//------------------------------// // Act Two: Chapter Seven - Disharmony Undone // Story: Turning Points // by Slatewings //------------------------------// Act Two Chapter Seven - Disharmony Undone Under the guidance of the Council and the light of the Heart, the ponies of the new borne Equestria lived under the promise of prosperity. The Hearts magical light inspired the best in everypony. In short order, the few tribes who still opposed Chieftain Storm Song’s friendship with the settlers found themselves won over by the newcomers’ open, trusting, attitude and genuine desire for friendship. With harmony in their hearts, life in the world of ponies had never been happier. Then, things began to happen in Equestria. At first it was innocuous enough, a cup might spring a leak on its own. A gardener who swore she planted flowers seeds found poison ivy growing from the earth. Things broke or toppled over with no visible cause. It didn’t take long for ponies to realize something was wrong. Perhaps it was the way the day seemed to grow longer or shorter despite the Celestia, Luna, and the rest of the choir’s best efforts or perhaps it was the way strange creatures kept showing up without warning. Perhaps it was the day it rained cake... A mauve colored pegasus flew up from her seat to hover over the crowd gathered in the council chamber, “I’m telling you, there’s got to be something wrong with the Heart,” the mare insisted. She pointed at the shining heart shaped gem in it’s alcove to the left of the Councilors. “The Council is aware of your concerns, Spring Blossom,” Princess Platinum answered from her seat on the council dias. “The most magically talented unicorns we have, including Councilor Clover, have all but ruled out a defect in the heart.” “Then what is causing all this... craziness?” Clover spoke, “We simply don’t know yet. Trees sprouting wings, animals transforming into produce, clouds raining baked goods...” she shook her head, “The Heart is a force for harmony, in away it Is harmony, it is simply not possible for it to be causing effects like this.” Tourmaline raised a hoof, “Maybe we should ask some of the tribal ponies, this could just be natural. Maybe it just happens from time to time. If somepony could fly me out to the Canterlot Tribe I’m sure Storm Song knows something that could help us.” “No use,” Puddinghead chirped. “We’ve already sent out messengers to all the friendly tribes, they’re gone.” “Gone... you mean missing?” “Nope, gone. Like they all just picked up and left,” Puddinghead explained, “Houses empty, fire pits filled in, farms with crops spoiling in the fields. It’s like they just took off without warning.” “What about the ones staying here?” Tourmaline asked. “Gone too,” Puddinghead shrugged. “The only clue we’ve found was a note on somepony’s front door. ‘Goodbye and good luck’.” “Good bye?” asked somepony from the crowd. “Did they just abandon us?” “Now, we don’t know what happened,” said Smart Cookie. “All we know is that they left. Maybe this is natural and they just assumed we’d be doing the same. Maybe we should.” “What? I can’t just abandon my shop!” “What about my chickens?” “My fields need tending...” “My food will spoil...” “What about the old folks?” “What about...” “We can’t just...” The cacophony rose until a voice boomed through the chamber from the door, “EVERYPONY LISTEN!!!” Every head and ear turned to the figure of Chieftain Storm Song as he approached the council dias. “Chieftain!” Clover said with surprise, “We thought you had disappeared with the rest of your tribe.” “I had,” he admitted, tempering the boom of his voice. “I needed to ensure my tribe was safe before I risked the journey here and we have little time. In the name of Harmony, the Heart, and everything that our people’s friendship means to us, I ask you to trust me and listen.” The grumbles of dissent and worry quickly faded away as, one by one, ponies nodded and paused to listen to consider Storm Song’s words. “Aw.... don’t stop now,” mocked an alien voice that rang through the chamber, “It was just getting good!” Clover rose to her hooves and stood beside a strangely quiet and uncharacteristically cowed Storm Song. “Who are you?” She demanded, “Reveal yourself!” “Reveal myself?” Manic laughter echoed from the walls, “Why... can’t you see me? I am all around you now. The beautiful chaos outside? Thats me. The tension in the air between your so called ‘friends’? That’s me.” The voice chuckled, “Although I suppose you want something a little more concrete. You ponies can be SOO boring that way sometimes. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother. Allow me to introduce myself...” A flash light lit up the room, revealing the strangest creature anypony had ever seen. It bore the body of a griffon, the tale of a serpent, and the head of a pony. None of its limbs matched, not even the horns on it’s head or the wings on it’s back. “I, my good pony-folk, am Discord,” said the Creature. Tourmaline gasped, “A draconequus!” “Oooooh a smart one! You’re quite right Ms... Tourmaline is it?” Discord answered, poking her in the nose with a claw. “Yes I am a draconequus, or rather THE draconequus, the last of my kind.” He tapped his chin thoughtfully, “Or was it the first.” The creature shrugged and bowed to the gathered ponies, “A pleasure, either way.” The other counselors joined by Clover’s side, Princess Platinum spoke first. “Well, Mr. Discord, we are all very pleased to make your acquaintance, of course, but we simply must ask you to stop what you are doing. I’m afraid you’re making an awful mess of things,” she said as regally as possible. The strange being gasped, a paw over its heart in faux-shock. “You mean you don’t like my work? Oh I had hoped that somepony here would appreciate it but it seems I am, yet again, ahead of my time.” Commander Hurricane darted across the room and jabbed Discord in the chest with a hoof. “I don’t care WHAT you call it Discord!” Commander Hurricane sneered as she spoke his name, “Right now we got ponies out there just trying to live their lives and they don’t need YOU raining cake on their heads!” Discord smiled and snapped his fingers. Instantly, the Commander’s armor was transformed into a giant tin can. The label bore an image of Hurricane and read ‘canned hot air’. A very unhappy commander could be heard banging around the inside. “Lot of spunk that one.” Discord remarked to himself. “I’m sorry my little ponies but I am afraid I won’t be stopping anything. You see I got so BORED playing with the ponies scattered all about here in their little villages and I just had to stop by and check out that awful light shining over here every night. And just what did I find?” His cheerful tone dropped away for a minute, “Why a troop of trespassers beaming ‘love’ and ‘tolerance’ all over the countryside.” The draconequus yawned dramatically, “I really don’t get what you ponies see in that stuff anyway. It’s just so … so..” “Boring?” Offered Chancellor Puddinghead. “See? Just what was talking about,” Discord answered, “I was going to say ‘blase’, MUCH more interesting. Don’t you agree?” Discord lifted up in the air and stretched, “Weeelp, I reckon’ I should get going. Can’t be lollygagging about when there’s so much CHAOS to wreak.” He turned walk out then stopped, “OH! I almost forgot the reason I came by in the first place.” He thumbed in the direction of the Heart set in its alcove in the wall, “I’ll just be taking that. WAY too risky to leave such a dreadful contraption just laying about.” The ponies gasped. After almost losing the Fire once already, the thought of losing the Heart was too much to bear. In a brilliant flash of light Cover teleported herself between Discord and the Heart. She held herself in a bubble of her own magic, levitating herself at Discord’s eye level. Sparks and waves of light washed out from her horn as she spoke in an impossibly loud voice, “NO!,” she boomed, “I am Clover Aurora who is called the Clever, unmatched in this world in the lore of the arcane, and I say you will leave this place now!” Bolts of magical energy struck out at random from Clovers magical aura, leaving deep scorch marks in the hard stone of the Council Chamber floor.. A muffled cheer rang from an oversized tin can, “You tell’em Clover!” “Oh shush you,” Discord chided and reached right through Clover’s aura, unscathed by the energy discharges, and flicked her in the horn. It scattered as dust. Clover fell to the floor in a heap, broken by the loss of her magic. Tourmaline ran to Clover’s side in distress. The old mare was breathing but could barely move. With her magic gone, the life giving age spells that sustained her vanished, leaving the once vibrant and powerful mare an enfeebled shadow of what she once was. Tourmaline sprang to her hooves, anger pulsing in her chest. “How DARE you!?” She cried. Her horn flared to life. Discord rolled his eyes,“Oh come now, another one? It was fun the first time but I really don’t have all day.” Tourmaline was joined by High Horse who proudly stood beside his wife against the intruder. Soon they were joined by Princess Platinum who stood at Tourmaline’s side and light up her horn, “You’ve overstayed your welcome, ruffian.” They were joined by another, and another, until unicorn after unicorn stood before him, horns wrapped in magic.The earth ponies formed a line behind them and the Pegasi hovered above. “You heard her Discord. You can’t stand against us all.” Smart Cookie growled, “You’d best be on your way.” Discord rolled with laughter in mid air, “OH well this IS fun now,” he cackled, “ Ha! I can’t even remember the last time somepony squared off against me!” He suddenly grew serious, “Too bad It’ll be over so soon.” He raised his fingers to snap, grinning wickedly. A curious light caught his attention from over his shoulder. He spun around in time to catch a glimpse of the Celestia and Luna standing side by side, horns glowing gold and blue, eyes shining purest white. Twin beams of light struck him in the chest with the full force needed to move the very sun and moon. Wailing, Discord was blasted straight across the room, through the podium, through the chandelier, and straight through the thick stone wall on the far end of the hall. The ponies cheered wildly before a chuckle reverberated through the stone walls, “Very good my little ponies, very good indeed! This will be more fun than I thought. Enjoy your reprieve while you can because once I’m done playing with everypony out here... It will be time for me to play with you.” The laughter faded into the rising sound of the wind outside. The shock of the sudden encounter fading, Tourmaline was the first to speak, “Storm Song, what was that...” The stallion was trembling, “That was Discord. The one I warned you about when first we met, the lord of Chaos has returned.” “Don’t worry, we can beat him if we work together. Do you know anything that might help us” Tourmaline said. “No, he can’t be defeated. He will stay, and we will suffer, until he has had his fill, bores and returns to his sleep,” Storm Song answered. “No pony has ever driven him off.” “Until now,” Celestia boasted cockily. “That might be true,” Storm Song said with a touch of awe in his voice, before shaking his head. “Still, it only served to whet his appetite. Maybe the others were right. I should have just sent your people away. You’d be safer, far from these lands,” he said. “You acted out of kindness and harmony, what else can a pony do?” Clover’s broken voice croaked. “Clover!” Tourmaline exclaimed and she knelt beside the old mare and took her head in her forelegs. “Are you okay.” The fragile pony gingerly raised a withered hoof to her forehead, where her horn had been, and shook her head sadly, “No... I am not. I am too old to recover and there is nopony alive with the magic to heal me. It seems I am again bound to the counting of years.” Clover bade the sisters and the council to gather close, “Listen... He won’t be defeated for long. The Heart must be protected. The power of the Fire of Friendship within it is the only thing that can defeat him and he knows this. Celesia... Luna, you must take the Heart far from this place. Travel back to the north, to the old lands. The library of Starswirl the Bearded, whatever is left of it beneath the ice, may hold the answers we need.” “How can we send the heart away?” Tourmaline asked, “What if he comes back?” “Celestia and Luna are the only ones strong enough to brave the windigo that still haunt the old lands and where they go, the heart must go, they are the only ones who can protect it from him.” She coughed and laid her head against the stone. “If the heart remains here, Discord will come for it before we are ready.” “Well then I’m going with them.” High Horse opened his mouth to protest but Clover spoke first. “No, Tourmaline,” she rasped, “Tourmaline... I need you to stay here and do what you can do to keep the ponies together. So long as we rely on each other and remember our bounds of friendship we will be safe. Remember, only through friendship may Harmony be preserved...” the mare’s eyes fluttered and closed. “Clover, no!” Tourmaline cried. “It is okay,” Storm Song said, touching a hoof to the side Clover’s neck. “She’s still here, just sleeping.” “What do we do?” somepony asked. “We do what she said,” Luna answered. She levitated the Heart off its pedestal and wrapped it in a strip of cloth torn from a curtain before placing it in her saddlebag. “Luna... Tia.. you don’t have to do this,” Tourmaline pleaded. “Clover’s right. We can travel faster than anypony else. Discord won’t even know we’ve gone until we’re half way there,” said Luna. “Besides,” Celestia said, looking outside “I think Discord’s handling the sun and moon right now.” Behind her, Tourmaline watched as a sun and moon suddenly changed places for a moment before both rose at the same time, only to have the sun set a second later. Tourmaline sprang up and threw her hooves around the two sisters, “Please be careful girls...” “We will,” Celestia promised. “Just...” Celestia glanced over her shoulder out the window where it was beginning to rain what could only be spoiled cider, “try to find our parents and bring them back here. Would you?” Tourmaline promised and hugged the girls tight. Without another moment’s waste and barely a glance behind them, Celestia and Luna stole out into the Chaos that once promised to be their home. Puddinghead, Smart Cookie, Private Pansy, Hurricane, and Platinum were heartbroken by what had happened to their friend. The unicorn had always seemed so ageless, to see her laid low was more than they could bear. While Clover was tended by medical ponies, they looked to each other for comfort and told each other stories of the times they had together. Other ponies gathered round and listened and soon others took their turns telling stories of their own of loved ones trapped outside in the growing storm. They turned a deaf ear to Discord’s whispers outside the walls and looked to each other and ventured out into only to find others that had hidden from Discord’s touch. So, ponies of Equestria weathered the storm, huddled together in the Council tower of the palace singing songs and telling stories. They shared memories and fellowship to remind themselves of the harmony they had so long sought and now held so dear. All the while, Tourmaline drew all the ponies she could to the palace whilst maintaining a protective shield over the palace to keep at bay the twisted victims of Discord’s corruption. Meanwhile, Celestia and Luna made their way back to the land they had put behind them in hopes of finding the answer to saving their new home. Days stretched weeks and things began to grow dire. Though spirits were kept high, food had completely run out. Some of the more powerful unicorns began to magically manifest food for the other refugees. Though it gave them something to eat, it took more strength to produce than was gained from it but, for their friends, they sacrificed it gladly. In time, Tourmaline began to weaken and as she did she was forced to retract her shield until it barely filled the council chamber itself. Finally her strength began to fade. Days had past since she was last able to eat the food the others manifested for her and her shield now flickered in and out. Some ponies tried to gather food from the outside but it turned to sand in their mouths as Discord laughed and promised them all the food they could eat if they’d just give up and come out to play. Only a few had considered his offer. Her strength failing fast. Tourmaline gave one surge of effort and sent a beam of light straight up from the castle tower. It shown weakly against the storm of chaos, but just enough, the ponies prayed, to call the sisters home. A few days later, Tourmaline stumbled and fell to her knees, she looked up at those that had come to mean everything to her. “I’m sorry,” she uttered before falling unconscious. Her horn’s aura flickered, faded, and with a single last spark of magic drifting off its tip, went out. The shield dropped. “Hahaha!” Discord laughed triumphantly as he popped into existence in the gap his previous exit had left in the wall, “Well this had been most satisfactory, I didn’t even lift a finger.” A book and quill appeared in his hands and he spoke aloud as he wrote, “Dear Diary, today I learnt a very important lesson. Turns out that in the end, even if I never give up and my friends never let me down...” he slammed the book closed and whipped back to the crowd of cowering ponies, “harmony will always fail!!!!” He laughed mockingly, pointing and snickering at the ponies who refused still to give in. Just then, a swirling light of blue and gold filled the room and flashed bright and, with a flash, revealed the Celestia and Luna standing firm between Discord and those they loved. A bright white shield flashed behind them protecting the ponies but leaving the sisters to face Discord. “You’re back...” Tourmaline whispered, her eyes struggling to stay open, “Did you find a way to...” Celestia answered, “No. What we needed wasn’t there. It was here.” “It wasn’t the Heart that gave us the power to defeat the Windigo and set aside our old conflicts,, the Fire of Friendship, the same power that resides in us all gave us that,” explained Luna. “When we saw your call for help we both felt that power rise up in us and nothing will stop a true friend from standing by the side of those she cares for.” “Oh how touching,” said Discord, pretending to gag himself. “Mind if we get on with this.” “Not at all,” the sisters answered in unison. Discord struct first. A snap of his fingers split the ground beneath the sisters’ hooves wide open but the sisters did not fall. With eyes shining like stars they simply stood in the air. “Lets take this outside,” spat Luna. Her horn flared and the trio of combatants vanished. Tourmaline struggled to her hooves and tumbled to the window. Below in the courtyard the courageous sisters stood against Discord amidst a maelstrom of chaos. Suddenly they erupted into motion. Luna and Celestia charged across the flagstones only to have Discord teleport straight up, laughing as they shot by, beneath him. His laughter cut off when Luna appeared behind him moving at a full gallop and rammed her flaring horn against him. He roared in frustration and threw himself at the mares. The battle raged on, and neither Celestia or Luna slowed their assault for an instant. The court yard flashed all over as the three teleported back and forth with such speed it seemed they stood in a thousand places at once. In fact Discord might have been. Beams of light as bright as the sun and pure as the moonlight tore through trees and stone. Strange machinations and monsters manifested out of thin air or tore their way out of the earth to claw at the Sisters but found themselves banished for blown back before they could reach them. Still, they never backed down, and never would when they stood between their friends and disaster. Discord began to slow. His attacks became less ferocious, his defence less instant. He almost seemed to be losing interest in the battle. “It’s like he’s getting bored of the fight!” Tourmaline gasped. A cry of pain sounded from below. Tourmaline frantically searched the smoking courtyard and saw Discord standing over a slumped Celestia. Luna dashed to her sister’s side like a thunderbolt as her cry of protest rang out. With a laugh, Discord disappeared as Luna reached them. Luna approached her fallen sister gingerly. Celestia turned to her sister only to laugh, revealing Discord’s yellowed eyes. Discord/Celestia reared up and kicked. The blow struck Luna square in the chest and sent her flying far and high to land on the roof just below the window where Tourmaline watched. Celestia screamed her sister’s name as she dispatched the phantom discord she had fighting and teleported to the balcony where poor luna had landed. “You see? Harmony will ALWAYS lose little ponies,” Discord practically spat as he appeared in front of them, all pretence of joviality dropped, “Your love for one another might be your strength but it’s also your weakness!” He reached back with his lions paw and extended his claws, ready to strike, “Now, if you don’t mind. I’m Getting BORED!” As Discord’s claws fell, Luna’s horn flashed and, from nowhere, the Crystal Heart appeared in front of her. A beam of energy shot forward from the gem and struck Discord in the chest driving him back and into a pillar, embedding him in his own indention. Luna rose to her hooves, hurt but unyielding. “Give up, Discord,” cried Celestia. “Wreck your chaos elsewhere and leave these ponies alone!” Discord gasped, “Oh my! You’re right! What ever was I thinking?” he piped mockingly, “You’ve convinced me to change my tune!” With his paw on his chest and his claw in the air like an opera singer, Discord let out a loud note that sent everypony clutching their ears. The pitch grew until pebbles shook on the ground, window panes rattled, and the Crystal heart hummed. Then shattered. “NOOOOO!!!!,” Tourmaline cried. Ponies in the tower fell to their knees or clutched their chests in horror as they felt the shatter of the gem in their hearts. The sisters stood in shock then collapsed in despair as shining fragments, as innumerable as sand, fell through the air and ran down the castle’s battlements. Tears streamed down their faces as Luna and Celestia held each sobbing as they slumped to the ground. Discord danced around them laughing and gloating. “We...lost,” sobbed Luna, “No... we can’t just give up.” “How? The heart... it’s gone,” pleaded Celestia. Tourmaline and the other ponies watched from the tower. “No, it’s not,” Clover managed. “Not while the Fire still burns in us,” answered Smart Cookie. “Let’s kick his butt!!!!” cried Pansy. Tourmaline couldn’t help but smile, despite herself. She reached out with her tattered magic and enveloped the councillors, her friends, and those she cared for in her magic her failing strength embolden at the warmth of their magical touch. At once, everypony in the tower began to glow with the light of the Fire of Friendship. Enmass, the ponies the tower teleported down to their distraught friends and again stood before Discord... who happened to be swinging a broom stick at a Heart shaped pinata. “Oh come on... again?” he whined, “Glowing or not just give it up. You can’t win!” Celestia and Luna looked up at their defiant friends and smiled at each other as they rose to their hooves. “Yes we will,” answered Celestia as she stood up to face him, “No matter how you batter us down you can never beat us.” “Jeez! This is getting old! Why won’t you just quit?!” he screamed at the sisters. “He turned to the other ponies, “Why don’t you just run?!” “Because we are tired of running,” Storm Song said, stepping forward. “Ponies have run from you for centuries. It’s about time we stood our ground.” “Oh really,” Discord mocked, hands on his hips. “And what brought about this surprising change of heart. You, Chieftain, should know better.” “You’re right, I should,” Storm Song stepped back into place beside the Council members. “But how can I not hold fast when my friends still stand strong.” Discord ran a paw over his face in frustration, “And what could your friends possibly do. What makes you think that they are going to be able to stand against?” “Because,” Luna yelled back with a glance to her friends gathered around her, “The fire of friendship lives in our heart, as long as it burns we cannot drift apart.” “Though quarrels arise,” called Celestia her chin high, “their numbers are few. Laughter and singing will see us through.” “We are a circle of friends, a circle of friends we'll be to the very end!,” finished Luna.. The scattered fragments of the heart began to glow from where they littered the ground. Discord shrank back, “But how? The Heart! I destroyed it!” “Such a thing cannot be so easily broken,” said Celestia. As she spoke, the pale light shining from the gathered ponies grew brighter as they heard her words. It grew until a magnificent flash of light appeared over the sisters. The light flowed upward formed a heart of shining flame in the air. The Fire of Friendship made manifest again. The tiny, glittering fragments of the Heart began to rise from the ground and flow into the flame. Discord shrank back until he was pressed against the wall. “The Fire of Friendship was never really in the Heart, the Heart merely shown with the light of the Fire.” A fragment of the heart floated over Celestia’s head “The true secret of friendship is in the Laughter we have together,” Another over Luna’s. “in the Honesty we show each other,” A second over Celestia. “in the Kindness we give each other,” A second over Luna’s “in the Generosity we display,” A final fragment floated between them before splitting in two and joining the others above the sisters. “And in the Loyalty we share!” The fragments settle into a triad over each of their heads. Discord laughed with nervous incredulity as he sensed the power growing in his foes, “You can’t honestly expect me to believe that this power comes from just being friends!” “No, we don’t expect you to believe at all. You couldn’t understand. You can’t possibly understand the Magic of Friendship,” Celestia explained calmly Discord let out a forced laugh, “The magic of friendship? Really?” Luna sighed and shook her head, “Yes, Discord, really, and that’s something that you could never understand. It isn’t just the Magic OF Friendship. It’s that Friendship IS Magic.” “It’s not just that Friendship is Magical, sister.” said Celestia. Luna closed her eyes and nodded, “Of course not. The truth is, Discord, that the source of all real magic...” “is Friendship.” “is Friendship.” The three crystal splinters flared above each of the sisters’ heads covering them in a perfect light that engulfed their entire bodies as the two lighted skyward. A spectacular beam of rainbow light shot from the glowing sphere of light that the sisters had become and struck discord. Discord screamed and struggled against the power of Harmony itself until he too was engulfed by the swirling prismatic energy. Brilliance flared again and vanished to reveal Discord twisted in fear with his mouth forever locked open in a silent scream, turned to solid stone The shining globe of light descended gracefully and touched down on the roof in front of the ponies watching on in awe. As it did the light faded away, revealing the sisters. They stood lightly on shining hooves, faces serene, wings extended and shining with their own light, a crown set with a single multi colored gem set on each brow. “Your... you’ve... “ stammered Tourmaline before whispering, “Alicorns...” The others, lead by a tearful Storm Song, gasped and knelt before the reborn sisters. Luna and Celestia looked at each other in confusion. “We ARE alicorns!” Luna exclaimed. “How... how is that possible?” Celestia asked in disbelief. “I have no idea. I don’t think its ever happened before,” Tourmaline admitted. “Clover told me that Starswirl the Bearded spent hundreds of years trying to learn the secret of ascension but he never did. But you girls...” shook her head, “I have no idea.” “They have renewed their pledge to Harmony,” Storm Song said, looking up from his bow. “By answering the call of friendship by wielding the light of harmony to defeat disharmony itself, they have taken up the ancient oath of the ancients and been restored. Not even my people’s most esoteric of prophecies hoped for such a thing to happen.” “Pledge of what now?” said Celestia. Storm Song smiled, “My lady, if my tribe’s memories are correct you will have all the time you need to understand.” Luna stretched a wing hesitantly, “I don’t even know what an alicorn is suppose to do.” “So, what now?” asked Celestia. “Simple,” answered Commander Hurricane, finally freed from her tin can prison as Discord’s magic failed. She waved a hoof to the countryside beyond the castle, the plants and animals had returned to normal but everything was in disarray, “We get to work, we repair, we rebuild, and we keep going.” “Most importantly,” said Puddinghead, rubbing her stomach, “we find something to eat.” “Oh my! I forgot!” Luna said gesturing for everypony to look down at the road leading up to the palace. There on the ground were lines of carts bulging with food, blankets, tools, and medicines. Everything they’d need to help rebuild their home. A faintly familiar chestnut earth pony stallion hitched to the first cart waved up at them. “Just a little gift from your cousins back home!” he called. Everypony ran down stairs as fast as they could, most hadn’t had more than a mouthful in weeks. Tourmaline cheated and teleported directly into a cart filled with apples. The ponies pulling the carts set about unloading the carts but found their food stores eaten before they could even set the boxes down. “My ya’ll are hungry,” the chestnut stallion, whose name turned out to be Cobblestone, said. “When was the last time you had a decent meal?” “Oh... not too long,” Tourmaline managed through a mouthful of apple, “couple of weeks.” “F’yew, seems I got here just in time then. You can thank those fillies, Celestia and Luna, for that. We’d have never found that there pass over the mountain without them. Say, where’d they run off to anyway. Last I saw they said they were going ahead and disappeared in a flash all of a sudden.” “Oh they're fine,” Puddinghead answered. “They always look after each other. Birds of a feather you know.” “huh?” Cobblestone responded. “Ya, it’s been a real pleasure getting to know them, they’ve really taken flight.” “I don’t think I understand...” “Ya, though sometimes I think they’re just winging it.” “Wha..?” “Well you know the old saying. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it mystically transform into alicorn after defeating an ancient part-pony-part-dragon-part-lion-part-whatever monster thats intent on wrecking eternal chaos on the world.” The poor stallion just blinked in confusion. The other counselors soon jumped to explain. They told him how they encountered the native ponies soon after setting camp by the cave where the heart first manifested and all the confusion that first contact had caused. Tourmaline joined them and told him about how she had been shanghaied by a group of natives and taken to meet the chieftain of the Canterlot Tribe. Storm Song explained to Cobblestone their reasons, including the belief that the presence of unicorns and pegasi, remembered as agents of disharmony in the old tales, would bring about the return of discord. “Discord?” Cobblestone asked, “You mean that part-pony-part-whatever thing that sent those fillies our way looking for help?” The chieftain nodded, “It was believed that disharmony between our peoples would bring about his return. It seems quite the opposite. Discord returned because he sensed the growing threat to his chaos.” He shook his head, still not quite believing the events of the day, “I never thought we’d see the day his shadow would no longer haunt the tribes.” “Hey Cobblestone,” said Luna’s voice from behind them, “I see you’ve already met everypony.” Everypony turned to see the sisters approaching. Cobblestone’s jaw dropped at the sight. Last he had seen them, only a hour or two ago, they were just run of the mill unicorns. Now they stood half a head taller than before and seemed infused with an inborn unnatural grace as a they walked, the still untested wings folded by their sides seemed the least of the changes in the young mares. Storm Song again threw himself to his knees before them as he praised them for what they had done. “You.. you really don’t have to do that..” Celestia said uncomfortably. “My lady does not understand what she and her sister have done for my people,” Storm Song said in that awkward ‘don’t refer to them directly’ way of speaking, as if they were royalty. “Discord has haunted us every day and night since the birth of the earth pony race and to see your visage transformed now into the likeness of the ancients is... a blessing beyond telling.” Celestia and Luna looked at each other in bewilderment. “Well... that.. um..thank you?” Celestia stumbled. “So! Um.. Cobblestone, have you told them about how things are back in the homeland?” “Huh?” he answered, still caught up in the sight of the two newborn alicorns. “Oh ya. No miss I haven’t.” He sighed and ran a hoof across his forehead. “Well honestly it hasn’t been easy. A lot of folk were bitter. They thought yall’d just abandoned us to the cold. I tried to tell them that we could have gone with you but you know how ponies can be. After a bit it got even colder than it was when you left, most of the old cities got swept away by the ice. Soon a lot of those same folk talked ‘bout cutting bait and trying to catch up with y’all, thinking you had the right idea in the first place. “We managed to talk’em out of it, never would have made it, but they weren’t happy. Truth is...” he shrugged, “things aren’t exactly going well. If it wasn’t for the Princess things would have fallen apart already... might still.” “Princess?” Platinum joked. “Some cousin usurp my old throne?” Cobblestone smiled, “Not exactly. The earth ponies and the few remaining unicorns were at each others throats. We might have had all the food but without the unicorns magic to keep us warm we’d’ve frozen. Didn’t take long before we were back at our old power games. The Princess got us talking to each other again, convinced us to set aside our differences for the common good. “We built a new home together for all the clans, even though it’s mostly us earth ponies who stayed behind, ‘cept for a few hoof fulls of unicorns and the Princess, of course. Remember Winter Waltz, Commander hurricane?” “She’s your princess?!” yelled the shocked pegasi, “My cousin? But she’s a terrible fighter! No warrior in her at all! She’s a thinker, not a.. a..” She stopped and smiled, “She’s perfect. Still how did she manage to get all three clans to get along?” “Well, the Earth Pony clan is really the only one left anyway... or maybe it’s ‘cause our leaders actually WANT to get along,” Cobblestone said with smile, prompting a rash of blushing from the former clan leaders. He sighed again and wrung his hooves, “Still.. I don’t know how long it’s going to last. Now that we aren’t about to starve or freeze some folk seem to have forgotten how much we need each other. “The Princess’s got real heart, ya know. A lot of ponies didn’t even want to send any aid at all, but the Princess... she wanted to help anyway, even if we can’t spare what little we brought... even after all we’ve been through back home she’d never turn down a plea for help,” the stallion continued, “a friend in need and all that. It’s a pity most folk kind find that kind of light within themselves.” Princess Platinum, losing her famous composure and crying openly, threw her hooves around the stallion, “How can we ever repay your kindness?” “No need, Princess. That’s why its kindness.” “Actually... I might know a way,” said Celestia who looked at her sister. Luna nodded back. “We might have just the guiding light you need.” She turned to look back at the gathered council members for approval. For a moment they said nothing as understanding dawned on them. “Are you sure Celestia?” Smarty Cookie asked. “After everything?” Luna nodded, “They need it more than we do.” “But what if we need it again?” Platinum said. “I think...” answered a weakened Clover as she leaned up from her cot where she was being tended, “we have all the protection we will ever need.” She smiled at the sisters, “Go ahead, I think it’s yours to give.” Celestia lite her horn and, with a flash, the Crystal Heart appeared before them, reforged from the fragments of the old in the Fire of Friendship. “Take it.” “It’s beautiful...” Cobblestone answered, awe in his voice, “I can’t accept this as payment.” “It’s not payment. It’s a gift. Besides I think you will might need it more than we do.” Celestia smiled, “Take it, So long as your hearts are full of harmony and friendship it will keep your city safe.” The stallion gently took the stone in his hooves and tearfully thanked them all. Embarrassed, he sniffed and wiped his eyes, “Well, I guess we ought to be getting back. It’s a long trip and there’s no telling how long the pass’ll stay open.” He tipped his hat and bade them farewell before beginning the long trip back home. “So,” said Smart Cookie after they’d unpacked the carts the caravan left behind, “A single ruling princess back in the old home?” “I like the idea,” Clover answered with a smile. “I dunno,” responded Puddinghead nodding in the direction of Celestia and Luna, “I think we can do one better.”