//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Years Later // Story: Exile // by Nighlocktheawesome00 //------------------------------// Many years later We see some clouds as three Pegasi flew by. Upbeat music played as well. "Hey! Hey! Hey!~ Hey! Hey! Hey!~" The Pegasi dived through the clouds. We see ponies walking up the road towards Canterlot. "See the ponies trottin down the street~ Equestria is where they wanna meet~ They all know where they wanna go~ And they're trottin in time~ And they're trottin, yeah~" We see the camera pan over to Canterlot. "They got the beat~ They got the beat~ Yeah, they got the beat~" We see many ponies setting up for a festival of some kind. "Go-go music really makes us dance~ Do the pony, puts us in a trance~ Do the Watusi, just give us a chance~ That's when we fall in line~" We see Ash, Engelina, Bao, and their new comrade, a Dragon and the Wielder of the Element of Air, Wingblade walking around, guarding the ponies to make sure threats do not appear. "Cause we got the beat~ We got the beat~ We got the beat~ Yeah, we got it~" We then see Spike walking around carrying documents and a quill. He jumped off a pile of jello and continued walking. "Scuse me!" he said to the ponies in his way. "Dragon on the move! Important princess documents comin through!" He walked past some ponies who were talking about the festival. "Whoa!" one of the ponies (Unamed Earth Mare #1 from Season 4 Episode 26) exclaimed in surprise. "Everypony from Manehatten to Saddle Arabia is here!" "I know, filly!" Apple Cobbler replied. "We almost couldn't book a stable!" We then see two Pegasi fly by, over the rooftops and past the castle. "Princess Sunset must have her hooves full with this giant festival!" Clear Skies said. "Are you kidding?!" the other Pegasus asked. "She's smart, well organized, and cool under pressure! There's nothing she can't handle!" We the cut to inside where Sunset is meditating and is now an Alicorn. She is clearly trying to keep herself calm. "Ommmmm..." Sunset hummed. "Ommmmm mmmmmah! That gets really annoying after a while! Note to self: kill Ash later for even suggesting that. No doubt he did it on purpose, that jerk..." She then took a deep breath to calm herself before looking at her stain glass window. "Focus, Sunset," Sunset told herself. "This is your Festival of Friendship. Everypony is counting on you to not let them down." Sunset looked at the stained glass window of her. She put her hoof to her forehead and sighed, just as Spike entered. "Sunset, I have the papers for you," he said. "Thank you, Spike," Sunset said. "I was beginning to worry how to handle this." "Wa'choo talkin bout?" Spike asked. "Spike, by blood I was already a princess," Sunset replied. "But becoming an Alicorn was never really my thing. And it wasn't Ash's either.*sigh* Spike, there's a secret about me and Ash that I need you to keep." "Your secret is safe with me and the girls," Spike replied. "No, not even the girls can know this," Sunset told him. "At least, not yet." "If you say so, Sunset," Spike replied, unsure. "Spike, ever since I found out that my mom's prized pupil disappeared, and that I was the new Wielder of the Element of Wisdom," Sunset said, "I've felt like this is wrong." "What is?" Spike asked. "Everything!" Sunset shouted. "When she disappeared, she wasn't thinking straight. Yes, she was somewhat right in her reasons not to trust Cadence, and sure she was somewhat off with her accusation, but the way the girls, you (no offense), her brother, and mom reacted, it left her in the wrong mind state, and made her think she had been betrayed, and that nopony loved her. What if she comes back to make amends? And then sees that somepony she doesn't even know has taken over as leader of the Mane 6? And has her own Element of Harmony? I'll tell you what'll happen. She'll think you all replaced the moment she left, and it'll fracture her mind state." The more Sunset spoke, the more Spike understood how right she was. Sunset had lived amongst them for so long, that this thought never crossed any creature's mind. "We'll explain everything to her," Spike comforted. "It'll be fine." Sunset gave him a thankful smile. She took a deep breath, and opened the doors as she and Spike went inside the throne room, where her mother, her aunt, and her cousin were. Elsewhere, in a torture/interrogation chamber in the Storm Kingdom, we see the Head Torturer set down a can on a table, filled it up with water put a rag on a prisoner's face, titled the prisoner's head up as he began to water board him. Just outside in the hall, the Storm King was approaching the room. As he arrived at the door, the two guards stood at attention, allowing their king to enter. The Storm King stood on the side as he watched Mirah, the Head Torturer, water board the prisoner. While we don't see it on screen, we can see the shadows on the wall. Finally, Storm King decided to step in. "That's enough!" the Storm King said, getting Mirah's attention. "He's ready to talk." Mirah stepped aside, removed the rag, and and pushed the prisoner's head forward so he could look at the Storm King. The Storm King approached, laughing evilly. We finally see who the prisoner is. It's Double Diamond from Our Town. He looks pretty bruised, both his hind legs have been broken, and the armor he is wearing has a symbol that looks like the whole world with a crystal right in front of it. "Run, run, run as fast as you can!" The Storm King taunted. "You can't catch me! I'm greatest snow boarder in the land!" "You're a monster!" Double Diamond shot back. "I'm a monster alright!" The Storm King said proudly. "But so are you! You and the rest of those rebels ruining my grand empire! But I have not captured all of you after that previous battle yet, especially the rebel leader who calls herself the Crystal Mistress. Tell me, where are all the others!" "Bite me!" Double Diamond said defiantly, spitting in his face. "I've tried being fair to you rebels," the Storm King said, wiping the spit off his face. "But now my patience has REACHED IT'S END! Tell me, or I'll-" He reached for a cattle prod, which caused Double Diamond's determined expression to melt into one of fear. "No, not the cattle prod!" Double Diamond begged. "Anything, but the cattle prod!" "Alright, who's hiding them?!" Storm King demanded, shining the light in his face. "Ok, I'll tell you," Double Diamond consented, but he was secretly lying. He would never truly betray her. "Do you know the Muffincolt?" "The Muffincolt?" Storm King asked. "The Muffincolt," Double Diamond replied. "Yes, I know the Muffincolt," Storm King confirmed. "Who lives on Drury Lane?" "Well, she's married to the Muffincolt," Double Diamond replied. "The Muffincolt?!" Storm King shouted. "The Muffincolt!" Double Diamond replied. "She's married to the Muffincolt, how interesting," Storm King said. Just then, a Storm Warrior burst in. Storm King, Mirah, and Double Diamond turned their attention to him. He spoke in a language, a language Double Diamond didn't understand. Thankfully, the subtitles provided a translation. "My lord, the Shadow Sisters have reported that the invasion is about to begin," the Storm Warrior said. "Perfect!" Storm King replied. "Tell them to strike as soon as possible. Mirah! Take the rebel to Volcanic Rock Prison!" Mirah did as she was told. The Storm King then turned to the Storm Warrior. "Tell Tempest and Sparkle to attack as soon as they land in Canterlot," he commanded. "That so-called 'goddess of the sun' won't keep me from taking the most pathetic excuse of a kingdom in the world this." As the Storm Warrior left, the Storm King began cackling. He continued cackling as the camera panned out of his castle while lightning flashed and thunder roared. Just then a bell rung in the torture chamber and the camera panned back to the Storm King as he answered the call. "What?! Who is this?! Don't you know I was in the middle of a very cliché villain moment when the panned out?!" "I was just calling to inform you that your lunch was ready, sir," the chef informed from the other end. "Nevermind, I'm on way," Storm King replied, running to the dining room.