Starlight was currently pulling a cart with a giant blue cake on it with the rest of the Elements Of Harmony and Trixie while Spike was pretending to be the candle for the cake. The pirates and Skystar were all inside said cake, ready to attack when needed. Capper and Pinkie Pie both came up with the idea together, which was a weird but clever combination.
She looked at the sky and saw the sun and moon radically rising and setting, Starlight frowned nervously, she hoped there was still a chance to save Twilight.
They were currently being led by said anthropomorphic cat to the entrance to Canterlot where two Storm Guards were guarding it.
“I still don’t get why you can’t use your magic to teleport us in the castle.” Trixie whispered to her friend.
“Unlike Discord, I don’t have as much magical power as he does. If I teleported ALL of us from a far distance I might burn out and end up being useless until my horn recharges. This is our best option.” Starlight whispered back.
Soon they reached the entrance to Canterlot and two Storm Guards stood firmly at the entrance.
Capper immediately began his manipulation tactics, “Uh, yeah, I got a delivery here for a Mister ‘The Storm King’. I was given explicit instructions to bring this here cake to this castle's throne room.” He spoke as he put his finger on the fake menu.
The Storm Guards looked at each other before pointing their spears at Capper who smirked nonchalantly, “All right, then. Look here. Could one of y'all go be a pal, go tell your boss he's not getting' his ‘Congratulations on subduing defenseless pastel ponies’ cake? 'Cause I don't wanna be the one responsible for the big guy missing his special dessert. You know what I'm sayin'?”
Capper soon walked back to face Pinkie Pie who frowned sadly at Capper, thinking the plan didn’t work but if Starlight knew Capper well enough, the Storm Guards were gonna let them through in three, two…
The Storm Guards allowed the group entry to the town much to Pinkie Pie’s delight, thankfully Capper was standing in front of Pinkie so they didn’t see it.
Starlight soon walked in the town borders along with the rest of the ponies and Capper as Capper told the guards, “Thank you kindly, fellas. I'mma be sure and put in a good word for the both of y'all.”
Starlight immediately noticed Pinkie Pie’s grin and whispered harshly, “Pinkie. Quit smiling. You’re gonna get us caught.”
“Oh, gotch.” Pinkie whispered back before putting on the fullest frown she could muster.
Starlight walked through the town with a hidden smile, if they keep going with no problems, they could make it to Twilight.
“GUARDS!” Grubber yelled out from behind the cake much to the shock of Starlight before Squabble immediately covered Grubber’s mouth and forced him inside the cake.
Unfortunately, the guards heard Grubber and began brandishing their spears.
“Uh Oh. Plan B?” Capper asked, a bit scared.
“The jig is up!” Rainbow Dash yelled fearfully before kicking the cart, allowing the pirates and Skystar to break out of the cake and begin fighting, they soon spread out and began attacking the Storm Guards.
Starlight then used her magic to get everyone out of the cart and soon joined the battle with the rest of the group.
Due to the shock of the battle among the guards, Starlight began blasting Storm Guards left and right, allowing them to fall, they weren’t dead, Starlight made sure of that, but they would not be conscious for a while.
As she looked to see how the rest of the group was doing, she saw Applejack lasso a Storm Guard’s limbs together, Rarity and Capper tie three Storm Guards up with a long ribbon, and Pinkie Pie overwhelming one guard with a multitude of cupcakes.
‘Where in Celestia does she get those?’ Starlight wondered to herself.
Soon Starlight continued to blast guards, she even saw Trixie throw some smoke bombs at them to stun them so Starlight could blast them easier, she sent a look of gratitude towards Trixie, while it was small, it was helpful.
Starlight then turned to see Grubber in front of her, who shielded himself with his arms, “Please don’t blast me! I’m not a big fan of the Storm King! I just wanted to help Tempest get her horn back!”
Starlight, for once, cast a look of sympathy at a Storm King supporter, from what Grubber was saying, he was just trying to help his friend but she wasn’t sure if she could trust him.
Starlight levitated Grubber to her face and sternly but softly said, “I’ll let you go since I feel some sympathy for you, but if you do become a problem I won’t be so nice next time.”
Grubber quickly nodded with a smile so Starlight let him go and she and Trixie ran back to where Capper, Skystar, Spike, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie were.
She soon heard Celeano speak up towards them as she fought a Storm Guard with her sword, “Head for the castle! We’ll hold them off!” She said referring to herself and the pirates.
“Come on!” Rainbow Dash told the group before they all ran towards the castle and Starlight soon saw Fluttershy talking with a Storm Guard who seemed to be in tears.
“Fluttershy!” Starlight called out along with the rest of her friends.
Fluttershy soon rejoined the group and they all headed up the stairs to the castle, Starlight soon saw a few Storm Guards running after them, she fired a blast, allowing four of them to fall to the ground.
“Keep going!” Skystar told Starlight before going off to supposedly fight of the remaining guards, Starlight silently prayed for her safety.
As they made it up to the top of the castle grounds, they were greeted by multiple Storm Guards who put up their shields and spears.
“Uh Oh.” Applejack gulped, Starlight wasn’t so sure what they could do next until Capper turned to Spike, “Hey, ain't you a fire-breathin' dragon?”
Soon Capper held onto Spike and aimed at the Storm Guards as he ferociously breathed fire on the guards who began running in fear as their tails were set on fire. Starlight smiled, not because of the Storm Guards being on fire, but due to how close they were getting to saving Twilight.
Meanwhile on the balcony, Twilight and Tempest looked at the scene in shock, Twilight being happy, while Tempest just plain shocked, “What?! How are they doing this?!”
Twilight gasped with a smile, “It’s the Magic Of…”
“Yeah yeah.” The Storm King smiled mockingly as he grabbed both Twilight and Tempest, “Friendship, and flowers, and ponies, and bleh.”
He then let them go as he spoke sternly, “I’m so totally over the cute pony thing.”
“This! Ends! Now!” The Storm King smirked maliciously as he pointed his staff towards the sky and shot lightning bolts at the clouds, which began to make a tornado much to Twilight’s shock and horror.
Meanwhile Starlight noticed Capper stopped using Spike to shoot fire and let him go as all three of them now noticed the sky was darkening.
“Uh Oh.” Capper gulped.
Rarity and Fluttershy screamed as the wind began blowing more and more.
Starlight couldn’t believe this, they wouldn’t be able to make it to the castle in time.
Starlight realized something, THEY couldn’t make it in, but…
She then looked at her horn and turned to Capper, “I’m teleporting in! Tell the others to meet me there!” Starlight alerted the hopefully former con-artist before lighting her horn and teleported.
She then found herself inside of the castle, and looked around the room, not a guard was in sight. She kept her horn flared up, Twilight had to be around here somewhere.
Meanwhile Capper had led the ponies and Spike away from the tornado and hid behind a walled structure.
Trixie looked around the area and spoke up, “Where’s Starlight?!”
“Relax! I saw her! She teleported inside the castle!” Capper reassured the blue unicorn, although he wasn’t sure how reassuring that would really be.
“We gotta go help her! She can’t do this alone!” Spike cried out fearfully.
“But how?! You'd have to be flying faster than a speeding Pegasus to break through that wind!” Rainbow Dash told everyone before Pinkie Pie gasped with a smile and soon took a helmet out of her mane and slowly put it on, “Excellent idea Rainbow Dash.”
Twilight looked on fearfully as The Storm King spoke triumphantly, “Now I truly am the Storm King! And the entire world will bow to my ba-ba-ba-boom, baby!” The Storm King soon shot a stray lightning bolt in the air.
Soon Tempest walked over to the Storm King and said, “Yes yes, you are every bit as powerful as I promised, Sire. Now, restore my horn and I swear to use my magic to serve you.” Tempest bowed before the martyr causing him to laugh maniacally as lightning shot besides him.
“Who cares about your dinky little unicorn horn?” The Storm King pushed Tempest behind him as he began to walk away from her.
“But… we had an agreement.” Tempest said pleadingly.
“Get with the program!” The Storm King growled with a smile, “I used you! You think I’d seriously trust YOUR kind?!”
He soon tried to blast Tempest with his new staff but she dodged expertly, Tempest soon blasted him with as much power as she could, knocking him into a wall, letting him fall to the ground as she hung onto the balcony to keep herself from being swept by the tornado, Twilight looked at the staff and at the struggling Tempest and soon she knew what to do next.
Twilight soon ran to Tempest who was about to be swept away but Twilight soon grabbed her left hoof with both hooves and cried out, “Hold on!”
“Why are you saving me?!” Tempest asked in shock.
“Because…” Twilight began contemplating before smiling, “I feel you can be more than what you are.”
Tempest smiled warmly at the gesture before Twilight pulled her back onto the balcony as they laid down panting.
Unfortunately the Storm King recovered quickly from the fall and laughed sarcastically, “Aw. Isn’t that just so sweet?!” He then pointed his staff at both ponies with a maniacal smile, “Yeah, see ya.”
Before Twilight could feel an incoming blast, a turquoise blast was fired at the Storm King from the left, but this time he dodged it.
Twilight looked in shock before seeing that Starlight held a determined gaze at the Storm King and flared up her horn, “Leave. The Alicorn. Alone.”
The Storm King glared hatefully at the new arrival and growled, “Fine. I’ll take you down first.”
The Storm King immediately fired blasts at Starlight but she kept dodging the attacks, and firing lasers back at the Storm King but he used his staff to make a lightning shield.
Soon Starlight shot a powerful beam at the martyr who fired a beam right back, Starlight was trying desperately to win this, but it was clear The Storm King was starting to overpower her.
“Run.” Starlight said weakly much to Twilight’s shock.
But soon Tempest fired a lightning bolt at the Storm King’s chest who fell back with both that and Starlight’s beam hitting him and leaned against the side of the balcony but before Starlight could get the staff, he stood up and kicked her back to Twilight and Tempest.
He slowly began to stand up and snarled, “I! Am sick! Of this lovey dovey nonsense! I will NOT lose!”
Meanwhile Mullet, Capper, Trixie, and Squabble were next to a pump that would fire the Easy Bake Confetti Cannon.
“You sure about this?” Mullet asked, unsure.
“Just do it!” Pinkie’s voice echoed from inside the cannon, “Thank you!” She added politely.
“I'm excited! Who's excited?! Aaah! I've never been so excited!” Pinkie Pie asked from the inside of the cannon where she, Spike, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity were all squished in.
“Alright. Here goes.” Trixie gulped before pressing down on the pump, firing the five ponies and the dragon through the tornado and they headed for the balcony.
“Ahahahahahahaha!” The Storm King laughed maniacally at the three ponies as he began to charge up his staff much to Twilight’s sadness, she looked down at Starlight and embraced her, “I’m sorry.” She whispered sadly.
Before Starlight could respond, something hit the Storm King from a distance, causing him to fall back and into the castle rubble while the staff got stuck in the circular window and soon Twilight saw that her friends: Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy were inside the throne room.
“Bullseye.” Pinkie Pie said, a bit dazed.
Twilight and Starlight immediately went inside the throne room and Starlight immediately ran towards the group and spoke proudly, “I knew you girls could do it!”
“Pinkie! Spike! Starlight! Girls! You all came back!” Twilight smiled, happiness overwhelming her, “I’m so sorry! I was wrong to…”
She was cut off by a hug from Starlight herself, she softly hugged back with a smile.
“I’m sorry too.” Starlight apologized with tears of joy before wiping them as she let go of Twilight, “I know you messed up but I should’ve been more…”
“Uh, make up later!” Rainbow Dash yelled, gaining their attention, “This isn’t over!” She pointed to the staff that was currently stuck to the top of the castle and shooting lightning at the castle ceiling and causing the terrain to fall down.
“I gotta get control of it!” Twilight said fearfully.
“Go! You got this Twilight!” Pinkie Pie smiled encouragingly.
“No. We got this. Together.” Twilight said triumphantly.
Soon Starlight found herself holding onto Twilight’s left hoof while Rainbow Dash grabbed onto her back hooves, behind them were Pinkie Pie, Spike, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack in that order as Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy used their wings and Starlight used her levitation spell to slowly rise the chain up to the staff with Applejack tied to a boulder to keep the group from being pulled into the storm.
Suddenly the Storm King began climbing the pile of terrain with a glare, “The staff belongs to me.”
Twilight and Starlight tried soaring higher to the staff to get closer to it but they couldn’t seem to reach it. They couldn’t fail now, there’s too much at stake.
“Gah! Mine!” The Storm King cried out as he leaped for the staff and suddenly Twilight pulled herself closer to the staff and grabbed it, which caused her the window to break and the Storm King to fall into the tornado, and Twilight to get sucked in as well, Starlight tried her hardest to hold onto her but she couldn’t and Twilight was soon in the tornado.
“Twilight!” Starlight cried out in horror, “NO!”
Starlight looked on the tornado to see if there was any sign of Twilight but there wasn’t, and soon the winds stopped causing the tornado to slowly subside and soon Starlight slowly levitated down with everyone else slowly falling with her. They all looked to the distance and saw no sign of Twilight.
She then saw Pinkie Pie go to lean on Applejack who hugged her back sadly as well.
Starlight couldn’t hold back her tears and began silently crying, immediately earning a hug from Spike. Now that Twilight was gone, I guess she and Spike had to rely on each other more than ever from now on. She still looked teary eyed at the sky, one of her best friends was now gone for good, and unlike with Sunburst, she wasn’t coming back.
Suddenly Starlight saw the sun shining as well as a distant figure slowly flying down. She let go of Spike to rub her eyes and saw that she wasn’t hallucinating, Twilight was actually flying back down with the staff in her front hooves and smiling warmly as she descended onto the balcony.
“Yay!” Pinkie Pie cheered eagerly as Applejack shouted, “Yee-haw!” as they, and everyone else began running towards Twilight.
Starlight noticed that Twilight had a few loose strands in her mane but she could care less, Twilight was alive, she was still here!
“Group hug!” Pinkie Pie called out, Starlight didn’t have to think twice before joining the hug. She finally felt warm inside, a warm feeling of safety in her heart was formed.
Starlight looked back to see Tempest just nearby and behind them, to Starlight’s surprise, she smiled just a little. Starlight smiled back at Tempest, showing all was forgiven.
Tempest nodded in a show of respect before she began to leave the area, Starlight couldn’t blame her, she wasn’t sure if anyone besides her and Twilight would forgive the former commander, even after saving Starlight’s life.
Soon Starlight went back to the hug when suddenly she heard hoofsteps and saw Tempest was running forward in determination. Starlight was a bit surprised, what was going on?
She then looked behind her to see the Storm King with a black and green orb and knew exactly what Tempest was aiming for.
“Get down!” Starlight told the group and soon she and the rest of her friends ducked.
“No!” Tempest cried out before being struck by the orb and then jumping towards the Storm King, causing both of them to turn to stone with the former already falling off the balcony and his stone form shattering on the ground by impact, but Starlight knew it wasn’t too late to save Tempest as she grabbed the statue of Tempest with her magic and tried her hardest to levitate her up to the balcony but soon she saw some other magic aura take Tempest and levitate her to the balcony.
“Whoa! I can’t believe she did that!” Rainbow Dash said in shock.
Twilight shared a look with Starlight and the alicorn spoke with a soft smile, “I can.”
With another burst of magic from the staff, Tempest was no longer stone and back to her normal self much to her shock as she scrambled onto her hooves, she soon shared a look with Twilight and smiled warmly at her.
“Now what?” Fluttershy asked curiously.
Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and Spike shared the same sentiments as they weren’t sure what to do next. And if Starlight were to be honest, neither did she?
“Now… we fix everything.” Tempest said with a soft smile before she led the group inside the castle.
Twilight and Tempest soon stopped next to the little hole in the circle that was presumably used to take the alicorn magic a while ago.
“All you have to do is place the top of the staff in the circle and the magic and your castle will be restored.” Tempest told Twilight before taking the staff and saying, “This was my mess so I’ll fix it.”
Tempest soon put the staff in the circle and soon magic began flowing through Twilight’s veins again, Starlight was probably right to assume she now had her magic back but that wasn’t all.
Starlight looked to see Cadence, Luna, and then Celestia were freed from their stone prisons and soon Celestia smiled warmly at Twilight.
“Twilight.” Celestia said proudly.
“Princesses.” Twilight smiled in relief before sharing a hug with all three alicorns with the rest of her friends joining in too.
Tempest looked at Starlight with a raised eyebrow and spoke up in confusion, “Aren’t you going to join them?”
“Eh, I’ll let them have this moment.”Starlight shrugged with a nonchalant smile as she saw the castle walls were being restored, “Besides, something tells me that Twilight and I already need to talk eventually so I figured I’ll let her have this.”
“Am I right to assume you are the one who had the argument with Twilight?” Tempest asked.
“Yeah. That was me.” Starlight sighed sadly before brightening up, remembering their brief apologies to each other, “But I have a feeling we’ll get through it. That’s what friends do. They forgive each other.”
“Right, forgiveness…” Tempest sighed.
“Don’t worry Tempest. I know from experience how difficult redemption can be.” Starlight smiled reassuringly before Tempest hummed in confusion, “Long story, but anyway, as long as you work on improving yourself. You’ll be forgiven in due time.”
“I’m guessing you did something heinous in the past too?” Tempest asked carefully, though Starlight didn’t mind.
“Oh where do we begin with this one?” Spike asked with a joking chuckle as he walked to the scene much to Starlight’s embarrassment.
“It probably wasn’t as bad as yours depending on how you look at it, but let’s just say I was no better than you at one point and these ponies encouraged me to change, well mostly Twilight but they all were helpful.” Starlight answered as she gestured to Twilight and the rest of the Elements Of Harmony who all smiled warmly.
The Princesses however did seem to glare a bit at Tempest, Starlight and Twilight weren’t sure if that was a good sign but Celestia spoke up, “We’ll discuss what to do with Tempest later, but rest assured it will not be to the levels of Tirek’s punishment.”
Starlight smiled at both Twilight and Tempest in relief, that was a good thing.