CHAPTER 3: HEROES UNITE
Twilight and her friends were on the train to the Crystal Empire to visit Star Swirl the Bearded. Sitting in the train car, Twilight couldn’t help but worry about what their mystical scroll could have written on it.
Spike came in from the luggage car and sat down by Twilight. “Twilight? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m just a little worried about this scroll. What if it has some dangerous spell written on it? What if it’s about something we don’t need to get into?”
“Twilight, I’m worried too, but we need to have hope.” Spike put a claw on Twilight’s hoof. “It’s going to be alright.”
“Thanks, Spike. You always know how to cheer me up.”
Just then, the train stopped. “We have arrived at the Crystal Empire!” yelled the conductor.
After the heroes got off the train, they arrived at the statue of Spike, who was smiling. “Years pass and I’m still brave and glorious.”
“Can you believe some creatures brag like that?” Rainbow Dash asked.
The others looked at her and laughed. Applejack walked over to her. “And we never hear anythin’ about the ‘awesome’ Rainbow Dash, do we?”
“Heh. Good point.”
The others laugh before arriving at the Crystal Castle. Entering through a glorious staircase, they met with a small little alicorn. Seeing her, Twilight smiled.
“Auntie Twilight!”
“Flurry Heart!” Twilight and Flurry hugged. “Flurry, we need to see your parents. It’s important.”
Flurry Heart took the heroes through a crystal hallway and the group arrived at the crystal throne room. Looking in, Twilight saw Cadance and Shining Armor looking off the crystal balcony.
Princess Cadance heard the door open and looked behind her. “Twilight!”
“Cadance!”
The two alicorns got down on their hooves and did their special dance: “Sunshine! Sunshine! Ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!”
With their dance done, Twilight and Cadance hugged, before Shining Armor approached Twilight.
“Twily, Star Swirl got your message. What’s going on?”
“We found something: a scroll. We need Star Swirl to help us open the magical seal on it.”
From behind the door, Applejack peeked in. “Hey there, y’all.”
“Hello, darlings,” said Rarity, who entered behind Applejack.
The other ponies followed behind while Cadance and Shining left the throne room with Flurry Heart.
Star Swirl rushed into the room from behind the heroes and approached Twilight.
“Princess Twilight. I received your message. You said it was urgent.”
“Yes. We found a scroll in the Canterlot Archives with a magic seal on it. We were hoping you could break it.”
Pinkie Pie suddenly jumped between the two with a wizard hat and cloak. “We need powerful magic. Your magic.” Twilight levitated Pinkie back to the side of the room.
Twilight turned back to Star Swirl. “Do you think you can help?”
“Of course, Princess Twilight.”
Star Swirl used his magic on the scroll and managed to break through the seal. Opening it, Star Swirl read the paper.
“What’s it say?” asked Rainbow Dash, tilting her head.
Star Swirl gained a worried look in his eyes.
“That’s a bad sign,” Applejack remarked, worried.
“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked, gaining a similar expression.
“This scroll tells of a villain long forgotten. Someone my mentor and I faced has returned.”
“But who?” asked Pinkie Pie.
“Grogar.”
“Grogar?!” the heroes shouted, each one worried.
Twilight started panicking: “How is he back? He’s not real!”
“He is.” Star Swirl used his magic to show the heroes a vision of the past. “During the battle between Gusty the Great and Grogar, she trapped him inside the Realm of Darkness. However, I believe that when Cozy Glow drained the magic of Equestria, the realm it went to was in fact the Realm of Darkness, which allowed him to escape.”
“If he’s been free for so long, then why is he only now making himself known?” Spike asked.
“Being trapped for thousands of years weakened his magic. It is my belief that he has only now gained enough power just to use his magic.”
“Wait just a moment,” said Rainbow Dash. “If Grogar is real, then does that mean Gusty is too?”
“Gusty the Great died a long time ago. Without her to stop him, Grogar will be free to do whatever he wants.”
“How dangerous is Grogar?” asked a nervous Fluttershy.
“In the days of his reign, he became feared through all of Equus. He would even devour the flesh of ponies.”
“Pony flesh?” Rarity asked—her face turning green.
Star Swirl and the heroes exited the vision of the past and Twilight looked at him. “How do we stop Grogar?”
“I don’t know. Much of my knowledge is restricted to old stories and legends. I was young when Grogar conquered Equestria, but you may be able to find out with your friends.”
“Thank you, Star Swirl.”
“No. Thank you, Princess. Good luck on your journey.”
Twilight and the heroes exited the Crystal Castle and waved goodbye to Cadance and Shining.
“So what are we going to do now?” Spike asked.
“Maybe we should go back to Ponyville,” Fluttershy replied.
“We do need to go back to Ponyville, but there’s a stop I’d like to make on the way,” said Twilight—who was concentrating on the scroll.
A few hours later, the ponies and Spike arrived at the School of Friendship, where they met with Starlight and Trixie.
“Grogar? As in the Grogar? From the old legend?” asked Starlight, frowning.
Trixie raised an eyebrow. “How can Grogar be back? Wasn’t he banished a long time ago by Gusty the Great?”
“Yeah. But now he’s back,” Rainbow Dash replied, “and he’s going to try and destroy us if we don’t do anything about it.”
“That’s why we came here to you two,” said Twilight, looking at the two mares. “We need more than just us… we need as many ponies as possible.”
“Okay then, what can we do to help?” asked Trixie.
“Well, we don’t need ya to help us fight ‘im, but just as a kinda moral support,” Applejack replied, smiling.
Starlight and Trixie looked at each other and started talking about it. After a few minutes, they finally made a decision.
“We’ll go,” said Starlight.
“As long as we get to have some adventure,” Trixie added, raising a hoof.
The heroes cheered and bumped hooves. Rarity turned to Twilight.
“Twilight, darling, now that we have Starlight and Trixie, what do we do?”
“I think a trip to the Castle of Friendship is in order.”
Leaving the school with Sunburst in charge, Twilight and her friends went back to the Castle of Friendship, where they met in the map room. Seeing the magic around the Legion of Doom’s stone prison, Starlight and Trixie became instantly worried.
“Why is the place where you trapped the Legion of Doom glowing?” Starlight asked, concerned.
“We think it might be Grogar,” Spike replied.
“And if I’m right, he may already be planning something big,” Twilight added. “But I think we can stop him.”
“How?” Fluttershy asked.
“Grogar will most likely come after his Bewitching Bell, which means he’ll be targeting Canterlot Castle.”
“Then what are we going to do about it?” Spike asked.
“We need to set up defenses around the castle. With Grogar at his weakest, he’ll be easy to defeat.”
“Not to be doubtful, but how are you sure Grogar will come alone?” asked Rarity, who tilted her head.
“If Grogar is back, then who’s to say his army ain’t back either?” Applejack added.
“Only Grogar was banished to the Realm of Darkness. His army is long gone by now,” Twilight reassured.
“Wait, there’s just one thing I don’t understand. Am I the only one who’s wondering about that glow around the Legion?” Rainbow asked.
“Maybe Grogar’s brought them back,” Trixie suggested.
“Whatever it is, it can’t be good,” Starlight agreed.
“I know we’ll be able to stop it,” Twilight said confidently. “After all, we are a team, and we’ve always come out on top! As long as there isn’t anything else to worry about.”
The heroes heard a shake in the library. Investigating, they saw Sunset Shimmer on the ground in front of the mirror.
“Twilight! There’s been an emergency at Canterlot High!”
“Is that Sunset Shimmer?” Fluttershy asked. The others were silent.
Twilight helped Sunset to her hooves. “What’s wrong? Is everyone alright?”
“Something bad happened. Somehow the Dazzlings had their rubies, and they were attacking the school. I don’t think anyone was hurt, but I knew I needed to come to you.”
“Did a blue creature happen to be with ‘em?” Applejack asked.
“Yes. You’re pony Applejack, right?”
Applejack nodded in reply.
The heroes began to worry after they heard about the blue creature.
“Sunset, we think that blue creature is Grogar,” Starlight said.
Sunset was shocked. “Grogar? As in the Grogar? The one banished by Gusty the Great? He’s real?”
“Yes, and we could use your help to stop him. You don’t have to fight, but you could be a valuable ally,” Twilight said.
“Okay. I’ll do it!”
The heroes gathered around the map and stood confidently. Twilight smiled. “Alone, we are weak. But we are strong when united!”