"Please stay safe, and remember, if you need any advice, or something were to happen, just send me a letter, and I will be there immediately." Twilight finished hugging her cousin as the train to Las Pegasus was boarding.
"If you are lucky, she might even appear wearing a leotard and a tutu too." Starlight adds, earning a glare from Twilight.
"What?" The Prince looked at the two confused.
"Nothing! nothing, just have fun and remember. We are here if you need a pep talk, or one last bit of advice." Twilight quickly says with a forced smile.
"Will keep it mind Twily, thanks for everything really, this last week has prepared me like crazy, I will not let you down, any of you." Blueblood smiles at Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie that surprised them on their way to the train station ready with gifts and encouraging final words, before he had to leave, the rest of the elements that came to say their goodbyes at the station.
"Don't sweat it partner, just remember what I told you." AJ lifted an apple to help him jog his memory slightly.
"And don't let them push you around." Fluttershy timidly adds.
"And always keep them smiling." Pinkie concluded as the Prince nodded. "I will keep it in mind girls, thanks." He surprises the 3, bringing them into a group hug that sends shivers down their spines, much to Starlight’s and Twilight’s confusion, as they can only blink from the side. "I had an incredible time with all of you, hope we can repeat it someday, maybe all together this time."
"T-That would be nice." Suddenly all of them reply at the same time, and end the hug refusing to make eye contact with him as he looks confused, before looking back at his cousin. "Well it's a shame Rarity and Rainbow Dash couldn't come, tell them I said hi if you see them and…"
"Wait!" Rarity rushed toward the group in a hurry, and with a slightly messy mane and still wearing her tailor's glasses shoving ponies aside, and levitating a long white box. Once she reaches them, she pants and virtually shoves the box in the Prince's eyes. "Here…it is darling…your suit."
"R-Rarity, did you actually make the suit overnight just so I could…?"
The whistle of the train gets their attention as she lightly pushes the Prince inside. "No time darling, better get going."
"T-Thanks I had an incredible time with you too."
"I did have a nice time as well." She smiles and without thinking kisses his check the moment he picks up the box with his magic, surprising everyone by her sudden show of affection, in time for the doors to close and the train to leave.
Now alone, Twilight and Starlight continue to blink at all of their friends' odd behaviour, as AJ and Fluttershy look at Rarity annoyed and Pinkie seems deep in thought.
"Ah girls, what in the hay has gotten into all of you?" Twilight finally asks.
"Nothing!" They all say simultaneously before looking at each other and then run away in four different directions, adding even more to the Princess' confusion as she looks at Starlight for answers while she could only shrug in reply.
That Night At Canterlot
Taking a sip of her cup of wine, Scarlet admired the starry night in front of her one last time before heading back to her bedroom and approaching a full sized body mirror where her reflection was smiling at her with glowing pink eyes.
"It is time dear, there are still some remaining loose ends to address, but I can deal with them in person now, no need for you to dirty your hooves anymore." Desire raises her hoof and touches the glass, causing it to ripple as if it was made of water. "Just let me out so we can truly begin this party."
"All the wait, all the planning and patiently scheming." Scarlet put her glass down and pressed her hoof against the mirror too. "It's all about to pay off, soon Equestria...no the entire world will see you bloom, once again!"
"And as promised, you will have your beloved Prince in your arms as a reward for my loyal avatar." Desire smirks as Scarlet copies her expression and leans forward so they can share a kiss, causing the mirror to ripple even faster and violently, until the shape of Desire transforms into pure light, and then passes right into Scarlet, shattering the mirror and making her scarf turn into red petals, for her body and horn to elongate slightly and her mascara to deepen as she starts to laugh with two voices speaking at the same time.
"And now, time for the first dance." They spoke, and headed to the balcony where taking a deep breath and standing on her hind legs, Scarlet starts to dance and spin around as her flowers and vines start to sprout and bloom all around her spreading spores into the air, to the four winds at an alarmingly fast rate, announcing the arrival of Desire and her blooming plan.
Starting by putting all of Canterlot in a trance, as every living being there sees their major desires come to life in front of them once they smell of the spores, and then be engulfed in a rose bulb as flora claims the land and covers it in giant scarlet rose petals.
Crystal Empire
Holding the door closed Cadence and the palace guards take a moment to breath as they maintain the infected ponies outside, while sitting on the throne Shining Armor keeps his focus on maintaining the shield surrounding the castle in order to avoid spread the disease, a task that has becoming more difficult with how the flora the zombified ponies carried with them has spread and claimed the castle floors at such a speed that it’s base was starting to overflow and is currently pressing against his astral wall harder and harder for the last couple of days.
During this time, the royal couple have been going around the clock trying to find a solution to the problem on their hooves as magic seems to have no effect on the infected, and only serves to make the flora in their bodies to bloom and spread the alluring, and hypnotic spores they carried faster, and wider, all seem unresponsive, acting more on instinct and a desire to spread, and so far the only weapon that seems to have any effect on them is emotional spectrum magic that seems to cut their connection, and bring the victim pony back to reality although briefly. A small victory that unfortunately by the time it was discovered the royals were grossly outnumbered, and without any alternative force to take refuge in the throne room with their students, and a handful of guards and maids still not infected while coming up with a plan before it was too late.
"My, My, aren't we having a small issue of bad weeds?" The royal's eyes widen when on the rooftop, Discord appears wearing a gardening outfit as he floats to meet them, in particular Shining Armor.
"Hang in there Shining, you wouldn't want your subjects to know how their Prince was bested by a plant right?"
"Discord, now is not the best time for your jokes." He says trying to maintain his concentration glaring at the Draconequus.
"Normally, I would be making a snappy remark but believe it or not, I agree this time." He says with a glare, looking at Cadence. "Can't believe you were out, and back to your old tricks, sis."
"SIS!?" Everyone yells in shock at his claims as he rushes to Cadence, but rather than confront her he literally grabs her shadow. "Now come out Desi, you had your fun, now enough of your games, call off your daisies already…"
"I'm GONNA TRY NOT TO TAKE OFFENSE RIGHT NOW DISCORD!" A booming female voice shakes the room, and letting go of Cadence’s shadow, Discord looks around as a bigger one starts to swirl around the walls until in front of everyone a dragoness figure appears. "You really think I will stoop so low as to choose her as my avatar? HER?!" She points at Cadence in indignation.
"Oh boy you are already in your third phase? This is gonna be hard." Discord mumbles in worry as the royal couple recovers and approaches the shadow creature.
"Can somepony please explain what is happening here?" Cadence asks in anger.
"Don't worry, cheap copy." Desire tells with disdain looking at Cadence. "I'm merely teaching you what true desire looks like." She raises her claw and flora invades the room, surprising everyone.
Meanwhile in the middle of a sandstorm
With the strong winds subsiding Luna finally stands up and open her eyes with a more clear head, only to find herself back at the grassy fields of her old home castle, were she saw her younger self, crying her eyes out, as she approaches a concerned Alicorn Princess reading a robust book floating in the air by her magic. Her mane had a majestic gradient that went from yellow at the base to orange to white forming the illusion of the four seasons as it billows in a non-existence breeze, similar to her long ethereal tail. Her figure resembles closely to Celestia, although much younger, probably at the end of her teen years, and her fur was a light green shade with brown marks at the base of her hooves. Her cutie mark despite the silhouette of the world surrounded by two golden rings hugging it in the middle horizontal and vertical.
Hearing her wailing, the tall alicorn stops reading, and turns to look at her distressed sister. "Luna?"
Her younger self didn't waste time, and jumped to hug the tuft of fur on her chest, as she collected herself. "Luna what is wrong? What happened?"
"Terra! Aunt Platinum just told me something horrible! She told me that mom and dad are dead, that they will never come back! And she is now our new mommy! I don't want a new mommy, I want our mom and dad? Please tell me she is lying, tell me they can come back." She then points at the book. "You can bring them back, right Terra? We can use your magic book and bring them back…right?" She asks between sobs, almost pleading with her to tell her that it was possible.
"Oh Luna." Terra can only hug her sister, and shake her head in sorrow, not being fond of having to discuss the subject anymore than her sister wanted to hear it. "By all my lands, how I wish it could, but that is not how the book works, and even if we try, that would be abusing its power. What came to pass should remain. That way, that is what Destine teaches us, going against that would be abusing the magnificent gift she granted us. The relic mom and dad entrusted us to respect and guard while they sent us here."
"But why?"
She sadly smiles and sits her sister down before showing the book. "Because this is the book of destiny not the book of life and death, what we have is a way to read and see what was, is, and will come to be of everything Lulu. Messing with mortality is another endless job, and they tend to get a bit grumpy when their siblings try to do each other's job. Right Destine?" Terra asks the book itself who turn its pages until it reaches a bland one and start writing itself
'That is correct, greetings Princess Luna.'
The filly Alicorn can't help but to gasp, and points at it while looking at Terra. "It's alive?!"
Her sister chuckles lightly at her antics as she nods. "It sure is, go ahead ask her anything."
She encourages her as the filly wracks her mind, trying to wonder what to ask while her present self watches everything unfold with interest. "Miss Destine, is it really true you can't bring back mommy and daddy back?"
'…I'm sorry Princess.'
Luna was about to tear up and start sobbing until Terra tells her to keep reading. 'But I can teach you how to speak with them.'
"S-Speak!? You can do that?!" She asks more enthusiastically, and hopefully.
'To wield Destine is to see beyond what was and will, if you are patient and let me teach you, step by step like your sister, I can teach you the road ahead of any path you choose, including how to commune with the great beyond, my sister Death is kind. So if asked nicely she would let you talk with them, even if briefly. Those that pass deserve to rest, after all.'
"I-I thank you! Miss Destine I promise I will study hard!"
'The book of Destine? I remember it now, we once held such an incredible artifact. Our parents entrusted it to us but…what happened to it, where did that book go?'
The memory ends and Luna finds herself now standing in what appears to be a giant sandy desert, as she holds her head with one hoof, piecing together what she saw until a groan alerts her and looking ahead of her was shocked to see a behemoth Griffin, half hawk, half lion with four eyes, four wings, two tails and made completely of multicoloured sand splattered on the ground as he slowly wakes up to look at her.
"What now? Why did you have to wake up?" He complains and makes her aware of her surroundings, seeing Rainbow Dash, her mate, and the rest of her soldiers spread all around the desert with wings of sand on top of them with pleasant smiles plastered on their faces.
"Oh?" The griffin slowly approaches Luna to look at her closely. "It’s you."
"Vile creature! What have you done to my subjects!" She demands in defiance extending her wings.
"The same you do every night, ensure they remain asleep in a pleasant dream." He yawns, releasing a strong torrent of sand that almost knocks her over. "Thank you by the way, for doing my job."
"Your job, but how, I…you are one of Discord’s brothers aren't you?" She demanded but he was falling asleep once more. "Answer me!"
"Yes, I am Dream, the blanket of slumblers." He grumpily answered. "Now let me go back to sleep.
"That is impossible, I'm the mare of dreams. How come I never saw you before?" She flies so he sees her eye to eye, and the comment makes him chuckle. "Don't go putting on airs of grandeur Princess of Dreams, a king might rule over a land, but he doesn't rule the land itself." He extended one of his wings and before she could defend herself he buried her under a ton of sand, leaving only her head exposed. "Now go back to sleep, trust me it better this way"
"No! I can't, I must save my sister." She struggles to get free.
"Save her? But Princess, she is already here." Dream comments opening one of his claws and revealing the sleeping form of her sister, next to Tempo, in the same predicament as everyone else present, astonishing the Princess of the Night in the process, and made her realize that she wasn't in Applelossa anymore, somehow he put all of them in a lethargic slumber on top of a deep sleep state, a state that was slowly claiming her as well, as the sand was draining her energy and the sensation was pleasant and numbing making her eyelids heavier, and harder to keep open.
Dream only sighs and looks up.
'There, we are even now, sister. You better not go bothering me anymore, or you will be the one owing me a favor next.' He glares at the sky that has a blooming flower in it sucking all the sand into reality as he falls asleep once more.
Ponyville
Turning and moving their bodies back and forward, four of the elements of harmony were having difficulty having a good night sleep, and images of a certain Prince were invading their thoughts twisting their dreams into something different, until his voice calling them, awoke them with a startle, to find themselves in the middle of a strange forest of different kinds. With AJ advancing toward a Prince bucking apple trees, and cleaning some sweat, Fluttershy smitten by the Prince feeding a milk bottle to a wolf cub, Pinkie bouncing excitingly toward the Prince preparing a picnic party in a clearing surrounded by trees, and Rarity seeing him inspecting gems on a forest of pure multicolor crystals.
With goofy smiles, none of the mares realized how they weren't dreaming anymore, and instead were walking into a portrait that just appeared in their room, until they were absorbed by it, leaving only the image of the forest they disappeared into.
"Ha, five down." Startled, Twilight wakes up, feeling something wrong is happening and rushing through her window, she gasps in horror when she sees her school engulfed in giant petals, and then her cutie mark shining like crazy announcing a state of emergency.
Rushing to the throne room she had difficulty opening it but when she did, she got yet another surprise, when both Starlight and Spike were already captured and put in bulbs stuck in the wall, and a slender giant snake like dragoness, with no hind legs, smooth lime green scales on her stomach, frontal part of her neck and lower half of her soft mouth, and what looks to be scales in the form of red petals on her back, upper half of her head and bat like wings given her a rose like appearance , casually passing through some pages of one of Starlight’s books while sitting on Twilight’s chair.
"Well well, some Princess has been doing some late night homework." The dragoness chuckles, revealing her luminous slit eyes, lifting the page describing herself. "Does that mean we can skip the formalities…Princess Twilight Sparkle?"
"Desire, I assume." Twilight gets in a defensive stance, as Desire closes the book. "Oh good that would be a yes then, and before we do this dance and song, I just want to say how touched I am that you took time to research about me. I can assure you, unlike my troll of a brother Discord, I can be far more interesting to investigate."
Twilight remains quiet and just starts to charge her horn. "Please, Princess" Desire only rolls her eyes and extends her claw at her. "Do you really think that would actually make a difference?" With a simple wave, Twilight was frozen when Desire summoned four familiar pieces of jewelry. "Or perhaps you were trying to make contact with your friends, and their elements?"
She smirks malevolently as she converts the pieces into rings and puts them on. "Not to brag or anything, but I think they look better on me don't you think?" She admires the rings, before casually ripping part of her neck revealing a cluster of vines and sap in which Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy are trapped inside before closing it back.
"Girls!" Twilight shot a magic beam at her, but Desire only jumped out of the way and stood up. "Sorry for startling you dear Princess, but I hope you understand..." Desire starts to pace around the room, with Twilight glaring daggers at her, not daring to lose sight of her. "…I have invested so much time and preparations in a special event of mine, to let a band of merry mares, or my idiot brother, ruin it." Twilight was shocked once more, when Desire actually managed to used the elements against her, sending her back into her chair, as vines keep her in place, and petals rose, sprouting from underneath, and start to encapsulate Twilight, as she watches in horror, how Desire was using the elements to feed the plant.
"How are you doing this?! The elements are supposed to be the force to fight anyone that wishes to disrupt the natural order of things, how can you wild them so effortlessly?"
Desire stops the process, grinning widely, not wanting to miss the opportunity, in fact judging by her expression, Twilight thought she was counting on her to ask just that.
"How do you ask? Dear Princess, I'm actually disappointed, after all the research that you have done of me, you still have only grasped the extension of my powers, desires go beyond the want to obtain a goal, an object or a living being. My reach can go from the most complex of carnal wants, to the simplest wish of scratching your nose." She pokes Twilight’s nose for emphasis, as her eyes glow brighter and the plant resumes it’s work. "Living is desire, and self awareness is the base of life itself." She lifts her hand and Twilight sees a translucent form of herself wrapped in vines, and with the same dopey smile as her friends.
"No, it’s impossible, there is no way the elements of harmony would be susceptible to you, not unless…" Twilight’s eyes widen in realization, as she recalls her last adventure dealing with Nightmare Moon.
'With the passing of time the elements grow and learn…'
"…They are self aware."
"Seems like you finally figured it out, yes Princess Twilight they self aware and growing closer to be considered alive, which mean their will can and is susceptible to my influence, specially if I used their avatars as lightning rods" The petals finish their job and the pod is starting to fill with sap scaring Twilight as she felt her body numb and her conscious fading.
"But don't worry Princess, I'm far better than Discord ever was, as hard to believe as this might sound, I only want the best for everyone in the entire world, so don't fight it, close your eyes, relax and tell me, what is it that you desire the most?" With the last of her focus, Twilight casts one final spell, before falling unconscious. Trapping her with the rest, as Desire laughs in victory.
"And that is six, the final loose end!" She cleans her claws before looking off into the distance toward Las Pegasus.
'And with the obstacles removed, there is only the matter of getting the groom and starting the era of desire, with the appropriate party.'
Desire grins in excitement, before wilting and turning into dry petals that fall onto the ground, while from Canterlot a scarlet light glows, and then flies away into the distance, targeting the city that never sleeps.