//------------------------------//
// Chapter 11 - Revelations 
// Story: Kingdom of Friendship Part 2 
// by SkyFlare 
//------------------------------//

	Braig dropped Twilight when they came out the portal.  She looked around and saw that she was in a desert like place.  There was a strange looking field in the distance with what looked like tall, grey grass.
“Ah, thanks a bunch Braig.  Would you like a cookie?” Haze joked.
“I’m fine.  I just want you to make sure that it hurts.” Braig glared at Twilight as she sat on her knees.
“I take it she put up a fight?” Haze laughed.  “She’s just one girl, how much trouble could she be?”
While the two continued their dialogue, Twilight started to silently crawl away.  Before she could even get two feet, her face was slammed against the dirt.  She was then lifted up by her throat and forced to look Haze in the eyes.
“And just where do you think you’re going?” Haze asked, squeezing on Twilight’s throat a little harder.
Twilight tried to defend herself, but she couldn’t even manage to choke out a single word.  She tried to kick, but she couldn’t find the strength.  Haze smiled before dropping her back onto the dirt.
“What exactly did she do to you?” Haze asked, looking back over to Braig.
“She got past me and sealed the Keyhole.” the man growled back.
“Then would you like the honor?” Haze’s expression terrified Twilight.
“Now we’re talking,” Braig smirked, “revenge for everything that the other Keyblade wielders did to me.  You know, it’s thanks to them that I have this eye patch right here.” Braig tapped the black eye patch that covered his right eye.
Twilight whimpered as she felt the cold tip of a Keyblade touch her sternum.  Braig stopped for a few seconds, savoring the moment.
“Say goodnight Poppet.” Braig laughed as he pierced her skin with the Keyblade.

Raid looked at each one of the unicorns that her squad had been assigned to escort to Vanhoover.  One was Shimmer, a pony who she’d only really gotten to know in passing.  She was in charge for this entire mission.  There was also a mare by the name of Bubble, who taught at Celestia’s school.  She was not really extraordinary, but she was consistent in her skills, if she tried something in her skill range, she never failed.  There was a solid white stallion by the name of Blizzard.  He was the librarian that was in charge of the restricted area of the princesses’ private library.
“Raid, look at this.” Rogue beckoned her over to a window on the train.
When she got to his side, she noticed the storm clouds that were forming over Vanhoover.  It wouldn’t have been a problem if it wasn’t for one fact.  Princess Celestia was already supposed to be in Vanhoover, which meant that the pegasi of the city should be trying to keep the weather nice for her.  The fact that there was a heavy storm either meant that Vanhoover had an awful weather team, or something was wrong.  Raid looked over at Rogue and could in his eyes see that, he believed the latter.
“Rogue, could you take Twister with you and make sure that everything is all right up ahead?” Raid asked.
“What if something happens while we’re away?” Rogue asked.
“I’m with three other unicorns, two teach at the princess’s school and the other is a royal advisor.  The four of us can take care of ourselves.” Raid shrugged.
“I’ll get Twister and we’ll go then.” Rogue nodded before galloping down a car in the train.
Raid waited patiently until she saw the two winged ponies fly ahead of the train.  	Once they were gone, she turned around to face the ponies that they were escorting.  Bubble was lounging across two rows of seats on the train and Blizzard was practicing gravity magic by walking on the train’s ceiling.
Shimmer was the only one doing anything remotely “normal” in that she was sitting calmly and reading a book.  Raid attempted to see the title of the book, eventually making out a single word “Daring.”  The cover showed the archeologist, Daring Do, as she swooped in and grabbed the Griffon’s Goblet.  It didn’t take Raid long to figure it out once she saw the cover image.
“What do you know about triangulation spells?” Shimmer asked, not looking away from her book.
“Um… I’ve used one once or twice, but aside from that, not much.” Raid shook her head.
Shimmer sighed quietly, still not looking away from her book.  “You’ve cast them before, but you don’t know how they work?”
“I know that they are used to locate an item or a pony, but aside from that, I’m not terribly into studying spells.” Raid answered.
“Let me break it down for you.  If one pony uses a spell, it is very inaccurate and you might as well just look instead of wasting your time.  When two ponies use it, then you can get a broad area for searching.  Three can usually get you pinpoint accuracy.” the unicorn explained.
“Yeah… I knew about the number of ponies that are required for an accurate search.” Raid half laughed.  She was thinking that Shimmer was looking for something more on the inner workings of the spell.
“Can you tell me anything about searching an entire world for a single pony using a spell like that?” Shimmer continued, making it feel almost like an interrogation.
“I know that searching an entire world would be pretty much impossible, even with four or five ponies.” Raid answered.
Shimmer slid a bookmark into the crease of the book and closed it.  “Now think an entire universe.  Are you willing to help us search it for Princess Twilight?”
“You want my help?  But I’m just a guard; I haven’t spent years training my magic like you all have.”
“We’re going to need all of the help that we can get.  Shining Armor and the princess are going to help us with the spell as well.” Shimmer looked over to the guard.
“I’ll do what I can.” Raid nodded.

“Twister, are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Rogue asked as he used his wings to slow himself.
The town hall of Vanhoover was glowing and there was a pony lying face down in a puddle outside of the building.  He was too far to make out any details, but if the pony needed help, it was a guard’s responsibility to help him.
“I’ll check out the stallion, remember, a lot of ponies are still scared of your kind.” Twister commented, drifting up beside her friend.  “You check out the town hall, make sure that everything is okay in there.”
Rogue nodded before speeding back up and flying through the door to the town hall.  Inside stood a baby dragon, the bat pony from Ponyville, a new unicorn stallion, the former captain of the guard, and Princess Celestia herself.  They were staring at a stone ring as if they were expecting it to do a trick or something.
“Princess, what’s going on?” Rogue asked, capturing the attention of the room.
“We found Twilight.  She couldn’t return at the time though, a world was in terrible danger.” Celestia answered, turning to face the guard.
“The train is getting close, but Twister and I were sent ahead to investigate the storm.  Do you know what’s causing it?” Rogue asked.
“Sombra is back.” Shining responded quickly.  “Spike here managed to hold him off, he’s outside unconscious right now.”
“Twister!  She was going to make sure that a pony was all right outside!  It’s gotta be Sombra!” Rogue shouted before flying out the door as fast as he could.
When he got out there, he could see Twister being held in place by dark magic.  Sombra stood beside her, a Keyblade floating by his side.  The two stallions stared at each other for a few moments before either of them spoke.
“Tell me, do you fear the darkness?” Sombra asked, enveloping Rogue in shadows.
“You haven’t dealt with bat ponies before, have you?  You adopted the darkness, resorted to it when the light rejected you; I was born into the shadows and I overcame them and I found the light.” Rogue took a step toward the king.  “Just because I have found the light, doesn’t mean that I’ll lose my way if I stumble into the darkness.”
“One more step and she dies.” Sombra growled, bringing his Keyblade to Twister’s neck.
Before Sombra could even attempt to carry out his threat, he was blasted back by a beam of purple magic.  Shining Armor teleported to the mare and helped her get away from her captor.  
“You hurt my sister.” Shining stated as he teleported back to Sombra.  “That was a big mistake.”
“So you must be Twilight’s older brother.  It’s about time that we meet.” Sombra laughed as he climbed back to his hooves.
Sombra’s attention was captured when he saw a pony fly into the sky, breaking through the clouds.  A smile overtook his face as he turned back to face the group of ponies that stood against him.  Darkness started to form around the king and it encased him.
“Sorry, but I’ll have to cut this short.” Sombra laughed as the darkness sank into the ground.  “Turns out that our mission here is done, we got what we came for.”
“Rogue…” Twister choked out.  “Wasn’t that where the train was?”
“Raid…” Rogue’s eyes went blank before they filled up with worry.  “Watch over Twister, make sure that she’s okay.  I’m going to check on the train!”
Without another word, Rogue began to fly south toward the train.  It didn’t take him long to make it there, seeing as they were fairly close to the city when he and Twister had left and the train had moved some since they got out.  The sight however, was not what he wanted to see.  
The train was sitting on its side just off of the tracks.  The engine car had been crushed until it was nearly flat, and Rogue could make out the shape of a stallion still inside.  When he flew down, he had to look away.  The conductor had been covered by the burning coals when they fell out of the furnace.  Rogue backed away and moved farther down the train until he reached the car that he and Raid had been in.
A large hole was ripped out of the side of the car, exposing three unicorns.  Rogue went inside and checked each unicorn for a pulse; luckily all three of them were still alive.  The fourth unicorn, Raid, wasn’t inside the car though.
“Ma’am, I need you to wake up.” Rogue gently shook Shimmer, until she started to move on her own.
She grunted quietly and moved her hooves to her head.  She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at the bat pony.
“What happened?” he asked as he helped her up to her hooves and got her outside.
“W- we were attacked…” Shimmer said weakly.  “I think… she was taken…”
“Who attacked you?” Rogue tensed up.
“I couldn’t see.  A pegasus… that’s all I know…” Shimmer fainted again.
Rogue was barely able to stop himself from shouting.  He flew back inside the train car and pulled out Bubble and then Blizzard.  Neither of them had any useful information as to their attacker.  Rogue wanted nothing more than to go out and look for Raid, but she wouldn’t want him to leave behind three injured ponies.  It was his duty to protect them, not abandon them, no matter what the situation.
“I just got you back…” Rogue was almost in tears as he sat on the ground beside the ponies.  “I don’t want to lose you again.”
The bat pony was strong, but not enough so that he could carry three other ponies to a town that was half a mile away.  He could manage it if he took one at a time, but that would require abandoning two others.  If another pony would just come to the scene, then he could get the unicorns to the town and get to finding Raid.

Raid struggled to escape from her bindings.  Her magic had been restrained by Sombra upon his arrival.  There wasn’t much that she could do other than squirm and hope that she can get free.  Hope that somepony will come in and save her.
“Raid, if you stop struggling it’ll be easier for everypony involved.” Sombra stated, holding out a hoof to the mare.
“Easier for you maybe.” Raid snipped back.
“Easier for you too, it won’t hurt nearly as much.” Sombra smiled as he summoned his Keyblade.
Sombra touched the Keyblade to her heart and applied just the slightest pressure imaginable.  Just enough to break skin and draw a couple droplets of blood, but not to hurt the mare.
The cloaked pegasus that had destroyed the train and ponynapped her, pulled Sombra off to the side.  Raid was unable to hear what they were saying, but it seemed to be an argument that Sombra was losing.  When the king returned, he swiftly jabbed his Keyblade into Raid’s heart.
“Sorry, but apparently, the master doesn’t want me toying with you.  Master’s little pet here had to tell me off.” Sombra gestured toward the cloaked pony.
Raid felt the light leave her body.  The part of her mind that made her into who she was, fell back into its darkest depths.  Her body remained conscious as Sombra released her.  She tried to run, but her legs wouldn’t listen.  She tried to scream, but her mouth simply wouldn’t move.
“Welcome to the club, Raid.” Sombra said coldly.  “Instead of releasing your heart, which would cost us your body, I simply compressed it under the weight of another.  A heart forged from the remnants of the nightmare energy that was left behind in the Everfree Forest.”
“What do you need me to do?” Raid’s body asked despite her efforts to make it stop.
“When he gets back, we’ll have to tell him that it worked better than we had expected.  Instant obedience.  I need you to go back to Vanhoover and make sure that the princess gets that portal open.  Without it, Master Haze cannot return to this world.” Sombra stated.
“Yes sir.” Raid responded before teleporting away.
“All according to plan.  Make sure that her coltfriend doesn’t get in the way.  Get the unicorns to the city, but get rid of him.” Sombra commanded.
“And how exactly am I to do that?  I’m not really the least noticeable pony with this cloak on.” the pegasus growled.
“Fine, I’ll do it.” Sombra flashed his horn, teleporting the three unicorns to Celestia and the one bat pony to their lair.
“Sombra?” Rogue snarled as he saw the monarch.
“And company.” the cloaked pony added.
“No…  It… can’t be…” Rogue said shakily.
“The least that you could do is respect my wishes.” the pegasus almost shouted.  “You know what?” the stallion asked after calming down slightly.  “I don’t even care anymore what you do.  Being on this side of the fight has freed me from having to worry about everypony and their petty lives.”
“You aren’t…” Rogue stared into the stallion’s eyes.  “Why do you look like him?”
“Ah, now there’s a good question.  It is because I am Tempest.” the stallion laughed as he removed his hood.

Princess Celestia quickly performed a recovery spell on the three unicorns, not even questioning how they got there, at least not out loud.  The ponies needed something good to happen, and it did.  If she were to point out that something like this doesn’t happen for no reason, it would just cause them to worry.
They needed those three anyway.  When they tried recasting the spell to open the portal for Twilight, it failed.  She wasn’t eve on the same world as when they’d cast the spell the first time.  Inkwell and Shining Armor were unable to get an accurate pinpoint on her location, and Celestia was using all of her energy to make sure that Sombra wouldn’t be ab to get to them if he came back.
“I think that we’re getting close to finding her.” Inkwell stated, breaking the longstanding silence.
“Excellent.  How long should it take for you to reopen the portal?” Celestia asked, craning her neck to look at the five unicorns.
“No more than half an hour.” Shimmer answered.
“That will have to do if we cannot open it any sooner.” Celestia sighed.
“We might not be able to get it open that quickly even.  There is something blocking us.  Some form of magical backlash from the world that she is on.” Bubble explained.
“We’re trying to get through, but it’s tough.” Blizzard added.
Shining was focused intently on the stone ring as he tried to save his little sister.  Nothing, no magical backlash, no evil king, nothing, would get in his way.  With him being this close, he wasn’t going to give up for anything.
“This is just the reason that I wanted that one guard to help us.  I don’t know why our attacker took her.  If they wanted to stop us from getting Princess Twilight back here, they would have been better off just killing everypony on the train.” Shimmer commented.
Celestia agreed silently.  If the intention was to stop them from completing the portal’s connection with the other worlds, then they didn’t think it through.  But considering the sudden reappearance of the research team, it was clear that Sombra wanted the portal to be opened.  More importantly, it was clear that he had no hold over them since they were able to pass through Celestia’s safeguard spell.
Their goal probably had something to do with getting Haze back into this world, back into Equestria.

“How’s it feel, Poppet?” Braig asked as he twisted the Keyblade, digging just a little deeper into Twilight’s skin.
Twilight was still unable to answer.  She just whimpered weakly, hoping that he would stop, or that Princess Celestia would come to her rescue.  When she needed help, her friends were always there for her, except this time.  She was out of their reach; she was alone with two monsters that seemed to want nothing more than to kill her, especially Braig.
“Remember Braig.  The plan.” Haze reminded the sharpshooter.
“Right… the plan.” Braig sighed, not moving the Keyblade from Twilight.  “We’ve big plans for you Poppet, yes we do.”
“We’re going to need your help if we intend to complete our plan.  So how about you be a good little girl and play your part.” Haze explained, cupping Twilight’s chin in his hands.
Just as the Keyblade pierced deeper into her, a bolt of lightning shot from the sky and knocked Braig away.  Taking her heart was only partially completed; they had one of the two hearts that lived within her.  Once again, Vim had saved her life.
“So, what’s the organization been up to lately?” asked a strange voice.
“You?” Braig shouted angrily.  “Traitor!”
“Are you talking to me or Roxas?  Maybe Ventus?  In any case, this game’s over.  You aren’t hurting anyone else.”
“Who is this?” Haze asked, glaring at the spikey haired newcomer.
“Sora.  He’s the reason that the organization is gone.  He’s really good at sticking his nose where he shouldn’t.” Braig growled back.
Sora ran over to Twilight’s side, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine…” Twilight said shakily.
“You know what Xigbar?  Or Braig, whatever you call yourself now?” Sora asked as he helped Twilight onto her feet.  “I have one word for you.  Thundaga!” 
A large bolt of lightning fell where Braig was standing, knocking him off of his feet.  While Braig was falling, Sora pulled out a Keyblade.  It was solid black and had a chain-like pattern on the inside of the shaft.
“This one’s Oblivion.” Sora explained.  “It packs a mean punch, and I mean that in the most painful way.”
Once he was sure that Twilight was going to be able to stand up on her own, he ran at Haze, but before he could even swing his Keyblade, the keychain flew off of it, and straight into Haze’s hand.
“Not so fast.” Haze smirked as he threw Sora to the ground.
“What’s that?” Sora gasped as the ground started to open up beneath everyone there.
“Celestia?” Twilight managed to squeak out, holding her chest in pain.
“Take this!” Sora shouted, shoving a folder into Twilight’s hands before Haze blasted him away from her.
“Sorry kid, but I don’t need another Keyblade wielder running around and getting in my way.” Haze laughed as the portal absorbed the three of them, leaving Sora behind in the Keyblade Graveyard.
Twilight could hear Sora shout one last thing to her.  “I hope the reports help!  I’m sorry that I can’t do more!”

“They’re coming through!” Shimmer shouted as she tried to clear a path.
“They?” Celestia asked, almost breaking her concentration on the shield.
“Princess Twilight and one other.  It were too close when we opened the portal.  One other pony and a creature unlike any I’ve seen before.  It appears to be a native of that universe though.” Shimmer explained.
“The only other pony there is… Haze!” Celestia shouted as the reality of the situation became apparent to her.
“Guilty.” Haze laughed as he tumbled out of the portal.  “Oh, hey Shim.” he smiled at his former partner.
Before anypony could do anything about his arrival, another pony came out.  He wore an eye patch and his black mane was tied back.  His coat was a dark blue and the one visible eye was yellow.  Once they were free from the portal’s clutches, the pair teleported away thanks to Haze’s magic.
Seconds later, a lavender alicorn fell head first onto the floor, a red folder wrapped tightly in her hooves.  Shining Armor was the first to approach her, silently offering her a hoof to help her up.  Twilight looked up at him, but instead of taking his hoof, she jumped up and gave him a tight hug.
“Twily…” Shining Armor smiled as he returned the hug.
“I’m home.” she smiled, looking around the room.
“Yes you are.” Celestia said as she walked over to Twilight.
“But we aren’t safe yet, Haze is back, and he brought somepony with him.” Shimmer stated.
“Haze is working with Braig now, that’s who the other pony was.” Twilight assumed that Braig had been changed into a pony due to the way the Shimmer had referred to him.  “But it won’t be a problem.  I’m already working on a way to stop them.  And I think that whatever is in here might help.” Twilight directed everypony’s attention to the folder that she was holding.
“Let’s just get you home, all right?” Celestia whispered.
“I like that plan.” Twilight half laughed back.
“Well then, let’s get going.” Celestia smiled.  “You can tell me what happened while we’re on the way to Ponville.”