
“Great.”
“It’s nothing to dangerous unless you have certain components, like blood or certain herbs, but don’t poke either way.  Give me a second.”  Catrina walked in and started to paw cautiously through the fallen items.  Occasionally she would pick up something and pocket it, but Scorpan didn’t once think that she was taking something evil for her own use.  After a few years he trusted her.  Still…
“What are you taking?”
“Few things that might be useful in a fight. And I don’t see anything that would match these gems.”  Catrina took the gems out of the pouch she had put them in and studied them.  “Not a matching mirror in sight.  Most of the ones I see here are hand mirrors anyway, and I’m not sure if they are magical or not.”
“Hmmm…I really can’t tell either-“
“Because you’re stupid, Scorpan.  Most of you are.  Did you really think you could come here and we wouldn’t notice?  Stupid.  You’re all doomed.  All of you.  Especially you two.  Just like Draggle.”
Scorpan turned.  “Shady.  I remember you.  Don’t make me fight you.”
The corrupted pony smiled and walked forwards.  “The darkness is started to turn you again, isn’t it.  Maybe we should help it along?  I’ve known from the start that this whole goodness and light thing was stupid.  I always knew we were doomed in the end.  Now I’ve been proven right.  It’s actually kinda fun.  At least I’m not scared anymore.”
Scorpan kept his blade low as Shady inched closer, then he moved.  Shady’s eyes widened and she yelped, but Scorpan wasn’t going to kill her unless he had no choice.  Shady attempted to pull her head back, but the flat of Scorpan’s sword struck her on the shoulder, making her yelp and jump back.  Scorpan turned, trusting Catrina to follow him out the door.  He slammed the door behind them, and Catrina pointed at finger at the lock.  Scorpan watched as the lock melted.
“You don’t have a lock spell yet do you?”
“I’m working on it!  Move, princy.”
Scorpan sighed and followed her down the hall.  He scowled as he heard some hoof clatter coming towards them.  The rounded the hall to face a pack (herd?) of three bobble head unicorns.  Catrina, showing a surprising level of strength, grabbed a large painting off the wall and slammed in on a unicorn’s head.  Scorpan instead sheathed his sword and grabbed his own painted, swinging it at a unicorn’s chest.  The poor thing oofed and was swatted into a wall.  The first faired worse, as Catrina kicked him away, leaving behind a few scratches from her hind claws.  Scorpan guess she wasn’t wearing shoes for this little adventure.  Maybe it was because most of her shoes had heels.  Either way, she kicked the first unicorn into the other wall, ignoring his dazed expression as the picture hung from his horn.  She then grabbed the third unicorn, who hadn’t expected this at all and was trying to run away, but the horn and hind leg, and tossed him out the window.
“…is he going to be okay?”  Scorpan blinked.
“I tossed him in the pool, he’ll be fine.  Now lets go.  If they didn’t notice us before they will when they find one of them trying to learn to fly.”
Scorpan sighed and once again followed his temperamental castle witch.  He couldn’t help but wonder why all the witches he knew, good and evil, were always so damn moody.
After a leap down the stairs, Catrina took a turn towards the next hallway.  She stuck her head through a door and head to duck from a bobble head pegasus wielding a spear in his wing.  Scorpan wondered how the hell the creature did that with his wing.  Either way Scorpan lunged forwards.  It was his turn to pick up a pony and toss him back into the room.  Catrina pointed and sealed that door as well.
This proceeded for the next two rooms as well.  The next had no ponies, but no mirror either.  The second had two normal earth ponies, and Scorpan had to dispatch them with a well placed grandfather clock.
“We are going to owe the ponies so much for interior decorating.”  Scorpan groaned as Catrina sealed this door as well.  
“I’ll give Galaxy an IOU.”  Catrina snorted.  “Come on, living room is next.”  She opened the door to the living room and grinned.  “I do think this is it.”  She smirked and approached the rather large mirror before her.  “Look, it even has missing sockets where these gems go.”
“Great…it was only one room away from us and we wasted all that time…”
“Oh stop complaining and help me pick it up.”  Catrina scolded as she tried to hold the mirror sideways as she tramped into the hallway.  “Oh…no.  Scorpan run!”
Scorpan turned as the mist he saw before started to flow into the living room from the opposite window.  He was nearly knocked to his feet as Catrina began to blow at the mist, but he knew that spell was not as powerful as it had been.  He backed away, but a tendril curled around and flicked at his leg.  Scropan yelped and fell back, and the stuff started to cover him.  There was way to much for the wind to carry away…but…
He covered his ears.  He could feel it.  Simmering under him.  He ddn’t want to…but…
It was the only way.  Either it was the mist that was brining the beast to the surface or his own desire to not be controlled, he could feel the tan hair sprouting over his body like unwelcome weeds.  His nails lengthened and sharpened to harsh points, as were his teeth.  They were fangs now, and his mouth was shaping into a much longer muzzle to accommodate them.  There was a sharp pain in his back as his spine grew an extra pair of limbs, two bat like wings.
He remembered how to use them too .  He could still feel Catrina frantically casting her wind spell, and he thought he could help it along.  He spread his wings and flapped.  The broad sweeps of the wings lifted him away from the mist, and spread it back as well.  He landed near Catrina, who was staring at him in shock.
“…so this is what you looked like before.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”  Scorpan looked behind him and hissed at the mist.
Catrina stared into his eyes for a moment, then turned and nodded.  “I got my eye on you.”
“Good.  My head’s clear.  But if you think I need it you have my permission to hit me over the head.”
Catrina smirked as they burst into the kitchen and jumped down the hole.  The Stonebacks took a second to stare at Scorpan in disbelief.  He folded his wings.
“It’s still me.  We need to hurry, the mist is coming!”  
The lead Stoneback nodded and as one he and his kin burked their claws into the sides of the tunnel.  With a few grunts, bashes and claws the tunnel collapsed in a well controlled cave in.  Catrina didn’t waste any time, just in case the mist could reach through the dirt and rock.  She balanced the mirror on two Stonebacks, and the group started to head back.  Catrina and several of the Stonebacks still stared at Scorpan, but he tried to ignore it.  
Just have to beat him again.  I’ll be normal…again.  I hate him…hate him so much.
Desperate to turn their attention from himself, Scorpan looked at Catrina.  “About what Shady said about the girl.”
Catrina snarled.  “It might be a lie…but that beast better not have hurt her.  They aren’t keeping anything of mine.  Not my student, and not Rep.”
Scorpan winched a bit as she clenched her claws into her palm.  He had to remember not to make her mad.  She could be damn scary.






Fifteen craters, a small forest fire, and eleven pounds of annoyed fish later, and Twilight couldn’t even pick up the damn stone runes that Rath had given her, much less cast them.  Every time she attempted to pick one up with her magic she ended up doing something rather horrible with them.  Either an explosion, a way overboard display of magic that she didn’t intend to do, or random fish rain (and Twilight was still unsure how in Equestria failed water runes resulted in raining fish), always happened instead of her gently casting the spell needed.
“I’m starting to think you don’t have the mind for this.  You think to big.  How…do you normally deal with enemies?”  Rath said as he poked a fish with his bony finger.
“…mostly I blast them with the power of Friendship.”
Twilight had the distinct feeling that Rath would have raised an eyebrow if he had one.  “…how long have you been a super powered horn head with wings?”
“A few months.”
“That might be the issue as well.  Unicpegs have a lot of wild magic.  It clashes with rune magic.”
“Do you mean wild magic as in nature magic or magic going wild?”  Twilight asked.
“Yes.  Now.”  Rath placed his hand on his skull forehead and rubbed.  “Do you know any other unicorn, or a pegasus, with a nice subtle mind?  Someone with attention to detail.  Someone who doesn’t use the magical equivalent of bigger hammers to solve their issues?”
Twilight ignored all of the implied, and outright, insults and instead thought.  Her eyes widened.  She smiled, almost evilly.  “I think I have just the pony for you.”

> Chapter Twenty-Two
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty-Two



Rath stared incredulously at the unicorn that Twilight had brought him.  He turned his skull very very slowly and looked at Twilight.  His eye lights flashed twice.  “…you’re joking.”
“Of all the ponies I know, she’s the most organized, and its not like we have the time to go around Equestria giving auditions.”  Twilight replied.  Truth be told there were probably any number of unicorns that Twilight knew that could help, but right now the closest was…
“Well, there’s no need to be rude.”  Rarity huffed at Rath, giving him a stern look.  If the big monster at all intimidated her then she showed no sign of it.  Instead she merely walked closer till she was only a few inches from him.  “I may not be as magical as Twilight, but I can hold my own.”
Rath sighed.  “Alright…lets see if you can even pick one up.  Purple over there couldn’t even manage that.”	
Twilight was determined to ignore Rath’s insults, instead looking at Rarity.  “I think the issue came up when I kept touching the carving itself with my magic.”  Rarity nodded as Twilight pointed to the rune inscribed on the stone that Rath had put on the ground.  It was a water rune.  The fishy ones.	
“Well if it activates when touch this part here.”  Rarity pointed to the writing inscribed on the rock.  “Surely we can just pick it up by the sides.”
Twilight shrugged.  “I always just pick things up, I never had to be careful of not touching something like that.”
Rarity smiled gently at her friend and concentrated at the rune.  Blue energy surrounded the edge, not touching the writing itself, and showing an amount of dexterity in her magic that Twilight couldn’t reach.  Rarity lifted the thing easily, and for a second Twilight felt mildly embarrassed that she couldn’t master this as easily as Rarity had.  Granted Rarity couldn’t perform most of the spells that Twilight could, but this was still impressive.  She watched, fascinated, as Rath attempted to explain the whole bizarre process to Rarity.  This odd way of approaching magic was foreign to Twilight.  Usually it was just a matter of either memorizing a spell, or a matter of willing one’s own magical energy to do what you wanted it to do.  Most unicorn’s special talents came as natural to them as breathing, and telekinesis was also a natural process.  It had to be, or they wouldn’t get much done.  Twilight wasn’t quite sure how the Ponylanders managed with only one of them able to levitate objects.  It was a bit odd how teleportation, instead of telekinesis, was the universal power among the Ponylanders instead of how it was with Equestrians…
Wow, Twilight, you need to stop going on mental tangents.  Twilight shook her head to knock the random speculations away.  There would be time later to study all the differences between the two different pony species, after all.  The little researcher inside Twilight’s head was itching to corner a few of the Ponylanders and talk about them, but now wasn’t the best time.  Still, her mind seemed to want to wander a bit.  Rath, despite his attitude, brought up even more mental cans of worms for her to think over.
Focusing on the action in front of her Twilight smiled as Rarity hovered three runes above her head.  Rarity was clearly concentrating hard, her eyes focused on the runes as she made them float in front of her.  Rath studied them for a brief moment, before suddenly snatching them out of the air.
“Good.  Now, go to the other end of the field.  I’m going to hurl them at you.  You catch them.”
Rarity blinked.  “I beg your pardon?”
“Normally.”  Rath reached into the bag at his waist and pulled out some more runes.  “This is how it works.”  He flicked the rune upwards into the sky, as if flipping a coin.  He held up his finger, which started to glow with dark energy, similar to the dark energy that Twilight used at times.  As the rune fell Rath struck it on the writing with his glowing finger.  Twilight saw the rune flash, then the thing seemed to crumble, and a small breeze lifted and flew from where the rune had been.  “But you don’t have fingers.  Or thumbs.  I have to make sure you will be able to give it enough lift to strike it.”
“…dear…”  Rarity grabbed the runes with her magic and held them in front of her.  “Can’t I just hold them in front of my face, like this?”
Rath turned his skull and his lights blinked.  “…well shit, take away all my fun why don’t you?”
“…that’s how you use runes?”  Twilight blinked.  “Magic in your time must have been…strange.”  She had this image of human mages flicking pebbles at each other, and it honestly made her want to laugh.
“We can all have magic bones stuck to our foreheads.”  Rath growled at her.  He turned to stare at Rarity.  “Alright…fine.  Let’s see you use one in practice.  You see the wind one to your left?  Let’s see you make a breeze.  Just visualize a breeze in your mind.  Focus…”
Rarity turned her eyes to the wind rune.  She flung it upwards with her magic, and let her magic envelop it.  Twilight grinned as the rune disappeared like before and summoned a breeze similar to the one that Rath made.
“Alright, now, the fun part.”  Rath smiled and suddenly flicked a few more runes into the air.  “Got to make sure you can do it under pressure!  Dodge!”  Twilight’s wings shot up in shock as a small fireball was suddenly hurled towards Rarity.  She gasped and shielded the shocked Rarity.  Rath shook his skull.  “You are missing the point.”
“Oh no, I get the point.  But if it gets to close to her, then I am shielding her.  You aren’t hurting her.”  Twilight snarled.
“That’s not how it’s done.”
“Welcome to modern Equestria, that’s how it’s done here.”
Rath glared at Twilight, then flicked a few more runes into the air.  “Very well.”  A stream of water, a large breeze, and a few lightening bolts arched towards both ponies.  Twilight lowered her head and blocked them before they got to Rarity.  She looked behind her at the still recovering unicorn.  
“Get him!  I’ll watch your back!”
Rarity gulped and nodded.  She floated up a few of her own runes and shot them towards Rath.  Five fireballs appeared, but Rath backed up one step, pulling what appeared to be a wand out wherever he kept things, and waved it.  Twilight blinked at the dark red barrier that suddenly popped up and snorted.  That was right.  If he was a lich that must mean he knew a few necromantic spells in addition to runes.  
“How much necromancy do you know, and how do you know it?  I thought you just knew runes.”
“Necromancy was actually fairly new when I learned it.  My Clan’s enemies were fierce, and used a lot of dark magic against us.  We turned to darker forces to match them.  I was originally a Runecaster, like all leaders of my clan, but we needed something stronger.  I turned to necromancy, but I never forgot Runecasting.  When my kin went to far I turned back to it to save them.  But I didn’t forget necromancy either.”  Rath snorted.  “I am not teaching you that.”
“I’m not asking you to.”  Twilight said.  She repressed a small shudder.  While it may have been true that Rath didn’t kill Clover, and he may be helping them, that didn’t change the fact that necromancy was, for most ponies, a fairly vile form of magic.  Twilight always believed that it was intent that was important, not the nature of the magic, but it was hard to see good intent in the raising of dead bodies.  There wasn’t much wiggle room in summoning up the souls of the departed, or desecrating the dead.  A part of her wanted to ask Rath about it, but most of her did not.  There was a part of her that didn’t want to be judgmental, even though most of her brain was unsettled by it.
“Good.”  Rath snarled again.  More lighting, more fire, but Twilight blocked all of it as Rarity prepared more runes.  She was a bit relieved that he seemed reluctant to share the necromancy he knew.  Maybe that was a good sign.
It was going to be a long day.





It had been stormy that day, and Draggle could only barely remember why she was hanging around Fizzy.  In fact, no, Fizzy had been the one hanging around her.  She wanted to be friends, but the witch wasn’t having any of it.  Fizzy had a strange stubborn streak that Draggle didn’t know about, and the young mare had stuck to her side ever since she and Wind Whistler had come back from the Volcano.
“I don’t want you around.  I’m not your friend!”
“Not yet.  But it takes time.  That’s what Wind Whistler says.”
It didn’t matter what she said.  Fizzy was persistent.  Even as the more…energetic baby ponies had started to pull pranks on Draggle, even as the Baby Sea Ponies made it clear they saw her as something to launch balls at.  Even as she retaliated on them (and certain bossy ponies had not been happy at said retaliation, oh not at all), after all that, and Fizzy was still trying to be friendly.
And when the damn horse had followed her into the woods, and Draggle forgot a bunch of the pointless wandering.  Memories were like that.  Sometimes they were…edited.  But the part that wasn’t edited…was important.  She could remember Fizzy staying with her even as the night fell.  Draggle half expected her to be gone the next morning.
But she hadn’t.  When the sun rose Fizzy had still been right there, and Draggle wasn’t sure why she was so grateful for that.  She didn’t act a bit differently towards Fizzy, expect when she put her hand on the cheerful unicorn’s head and stopped telling her to go away.  And she never did.  Never.  And Fizzy never stopped being so damn upbeat.  It was irritating.  But not really.
But if she kept thinking about that, then the damn Changeling Queen would keep feeding on her, and grow stronger.  And Draggle didn’t want that. 
More memories kept bubbling up, and each time it seemed to rock Draggle’s mind back just a bit more.  It was like she was living the last three years of her life all over again, only for some reason Chrysalis and her mind powers seemed to be able to drege up the most positive memories, and glossed over the bad ones.  It didn’t matter how much she tried to remember the bad ones as a counter, someone Chrysalis managed to bring her mind back to the positive ones.  The times when Catrina, a much more patient teacher then her mother, had helped her with the spells that witches normally used.  For one thing the fierce catwoman actually paused to explain the basic steps.  That had helped.  She could remember the ponies, most of them anyway, slowly starting to accept her and she was failing them.  If she didn’t find a way to stop this from happening…
But then she woke up.  Or at least it felt like waking up.  She wondered how much of that was dreaming, and how much was the Changeling feeding.  It was damn hard to tell, and her brain felt like someone had taken a hard brush and vigorously scrubbed it.  She blinked and shook her head.  She didn’t realize her eyes had the green glow of a person hypnotized by the Changelings, nor did she notice that it was actually fading.  She did notice that was starting to focus more, though what she saw didn’t bring her any comfort.  Still in the dungeon.  Still stuck to a wall, and that egg that Chrysalis was cooing over was getting bigger, and pulsing more.  It was a disgusting, slimy thing, and Draggle disliked it more and more with each pulse.
Chrysalis looked up at her and frowned.  “…interesting.  You can’t be stronger then Shining Armor…not mentally at least.  Yet you recover faster…perhaps its because I didn’t catch you off guard?”  The Changeling Queen shook her head.  Shining Armor’s mind had been easier to break into, but then again the stallion had though her the love of his life at the time.  “No matter I suppose.”
Draggle sneered and attempted to break the goo again.  Her limbs barely twitched, and she wondered if that meant she was getting weaker from Chrysalis’s feeding, or the goo was just getting stronger.
Chrysalis suddenly smiled and walked over.  She lifted her hoof and slammed it against the goo gluing Draggle down.  The goo shattered on impact. With a grunt of surprise at the action, Draggle attempted to haul herself up, intending to make a break for the door.  She didn’t know why Chrysalis was letting her go, and at that moment she didn’t care.  She lifted herself up by the elbows, and promptly slid back down again.  She attempted to roll over and us her hands to lift herself, but again slid back down.  She glared up Chrysalis, unable to get herself up.
“I keep telling you it’s pointless.  The goo is hardly needed now.  No matter how much your mind resists, you’re still too powerless to run.  You might as well just lay there.  No one is coming to save you, and you certainly can’t save yourself.”
Draggle snorted and tried to lift herself up again.  Her arms shook, and once again refused to support her.  This time when she slid back down she stayed down.  
Chrysalis smiled again, and turned back to her egg.  Her tattered horn glowed, and once again showered the egg in light…
The Rainbow between Megan’s home world ‘Earth’, and Ponyland was far more stable then the mirror Rainbows.  So stable that ponies were able to go to her, and vice versa, frequently.  One of the things that Megan and her siblings had brought back was a ‘t.v.’  Somehow it worked in Ponyland, though Draggle wasn’t sure how (Danny would always babble something about batteries and she had no idea what the twerp meant).  The strange metal and glass was a mystery to her, as well as the V.C.R that had come with it.  Either way, Megan and her siblings had wanted to share their culture’s treasures with the Ponylanders.  Almost each Ponylander had a different favorite ‘tape’, but every so often the Earthlings insisted on seasonal events.
On of these was Danny’s Halloween Marathon.  Most of the tapes he brought were brightly painted artwork that he called toons.  They were silly, harmless, and in a few cases very insulting to witches, and the first night Draggle had almost given up on it.  However, Danny insisted that she come back after the younger ponies were asleep for ‘the good stuff’.  Since he had made sure Megan wasn’t around when he spoke of the ‘good stuff’…well she couldn’t help but be interested.
And to her surprise this ‘stuff’ was indeed good, or at least better then what had been shown before.  Danny had kept the volume low, as while Megan had gone to the nursery to ward off baby pony nightmares, there still was a chance she might spy them, and Danny indicated that she, and their parents, wouldn’t be happy with the tapes he had snuck in.  But Draggle had been fascinated.  Most of them were bloody, and gross, and of course a creature like Draggle, when faced with people getting their faces chewed off by a monster from ‘outer space’, had been less of a visual horror and more of a work of art.  She wasn’t quite sure what Danny saw in these films, but about halfway through something called Halloween, named after the holiday, and Draggle had stopped caring why Danny had brought them and just enjoyed the show.  Though he did shoot her odd looks every time she laughed at a particularly nasty death.  She thought that Danny was testing his courage, seeing has how Gusty had also been there declaring that Danny had nothing in his catalogue that could scare her.
So, when the queen’s egg pod slit open down the middle, and ooze poured out onto the ground, Draggle was reminded of that Alien tape.  It had been a very fun movie.  
Although now she sort of understood why Gusty had ended up hiding behind the couch now. 
She once again tried to get up, but once again nothing happened.  All she could do was watch as a long, dainty, holed hoof emerged from the egg pod.  There was a wiggle, and a long horn emerged.  A shake of the pod, and the egg fell on its side.  Another hoof emerged and pulled itself from the oozy mess.  The baby queen shook the ooze away from herself, lifted her head, and cheeped.
Draggle blinked.
It was adorable.
Maybe it was the witch instincts, or maybe it was just naturally cute, as most babies tend to be.  It had huge, strangely innocent looking green eyes, which gazed around its surroundings with open curiosity.  Maybe it was the look on its face that helped with the cute factor.  It didn’t show any of the malicious hate that its mother had.  It was tiny, smaller then the little worker Changelings (who was hovering around, humming happily at the little queen), and while it wasn’t cuddly or fluffy, it didn’t seem particularly evil.  Granted it didn’t radiate innocence and light like the pony babies, but it wasn’t a totally evil creature.  It was just…there.
Chrysalis smiled and poured some more of the stolen love into the baby, who squealed adorably and bounced in front of her mother.  Draggle just watched, not sure how to feel about this.  They were the enemy.  Both of them.  She had to remember that.
As she was remembering that a bright pink bit of fuzz literally exploded into the room from somewhere near the floor.  Draggle wasn’t sure where.  Chrysalis turned and hissed, covering her young with a leg.  The worker and drone Changelings also hissed.  Draggle looked at the pink thing and for a moment was hopeful.  Then she noticed that Pinkie’s huge eyes were yellow instead of blue, and her heart sank a bit.  She wasn’t sure she was ready for a corrupted Pinky Pie.
Pinky didn’t pay her any mind though.  Instead she bounced over to Chrysalis and her young, grinning.  Pinkie grinned happily, a perfectly normal Pinky grin.  
“Happy Birthday!”  Pinkie smiled down at Chrysalis’s child and started to sing her happy birthday song, interchanged with a few lyrics about slaying the innocent and drinking the blood of virgins.  Chrysalis blinked at the corrupted pony.
“…First, how did you know about my egg?  Two, we don’t eat ponies, stop singing to my daughter about eating ponies.  Third…what is wrong with you?”
“Oh I know everypony’s birthday!  It’s part of my talents!  And there’s nothing wrong with me!  I’m just…Nightmared I guess?”  Pinkie tilted her head and giggled.  It was actually somewhat chilling.
Draggle snorted and glared at Pinkie.  “I can’t tell if you’re more or less annoying now.”
“Awww,”  Pinkie’s grin was now distinctly more sinister as she smiled at Draggle.  “You stupid thing.  You’re still trying to be a pony?  You know none of your friends give a damn about you now?  I know, because I’m good at that.”
Draggle hissed.  “You’re lying.”
“No, no I’m not.”
“They’re only acting like it because of the corruption.”
“Then why aren’t I that different?  Shouldn’t I be all mean and gloomy?  But I’m not.  I feel just as happy as before!”  Pinkie bounced.  “They were just nice to you because that’s their tradition.  They didn’t like you for you.”  Pinkie lowered her head and hissed.  “Not even Wind Whistler.  I asked her.  She only helped you because that’s what ponies do.”
Draggle just stared.  “No…” She hesitated.  “No way.”
“Believe me or don’t.  I’m not the one leaving you here to rot.”  Pinky laughed and went back to singing at the Changeling princess.  The little creature buzzed towards Pinky and started to bounce around her, laughing happily.  Chrysalis watched them, but as long as Pinkie didn’t hurt her child she seemed willing to let Pinkie play with her.
Draggle tried to get up a few more times, but again, nothing seemed to work.  All she could do was lay there and watch a silly pink pony play around with the Changelings.





Twilight surprised a growl of frustration as night fell.  While she knew she couldn’t rush this, that didn’t make the waiting any easier.  They had practiced all day, and while Rarity had become ‘passable’ in Rath’s words, both ponies had become exhausted.  Rath had merely become even more annoyed.
“I think tomorrow I can teach you the sequence.  You have the basics, but it requires three specific ones in a row.  I’d rather not try it when you’re tired…please tell me you have something you can test it on?”  Rath asked.  “Something nice and evil, hopefully infected by the Nightmare as well?”
Twilight blinked.  “We do have a few corrupted ponies around.”
“Good.”  Rath smacked his bony hands together.  “We can see if the sequence works with them.”
Twilight stared at him.  “You mean you don’t know?”
“Your princesses stoned me before I could figure out if the work Clover and I did worked.”  Rath glared.  “Blame them.  Also, blame them if they explode.”
“Oh no no no.  You are not going to explode ponies!  There has to be another way to see if it will work!”  Twilight protested.  “I can summon dark energy!”
“Yes, but are going to infect say, a harmless woodland critter for me to test it on?”  Rath asked.
“Argh!”  Twilight stamped.  “I don’t like it!”
“It’s not like it’s completely untested.”  Rath said calmly.  “It’s actually fairly simple.  I had tested it on a few dark things in our world with Clover, just not a pony.  This one here.”  Rarity and Twilight both looked at the lich as he produced a rune in the shape of an eye.  “Is called Reveal.  Normally I can use it to say, spy on people, fine hidden objects, tell if you’re telling me a lie, things like that.  But in this case you use it to alter your vision to see the darkness within a soul.  It’s like looking at someone covered in dirt, only it’s a dark aura.  Then you use this one.”  He pulled out other, which appeared to be more lines.  “Is called Separation.  You use it to separate the good from the bad.  The last is Dispel.”
“I know that one.”  Twilight said.  “Unicorns use it all the time to cancel a spell.”
“I bet it’s that fucking booky watered down version.”  Rath grumbled, and Twilight glared at him.  “This will destroy the evil a lot better…but naturally you’ll have to make sure you are totally focused on the darkness, and not the person.  Or pony.”  Rath stared at Rarity.  “You got that?”
Rarity gulped and nodded.  All of a sudden she really didn’t want to do this.  It sounded complicated, and while she wanted to help their new friends, if she failed they’d be hurt.  Or exploded.  Neither of which sounded at all good to her.
“Alright, try it tomorrow.”  Before Twilight or Rarity could react, Rath suddenly glowed red and shot straight down into the ground.  Twilight couldn’t really tell how he had done it…although the grass seemed a bit disturbed.
“How…did he do that?”  Rarity asked.
“Well, he is undead.  Maybe he sank into the ground?”  Twilight theorized.
Rarity shivered, her ears lowering.  Twilight looked at her and patted her on the shoulder.  
“Are you okay?”
“I…honestly don’t know, Twilight.”  Rarity said.  “At first I wanted to help, but what if it doesn’t work?  What if I end up killing those poor ponies?  Or if I can’t make the spell work.”  Rarity stared at the grass.  “I know what I said to that creature, but I’m not you.  I’ve never done anything like this before.”
“Hey.”  Twilight nuzzled her.  “We’ve saved the world before.”
“But that was different, dear.  It was with all of us.  Without the Elements, what can I do?”  Rarity asked.
Twilight shook her head.  “I have a few ideas…get some sleep, Rarity.  He had a point.  We can’t do anything if we are to tired.”
Rarity smiled at her, her confidence returning.  She, like all of the Element Barers, had faith in Twilight.
Twilight only hoped that she could live up to the faith.






The next morning Twilight and Rarity had gathered once again with the forces of Ponyland and Equestria.  Everypony, and everything else allied with the ponies, had been inoculated, and hopefully they would last for Twilight’s plan to work.  And she did have a plan.  She had been working all night on it.  
She was sure it would work.  Positive.
“The plan is simple.”  Twilight began, pulling out her magical flow chart, which had been changed during the night from magical methods to battle plans.  “I want to go over this before the guards come with the corrupted ponies, just in case something happens we don’t want this getting back to Tirac.”
Galaxy squinted at the chart.  “…why do I have a bad feeling about this?”  She muttered to Ribbon.  Ribbon shrugged.  She hoped it was just the situation in general and not something specific in Twilight’s plan.
“The first part is based on a theory.”  Twilight said; ignoring the slightly wide-eyed look Galaxy was giving her.  The poor unicorn’s danger senses were starting to work on overload.  “If this creature is a mixing of the Nightmare and Tirac, it means that it will likely bear grudges.  Since myself and my friends beat it before, as did Megan here.”  She nodded at the human.  “It makes sense that Tirac will leap at the chance to claim us.  Therefore, if we dangle a large target in front of him, he will be drawn to it, and therefor the leave the Heart venerable.  Now, I’ll need most of the leaders on this team, as well as the bulk of our forces.”  Twilight paused as the assembled masses shifted uncomfortably at this thought, but no one interrupted.  “Now, normally we’d send a smaller force in to take the Heart, but I think Tirac would expect that.  That’s why, in addition to Team Purify, I also propose Team Break Things.”
“…Team…break things?”  Majesty blinked at Twilight.
“Basically, a second, larger team to sneak into the fort, and then cause as much chaos as they can.  Free prisoners, kick things over, burn tapestries, whatever you need to do to attract attention away from the Heart, and away from Team Purify.”
“I volunteer to lead that team.”  Cadence suddenly stepped forwards.  Twilight hadn’t noticed her there before, but the princess was clearly agitated.  “My husband is still there.  I have no issue taking that castle down brick by brick to find him.”
“I’ll go!  Come on, Megan, It’s right up my alley!”  Danny begged Megan.  
Megan looked at him, and for a moment Twilight thought she was going to say no, until Danny continued.  
“Megan, Surprise is there.”
Megan sighed and nodded.  “Stay close to the alicorn, and be careful.”  
Danny grinned.  It was the kind of grin that Twilight usually saw on Discord, and she almost felt sorry for the poor villains that would come across Team Break Things.
Along with Cadence and Danny, five guardponies volunteered for Team Break Things, among them, much to Twilight’s interest, the pegasus Flash Sentry.  Twilight once again wondered how much the pony version was like the human, but right now it hardly mattered.  There was no time to talk about it, and it seemed weird to talk to a pony that she only really knew as a human.  Also accompanying Team Break Things was a Flutter Pony named Honeysuckle, two griffins (who seemed to like the idea of invading a place simply to break it), a diamond dog (why where they still here?) and to Twilight’s surprise the oddly grumpy Ponylander Truly.  She wondered why the Ponylander kept glaring at everypony on Team Break Things if she was going to volunteer for said team, but it seemed that Truly was just the sort to be argumentative.
Either way, Twilight nodded and continued.  “Team Purify has one goal.  To get Rarity to the Heart so she can purify it.  The rest of us will lay siege to the castle, as the main distraction.”
“I can lead her through the castle.”  Red Spike waved a claw, and his gaggle of Bushwoolies leaped to volunteer as well.  “I lived there for a while.”
“If he’s going, so am I.”  Green Spike said with a defiant look at Twilight, as if daring her to defy him.  Twilight was about to forbid it, but then she remembered Sombra, and how he had been the hero.  She remembered how much help he had been in the human world.  While she didn’t like it, he would probably be safer with Rarity then in a large battle, and she had a feeling he wouldn’t tolerate being shoved to a medic tent again.  She could see it in his eyes.
“Alright.  Be careful.”  Twilight tried to swallow the lump in her throat, and she wondered if she was giving her Spike the same look Megan was shooting her brother.
“Dogs go to.”  Twilight, still not sure why the mutts were here, nodded at Rover as he and his followers slide over towards Rarity, who looked at them in surprise.
“You don’t have to.”  She started, but the dog leader interrupted him.
“Much to make up for.  We help.”  Rover insisted.  Green Spike glared at the dog, but didn’t object.  Maybe he realized they needed all the help they could get.
“Now, all we have to do is test out the runes, Rarity?”  Twilight looked at Rarity, who gulped, but nodded.  Twilight looked around, and realized the lich wasn’t anywhere in sight.  “Hey, where’s-“
“Are all your plans this stupid?”
Twilight didn’t jump as Rath suddenly appeared behind her.  She looked down to notice a bit of disturbed earth, and figured that he had simply popped out like…well a zombie.  She wondered if he had been down there the entire time, watching them somehow.
“You got a better one?”  Twilight challenged, and Rath shrugged.  
“Don’t care, honestly.”  He turned his body and blinked at Rarity.  “Well, might as well see if this is going to work.”  He clapped his skeletal hands together, making a dry rattling sound that sent shivers down Twilight’s spine.  “Now, where are the victims?”  
“…did you really need the evil chuckle there?”  Green Spike deadpanned at the lich.
“Alright.”  Twilight flew down to Majesty, Megan and Cadence.  “Get yourselves ready, we’re going to Canterlot to test the magic out.  We’ll be right back.”
Twilight was almost afraid that they would start to panic.  She was a lot better with a group of five then a small army of ponies and other assorted magical things, but to her relief Galaxy and Megan started to organize the Ponylanders, Rosedust began to organize the…ten or so Flutter Ponies that had survived.  Most of the other factions followed their lead, and Twilight was relieved to see Cadence going through the army as well, making sure everything was going smoothly.  She nodded, her confidence growing.
Rarity steeled herself and walked over to Twilight.  Twilight looked at Rath and waved him over with her hoof.  She wasn’t sure if the creature was amused or concerned or indifferent.  It was very hard to read a skull.  
“More teleportation?”  Rath folded his arms and appeared to glare down at Twilight.  
“I’m not walking.”  Twilight said, and before the irritating thing could complain some more she teleported them all to Celestia’s throne room.
“Gaaah, I hate sparkle magic!  It’s bloody itchy!”  Rath bellowed, his voice echoing through the throne room.  Celestia, who had been organizing the guard in case of invasion, looked up and frowned in a slightly irritated manner for a brief moment.  She turned and trotted over to them.  
“I assume you’re here to help the Ponylanders infected with the Nightmare, right?”  Celestia looked very deliberately at Rath, who again folded his arms with a small rattle.
“No.  Prissy there is.”  Rath pointed to Rarity.
“My name’s Rarity.”  The unicorn objected, but Rath just snorted…somehow.  Twilight couldn’t help but wonder how the world he made noises that technically required a throat and nose.
Celestia smiled and stepped closer to Rath.  “I realize we made a mistake, but if you ju-“
“I’ve heard enough of your friendship lectures in stone.”  Rath shook his head.  “Let’s skip the crap and get to business.”
“Very well.”  Celestia closed her eyes, not pleased with the lich’s outright rejection, but she realized that it may take a long time to repair what she and Luna had done in their haste.  She suppressed a sigh.  For all the reverence her little ponies gave her, Celestia knew she wasn’t perfect.  Still, dwelling wasn’t going to solve anything.  
Rath glared down at Rarity.  “Let’s get this over with.  The bright pastels are hurting my eyes.”
“You don’t have eyes.”  Twilight retorted.
“…they’re hurting the –memory- of my eyes.”  Rath turned his skull again, and he unfolded his arms.  Twilight looked, and noticed he was looking at one of the windows depicting great events in the history of Equestria.  It was, in fact, the same one that illustrated the defeat of the Windigos.  Maybe it was just her imagination, but she had the thought that Rath was gazing at the small figure of Clover the Clever.  He stared for a minute, before turning his skull towards Celestia.  
“Well, where are the victims?”  Rath grumped.  “I didn’t teach Prissy here for my health.”
Celestia sighed.  “Right this way.”  



Like the Ponyville jail, the Canterlot dungeons rarely held ponies.  That is not to say there were never used, they were just used much less then your average jail.  However, there was much less dust, as Celestia did have a small army of servants to maintain it.  The first three cells of the dungeon were now occupied by Magic Star, Ember, and the Ponyland Applejack.  With them, sitting outside with the guards next to a small table, was the pony that Twilight Sparkle had to keep telling herself was not her mom.  
Twilight Unicorn turned her head as Celestia opened the door to the dungeon, followed by the others.  The Ponylander pricked her ears and stood up.  Twilight Sparkle folded her wings and for a moment the two of them stared at each other.
“I…don’t think we really met.  I’m Twilight Sparkle.”  Twilight Sparkle said gently.
Twilight Unicorn smiled.  “I’m Twilight as well…you’re a winged unicorn, correct?”
“An alicorn, right.”  Twilight Sparkle smiled, but it faded as her eyes turned to the captives.  “Are they okay?”
Twilight Unicorn sighed and ducked her head.  “They’ve barely spoken to me.”
“There’s not much to say.”  Magic Star sneered at Twilight Unicorn.  “What do you think you’re going to do?  Wish us back to being weak like you?”
“The magic of friendship-” Twilight Sparkle started, but Magic Star laughed.
“Is that all you morons can talk about?  Give it a damn rest!”
“…I like them better this way.”  Rath said.
Twilight Sparkle snorted.  “Okay, fine, we’ll skip it.  Rarity.  Zap them.”
“One at a time.”  Rath said, leaning against the wall casually.
Rarity nodded and hovered the three required runes in front of her as she approached Magic Star.  The Ponylander started to curse rather creatively at her, Rarity had no idea why one would do such things to a rooster, but she knew that she couldn’t listen to Magic Star at the moment.  Instead she focused on the Reveal rune.  She visualized being able to see the darkness within the Ponylanders.  With this little rock she would be able to see the darkness herself.  And then she would be able to fix it.  She concentrated, then allowed the magic to leak into the rune.  
Unlike the dramatic winds and fireballs from before, all Rarity noticed was a flash of blue light, and for a moment all she saw had a blue tinge to it.  She looked at Magic Star and almost gasped.  There it was, swimming under Magic Star’s hide like oil under water.  Rarity gulped, suppressing her urge to draw back in horror at the filth.  Why did it have to look like gross sticky oil?  No matter.  It almost made it easier.  She was getting rid of something dirty.  She was going to make this Ponylander right again.  Like a spa trip.
Rarity raised the second rune, the Separate Rune.  She knew exactly what she wanted out of it.  Separate the good from the evil.  She focused on Magic Star and unleashed the rune.  To her surprise she felt a sudden pain in her horn as the dark sludge within Magic Star reacted to her casting.  The ick slid slowly out of Magic Star’s ear, but at a slow, horrible pace that made the Ponylander cry out in pain.  Rarity gasped.
“Don’t be weak now, unicorn.”  Rarity heard Rath, but it seemed to close.  Wasn’t he still leaning against the wall?  “I don’t pass my runes to the weak.  Do it.  If your kind are still anything like Clover, you will.”
Rarity gritted her teeth.  It was almost like using her real magic, but the grip was tenuous and slippery.  Rarity focused on the oil.  There was no way it was going to win!  She was going to pull that horror out and purge it!  It WOULD come out!  With a mental and magical yank and a heartbreaking scream from Magic Star (Rarity could hear the Ponyland Twilight screaming as well, but she had to ignore it or she would lose her focus), Rarity managed to separate the last of Nightmare from Magic Star.  
With far more effort then usually took, Rarity lifted the last of the runes, but her eyes were on the floating blob of Nightmare that was currently hovering over Magic Star.  Rarity barely noticed that the other pony was leaning down, her nose to the floor and panting in pain.  She couldn’t notice.  Dispel.  Destroy it.  
With a small flick the Dispel rune flew at the Nightmare.  Rarity could have sworn that the Nightmare screamed the moment the rune hit it.  There was a small eruption of magic releasing, and Rarity rocked back a pace.  She blinked, and stepped a bit closer to the bars of Magic Star’s cell.  The Ponylander was on her side, still breathing, but apparently knocked out.  Rarity looked down and blinked as Magic Star’s hide began to lighten and brighten.  Rarity thought it looked more like it had before.
“Did…it work?”  Rarity studied Magic Star as Magic Star stirred.  Magic Star lifted her head and blinked.  Rarity smiled.  Magic Star’s eyes were losing the terrible yellow glow, and fading back to her natural color.  
“Magic Star?”  Twilight Unicorn gently pushed Rarity aside and looked down at her friend.  “Are you okay?”
“Twilight I…I…”  Magic Star sobbed and flung her hooves out of the bars around Twilight Unicorn’s neck.  For a moment Rarity was afraid that it was a trick, and Magic Star was going to throttle Twilight Unicorn.  However, to her relief that didn’t happen.  Instead Magic Star leaned her head against the bars, close to Twilight Unicorn, and sobbed even more.
“I’m sorry Twilight, I’m so sorry.”
As best she could with metal bars in the way, Twilight Unicorn reached out and hugged the younger mare.
“It’s alright.  It’ll be alright…”
Rarity backed up and looked behind her.  Rath was still standing there, and it didn’t look like had moved at all.  But she was sure she had heard him.  The lich just looked at her and waved casually at the next pony in line, Ember.
Rarity nodded, and turned to Ember.  The young corrupted pony looked at her with some amount of fear.  Or maybe it was just the Nightmare that was scared.
Good.  It should be scared.  By the time I am done, there isn’t going to be any left.
Rarity raised the runes, and prepared to do it all again.

> Chapter Twenty-Three
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty-Three


It seemed that after going through two more purifying sessions, Rarity found it was getting easier and easier to preform this primitive magic.  She still was not totally comfortable with it, but seeing the Ponylanders finally free of it was very satisfying for Rarity.  Despite her fears of accidently hurting them, the magic seemed to be working like a charm.  Even Rath didn’t seem inclined to complain about their progress.  By the time Rarity was done she was starting to perspire a bit, which displeased her greatly, but she knew that would be fixed with a nice long shower later.  Right now she had a bigger job looming ahead of her.  
Twilight Sparkle explained the basic plan to the newly restored Ponylanders.  Magic Star nodded after Twilight Sparkle was done explaining.
“We’ll help you in any way we can.  Right?”  She looked at Ember and the other Applejack.  Twilight Sparkle still found looking at both her and Twilight Unicorn strange.  The orange earth pony was almost the total double of their AJ, and the pale unicorn was almost exactly like Twilight Sparkle’s own mother.  It was hard for her, even with Twilight Unicorn’s shape, to not refer to the Ponylander as ‘mom’.  Even Twilight Sparkle’s mind went ‘oh, there’s my mother’, without thinking about it.  You would think that with Ponylander’s looking so different then Equestrians that it would be easy to not think of Twilight Unicorn this way, but for some reason it wasn’t.  It must be even worse for poor Applejack, both of them.  
Twilight Sparkle nodded and got to her hooves.  “We need as many hooves on deck as we can get.  I’d be honored if you helped us.”
Celestia, who had been watching all this from the stairs, trotted all the way in and came to stand beside the younger alicorn.  “I’m going to send as many of my remaining guards as I can, and I’ve asked the Wonderbolts to lend some aerial support. You’re going to need all the help you can get.”
Although Twilight Sparkle was not to confidant in the abilities of the Wonderbolts after the incident with Spike, and the Rainbow Falls thing…and the scene at the young fliers competition, she had to admit that any help was useful at this point.  Besides, they wouldn’t have to win, just hold out long enough for Rarity to purify the Heart.  And the Wonderbolts were fast and maneuverable, perfect for distracting Tirac’s forces.  She looked up at Celestia.  “Princess…are you coming to?”
For a moment Celestia hesitated, then shook her head.  “Cadence and you are going.  While I don’t like the idea of letting you two go alone, the fact is that Luna and I should stay here.  In the unlikely event you fail.”  Celestia smiled gently at Twilight, indicating that she had little doubts that Twilight would win, regardless of her precautions.  “We will be needed here.”
Twilight Sparkle nodded and looked at Rath.  “What about you?”
The skeleton turned his skull towards her.  “I’ll go over with you.”
“And you’ll help us?”
“I’ll do what I can.”
Twilight didn’t like the way he kept dodging an actual promise to help them during the fight.  It didn’t help that his skull was totally unreadable.  The creature could be thinking anything at all, and Twilight would have no idea what was going on in there until it was potentially too late.  On the other hoof so far he had fulfilled his promise to help, and his runes had worked on the corrupted ponies very well.  Twilight wished she had more time to get to know him, but she didn’t.  She just had to have a little faith.
Twilight Sparkle gave one last nod to Celestia, taking comfort in the older alicorn’s gentle smile.  Knowing that her mentor had confidence in her made Twilight feel a lot better.  She walked back towards the group.  
“Alright, let’s head back to the gate.  I think we’re ready to go.”
“What’s the plan?”  Magic Star asked.
Twilight Sparkle opened her mouth to explain when the stupid lich rapped her on the head and growled.  “Enough jabbering.  Let’s move.  If I stay any longer in your world I’m going to start eating the damn pigeons.”
“…undead don’t eat.”
“Okay, grinding them to death.  With my teeth.”  Rath growled.  Twilight Sparkle glared at him.
“Fine.”  She looked at Magic Star.  “We’re distracting Tirac.”  Magic Star nodded as Twilight Sparkle fired up her horn, teleporting them all (minus Celestia and Luna) back to the gate.
“…Sister…are you sure we can’t put that one back into stone later?”  Luna asked, pointing a hoof to where Rath had been standing.
“I’ll check the library.”  Celesta said.  “Even if he didn’t kill Clover, that doesn’t mean he’s being honest with us.  I’d like to have a backup, just in case.”



Twilight Sparkle stared at the mirror, then looked down at the apparently still snoozing Ribbon.  She would have liked to know how the unicorn’s dream walking skills worked, and if they were related to Luna’s dream walking.  She looked up at Galaxy, who was watching over the other unicorn as well.  The rest of the army of ponies and assorted Equestrians were mingling, getting used to one other.  There was no way they could get to Ponyland without the mirror working, but fortunately they had Ribbon’s magic to help them.  Twilight didn’t know who Ribbon could contact over there, but she thought she could find someone free.  Apparently this Scorpan person that Red Spike kept talking about used to be under Tirac’s original spell, so it was very likely that he would be resistant this time around.  Hopefully.
“You think she can reach him?”  Twilight asked Galaxy.  She might as well learn as much as she could while they were just sitting here.  “It does work on creatures other then ponies.”
Galaxy nodded.  “Not as well on other creatures, but it works.  She contacted Megan once with it.  They just have to be asleep for her to make contact.  And he has to go to sleep at some point.”  Galaxy sighed.  “She might not be able to get one or two words out though.  It’s always shaky on certain creatures.”
“What kind of creatures?”  Twilight asked.
“Well, mostly non unicorns.”  Galaxy shrugged.  “I’m not sure why.  Not sure how most of our powers work.  I never really questioned it.  They just…work.”
Before Twilight could question further Ribbon’s eyes opened and she sat up.  “Got him.”
Galaxy smiled and got to her hooves.  “Good news?”
“Not sure.  I only got to say ‘use the mirror’ and he kinda stared at me…he was also in that gargoyle form of his for some reason…” Ribbon shrugged.  “Let’s hope it got through.” 
Twilight concentrated on stopping herself from twitching.  She hated to not be in control of a situation.  But thankfully a few minutes later the mirror sprang to life.  Twilight got to her hooves and amplified her voice.  She was starting to get used to the Royal Canterlot Voice, and was starting to understand why it was probably used.  Ponies in the back of the crowd would need to hear her orders.    
“Everypon-one.  Everyone.  Ribbon and I are going over first.  She’ll come back over and tell the rest of you to come over once we have determined if it’s safe or not.”  The army shifted, but no one objected.  Twilight primed up her shield spell and walked through the portal, followed by Ribbon.  Even if they got caught in a trap, the blue unicorn could still contact others from across dimensions.
After having gone through the portal before Twilight was prepared for the washer machine sensation of going through.  By the time her hooves had hit the ground she had surrounded herself, the mirror, and the just appeared Ribbon in a bubble similar to her brother’s force fields.  She looked up to see a rather bewildered looking gargoyle thing standing beyond the bubble, along with an equally puzzled looking cat creature.  Neither of them had the glowing yellow eyes of the brainwashed.
“You’re Scorpan?”  Twilight Sparkle asked.
“…yes.  Who are you?”
Twilight straightened herself and bowed.  “Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria.  Sorry about the shield, just making sure that we weren’t coming into something we couldn’t handle.”
Scorpan smiled and nodded.  “I understand.”  He bowed his head at Ribbon.  “Nice to see you again, Ribbon, even with circumstances being what they are.”
Ribbon nodded and smiled at him.  Twilight noticed her horn started to glow.  With a jolt she realized the unicorn was reading their minds.  The fact that Ribbon was so calm must mean that the two creatures in front of her were being honest with them, but that didn’t stop Twilight from looking at Ribbon with surprise.  Ribbon looked at her and said.  “You can lower the shield, it’s fine.”  
Twilight did and looked at the two strange creatures.  Neither seemed particularly offended by Ribbon’s mind invasion.  She looked at him.  “You…do know what she’s doing?”
The cat blinked.  “Mind reading?  Yeah.  Sensible.  Why, does it bother you?”
Twilight blinked.  “Well…isn’t it kinda…rude?”
“Since so many of our friends are currently brainwashed, I’d say it’d be dumb for you to trust us without it.”  Scorpan grinned.  “Ribbon won’t dig into anything personal anyway.  We trust her.”
Twilight shrugged and eyed Ribbon’s horn.  It had stopped glowing, which made Twilight feel a little better.  Ribbon, however, didn’t seem to notice Twilight’s eyeing, as she was turning back to the mirror to go get the rest of the army.  Twilight turned to the two Ponyland creatures and lowered her shield.  “We got a pretty large of group of ponies and griffins coming in.”  She looked around, and saw that they were in some sort of underground room with…a pool.  “Where are we?”
“My castle.  The pool is for the Sea Ponies.”  Scorpan said.  He studied her.  “You look a lot like a larger version of some young ponies that stopped by here a few days ago.”
“You met the Cutie Mark Crusaders?”
“…a what?”  The cat asked as he left ear flicked.
“Cutie Mark, it’s what we call the symbols on our flanks in Equestria.”  Twilight Sparkle indicated hers.  “Young ponies have to earn their marks by finding their special talent.  Those three fillies haven’t yet, so they don’t have Cutie Marks.  I know that’s not how it works here, though.”
“Ah…interesting.”  The cat said, giving Twilight’s mark a closer look.  “What does yours mean, if it’s not rude to ask.”
“My talent’s magic.”  Twilight replied.  “And it’s alright, it’s not rude.  By the way, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Catrina.”
“Nice to meet you.”  Twilight looked behind her as ponies began to emerge from the mirror.  “We have a lot to talk about…”
Had Twilight been paying the least bit of attention, she would have noticed a certain skeletal figure exit the portal and slip to the side of the wall.  The rest of the ponies, to busy concentrating on organizing themselves, didn’t notice Rath sink into the dirt, and vanish from sight.



Hydia flipped through a spell book, growling unhappily to herself.  The volcano was quiet, to quiet.  Especially since all the Changelings, and the Pony of Shadows, had left for Midnight castle.  Normally this would have thrilled Hydia, but now the silence was only serving as a remainder that her daughter was trapped by the stinking creatures.  
“Why don’t we just bash them over the head and take her!”  Reeka snarled as she paced around impatiently.
“Because, idiot, there’re hundreds of them, and if we try something they will go after us and catch us before we could out.  Besides, Tirac still thinks we are his allies.  I don’t want to show our hand quite yet.”
“And what are we going to say when he askes where Draggle is!?”
“Lie, moron!  And we’ll keep her locked up where he won’t find her!”
“How is that any different then what the ponies did to her!”
“It’s just till we finish deprograming her!”
“D-what?”
“Un-brainwash.”  Hydia growled.  “It’s for her own good.”
Reeka huffed, but didn’t contradict her mother.
“…I like what you’ve done with the place.”
Reeka whirled around and Hydia looked up.  Rath was standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame and tapping his fingers against his opposite arm.  The lich’s eyes glowed even brighter in the dank dark volcano.
“Who are you?  Don’t you know better then to barge into a witch’s lair!?”  Hydia grabbed her broom and pointed the bristles at Rath threateningly.  Reeka sneered and moved to the side, attempting to flank the intruder.  Rath chuckled.
“…family resemblance…uncanny.  I didn’t think the blood would hold up that way after so long.”  Rath said.
“Who.  Are.  You.”  Hydia leaped off the table where she had been reading and approached Rath, poking her broom closer to him.  As a response Rath unsheathed his sword.  Reeka tensed and almost jumped on him, but Rath instead knelt down to Hydia’s level and let her take a good look at his sword.  She stared at it, then gasped.  
“You can’t…you aren’t!”
“I am.  Swarja Rath.”
Hydia grabbed the hilt of the sword and drew it closer to her.  Rath let it go and allowed Hydia to study it further.  Hydia looked up and snorted.  
“So you have my ancestor’s sword, how do I know you didn’t steal it?”
“I had three daughters.  Badba, Macha, Morrigu.  You should know these names.  One of them was your ancestor.”  He studied her.  “…Morrigu, correct?”
Hydia stared, then nodded slowly.  “How did you know?”
“Eyes.  She had her mother’s.  So do you.”
Hydia snorted, then suddenly clapped her hand onto Rath skull.  She harshly chanted something, to fast for Reeka to follow.  Rath seemed to wince, but didn’t pull back.  After a moment, Hydia took her hand away, her expression changing from suspicion to amazement.
“You aren’t lying.”
“I don’t lie to my family.”
Hydia cackled.  “Wonderful!   You can help us get Draggle back!  And deal with the ponies!”
Reeka kept sneering.  “How’s the bone bag going to help?”
Hydia snarled and went over to shove Reeka.  “Be polite, this is your ancestor!  Show some respect!”  Hydia looked at the lich, who had wandered over to the book she had been reading from.  He had clapped his hands behind him and was just…staring.  “You have an idea, Rath?”
“Hrrrmmmm, books everywhere.  Newfangled shit…” He looked up, his eye-lights blinking.  “…call me Grandpa, I think.  I don’t like being called by my name like that.  Not by you…or her.”
Reeka blinked and nudged Hydia with her elbow.  “He’s weird.”
“He’s old.”  Hydia hissed back.  “Just live with it.  Old people are weird.”  Hydia missed Reeka’s blink of surprise and slight amusement.
“The ponies, all of them, are going to attack Midnight Castle soon.”  Rath said, picking up the book and closing it.  He pitched it into a pile of random crap across the room.  “Perfect time to make our move.”
“We’re going to stop them?”  Reeka asked.
“Fuck no.”  Rath said.  “No point.  They have something that might help them win.  I gave it to them.  That’s why they freed me.”
“Why?”  Reeka glared.  “Why help them?  They’re the enemy!”
“Because right now helping them helps us.  Plus, stupid to antagonize something when you are surrounded by it and their…friends.”  Rath said.  And telling Tirac will only alert him to what we are going to be doing.”
“Which is getting Draggle out of there, right?”  Hydia asked.
“Correct.  We get her out, and since I’m the one that gave the ponies their little advantage in the first place, they will leave us alone, at least for a while.  Which gives you time to get through to your daughter.”  Rath looked in Hydia’s general direction.
“What if Tirac finds out?”  Reeka asked.  
Rath gently took his sword from Hydia and tilted his skull.  “What if he does?”  He spun the weapon in his hand and sheathed it.  
The two witches grinned at him.





By the time that Twilight Sparkle was done explaining her plan, yet again, the room underneath Scorpan’s castle was packed full of various varieties of ponies, griffons, and two humans.  The members of Team Break Things and Team Purify had separated themselves into their two groups already, with the rest of the fighters clustered together.
“Unfortunately there already is an army between us and Midnight Castle.”  Scorpan pointed out, rubbing his long snout.  “You’ll have to break through them.”
Twilight Sparkle frowned.  “If we take to much time in the mist, we could get corrupted eventually.  Your Applejack proved that.”
“Well well now.  Once again the day has to be saved by meeeee.”
Twilight winched as Discord popped into existence, smirking happily.  He was laying on a subwoofer, that had thankfully been turned off, and wearing a pair of headphones.  Scorpan winched.
“…friend of yours?”  He asked Twilight.  She hesitated for a few seconds before saying yes.  She tried to ignore Discord’s brief frown.  She made no secret that she didn’t trust Discord, and she knew he knew.  Still, he seemed to content to behave somewhat as long as Fluttershy was around.  Discord made the subwoofer and the headphones disappear, and he leaned forwards and put a claw around Twilight.  
“Now now, you don’t have to sound so hesitant.  I can get you to Midnight Castle.  I’ll even drop those two separate teams of yours off as well.  Great idea, by the way.  A team dedicated to Chaos!”  Discord practically squeed.  “Glad to see we are all still learning from our friends.”
“Yeah…sure…right.”  Twilight ducked away from Discord.  “If you can teleport all of us there, then do it.”
“Er…Twilight?”
Twilight turned as Rarity galloped up.  “What’s wrong?”
“Have you seen that ghastly lich around?  He gave me some more of the runes before we crossed over, but I lost track of him.”  Rarity shifted.  “I have a bad feeling.”
Discord frowned.  “Lich?  What lich?”
“Rath.  He helped us get the magic that will purify the Heart of Ponyland.”  Twilight said.  She blinked as Discord bared his uneven teeth at her.
“Oh really?  And here I thought I was special.  Sunbutt’s just giving free passes out to everything now, is she?”  Discord snorted.
Twilight blinked again.  “What’s your problem?”
“Nothing, just as long as that creep stays away from Fluttershy.”  Discord said, folding his arms.  “Hate to have a bad influence around.”  Twilight tried not to roll her eyes at him.  “I’m serious, Twilight.  Little ponies shouldn’t play with dead things.  Not even –I- desecrate the dead.”
“…let me guess, you find the dead boring?”  Twilight asked wryly.  When Celestia said ‘little ponies’ it was affectionate.  Discord made it sound like a condescending insult.
“Terribly stiff, you know?  They don’t throw the most lively of parties after all.”  Discord waved a noisemaker around, then stick it in his mouth like a cigar.
“I’ll keep that in mind.  I don’t trust him either.  But right now the most important thing is getting to the Heart.  Care to give us that lift, Discord?”
Discord sighed.  “I can get most of you outside the castle, and I can get the two teams in.  But I don’t know exactly where he’s hidden the Heart, so you’ll have to do that part on your own.  And no, Twilight, I’m not fighting.”
“But-“
“I don’t fight in wars.  I’ll help you, but I don’t do war.  It’s uncomfortable, and not at all fun.  Deal with it.”  Discord lifted his fingers.  “Besides, what’s the fun if I do everything for you?  I’m sure the audience would hate for me to just snap my fingers and fix everything!”
“Wait, what-” Twilight didn’t get to finish her sentence as Discord snapped his fingers.  In an instant Twilight was talking to air.  She could see Midnight Castle, perched on a cliff, half finished, and looming creepily a few gallops away.  “Audience?”
“…I think I loath that thing.  Greatly.”  Catrina, who had been dragged along with Scorpan, grumbled.  She shrugged and looked at Twilight.  “…you going to just trot over there and knock on the front door?”  The cat woman then blinked as the members of Team Break Things and Team Purify vanished with two more pops.
“Well, we are the distraction.”  Twilight spread her wings.  She took a deep breath, and again tried to use the Royal Canterlot Voice.  “TIRAC!  COME OUT AND FIGHT!”
The force of the Voice nearly blew a few griffons backwards and almost toppled a pair of earth ponies.  Clearly taking this as the signal the griffons took to the air, along with the pegasus members of the guard, the Ponylander pegasi, and the Wonderbolts.  The earth ponies and unicorns came to stand beside and behind her, organizing themselves into several rows.  Twilight was pleased to note that the ponies from both world seemed fairly spread out between them.  
Twilight looked to see Galaxy and Majesty stop next to her.  Megan had climbed up on Galaxy’s back, and for some odd reason had a rope in her hands.  Twilight looked to the other side to see her Applejack on her other side.  
“Ya ready fer this, sugarcube?”  Applejack asked, and Twilight noticed with some amusement that she had a rope with her as well.
“I am.”
“Good.  Let’s buck this bastard into next Tuesday.”  Applejack stamped the ground with her hoof, eyes narrowed and determined.
Twilight grinned and faced the castle once more, only to find that absolutely nothing was happening.  A few ponies shifted around and scuffed their hooves.  There were a few coughs.
“Allow me.”  Discord popped back into existence, microphone in claw.  He lifted it to his mouth and let loose with a string of vile insults.  Most of them in some way involved Tirac’s smell, hygiene, person bedroom habits, his taste for the backsides of goats, his intellect, and his mother.  Especially his mother.  Discord finished this tirade with a claim that Tirac was a ‘spongy idle-headed gudgeon’ (whatever that meant), and that he smelled of elderberries.  By the time he was done Twilight was staring at Discord, flabbergasted.
By the time the last insult had echoed off the cliffs, the evil centaur himself had clopped to his battlements to lean over and stare incredulously at the army before his castle.
“Seriously?”  He bellowed at them.  Twilight responded with a well placed beam of lavender energy directly to his face.  He ducked and allowed the energy to blast off a bit of his tower wall.  Tirac turned and started to bellow into the castle.  Now Twilight knew she had his attention.
“There you go!  Have fun, everypony!”  Discord crowed in almost the exact same tone he used before the hedge maze incident, and vanished.  Twilight had a feeing he was probably still around.  Watching them.  And laughing.
But now was not the time to think about that.  The doors to Midnight Castle opened, and a swarm of Dream Valley dwellers poured out of the gates.  Twilight had never seen such a variety of creatures before in her life.  Wings still spread Twilight lowered her head and pawed at the ground.  
“Charge!”  She bellowed, and began to gallop towards Midnight Castle.  As she got closer she started to see individual ponies.  She spotted a few guards from Equestria, but to her disappointment there was no sign of Shining Armor.  Or Pinkie Pie.
Rainbow on the other hand…
“Hey, Twilight!  You better watch out!  We’re going to kick your flanks!”  The corrupted Rainbow Dash, who now looked a bit more like Monochrome Dash, swooped low towards Twilight and Applejack, grinning a wide, mad grin.
“Get down here and we’ll who kicks whose flank, Rainbow!”  Applejack shouted up at Rainbow.  She whipped out her rope and swung the lasso.  Before Rainbow could dodge away Applejack had looped her hind legs and dragged her to the ground.  “Ready to have some sense knocked inta ya?”
Rainbow leaped to her hooves and shook the ropes off.  She grinned wickedly at Applejack.  “Bring it.”  With a buzz of her wings Rainbow was on Applejack, kicking with her hooves in an attempt to smack the farm pony in the face.  Applejack leaped to the side and kicked Rainbow’s wing.  Her own hoof blows were far stronger then Rainbow, and the pegasus flipped over, flailing.  Rainbow skidded on the ground, then leaped into the air, attempting to get the drop on Applejack.  Applejack snorted and dodged, the two competitive ponies leaped and sidestepped and struck at each other, neither in their vast stubbornness willing to give the other any ground.
Twilight had only a few seconds to notice their fight before a huge crab like creature was looming over her, clacking its claws and frowning.
“Sorry ma’am.  But I have to restrain you.”  The head crabnasty rumbled.  Twilight teleported to his head and blasted his hard shell with her magic.  The crab reeled, and Twilight leaped behind him and blasted him again, almost tipping him over. 
“Try it.”  She challenged as the head crabnasty swung his claw at Twilight.  She teleported away into the air, spreading her wings to hover over him as she did so.  Another blast of energy made him step back a pace.  He again went for her with his claws, but Twilight managed to twist away in he air and give him another shot.
“Tip him over, Twilight!”  Megan, still riding Galaxy, galloped over, swinging her lasso.  Galaxy leaped past the head crabnasty, looping her rope around a second crabnasty that was trying to come up behind Twilight and pinch her from behind.  Megan looped the rope around the second crab creature’s legs and pulled, yanking it off balance so Magic Star could come from the side and head-butt it over.  The second crabnasty yelled and wiggled his legs into the air, helpless.
Twilight smirked at the head crabnasty, who gulped as Twilight once more dove for him.



My Queen, there is an orc here for you.
Chrysalis signed as she nuzzled her baby.  She knew that she would probably had to go back to ‘work’ eventually.  She had hoped she would get a few more days with her newly hatched child.  Hoever, even she could hear the Princess of Friendship’s shout, and the ensuing sounds of battle.  She raised herself to her hooves and gave her larva a pat.  She grinned down at Draggle, who gave her a small grin.
“How much you want to bet that’s my ponies?”  She laughed.  “You’re dead.”
“Oh don’t gloat before you’ve won.  Your friends will be on our side soon enough…but if you’re good, I might be willing to arrange for you to see them from time to time.”  Chrysalis said.  “You really should have joined when you had the chance.  Oh well.  To bad.”
“Go hump a cactus.”
“Hmmm, temper temper.”  Chrysalis chuckled as she sauntered to the dungeon door.  The orc standing on the other side was hopping from foot to foot.  
“You come.  Ponies attacking.  Master needs you.”  The orc grunted and turned away.
Chrysalis sighed and summoned a good portion of her warrior Changelings to battle.  The bug like creatures swarmed out the nearest window, which was conveniently down the hall from the dungeons.  Chrysalis followed her kin, swooping around until she spotted the aerial forces arrayed against them.  She could see the useless little Wonderbolts, a gaggle of griffons, and a small amount of guard pegasi and night ponies.  She scanned the crowd, eager to see if her old enemy Cadence was among them.  She mentally sent her forces to support Tirac’s as she scanned the skies for the familiar pink alicorn.  She narrowed her eyes.  There was no way that pink fool would leave her beloved Shining Armor in her clutches.  Perahps she was somewhere hidden, waiting to launch a surprise attack?
A blur of yellow and pink shot towards her, and a for a moment Chrysalis thought it was the yellow element, but then she saw the butterfly wings, and Chrysalis chuckled once more.  Rosedust was no Cadence…but at the same time it would interesting to match wits with the evasive creature again.
“Well well, look who decided to join us!”  Chrysalis grinned as Rosedust flew into range.  The Flutter Pony buzzed fiercely at her.
“I’m here to take back what is mine.”  Rosedust said.
“Hmmm, I don’t think so.  I went easy on you before, bug.  I won’t be so nice this time.”  Chrysalis launched herself at Rosedust, who twisted out of the way.
“You’re more a bug then I!  It’s time to end this!”  Rosedust’s magic flew from her wings to strike at Chyrsalis, but the Changeling queen turned and charged again, fangs bared. 
The two insectiod ponies zipped and zagged in midair, neither landing a true blow.  Rosedust was far to evasive for Chrysalis to land a hit, but the Changeling Qeen was to durable for Rosedust’s relatively weak strikes to have much effect.  So the two of them darted in midair, neither gaining the upper hand, in a stalemate…for now.
All I have to do is wear her down.  She will tire, then I can take her to ground and let the mist deal with her.  As good as a win.
Chrysalis grinned.  It was all a matter of time.  She had plenty, but Rosedust had none.  She couldn’t help but wonder if the Flutter Pony knew that or not.  Regardless, she would realize it in time, but by then it would far to late.




Cadence had found herself and her allies in what appeared to be the kitchens.  Cadence couldn’t help but wonder if Discord planned this.  Whatever the reason, they were now in a nice large area with plenty of things to toss around, tear open, throw at the walls and dump.  For some odd reason there was a huge red cake on one of the counters.  It smelled like red velvet, and Cadence could see writing on it, half finished:  Congratu.  Congratulations, probably?  Cadence didn’t know that villains made each other congratulatory cakes.  However, she put that thought on the back burner as she was to busy levitating pots and pans and throwing them against walls.  Flash was directing the guard ponies to set up crude table barricades, so they could duck behind things when the local guards investigated the racket.  Danny imminently took a large container of lard and began to grease up the floors near the doorways.  He was grinning happily.
“When those guards come they’ll be in for a surprise!”
“Speaking of which!”
Cadence looked up to see Pinkie Pie and Surprise hovering over them, Pinkie riding Surprise with a big grin on her face.  The two ponies safely landed, Pinkie leaping off Surprise’s back and bouncing towards Cadence.  
“Just sit still, silly fillies, then we will aaaaaalll be best friends again.”  She chuckled, almost cruelly, at Cadence.  “Don’t you want to be with your little snuggle bear Shiny?”
Cadence gagged at the cutsie language before grabbing Pinkie in her magic and flinging her into the cake headfirst.  Pinkie emerged from the cake, grinning happily and munching some of the cake.  Cadence picked up several pans with her magic and started to fling them at Pinkie, being careful not to aim for Pinkie’s head.  Danny upturned the tub of lard over Surprise’s head and dodged behind a table.
At this point orc, troggle, and even one or two grundles rushed into the kitchen, only to trip and skid on the lard.  A few of their weapons ended up on the foor, and the members of Team Break Things began to scoop them up.  Most of them were spears, and using both magic, hands or wings the Team began to hit the guards over the heads with the wooden spear shafts, not willing to skewer anyone that might be brainwashed.  Slipping and sliding, Tirac’s forces righted themselves, and, forgoing their captured weapons, picked up some of the fallen pans and began to beat back at Team Break Things. 
Cadence jumped behind a table and levitated bits of icing, cake, and a still struggling Pinkie Pie.  She hurled the mess, including Pinkie, at Surprise, who had only just managed to get the lard pot of her head.  The two were knocked hooves over head to the ground.
“Ha!  Surprise!”  Cadence laughed.
“That’s my name!”  Surprise raised a hoof in victory.  “…ha…ow…Pinkie you have your hoof in my spleen…”
Flash Sentry raised his head to cheer at Cadence…and then was promptly hit in the head by a flying pan.  Truly grunted and dashed over, grabbing him by a wing and dragging him to safety.  
“Stupid Big Brother.  Let a mare show you how it’s done.”  She snorted as she stepped around him.  Flash muttered.
“But Mommy, I don’t want to go bed…I have dreams of scary monkeys that call me Brad!”  Flash babbled, and Truly ignored him.
Around them the Great Kitchen Skirmish raged on.



Meanwhile, at the very bottom of the castle…
Yes, the castle had a bottom, and no, it was not the dungeons.  The dungeons were close to the bottom, but the very bottom of the castle was actually a…sewer.
Rarity just knew that Discord did that on purpose.
Still, Red seemed to have an idea of where he was going.  The pinkish dragon kept low to the ground, his scaly belly nearly scraping the gross mossy floor as he slithered along.  Spike…her Spikey Wikey, stayed near him, studying his motions and trying to keep up with his counterpart.  Rarity just couldn’t bring herself to think of that pink creature as Spike!  Oh he seemed nice enough but he wasn’t…her Spike.  The kind generous dragon who was…well like a baby brother to her.  Oh she was aware of his crush.  She had been for a while but…it was too strange.  It wasn’t just that he was a dragon, though that had factored in early on.  It was mostly his age…and the fact that while he was a wonderful friend, she didn’t think he was her type and…and she really shouldn’t be thinking of this in the middle of a dangerous mission.  She clamped on her thoughts and focused on the hushed conversation ahead of her.
Red would periodically, usually when they came to a turn or a fork, send out a bushwooly to spy around corners and report back to him as they snuck along.  The bushwoolies seemed apt at this, dodging around the sewer like colorful, but thankfully silent, balls of fluff.
Rarity wasn’t sure how their talk started, but she came back to earth just in time to see Red clap his claw on Spike’s shoulder and say “Don’t worry.  Don’t forget.  We dragons are strong and tough.  We won’t fail!”
Spike snorted.  “You do have a lot of things to say about dragons…”
“Why not?  We’re dragons, right?”
“…I don’t’ know.  I mean…this white one said I shouldn’t judge, but…I met some really bad dragons a while ago…I don’t know if I want to be a dragon with those examples.”
Red smiled and looked at him.  “Ya know, I think I went through something similar.  A while back I lost control of my fire, so I went looking for dragons to teach me.  Turns out they were exploiting villages in exchange for not burning them down, and they tried to hurt the ponies.  We sent em packing of course…and afterwards Danny told me something that I always try to remember when I’m reminded of those bad dragons.”
“What?”  Spike gave Red a quirked eyebrow.
“You don’t have to be the same kind of dragon they are.  Just like there’s all sorts of pony…and all kinds of witches, there can be many different kinds of dragons.  Heck.  I just met a good dragon myself, right?”
“…you got a point.”
“Pony dragons spend less time talking and more time finding way to big heart gem.”  Rover growled.  Spike just gave him a glare.
“It’s okay, we’re almost at the end…just to warn you, last time Tirac had this big slimy monster thing guarding the way into the castle proper.  I think it went poof when the Rainbow of Light beat him but-“
As they turned the corner Rarity could see a wall ahead, as well as a heavy door.  The muck below and to the left of them was flowing in a cut out path that Rarity guessed would lead to the outside.  Before them, beside the door, was an arched cut out space of wall from which flowed an underground river of some kind.  There was a tube stuck in the arch, and occasionally a runoff of muck would slide down the tube.  Rarity shivered, but then tried to stifle a scream as they drew closer, and the muck shifted.  Something which could only be described as a horrible, smelly blob began to rise from the muck.  It was so caked with the goo that all Rarity could see of it was a lump of green, yellow, red and brown sliding off it like melting ice cream.  A pair of claws tapped on the stone at their feet, and tentacles rose from the muck monster’s back.
“…but it looks like it’s back…”  Red finished with a small tremble.
Rarity repressed the urge to scream like a five year old foal as the muck monster gurgled, and began to move closer to them.  A tentacle lashed out, and brushed itself against Rarity’s nose, assaulting her delicate nostrils with a horrible overwhelming scent of waste product and Celestia only knew what else.  The stink was such that not even Sweetie Bell at her very worse could have created it.  It was like an armed assault against her very person, like a living army of smell atoms. And that was just the smell of it.  Rarity could feel the nasty feel of the slime marring her prefect white coat as the tentacle left a trail of horridness.  It was so sticky and slimy and oh sweet Celestia would it come off?!  What if it wouldn’t come off!  She was stained!  FOR LIFE!
Rarity promptly fainted.

> Chapter Twenty-Four
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty-Four

Spike of Equestria’s first instinct once the thing had assaulted poor Rarity was to lung for the muck blob, claws extended and teeth bared.  The small purple dragon’s claws sank into the thing’s ooze and slipped off.  The momentum from the attack caused Spike to tumble over the monster and land on the other side of it.  The blob followed his path, swinging a tentacle at him.  Spike managed to roll away as the tentacle landed on the pavement.  He had to duck as Rover stepped close, his claws scratching into the muck, and tossing aside filth as the Diamond Dog fiercely tore at the monster.  Spike looked up to see Red take in a deep breath and turn his fire at the bottom of the beast.  The thing squealed and its tentacles waved.
“Ha!  It still hates fire!  Come one, Green, help me!  Rover, get Rarity and get through that door!  We’ll be right behind you!”  Red laughed and breathed more at the muck monster, and the thing squalled more.  Spike grinned and stepped nearer to Red, blowing his flames at the monster.  Although at first Spike’s flames matched Reds, the Equestrian dragon soon started to pant a bit as he started to lose his breath.  He rarely used his flames as a weapon, and he almost never used it this fast or this long.  Red, on the other hand, didn’t seem to have this problem, and that was starting to irk Spike a bit.  Still, Spike’s flame seemed to help.  Slowly the creature stepped further and further towards the muck.  Occasionally the thing would try to lash out with a tentacle, but a quick flame would make it draw its tentacles back.  Out of the corner of Spike’s eye he could see Rover scoop Rarity up and dash for the door, followed by the other Diamond Dogs and Bushwoolies.
Spike started to pant with each breath, his flame coming less and less as he started to run out of breath.  Red, however, didn’t seem to be having this issue.  Red tapped Spike on the shoulder and pointed a thumb to the door.  Nodding Spike gave one last feeble puff and dove through the door.  Red took two steps back, then suddenly dashed for the door.  He passed through it in a small pink blur, kicking the door behind him and shutting on the monster.  The door rattled as the monster flailed against it, but it held.  Red chuckled.  
“It never could keep up with me.”
“You.  Done.  That.  Before?”  Spike asked through heavy breaths.
“Yeah.  Being a minion isn’t as fun as you’d think.  You got to learn to entertain yourself.”
“You used to be on Tirac’s side?”  Spike asked.
“Well, more like I was on Scorpan’s side.  He raised me.  I was only here because he was.”  Red shrugged.  “Anyway, from what I remember the Heart is a pretty big artifact.  But Tirec he likes to keep his magic items close.  Heck he kept the Rainbow of Darkness on him at all times.  So I bet the Heart is either in his quarters, or in the Throne room.  Let’s try his quarters first.  It’s easier to get to from here.”
“We need to wait for Rarity to get up.”  Spike said stubbornly.
“We don’t have that kind of time.  Hey, you, think you can carry her?”  Red looked at Rover, who blinked and nodded.  The Diamond Dog gently scooped Rarity up and looked back to Red as if looking for more instructions.  For some odd reason Spike gritted his teeth, but tried not to let it show.  He didn’t know why, but watching Red take charge like this was starting to annoy Spike.  The other dragon couldn’t be older then him, but there was something annoying in the fact that the others seemed to be taking their cues from him.  But then again, Spike had no idea where he was going, so for now, for the sake of the ponies, he could tolerate it.  After all, he wasn’t going to turn this into another Owl Incident.
Spike breathed a few times to settle himself down, like he had seen Twilight and Cadence do, as he followed the others deeper into the castle.



The head crabnasty clamped his right claw around Twilight Sparkle’s waist, pinning her legs against her body.  She glared and attempted to flap her wings, battering his claw and attempting to shake herself loose.  She yelped and just managed to throw up a shield to protect her head as the crabnasty bashed her against the ground.  The crabnasty frowned down at her.  She blasted his eyes with purple energy, making him wince back and let her go.  Twilight flapped her wings, and turned in midair, kicking him under the chin and finally tipping him over.  She sighed and looked around, attempting to take stock of the situation.
She suddenly realized that this would probably be one of the most bloodless conflicts in both Ponyland and Equestria.  The uncorrupted ponies of course didn’t want to hurt their crazed friends, but at the same time the corrupted ponies seemed to be trying to restrain the others instead of hurting them.  Twilight couldn’t help but feel a bit relieved at that.  Even the changelings, and the other creatures that were not apparently under corruption, seemed to be using nonlethal tactics.  She nodded at Applejack, who had just finished tying up Monochrome Dash’s hooves and had even managed to wrap the rope around Dash’s muzzle, mostly so the angry pegasus would stop screaming insults at her.  AJ rushed over to Twilight, dragging Dash. 
“Ya…think ya can do something about her?”  Applejack asked.
“No.  Just drop her off somewhere she can’t cause anymore harm.  We have to get to the gates.”
Applejack nodded and tossed Dash on her back.  “Don’t worry, Twi.  I’ll see yall in a bit.”
Twilight jumped as a beam of green energy nearly hit her in the back.  She looked up to see Chrysalis and Rosedust still circling each other in midair.  The Changeling Queen was blasting at Rosedust with her green magic, but Rosedust was so swift that most of the blows were missing, and missing badly.  Twilight was a bit surprised that Rosedust, of all ponies, had taken it upon herself to face off against Chrysalis.
Finally, however, it appeared that Chrysalis had enough.  She sent a bolt of magic at Rosedust, and at the same time, buzzed her wings and attacked Rosedust’s flank.  Rosedust yelped as Chrysalis’ fangs tore at her fragile butterfly wing, and she dipped to the side in midair.  Rosedust fluttered down towards the base of the castle, attempted to escape from Chrysalis.  However, now that Chrysalis had her she was not willing to let Rosedust go.  The pair of them struggled in midair as Chryasalis bore Rosedust down towards Midnight Castle.
Even with the concentrated efforts of ponies, grundles, trolls and orcs, the new Midnight Castle was still very much under construction.  So, when Chrysalis slammed Rosedust hard against the wall of the castle, attempting to smash her like a bug, the stones on the walkway above shifted and moved slightly.  Rosedust whinnied as Chrysalis bore her to the ground and started to pound her with her hooves.  However, with every slam against the wall the stones above them began to tremble.  Chrysalis ignored them and paused, grinning down at Rosedust.
For a moment the two insectoid ponies stared at each other.  A million things she could say to this monster flew through Rosedust’s head, but where rejected.  She settled for suddenly spitting in Chrysalis’ eyes.
Chrysalis was so startled by this that she reared back and shook her head, giving Rosedust her chance.  She attempted to roll to the side, and at the same time Chrysalis turned her head and slammed both her hooves at the escaping Rosedust.  Had Rosedust been a bit to slow she might have been struck, but she just managed to roll away as Chrysalis hooves slammed into the bare rock.  The stone shaking above suddenly rolled to the side, right above Chrysalis.  The rock landed on her back as she scrambled after Rosedust, crushing her around the middle.  Chrysalis screamed, a horrible shriek that managed to break through most of the battle.  The combatants nearest to her turned and stared, both sides staring with growing horror at the sight of the squashed Changeling.  
Rosedust gasped and galloped forwards, ignoring her own damaged wings as she leaned against the rock, attempting to push it off.  “Don’t worry, I’ll get it off.  You’ll be fine…”
Chrysalis stared at her and just laughed.  She licked her fangs and extended her head, attempting to take an almost lazy bite out of Rosedusts’ face.  Rosedust gasped and backed away.  Chrysalis grinned, almost madly, at the crowd that was gathering.  She was still chuckling, even as she lowered her head and closed her eyes.  She only stopped in the moment she no longer took a breath.
For a long moment there was total silence as both sides stared at the fallen Changeling Queen.  Then all of a sudden the sky exploded with the sounds of buzzing, howling Changelings.  The creatures leaped into the air, and like a swarm of locusts buzzed towards Midnight Castle, and vanished into the depths.
For another long moment the gathered forces just stared, then Twilight took the opportunity presented.  She teleported forwards, then touched Rosedust.  She teleported again, bringing herself and the still injured Flutter Pony to a knot of their allies.  
“Get through the gate.  Charge the doors.  I’ll be right back.”  Twilight touched Rosedust again and teleported to the far side of the field as Megan rallied their forces and charged forwards towards the gate.  Tirac’s forces were so startled that it took them a while before they could rally themselves and start pushing the enemy back.  However, now Twilight Sparkle's forces had the advantage, and they barreled forwards, knocking a few of the enemy to the side as they galloped.
Twilight looked up from the far side of the field.  She breathed as Fluttershy, along with about five giffons, landed near them.  Twilight smiled and saw that Fluttershy trot next to Rosedust.  It was strange, aside from the different wings, and the antennae, the two ponies could have been twins.  Twillight nodded at the griffons.
“Watch out for them.  I need to get back.”  The griffons nodded at her as Twilight swept away with a flick of her wings.  She wished she had time to talk to Rosedust.  The poor Flutter Pony looked stunned, as if she couldn’t believe that had just happened.  It wasn’t even horror, just a strange sort of numbness that Twilight Sparkle had never seen on the usually collected Queen’s face, though Twilight hadn’t known Rosedust for long she had a feeling that she was not usually that poleaxed.  It was understandable though.  Twilight wasn’t sure if she would ever get her fur to lay down properly after hearing those screams…
Twilight shook her head and tried to focus.  She couldn’t dwell on it.  Rosedust was in good hands, she could still see Fluttershy embracing her and probably saying something comforting to her.  Much as Twilight wanted to join her she knew she couldn’t.  
Right now her friends needed her.  She could have nightmares later.



“Why aren’t the Changelings out there?”  Tirac snarled at Shining Armor.  The former Captain of the Royal Guard turned Prince turned flunky shrugged.
“I have no idea, master.  But their Queen…she’s dead.”  He blinked.
“…bring the Heart up to my throne room.”  Tirac growled as he turned and clopped off.
“Sir?”
“They are breaking through.  Bring it.”
“But-“
“Shut up, unicorn.  I don’t need you to think for me.”  Tirac hissed as he continued forwards.




One a hill near the castles, Rath’s skull briefly popped out of the earth.  It looked around and then grunted as it slipped back under the earth.
A few moments later, a skeletal arm burst through the floor of the castle basement.  Luckily he had managed to aim them away from the sewer system.  Rath crawled out of the hole, followed a few moments later by his decedents.  Rath cocked his head and listened.
“Hmmmm….We’re going to have to be careful.  I’d rather not run into either the ponies, or Tirek’s followers.”
Hydia scowled slightly, but nodded.  “This way.  I doubt the Changelings will give her up easily though.”
“Let’s hope they are to busy fighting.”  Rath turned his skull down at Hydia as she turned and lead him towards the stairs.
“So, why don’t you want to run into us?”
Rath stopped in his tracks as he looked up the stairs to see the two Spikes staring down at him, both with tiny little frowns on their snouts.
“Well crap.”  Rath grumbled.



Draggle ducked as the Changelings buzzed around her, chittering and skittering and apparently having a collective fit.  She wasn’t quite sure what the problem was, but all of a sudden the entire hive was buzzing.  It reminded her of the time one of the baby ponies had upset a small beehive, only the small bees (different from the large Bees that Draggle had met before) had been…well small.  The only difference was that these creatures were not stinging and attacking, but apparently just panicking.  
The only ones not panicking were a pair of large armored drones, who had shoved her to the back along with the baby queen.  At first Draggle had thought they were going to attack her, or drain her, but it soon became clear that they were just getting her and the baby out of the way of the scurrying workers.
“What’s going on?”  Draggle snarled at one of the drones.  The drone’s eye twitched and he looked down at her.
“The queen is dead.  We all can feel it.  It hits the little ones the most.  Just give them a few moments to-“
A loud boom echoed as Tirek kicked the doors open.  He clopped angrily into the room, followed by a sheepish looking Shining Armor.  He kicked away any Changelings that got in his way.  The force of his blows cracked chitin and crumpled wings, but he was heedless of the damage he was doing to them.  One of the drones buzzed angrily and rose to Tirek’s face level.
“Stop!  You’re hurting the workers!”
“Your kind fled the battle.  I don’t care what happens to cowards.”  Tirek snarled.
“Our Queen is dead, don’t you understand that-“
“Silence” Tirek snarled and swatted the drone into the wall.  He clomped forwards and grabbed Draggle by the back of her shirt and lifted her into the air.  He sneered as the baby queen clung to the witch.  Draggle wasn’t sure if she was clinging to her because the baby saw her as a food source, or if the baby had grown some sort of affection for the witch.  However, Tirek wasn’t happy at all.  He once again swatted her away, and the baby screamed as she was slapped into the wall.  Draggle gasped as the poor thing’s leg broke as she fell to the floor.  Draggle snarled at Tirek.  “You didn’t have to do that!”
The centaur paid her no heed as he turned and stomped back out the door.  Draggle attempted to punch the centaur, but Chrysalis previous draining weakened her blows.  In fact she was fairly sure the centaur didn’t even feel them.
“What are you doing?”  She shouted.  Tirek chuckled.
“The Changelings have failed.  There’s no point keeping you here.  All that’s left for you is bait.”
Tirek chuckled as he ducked his way out the door, leaving a trail of broken and injured Changelings in his wake.




The two witches glowered as the gathered forces of Team Purify blocked the doorway at the top of the stairs.   The dogs just sort of peered at them, mostly curious as to why the funny bone man was down there and why his smelly ape things looked mildly constipated.  The Bushwoolies, on the other hand, looked like they were going to roll down there and give the witches a piece of their fluffy fluffy minds. 
The awkward, glaring silence was broken when Rath appeared to teleport up the stairs till he was looming over Rover.  The dog growled.  He was the one carrying Rarity, and it was pretty clear that if the lich tried something the dog didn’t like then Rover was going to try out a few thousand-year-old bones.  Rath peered down at Rarity’s still unconscious form and his lights blinked.
“I can’t leave any of you idiots alone, can I?”  Rath looked at Rover.  “What happened?”
“Slime monster.”  The dog shrugged. 
Rath sighed and muttered.  “Damn fucking ponies and their low constitution levels...”  He continued to mutter darkly as he pulled out a rune and before anyone could stop him, tapped with his finger.  A stream of water erupted and splashed over Rarity’s face.  She sputtered and jerked awake.
“Gahh!  What!”  Rarity didn’t usually wake up to water being poured over her head.  “Why, how uncouth!”
“I’ve never been known for couth.”  Rath chuckled.
“But apparently you are known for complaining?”  Spike of Equestria snorted at him.  Rath turned his eyes to the small dragon.  Spike tensed, just in case Rath decided to do something nasty to him.  You never knew with someone who did magic like Rath’s
“I’m old.  I’m entitled to complain.”
“Oh yeah?  The Princesses never do.”
“Ha.  Moonhead’s an arrogant twat and her sister’s a poof.”  Rath retorted.  Spike blinked.  He had never heard of anyone, pony or otherwise, who referred to Celestia as a ‘poof.’
“What does that even mean?”  Spike asked.
“Well you see a twat-“
“I know what a twat is, you twit.”  Spike folded his arms and glared at Rath.  The lich chuckled.
“Oh I like you.”
“I’m so lucky.”  Spike rolled his eyes.
Meanwhile, Rarity had gotten to her hooves and was studying Rath with narrowed eyes.  “Where were you, exactly?”  She asked Rath.
“Looking for them.”  Rath jabbed his thumb bone at his descendants, who seemed to be engaging in a three way glaring contest with Red Spike.  It was the first time Green Spike had gotten a good look at Draggle’s relatives.  He honestly didn’t see much resemblance.  Maybe she took after her father?  Either way, the sheer dislike the witches seemed to be aiming at Red Spike, and to a lesser extent the Bushwoolies, was practically coming off them in waves.  It was fairly clear that both groups were going to pounce on each other at any minute.
Rath suddenly clapped his hands together, producing a thick rattling noise echoed.
“So.  I guess we are going together, correct?”  He asked.  Everyone in the room just stared at him.  Then both Red Spike and Hydia exploded at him.  It was unclear exactly what they were saying, but Green did catch the gist.  Green looked over at the sister.  What was her name?  Smelly or something?  Whoever she was she had placed a hand over her face and was shaking it.  He sighed at her.
“You ever think your family is insane?”  
“Think?”  She snorted.
There was a sudden flash as Rarity’s horn light up and sparked magic between Red Spike and Hydia, and both of them leaped back.  They looked at Rarity, who had managed to fix her mane and had assumed a rather regal look.  She raised a hoof and smiled at them all.	
“Now gentle…” She looked from Rath to Hydia and amended what she was going to say “Beings.  While I am sure we all enjoy a nice spirited debated, I don’t believe the bottom of a tyrant’s keep is the best place to do it.  Perhaps we can suspend our differences and work together as Rath suggests.  At least until Tirek is vanquished?”
Hydia opened her mouth, clearly about to go into another tirade when Rath grabbed her by the ear and hissed something at her.  The witch continued to glare at him, but eventually threw up her hands and marched off.  Rarity nodded and followed gracefully.
“…this is going to be a disaster.”  The younger witch grumbled.  Green Spike nodded.
“Yep.”




The Great Kitchen Incursion was finally settled once and for all when Cadence sent the last of the goblins into the oven and blocked the door with a long ladle.  She then ripped the knobs off so that the poor thing wouldn’t suddenly bake by accident.  Evil this goblin might be, that didn’t mean he deserved to be a cake.  Besides, he’d probably taste awful.
She turned and gazed around.  The kitchen was littered with knocked out monsters, some of whom were either tied up with rope someone had found, or stuffed into cabinets or had their heads covered by pots, or in one little grundle’s case trapped in a large flour sack.  The uninjured members of Team Break Things were helping their injured allies.  To Cadence’s relief most of the team was only slightly injured, the worst being Flash’s new goose egg on the head.  The poor pegasus was still babbleing a bit, but a quick healing spell got him straightened out.
Cadence gathered the team and they pushed forth down the hall, to what Cadence thought was the east hallway.  Although it might have easily been the west.  Cadence wasn’t great at directions, especially after being plopped into a location by a sort of friendly god of Chaos.  Still, her assignment didn’t require her knowing exactly where she was going, only that she cause as much, well, destruction as she could.  Normally Cadence wasn’t a fan of destruction for destruction’s sake, but right now it was necessary.  And, she had to admit, a bit of fun.  It was nice to let your mane down a bit.  All in all, it was going well, and she was starting to enjoy herself, indulging in a rather chipper trot as she went down the hall, occasionally tearing off banners as she went.
So it came as rather a surprise when Flash Sentry, who was flying ahead and trying to clear his head, suddenly dove down and pushed her into an alcove as they approached a crossroads of hallway, waving at the others to take cover.  There was a brief scramble as the team found things to duck under.  At first Cadence was confused, then she heard and felt a distinctive thumping.  With a sudden jolt of fear Cadence gulped as the huge form of Tirek thudded into view around the corner.  Or at least at the perpendicular hallway that crossed Team Break Thing’s hall.  Had the murderous centaur bothered to look to his right he might have seen the torn banners and general clutter in his castle, but he did not.  Instead he seemed focused on reaching his destination.
Truly suddenly tensed.  As Tirek’s haunches lumbered out of view she stuck her head around the corner, then ducked back into view.  “He’s got Draggle.  Let’s jump him.”
“Are you crazy?  There’s no room to maneuver here.  If he’s as tough as they say he could smear us along the walls!”  Flash hissed.
“There are more of use then there are of him, don’t be such a coward!”  Truly hissed back.
“…he was holding her prisoner, right…”  Cadence said.  “So he must have been coming from the dungeons.  If we do down there we might find more beings he’s captured, set them free, then we will have a stronger force.  And look at the ground.”  
They looked.  Green hoof prints led from one end of the hallway to the other, Cadence looked down the way Tirek had come from and huffed.  In the distance she could see green ooze.
“Changlings are down there...” she was about to change her mind when her ears caught a sound.  She pricked them forwards and trotted a few steps down the hall.  The sound was not pony, but it was recognizable.  Crying.  Screaming…and then a door opened from down the hall and a little Changeling burst out.  It didn’t take much focus to realize what he was saying.  He, it, was screaming for help.
Cadence shuddered a bit at the sight of the thing.  It was just so…unnatural. It looked down the hall and buzzed towards them, Cadence tensing and lighting up her horn as it came closer, ready to smack it into the wall.  But, then she noticed the cracks in the thing chitin, and the fact that its left hind leg was held at an awkward angle, as if it was damaged or broken.  Cadence sneered slightly as the thing came to a troubled halt in front of her.  
It looked up at her suddenly trembled, as if it just now realized who Cadence was.  She stepped forwards and lifted her hoof.
“If you think of calling for your master, or your queen, I will make sure you don’t.”  She hoped she sounded a like Celestia at her most disappointed.  She wasn’t used to threatening other beings, but for a Changeling?  It wasn’t so hard.
“…queen is dead.”  The Changeling buried its nose in its front hooves and shook.  “Queen is dead.  Little queen is dying…he smashed her.”
Cadence jerked.  “Wait, little queen?”
“Queen’s larva.  Not even a day old.  Tirek smashed her.”
“What!  Why!”  Cadence blinked.  A baby?
“Old queen is dead.  We connected to her.  Wouldn’t fight.  Tirek didn’t like it.  Took the witch, then smashed our new queen.  She dying to!”  And with that the little drone started to bawl like filly.
Cadence gasped and flew down the hallway.  The rest of Team Break Things followed, some shouting at her to stop.  But she couldn’t.  He distaste for the little monsters had been overridden by what the little Changeling had told her.
When she peeked into the door that led to the new hive her heart lept into her throat.  At first the sheer terror of seeing Changeling grime on the walls, empty cocoons, and the smell.  Oh Celestia the smell!  For a brief moment Cadence was back in the caves again, listening to that horrible beast of a queen gloat and change into her, telling her all the things she’d do to Cadence’s beloved fiancée.  For a moment all Cadence wanted to do was finish what Tirek had started and crush the hive like the cockroaches they were.
But then she saw the tiny, broken form of a baby Changeling Queen, a creature not even a week old.  An…innocent.  Yes, Cadence realized.  No matter what its evil mother had done, this baby was still innocent.  Maybe she would be a monster some day, but right now it had done nothing wrong.  It didn’t deserve to be crushed.  Not today.
Cadence trotted slowly towards the group of Changelings huddled arund their little queen.  The sea of them parted as she approached, eyes wide as they stared at her.  For a moment she couldn’t interpret the look in their buggy gazes, but then she realized.  It was fear.  They were afraid of her?  Her?  After all they had done to her?  Cadence pushed down her own nerves as she passed through the crowd as they huddled away from her.
She finally reached the little queen, and looked down at it.  Two large, almost as large as a normal pony, Changeling’s flanked their baby queen and snarled at her.  Still, Cadence could seen the fear flashing in their eyes.  She had no idea why they seemed so intimidated by her, but clearly they were.
“If you’re going to use your magic, you’ll have to get past us first.  We won’t let you blow up our little queen without a fight!”  One of the larger Changelings said and stamped his hoof feebly.  Ah, so that was it.  They had no idea that she probably couldn’t use that spell without Shining.  
The little queen whined and flicked her little translucent wings.  Cadence could see that whatever Tirek had done had almost crushed the poor things left side.  It…her, left legs and wing were smashed, and large cracks snaked over her body.  Small rivers of green ichor trickled down and pooled on the floor.  The filly chirped at Cadence, giving her a wide eyed puppy look, and reached out her tiny uninjured hoof and placed it on Cadence’s leg.
That did it.  Cadence started to lower her head, her horn glowing, and the Changeling’s tensed.  She smiled gently.  
“It’s okay little one.  I’ll help you.”  Cadence said, and the Changeling’s stared as Cadence as she focused her thoughts on another little filly she had taken care of.  She didn’t think it was appropriate to think of her husband while healing a child.  However, thinking of Twilight, back she was itty bitty Twili, tiny unicorn filly, was more then enough.  She concentrated, and her horn began to glow gently.  Most of the Changelings leaned in, sensing Cadence’s natural love magic, and probably eager for a taste.  However, none of them tried to attack or disturb her.  At first this puzzled Cadence, but then she realized they must be more concerned with the baby queen then themselves.  She didn’t think Changelings could be that way.  However, most of her attention was on the baby.
Healing damage this deep was far more difficult the bruises and cuts that filly Twilight would get.  But Cadence was older as well, and healing magic flowed from her horn.  Being born a pegasus magic and spells didn’t come naturally to her, but as she got older she had managed to learn a great deal.  First she delved deep under the larva’s soft armor, sealing up the cracks and tears both on the surface and inside.  The poor thing had a rib cracked as well, but Cadences magic was able to heal internally as well as externally.  Not many unicorns could use this spell, and repeated use of it could tire Cadence out.  But one little filly?  Not hard at all.
The baby Changeling chirped again and snuggled next to her.  Cadence tried not to shudder to much as the hard armored shell pressed into her fur.  It wouldn’t do any good to push it away now.  Finally the last cracks sealed and the filly buzzed happily.
Almost instantly a pair of black arms reached out and snagged the tiny queen away from Cadence.  One of the bigger Changelings had snatched her and was putting himself between Cadence and the baby, despite its loud squeaky protests.  The baby held out its arms to Cadence and whined, so much like a true pony filly it almost hurt.  The older Changeling watched Cadence closely.
“You’re looking for the witch, aren’t you?”  He asked.
“If you bugs hurt her…” Truly snarled at him.  The Changeling warrior blinked at her.
“…you’re the one that doesn’t like her.  What do you care?”  He asked.
Truly sneered.  “’Course I don’t like her.  Doesn’t mean she ain’t one of us.”
“Can you show us where he’s taken her?”  Cadence asked the Changeling warrior.  He glanced down at the bouncing baby queen and nodded.
“You saved her.  It’s the least we can do.”
Cadence gulped.  On the one hand, the Changeling’s still made her skin crawl.  However, who knew what they were going to do to the Ponylander’s witch friend? 
“Alright.  You can come.”  She turned and trotted back to the enterence.  “Come on.”
“What aobut the whole, breaking things…thing.”  Flash asked she passed by.
“That was before he started dragging prisoners off to who knows where to do who knows what to them.”  Cadence said.  “And if he’s already willing to stomp over his allies to get his way it means that we can’t just leave her.”  Flash nodded in understanding.
The team, not bolstered with several dozen Changelings, swarmed down the hall, following in Tirek’s wake.


Twilight Sparkled ducked as the castle’s portcullis started to descend on them.  She turned and blasted a beam of energy at the goblins attempting to lower the portcullis on top of her army.  Most of said army was still on the bridge leading over Castle Midnight’s moat.  Which of course was for some reason a deep gorge with raging waters and rocks below, because why wouldn’t an evil tyrant have one of those?  Twilight was concerned that the others might end up falling, so she determinedly pushed forwards, hoping to get the rest of them over the bridge.  
She, Galaxy, Megan, Magic Star, both Applejacks, Scorpan, Catrina, and the other world’s Twilight were in the courtyard, the others taking down Tirek’s forces in the courtyard as the others pressed forwards.  However, before Majesty, who had been behind Twilight Sparkle, could enter the courtyard a wall of ice erupted in front of the gate.  Twilight looked up to see a dark blue Earth Pony with a wand.  Princess Royal Blue smirked down at her, waving her wand as hail began to rain down on the group.  Twilight winched as several of the icy blocks hit her back, drawing blood.  He horn glowed as she threw up a shield to cover her, and the other’s heads.  Two more wand wielding ponies appeared on the castle’s walls.  They two waved wands and plants began to snake over the ground, grasping at Twilight Sparkle and her friends as they backed away towards the door.  Wind picked up and began to toss more of the ice at them.  Twilight attempted to make more shields, but the multiple magic attacks were starting to wear her down.  She noticed the cat witch casting fire magic at the ice, melting it, but the amount of ice and force of the wind was making it difficult to hit them all, and many hail shards were passing through and cutting into the group.
A flash of light appeared on the walsl, and Majesty suddenly appeared.  She charged Princess Royal Blue, firing magic from her horn at the Princess Pony.  Royal Blue turned to face Majesty, firing ice at her hooves.  Majesty leaped and collided with Royal Blue, slamming her to the ground.  The other two Princess Ponies turned to face Majesty.
“Go!”  Majesty shouted down at Twilight Sparkle.  “I’ll hold them off!”
“But!”
“GO!”
Twilight Sparkle gritted her teeth, but nodded.  She turned and with a glow of magic forced the doors to the castle open.  Twilight Unicorn, on the other hand, suddenly wished three times.  Twilight Sparkle looked over at her mother’s double, who was suddenly on the walls next to Majesty, forcing Princess Primrose back with a stern hoof.  
“Twilight, what?”  Majesty looked at her old friend, who smiled at her.
“I won’t let you face this alone.  Not after losing you for so long.  I’ll stay by you.  Just try and stop me.”
Majesty smiled and turned to the circling princess ponies, backing till both unicorns were back to back.  “I wouldn’t dream of it.”  She said as both mares lowered their horns to their foes.
Twilight Sparkled nodded at the two and turned around.  With her remaining friends she charged through the doors, pausing a bit at the entrance.
“This way.”  Scorpan looked down at her.  “He’s probably down here.  He always liked gloating on his throne.”  Twilight Sparkle nodded up at Scorpan and followed the gargoyle prince.  He led them down the hall and straight to a large pair of double doors, pointed at them with a claw.
Twilight Sparkle’s magic glowed over the door that lead to the throne room, flinging it open with a magical jerk.  She squinted as the throne room was dark, really dark.  Galaxy, shivered next to her, Megan still mounted on her back.  The human looked around.
“It’s almost exactly like the first time.”  She muttered to herself.  Twilight, however, was to busy casting a light spell.  A ball of white glowing energy leaped from her horn to hover around the celling, illuminating the room like a lantern for the group.  Twilight gasped as a sudden stream of dark energy raced for her.  She ducked as the thing whipped around her friends, blocking her from them.  She noticed that the thing seemed to drip with darkness, as if it was a strand of taffy covered in ooze.  She saw the others attempting to push or batter it away, and Megan’s voice echoed from behind it.
“Oh no!  Magic Star, look!  It’s the Rainbow of Light!”
Twilight sputtered.  “That’s your Rainbow?”
“Technically, it’s mine now.”
Twilight turned, ears lowered and eyes narrowed.  With the light from her horn she could see Tirek lounging on a huge stone throne.  Sitting next to the throne on Tirek’s right was what could have only been the Heart of Ponyland, a huge crystal that might have once been a beautiful diamond, but was now a deep black.  The black seemed to crawl across the Heart’s surface like black clouds across the sky.  Standing in front of Tirek, at the base of the throne, was Twilight’s big brother, Shining Armor.
On Tirek’s left was a goblin, who was holding a spear aimed at Draggle, who was doing a fairly good job of glaring daggers at him, showing little to no fear.  
“Now, this might seem a little…typical of me.”  Tirek smiled, clasping both of his hands together and resting his chin on them.  “But since you did such a good job at these with Nightmare Moon, I thought I’d see what you do…” He smiled, as mist began to pour into the room, aiming for Twilight’s still trapped friends.  “You have a choice here, Princess.  You can try to purify the Heart.  I won’t do a thing to stop you.  But if you chose it, your brother will shield my goblin over there, who will kill the witch.  If, however you chose to save the witch, Shining Armor will shield the Heart.  And if that happens…well, my mist may take longer to get to you then usual, but eventually it will get you all in the end.
Twilight Sparkle glared at him, then glared at Shining Armor.  “I can’t believe you’d let that happen.”
Shining chuckled, and for a moment Twilight could almost believe it was normal.  “Aww Twili, I know you won’t chose the Heart.  You’d never let a friend die like this.  So why not just surrender now?  It’ll be easier in the end.”
“It’s not like you would be giving up that much, Twilight Sparkle.  You’ll still have your friends.  You brother, your magic, I’m taking nothing from you.  I’m just…refocusing you.  Nothing important will change.”
“Except for the fact that I’d be betraying Celestia and Luna.”  Twilight bristled.
“Oh not really.  They will fall to me as well.”  Tirek stood.  “I’ll need someone to take charge of Equestria.  They will just…be under me.  Like I said…nothing will change.  Only night eternal…and you would answer to me.  That’s all.  We can all be friends.  Isn’t that what you want?”
“Purple, if you even think about saying yes then I’ll find a way over there and slap you.”  Draggle snarled at Twilight, even though she was still glaring at the goblin.
Tirek looked down at her and sighed.  He looked back up at Twilight.  “Your choice, Princess.  What will it be?”
Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes.  She took a deep breath, and then opened them.  Her eyes slid around the room, for the first time noticing that many of Tirek’s army had slid into the room, as if eager to watch the show.  She could make out Wind Whistler with two unfamiliar pegasus, Shady, Knight Shade, and others, all with glowing yellow eyes…yet…was Wind Whistler staring at Draggle, her eyes fading then snapping back, fading then snapping…
Twilight turned her head upwards, as if in thought.  Tirek smiled as the mist slinked closer and closer to her ears.  Twilight’s head suddenly snapped forwards and she smiled at him.  
“I chose the third option.”  With a sudden poof of magic Twilight was suddenly hovering over Tirek’s head, blasting at him with a beam of magic.  He roared and rose to meet her attack with his own beam from his hand.
Celestia, please let this work.  Twilight thought as she descended towards Tirek.  Because if it doesn’t, I may have just killed someone…

> Chapter Twenty-Five
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty-Five


Twilight flapped her wings, hovering over Tirek and watching as their beams speed towards each other.  Clearly he meant for them to met in the middle, and he probably expected a beam war of will.  However, Twilight had no idea how her power compared to his.
If this doesn’t take him out, he’ll probably kill Draggle and have Shining shield the Heart.  He could have all the powers of Nightmare Moon, plus this world’s Tirek.  I can’t fight him head on and hope that I can take him out in time.   To be honest, taking the Heart is the most logical option, but if I do that Draggle dies.  Time to multitask!
Multitasking was, in general, a bad idea, especially for Twiight.  The first time she tried a huge multitasking job was back when she was Celestia’s student.  She had attempted to write a paper for her class, while watching a hoofball game with her brother and parents, and write another separate letter to Celestia.  She ended up writing a complete mess of a paper about hoofball stats to Celestia, and gave her brother a rather nonsensical letter at the end of the day, and teleported a hoofball to her essay teacher.  After that she had a small prelude meltdown, a small cloud of sad unicornness that would have been a warning sign of her later manic tendencies had not Celestia merely chalked them up to pressure and the fact that Twilight had still been a little filly.
There was a good end to the story though.  After that Celestia decided to let little Spike be Twilight’s assistant, something the small dragon had been begging for since he could talk.  
However, she was no longer a filly.  She was an alicorn, and if alicorns had great magical powers, surely they also had magical multitasking powers.
The moment her beam met Tirek’s, Twilight dove to the side where the goblin was menacing Draggle.  She gripped the creature’s spear with her magic on the way down, twisting it around and thumping the goblin in the face with the blunt end.  Out of the corner of her eye she noticed that Tirek’s beam had ripped right through hers, and took a second to wince at the knowledge that if she had stayed where she was she would at least have been knocked back.
Still, she was able to swoop down and grab the witch with a hoof.  Contact was all she needed.  With a magical poof she and Draggle disappeared, then appeared a moment later next to the Heart.  Shining blinked as Twilight bucked him in the side, pushing him backwards as she gripped the Heart in her magic.  She grinned and ran towards a door at the right wall.   She felt a tug on her mane, and looked up as Draggle sneered at her.  It looked like she was trying to pull herself down towards Twilight’s back.  She blinked and remembered the times Draggle rode other ponies.  She blinked, but then considered that carrying just the Heart in her magical grip would indeed strain her magic.  Indeed if she was still a unicorn she would be starting to feel the strain now, and who knew what else she would encounter trying to get the Heart out.  So, she went ahead and plopped the witch on her back.  Now she could mostly focus her magic on the Heart.
It felt…odd…Draggle was a lot taller and much longer then Spike.  In fact Twilight was a bit unsure on how the human was managing to keep her feet from dragging on the ground.  But, Twilight’s new earth pony strength seemed up to the job.  If she could just make it out with the Heart and get it to Rarity this would all be over.  
Twilight had just enough time to hear a magical poof before she felt something slam into her side, making her tumble off balance to the ground.  Still unbalanced from Draggle’s unfamiliar weight and shape, both she and Twilight ended up skidding on the ground, and the Heart flew out of Twilight’s grasp.  Shining leaped away from Twilight and landed on top of the Heart.  His horn shone, and he and the Heart were incased in a shield.  He smirked at Twilight.
“Nice try, Twili.”  He said.
Twilight struggled to her feet and stood and faced Shining, aiming a bolt of magic at the shield in the hopes of shattering it.  But once her magic struck the shield she knew that he brother’s special talent in magical shields would block her.  Oh she could break through eventually, but she would either have to take a long time to chip away, or blast him all at once.  Blasting all at once could seriously hurt him.  
Twilight’s grunted as she felt Draggle pull herself up by grabbing onto Twilight’s back, and Twilight used a wing to help Draggle pull herself up.  Twilight’s ears twitched as she heard Tirek stomping towards them.  She turned with a mental shrug to watch him come closer.
“Get ready.  I’m going to have to move pretty quickly.”  Twilight muttered to Draggle.  But just as she was about to leap into the air the door behind her burst open.  Twilight looked behind her, her heart sinking as she beheld the Changeling swarm.  She was surrounded with only one other within reach to help.  For a moment she wondered if perhaps she should surrender, but that thought was instantly pushed back.  Surrender was not an option.  She would have to fight all the Changelings, and Tirek, and her corrupted friends, until she couldn’t fight anymore.  She lit up her horn, ready to blast them all.
To her surprise the Changelings buzzed right over her head and lunged for Tirek, biting and snapping their fangs at him.  Tirek took a step back in surprise and began to swat them away.  He roared.
“What!  Traitors!”
The Changelings chittered and buzzed, one of them flying close to Tirek’s face.  “You hurt out little Queen!  You will die!”  The Changeling then yelped as it was swatted away.  
Tirek began to blast Changelings out of the sky with seeming little effort, but his attention was now off Twillight.  She backed away from him a few steps, and then looked over at Shining Armor and his shield.  A small group of the Changlings had broken off and was slamming at the shield, attempting to shatter it.
“Twilight, are you okay?”  Twilight gasped and looked over as Cadence trotted up to them.  Or at least she hoped it was Cadence.  Not having time to do their little dance, Twilight instead zapped ‘Cadence’ with her Changeling detector spell.  Cadence shook her head, but nodded at her.  “It’s okay, it’s really me.”
“Why are they helping us?”  Twilight as Tirek roared and charged swarms of Changelings.  The creatures were so numerous that a full squad of them could keep the centuar’s attention, while the others dived bombed and cocooned corrupted ponies.  In fact the corrupted forces were so taken aback by the sudden turn that most could only gape as they were assaulted by their former insectoid allies.  Even more Changelings, along with Team Break Things, were swarming over the corrupted Rainbow, pulling it away from it’s prisoners.  Soon, a hairy brown arm began to pitch people over the rainbow, until there was no one left.  The Changelings grabbed Scorpan’s arms and lifted him out of the Rainbow, which spun around as if confused by the sudden assault.
“Tirek attacked their young queen.”  Cadence moved her feathers to reveal a small queen Changeling attached to her back.  Draggle leaned down from where she was sitting on Twilight to peer at it.  
“She’s okay?”  Draggle asked.
“She’ll be just fine.”  Cadence said as she tucked her wing back around the baby.  “Now…” She trotted over to her husband, who was still trying to maintain his shield over the Heart.  “Shining.  Let that shield down.”
“No!”  Shining strained.  “Never.”
“Oh, I think you will.”  Cadence smiled, and suddenly teleported.  Twilight knew for a fact that Cadence couldn’t teleport as fast or as far as she could, but the small jump needed to pass through Shining’s barrier was just within Cadence’s power.  Cadence had been born a pegasus, and her alicorn powers were fueled by love, not by pure magic like Twilight’s was.  And, as Cadence leaned forward, wrapped an arm around Shining’s neck, and pulled him in for a kiss, Twilight guessed that special talent for love had a hand in that teleport.  Twilight chuckled as Draggle made a rather disgusted noise, but the kiss had the desired effect.  The shield shimmered, then fell as Shining started to kiss his wife back.  Corrupted or no, Cadence could still hold his complete and utter attention.  The Changelings around them hissed and glowed green as they fed off the couple’s excess love.  They then turned and swarmed towards Tirek, powered by love.  The first of group of Changelings, who had been tiring, flew off as the new empowered group took their place.  Tirek roared and swatted at the annoying creatures, but they would not relent.
“We have to find Rairty and the others!”  Twilight rushed towards the Heart, getting ready to pick it up.
“No need, dear.  I’m here.  Just keep that ghastly beast off of me and we will have our friends back.”  Rarity seemed to appear like magic, and Twilight smiled.
“How did you find us?”
“You were rather loud.”
“And Tirek has a tendency to keep important things in his throne room.  Wasn’t that hard.”  Red Spike smiled.
“And this is why all of my soul storing items are hidden in places like sock drawers and outhouses.  No one looks there.”  Rath tilted his skull at Twilight, trailing two rather irate witches in his wake.  Hydia and Reeka sort of glared at Twilight.  Or maybe at Draggle, Twilight wasn’t sure.  She was very sure that Draggle was glaring at them.  It was practically radiating off from somewhere on Twilight’s back.
“Now, if you dears will be so kind.”  Rarity trotted over to the Heart.  While Twilight was sure that with Rath here the lich could do it himself, she wasn’t about to say so in case he wanted to argue.  Besides, she trusted Rarity to keep to the magic spell more then Rath.  Unless Rath had been lying about the sequence, but then it had worked on Magic Star and the others.  Keeping this in mind Twilight put herself between Tirek and Rarity.  She felt Draggle gripping her mane again.
“Got an eye behind us.  Focus on him.”  The witch muttered, and Twilight nodded.  She was beginning to think that having a monkey person riding you wasn’t so bad, even if it was starting to hurt a bit.
Rarity lifted the runes in her magic carefully, completely trusting Twilight to protect her.  It helped that she also had her team circling around her, keeping her safe from all angles.  She briefly spared at look at Rath.  Even though he had no actual face to form an expression she thought she could sense…encouragement?  Mabye?  Perhaps.  Either way, she focused on the runes, lifting Reveal first and letting her magic leak into the rune.
Reveal.
Rarity gasped as the Heart blazed before her.  Even with the corruption seeping into it, staining it’s surface, Rarity could still see it.  The Heart shone like Celestia’s sun.  She could sense it everywhere, lines of bright energy surging from it and touching everything that was Ponyland.  She could sense, rather then see, the land itself.  The rivers, the mountains, the plains.  She could feel the thrum of the rocks beneath her, and for a moment she wondered if this was how earth ponies felt.  Inside the glittering facets of the huge gem she saw a bright shining city full of ponies that resembled the Ponylanders she had grown to know, but so much more.  But wait, no, it was two cities.  One weathered and old, and the other bright and new.  She could see the Estate, and Dream Castle.  At once she could see Wind Whistler the serious, logical pony, and a much younger, much sillier foal that Wind Whistler once was.  She could see a tiny white earth pony filly, white and beautiful, and a little pale blue unicorn filly as they played near a lake, and as they grew they spouted wings and horns and Rarity could finally recognize them.
Who knew that Princess Celestia had started life as an earth pony?
She could see a tall, terrifying lich leaning over a pale mint colored unicorn.  Even with a bare skull she could see the lich trembling in what Rarity could guess was sorrow.  She saw the lich pull the pony close.
“What have you done?”  Someone quietly sobbed.  Was it Rath?  Rarity?  Someone or somepony else?  She couldn’t tell.
She could stand here all day and only be able to process a bare fraction of what lay before her now.  Was this how alicorns felt when they ascended?  If not it must surely be close.  But Rarity knew she could not indulge right now.  As much as it pained her, she had to move quickly.  She could only hope she had not been dazzled by the sights for to long.  Her friends, in the here and now, needed her.  So with as much mental fortitude as she could Rarity raised the next rune, and let it come forth.
Separate.
Ponyland itself bucked against it.  It was not so long ago that the land was dark and twisted.  The Nightmare Vale.  For so long the darkness held sway, and though the Heart was bright and wonderful, it was not itself inherently good.  It was inherently magical, but it was as much influenced by the creatures of the valley as the creatures of the valley were influenced by it.  Rarity could barely put it into a coherent thought, much less actual words.  But as the land fought her she raised the last rune.  She didn’t even notice her perfectly maintained mane falling out of place, or the lines of disgusting sweat running down her flanks.  Her mind was too full.  If anything else entered her brain it would explode.  She fumbled with the skill of a filly barely learning to levitate, but the rune was raised.  She could see the sludge.  She aimed.  Fired.
Dispel.
Rarity fell to the ground and lay there as the rune hit the corruption.  There was a flash and a horrible roaring sound.  The runes she had in her bad scattered everywhere, but Rarity’s eyes could see nothing but the Heart.  The images were fading, but Rarity wanted more.  Surely now that the job was done she could watch?  
She was so tired.
And it was so dark.

At once the magic of the Heart radiated outward as the lines that only Rarity, and perhaps the Princess Ponies, were aware of were cleaned and purged.  Ponies, once corrupted, snapped their heads forwards and gazed at the artifact.  Even the Equestrian ponies stopped and stared as the mist that once clouded their brains lifted, taken by the Heart that was none to pleased at being used by a lesser being like Tirek.  Colors brightened to normal.  Eyes snapped to their normal color and each pony found himself or herself shaking their head as their minds cleared.  
Except Shining Armor.  But he was a little busy.
Tirek stopped his rampage against the Changelings and stared as well.  He watched as the light shone from the Heart, evaporating his mist.  He growled and extended his hand, the Rainbow coming back to him before it too could be recovered.  He stared at the fallen form of Rarity, then to the dragons attempting to shake her awake.
“You…” Tirek growled and scooped up a discarded orc’s spear.  “YOOOOOU!  I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN YOUR HEAD LONG AGO!  FOUL USELESS SNAKE!”  Tirek surged forwards in sudden rage, aiming the spear at Red Spike.  “Reprobate ungrateful dragon!  I let you live at my side and you and that bastard prince did this to me!”
“No!”  To everyone’s surprise it was Rath who leaped in front of the charging Tirek, attempting to block the spear under his blade.  “Don’t touch that unicorn!”  Tirek growled and swatted him away into a wall, but it gave Twilight enough time to levitate Rarity and the two dragons away.  Tirek’s head jerked to the side and he glared at Twilight.
“Foal, you support that tyrant!  You bow before a weak, useless little princess.  I was always the better princess!  I was the magical one!  I was the warrior!  She had NOTHING before I made her a god!  You dare worship her over ME!  I guarded your dreams for centuries and this is how you repay me!?” 
Twilight blinked.  For all this time Tirek’s voice had been always male, but now it was pitched higher.  More feminine.  More like Nightmare Moon.   Twilight’s eyes widened and she remembered.  “It’s both…” But she only had time for those two words before Tirek began to swing his spear.  Darkness began to ooze over the shaft and onto the blade as the foul magic b egin to twist the weapon.  Longer then Tirek himself now, the blade bladed spear began to smash against the walls and ceiling of the castle, and the entire thing began to quake.
“Stop, you’re going to kill us all!”  Megan begged, but the girl’s voice only increased Tirek’s rage.
“Stupid little girl!  How dare you come into my kingdom and kill ME!  The ponies were MINE to use and take you have the gall to come here and deny me my right as king!”  Tirek roared, eyes flitting from one figure to another.  “Damn you prince!  I could have made you a legend and you choose them over me!  After all I did for you!  Treacherous insects!  How dare you worship her instead of me!  She’s not even a real god!  She can’t fight at all!  All she does is sit around and eat cake and talk to ponies!  Wasting her time with diplomacy!  Turning my kin against me!  Take my castle!  Purge my land!  It’s my land!  It’s all mine!  It’s all mine and we will kill all of you!  All of you!  There will be nothing left of this land but ash and US!  We spent thousands of years dead on the moon after our sister killed us with the Rainbow of Harmony and GAAAARRRAAAAAAAAAAGGGAGGHHAHAHAHAHAAHA!”
Tirek’s wild ranting and screaming grew until the thing before them was no long a rational being in any sense of the word.  AS the voices and memories mixed the creature’s face contorted in primal feral fury as it stomped around.  The walls and ceiling begain to break as Changelings flew upwards, spitting goo at the cracks and trying to hold the ceiling up as Tirek flailed at them.  Ponies backed away as the creature trembled, shook and swing at them, trying to kill everything that moved.
Twilight threw up a shield after shield as rocks began to fall, trying desperately to find a way to protect all of them and the Changelings as well.  If they came down she knew that they might lose ponies, but if she only shielded the ponies then the Changelings would be crushed.  
“Everypony!  Get out of here!  Run for the doors!”  She bellowed, and to her relief Megan and Scorpan were herding the ponies out.  She felt Draggle leave her back as the witch moved to help her friends out.  She could see Wind Whistler galloping over to the witch, and assumed they would be safe.  She turned and advanced towards Tirek, making sure not to trod on the runes that were still scattered over the floor.
“I’m the one you want, Nightmare!  I killed you!  I’ll do it again!  I am Celestia’s champion!  FIGHT ME!”  Twilight bellowed, hoping to drag Tirek’s attention away from the walls long enough for everyone to get out.
Tirek turned, but it wasn’t Twilight he charged for.  
It was Draggle.
For a second Draggle froze as she heard the hooves pounded towards her, and for a moment it wasn’t a crazed centaur rushing towards her, but a gigantic boar.  Draggle wanted to move, wanted to run, but in the end she was frozen in terror.  She could hear screaming, and she thought it was Wind Whistler, but Wind Whistler never screamed.  
And suddenly Tirek stopped as they felt a tug on its tail.  They turned their head slowly and gazed down at the thing preventing them from squashing the bug before them.  Another bug.  A small, round bug.  It was Hydia.  They thought that was it’s name.  Another traitor, like the rest of them.
“Stay away from my daughter.”  Hydia growled, and threw a bolt of fire at the centaur’s eyes.  Tirek roared and spun, spear twirling in a savage, rough arch.  They forgot to use the sharp edge.  In the end it didn’t matter.  They were so big.  So strong.  The bug was crushed.  The other bug was screaming.  So was another bug.  It didn’t matter.  They would die.  Die die die.
“YAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”  Tirek reared in victory and swung the spear around and around.  Purple light erupted from the ground and hit them again in the face.  Tirek focused.
The alicorn.  The element of magic.  Twilight Sparkle.  Celestia’s Champion.
She looked angry.  Her face contorted in rage.  Tears in her eyes. 
Why?
No matter.
They lifted their spear and rushed forwards to meet the Champion.  It would be nice to see Celestia cry over her Champion’s broken from, as the two monkey bugs were wailing over their fellow even as Tirek picked up speed.
Twilight could barely see the monster rumbling towards her.  She had never known Hydia.  Only knew her from what Draggle and the Ponylanders had told her.  But she hadn’t deserved that.  Nopony did.  And nopony deserved to see their mother crushed like that.  And the more damage that this thing caused, the more lived would be lost, and one was more than enough!
Twilight looked down at her hooves to the scattered runes.  She remembered that there were three in a sequence.  But she didn’t have the time.  She only had a single shot at this, and it would have to be enough.
Twilight scooped up a Dispel rune in her hooves and flew at Tirek’s face.  It was roaring and laughing and lickings its lips as if it wanted to eat her.  A small researcher Twilight deep in the alicorn’s mind wondered if this was what happened when two souls merged together after they died, but most of Twilight’s mind was busy concentrating.  The rune was Dispel.  She had to get rid of Tirek.
Dispel.  I want it gone.  Forever.  Where it can never hurt anypony ever again.  I don’t care where.  Just gone, so it can never hurt anypony ever again.
Twilight let the rune drop from her hooves towards the monster’s face, and blasted it with her magic.  It almost comically landed on the monster’s nose and for a brief moment balanced there like a ball on the nose of a seal.  Then the rune seemed to open as a dark hole in space consumed Tirek’s head, then its shoulders, then its midsection.  Twilight landed over on the other side just as the monster’s hooves disappeared.  She threw a shield around the room just as the ceiling finally crumbled, shielding everypony and every changeling and every other thing that might be in this room of the castle.
“OUT!”  Twilight bellowed to the ceiling, and the Changelings gratefully buzzed out of the room.  She turned, panting, and she was the only one there.  Twilight moaned.  She was so tired.  Her horn ached.  Her wings dragged as she stumbled to the Heart of Ponyland.  She could feel the ceiling crumbling against her shield, but she couldn’t run the risk of losing the Heart.  She placed a trembling hoof on the artifact, and for a moment she felt a surge of energy.  She closed her eyes, and vanished.

“Help her damnit!  You’re a necromancer, aren’t you?”
Rath leaned over what remained of Hydia.  He was already shaking his skull even as Reeka pulled in another breath to berate him.
“The soul is gone.  If I were to use necromancy she still would not come back.  You’d only get a zombie suffling around.  In order to make a lich you need something to contain the soul, and she never did that.  I can’t do anything.”  He straighted and looked down at Reeka.  “Ree-“
“Useless bag of bones!”  Reeka kicked him, and part of Rath’s femur came loose.  He did nothing in retaliation, simply watched as Reeka turned her glare on Draggle.
“You!  I hope you’re finally happy!”  Reeka marched over, and the Ponylander’s circled around Draggle in an attempt to keep her away.  That didn’t stop Reeka from pushing Truly’s head down (completely ignoring the pony protesting such treatment) so should could lean forwards and shake a fist at her sister.  “This is all your fault!”
“I-I” Draggle stammered, looking around at the ponies around her, and very deliberately not looking at the body.  Or Reeka.
“The last thing you told her was that you hated her!  If you had just swallowed your pride and come with us she’d be here!  You killed her!  It’s all your fault!”  Reeka suddenly turned and began to march away.  “I hope you’re proud of yourself.  Traitor.”  Reeka hissed, never looking back as she began to trudge her way back to the volcano alone.
Rath reset his bone and slowly lifted Hydia in his arms.  He turned and began to follow Reeka.  He paused for a moment and turned his gaze on Draggle.  “We will talk later.”  He said.
Draggle shook her head.  “No.”
“We will.”  Rath said firmly, but left it at that.  He followed Reeka, who didn’t protest.  Or if she did, she didn’t do it within earshot.
A few moments later, Twilight teleported onto the field, hoof still on the Heart.  She looked around at the gathered forces, and smiled.
“We.  Won.”  She declared, and promptly collapsed.
Majesty, an eye watching the disappearing forms of Rath and Reeka, blinked.  “Did we?”
 

> Chapter Twenty-Six
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty-Six


All around the battlefield the various groups from both Ponyland and Equestria began to gather around in clusters according to allegiance. Those that had willing followed Tirek fled, pursued by the reformed creatures of Dream Valley. The crabnasties, enraged at being used as pawns for an evil dictator, led the charge. Troggles, orcs and scree scattered, desperate to escape the clacking crab claws of justice. 

In the wake of Twilight Sparkle’s fainting spell, something that was probably inevitable due to all the magic she had just done, Cadence had taken it upon herself to organize the allies of Ponyland into dealing with the wounded while the crabnasties pursued the remaining villains. She wasn’t sure what exactly the crab creatures were going to do to the ones they caught, but Galaxy assured her that these dangerous looking creatures were allies and good friends. That was enough for Cadence.

Shining Armor stuck close by her side, leaning a bit on her as Cadence watched over their allies. He seemed slightly shell shocked, trembling next to his wife and sort of staring out at the scene with wide, haunted eyes. Cadence leaned her cheek against Shining and gave him a soft nuzzle.

“Are you okay? You’re very quiet.”

“I…I was going to let that creature kill someone, Cadence. I didn’t even give it a second thought I…”. Shining’s gaze drifted to the ponies of Dream Valley. They stood in little clusters around their formerly corrupted friends, most of whom seemed just as shell shocked as Shining. Shining’s eyes, however, were focused on Draggle, who was sitting on a log next to Wind Whistler, petting her mane and whispering something in her ear. The blue pegasus had closed her eyes and taking in long deep breaths. She appeared to be attempting to meditate, but occasionally she would lean against the witch and mutter something at her. Megan, the young human girl, was at the other end of the log, fussing over the red locket that once housed the Rainbow of Light.

Cadence gave her husband another comforting nuzzle. “You weren’t in your right mind at the time.”

“I know but…”. Shining shock his mane and started trotting over to the log. “I should go apologize. 

Cadence nodded and followed her husband, her eyes sliding to the side. She had expected the Changelings to try to run off with the rest of Tirek’s former allies, but they hadn’t. Maybe it was because they had ended up following Cadence. Either way, the small group of remaining Changelings huddled near the ruins, surrounding the crushed body of their queen, and muttering and chittering amongst themselves. All except one of the injured ones. That one was holding the young queen, cradling her close and keeping her turned away from her mother. Cadence couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for them. She couldn’t imagine how she would feel if Celestia or Luna were killed in battle. Still, there was no telling what the insectoid creatures would do now that their queen was dead, and they were no longer in Equestria. For all she knew they were going to slip away to haunt the dark corners of Dream Valley, scavenging off the love of the people here. They might even try to impersonate the ponies here. So, while her husband was attempting to apologize to Draggle, who didn’t seem that interested in the stallion’s apologies, Cadence was turning her attention to the Changelings, ideas forming and swirling around her head.

The drones, once surmised to merely be pawns of their queen, were clearly intelligent enough to make their own choices and reason. The fact that they had been able to talk things out with here in the castle and come to an accord was proof of that. If they could be reasoned with then they could perhaps be befriended? A few days ago, Cadence would scoff at the concept of befriending Changelings, but wasn’t the proof that not all creatures raised evil would follow evil all their lives sitting in front of her husband right now, growling at him that he didn’t have to apologize and to please stop because his nattering was annoying to her?

“Hey, Heart-butt.”  

Cadence winced as Draggle threw a piece of bark at her to get her attention. She blinked and looked fully at the witch, who jerked her staff at the Changeling cluster. “What are thinking of doing to them?”

Cadence blinked again, the seeds of an idea forming in her head starting to sprout with Draggle’s words. “I think- “ 

Shining tossed his head. “I think a one-way trip to Tartarus for the lot of them would be more than they deserve. After all the trouble they caused.”

“Even the child?”  Wind Whistler opened her eyes and gave Shining a cold look. “The one that was just born?”

Shining stepped back and shook his head. “You’ve seen what they can do!”

“And I’ve seen what you can do.” Draggle snorted at Shining, whose mouth dropped open.

“Now wait a minute- “The stallion was getting steamed but Draggle cut him off again.

“See, you just gave me a nice long screed about how sorry you are for helping Tirek use me as a hostage, but the moment someone mentions creatures you don’t like, all of a sudden it’s throw them in…whatever Tarter sauce is.”

“Then what would you suggest we do to them?” Shining bellowed, pointing a hoof at the Changelings who, by now, had noticed all the screaming and pointing their direction. The one holding the baby queen suddenly turned to its fellows, chittering madly. Shining tensed and prepared to charge, but Cadence laid a wing on his back.

“Let me.” She said, and her husband gave her a pained look.

“But, dear…”

“I’ll be fine.”

Lowering her wings and walking slowly, trying to look the least bit intimidating as an alicorn can, which granted wasn’t easy even for the ‘the pink love one’, Cadence approached the Changeling Cluster.

“Please, let me talk to you.”  She said, as loudly as she dared once in hearing range.

The baby minder suddenly thrust the queen into the biggest of the guard Changeling’s arms and limped over to her. The poor thing still had noticeable cracks in its chitin from being slammed into walls by Tirek and limped a bit as it approached. The big guard, however, looked at him in alarm and…concern? Cadence was a bit of an empath herself, seeing as how she was the Princess of Love. While she couldn’t create love from nothing, she could sense the love that was already there, and if she wasn’t imagining it that big guard felt concern for the injured one approaching her. Concern, the need to protect the smaller Changeling and…love? That was interesting. The Changelings did have love for one another, but there was something blocking it, as if they had never learned how to truly express and show that love.

Finally, the guard Changeling passed the queen to another Changeling and leaped forward, snarling. “Thorax! Get back here you idiot!”

“I have to try!” The injured one…Thorax said, looking over his shoulder. “Just, stay with the little queen, Pharynx.” The guard, Pharynx, ground his fangs angrily at Thorax, but the meek little Changeling squared his shoulders and faced Cadence with as much bravery as he could muster. “I need to talk to you.”

“Alright, lets talk.”  Cadence tried to give Thorax a comforting smile.

“I…we’ve been starving for love for a long time. The last queen did her best, but there was never enough for all of us to go around. She gave us what she could, but there never was enough. We were starving, we all were. That’s why we attacked you. So many of us were going to die, and she told us it was the only way.”

Cadence frowned. She wasn’t so sure of that, but Chrysalis was dead. There was no way to truly tell what that creature had really thought, and if she was redeemable or not. It didn’t matter anymore. What mattered was the shattered remains of the hive she left behind. “If you had come to us and offered us your friendship, we wouldn’t have turned you away.”

“I-I want to believe that.” Thorax said. “I was at the attack on Canterlot. I saw how your friends shared their love and friendship with each other.”  His voice lowered. “I wanted to find out if we could do that too. The others think I’m crazy, but I think it’s possible.”  He paused, shuffling his hooves nervously. “Some of them want to run somewhere here, but everyone here knows what we are now, just like you in Equestria do. We only sided with the witches because they were going to give us Equestria if we helped him take over Ponyland. The queen would have all the love we could need and still have more left over. Now, she’s dead, and the baby queen won’t be able to take over the Hive for a few years. We have nowhere to go. I…think if you could show us how to share love, instead of taking it, we might have a chance. Most of the others don’t believe, but it’s either that, a slow death from starvation, or you throw us in Tartarus now.”

“I don’t like it. He’s crazy, but I do agree with don’t have a choice here.”  Pharynx stomped over, taking off his helmet and throwing it aside. Cadence was amused to see that, in a sea of identical Changelings, this one had a unique coloration and head crest. She wondered if it meant something. “The wimp has a point. I’d rather the hive have to make nice with you pansy ponies then die off slowly.”  Pharynx sighed and looked away from Cadence, as if admitting weakness physically hurt him. “I’m the best fighter in the hive. Hell, I’m probably the best fighter you’ll ever find. If you help us shelter the weaker members of the hive, I’ll make sure no one makes trouble in your little princess palace or whatever you call it. Who knows? Maybe you’ll like to play tea party with the wimp.” Pharynx smacked Thorax with a hoof, earning a wince and a sad look from Thorax.

These creatures weren’t like what Cadence has assumed they were like at all. They had all seemed to be the same when they had kidnapped her and when fighting the Elements. It seemed they were individuals after all, and there was at least one who wanted the learn friendship. She wondered if Twilight would have to start giving lessons.

“As long as you don’t hurt anypony, or any of our allies and friends, I see no reason why you can’t come back to Equestria with us. I’d even be willing to let you live in the Crystal Empire, as long as you don’t cause trouble.”

Thorax brightened his big buggy eyes growing wide and his mouth splitting into a wide smile. It was a rather adorable expression.

“Ummm, Cadence…can we talk?”  Shining didn’t exactly glare at the Changelings, but he did very distinctly didn’t look at them. She nodded and walked a few steps away, out of earshot.

“Are you sure about this, you remember what they did?”

“Of course, I do. I’m not a fool, Shining, but that Draggle girl is right. That little one is just a baby, and they all are going to starve if we don’t help them. If the Ponylanders can let one of their ancient enemies into their home, why can’t we. Plus, the red and purple one says he fighter. Think of what the Crystal Guard can accomplish with him around.” Shining blinked at this argument and, after a few moments, gave Cadence a slow nod.

“We need to keep a close eye on them.”

“True, but it’s a chance we have to take.”

Shining sighed and finally nodded. “Alright. Let’s do it. I’ll support you all the way, Caddy.”  He leaned forwards and gave her a quick kiss. “Let’s get back and see if Twili is awake yet.”

Cadence smiled at him and waved the Changelings over. After some nervous chittering and buzzing the remaining members of the swarm began to follow Cadence like the world’s spookiest looking ducklings. Someone passed the little queen back to Thorax, who was the only one of the group that seemed happy with this situation.

“They are going with you?”  Galaxy split from the Ponylander cluster as they passed by, frowning with worry.

“Yes, we are going to teach them how to share love and friendship instead of stealing it.”  Cadence grinned, purposely ignoring Pharynx’s scoff and Shining’s sudden interest in the tops of the trees.

“Good, I hope it goes well for you…ummm…is Princess Twilight awake yet? I need to ask her something.”  Galaxy looked behind her, as Magic Star was approaching as well. The two of them shared an odd look, and Cadence could practically taste their tension and worry.

“What’s wrong?”  She asked, but Galaxy shook her head. 

“I’d rather talk to Twilight Sparkle alone.” Her eyes darted to Magic Star. “Mostly alone.”

Now very concerned, Cadence led them to where they had left Twilight with the other Elements. Rainbow was twisting her head to look behind her at her bright, restored rainbow mane. Rarity had somehow obtained a clean sheet from somewhere and was laying on it, exhausted from the purifying of the Heart but very pleased with herself overall. Somehow, their Spike had found a fan and was giving the mare a light fanning. Cadence smiled. Rarity deserved it after the feat she had achieved. Even Applejack seemed exhausted, though she chose to collapse in the dirt next to Rainbow, lightly teasing her about her brief foray into evil.

“Is Twilight alright?”  Cadence asked. Applejack looked up and glared at the Changelings. 

“Princess, ya got a bug problem.”  The farm pony growled and got to her hooves. Even tired, she was still ready to fight.

“No, I don’t. They are coming with us. They’re going to be our friends now.” Cadence said firmly.

Applejack glared at the swarm. “Ya sure about that?”

“Yes! We just want to live. We don’t want to starve. I want to be friends! I’d really want to have friends!” Thorax limped up next to Cadence, giving Applejack a pleading look and ignoring his brother’s grumbles. Applejack studied the Changeling, then grunted.

“Ya’ll get one chance. Don’t waste it.” Applejack then leaned forwards and nudged Twilight. “Come on, Twi. We can’t lay here forever.”

Twilight mumbled and twitched her hooves. Cadence smiled, leaned down and said. “Twilight, the library is closing in fifteen minutes.” Twilight’s eyes popped open, and she leapt to her hooves, only to stumble and crash into Rainbow.

“LIBRARY!”

“…what have we gotten ourselves into?” Pharynx muttered. Cadence smiled and turned to the Changelings. “Let’s get out of earshot for a bit?  Galaxy said she wanted to talk to Twilight alone.” She turned to Galaxy. “I’m going to make our goodbyes and meet the rest at the portal. Need to get the Changeling’s settled in and tell Aunt Celestia about this. She’ll want to know what happened.” 

Galaxy nodded. “Thank you for everything.”  The unicorn waited while Cadence herded the Changelings and her husband away, before turning to the Elements. “I really need to talk to Princess Twilight alone.”

“I mean, ya got her with ya.” Applejack nodded at Magic Star. “I don’t see why we can’t listen in. Promise we won’t interrupt.

Galaxy sighed and nodded. “I suppose that fine…Princess I need to know. Were exactly did you send Tirek?”

“I’m not sure. I never go the hang of that runic magic. I just wanted him gone so he wouldn’t hurt anypony else I mean…he killed that witch. I was afraid he was going to crush us all. I’m sure he went crazy because his spiritual makeup was unstable. It was an unbalanced combination of dark magic, and chaos magic and at least two souls. Maybe two souls and a memory of a soul. I just wanted it gone…why?”

“Because it took the Rainbow of Light with it.” Galaxy nodded towards where Megan was sitting, who was starting to look distraught. “Megan has been trying to get it to come back the locket, but she can’t. Normally it would be back by now, but there is no sign of it. That Rainbow is the only line of defense Paradise estate has. With it gone we are defenseless.”

“Oh no oh no oh no!”  Twilight’s wings spread wide as she looked just as distraught as Megan. “I’m so sorry! I had no idea that would happen!” Twilight sat in a miserable heap of purple feathers. “What have I done!”

Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow all opened their mouths to say something, but Magic Star was the first to interject. “Like you said, if you hadn’t used that rune then many of us would have died. We aren’t angry with you.”

“Most of us aren’t angry with you.” Galaxy’s eyes darted to Truly, who was indeed giving Twilight a dirty look.

“Well, their ain’t nothing for it then.” Applejack got to her hooves and tossed her mane to the side. “We just are gonna havta be y’all’s line of defense. Least till Twilight here can find a solution.”

“Are you certain? That would be a lot to ask.” Galaxy said.

“Ain’t nothing to ask at all. We are friends now, ain’t we?”  Applejack gave Galaxy a pat on the shoulder. “Besides, bet if y’all asked around most the folks around here would lend ya a hoof or paw or hand no questions asked. Heck, just saw most of em rush ta y’all’s defense in the past three days or so.” She smiled at the two Ponylanders. “Why y’all even think fer a second that you’re alone?”

“And with that mirror, any one of us can be here ready to kick some sorry flank in two seconds flat.” Rainbow fluttered her wings. 

“We could move the mirror to Ponyville, make it more accessible. I bet I can convince Distance and any other researcher he has to study it more. Maybe we can make more mirrors. Or we can find more combinations. If we look around the multiverse with the mirror, we can find where the Rainbow of Light went and get it back. Or maybe find an artifact that is just as good for you.” Twilight’s eyes brightened at the thought of exploration, research, and the opportunity to find more friends in other dimensions.

Magic Star chuckled. “Ah, just like that one television show in Megan’s world. To boldly go where no pony has gone before.”

Twilight had no idea what she was talking about, but she eagerly nodded anyway. She had made a horrible mistake, but it would alright.

She would make it right.





Reeka glared at Rath as the skeleton man finished a…admittedly rather good depiction of her mother on a painted canvas. He was a fairly good artist, for a freaky skeleton that still insisted she call him Grandpa. It was nauseating, but she would go along with it. For now, he was the only one still willing to stick around her. The only family she had left. It was pathetic, really.

“What is that supposed to be?” She snarled at him.

“Found this stuff in the painting room. Used to carve these out in wood or stone, but I figured you’d want something more familiar. You can be grateful, just a bit.” He gazed at her with his spooky lights, and Reeka wished very much that he had a face. It was hard to tell his mood.

“Again, what is it?”

“What do you think those paintings in that room do. Why do you think they can summon your families’ spirits? I cannot bring you mother back to true physical form but…”  Rath finished carving runes into the back of the painting. “We can summon her memory.”

Reeka blinked and tried to ignore the weird wetness at the corner of her eyes. Damn dust was everywhere. “You can?”

“Yes. Come with me.”

Okay, maybe the old bonehead wasn’t as useless after all. Reeka followed as…Grandpa took the painting to the room and hung it up next to the door. She looked from him to the painting. “What do I do.”

“Simply call her name. Surely you saw her do this before?” Rath asked.

“Yeah, just making sure. Get lost. I want to talk to her alone.”

“…it is not healthy to dwell on lost things.”

“BEAT IT!”

“…very well, child.” Rath left, not exactly slamming the door, but perhaps closing it with a bit more vigor then was required.





Two days later Reeka found him again, lurking in an old dusky corner of the volcano that had been closed off for as long as she remembered. It was a bare room with nothing but a single chair in the middle of a raised dais. Rath had sat on the ancient chair, light’s dim and staring at nothing. Long ago this would have intimidated Reeka, even scared her, but that was not the case anymore. She thumped his skull and was rewarded with a firm grip on her wrist and a sudden flashing of red light.

“I will tolerate much from you, girl, but you will not strike me. I am still the chief of this clan, regardless of how long I have been gone.”

“There is no clan. It’s just you and me.”

“Hence why I will tolerate much. Do you need something?”

“We are getting back at the ponies.”

“Was this your idea, or your mothers?”

“Shut up! I’m the only living witch left! I do what I want, and I want to spread as much misery and pain to those ponies as I can! They took everything from me, and you’re going to help me.” Reeka bellowed at the old skeleton, who simply gazed at her impassively. “Unless you have a better idea.”

“…once this was my throne. I met with the elders of our clan here. I gave orders, listened to complaints and problems. One by one they fell to darkness, and now, there is just you. I tried to make friends with the ponies, and in the end I could do nothing. There is nothing we can do. Perhaps our kin was doomed from the start. Perhaps this was inevitable. As the season change, so do dynasties, linages, and eras. The time of darkness in this land is past my child. Perhaps one day it will rise again, but you will not live to see it. I probably will not exist to see it as well. We are gone, my child. Perhaps we should go in truth.”

“…what?”

“Leave this valley. Forget the ponies. Forget your sister- “

“I have no sister!”

“Then it will be no trouble for us to go! Leave this place, find another dark corner of the land to rule, and forget the ponies! Let them have their reign, for it will not last forever! Nothing does.”

Reeka sneered at him. “Hydia at least deserves to have some justice. I won’t let them think they won without a fight!”

For a moment the lich stared at her. Then he nodded. “Misfortune you said?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me, girl, are you willing to pay the price for your revenge? There is always a price for these things. And you will always, always regret it.”

“Whatever it takes.”

“Go the cauldron room. I have something that will…help.”

Reeka grinned and left, ignoring how her ancestor’s gaze lingered on her as she left. For a few moments the lich stood in the darkness, listening to the voices of the dead.

After a few moments he left the chamber.

He would never return.




A week or so later…

Wind Whistler, Galaxy, Magic Star and Majesty were the first of the Ponylanders to stop through the portal. Instead of being greeted by the sights of Ponyville, or the castles of Canterlot or the Crystal Empire, they instead found themselves in a large crystal room, next to another portal mirror. They blinked in surprise but moved to the side so the rest of the ponies and their humanoid allies could walk through the portal and into the large room. Aside from the other mirror there were tons of ponies here from all around Equestria and the Crystal Empire, as well as a few Changelings.

Twilight Sparkle smiled and opened her wings. “Welcome back, friends!...so…umm, this is my castle.”

“You had a castle this entire time?” Danny asked, wide eyed.

“Umm, no. Funny thing.” Twilight rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. “You see, we had this problem with another Tirek. A Tirek from our world, unfortunately, so he didn’t have the Rainbow with him. We beat him though, thanks to Discord and the Tree of Harmony!”

“The tree of what now?” Draggle stared at them as if they had lost their minds.

“Well, you see thousands of years ago- “

“Aaaand I’m sorry I asked. Do you have an off button?”

Magic Star sighed and walked over to Twilight. “I’m interested in what happened.”  Paradise, (who couldn’t resist any story that started a long time ago), Danny (who couldn’t resist a story with a fight), and a few others went over to hear about Twilight’s magical laser duel with another evil centaur with the same name as the one they just fought.

Meanwhile, Pinkie had bounced to Wind Whistler and Draggle, grabbing them both and hugging them, ignoring the witch’s struggles and Wind Whistler’s gasp for precious air. “I FINALLY get to throw you a Welcome to Ponyville party! Only, I guess it’s also a Victory Party! And a Bestest Interdimensional Alliance Ever party! You guys are going to love it!” Pinky leaned in close to Draggle’s ear. “I saved up all the old crusts and rotten fruit I could and made you the baddest pie ever!”

“…ya know, that does sound nice, but so does breathing. Please stop crushing my lungs, you lunatic!”

“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie bounced away from Draggle and Wind Whistler. “But I also want to introduce you to my sister and my friends Cranky Doodle and Matilda and…OVER HERE MAUD!”

“…we are both going to be deaf by the time we’re done.”  Draggle rubbed her ear.

“I’ve lived with her for years and my hearings fine.” The dull grey mare that walked over.  Draggle blinked as Maud just…stared with no expression. “Hi. I’m Maud. Pinkie is my sister.”

Draggle looked from Maud, to Wind Whistler, and back. Wind Whistler was blinking at Maud, or to be more precise Maud’s lack of any expression at all.

“Ummm, hello Maud. It’s very good to meet you.” Wind Whistler said, taken aback by a pony even more outwardly emotionless as she was always accused of being.

“…I like you. You’re quiet.” Maud said, ignoring as Draggle backed away, not sure if she should be laughing or not.

I should really introduce her to Gusty and Truly. Then they can talk to me about feelings.

“Do you like rocks?”

Or maybe not.





Celestia, who had found a separate room in Twilight’s new castle, picked up a teacup and smiled at her companion.

“A written-out treaty seems almost silly to me.” Majesty looked towards the door with a chuckle. “Almost redundant.”

“I know, but let’s be honest. It gives me a chance to enjoy tea with a friend.”  And the nobles can’t complain about a diplomatic mission.

“Still, might be useful one day. Have the researchers from the Crystal Empire arrived?”

“Oh yes. They are working on cataloging a few sequences to try. I also hauled down the portal mirror to Canterlot High, in case it could also shine some light.” Perhaps one day she could…at least try to contact Sunset. Celestia didn’t want to go to a place where she knew a monkey double of her wandered around. Who knew what would go wrong, but perhaps it was worth the risk? She needed to take more risks in her life. Perhaps going to Ponyland had awakened a need for adventure that long slumbered within her? Regardless, it couldn’t hurt to be more proactive. 

“I want a few of use to come over here fairly frequently, to help with the exploration of the new worlds. Some of our more adventurous friends. I honestly don’t think I could restrain Gusty with rope if I tried!”

“Or Rainbow Dash.”  Celestia chuckled and raised her tea cup. “To friendship then?”

“Why of course.”

The two clicked their cups together.




Twilight folded her wings as she slipped out of the room and into the hallway that led outside of the room. She was a more friendly pony, but she was still an introvert at heart. She needed a break.

Turning to a staircase that led to a balcony over the large portal room, Twilight climbed until she could look down into the room. Initially she had thought to put the mirrors in the library, but with all the ponies that would be going back and forth she instead decided to use a large room in the castle she had not thought of a use for yet. In fact, so many of the rooms in this stupidly large castle had seemed useless to her. The Golden Oaks had been a perfect, cozy home, and this castle was not the Golden Oaks.

However, the more friends I make, here in Equestria and beyond, the more it will fill up. That can’t be a bad thing.

Twilight smiled down at the scene in front of her, determined to memorize it for the rest of her life. She could see Wind Whistler’s slight smirk as she introduced Maud to her rude friend Truly, who looked like she just saw a ghost. She hoped poor Maud wouldn’t get her feelings hurt, but then perhaps she wouldn’t care what Truly thought. Twilight could see Spike talking to his new friend Thorax and introducing him to Danny and Red Spike of Ponyland. The four were having a lively conversation, though Twilight couldn’t make it out. Gusty had found Thorax’s brother Pharynx, who now wore the armor of the Crystal Empire. The two were headed outside the castle, and a few moments later Twilight spotted Gusty through the window, eagerly charging Pharynx, who had transformed into a large insect form he favored. It looked like he was giving her a taste of his Monster Fighting Class he set up in the Empire with Shining as way to train the guards. After a few moments Rainbow and Applejack joined in on their sparring fun. Fluttershy was also outside the castle, talking to the small group of Stonebacks and hugging her original Stoneback friend. Big Mac was offering Fizzy a drink and a piece of cake from the table, and the unicorn was balancing the plate with her bubbles. One of the researchers from the Crystal Empire, a unicorn named Sunburst, was chatting away with Magic Star, no doubt discussing the portal with her.

Twilight took a deep calming breath. It was worth it. All of it. She never suspected that when she was a filly that she would not only find the Elements, defeat Nightmare Moon, become a princess, and discover an ancient kingdom from another universe full of strange and exotic creatures that hadn’t walked Equestria in thousands of years. And yet, here they all were. It was the most beautiful sight that Twilight had ever seen.

The future of Equestria, and Ponyland, was bright.

She was so happy watching the party below she didn’t notice the pair of eyes watching her from the dark. Planning.