//------------------------------// // The King Rises // Story: Silver Storm // by PonyPixel //------------------------------// Silverstream was lying on her bed, tied up by some rope to prevent her from moving. Her friends were all asleep except Gallus, who was keeping watch. They knew she wouldn't likely get out, but they weren't taking any chances. The hippogriff and griffon were talking about the Wonderbolts to keep each other awake. "So, do you often get confused for one?" Silverstream asked. "Only from ponies," Gallus replied. "Few griffons even know they exist." The school bell rang to wake all the students up. "Finally," Smolder growled as she opened her eyes. "I thought those princesses would sleep in." "This probably wasn't the best idea," Ocellus yawned. "Friends tell headmare," Yona asserted. "No, we... Can't," Silverstream yawned. "I don't want anyone else to get hurt." "You burn barn. How problem get worse?" "Yona's right," Sandbar yawned. "We have to tell headmare Twilight. Maybe she can figure out how to fix this." Yona and Sandbar left the dorm to go looking for the princess of friendship as the other stay to watch the hippogriff, who Smolder smacked before she passed out. Twilight was just having her breakfast as the yak and pony walked in. "Yona? Sandbar?" she questioned. "What are you doing here? Breakfast is about to be served in the cafeteria." "Hippogriff in trouble," Yona said. "She's possessed by the Storm King," Sandbar explained making Twilight gasp. "How?" she questioned. "Strange book bring back ghost," Yona explained. "Friend didn't tell. Not wanna cause trouble, but bad king burn apple farm." "That was him?" "It had to be," Sandbar said. "She flew out of her dorm last night. Plus, we think he's getting stronger." "Tell me everything." Sandbar and Yona did so, hoping the others had Silverstream under control. "Could you please stop smacking me," Silverstream begged as Smolder's claw just stopped before making contact. "How else am I supposed to keep you awake?" the dragon asked. "Make loud noises?" Gallus said. "Ocellus." The changeling nodded before she turned herself into a rooster and cried. "Yep, I'm up now," Silverstream said cringing at the loud noise. "I'm getting hungry. Could you untie me?" Ocellus changed back to her normal form. "Silver, we can't really trust you right now," she said. "But I need to eat." The hippogriff's stomach growled and as she moaned. "Alright, we'll sneak some food from the cafeteria," Gallus said. "Ocellus, you keep watch on her." "Right," Ocellus replied. The griffon and dragon left the dorm as they slowly made their way into the cafeteria. Silverstream nearly fell asleep again, but her friend did her rooster thing, springing her back up. "I'm awake," the hippogriff cried. She could feel her back legs starting to move. Her forelegs started pushing her back until she rolled off the bed. Once that was done, her legs touched her pearl piece, which was just lying on the ground. She then changed into her seapony form, since it was a bit more slippery than her hippogriff form, and managed to slip out of her ropes. "Oh no." Before either one could, Silverstream's legs and tail made her swing around so she could grab her pearl piece. She managed to stay calm turned herself back into a hippogriff. Her wings were still under her control, so Silverstream just stayed aborn. "I think we calm down now. I've still got my wings. Let's eat." Ocellus took caution as she and her friends went to get breakfast. "I just really think that the king's an idiot," Smolder said to Gallus at their table. "I know," Gallus replied. "If he had to power to control Silverstream and take care of one of the princesses, he didn't go after the princess of friendship or the princess of the empire, he went after a baby. Dumbest. King. Ever." The two then saw Silverstream, whose claws were trying to grab onto the wall, flew towards them. "Aren't you suppose to stay in your dorm?" "I was so hungry," Silverstream protested. "Plus, you know who is getting stronger, and I'm... So tired." The hippogriff's wings slowed down making her land on the floor as she passed out and her friends freaked out. They tried making as much noise as possible, which grabbed the attention of the other students. Twilight then teleported in with Yona and Sandbar. The yak and earth pony ran over their friend who they tried to help wake up. "So, if what you told me is true," Twilight said, "She is..." The princess couldn't finish as Silverstream's now ice blue eyes shot open. She grabbed Smolder by her arm and yanked her to the ground so hard she pulled it out of socket. Ocellus tried to make a break for it by fleeing, but the hippogriff grabbed her by her tail and used her to whack Yona away from ramming into her. Twilight stepped in by using her magic to levitate Silverstream into the air, but she countered this by tossing Ocellus into the alicorn. The hippogriff began to beat up Gallus as Smolder tried to pop her arm back into place. "Is she stronger than before?" Sandbar questioned as he helped his injured friend. "She has to be," Smolder said cringing as her arm was pushed back. "She only managed to hurt my eye before, now look at me." She cried out in pain as her friend fixed her arm. "I know you want to get back at her, but she..." Gallus was thrown into Sandbar, sending them several feet away. "Friend can't let king win," Yona cried as she grabbed Silverstream by her tail. The hippogriff tried to shake the yak away, but her eye started turning violet and she tried out in excruciating pain. "Help... Me..." she groaned. Twilight regretable zapped her student with a beam. Silverstream's eyes were normal again but everything below her neck was gray or white. "Principle Twilight, I can't move." The young six followed Twilight to her office. Silverstream was tied up again, while Twilight looked through the book to see if there was anything she could do. "Be careful," Ocellus said. "You might get possessed too." "Which is why I'm not ready all the sentences," Twilight replied as she flipped through the pages. The young six or five turned to Silverstream who was still trying to control herself had tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she wept. "I should've told someone. Now you're all in danger." "It's not your fault," Sandbar said. "It is! We could've just told headmare Twilight before and have it fixed in no time." "Come on, that's not the Silverstream we know," Gallus said. "You're still here. We're going to get through this." "Friends will," Yona said. "Right headpony?" "I'm not sure," Twilight said making the students worried. "I think I might have worse news." "Now what?" Smolder groaned. "Apparently, possessed beings like Silverstream slowly lose control of their bodies." "You don't say," Gallus said sarcastically. "It's not just physical possession, it's mentally too. Once Silverstream's body is under the storm king's control her mind will slowly... Melt away." Silverstream's blood was now below zero as her breath was never as heavy as before. "I'm doomed," she said. "There's still time. We just need to get the others so we can use our harmony powers." "They'll be here soon," Spike said walking in using his fire on a scroll. "And I've just sent a backup plan." The hippogriff's body started trying to break out of the ropes as Smolder and Yona held her tight. "King not take over," Yona said. "If you were a real king you wouldn't be using our friend as a meat shield," Smolder said. As they held their friend down, the rest of the mane six ran into the room. "What's happening to Silverstream?" Fluttershy asked. "No time to explain," Twilight said placing her book down. "I think we'll need to use our elements to get rid of the Storm King." "But he shattered," Rainbow Dash said. "He's in Silver," Gallus said. "Just used your friendship laser." The hippogriff then cried in pain as she broke out of her ropes. "She under his control?" Rarity questioned. "Yes," Smolder and Gallus replied. Suddenly, Silverstream's eyes sealed shut as her feathers started turning white. "SIlver!" the hippogriff's friends cried. "Quick, get into place," Twilight ordered. "Kids, stay back." Twilight forced the students to stay out of the way as she and her friends charged up their attack. In Silverstream's head, the hippogriff was frozen in ice from below her neck. She tried to break free, but the ice just climbed up to head, all she could move now was her eyes and mouth. "This is adorable," the Storm King said walking towards her. "Please, let me go," Silverstream begged with tears in her eyes. "I don't do favors kid. You're not the first sap who wanted something from and I didn't pay up." Ice was now all in the hippogriff's mane as she began to hear dripping. She moved her eyes the best she could and the Storm King even held up a mirror to show Silverstream that the ice was melting. "No. Please, don't." "Come on kid, this is my favorite part. You belong to me now." Silverstream couldn't scream as her head was quickly consumed by the ice. In the real world, the hippogriff's feathers were all blue-gray, her mane and tail were white, and her claws and feet were black. Her sclera was icy blue and glowing and her pupils and iris were indigo. Twilight's magic lifted her into the air, but the possessed girl had a trick up her sleeve. A green orb appeared in her claws, and before the mane six could react, the orb shattered and the dust inside turned them all into obsidian statues. "Do you except a ghost not to come back with any special abilities?" She looked over to see Spike and the young five trying to sneak out of the office. "Going somewhere?" "RUN!" Yona shouted as she and her friends bolted. "How adorable." She looked towards the mane six with a sassy expression as she grabbed the princess's horn. "Don't you go anywhere." She then ran after Spike and the students. The rest of the school's students were asking Starlight several questions. "What's going on?" "Silverstream's not like this." "Is Ocellus's family playing a prank on us?" "Everpony, settle down," Starlight ordered. "Twilight at the professors are taking care of things as we speak." "Run for your lives," Spike cried as he and the young five came racing down the hall with Silverstream hot on their tails. The hippogriff tossed more of the green orbs which hit some unlucky students, but the young five and Spike managed to dodge them. Starlight wasn't so lucky, an orb hit her in the face and she got the same fate as the mane six. "We need to hide," Ocellus said. "Where?" Spike asked. "What about Silver's pear piece?" Gallus questioned. "I think we left it in her dorm," Ocellus said. They look and saw Silverstream couldn't find them through the panicking students. They slowly made their way back to the dorm and grabbed their friend's necklace. "Where are you planning?" Spike asked. "We just need to get to the front of the school," Gallus said. "Silver getting closer," Yona said with her fear building up. The hippogriff wasn't used to her new wings so she just stomped down the hall as she checked the dorms. "I know you're here," she said bashing the doors down. She checked all the dorms of the students six, even her's, but they weren't there. She searched the entire school and turned everyone in there into statues, but the last five students were nowhere to be found. "No matter, I just need to get to Canterlot. Time to test out my new wings." She walked outside and gave her new appendages a couple of flaps before she got airborne. With a laugh, she took off towards Canterlot. From the pool of water in front of the school, a bright flash Spike and the remaining students swam out. "Is she gone?" Spike asked. "I think so," Gallus said as the stepped back onto dry land. "That was weird," Smolder said. "I think we should focus on something other than what water species we become," Ocellus said as she saw a gray blur flying away. "Silver's heading to Canterlot. If she can turn all of the school into statues, imagine what she can do the guards." "Are we too late?" came a voice. The six look and saw King Thorax and Dragon Lord Ember, who was wearing armor, landing near the school along with other changelings, including Pharynx. "You took your time," Smolder groaned. "You know how long it took me to find this armor?" Ember asked. "Stop fighting," Spike said. "The Storm King has possessed Silverstream, and she's heading towards Canterlot." "We've gotta follow her," Gallus said. "No," Thorax cried, "You're staying here." "But she friend," Yona protested. "She's too dangerous," Spike said. "You're going to stay in the castle until it's safe." "You can't do this," Smolder growled. "I think we can," Pharynx said. He turned to a flying spider monster and pushed the five students into the castle. "I'm beginning to like your brother," Ember said to Thorax, which the king wasn't so fond of. "We better catch up with Silverstream," Spike said unfolding his wings. "Follow me." The dragons and changelings took off, with Thorax surprised by Spike's new appendages. "Spike, did you get wings?" Thorax asked. "I just had a bit of molting. It was pretty annoying." "Tell me about," Ember agreed. The teens could only watch the dragons and changelings fly away as they stayed at the castle. "This isn't fair," Smolder groaned. "We should be there helping Silver back to normal." "But Thorax and Ember said it wasn't safe," Ocellus said. "Screw what he said," Gallus said. "Silver needs us." "But how do we get her back?" "Think about last night," Sandbar said. "Remember what snapped her out of the king's control?" "Yona and dragon smash friend," Yona said with a bit of guilt. "Yes, but we also tried talking her. I think if we do it again, we might get her back." "What if friends fail?" Yona asked. The group went silent. "We won't fail," Gallus said. "We're going to save our friend." The five placed their paws or hooves in a circle. The ponies of Canterlot were minding their own business. Several of them stopped and stared after Silverstream landed in the middle of the city making the ground crack quite a bit. "Hello everyone," she said, "I would appreciate your simple surrender now." A snobby unicorn just laughed at the hippogriff. She tossed an orb at the snob making him turn into obsidian. All other ponies ran and screamed as the hippogriff heard someone from behind her. Spike landed behind the hippogriff, who just laughed at the dragon. "Silverstream... Storm King..." Spike stuttered. "Whoever the heck is in there, you need to stop this." "Who's going to make me?" The dragon pointed to himself with the hippogriff scoffing. "You and what army?" "I thought you'd never ask." Spike flew upwards so the hippogriff could see Ember, Thorax, and the changeling army. "We're going to give you a chance," Thorax said as he stopped his brother and Ember from attacking. "Surrender now, and we won't harm you." Silverstream just gave a grin. "You wasted your chance," she said. Her claws glowed and as storm clouds formed. Lightning struck the ground to form some troopers of the Storm King's army. They as well as the changelings charged towards each other as the battle commenced. The troopers and changelings clashed with each other, with the bug creatures changing into different species, like lions, tigers, bears and various other creatures. Silverstream tired tossing her orbs at the enemies, but the changeling's shape-shifting helped them dodge them. The hippogriff was hit by a pink beam that came from Shining Armor. "Shining," Spike said flying down to him, "Silverstream can't help it, she's possessed." The dragon pushed the guard out of the way before they could get hit from another orb. "I know," Shining said, "You sent me the letter for a backup plan. Where are Twilight and the others?" "They're frozen in stone." Shining Armor gasped at this. He was about to charge a shot at the hippogriff who was distracted by the changeling charging at her, but Spike stopped him. "You're right, I can't harm a helpless child. The princesses are staying out of sight. Not even I know where they are." "Alright, let take care of these guys." They went to fight the troopers as Silverstream started upping her arsenal. She teleported around, shot out beams of light, and created forcefields. "I have to thank that princess for her magic," she said using her levitation to toss her enemies away. Ember, Thorax, and Pharynx were cornered as they fought the king's troopers. "Why are there so many of them?" Thorax questioned. "They came back with a ghost," Pharynx said punching some of the troopers away. "I'm sure there'll be a lot." Suddenly, they heard something fall from the sky, "YAK SMASH!" Out of the blue, Prince Rutherford dropped from the sky landing on a couple of the troopers. "Sorry, yaks late." In the sky, several yaks were dropping down from their balloons. "Perfect timing," Ember said, "I thought you were going to miss all the fun." The leaders of the different areas charged at the troopers as a few creatures were flying towards Canterlot. "Can't you go any faster?" Smolder asked Gallus as they both carried Yona. "Sorry, our passenger is heavy," he replied, "No offense." Yona just shrugged as they saw the battle in the city. "What's going on?" Sandbar questioned. "My only guess is that the Storm King has some sort of power to create his army," Ocellus said. "It would explain how she created those orbs." "There's Silver," Gallus cried pointing to their friend who was heading towards the castle. The flew down and tried to catch up with her. "What the?" Pharynx gasped as he saw the students. He quickly flew towards them with rage building up. "We told you to stay in the castle." "Silver is our friend," Smolder said. "If any creature is helping her, it's us." "I'm really sorry about this, Pharynx," Ocellus apologized. "She needs us." Pharynx was going to keep following but he saw some changeling needed some help. Regrettably, he flew over to them as the students ran towards the castle. Silverstream bashed down the door to the throne room after fighting past the guards and found the princesses weren't there. "Where are you?" she asked as she looked around. "Silverstream!" Gallus shouted grabbing her attention to see him and the other students. "You? Are you here to sign up?" "We're not signing up for anything your behind," Smolder stated. "Give friends back hippogriff," Yona demanded. "Why would I give up this body?" she asked. "I'm the Storm... Queen. No one will ever get in my way, not even a couple of teens." "Get out of our friend," Gallus demanded as he stomped towards her. The Storm Queen had other ideas. She flew over to some sets of armor, grabbed a spear, and it up to her neck. "Stay back. You're the spear, your friend is my neck. Do you want to get closer?" Silverstream's friend stood back in shock. The hippogriff then used her levitation to keep them stuck in place and was about to toss an orb at them. "Silver, listen!" Sandbar cried. The hippogriff stoped and lower the spear and orb. Her friends looked at each other then to the queen. "Silver, we know you're in there. You can't let him win." "You're way better than that idiot," Smolder added. "Not to mention, a great friend." The hippogriff expression went from anger to sadness. "You're a lot of fun," Ocellus said. "It's kind of funny how you get excited over every new thing you see." "Yona like Silver," Yona said. "Wouldn't trade for anything." Tears started to form in the possessed being's eyes. "Please," Gallus begged, "Stay with us. Remember everything we did together." Silverstream's eye flashed as memories flooded back. The day they took a break from class, staying over on Hearth's Warming Eve, meeting the Tree of Harmony, stopping Cozy Glow, and building their treehouse. Her eyes returned back to their normal violet color as they started flooding with tears as she dropped the spear and the orb. "I'm sorry," she said. "I could've stopped this." "Don't talk like that," Sandbar said. "We know you're scared." "But... Princess Twilight and the others are statues. What can we do?" "We'll stay by your side," Smolder said. "We'll figure it out," Ocellus said. Silverstream looked at her friends and ran towards them to hug them. The second she did this, auras surrounded them. Sandbar's was yellow, Yona's was orange, Ocellus's was white, Smolder's was blue, Silverstream's was pink, and Gallus's was purple. "What's happening?" the hippogriff questioned as the Storm King tried to take over again. "This feels familiar," Smolder said. "The elements," Ocellus gasped. "We must be connected somehow." "We've connected to the tree before," Gallus said, "So this does make sense." They all started floating into the air as Silverstream's colors started returning to normal as the Storm King was pulled out of her. "What is this?" the Storm King questioned as the six glowing creatures surrounded him. "This is impossible." The students spun around him as they glowed the color of their aura. The king's ghost roared as a large rainbow shot into the sky. As this happened, the troopers the king summon vanished into thin air and the ponies that were turned into obsidian changed back to normal. As the rainbow faded, the six friends floated to the ground as the Storm King was nowhere to be seen. "Is it over?" Silverstream asked. Her colors were all normal as Yona tackled her. "Hippogriff friend back," the yak cheered. "Are you feeling okay?" Sandbar asked. "Aside from Yona trampling me, I'm good," Silverstream replied. As they got up, some guards entered the room wielding spears. "Hang on," Gallus said. "Let us explain." The six students rode the train back in Ponyvillie, Silverstream wasn't in the mood for flying. "I'm glad this is over," Ocellus sighed. "Y... Yeah," Silverstream stuttered, "Me too." Spike and Yona came walking in from the other train car. "Yona like talking to yaks again," she said. "Good to know," Spike said as he was a little bruised. "So, how are you guys doing?" "Just fine," Smolder replied. "Kind of wish we got some of the combat action." "Trust me, you wouldn't." "I'm sorry," Silverstream sighed. "How many times do we have to tell you?" Gallus questioned, "You don't need to say sorry. You were under his control." "Because I let him." "You thought it was a nightmare," Sandbar said. "When I figured out he was a ghost I could've told someone to fix it." "Look," Gallus said, "It's over. Forget about that guy." "But what about that book?" "Oh, we can take care of that," Smolder said. As the train stopped Spike and the students raced back to the school. Silverstream waved to a couple of the formerly frozen students, but they ran away from her. "Are they color blind?" Gallus questioned. "Silverstream!" Twilight cried running towards them. "Are you alright?" "Been better," she sighed. "Well, I'm glad you're back to normal." She placed her hoof on Silverstream's shoulder. "I'm sure that the other students will forgive you." "Friend still has us," Yona said making Silverstream feel better. "So, where is the book?" Smolder asked. "Right here," Twilight answered showing them the orange book. "We're going to get away from any creature," Gallus said. They took the book to the field with the hippogriff not understanding what they were doing. "Just follow our lead," Smolder said. She took the book and punted it into the air. Gallus smacked book towards Sandbar, who bucked to Ocellus. The changeling turned into a bear and shook the book in her jaws. The book was tossed to Yona who stomped on it in typical yak action. "Friend want to join?" Yona asked Silverstream. "Really?" Silverstream asked as the yak passed the beaten book over to her. The hippogriff picked it up and tore out a couple of the pages, giggling a bit. The book kept getting passed around until Silverstream passed it to smolder, who burnt it to a crisp. "Aw." "Sorry," Smolder apologized. "It's okay. This was fun while it lasted. We'll be late for Professor Rarity class. I wonder what dresses we'll get to make. Maybe one I can wear as hippogriff and seapony." "Oh, speaking of which," Ocellus said. The changeling flew away for a second and came back with the pearl piece that her friend lost. Gallus gave her a hand and tide the necklace around her neck. "Thanks, guys." The hippogriff hugged her friends tightly. "It's good to have you back, Silver," Gallus said. "Let's get to class." "Beat you there." Silverstream flew off laughing with her friends following behind.