Princess Celestia and Luna were both in the throne room, discussing what Luna had talked about with Twilight and Discord while they had been dreaming.
“I believe I know which spell that this Apple Sweet may be under, little sister.” spoke Celestia. “It's a very old spell and complex, but I think we have an antidote for it in the Canterlot Archives.”
“I hope so, sister because your student's and Discord's safety are in danger until we can cure the spell hanging over Apple Sweet's head.” said Luna.
At that exact moment, the throne room doors thrusted open and the vice captain and several of his guards ran into the throne room, still looking like earth ponies and all beaten up. Celestia was the first to take notice of them all.
“Vice Captain! What has happened to you all? You've been reduced to Earth ponies!” Celestia spoke, alarmed.
“We were able to find the two mares like you wanted us to in an old shop.” explained the vice captain. “We were trying to apprehend them like you wanted to, but the unicorn had on a powerful amulet and she reduced us into earth ponies.”
“Wait a minute, what is this amulet you speak of?” asked Celestia.
“I believe it was old famed Alicorn Amulet, your highness.” explained the vice captain further. “The necklace was in the shape of an alicorn and had a bright red gem glowing in its center.”
Celestia's eyes lit up with fear. She knew about the power that the Alicorn Amulet gave, it could give a unicorn power more powerful then her own magic. If those two mares had the amulet in their possession, they could have easily make Discord disappear. She had seen the amulet take away ponies before and it had been quite troubling to see when it's own creator had used it, only to become corrupted by her own charm.
“I want this entire palace on high alert, vice captain. If there is a unicorn wearing the Alicorn Amulet, Twilight, Discord, Screwball, and perhaps even the citizens of Canterlot are in very grave danger. The magic that amulet contains is even stronger then my own.”
“Yes, Princess Celestia.” the vice captain started when he turned around to leave, but Celestia called him back in. “And bring me Shining Armor at once. He needs to know of this crisis that has arisen.”
“On it Princess.” the vice captain said as this time he actually ran out of the throne room.
“Dear sister, is this Alicorn Amulet actually that powerful? Are not the Elements stronger?” asked Luna.
“I'm not sure how powerful the Elements are compared to the Alicorn Amulet, but it is certainly more powerful then our type of magic. If one wears the Alicorn Amulet, even a spell I cast over the Elements wouldn't be able to stop the pony wearing the Amulet to take them away and make them disappear.”
“But sister, I do not understand how a magical charm can boost one's magic to be more powerful then ours...” Luna spoke in confusion.
“I read about it long ago, little sister. The gem was forged from the crystal caves below the city as the crystals that grow them contain very strong magical essence. It was then combined with very powerful magical properties like stardust and moonbeams. But the one thing that truly gave it power was the metal of the actual necklace itself. It is a very powerful material, more powerful properties then the crystals growing under the city.” explained Celestia.
“I do not understand how it makes one so powerful...” said Luna.
“By combining all of those active magical essences into one, it gave off an unusual property that allowed increased magical strength of whomever wore it, but at a great cost. The crystal gem that is on the front of the necklace came from a very small section of crystals that were known to have dark magical properties then just the regular crystals themselves.”
“I believe I am understanding this now more.” explained Luna. “But how are we going to protect them sister? Those two mares are already in the city. Shining Armor's protection bubble wouldn't work.”
“I know sister. They are still safest in the palace with us.” said Celestia as Shining Armor ran into the throne room, a very concerned look on his face.
“Princess Celestia, vice captain just told me you have dire news about the safety of my sister and her new family.” explained Shining. “What's going on?”
“Shining Armor, those two mares have managed to acquire the old Alicorn Amulet and have it in their possession. Your sister and her family are in very grave danger.” explained Celestia.
“What are we going to do, Princess Celestia? Should we get them out of Canterlot and take them to another place of safety?”
“No. It would be expected that the family would simply locate themselves some place else. We must keep them in the palace, in their bedroom. If I must, I will prepare a small sleeping spell so that when those two mares come to the palace, that they'll be captured and the unicorn will have her magic stripped from her. I cannot have a unicorn running around whom is a danger to others.”
“Celestia, Twilight is going to stand against you if you try to place her under a sleeping spell again.” Shining said, reminding her of the last time she had tried to use a sleeping spell. “Perhaps I can put a protection spell around the palace to protect them until these two mares are caught.”
“No. That won't work. Those mares are already in the city. I want you to gather all of your guards and even volunteers if you must to stay around this palace and ensure that no pony from the outside of the palace walls can get in. I want my student and her family safe.” said Celestia.
“Sister, I still sense that Twilight and Discord are still very fast asleep. Would it be best to tell them what is going on?” suggested Luna.
“No. We cannot get Twilight anymore stressed then she already has been. The mere idea of something happening to her and her foal was enough to frighten her quite terribly. But, Shining Armor, get me the Element bearers in here and try to locate Screwball on this matter. They must be informed of the situation at hoof.” said Celestia.
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Back in her dreams, Twilight and Discord were doing something that be quite a sight to see in the real world, they were sky diving to what seem to be an endless sky, no ground in sight.
“Woo-hoo!” Twilight screamed happily. “I forgot how fun it was to be in my dreams doing stuff like this!”
“Aren't you glad that I'm here?” smirked Discord. “Or else you would have dream yourself studying. Quite boring if I do say so myself.”
“Hey, I like to study, thank you very much! I've learned many things from constantly studying although studying couldn't have prepared me for this!” Twilight screamed as she gained more speed as she kept on falling.
“Nothing could have prepared you for this.” Discord laughed.
“You're right. Nothing could have prepared me for this very moment. I used to think that you were some horrible monster that wanted to do nothing but create chaos, but through my dreams, you showed me a whole different light of you that I never knew existed. I guess your old words were right them.” Twilight laughed.
“Old words? What old words?” Discord asked, honestly confused.
“That I'll love you like Celestia did.” explained Twilight. “But that's partly wrong. I can never love you like somepony else did. I can only love you the way that only I can.”
“Could you get any more mushier?” Discord joked. “I think I'm gonna die from all the mushiness you're giving me.”
“Discord, I'm being quite serious here!” Twilight barked at him. “I was only telling you the truth.”
“I know.” Discord smiled. “I just like to give you a hard time. The looks you make, they're priceless!”
“Ok, I'm getting kind of tried of falling, I feel like as if I am going to be sick.” said Twilight as she was indeed starting to feel a little bit sick to her stomach. “Can you change it to something else please?”
“Fine.” Discord smirked as he snapped his fingers, changing the scenery to what seemed to be a blackened room, only source of light was the one lone light that was hanging above them, or rather Twilight, as she was the only one in the room at the moment.
“Discord, where in Equestria did you go?” Twilight asked when she looked down at herself. “And why am I wearing this pink and white dress for?”
“Oh, no reason.” came Discord's voice, a flash of light suddenly flashing before Twilight. Twilight soon found herself being held at almost a tango-like dip and staring right back at Discord, who was smiling oddly at her, and was also holding a spotted rose in his mouth.
“What the?” Twilight questioned.
“You said to change it, so I did!” Discord laughed as he twirled Twilight suddenly around him, she moving oddly gracefully as she did so.
“So you wanted to dance? That sounds a little odd, even for you?” said Twilight as she and Discord suddenly went into a tango dance, still talking to each other in the process.
“What can I say, I like being a little odd. Would you expect anything less from me?” Discord laughed at her.
“Not really. Your unexpectedness definitely helps me get out of studying zone and get me to try different things. Really different things.” Twilight spoke. “Like having a foal.”
“You are just beyond excited to have that little bundle of chaos, aren't you?” asked Discord as they both pulled away from each other, only to come back together again.
“Of course I'm excited! I've never been a mother before or ever had material feelings, but now that I have them, I just can't wait to see them!” smiled Twilight. “But with those two crazy mares on the loose...I'm partly afraid that something will happen to the foal, either because something going to cause me to stress out so much or some outside force will...will...” Twilight said when her eyes began to form tears. Discord immediately stopped dancing with her and gave her a concerned look.
“Everything will be fine, my dear. You really need to look on the bright side of things. After all, what fun if you're all depressed? No fun, I can say!” Discord joked towards her, tying to make her smile.
“I just hope so. I just wanna see that day where the foal is born and I can have that feeling that this child is mine and no pony else in the world has them expect me.” Twilight said, giving a small smile. “I'm just worried about what will happen. I just want our foal to be safe and be able to see the real world someday.”
“What is it gonna see for now? It's dream world?” Discord joked.
“I've read that unborn foals can have dreams too, you know. So it could be a fact that the foal is dreaming.” Twilight smiled at him.
“Hey Twilight, you gotta wake up. Twilight, wake up.” came the concerned voice of Cadence. “You have to get up.”
“Best see what she wants.” Discord laughed as he disappeared as so did Twilight's dreamworld as she began to wake up.
Twilight opened her eyes to see Cadence looking concerned at her, her expression was complete worry. “Cadence, is everything alright? You seem worried.”
“I am worried. Celestia told me that I had to inform you now that she has informed everypony else on the matter. While you two were asleep, the guards were able to locate those two mares and a stallion that was with them, but unfortunately, the mares have gained the Alicorn Amulet.” explained Cadence.
“The Alicorn Amulet?” questioned Twilight.
“The Alicorn Amulet is a powerful charm that accelerates one's magical levels to unbelievable scales. If a mere unicorn were to have it in their possession, it could make them more powerful then Princess Celestia. With that said, now that they have that amulet, that puts you both and Screwball in very real danger. Those two mares have already turned some of the guards into earth ponies with little ease, so there is no telling what they could do with that amulet if they really wanted too.”
“They actually have something now?” Twilight said as she began to panic. “What are we gonna do? We have to run away, that's what!”
“No, you can't. If you run away, they'll only go looking for you and that won't solve the problem of them still trying to get rid of Discord. Celestia has also informed me that she is working on an antidote to that spell that Apple Sweet is under and a similar one that the other mare also be under, but is unaware of it.” said Cadence.
“So what do we do? With those two crazy spell-bounded mares running lose in the city with the Alicorn Amulet, they'll come to the palace first, looking for us!” Twilight yelled.
“It's true, but we're going to be ready for them, Twilight. Celestia has already had Shining Armor gather up all of his guards and have them in every nook and cranny around the palace grounds. She also ordered that you both stay here in your bedroom, Twilight. You'll be safest in here as those mares don't know where this room is at.”
“Screwball? Where's Screwball?” Twilight panicked.
“Mommy! I'm here!” Screwball said as she suddenly flew in through the bedroom doors, immediately flying to Twilight and hugging her. “Don't panic, Mommy! I'm here and safe! I'm ready to face those mares who dare to think they can hurt my family!”
“I'm glad you feel that way, Screwball, but you must stay here with your family.” said Cadence. “It's important that you be with them through this troubling time.”
“But I wanna be on the front lines when those mares try to show their faces at this palace. I want to protect my family!” yelled Screwball.
“I know you only want to protect them, Screwball, but I need you to stay with them. This way, you can protect them much more closely.” said Cadence. “I can tell your love for your family is strong, Screwball. That is why you must stay with them, so perhaps that your love can protect them, in this very room.”
“I do love my family.” said Screwball. “I'll stay then. My mommy and daddy cannot be left all alone.”
“They wouldn't be either. Shining Armor and I are planning to stay with you until this whole crisis is under wraps. It is best to have as much protection as possible.” said Cadence. “I will not allow anypony to hurt my little sister or her family.” she spoke, sounding more angered the idea.
“What do we do until they show up...I'm really worried that they'll actually manage to break their way into here!” Twilight spoke, completely nervous. “I just don't want anything to happen to us.”
“My dear, you must calm down.” Discord spoke firmly, quite unusual for him to do so. “If you don't relax, you're going to completely stress yourself out.”
Twilight took in some deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. “I know. I'm just worried for our foal is all...”
“I know, you are worried, Twilight. And I can tell your love for your foal is strong.” said Cadence. “But you'll both be alright. And so will Screwball and Discord. You're going to have to believe us when we said that everything is going to be alright.”
Twilight let out a sniffle. “Ok, I'm going to believe you on this, Cadence. Can you promise me something though?”
“What is it?” Cadence asked.
“Promise me that if something happens to me or Discord and the foal is ok, please love him like I would have...and Screwball as well...” Twilight cried. “I just want my foal to be able to be born and have a good life...”
“I promise you that I will do that. I hope I never have to fulfill that promise for you though...” Cadence said as she placed a hoof on Twilight, trying to calm her down.
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“Attention!” Shining Armor shouted, all of the guards that were in the Equestrian guard standing before him. Well, almost every guards, the top guards were already on guard near Twilight's bedroom, ensuring that those two mares wouldn't be able to get to them. “You have all been gathered here because there is a great threat against my sister and her family. The threat in question is two mares and one is wearing the Alicorn Amulet, a magical charm that makes a unicorn more powerful then Princess Celestia.”
“With that said, this means that the unicorn mare wearing the amulet can cause great trouble to the citizens in the city of Canterlot, making this an Equestrian emergency!” yelled the vice captain.
“While those two mares are mainly after Discord as they believe he is still practicing his evil ways, but I know that is not so for I have been with him personally.” explained Shining Armor. “I have also been informed that a stallion will also be with those two mares. The vice captain has explained to me that this stallion was the one who gave the unicorn, Apple Sweet, the Alicorn Amulet.”
“With that so, I want them captured on sight!” yelled the vice captain as Shining Armor produced an image of Apple Sweet, Bookworm, and Star Mage using a spell that was able to retrieve the mental image from the vice captain. “These are the targets that will be coming to the palace, looking for Discord. I want them captured by any means necessary, but I do not want them harmed! Am I understood!”
“Sir yes sir!” all of the guards shouted back, doing a salute.
“We believe that those two mares are under a powerful mind control spell and the princesses are working on a cure in order to reverse the effects of the spell. Until the spell is completed, those two mares and the stallion are to be captured and held in the strongest cell in the dungeons we have! Is that understood, privates?!” Shining yelled at the guards.
“Sir yes sir!” yelled back the guards.
“You will all be in groups of four in order to make sure that all corners will be looked after and no possibility that those ponies will be able to sneak into this castle. You will all have each other back for we are in a high state of emergency. I will cast a powerful tiredness relieving spell on you all so that you will be able to guard around the clock without fear that none of you will fall asleep at your posts. You are not to leave your posts for anything! Meals will be delivered to you by the palace servants. Is that clear?”
“Sir, yes, sir!” the guards shouted back once again in unison.
“Good.” Shining Armor spoke as a small magical burst came off of his horn and flew out over the large group of guards, sending down what looked like confetti down, but was really the tiredness relieving spell. “To your posts, now!” he yelled at the guards, who all immediately got into their groups as they had been told before hoof.
As soon as all of the guards left the room, Shining Armor let out a sigh. “Vice captain, I'm worried.”
“I understand, Captain. Your sister is very important to you and you want her utmost safety.” explained the vice captain. “She's lucky to have you as a brother, Captain.”
“Thank you, Vice Captain. I'm just worried for her safety is all. That mare wearing the amulet, Apple Sweet, I don't want to even think what she'll be able to do if she managed to get by our guards and to Twilight.”
“It'll be alright, Captain.” said the vice captain as he stood proudly next to Shining Armor. “Our top guards are with her and so is your wife.”
“I should be getting there as well. I have to make sure everything is alright. You will be in charge of the guards while I am with my sister. Understood?” said Shining Armor as he levitated a small dagger to him, slipping in a slit that was apart of his uniform.
“Yes Captain.” the vice captain said before he ran out of the room in order to go do his duty.
“I only hope that we'll be able to capture those mares and stallion in time.” Shining spoke to himself once he was sure that the room was empty. “With that amulet, who knows what will happen.”
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“Sister, how is your antidote coming along?” Princess Luna asked as she walked into the library, Celestia having one large book opened in front of her.
“I believe I have found the spell that the mares are suffering from. It is an old spell known as the Immortal Serving Spell. Only the most powerful mages can conjure it and usually the one who can break the spell. That would explain why Discord wouldn't have been able to break the spell over Apple Sweet over a thousand years ago.” explained Celestia. “However, there is a way so that the spell can be broken by somepony else then the caster. But it's quite complex.”
“How complex?” Luna asked.
“It's not the actual ingredients that make it complex, but rather the way it must be made. It can only be made at night to start, only a cloudless night. And the measurements must be precise or else the antidote could become something else.”
“Sister, I can easily make tonight a cloudless night if needed. All you have to do is say the word.” said Luna.
“You must, Luna for I cannot keep my student's safety lingering any longer.” said Celestia. “And this antidote has to be made within a certain hour or it will fail to activate. I must make it when the clock reaches midnight. It will not work if I do not make it within the midnight hour.”
“And I shall help you, sister, for I know how much you care your student and her new family.”
“Thank you, Luna. I need as much help as I can get.” smiled Celestia. “Now, here is the book with the antidote inside of it. I want you to read to get yourself familiar with it. You need to know as much before hoof before we even attempt to make it. I shall get some of my servants to retrieve some of the ingredients for us as well as a mortar and pestle.”
“Go quickly then, sister. For the nighttime will be approaching within less than two hours.” said Luna as she picked up the old book with her magic and began to read its contents.
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“Now that we have the amulet, what do we do now?” asked Bookworm as Apple Sweet's eyes glowed red.
“I must perform the anti-corruption spell on Apple Sweet or the amulet will further corrupt her.” said Star Mage as his horn glowed brightly.
“How do you know that the amulet has corrupted me?” asked Apple Sweet, flashing an evil smile.
“By the look on your face and the red glow that is in your eyes.” Star Mage said as a bright blast came off of his horn and attacked Apple Sweet. The magic poured itself into her through the openings of her ears and quickly began to do it's work.
Apple Sweet began to twitch slightly, but that was the effect of Star Mage's magic taking over. Her eyes soon began to return to her normal eye color and the wicked smile that had been on her face simply disappeared. Once the spell had completely done its job, Apple Sweet rubbed her head.
“What happened?” she asked in a daze.
“You are now wearing the Alicorn Amulet and saved us all from having to go with the Royal Guard for questioning of our actions. I have performed the anti-corruption spell on you so that the amulet's corrupting power has no effect on you.” explained Star Mage.
“Doesn't this mean I have more power with the amulet on?” asked Apple Sweet.
“It does indeed, my dear student.” smirked Star Mage. “You now have more power than Princess Celestia does. With the amulet on, you can finally get rid of Discord, once and for all.”
“Excellent! Let's get in there and get rid of him like that! We can make it back in time for supper.” smiled Apple Sweet.
“It won't be that easy.” said Bookworm. “After you trashed those guards, there is no doubt that they told the Princess and now have placed in a state of emergency.”
“How do you know that?” Apple Sweet asked with a tilt of her head.
“Isn't it obvious? A unicorn who has suddenly gained the Alicorn Amulet knows that Discord is back and wants to get rid of him, going against his little family, isn't a big threat? Not to mention the details of the amulet causes a corrupt user, meaning a threat to other ponies. I think that would call for a state of emergency.” explained Bookworm.
“And most likely that Discord is hiding in the palace because after Apple Sweet explained to me, Celestia is protecting him as a result of his magic over her. But knowing there is most likely a stage of emergency...the entire palace will be covered from head to hoof with the royal guard.” said Star Mage.
“What do we do then?” asked Apple Sweet again.
“That's why we have the amulet, my student. You are more powerful then any of those guards. You can easily sneak us past those guards by casting an invisibility charm. We can walk in there undetected.”
“What about getting to the palace? It's not like we can walk there. We already have an I.N. on us.” reminded Bookworm.
“A simple image charm should be enough. Like the one Discord cast on himself and his little family to fool the ponies around him.” said Star Mage.
“Excellent! Let's go get him!” smiled Apple Sweet.
“Not yet, my student. We must wait until night falls. That way, we have a better chance to go undetected...and so will our revenge...” Star Mage said with an interesting laugh.