//------------------------------// // The Plan Is Stopped Before It Begins // Story: Descendants of the Isle // by Melody Song //------------------------------// Back on Equus, everyone in the castle stared at the one who had stolen the crown. Rising Dawn gaped at the one holding the precious artifact. “Child, what are you doing?!” “If you won’t make me beautiful I’ll do it myself!” Celestia yelled, her aura jerking as the crown tried to regain control. Gallus dropped Monarch, who screeched and ran to Sandbar. He took off and grabbed onto the crown with his front claws, pulling it away from Celestia. Both he and the golden crown tumbled to the floor. The crowd relaxed as the danger seemingly passed. Tempest, Pharynx, and Luna all began running down from the balcony. Sandbar let out a relieved sigh and trotted to Gallus, who was sitting up. “Gallus, give me the crown, okay?” he said, but Gallus held it close. “Stand back.” he said, voice trembling “Gallus-” “Sandbar, I said STAND BACK!” Gallus yelled, as Tempest, Pharynx, and Luna ran up. “I told you so!” Yona cried, and Tempest ignited her horn, snarling, which caused Yona to yelp and jump back. “Let’s go!” Tempest said, beckoning with her hoof. “Revenge time.” Pharynx added Snowdrop and Ember ran to join Sandbar. They too, didn’t believe for a second that the kids were truly evil. “You really want to do this?” Sandbar asked “We have no choice Sandbar!” Gallus said “Our parents-” “Your parents made their choice a long time ago. Now you make yours.” Sandbar said Tempest looked at Gallus, saw the pin on his suit, the one Sandbar had been wearing, and something clicked in her mind. She took a breath, and spoke out. “I think… guys, I think I want to be good.” Tempest spoke, and they all looked to her. “You are good.” Sandbar said “How do you know that?” Gallus asked, and Sandbar trotted forward, reaching to brush Gallus’ feathers away from his eyes. “Because I’m listening to my heart.” “I... I want to listen to my heart too.” Tempest said, trotting forwards in front of her friends and turning to face them. “I’ve been ignoring it this whole time… that something just didn’t feel right. But right now I know that we are not our parents.” “What are you saying?” Gallus asked “I mean…" Tempest took a breath to compose herself. There was a lot she wanted to say. The room was silent once more as they watched the kids. "Pharynx, stealing things doesn’t make you happy. Blitzball and pizza with your team makes you happy!” Tempest said, eyes watering. “Gallus, petting Monarch and being with Sandbar makes you happy, who would’ve thought?” Tempest laughed softly, then turned to Luna, who was hesitating. “And Luna, you do not have to play dumb to get a guy! You are so, so smart.” Tempest wiped her eyes with a hoof. “And me…" Tempest sniffed and turned, shaking her head. "I don’t want to take over the world at my dad’s side, I never have." she admitted, and her friends' eyes widened. "But, Tempest, you said you'd always follow him..." Luna said "You said you were loyal to him first and everyone else second." "And how are you supposed to fix your horn without him?" Gallus added At this, everyone's eyes flicked to the stunted remains of the unicorn's horn. Tempest too, glanced up at it, then sighed and shook her head. "Conquering the world doesn’t make me happy. Even without my horn... going to school and… and being with all of you makes me happy.” Tempest then trotted to Pharynx. “And Pharynx makes me really, really happy.” she laughed softly, as he blushed and ducked his head in embarrassment. Tempest then turned and held out her hoof. “I choose good, guys.” “I choose good too.” Pharynx said immediately, putting his hoof on her own. They smiled at each other, blushing. “Me too, I choose good.” Gallus said, extending his wing to lay it on top of their hooves. “So... um, just to be clear…” Luna said, hesitating. “We don’t have to worry about how mad our parents are gonna be? Because they’re going to be really mad.” “Your parents will never be able to reach you here.” Sandbar told her. "The barrier will make sure of that." Luna smiled “Okay then.” she extended her own wing. “I choose good.” Then, they looked to Ember, Snowdrop, and Sandbar. The three Equus kids smiled too, and trotted over, placing their own wing, hoof, and claw on the pile. “So, now what-” Gallus was cut off by the sound of glass breaking. The seven looked up, ignoring the screams of the still shaken guests of the coronation. They spotted the center of the commotion, a brown griffon with white and purple accents, and two changelings, flying in through the broken window. “Gilda?!” Gallus asked “Thorax! Ocellus!” Pharynx yelled, as the three hit the ground. “Pharynx!” Ocellus flew to her older brother, wrapping him in a hug. “Gallus, the barrier’s broken!” Gilda ran to him. “We came to warn you, we hoped we weren’t too late, our parents are on their way and-” Suddenly, they heard the loud rumble of thunder, and the kids all backed away, turning to look at the dais. Pharynx stepped in front of Thorax and Ocellus, who hid behind their brother. Gallus picked up Monarch, who was mewing in fright on the ground. Gilda stood in front of him, wings spread, teeth bared. Tempest and Luna stood in front of Snowdrop and Ember, guarding the innocent pair with their horns ignited. Sandbar backed up, joining Gallus. Sea Kelp and Shell Scallop jumped back in fright as the Storm King appeared. He was followed by Nyxmare Moon, then Chrysalis entered, followed by Gruff. Rising Dawn gasped and stepped away from them. Celestia looked terrified. She had done this. She ran to the group, charging up her own horn and standing beside Luna. “We’re back!” the Storm King announced with a wide grin, slamming his staff on the ground. Everyone within the castle stood in shock.