//------------------------------//
// Restoration 
// Story: The Bonds of Family 
// by KidatHeart5 
//------------------------------//

	Flurry asked while she held on to some of her courage, “What do you mean?”
Chrysalis chuckled wickedly, “Why, princess, isn’t it obvious? With Nightmare Sky reverted back to pathetic and helpless Skyla, I now have control over the Moonshadow army!”
Skyla said, “But I don’t understand. Why were you so willing to ally with me if I was just another obstacle in your quest for power?”
“Do you think the Moonshadows could’ve gotten down from the moon even if they so wished? They could not, so they found a way to communicate with me and we made a deal. They would make sure I returned to power if I provided them with a way to free them. Naturally, the Moonshadows had caught wind of the zebra prophecy foretelling their escape. The only way they could get free was if someone became trapped on the moon with them and set the prophecy in motion.” She then cast an evil smirk, “Guess who it was?”
The sisters were dumbfounded by this development until Skyla spoke, “But Zesty…She was the one who sent me on the path of evil. She told me to go to the spring to make myself pure so I could defeat Flurry Heart before she became…” Then, it dawned on her. “Wait a minute. She was never going to become evil. What I saw in the secret passageway was no vision!”
Chrysalis chuckled maliciously, “How correct you are, princess. It was a door that led you to your worst fears. It was only a legend until you opened the secret passageway with dark magic.”
“Wait, how did you…?”
“Because…” She disappeared in a green flash and reappeared as Zesty Gourmand, now sporting an evil smile. “…I was there.”
Skyla and Flurry were shocked to learn that Chrysalis was practically right under their noses during the Crystal Gala.
“Zesty” continued, “It was tempting to just suck the love of everypony at the Gala, but then…I found something much more rewarding…” She pointed at Skyla, “…you. If you had never rushed out of the ballroom, I never would have believed you were the perfect patsy to set the Moonshadows free. All I had to do was cultivate your hatred and lead you to the spring the Moonshadows had corrupted. You were so blinded by your little quest to stop your sister that you couldn’t see the truth…” Her horn glowed and conjured up another green flash. Chrysalis then reappeared in her normal form and finished, “…right in front of your face!”
Skyla’s heart ached at the revelation and she just sat there in silence. 
Flurry asked, “But if you were trying to use Skyla just so you can command the Moonshadows, then why try to kill me?”
Chrysalis answered with a sneer, “Because you’re just like the rest of your family, all goody-goody and meddlesome. I knew you would be searching for a cure to your sister’s darkness, so naturally, you had to be stopped. If you had given her the cure before your little army lost their powers, you would’ve actually had a chance to defeat me.” She then said with a malicious grin, “But now that your friends, even that freak of nature, have lost their magic, it’s only a matter of time before you lose yours. But…I won’t take any chances.” She ordered the Moonshadow on D6, “Eliminate her!”
The shadowy creature’s eyes glowed and shot beams of light toward Flurry Heart.
Skyla jumped in front of her sister as she shouted, “No!” In a white flash, Skyla became a stone statue.
Flurry gasped, “Skyla!”
Before the Moonshadow could strike again, a turquoise ray of magic blasted at him. Flurry looked to see Thorax, panting as the magic on his antlers and horn faded away.
Chrysalis smiled wickedly, “It looks like you’re next.”
The Moonshadow who had been hit by Thorax’s magic shot his eye beams at the changeling king. Within seconds, Thorax became a stone statue as well.
Chrysalis said, “See, princess? You cannot win no matter what you –“ 
She paused when she saw that Flurry was no longer on C6. Suddenly, she heard a sneeze and Flurry appeared on B5 in a yellow flash of light. When she saw Chrysalis, she ran towards the edge of the chessboard where Thorax’s statue was.
Chrysalis growled before activating her horn and shouting, “You can’t escape this time, young Flurry Heart!”
The changeling shot a powerful ray of magic that landed just behind Flurry. The force of the blow caused the alicorn to fly through the air. She gave a yell just before she landed roughly on the ground.
Mischief cried as he ran to her, “Flurry!” When Chrysalis stepped towards the two, he put himself in front of Flurry to shield her and growled at the changeling, “Stay away from her, you beast!”
Chrysalis scoffed, “Oh, please. What exactly do you think you’re going to do to stop me? I have magic and you – have – nothing!”
Just then, the Marendelle twins, Blaze, Nova Rose, and Apple Butter came up to Mischief and Flurry. 
They looked defiantly at Chrysalis as Roller Blade stated, “They have us!”
Flurry smiled in reassurance and a sparkle gleamed in her eyes for only a moment.
Chrysalis said in a tone almost devoid of emotion, “So…the ponies who fight together stay together. Honestly, I’m getting tired of this little resistance.” Her horn glowed brightly with her magic as she said in rising anger, “Well, I’ll make sure I deal with this annoyance PERMANENTLY!” She shot a giant ball of green light at the ponies and they held onto each other before the magic hit them. Chrysalis maniacally laughed until the smoke cleared. Her expression immediately changed from one of triumph to one of pure shock. “WHAT?!” 
When the ponies opened their eyes, they were surprised to see that they were still alive, albeit enveloped in a grayish pink aura and with their manes and tails flapping. Flurry’s mane and tail were the most noticeable because they stood up as they flapped in a fashion similar to her grandmother’s mane and tail. Although the others were confused by this, Flurry immediately knew what it was and what it meant.
She said to Chrysalis confidently, “You think the Gem of Harmony can be destroyed just like that? Well, you’re wrong, because the spirits of the Elements of the Harmony are right here!” 
Suddenly, crystalline shards flew out of Skater’s bag in the house and zipped through the air before they hovered over the ponies.
Chrysalis breathed, “What?”
Flurry said, “Skater, who tells the truth when others can’t, represents the spirit of Honesty!”
As if on cue, some of the crystal shards glowed orange as they formed part of a circle’s curve.
“Nova Rose, who always has compassion to share, represents the spirit of Kindness!”
Some of the other shards glowed pink as it joined with the orange shards.
“Apple Butter, who comforts others with a bit of humor, represents the spirit of Laughter!”
The blue shards quickly joined with the combined ones.
“Blaze, who wants to give something to those in need, represents the spirit of Generosity!”
Purple shards took their place alongside the semi-complete Gem.
“Mischief, who understands exactly what someone is going through, represents the spirit of Empathy!”
Reddish-orange shards then lined up with the crystals in the almost-circular row.
“And Roller Blade, who could not abandon his friends for his own heart’s desire, represents the spirit of Loyalty!”
Red crystals landed next to the Empathy shards, thereby almost completing the Gem of Harmony.
“The spirits of these six ponies got us through every challenge that was thrown at us.”
Chrysalis sputtered, “But the Gem is incomplete!” She then said with a shaky smile, “You’re still doomed!”
Flurry shook her head firmly, “No, because there’s a spark that creates the seventh element of Magic and unites the Elements into a single gem.” She faced her friends and family as she said with a smile, “And I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you…” She turned to Mischief and continued, “…how much I cared about you.”
Mischief blushed at that.
“The spark ignited inside me when I realized that you all…” She turned to Chrysalis and said confidently, “…are my friends!”
Just like that, the last remaining shards reunited with its kin and the Gem glowed as a sign that it was repaired. Chrysalis closed her eyes and put her hoof in front of them to shield her vision from the bright glow. 
Flurry explained, “You see, Chrysalis, when those Elements are ignited by the…the spark that resides in the heart of us all, it unites the Elements together into the Gem of Harmony!” 
All seven ponies rose into the air with the Gem of Harmony just above them. When they were half a mile above the house, the Gem shot out a circular wave of rainbow light that washed over everything as it grew.
Chrysalis shouted in horror, “NOOOO!!!”
The ripple-like wave expanded from Hollow Shades to the very edges of Equestria, restoring everything to the way it was before. It even freed the members of the royal families from their gooey cocoons. Back at Hollow Shades, Skyla – who was free from her stone prison – looked upon the seven unconscious ponies on the ground. 
She trotted to her sister and nudged her, asking softly, “Flurry Heart?”
Luckily, Flurry opened her eyes and saw her sister looking down upon her. She didn’t waste a single moment hugging Skyla tightly. 
Blaze woke up and saw the Gem of Harmony. “Look, guys! It’s fixed!
Nova saw something else and pointed to it in amazement, “Forget that. Look.”
When the others saw what she saw, they let out gasps of amazement. The changelings that were under Chrysalis’ control were now colorful and confused. However, Chrysalis and the Moonshadows were nowhere to be seen.
Thorax, also free from being stone, was overjoyed by the changelings’ transformation and walked up to them. He said, “Hi, there. I’m Thorax, a changeling just like you. Would you like to come live in my kingdom? You can live a better life than what Chrysalis wanted you to live. You can be kind to each other and share love so you don’t get hungry. What do you say?”
The changelings exchanged glances with one another before they all hugged Thorax.
He chuckled, “I knew the answer was ‘yes’.”
Roller Blade asked, “Hey, guys? Where’s Chrysalis?” He then gave a yell as he fell to the ground.
The other ponies looked at where Roller had tripped and some gave a snicker.
Skater joked, “Guess she was buggy enough to become an actual bug.”
Thorax clarified as he came up to them, “I don’t think she’s a bug. She looks more like a pupa.” He used his restored magic to pick up a seething and wriggling Chrysalis, who was in pupa form. 
Nova Rose commented, “She looks kind of cute this way.”
Cauldron suggested, “Maybe I’ll put her on display in my magic shop.”
Thorax shook his head, “She’s too dangerous even in pupa form to be kept in your shop. I’ll bring her back to my kingdom and imprison her there.”
“My kingdom! My kingdom!” Chrysalis’ squeaky voice screeched in retaliation. 
Mischief asked as he held up the jagged piece of rock that once hung from Chrysalis’ neck, “So what are we going to do with this?”
Thorax held it with his magic and said, “It’s very powerful magic, but it can be useful. I’ll only activate it in times of danger so nothing can harm us.”
Skyla said uneasily, “I don’t know, Thorax. I think it should be destroyed.”
“Maybe, but I think other ponies can benefit from this kind of magic because they’ll be protected. Look, if it gets too dangerous, I’ll destroy it, okay?”
Skyla said to him, “If that’s what you want…” She then sighed and faced her sister, “I’m so sorry that I let my paranoia get the better of me…I am unfit for the Crystal Throne and that is why you should be queen instead of me…”
Flurry looked at her in shock and breathed, “Oh, Skyla, I…I can’t. You’ve always been the heir and you always will be.”
“But the crystal ponies love you. Look at everything I have done since I turned on you and Equestria…” She hung her head shamefully as tears streamed down her cheeks, “I am unworthy.”
Her sister shook her head, “No, Skyla, no. I won’t take the Crystal Throne. It’s never what I wanted. It was never my destiny. It was always yours. I don’t have my cutie mark yet, but I know that I could never be queen knowing I robbed my sister of her birthright.”
“Forget birthrights!” 
“You’ll be the better ruler than I could ever be!”
Blaze said, “Well, somebody’s got to be ruler of the Crystal Empire!”
Cauldron raised her hoof, “I’ll do it!”
Mischief scolded her, “Mom, not helping.”
Flurry calmed down and said, “Look, I don’t want to replace you as queen. You’re already queenly material and know every protocol, rule, and type of etiquette. You can do all that with grace and charm. I can’t. I’m better at being a princess trying to find her own destiny, whether I’m cutie-markless for a few days or many years. I want to find the one thing that will make me me.”
Blaze asked, “But isn’t that your powerful magic?”
“It’s only one part of me, not who I am entirely. I want to explore the world in hopes of finding what I’m meant to do and…” It slowly dawned on her. “I already have.” A smile then began to spread across her face, “And I think I know what I want to do. I think I know who I am! 
“My parents taught me a great deal about love, but I only knew of two kinds until now. All my life, I had love for my family and I saw my parents be madly in love with each other. I wanted to be in love, too, and I thought…” She paused, for she was about to bring up her former crush on Thorax, but then decided not to even mention it. “…I would have that chance one day, and I have.” 
She smiled as she faced her true love, “Mischief taught me what romantic love is like – trusting, understanding, and protective. He was willing to risk his life just for me. You all did. Skyla, you turned to stone because you took the blow for me. And you all –“ She gestured to her cousins and friends. “- you willingly stayed by my side even as Chrysalis tried to destroy us.” She then spoke to everyone around her, “I am now inspired to do the same for everyone in Equestria. I want to show them what love is and encourage them to do the same.”
Nova Rose asked, “But doesn’t your mother spread love, too?”
“Yes, she does, but the kind of love I want to spread is the selfless kind of love that ponies have when they risk their lives for somepony else. I want to protect others out of that kind of love in times of danger and teach ponies to help others when they need it, too. As a princess, I will travel the world and spread that kind of love around!”
Suddenly, Flurry was surrounded by a bright light and lifted into the air. The others closed their eyes to protect their vision. When Flurry got back on the ground, her friends and family gasped in wonder. 
The alicorn asked, “What is it?”
Skyla breathed as an amazed smile spread across her face, “Look behind you…”
Flurry looked behind her and let out a huge gasp. On her flank was a pink heart flanked by blue wings. It was her cutie mark! 
She shouted for joy, “My cutie mark! I got a cutie mark!” She then flew up as she laughed, “I got my cutie mark! Ha-ha-ha!”
When she got back on the ground, Skyla hugged her as Mischief told Flurry, “Hey, congrats. I never even noticed you were a blank flank.” When Flurry gave him a mock dubious look, he corrected, “Okay, I did notice, but I wasn’t going to bring it up.”
Blaze cleared his throat, “Say, um, you wouldn’t want to throw some love my way, would you?” He gave a sheepish grin.
Flurry chuckled, “Go get her, tiger.”
He slowly walked up to Nova and asked timidly, “Um, Nova?”
Nova asked, “Yeah?”
“So, umm…I, umm…You, uhh…”
Mischief face-hoofed as he muttered, “He’s killing the moment.”
Nova asked with a raised brow, “Blaze, is there something you want to tell me?”
Blaze got tongue-tied as he sputtered, “Um, uh, um, uh…”
Skyla slapped her face and exclaimed, “Oh, for goodness sakes! Blaze has a crush on you and you have a crush on him and don’t you dare deny it!”
Flurry had a stunned expression on her face from her sister blurting out that sort of thing.
Blaze shouted to Skyla with a flushing face, “Skyla!”
Nova felt herself blushing and asked almost hopefully, “You…you do? You really do?”
Blaze sighed and nodded, “Yes. I’m not so good with sharing my feelings and, well, things tend to come out wrong. Look, I’ve been generous with everything but my own heart. I never thought you’d forgive me after the way I treated you after we found out the truth about our mothers. Then I thought we had something good going, but when you got mad at me, I thought that was it. That was the end. I ruined our friendship like I did on the train to Ponyville and our stay at the Everfree Castle. 
“Even when I got to know you better, I didn’t have the courage to speak my heart in front of you. I’m not a prince at all. I’m just a beastly pony who only ruins things for other ponies.” He hung his head in shame.
Nova couldn’t resist feeling pity for him when she saw his ears droop to the sides of his face. If this was the real him and not a façade, she had to know for sure.
“Blaze…” 
His heart jumped when she said his name and he looked up at her.
“Before Skyla turned evil, I…just thought you were as you seemed, all beastly and rude to me, and the way you acted around others was just an act. But then I learned that my mother kidnapped yours and you weren’t really all that bad.” She then sighed, “Still, what you said at dinner last night really hurt me. It was like you wanted me to stay behind because I wasn’t capable enough.”
Blaze clarified with a firm tone in his voice, “No, that’s not it. I only said that so you could be safe from harm. I wanted you to stay with Flurry so you wouldn’t get hurt.” He then looked downwards, “If anyone gets hurt, it should be me.”
Nova embraced him with tears in her eyes, “No! I can’t bear the thought of you getting hurt by somepony! You don’t deserve that, Blaze! You never have! You’re good and kind and sweet and I was wrong to judge you!” She sighed as she drew back and wiped her eyes, “Maybe I do judge ponies before I really get to know them. I thought that my mother was all-around good and would never harm anypony, but then…” The hurt came flooding back and tears welled up anew. “I never thought she would do that…kidnapping your mom from her family and making them forget about her.” She let out a sob, “I always looked up to my mother, but now…”
As she tried to stifle her crying, Blaze comforted her, “I know you feel disappointed in her, but she’s not perfect. She has flaws, and so do I…” He touched her arm, “…and so do you.” He shrugged, “No one’s perfect, Nova, not even a prince like me. Heck, even Grandma’s not perfect. Look, my point is we all make mistakes, but when we do everything to fix them or heal the hurt they caused, that’s what makes us good.”
Blaze grabbed Nova’s hoof and smiled, “I think you’re a good pony, Nova…” He then added playfully, “…and not just at magic.”
They both chuckled before Nova said sweetly, “I think you are, too, in both magic and friendship…and perhaps a little more.” To everypony’s surprise, she gave him a kiss on the lips!
Blaze stood there in stunned silence for a few moments before a wide grin spread across his face and his horn began to glow.
Fireworks then shot up from his horn as he shouted joyfully, “WHOO-HOO!” He then danced around as he chanted, “Oh, yeah! Go, Blaze! You’re awesome! You’re cool! You’re –“
Nova interrupted with a playful smile, “All right, don’t overdo it.”
He gave her a sheepish grin.
Cauldron said, “Well, now that they got their little mushy confession out of the way, let’s all have a cute-ceañera for Flurry Heart!”
Flurry nodded and chuckled, “We will, but first, there’s something we need to do.” She levitated the Gem of Harmony onto her hoof.