They had failed. The words were going around, over and over again, in Twilight's head. They'd brought their best to bear against Fallen and they had failed. Their most powerful magic was useless. One of the most magically gifted beings in Equestria was gone. Fallen Soul was coming and she had no idea what to do.
She was so lost in her thoughts, she hadn't even realised she had been moved until she was resting on something soft. She recognised the room as one of the suites in the Palace, usually reserved for special guests. A cushion was nestled beneath her and opposite was Pinkie Pie. She wore a sad sort of smile and had a glass of water. One of her hooves stuffed something into her mane.
"Hey, back with us from the depths of your mighty noggin?" she asked with a slight giggle. "Here, have this."
"Pinkie…" She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but what good is a glass of water going to do me?"
"Plenty good. Water's important, you know. Gotta stay hydrated." Her voice only had the faintest echo of her usual cheer. "I've found that in times like this, when things look really, really bad, it's best to focus on the simplest stuff you need. Nothing simpler than a glass of water."
Twilight stared at the water. Now that she thought about it, she was rather thirsty. She lifted the glass to her lips and drank. It didn't make her feel completely better, but it was oddly comforting in a… simple way.
"There, see?" Her smile perked up a little. "Sometimes, you have to start with the small stuff and work up to the big things."
"I suppose so." Twilight felt the dread seep back in again. "Do you really think it's that bad?"
Pinkie grimaced. Twilight could tell she was trying to think of a way to put it nicely and failing. In the end, she settled for a quick, sad nod. The dread spread even further. When Pinkie Pie of all ponies had trouble seeing the bright side, what hope did the rest of them have?
"Pinkie…" She lowered her head, taking another sip to push down the sobs that threatened to escape. "W-What… what are we going to do?"
"I'm sorry, Twilight. I don't know," she admitted. She let out another sad laugh. "I'm not really being much good here, am I?"
"Pinkie, what are you talking about? It's always good when you're here," said Twilight.
"Thanks, but I know there's not a lot I can do." She traced her hoof on the floor. "Even I know you can't really make jokes about something like this and… I don't want to try. It would just make everypony get mad at me if I did. It's still hard, though. Seeing everypony so wound up and miserable, knowing that… that you're useless to stop it."
"No, Pinkie. You're not useless, you're never useless." Twilight reached over to put a foreleg around her. "You said before that what's happening isn't all on me. Well, it's not all on you to make everypony else happy."
"B-But I'm supposed to." She tried to force on a smile, but failed. "I'm the Number One Party P-Pony. I c-can always cheer somepony up if they're down and if I can't…"
"Then it doesn't mean you've failed," said Twilight. "Sometimes, it's… it's okay to be sad. It's normal. I promise. I Pinkie promise."
She performed the gesture. Pinkie's lip was trembling. A loud sob burst from her throat and she latched onto Twilight, crying loud enough for all of Canterlot to hear. It sparked a few new tears from Twilight, hearing her normally upbeat and cheery friend like this. But she held true to her word and let Pinkie cry it out.
When it started to wind down, Twilight cast a duplication spell on her glass of water and levitated it to Pinkie.
"Here. Best to focus on the simplest stuff, right?"
"Y-Yeah." She sniffed and took a sip, managing the smallest smile. "Thanks, Twilight."
"It's okay, Pinkie. I know how you must be feeling," she said. "I can't really say I was friends with Discord but to know that he's gone… it's a lot to take in."
"It really is." Pinkie hiccupped and took another drink. "We hung out a little bit. We had a lot in common, though sometimes his jokes would go a little too far. You never really knew what to expect, but that was what made it fun. He still had some things to learn about friendship, but he was getting there. Now though…"
"I know." Twilight gave her another hug. "In a weird way, I'm going to miss him."
"That's probably the way he'd want it," she said with a slight giggle. "Poor Celestia… I don't think I've ever seen her like that."
Twilight looked away at the mention of her former mentor. While a part of her did feel sympathy for Celestia, she was still resentful in the wake of what she'd come to realise about her. This must have shown somehow or Pinkie simply picked up on it.
"You're mad at her, huh?" she asked. "It seemed like you had a falling out about something before we left."
"That's putting it mildly," she said bitterly. "Do you realise how much danger she's exposed us to, when she could have stepped in at any time? She didn't even ask me if I wanted to be a princess before this all happened!"
"Wow." Pinkie blinked a few times and frowned. "Yeah, when you put it like that, it doesn't sound good. Really, she never asked?"
"Not even once," replied Twilight. "She just sat back and sent me on my way, like she's always done."
"So you never wanted to be one? A princess, I mean."
"I…" Twilight had to consider the question for a while. "I don't actually know. I mean, maybe a little. But it was never something I actually expected to happen. I didn't even know that was what she planned for me, until I suddenly had these." She flapped her wings for emphasis. "Now, with everything that's been going on, I'm even more unsure."
"Well, that's okay," said Pinkie. "That's a really big thing to ask of somepony and she didn't even ask. You're right to be mad at her, Twilight. Are you still mad at her?"
"I don't know that either. Mostly, I think. But after all that, after Discord…" She lowered her head. "I'm really not sure. Why… why didn't she just ask me what I wanted?"
"Well, I'm not psychic like Dusk, so I can't tell you." Pinkie smiled a little when that made Twilight laugh a bit. "Maybe that's something for you to talk to her about. Like I said, you're right to be mad with her. But do you want to stay mad?"
Once again, Twilight didn't answer immediately. Before the confrontation in the North, she would have been happy to keep as much distance between her and Celestia as possible, physically and emotionally. It was what she deserved. Now, with Discord gone and the power that Fallen commanded realises, that certainty had faded.
Though her feelings about her new status as a princess were mixed, she had a lot to be grateful for that Celestia had given her. Admittedly, even the good memories were a little marred by her new title as well. How far back had she planned this and how much of what had been done was to push her a little closer to this goal? In her initial outburst, Twilight hadn't really given her a chance to explain herself. Did she at least deserve that?
"It's okay if you don't know that either," said Pinkie. "But think about it maybe? If it means anything, I don't think she wanted to hurt you. Maybe she just meant it to be a nice surprise, but went about it all wrong."
"That's putting it mildly," said Twilight. "But I'll think about it. Thanks again, Pinkie. See? Not useless at all."
"I guess not." She let out a shuddering sigh, then wiped at her eyes. "Alright, crying Pinkie's done for now. Thanks for letting me do that, Twilight."
She patted her shoulder. "It's alright, Pinkie. You don't have to put so much pressure on yourself to raise your friend's spirits. We're all here for each other, okay? How about we do like you suggested and focus on the small things first?"
"Y-Yeah. Yeah, okay." She perked up a little and paused to think. "Well, we're all still here."
"Yes, we are. And we have a load of new friends and allies, including a changeling. I actually like Thorax," she said. "He seems like he has a good heart."
"I know, he's such a little sweetie!" agreed Pinkie. "And Gilda's way less grumpy than when I last saw her. I'm so happy she and Dashie are friends again. Maybe we should give her a new welcome party, without the pranks this time."
"I'm sure she'd appreciate that," she nodded. "Sombra and Trixie have been a great help too, especially Trixie."
Pinkie beamed. "Yeah, pretty nice turnaround from having such a big head. You should have seen Dusky when she dragged him in earlier. That poor stallion had no idea what was going on! And hey, wedding bells are still ringing, huh?"
"Yes, they are," said Twilight, her cheeks warming a little. "It seems a little strange though, to think about a wedding at a time like this."
"But it's so much fun to think about too!" she cheered. "You're both gonna look so pretty and handsome, it's gonna have nice decorations, all of your friends and family, a great big kiss to seal the deal and of course, a party! Oh, just you wait to see what I've got planned! You're gonna love it!"
"I don't doubt that." She touched her necklace half fondly. "We're going to be like a proper family. Me and him."
"Come on, like you weren't already," said Pinkie, raising both eyebrows. "This'll just make things more official. Oh and the best news of all: Ray's okay! Sort of. I mean, he's still a prisoner of an evil alicorn who's using the nasty thing locked in his head, that's caused him a bunch of trauma and hurt, to perform acts of unspeakable destruction… but at least he's okay!"
"There is that, yes. Of course, we still need to figure out where he is and how to rescue him now that we know he's… alive…" Twilight trailed off, something about the words giving her pause. "He's alive… he's alive!"
"I know, I just said that. But it's good you're being so…" Pinkie frowned and then gasped. "Wait, I know that look. That's your 'I just had a really big idea that could turn things around and save the day' look. Did you, Twilight? Huh, did you?"
"I'm not sure yet, but I know who we can ask to confirm my theory." She stood up and ran for the door. "Come on, we have to talk to Celestia!"
She galloped down the hall, bursting through the doors to Luna's quarters. Luna whirled around in indignation while Celestia looked only slightly taken aback.
"Twilight! In circumstances such as these, I'm sure you can appreciate the need for uninterrupted quiet! And at least have the common courtesy to knock!" Luna chastised.
"Sorry, but this is important. Celestia?" She stopped before her former teacher, only dimly realising in the back of her mind that she'd referred to her teacher by name and not by title. She didn't give it a second thought. "I need to ask you a question, about the Demon Beasts."
Celestia looked mildly surprised at this question. Twilight could tell she was still taking the loss of Discord hard. Their earlier argument probably didn't help matters either and Twilight was reminded of the state she'd left her room in. But she managed to draw on enough composure to look her former student in the eye.
"Of course, Twilight." Her voice shook a little at first, but she kept it in check. "What do you want to know? I promise, no more secrets."
"Okay good. First of all, would it be possible for them all to be imprisoned in a single host?"
"No," she said at once. "It was determined very early on that the essences of the Beasts were just too much to be confined to a single form. It was considered for the ease of keeping track, but swiftly abandoned when it was realised it was impossible."
"Even for an alicorn?"
She nodded. "Even then. That was one of the first options I explored. Had it been possible, I would have…" She trailed off, but shook her head. "Alas, their combined power is simply worlds beyond what even we are capable of controlling. I don't know how Fallen's managed to harness them, other than that he's using the Alicorn Amulet to do it somehow. Even with that, it would be next to impossible for him to house them all in his own body without them breaking loose."
"Okay, okay." Twilight took a moment to process this. "And the hosts have a symbiotic link with the Beasts, right?"
"In a manner of speaking, though it is very one way. If the host dies, the Beast within would emerge fully formed. We can't speculate on what happens if the Beast should die within the host, since such a feat is near impossible to achieve," she explained.
"But in essence, if the host is injured grievously enough, the Beast inside will start to come out?"
"Precisely, yes."
"Alright. Well…" She considered for a moment and continued, speaking slowly as she put her theory into words. "What if the hosts were brought into a state that would be enough to bring the Beasts out and then… frozen somehow? Sealed away in something? Something that could keep them contained, but that could draw on their power."
"I'm… I'm not sure." Celestia frowned in thought. "It would still be risky, but I don't think it would be completely impossible. If the Amulet is a crucial factor in their use, it would have to be something that could be attuned to it. Something like…"
"Like a crystal!" cried Luna. "Sombra has told me that crystals, like the kind created by exceptionally skilled crystal ponies, can be used to transmit magic contained within them!"
"Of course!" Twilight clapped her hooves together. "I think we need to hear this straight from the king's mouth. Come on!"
They all hurried towards the throne room, unaware of the orange eyes that had backed away from the ajar door and watched them as they left.
"Geeze…" Spike pressed a hand to his head in the wake of being told what had happened. "Okay, that's just… I mean, it's… Discord, he's really… I mean, he's actually…?"
Dusk nodded. "I know. We all knew Fallen would be powerful, but even then, the extent of it is… it's staggering."
"No kidding. And the Elements too… they've always been our trump card," said Spike. "What are we going to do without them?"
Dusk didn't answer that. He looked back into the throne room, where they stood in the doorway. He'd taken Spike aside to bring him up to date, without potentially causing more anxiety to others present from reliving it. It was clearly at the forefront of most of their minds and weighing heavily on them. The mood was low and tensions from certain beings present were rising. He had a feeling that it was only a matter of time before someone else did what Ember had done, or worse.
He was disappointed to hear from Spike that, despite his efforts, the dragon princess was likely gone. The loss of another ally wasn't exactly something they could afford right now, especially one so formidable. Not to mention her exit had set something of a precedent that Dusk was afraid others might follow. Gilda particularly was looking rather antsy, still pacing around.
Just as his mind turned to trying to come up with something, a raised voice got his attention.
"Could you stop that?" Trixie asked Gilda. "There's only so much I can take of your claws, clacking against the tiles."
"Oh, I'm sorry I'm disturbing you. Not!" barked Gilda. "I'll do what I like!"
"You're disturbing her," Doom growled. "Stop it or I'll do it for you."
"You really wanna try that, tough guy?" she snarled. "You wouldn't last a minute."
"Shall we see if you can back up that claim?"
"No, you don't. Either of you!" Strongheart got between them, shoving them apart with her hooves. "Must we repeat ourselves again?"
"I guess so, since you haven't learned your lesson about butting in!" retorted Gilda, shoving her back. "But I guess that's all you buffalo are good for, huh?"
Strongheart snorted. "As griffins are only good for being overly aggressive and lacking in common sense."
Doom chuckled. "She is lacking in more than just that."
"You're not much better!" she shot at him. "From the moment I've seen you, you've sought out every excuse you can to antagonise anyone you can! It's as if anger is all you are."
"At least I let myself feel it!" he shot back. "You think your front of dignity and composure makes you better, but I can feel your rage simmering inside you. Despite your calls for peace, part of you wants nothing more than to descend into conflict. You're simply too weak to indulge in it."
"Don't test me," she hissed.
His horn started to glow. "Believe me, you're going to-"
"Back off from the buffalo, Doom!" Rainbow landed in front of him. "I'm not letting you hurt anyone here. Got it?"
A smirk flashed. "Yes, because that worked out so well for you last time."
That did it. Rainbow let out a yell, but she was held back by Strongheart. Trixie used her magic to restrain Doom while Sombra stepped in to handle Gilda. Calls for calm were mingled by shouting and yelling, further distressing Fluttershy. Applejack glared, looking ready to step in herself, along with Rarity. Zecora glanced up from her meditation, but even she looked too defeated to try and stop what was unfolding. Dusk was about to try his own efforts, when another voice made them all stop.
"Hey! All of you, listen up! I've got something to say!"
They turned to see none other than Ember, standing in the open doorway. Her earlier bluster seemed to have gone. She hesitated in her stride for a moment, then marched to the centre of the throne room.
"Oh, look who's back?" remarked Gilda. "You gave up on your one-dragon army plan pretty quick, huh? Guess it's all just hot air."
Trixie glared at her. "Gilda, don't make me have to get a rope."
"Hey, I don't see you doing anything about-!"
"I SAID I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY!" Ember bellowed.
The voice that seemed much louder than her form suggested. It reminded Dusk of Luna's Canterlot Voice. It made everyone present give her their full attention.
"Alright then." She cleared her throat. "Look, I'm sorry. About before, I mean. I was uh... well, it's like what you're all doing now, I guess. I feel like I want to hit something too. I know you must all feel uh, feel pretty beaten down and pathetic. N-Not that you are pathetic, just that you... ugh, feelings are hard."
"Great speech, princess!" remarked Rainbow.
"Shut up! Give me a sec, I just need to..." She thought for a moment, then her face brightened. "Okay, okay. So I get what you're feeling right now, I do. But there's a saying that we dragons have, in situations like this: when you get knocked down, show them your teeth. Don't let them know it hurts or that you're scared. Give them a growl or even better, a grin. Show them that you can take it and you're ready to give them some right back. Fallen and his goons? This is what they want. They want us afraid and beaten and battered but we show him that we're not. We stand back up, we turn right around and we get him right where it hurts! You want to fight? Then let's aim at the guy we know deserves it!"
It wasn't a completely profound effect. There were no cheers or whoops for joy. But it did seem to restore a bit of vigour to those present. Fluttershy's sobs lessened. Gilda and Rainbow didn't look as antsy and glimmers of determination returned to the faces of Strongheart, Zecora and Trixie. Oddly enough, it was Doom who broke the silence with a barking laugh.
"Ha! I like this one as well!" he declared. "Perhaps there is more dragon in me than pony."
"Says the pony who starts crying when he's had one sip of cider," teased Trixie.
Doom glared at her, but offered no retort.
"Stirling words, highness," said Sombra. "I couldn't have put it better myself."
Ember nodded and glanced at Rainbow. "What about you? That better?"
"Eh, a little bit," she shrugged. "But yeah, that's a pretty good saying."
"Yeah, I'll say!" Spike cheered. "I didn't know dragons had stuff like that. I gotta remember that."
"Well…" Ember's cheeks tinted red. "When this is all over, maybe I could show you a few more things? A-As a Cultural Ambassador, it'd be good for you to… you know, learn more."
"Sure, I'd love to!" He threw a thumbs up at Ember. "Thanks, your highness. I really appreciate you looking out for my friends."
"Yeah, well, someone had to," she muttered, a deeper red setting in. "And uh… you can just call me Ember. You know, if w-we're uh… we're going to be friends."
Spike's eyes became like dinner plates and his grin grew.
"Really? You mean that?" A sly smirk came to his face. "But I thought you said-"
"I know what I said!" she cut off. "I-I just changed my mind, that's all. I guess having a friend… it's not so bad."
"Alright then." He held a claw out to her. "Then I'm happy to be your friend, Ember."
"G-Good." She looked at his claw for a moment, then took it. She yanked him forward and punched his arm. "That was for crashing into me!" Before Spike could complain, she planted a kiss on his cheek. "Th-That's for… everything else."
She walked off, her head lowered and her face crimson. Spike's was as well, staring straight ahead. He gently touched the spot on his cheek, his grin steadily returning.
"Aren't we forgetting something important? I mean, I won't deny that was a good speech," said Trixie. "But we still need an actual plan. From what we've been told, it isn't going to be as simple as hitting Fallen until he gives up."
"That's certainly true," agreed Sombra. "Though we know where his hideout is, that information doesn't seem like much use at the present moment."
"Why not simply gather the guard?" asked Doom. "Meet him in force, overwhelm him completely."
"If what Cadence and Shining Armour have told us is true, hurling bodies at him won't be the key to winning," said Strongheart. "With the Beasts at his command, he could simply sweep them aside as he did with the Crystal Empire."
Doom huffed. "Then what exactly do you suggest?"
A purple flash made them all whirl around. Twilight burst from it in a gallop. Her eyes locked on Sombra like a laser beam and she teleported right in front of him.
"Sombra, crystals, tell, now!"
"Um…" He glanced about awkwardly from how close she was. "You're going to have to be a bit more specific, Twilight."
"Right, sorry!" She cleared her throat. "Crystals, they can be used to transmit magical power, right? Like the ones we've set up?"
"Of course. It's a craft that was first refined in the Empire. Many magical amulets and jewels were created there or at least from using derivatives of our techniques," he said.
"Could somepony with crystal magic replicate the properties of an amulet inset with a jewel or crystal already?"
He nodded. "Certainly, though it is something only one who is either well- versed in the art or exceptionally talented could hope to manage, and the effect would be somewhat diminished in any copy created. But they would at least resonate with the original jewel. However to my knowledge, Soul isn't capable of such things."
"He is." Celestia had arrived, Luna following closely behind. She took a moment to catch her breath before continuing. "In the trap he caught us in, he used a magical trigger concealed in a crystal formation."
"Not to mention he used such formations on the unfortunate souls who acted as its guards," added Luna.
Sombra hummed in response. "Perhaps that would account as to why he brought about my return in the first place, along with the Empire's. He must have intended to acquire the knowledge from me directly, but found another way regardless."
"It doesn't matter how he got it. What matters is that he has it." Twilight started to pace around, not really talking to anypony. Just voicing her thoughts aloud as they came. "He's found a way to harness the Beasts, maybe trapped their hosts inside crystals composed from the Alicorn Amulet and is channelling their energy into the Amulet to call upon when needed. Probably also using the Amulet's power to reinforce their containment as well. Not all of their power, that would be too risky but enough to still be a threat. Sombra, how much of a factor would distance play into it?"
"Minimal, at best," he answered. "With the kind of energies the Beasts exude and magic like that housed in the Alicorn Amulet, not to mention his nature as an alicorn, he could be on the other side of the world and still call upon them."
"Okay, okay, okay!" A manic grin came to Twilight's face. "So if distance doesn't diminish its use, all he would have to do is keep the hosts somewhere relatively secure and under guard so he can move around without having to cart them along with him! Somewhere like-!"
"-like his hideout on Dragon's Lair!" Sombra finished at the same time she did, matching her grin. "Twilight, that's brilliant!"
"Yes, she is," said Celestia softly.
"Actually, Pinkie deserves credit too," said Twilight. "She was the one who got me thinking about it."
"I did? Yay!" Her mane poofed back up and she hopped with joy. "I helped, I helped, I helped!"
"As far as I'm concerned, you're both brilliant."
Everyone turned at the sound of the voice. The speaker beamed and spread her wings, looking good as new.
"Cadence!" Twilight teleported into a hug. "You're okay!"
"Of course I am," she laughed, returning her hug. "You didn't think I was going to be kept down by some slightly singed wings, did you?"
"But when did you get out of the hospital? Spike!" She shot him a glare. "You promised me you'd let me know if they were being let out!"
"I sent you a scroll!" insisted Spike. "I figured you would have seen it by now."
"Oh yeah!" Pinkie took out a scroll out of her mane, grinning awkwardly. "This came for you while you were out of it and then you got so caught up in being a smarty pants, I didn't want to interrupt or bring you down in case it was more bad news. Sorry!"
"Oh well," said Cadence with a shrug. "You can consider this a lovely surprise instead. Something that Pinkie is very good at."
"Yes ma'am, princess ma'am!" She saluted and her mane honked like a horn. She pulled an actual horn out of it. "Oh, so that's where that went!"
"What about Shining Armour?" Twilight looked for him. "Is he…?"
"Right here, Twily!" He walked in from behind his wife. His new prosthetic clunked with every step. "Cadence ran right on ahead of me to see you. Would have been right behind her, but I'm still getting used to this thing."
"BBBFF!" She hugged him carefully, but happily. "I'm so sorry about your leg. How does it feel?"
"It's… strange," he admitted. He flexed the prosthetic. "I mean, I can walk on it. That's something. But I wouldn't mind paying Fallen back for this. By the looks on your faces, I'd say I came along at just the right time."
"Indeed, Shining." Celestia approached them, a smile on her face. "It's good to see both of you. You've been cleared by the doctors?"
"Yes, auntie." Cadence fluttered her wings. "All patched up and ready to fly."
"So long as I'm on my hooves, I'm not out of the fight," said Shining with a salute. "Just tell me where it is."
"Then let us gather in the strategy room," said Celestia. "Fallen Soul believes his victory is assured by his strength. I think it's about time we start to prove him wrong."