Celestia, Cocoon, and the changeling galloped through the halls of the palace, hearing loud shouting and yelling as they got closer to the chamber of stained glass windows. Turning the last corner, they were stunned into stopping to see as a wall of changelings blocked the rest of the way, all of their backs turned to them.
“What’s going on?” the changeling asked to either creature beside him.
Celestia and Cocoon resolved to continue running forward, the changeling leading the alicorn. Upon reaching the back of the group and trying to assert her way through, the two changelings she bumped into turned around, their bodies jolting upon seeing their queen right before their eyes.
“My queen!” they both shouted.
As more changelings nearby began to realize Cocoon’s return, Celestia noticed a gap forming that she could finally run through. As she stepped to the front, she turned where all other heads were facing, the sight of what she found leaving her eyes spreading even wider.
Fizzlepop teleported above the Storm King, falling down on him mid-forward flip. The back of her right back hoof slammed down on his head, forcing his stomach and face to the floor. Before the Storm King could try to push off the ground, Fizzlepop disappeared before she could hit the ground. Hardly a moment later, a loud crack of an explosion got the Storm King in the left side of the gut, propelling him hard enough to the left side of the wall so that Celestia could see Fizzlepop spin herself back onto her hooves.
“Kick his candy ass, Fizz!” Alice screamed, sitting against a pillar with her right leg held out.
Celestia turned her head to see Alice, recognizing her almost immediately. She then scanned her head out among the crowd, noting each of the Pillars of Equestria, along with Celaeno and her crew, Grubber, Capper, Skystar, and Ember. While she wasn’t familiar with Dexio nor his Mega Alakazam, she did distinguish Sam standing beside them, who joined everyone in the chamber in cheering Fizzlepop on as she walloped the Storm King mercilessly.
She then quickly stepped into the hall for everyone to see. In a matter of seconds, each changeling, pony, parrot, cat, hippogriff, and human began to turn silent as they noticed Celestia enter, both in amazement and relief for her safety and in reverence for her regality. This did not stop Fizzlepop, who continued kicking and bucking the Storm King from every angle she could teleport from.
“I used–” She teleported another blind spot and kicked him before vanishing again. “to think–” *PWAK* “you were so–” *KHNK* “powerful!” *WHPKHAK* “But all–” *BHUF* “you could do–” *PWUHMP* “was make–” *PWAHK* “a little–” *KHRAHK* “gust!”
“Fizzlepop Berrytwist, that’s enough.” Fizzlepop reared her back leg to kick again, only to be stopped by Celestia’s powerful, yet calming voice. As Fizzlepop turned to face her, her mouth hung open as the white alicorn slowly approached her. “You’ve done more than enough. I’ll handle it from here.”
“Princess Celestia!” Fizzlepop began to shift her front half downward, only for Celestia to catch her hoof beneath her chin, prompting her to rise. “I’m sorry, I–”
“It’s alright, FIzzlepop. You’ve done well.”
As Starswirl and Grubber approached the two of them, Starswirl, much to Fizzlepop’s surprise, came to her attention rather than Celestia’s. Reaching his hoof up to feel about the hard, rough ridges in her broken horn, he couldn’t help but chuckle.
“A teleportation spell with a broken horn,” he muttered aloud. “I’m so incredibly proud of you, Fizz.”
With two small tears forming in the corners of her eyes, she gently put her arms around Starswirl, who put his own arm over his apprentice’s back and stroked down it. The Storm King gurgled as he finally pushed himself onto his hands and knees, breathing hoarsely as his body could do nothing more.
“Stay still, Storm King!” Celestia demanded, his body doing as told. “I never thought I’d live to see you in the flesh after you first came to Equestria, and yet here you are.”
The Storm King picked his head up to look at Celestia, chuckling weakly. “This is the first time I’m seeing you in the flesh myself… and from where I’m crawling, you look–”
“Would you like me to have Fizzlepop shut you up again?” The Storm King formed a scowl, her threat duly noted. “As soon as we’re able, I shall personally see you banished from these lands and ensure that you never set foot on Equestrian soil ever again.”
The Storm King shut his eyes, pushing himself up so that he could sit on the backs of his calves, the sudden act not seeming to intimidate Celestia or the two unicorns beside her, though causing the rest inside to flinch.
“Why don’t I just make it easier for all of us…” With as much agility as his broken and battered body could muster, he reached behind his back.
Celestia, Fizzlepop, and Starswirl angrily charged their horns. Upon hearing the faint sound of rock shattering behind Storm King and the sight of smoke bursting from behind him, the three of them stepped away and eased their magic down.
The Storm King chuckled as the black layer of stone began to wrap around him from behind, soon morphing into full laughter. “And then the next time some gullible sap tries to wake me back up, I’ll be ready! I’m going to take this land from you! Just you wait!”
As the stone came around to cover his chest, the Storm King continued to cackle up at the roof, his arms now petrified. Even as the stone covered his throat and lower jaw, the Storm King’s triumphant laughter refused to stop until he was physically forced to. It wasn’t until the last howl’s echo died in the roomy chamber that everyone inside of it, Celestia, Fizzlepop, and Starswirl included, felt relaxed, the battle finally over.
“Defiant until the end,” Celestia quietly mused. “We shall carry him out in due time, but for now, I’d–”
A magenta glow washed over the Storm King’s statue, a faint terrestrial moan escaping it as the rock was squeezed by the energy’s pressure. Celestia and the two unicorns turned around to find Dexio and Mega Alakazam directly behind him, Dexio’s hand reaching for it as if he had the evil creature locked in a chokehold.
“Dexio?” Starswirl questioned. “What are you–”
“Ashes to ashes…” Dexio closed his hand into a ball.
With a louder pitched groan, the Storm King’s statue collapsed inward, its limbs and head all compacting into the center Mega Alakazam had set for it. Celestia, Fizzlepop, and Starswirl all spun back around to watch as the smaller pieces of the destroyed Storm King statue were crushed as well. The laughing face of the Storm King had been erased as it was turned to pebbles, the rest of its body joining in until there was nothing left but a black sphere floating above the floor.
“Dust…” Dexio gently opened his hand back up, Mega Alakazam dropping the remains of the Storm King to the ground where they scattered along the ground in pieces far too small to ever put back together again. “…to dust.”
As Dexio dropped his arm back to his side, Mega Alakazam unfurled its legs and floated back down to stand, its body glowing brightly before its form returned to its normal Alakazam state.
“You…” Dexio looked up to find Celestia looking at him, almost mournfully. “Why would you do that?”
“My hive and I already found him like that.” Cocoon and a couple of her changeling soldiers walked up to her. “At least this way, there’s no chance someone like me can bring him back.”
Dexio nodded to Celestia, letting her know that his sentiments mirrored the changeling’s. While it was certainly not the way she would have done it, yet alone wanted it to happen, Celestia closed her eyes and bowed her head. Though she’d have to live with what Dexio had done, the threat of the Storm King was now and forever vanquished, and Equestria would only remain safer for it.
Ember, Celaeno, Flash Magnus, Rockhoof, and Somnambula stepped forward from the walls as Grubber, Capper, Stygian, Mistmane, Mage Meadowbrook, Skystar, and Celaeno’s crew all approached Celestia from the back, gathering around her. Sam quickly ran over to his sister on the other side of the chamber, Aegislash removing himself from his arm and joining Salazzle’s side, the two of them giving him space. Upon reaching her, he nearly fell over and slid to his knees, clutching the side of his head that wasn’t covered in blood.
“Sam,” Alice spoke. “Are you alright?”
Sam pulled his bag apart, rummaging around for a potion. “Never mind if I’m alright! How’s your leg?”
“Never mind if my leg’s alright! How’s your head?”
Alice’s well-meaning retort left Sam only more frustrated as he struggled to find something strong enough to heal her, which only made the throbbing his head feel more severe.
“Wait!” Mage Meadowbrook and Skystar quickly trotted to the pair, Fizzlepop breaking away with Celestia and Starswirl to see how her human friends were doing.
Mage Meadowbrook reached into a small bag held under her skirt and pulled out a small blue vial as well a large tied-up leaf before handing them both to Sam. “Take that vial; it’ll stop the bleeding and reduce the swelling in your head. Then squeeze some lotion out of that leaf and rub it on her leg.”
Sam did as instructed, yanking the cork off the top of the vial and letting it drain down his throat with a single swig. As he placed the bottom of his wrist against his temple, his head began to feel warm as the aches inside of it subsided. He then gently tapped the other side of his head, feeling no blood there except that which had already clotted. As Sam began feeling better, Celaeno and Capper stood beside Fizzlepop, watching as Sam began to work on his sister, already looking much peppier.
Sam took the leaf and held it just above Alice’s ankle, squeezing down on the top of the puff. A white, creamy lotion broke through the bottom of the leaf, and Sam squirted it up her leg until it reached the top of her scar. As Alice dragged her leg towards her, she began to gently rub the lotion into her skin herself, fighting through the shooting pain that still remained there.
“Alice.” She looked up at Fizzlepop, who looked down on her with pure sympathy and intrigue. “I always meant to ask. How did you get that scar on your leg?”
“It was an accident I had as a kid. Nearly fell off a cliff and got it caught between a rock.”
“Really?” Celestia was enraptured by Fizzlepop’s giggly reply, already sensing the connection between them. “I broke my horn in a foalhood accident myself, but I was attacked by a bear.”
“Hah, gnarly.” With a wincing gasp, Alice suddenly felt a soft pressure and tingle on her leg as if it was compressed in a blanket made of static electricity.
As the gentle prickle persisted, the soreness in her leg began to subside, and soon with it, the tingle as well. Once she no longer felt a tingling at all, she felt up and down her shin with her thumbs, even going as far as to roll her ankles a couple of times. Either way, there was not a single inkling of pain at all.
“No way,” Alice breathed.
“Isn’t that stuff just so neat?” Skystar tittered, unfurling her wings to showcase the result. “Mage Meadowbrook put some of that on my back while you guys were fighting the Storm King, and wow does this stuff work wonders!”
Sam put the side of his foot against the tip of Alice’s, and with a reach down, Alice grabbed her brother’s hand and let him pull her up. Alice couldn’t appreciate being able to put her weight on her right leg for long, as both she and Sam were roughly groped by Skystar’s arms and wings, hugging them close to her.
“Oh my golly!” she exclaimed. “You two were just awesome!”
“Pardon me, please.” As the others parted ways to let Celestia pass, Skystar quickly unwrapped herself from the siblings and slunk back to let the Equestrian ruler speak to them. “I remember you two from yesterday afternoon.”
Sam and Alice smiled, soothed by her loving voice. “Likewise,” Sam said. “My name is Sam, this is my sister Alice, and the other guy behind us is our friend, Dexio.”
Celestia nodded, understanding. “You three must come from the world where Twilight and her friends ended up on.”
“We are,” Alice confirmed. “I would love to say they’re safe, but our world is in great peril, and yours will be too.”
“Ours too?” Celestia’s smile turned to a soft frown. “What do you mean?”
“Celestia,” Dexio spoke, he and Alakazam approaching her, “I trust you’re familiar with a creature named Necrozma.”
Celestia couldn’t help but breath in a sharp gasp, the name clearly ringing familiar. “I am… don’t tell me that…”
“The two creatures you and Luna made to defeat it found themselves in our world, along with Necrozma. It’s recently managed to regain all of the power it lost, and if we don’t return to our world to stop it, it plans to meld our two worlds together and rule over what’s left.”
“Two creat…” Even for an old, wise pony as she, she found her head shaking over what this human was telling her. “How do you know all of this?”
“It’s a very long story, your majesty,” Starswirl spoke, “but time is very much of the essence now. I had promised these humans safe passage home if they could help stop the changeling invasion and rescue you. Now that they have, I will require your assistance in helping me maintain the spell that will do so.”
“And you truly have such a spell?”
Starswirl nodded. “All I need is a clear memory of their world and enough magic to send them there, and I now have both.”
“Then let us get to work. Sam, Alice, Dexio, do whatever you must to prepare yourselves for the journey ahead. We hopefully shouldn’t be long. Mistmane, Stygian, please follow me as well.”
Compliantly, the two unicorns went and followed Starswirl and Celestia toward the doorway at the end of the chamber, Celestia pushing it open with her magic and letting herself and the three unicorns in. At that time, the changelings inside the chamber began to walk across the hall to each other, mingling and expressing their joy over each-others’ well being.
“Sam, Alice,” Dexio said to them. “Lend me your Pokémon. I’ll heal them up before we leave.”
With a nod, Sam detached two Poké Balls from his belt while Alice took out a single one, the three of them returning Aegislash, Salazzle, and the fainted Mimikyu back inside of them. After placing the balls back onto their belts, Alice and Sam took the clips attached to them off and handed them both to Dexio. With a sigh, he slung his bag off his shoulder and sat down on the floor with it, already pulling out several Potions, Revives, and berries.
“You, children.” Sam and Alice distinctively heard Cocoon call for them, looking up to face the visibly repentant changeling queen. “May I have a word?”
The two took a quick glance each at their Poké Balls that Dexio worked on before walking around him and weaving through the changelings that walked around.
“What’s up?” Sam indifferently greeted.
“I firstly want to apologize for everything you’ve been put through over the past couple of hours,” she responded. “I only did what I thought was best for my hive… and my sister. I still want to do right by my changelings, and if this world is in as much peril as your friend claims it is, then… I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure their safety. I will even join you on your world to partake in battle if you would allow me. I do not know how this will change our relationship to the ponies of Equestria should we succeed, but I can barely imagine that it would be any worse a fate should we fail. Knowing this… will you still accept my help?”
Sam and Alice first glanced to each other, the pause only making Cocoon more nervous.
“Are you kidding me?” Alice’s crossing her arms left the changeling’s head bowing down in defeat. “Of course we will!”
Cocoon threw her head back up, her eyes glistening.
“Anyone who fights for life is welcome on our side,” Sam explained. “Why should we stop you from doing so?”
“I…” With a blink, Cocoon’s tears streamed down her face. “I don’t know what to say…”
“Don’t say anything.” Alice walked over to Cocoon and put her arms around her long, smooth neck, pulling the side of her head against it.
Cocoon’s breathing began to get deeper and more audible, alarming several of the changelings around her.
“My queen?” A few of them approached her as Alice refused to break their embrace apart.
“What is this?” Cocoon shuddered. “What are you doing?”
“Thorax told me a bit about your changelings and how you used to take love to survive,” she explained, very subtly tightening her hold. “Maybe you need to feel love that’s given to you too.”
It was certainly a wonderful feeling, enough so that Cocoon was compelled to nuzzle the side of her head into the back of Alice’s, feeling even more ecstatic by the sensations she felt. “It’s… warm… How could I have never been brave enough to try…”
As Sam and the others watched the two bond, they suddenly were off put by the sight of Cocoon’s skin glowing orange around Alice’s arms and hands and spreading.
“My queen, your…” A changeling commander stuttered. “Your body!”
Alice pulled away just enough to see what Sam and the changelings were seeing, unable to respond other than a sharp yelp and recoil back. Cocoon, feeling betrayed, looked to her arms as the light spread, suddenly understanding Alice’s reaction. The glow only got brighter until it enveloped her entire body in the shape of a cocoon, which quickly exploded in a bright flash, leaving everyone’s heads turning toward it. As the light receded back to where Cocoon had stood, the creature now standing there bore a far different appearance.
Her once-black chitinous body now had a comforting creamy-yellow color to it, the holes in her hooves, horn, and wings having become mended. Her orange mane and tail now looked as though they had been spun from silk, both of which went well with a new tuft of equally soft-looking fur that had appeared on her chest that was colored a brilliant scarlet. The shells covering her sky-blue wings had a purple tint to them, giving her plenty of warm and cool colors. Looking over her new appearance, she couldn’t help but giggle at this amazing new transformation, leaning back in toward Alice and giving her a strong, grateful hug.
With each of the changelings seeing what had happened to their queen, they found themselves compelled to let a similar glow that began to spread across their bodies carry through. Soon enough, the entire hallway floor was lit up like holiday lights, and with a similar wave of dimming light, the changelings and the other Equestrians saw their bodies having become a vibrant and attractive. As the changelings all hugged each other, the love they felt for one another more fortifying than ever, the Pillars and the other Equestrians looked over at Alice and Cocoon as they continued holding onto each other.
“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about your relationships with the ponies anymore,” Alice assured Cocoon, who cry-laughed at her remark.
Sam patted Cocoon below the shoulder, wanting to give her his affectionate touch as well. He then saw the Pillars approach the three with Fizzlepop, Grubber, Celaeno, her crew, Capper, Skystar, and Ember, stepping aside to give them his undivided attention. Hearing them as well, Alice stepped beside the reformed changeling queen and faced them as well, already predicting what they were there to say.
“So…” she muttered. “I guess this is goodbye.”
“Ha!” Celaeno jollily bellowed. “Goodbye nothing! Did you really think we were going to let you fight this Necrozma thing all by yourselves?”
“Wait…” Sam’s joy began to kindle inside his heart. “You mean… you’re coming with us?”
“Well, not all of us,” Flash Magnus admitted. “If this battle goes down like Dexio said, Equestria’s going to need just as many capable hooves and hands here as there are in your world. So I suppose for me, this is farewell, Sam and Alice.”
“It’s been a tremendous honor fighting by your sides,” Rockhoof said with a bow. “I wish you and your sister the greatest of fortunes.”
“As do I,” Somnambula bid.
“Me too,” Mage Meadowbrook said.
“Alright,” Alice interrupted, waving her hands, “I think it’ll just be easier to know who’s coming with us.”
Celaeno nodded before turning to Boyle, putting her talon hand upon his shoulder. “You take care of my crew while I’m gone, okay?”
Boyle smiled as he struggled to retain his liquid pride. “Aye!”
“You show that world who’s boss,” Mullet gruffly requested.
Spittle and Squabble let out a pair of affirmative cheers, wishing their captain well. Stepping away from them, she joined Sam’s side, who was elated to get to stay in her company.
With a shrug, Capper walked over to join Sam and Alice as well. “The only thing I’m looking forward to is stuck on your guys’ world, so there’s no real reason for me to stay here.”
“And I’m certain she’ll be excited to see you arrive,” Somnambula said to him.
“Don’t forget me!” Skystar leapt over her friends and landed beside them in the center. “I wanna’ go and see your world too! You gotta’ tell me what it’s like! No, wait! Don’t spoil it! …But seriously, what’s it like?”
“You’ll see soon enough,” Sam answered. “Hopefully, it hasn’t gone to hell already, but if it hasn’t, it’s actually pretty beautiful… until it ends up going to hell, but again, hopefully not.”
Skystar beamed at the satisfactory answer nonetheless.
Alice then faced Ember, who crossed her arms and frowned at the sappy sight. “What about you, Ember? Interested in seeing my home for a change?”
“I’d love to, really I would, but I’ve got an army of my own still waiting for me back in Ponyville. But still…” Ember reached her hand out at Alice, giving her a fond, respectful smile. “…it’s been a true pleasure fighting by your side. If you see Spike, please tell him I said ‘hey.’”
“You got it.” Alice clasped her hand into the dragoness’s, pulling themselves into each other and pounding each others’ backs. “I’ll see you around, Ember.”
“I’m definitely gonna’ hold you to that!”
After letting her draconic friend’s hand go, Alice’s face jolted awake in remembrance. “Oh, right, and your spear is leaning against the pillar I was leaning against.”
“Oh, yeah. Thanks… give me a second, will ya?’”
Ember hopped up off the floor and flew above the changelings scattered along the chamber to the other side of it. With a smile, Fizzlepop and Grubber stepped forward, Alice breathing out in exaltation to see them in particular choosing to fight by her side.
“There’s somepony that I’d really like to see once we arrive,” Fizzlepop said to her. “However, I still wouldn’t miss fighting this battle with you for the world.”
“It’s going to be nuts!” Grubber shouted. “Super looking forward to it!”
“Now that you’re here,” Alice replied, “I am too, actually…”
Ember flew back over and tossed the spear over for Alice to catch. Alice looked down on it and then back up at her in amazement.
“Yeah, you can go ahead and keep it.” She landed hard on the ground to face her at eye level. “Consider it a going-away present from one friend to another.”
“Thanks a lot, Ember.” Alice stood the staff up beside her, proud as the warrior she suddenly felt like.
With the loud opening of the doors at the end of the hallway, Celestia stepped through them, immediately stunned by the new appearances of the changelings that all but infested this room of the castle. A smile involuntarily formed on her lips, knowing what this meant for Cocoon and her hive.
Spotting her, along with Sam and Alice beside her, she cleared her throat. “Sam, Alice, Dexio! It’s time!”
With a glance and nod to each other, Sam and Alice waded through the crowd of changelings, each one of their new friends tagging along behind. As the other changelings saw them get near, they parted the way to make their walk all the more easier.
Stepping through the doorway and going inside a spacious rotunda, Sam and Alice found Starswirl, Mistmane, and Stygian standing outside of an ornate, arcane circle drawn on the floor with white chalk. Once each of Sam and Alice’s friends entered inside the room, Dexio jogging in last with Sam and Alice’s Poké Balls in hand. They began to gather around the circle, not wanting to disturb its intricate craftsmanship.
“You may step into the circle,” Starswirl spoke.
Slowly and carefully, Sam and Alice walked into the center, followed by Celaeno, Capper, Skystar, Fizzlepop, Grubber, and then Cocoon. Starswirl and Celestia were surprised to see the Equestrians step inside to join their friends.
The wizened unicorn was shocked most of all to see Fizzlepop among them. “Fizz, are you certain you wish to join them?”
“I’ve hardly been more certain of anything, Starswirl,” she said. “Thank you for everything you’ve taught me.”
Starswirl grinned to see his student already so grown before his eyes. “And thank you for your invaluable friendship.”
After a returned smile, Fizzlepop looked away from her master, not wanting to begin regretting her decision. As Sam and Alice were handed their Poké Ball clips back from Dexio, the changelings all began to spill into the room, ready to see their queen off.
“Don’t any of you worry,” she assured them all. “Before I return, I shall ensure that Equestria remains a land where we can all flourish. Farewell, my loyal subjects.”
“Is everyone who wishes to return to Sam, Alice, and Dexio’s world present in the circle?” Celestia asked.
“Looks to be,” Capper replied with a quick glance.
“Very well.” Starswirl began charging his horn, prompting Celestia, Mistmane, and Stygian to cast their magic too. “Now, Sam, Alice. Remember where you wish to go as clearly as you can.”
“Hey,” Sam said to his sister, “think of Ten Karat Hill where the others are.”
“Yeah.” Alice closed their eyes.
As Sam and his sister stood in deep thought, they went back to that fateful day not too long ago. As the details became clearer, the auras on the alicorn and unicorns’ horns went brighter.
“I remember…” Alice mumbled. “I remember the picnic we had with Mom and Dad, and Starlight and Fluttershy.”
Sam grimaced over his memory as pungent and lucid as it was. “I remember feeling so scared after our first battle with Prism, and how I thought we couldn’t protect them.”
With the four horns glowing white, light began to trace itself through the outline of the circle Sam, Alice, Dexio, and their friends stood in. At once, the flash shot up brighter, Starswirl’s gasp clearly heard over the enchanted chime ringing up from the floor.
“Yes, that’s it!” Starswirl stated, keeping his magic charge alive. “I can see it now. Prepare yourselves, my friends!”
The light began to swirl around like bubbles being stirred in a glass of soda, the lights shooting up from the outline of the circle spiking upwards and beginning to fill the space and their vision. It wasn’t long until Sam and Alice could no longer see Ember, Celaeno’s crew, Rockhoof, Flash Magnus, Somnambula, or Mage Meadowbrook past the brightness. With only a few seconds left to go, Sam and Alice held each other’s hands, squeezing them tight as they awaited whatever sensation the journey would provide them.
Outside, no creature could see anyone inside the pillar of light that had risen up inside the circle. Finally, the pillar splashed apart as the liquid light evaporated before it could hit the ground. Celestia, Starswirl, Mistmane, and Stygian relinquished their magic, panting in exhaustion over the feat they had performed. Despite the strain they felt, there was nothing standing between them; even the circle that they stood on had disappeared.
Starswirl was satisfied, certain they were successful. “Good luck… everyone.”