Manehattan...
Rarity opened a newspaper, her eyes scanning the words and pictures. The newspaper showed article after article about debates over Twilight Sparkle and who the other Rainbooms were. As her eyes continued to skim through the newspaper, she thought, 'Hmm...it seems ponies are still talking about Twilight...I will admit, I didn't think she would get us all pardons and isn't in a Canterlot prison at the same time...I wish we could write to her or something...'
“Think she'll give us some kind of sign?” asked Fluttershy as she entered the room. Rarity looked up with a small smile. “That would be just like Twilight wouldn't it?”
“It would...too bad she probably has guards constantly watching her though.”
“Yeah...” Fluttershy let out a small sigh. “Seems like yesterday she was here, making out crazy heist plans...”
“I agree darling...” Rarity then put the newspaper down. “I get the feeling things are just going to get more complicated before they get better...”
Fluttershy just lowered her head at Rarity's response. Rarity let out another sigh and said, “Look Fluttershy...um...is Rainbow Dash healed up?”
“Yes.” Fluttershy nodded. “She's just resting right now.”
“Good...” Rarity then got up and stretched her hooves out. “Fluttershy...I hate to say it but I'm considering going back to Ponyville for now.”
“Oh?” Fluttershy perked up a little. “I would like to go back to Ponyville as well...I miss my animal friends...”
Pinkie Pie then walked into the room, her hair still down, showing she was still depressed. Rarity showed a small smile and said, “Pinkie dear?”
“Yes?” squeaked Pinkie, not wanting to talk.
“I have a proposition for you. I know you don't like the traveling life as much as Scootaloo or Rainbow Dash, I remember you told me it was hard for you to get parties started in certain towns...”
“Yeah...I haven't done a party in a long time...”
“Well...I might just know a pony or two in Ponyville that could give you hand in that department.”
“You do?”
“Yes.” Rarity gave a huge grin. “Tell me dear, how much do you know about baking cakes?”
Canterlot...
Luna descended onto the castle's balcony, her wings folding as she landed. She then flicked her hooves, telling the guards to move as she proceeded to the throne room. The moon princess cricked her neck as she walked into the throne room, seeing her sister sit there while signing a pile of papers and ordering several high ranking soldiers. Luna clapped her hooves, telling Celestia she wanted to talk. Celestia caught on and signaled the soldiers to be quiet. “Sister!” yelled Luna. “We have news to tell you!”
“What is it Luna?”
“It is done. Princess Cadance has won.”
Celestia let out a sigh of relief. “So they did it...thank goodness...” Luna's expression did not change as she signaled the soldiers to leave the room. As they left, she then yelled, “We need to talk!”
“What's wrong Luna? Aren't you happy that we won't have to go to war?!”
“My problem is you sent three unprepared unicorns along with two children as the means to beat that monster!” screamed Luna.
Celestia let out a sigh as she thought, 'First Twilight, now Luna...' Celestia then said in the calmest tone she could, “Listen...they were destined to do this Luna. That's final.”
“The dragon and Princess Cadance were destined. However, you told me a while back that the destinies of Equestria were messed up because of me and Twilight!”
“Look...I know your battle between her and you as Nightmare Moon wasn't supposed to happen but...Equestria is still safe! We still raise the sun and the moon! Isn't that enough?!”
Luna closed her eyes, trying to ignore Celestia's statement. However, Luna couldn't think of a good reply and just said. “Look sister...I know that the two of us are constantly looking to the future in order to keep Equestria safe but...we can't just hope the prophecies will come true anymore!”
“I know. I've been trying to prepare for this ever since Twilight obtained Harmony early.” Celestia then let out a huff. “Even now I'm preparing what we should do with Twilight next...”
“Very well...I'll go along with this for now.” Luna said in a harsh tone. “It's not like we have a choice...so, what is our next step?”
Celestia the levitated several papers she had behind her throne. “According to my research...the one who inherits Harmony has the ability to fully harness the power of friendship. We need to make sure this is true.”
“What do you propose we do then?”
Celestia then floated the papers over to Luna. “I've been looking over several new guards that we are currently accepting to the castle. Since Cadance has taken the Crystal Empire, we will be sending some of our senior guards over there.”
“You want to assign a guard to Twilight Sparkle...and you want it to be a greenhorn.”
“Yes.” Celestia nodded. “I want the guard to be fresh, their loyalty is still questionable at that stage.”
“That and if Twilight Sparkle does possess the power of friendship like you say, it should be easy for them to become friends and get along...you want to test that, am I correct?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Who do you have in mind?”
Manehattan...
Rainbow Dash woke up, her hair in a mess and her body still aching all over. She then slowly got out of bed, only to see Scootaloo still sleeping right by her. Rainbow tried to be as quiet of possible as she edged out of the bed and then went to her drawer. There, she pulled out a paper and read it over. 'So...its still a few weeks away...' she thought as she rolled up the paper and walked out of the room. She then saw Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy talking at the meeting table. As she entered the room, the trio quickly smiled as they saw their friend in a better shape from the lightning bolt over a week ago.
“Rainbow!” said Rarity with a face filled with concern. “Are you sure you're okay to be standing right now?!”
“I'm fine. Please be quiet, Scootaloo is still asleep.” Rainbow then walked up and grabbed a chair to sit down. “Don't worry, after all...I'm Rainbow Dash! No lightning is gonna slow me down for long!”
“Well...good thing you're alright. So...we were talking about what to do next since...Twilight isn't able to get back here...”
“That and Applejack is gone...” Pinkie said as she slumped over again.
“Yeah...speaking of Twilight, I need you all to look at this.” Rainbow then showed them the paper. The three then looked the paper and then Rarity asked, “Um Rainbow, this paper is advertising a flying competition...did Twilight give this to you?”
“Yeah...she did. She say I could go and try it.” Rainbow then gave a huge grin. “It's not for a few weeks from now and I could easily train up and win. Twilight also said I could use my own identity in the competition, though I'll probably have to still disguise Scootaloo...”
“Hmm...okay. If that's what you want to do. I'm a little concerned since those two did see what you look like but...Twilight is probably with them, so it should be okay...” Rarity then gave the paper back to Rainbow. Rarity then turned around and looked at Twilight's desk, with the six keyhole box sitting there. Pinkie's key was sticking out of one of the keyholes as Rarity then said, “Not only that...do you think we should just leave that here?”
“Yeah...if its important, Twilight will find someway to get here and get that weird box.” Rainbow said while waving her hooves. “It'll be fine...”
“Okay...” Rarity said with a last sigh. “Hopefully we're making the right decisions here...”
Several miles from the Crystal Empire...
Two cloaked ponies stood there, looking at the empire as its dark crystal walls slowly fell to a great shining light. The two shielded their eyes from the light and then one spoke up, “Well, well, well...looks like he lost Silver...”
“Yeah...he did Diamond...” Silver Spoon said as she took a book out of her saddlebag and began to read it. “What do you want to do now Diamond?”
“Not sure...” Diamond then rubbed her chin while trying to think. “I mean...I want to learn how to use this dark magic we absorbed but we can't because that moron lost.”
“Yeah...when you told me about Sombra over a week ago, I was skeptical at first.”
“You told me you tried to do some research about him, right?”
“Yep.” Silver said as she closed her book. “Couldn't find a thing. However, I think I did find something else that could help us though...”
“What's that? Somepony that could teach us to use the darkness?”
“Yeah...I think so. Ever since you introduced to this dark magic stuff, I don't know...I just feel like its something incredible...”
“I know!” Diamond said with a huge grin. “Just think! If we could use this dark magic, we could totally take over Equestria! I knew I was already the greatest pony ever, but this dark magic just...just unlocked something in me! I love the very feeling of it inside me!”
“I'm the same way!” Silver said with a big smile. “And if we understand how to use the dark magic...”
The two then spoke in unison with smiles on their faces. “Then we could be the queens of Equestria!” The duo then laughed up a storm for a few minutes and the Diamond asked, “So...what did you find out?”
Silver adjusted her glasses as she replied. “I think I found someone else that could teach us how to control dark magic...according to what I've read, this guy is really powerful and really really chaotic...”
Part II End