The sky was blue, the grass green, the wind still. The ground was dry and dusty, the plants thirsty, and the area slightly chilly. It was peaceful - but also somber. Quiet. As if life had given up in this area, only living because dying would require effort…
This image was shattered with a round magical barrier fell out of the sky and plowed a ditch through the ground like a meteorite.
The orb barreled through trees, smoking as it went down - but not lighting anything on fire. The sparks never fully ignited.
The moment the orb came to a stop, the spell was dropped and Rarity yelled. “WHY DO WE KEEP DOING THAT? It’s like a recurring theme! Fall from the sky and SMASH into the ground!” She grabbed her hair. “Of all the things the universe decides to make a running gag for us, this is it!?!”
“You are the only one who hates it.” Rainbow Dash remarked.
Rarity fumed, but kept herself silent.
Fluttershy opened her eyes. “…Where are we?”
Applejacks jaw dropped as she looked around. “…Ah know exactly where we are.”
Twilight blinked. “Huh? How?”
Applejack pointed - in the distance was a very familiar looking castle.
Rarity gasped. “TROTTON? But… But… How did we get back here? Why? What?”
Twilight frowned, rubbing her chin with her wing. “I’m not sure… There was an awful large surge of magic, and I did hastily generate a bubble stronger than I ever have before… Maybe there was a reaction?”
“Trotton…” Rarity said. “Home…”
Fluttershy blinked. “Home?”
“I grew up in that castle. Lived almost my whole life in it.” Rarity said, tears coming to her eyes. “I thought I’d never see it again…”
Twilight smiled. “Let’s go there - get some rest, figure out what to do next.”
Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Go there, rest, then head to the City of Man. I think the plan is obvious.”
Applejack blinked. “Wait. You actually thought of that plan? On your own?”
“AJ, I’m not stupid.”
“But Twilight didn’t think of it!”
“So?”
Applejack shook her head. “Never mind.”
The five mares picked themselves up, dusted themselves off, and headed for Trotton castle. They found themselves feeling depressed at the landscape - things were still green, but they didn’t seem as bright. Trees seemed to sag, and the grass seemed lifeless without the wind blowing through it. The few animals they saw looked sluggish and lethargic - barely moving at all to eat the grass.
Fluttershy began to whimper as they marched along the great field. It only got worse when they arrived at town. Rarity gasped - the normally bustling marketplace was nearly empty, with only a few carts in existence trying to sell some very substandard wares. The streets were mostly empty, most of the houses dark. A few ponies were walking around, looking haggard and nervous.
Only one stall seemed to have any fresh produce at all, and a little yellow filly was manning it alongside a red stallion. “Apples!” The filly yelled. “Get yer apples here! Fresh from Sweet Apple Acres!”
“Applebloom?” Applejack said, jaw slack. “What are-“
“APPLEJACK?” Applebloom yelled. She leapt off the red stallion and embraced her in a hug. The filly started crying. “Ah’ve missed you…”
Applejack returned the hug. “Ah’ve missed you too… How’s the farm been going?”
“Hard.” The red stallion spoke up. “It’s nearly impossible to grow succulent apples anymore. This here is likely to be our last premium batch.”
“And nopony wants to buy it!” Applebloom yelled. “I blame Big Mac being intimidating.” She looked around. “Or the fact that nopony seems to live here anymore…”
Rarity sniffed the air. “Yes… Why is that?”
Applebloom looked up. Her jaw dropped. “P-princess Rarity?”
“Oh, yes.” Rarity giggled. She put her crown on. “I forgot about that little fact for a moment. Sorry.”
“Oh my gosh you can fix everything!” Applebloom squee’d. “Ponies won’t want to move to Solamane when they hear you’re back!”
“Move to Solamane?” Rarity queried.
Big Mac cleared his throat. “Apparently there’s some stronghold city there that is still functioning well despite the destruction of the Crystals. Ponies keep pouring in.”
“What of Morphisis?”
Big Mac sighed. “Morphisis ain’t doing too well from what Ah hear. Having serious problems without the Water Crystal.”
Fluttershy blinked. “Um. I have no idea what any of these places are. Help?”
“Solamane was my kingdom, the kingdom of fire.” Twilight explained. “It’s currently where the ancient City of Man resides, probably why they’re doing okay. There’s probably enough technology in there to counteract the loss of the Crystals. Morphisis is the Changeling Kingdom.”
“Changelings!?” Fluttershy exclaimed, backing up. “Oh no…”
“Hey!” Rainbow Dash said. “They’re okay people! Just like griffons are okay people!”
“You met a griffon?” Applebloom’s eyes went wide. “And they didn’t try to eat you?”
Twilight smirked. “No, they didn’t. They were a little gruff, but nice people-“
“MY GOSH ARE YOU AN ALICORN?”
“No wha-“ Twilight looked at her back again. “Oh. Guess I am. The wings are kinda new.”
Applebloom’s brain stopped working.
Big Mac chuckled. “This your ‘adventurin’ troop sis?”
Applejack grinned. “Eeyup! Dang proud of em too!”
Twilight and Fluttershy blushed.
“Aw don’t be modest, you girls are the best friends Ah’ve ever had. And don’t you forget it.”
Rainbow Dash smiled. “Never will. Ever.”
“Why do I have the feelin’ you’re going to hold that against me somehow in the future?”
“Because I will.”
Big Mac began to chuckle. “Eeyup.”
Rarity waved her hoof. “Enough of this. It was nice to meet you two but I believe we need to check in on the state of the castle. Everypony coming?”
The mares nodded. Applejack smirked at Big Mac and bought an apple on the way out. They marched towards Trotton castle, approaching the large, black double doors. Rarity knocked a few times.
“The castle is not- MY STARS.” A voice said, throwing the door open. “PRINCESS RARITY?”
“The one and only!” Rarity said. “I have returned!”
“Come in come in!” The stallion said. He was brown, had spectacles on his face, and wore a long flowing black robe. “We have so much to do! The people need to know you’ve returned! We…” He paused. “Who are your friends?”
“My adventuring companions.” Rarity said. “They helped me on my quest.”
The stallion nodded. “…Did you find the Queen?”
Rarity sagged. “…She’s no longer with us, Magistrate.”
The Magistrate let out a sharp breath of air. “What… took her?”
“The evil lord Exdeath.” Rarity responded. “Same force that destroyed the Crystals.”
“Ah.” The Magistrate said. “That… that’s evil.” He truly seemed like he didn’t know what to say. “I… am truly sorry.” He frowned. “We need to let the people know everything will be fine. That there is a Queen in the house now.”
“What?” Twilight said.
“Oh no not you, though I would like to know where you come from. The line of succession dictates that Rarity is now the ruler of Trotton.”
Rainbow Dash laughed. “Brilliant! We’ve got an entire Kingdom now!”
Rarity blinked. “I… I hadn’t considered this. Though I do suppose it was obvious.”
“We’ll hold the coronation tonight.” The Magistrate said.
“Hold it.” Applejack said. “Don’t we need to go back to Uniforge?”
Rarity smiled. “I… I can stay here.” She said. “You can grab the Vlerryn and come back here instantly once you arrive. These people…” She looked at the town through the window. “I think they need a leader.”
Fluttershy smiled. “That’s fine.”
Rainbow Dash frowned. “I’m not sure it is…”
“Why not?” Rarity said. “Until we can get another portal to the Otherworld, we’re stuck here. I might as well do my actual job until then.”
Twilight nodded. “I think it’s fine. There’s not much for us to do here besides check in on who we left behind.”
Fluttershy sagged, suddenly feeling far away from her home. Then her ears perked up as something occurred to her. “Wait.. if Rarity’s Queen… does that make Rainbow Dash a princess?”
Everyone stared at her with intense glares.
“I… I mean… They’re sisters and all…”
“SISTERS?” The Magistrate said, turning to Rainbow Dash. “…YOU are Sweetie Belle?”
“Uh, no, don’t go by that name. Rainbow Dash. Totally not a princess.”
Rarity sighed. “But she is my sister. Found her on my adventures.”
“Well this is glorious! The people will be ecstatic to have a long lost princess return to them! We need to get you two dressed up pronto!”
Rarity blinked. “Rainbow Dash. In a dress.” She looked at the pegasus. Her look became malicious.
“Buck no.” Rainbow Dash said, attempting to fly away. Rarity slowed her down and pinned her to the ground.
“Oho no! You’re coming with me and we’re trying on dresses.”
“Why me…” Rainbow Dash moaned. “WHY!?”
Rarity giggled. “This is going to be so fun!” The two mares and the Magistrate disappeared behind closed doors.
Twilight blinked. “I fear for Rainbow Dash.”
“Be glad they don’t make you a princess.” Applejack observed.
Fluttershy giggled at this thought.
Twilight pondered this. “You know, they probably will make me ruler if I return to Solamane… Assuming the Minister or the Crystal Ponies haven’t initiated some sort of hard-set rule already established…” She looked at her wings. “I’ve basically been granted the ‘right’ to rule with these. Weird.”
Applejack shrugged. “Eh, we’ll see how it goes. Until then I suppose we need to ask where we’re staying.”
—
“May I present to you, Queen Rarity Belle!” The Magistrate yelled.
Rarity walked up to the balcony of the castle, her brilliant diamond-colored dress shimmering in the sunset. Looking down at the ponies, a smile came to her lips. The streets were no longer abandoned - they were filled with ponies who had come out of their homes for the first time in weeks to see the return of Rarity. She waved at them, her new crown on right side up. They cheered. She smiled. “My little ponies! I have returned from a long journey across the world and beyond! I… am deeply sorrowful to say that my mother did not survive.” She stopped for a moment to regain her composure. “But now I have returned to you, and will use my newfound experience and skills to lead us through this dangerous time! We will not fade out into nothing! We can survive without the Crystals! We will try everything we can!”
The crowd thundered.
“And another piece of good news - on my journey I found my long lost sister. She is now going by the name Rainbow Dash, and she is here with us tonight. Come on up, princess!”
Rainbow Dash stuck her head around the corner. “You do realize I robbed from this kingdom on a regular basis right?”
“Pfft that’s nothing. Get up here and show them your stuff.”
Rainbow Dash groaned. “You can’t make-“
Rarity used her magic to drag the pegasus out onto the balcony. Rainbow Dash was adorned in a brilliant dress that shifted color depending on the angle of the light, complimenting her hair perfectly. Her wings were free and spread wide, as if she was ready to take flight. She froze as the crowd stared at her and started applauding.
“You wave.” Rarity whispered.
Rainbow Dash started waving. Despite herself, a smile came to her lips. This felt pretty good actually. She could get used to this. Though the dress… The dress was annoying.
“We’re totally going to win!” She shouted. The crowd has no idea what she meant but yelled back “YEAH!” anyway.
—
Later that night, Twilight stood at the balcony, looking at the stars. Applejack and Fluttershy walked in behind her.
“Well…” Applejack said. “Rainbow and Rarity have both passed out from drinkin’ too much.”
Fluttershy nervously smiled. “Yeah… Uh… Was I supposed to do that too?”
“No.” Applejack said, rolling her eyes.
Twilight kept staring out at the starlight. Starlight. “…I’m thinking about Starlight. And Sunset.”
Applejack frowned. “Don’t. They fought against us-“
“But they also fought for us.” Twilight said. “And they died for it. Wiped out without so much as a thought.”
Fluttershy frowned. “They… They tried.” She sniffed.
Applejack sighed. “Well… We should continue on and keep their memories with us.”
Twilight frowned, about to continue the train of thought. Then her eyes widened. “Look at the moon.”
Applejack looked up. “What are - Well call me a dingo.”
“What?” Fluttershy said. “It looks normal.”
“Your moon has that flashing green light.” Twilight said. “Ours does not.”
Fluttershy eeped. “What does that mean?”
“Ah…” Applejack paused, looking at the landscape around them. It was very familiar to the Trotton she knew, but also different. She had thought the change was just because there were no more Crystals, but now she saw it - there were those strange angular mountains that had only been seen in the Otherworld, and in the distance she could see a flat brown swath of land next to the desert.
Twilight gasped. “The… The worlds have been fused!”
Fluttershy blinked. “Wh… what?”
“Fused! Combined together! Somehow…” Twilight racked her brain. “How is this even possible?”
“The way they were meant to be…” Fluttershy muttered. “Maybe.. Maybe this was how the worlds used to look?”
Twilight frowned. “Maybe, I…” Her wings spread out as she felt something. She pointed at the desert. “There’s a magical beacon going off there. It’s… calling to me.”
Fluttershy flapped into the air. “Well… Shouldn’t we go investigate?”
“Yep.” Applejack said. “It’s what we do. We’ll check it out and be back by morning.”
“Or sooner.” Twilight said. “I think I can do a long range teleport now.” She closed her eyes and lifted the two ponies next to her in her telekinesis. Then in a flash of purple light, they were at the desert. “Come on.” She said, mane rustling in the cold desert air.
“So this is a desert.” Fluttershy said. “They were kinda rare back home. Never got to see one. Feels… gritty.”
“Sand is a staple of deserts.” Applejack said. “Now…” She frowned. “Where is this signal?”
“Over here.” Twilight said, walking directly ahead. “It’s much stronger now. Feels familiar somehow…”
A giant sandworm poked it’s head out of the ground and roared at the three mares. They took a few steps back. “That’s not the beacon!” Twilight yelled. Fluttershy screamed, summoning Titan. Titan grabbed the worm by the body, only to find out that it had hidden spikes.
“Oops.” Titan said, vanishing.
Applejack focused her inner energy, into one of the crystal powers she didn’t use that often. She felt a connection to the sand. She raised her hooves and shoved them into the sandy ground beneath, controlling the very landscape around her. Tendrils of sand shot out of the ground and impacted the sandworm… to little effect.
“Aw C’mon! I rarely use that! It should at least have some effect!”
Twilight shot a powerful magic laser at the worm, disintegrating the middle of the creature. The front half still raged, charging at them.
A flash of rainbow caught their attention, falling from the sky and crashing into the sandworm, exploding with an impressive rainbow spectrum of energy.
“Heh.” Rainbow Dash said, throwing off the tatters of her dress. “You guys go one one adventure without me and you mess riiiiight up.”
“Rainbow!” Applejack said. “You.. You were passed out!”
“Applejack, I’m a pirate. I know how to bounce back from alcohol.” She chuckled. “While being princess for a day was admittedly a little fun, I’m ready to get back to action. What’s here today?”
“Mysterious magic signal.” Twilight said. “Right…”
“…Here.” Discord said, appearing right in front of her face.
“AUGH!” She yelled, backing up. “What? How? Why?”
Discord took a step back, and the mares could see that Marble was riding his back. “Auntie! Discord!” Fluttershy said, beaming. “I thought I’d never see you again!”
Marble smiled and nodded warmly. Discord chuckled. “Yes, this world truly is alien is it not? But it is alien to all, for it is just a hodgepodge of random assembly instructions! Ho ho ho!”
“How are you free?” Twilight demanded.
“Oh look, newest Crystal chosen, acting all in charge and stuff.” He booped her nose. “How touching. Essentially, the stone shrine broke when the worlds merged, and Marble opted to free me rather than let me die.”
Fluttershy smiled. “Thank you Marble.”
“Yes yes, standing ovation for the earth pony sage.” Discord rolled his eyes.
“The worlds fusing…” Twilight frowned. “How did that happen?”
“HIIIISTORY LESSON!” Discord said, snapping his fingers. Suddenly they were somewhere else. It was daytime, and the world looked different and alien. There were six crystals floating in a circle - around a strange black force. “Once, oh so long ago, there was only one world. It had all six Crystals, but it also had a horrible black power known as the Void. This power was misused - it was dangerously close to destroying the entire universe. So the Crystals took actions to seal it away - splitting the world in two and keeping the Void trapped in the expanse between them.”
The image changed - four Crystals flew off to one side, two to the other, and the Void vanished into nothing. The world became an expanse of black. “This was how things were for oh so very long. The Crystals used their essence to anchor the worlds apart, keeping everything orderly and not in danger of dying. But there was one Crystal, the Aether Crystal, who grew bored with life and wanted to unlock the Void for its own use.”
Discord brought up an image of the Aether Crystal. “It sought to use it’s power to destroy all its brethren, then overcome it’s own anchor by sheer force of will. It would have survived the refusing of the worlds if given enough time to coordinate the combination correctly. But it made a mistake - using Exdeath as a pawn. As you are all aware this went badly for the Aether Crystal.”
Twilight nodded. “So… Without the anchors, the worlds just went back together naturally?”
“Precisely! You get a gold star!” Discord chuckled, then frowned. “But that isn’t all. Without the Aether Crystal, the Void had no controlling influence when it’s power was unlocked. So it sought one out. And I’m betting my money that-“
“You won’t have any money shortly, snake.” Exdeath said, appearing in a flash of black.
Discord sighed. “See this? See this hax? Over the top black magic stuff.” He facepalmed. “The Void is so uncreative.”
Exdeath let out a sharp breath of air. “Creativity is not its point. It exists merely as power. As defiance to the Crystals. Now that they are gone… It needs a new purpose. And that purpose is me.” He stood tall. “I will unlock it’s full powers and have complete dominion over reality and unreality.”
Twilight stood up. “We won’t let you.”
Exdeath laughed. “You think that because you almost beat me last time you can beat me now? Let me put this simply.” He raised his hand, a black ball of featureless energy appearing in his hand. “I have power you couldn’t hope to understand now. I have tapped into the Void, and my power is only growing.”
Twilight lit her horn and enveloped him in a miniature sun, pushing all of her newfound power into the attack. Exdeath flew back several miles.
“It really gave you all its power didn’t it?” Exdeath chuckled. “Magic is the most potent of the elements after all…” He stood up, charging them with a lance covered in blackness.
“Ah, no.” Discord said, turning the lance into a banana and trapping Exdeath in two giant cream pies. “That’s not going to fly Blue McEvil.”
Exdeath roared, pushing out of the pie tins and punching Discord directly, distorting the chaotic form. “Woah-ho!” Discord said. “You really pack a punch there McEvil!”
“Why do you insist on using nicknames?”
“Because. Life is a joke.” Discord laughed.
“That we can agree on.” Exdeath said, redirecting his attack at Marble - only to have the powerful chaos spirit teleport him five feet underground. Exdeath roared, the black power of the Void bubbling all over his armor. “This will not stand!” He charged Discord, and Discord charged him.
The two locked each other’s attacks, and locked.
Discord smirked. “Draw!” He chuckled.
“Stupid… Spirit!” Exdeath roared, trying to draw more energy - but finding he couldn’t. it truly was a draw for now. The bubbling Void power was not enough to overcome Discord.
“Now, the moment you realize you’re of equal power with me, and that I’m not the only on here.”
Rainbow Dash appeared from nowhere, hitting Exdeath with another rainbow explosion, launching him far into the air. “Dang! I’m getting good at those!”
Exdeath floated down, breathing heavy. “You know what? You aren’t worth it right now. I have the entire Void at my fingertips. Time I actually tried to use it.” He was engulfed in a sphere of blackness, vanishing.
Twilight blinked. “That’s not good is it?”
“No…” Discord said. “That is not…”
They heard a rumble in the distance. They all whirled their heads around to see a gigantic sphere of blackness growing around Trotton Castle.
“NO!” Rainbow Dash yelled - but it was too late. The castle was almost entirely engulfed already…
—
Rarity stood at the very top of the castle, looking down. “Well…” She said. “This… WHY?” She growled as the blackness approached her. “I was going to lead them! And now it just gets destroyed for no reason? I…” She began to cry. “Why…”
She resigned herself to her fate.
…But then the most beautiful thing happened.
The Vlerryn appeared, whizzing past her and picking her up with a magic tether milliseconds before the Void would have engulfed her. “Wa-ha-haaaaaa!” She yelled as she was dragged through the sky.
Then another beautiful thing happened.
The City of Man appeared in the sky, blasting into the Void sphere with some kind of super intense laser, preventing it from growing further. More ships poured from the city, picking up the citizens of Trotton, helping evacuate the city from the horrible void sphere.
Smaller void spheres appeared around the City of Man, but they found themselves unable to penetrate through some sort of unusual magic shield.
<Exdeath, I have a message for you. You may think there is nothing to oppose the Void any longer. You are wrong.> The Earth Crystal’s voice boomed out across the field. <The Warriors of Light still stand, as do I. And as does this city. We shall not be moved!>
The Void sphere around Trotton castle didn’t make any response. It just stayed there, growing ever so slowly.