Shattered Harmony: Starfall

by NightmareTRXY32

Chapter 2: Broken Harmony

Universe Alternate 2 ( What if Chrysalis was never prevented from taking over Canterlot?)

This day had certainly been perfect in the Queen's eyes. Because there was no Rainboom, she had discovered that it was easier for her to infiltrate Canterlot with her army then it would have been if had taken place in the Prime Timeline. She didn't know it though, she was completely oblivious to the existence of the Time Spell.

Not that it mattered really. Sunset Shimmer was the Element of Magic in this timeline. She had gotten over her petty emotions she had displayed towards Celestia and realized she was better off understanding what the term self sacrifice truly meant. Her Brother Sunburst had opted to join the Equestrian Royal Guard instead of attending Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. She was so Proud of him. She was also proud that he was marrying her former foal sitter, Cadence.

Chrysalis was able to completely fool all of them, including Sunset. But she also decided to maintain a contigency plan. She had two of her changeling guards take on the guise of Royal Guards and abduct a random stallion off the street. She'd use him as bait to attract the attention of Sunburst and Cadence, and then switch places with one of them. Of course she didn't realize right away that the stallion in question was a Guard washout named Shining Armor.

Everything is almost in place, she thought to herself.

Apparently due to Starlight messing up the Timeline, Twilight and Spike ended up in an altered timeline where Chrysalis was never exposed as a fake and thus was able to achieve her desired outcome of taking over Canterlot, and soon after Equestria. This was not how it was suppose to be Twilight thought as she and Spike noticed 6 Spears being pointed at them as they recovered their bearings and saw that they were in the Forest outside of Ponyville. She looked up to see Pinkie and Fluttershy aiming Spears at their necks. What in Celestia name was going on here.

Why was this Reality worse then the last one they were just in. Then it dawned on her. What if because of Starlight's tampering with the timeline, entire alternate Universes were being made, and not just altered timelines. Even if they succeeded that would mean that these universes would still be in existence. Twilight decided that there was only one recourse, she would see if there was a Tree of Harmony here and strive to save what was left. At least then she wouldn't feel so guilty, like she was feeling right now.

She couldnt believe it, but here it was, The Queen of Changelings mused for a moment. My Changelings will devour all the love in the kingdom and it all started with a simple wedding. Twilight was missing and the other ponies from Canterlot were being locked up in the Canterlot catacombs. Cadence was presumed dead and Shining Armor was thrown into a cell after he served his usefulness. Even though he wasnt part of the Royal Guard yet, she found him useful into tricking every pony into believing that he was part of it. Twilight Sparkle had failed her magic test, but for whatever reason Princess Celestia still saw something in her enough to send her to Ponyville. She had also killed Luna with the power she had gained from Cadences love for a certain Stallion, Regardless of whether he was of upper class Material or not.

Fast forward 2 years later. Canterlot had been over run and the rest of Equestria was on the verge of falling. the only real threat came from a resistance movement that was being formed by survivors living in the forests of Ponyville and the Out skirts of Canterlot. This was just a setback to Chrysalis and she was growing tired of it. She decided to track down the leader of this rebellion and end it once and for all.
Little did she know that this wasn't how it was supposed to play out.

The Everfree Forrest.

2 years of being on the run. 2 years of hiding from Changeling patrols. When was it going to end she thought. Her and her two companions were growing weary of this. Rainbow Dash had a nagging feeling that this was not how things were supposed to be. All she could do for now was think back to that race at Junior Flight Camp in Cloudsdale. She had failed to protect her friend Fluttershy from those bullies. She had failed to win that race and because of it Fluttershy fled Cloudsdale in tears, and anger at Rainbow Dash for failing her as a friend. Rainbow also remembered something else. A Purple Alicorn had appeared out of nowhere and asked her to do the impossible, Create a Sonic Rainboom. Now that she thought about it, that alicorn reminded her of a unicorn she had know once. A unicorn that she had been in love with . None of her friends had known about it. That unicorn had been sent to Ponyville to find her special talent. All Rainbow Dash could think about now were that unicorn and Fluttershy, and whether she was still alive or not.

I stoked the fire
seen more then you know
the tears of the broken
have washed away my soul

Damn, why cant i get it together lately? Dash thought to herself. She felt like a complete and utter failure. She had failed her friends, and more over she had failed the Princesses. She couldn't get over that last part. She had watched Luna die. Die to a freak of nature like Chrysalis. She wished she could of gone back in time and changed everything. Changed it to where Chrysalis was the one that died and not the Princess of the night.

"I'm a failure." She whispered to herself.

No your not.
What? she thought to herself.

The pegasus' mind dredged up a memory, from the summer sun Celebration.

"So much for becoming a Wonderbolt," Rainbow scolded herself at the time.

"What happned?," Twilight asked her. Her Twilight.

"I screwed up royally is what happened," She told her marefriend, " I tried out for the Wonderbolts roster," she started to choke up.

"I botched my Entrance Exam," Dash was beside herself with grief.

"Well, that doesnt make you a failure to me, just all the more real," Twilight pulled Dash's chin up to hers and kissed the Cyan coated Pegasus.

"You sure know how to set me straight dont you," Dash said coyly.

That was the one happy memory she held onto all of these years later. In some ways it was what kept for going for so long where others might of just thrown it in and given up.

Rainbow kept thinking how true those words were that were lingered in her mind. She was a broken shell right now. She felt hollow inside. As much as she wanted to pick up the pieces of her shattered sanity. Rainbow Dash felt broken inside. Here she was trying to act the loyal friend and keep her 2 friends alive and safe, and she' couldn't have foreseen her own plight. Her and the others had escaped the Changeling invasion of Ponyville only to end up hiding in a cave in the middle of the Everfree forest like a coward. She wanted to face down Chrysalis and give that abomination a piece of her mind. But in her current conditoin she was in no position to fight anything, how could she with a broken wing and not to mention a broken pysche. She didnt know if any of the others had escaped, been captured, or even killed. Her mind immediately snapped to Fluttershy. Oh my god, she thought to herself, did her and Pinkie Pie make it out of Ponyville? As her, Applejack, and Rarity huddled close to together to keep warm, her thoughts shifted to something else. Something she had heard when she had been out scouting for food earlier. She had climbed a tree to get to some fruit, she saw two changlings walking towards her position. She climbed up the tree and held her breathe as she waited for them to pass. She overheard the conversation they were having.

1st Changeling: " Did you hear, one of our scouts reported seeing a purple Alicorn bearing the resemblence of the one we caught and threw in the Canterlot Dungeon."

2nd Changeling: "Fraxis must of been drinking that damn nectar again. I told him not to get drunk while on duty. The Queen will have his head for it."

1st Changeling: "He wasnt drunk again, 4 more soldiers reported the same thing."

2nd Changeling: "Then im confused, what does it mean?"

1st Changeling: " This alicorn said she's from an Alternate world, one where our plans were defeated by her and Princess Cadence."

2nd Changeling:" Then we should be on the hunt for her shouldnt we."

Rainbow Dash couldnt believe what she had heard. The only purple pony she had ever seen was that of a unicorn named Twilight Sparkle. She had moved to Ponyville to study magic, She had failed an enterance exam, but Celestia felt that with some study and practice that Twilight might find a talent for it. As soon as the Changelings were out of range Rainbow Dash finished collecting food and hurried back to the cave. The others wouldn't believe what she had discovered.

Zecora was still waiting for her scouting parties to return when she began getting a strange sense coming from a clearing up ahead. The first scouting party reported back, and boy did they have a tale, part of the scouting party stayed behind to secure some prisoners they came across. Zecora decided to go with them to see who or what it was. She just had a sense that she had to be there. When she got there she found Pinkie, Fluttershy, Carrot Top, Bon Bon, and 3 others guarding an Alicorn and a baby Dragon. She walked up to them and put a salve on them that would determine if they were changelings or not. What happened next confirmed that nagging feeling she was having. They weren't changelings, they were in fact from another timeline all together. the Alicorn, who later identified herself as Twilight Sparkle, told Zecora that a pony named Starlight Glimmer was attempting to alter the past and keep her and her friends from meeting altogether.

She later explained that in her timeline, she and her friends had stopped the Changeling invasion. " I see." Zecora said calmly." and im afraid your friends are not so, here." She said with a tone Twilight was used to from the Zecora in her Timeline. As they got close to the Resistance camp, Twilight turned to Pinkie and told her about her timeline. Pinkie said that she must be happier there than she is in this timeline. She told Twilight about the invasion and how it affected their version of Equestria. She told her about how Celestia watched as Chrysalis KILLED her sister in a vain attempt to defend the Castle. Twilight looked as if she was going to break down and cry. Luna was dead in this reality. :(

Twilight turned to Zecora and asked her if the there was a Tree of Harmony here like there was in her timeline.

Zecora said in a positive tone, "Yes, its not far from here, near the castle of the 2 Sisters, why do you wonder so?"

Twilight asked if she could take a pony or 2 with her to check. Zecora sent Fluttershy and Pinkie with Twilight to check it out, since it could help to end the Changelings. As the 4 set out, Twilight told their guides about her timeline. Fluttershy almost cried when she heard the name Rainbow Dash. Her and RD HAD been friends in this timeline, but she and 2 others went missing around the time of the Changeling Invasion, and that was 2 years ago from their perspective. what none of them realized was that 3 ponies were hiding out in the cave near the Tree of Harmony, and that those ponies were Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. Twilight was unsure if it was really them the closer they got to the area outside of the cave. She had a spell on that could expose them if they were changelings. That would be a little hard seeing as these same "Ponies" were already confronting Zecora in the Rebel Camp, and those were Changelings.

As the four of them approached the cave entrance, they were met by AJ, Rarity, and most of all Rainbow Dash.

I tried to block out the screams
but their haunting me in my dreams

For the briefest of moments, Rainbow Dash looked pale as a sheet. Behind Fluttershy was a Lavender coated and Purple maned Alicorn. Her heart started a skip a beat. It couldn't be... It was, she thought. There as clear as day was Twilight. Her mind started to wander a bit. Did Twilight love her the same way in whatever reality she was from. Did they even know each other. The way purple alicorn smiled when she saw Dash gave the pegasus her answer.

Rainbow could tell by the look in Flutters eyes that she had forgiven her a long time ago for what happened. Fluttershy understood from the pained look Rainbow had that she had questioned her sanity because of her failure all those years ago. Rainbow Dash turned and looked at the Alicorn like she had seen a ghost. Rainbow Dash's face went white when she realized that it was Twilight who was standing before her. But not the Twilight she had known, but at the same time she could feel the same emotions and feelings of love and romance emanating from this one too.

"Twi...Twilight, is it that really you?," Rainbow asked in a hushed, yet hesitant tone.

"In a way, Rainbow, yea it's me," She replied.

Applejack looked back at Rainbow Dash for a moment and realized what she had overheard from those Changelings was true. Rainbow Dash walked over to Fluttershy and hugged her as tight was she could. It pained the Yellow Pegasus to see her friend in this condition. Rainbow Dash then walked over and hugged Twilight. Everypony else was a bit confused by what was taking place between these two. When they were done, Twilight turned and explained what was happening the best way she could. Applejack still had a confused look on her face, so Twilight decided to share her knowledge.

Twilight soothed her nerves by saying that she was from an Alternate Reality, one in which they were all friends, and had Stopped the Changeling invasion, with help from her brother and the real Princess Cadence. It was hard for Rarity, because apparently she had Known a baby dragon Named Spike, she had found him wandering near the Everfree Forrest around the time of the Invasion. She tried to help him, but he succumbed to his injuries. Before he died, he told her she was the most beautiful everything he had ever seen.
What little they knew was that their realities Twilight had been found and locked in the Canterlot Catacombs without Chrysalis knowing it. They rounded the corner and descended the stair case near the Castle of the Two Sisters and into the Ravine floor in time to turn to see the Tree of Harmony in all its glistening wonder. and to Their Surprise, the elements were Still There. As if sensing them, the Elements connected to their wearers as if by some force that transcended all of Space time. All the Elements went to the respective wearer.

Twilight turned to her "Friends" and with a determined look they all raced back to the Rebel Camp in time to see Chrysalis strike down Zecora with a blast of magic. All Six ponies gathered around each other and almost instantly Beams of color shot past Chrysalis and her changelings. Chrysalis took notice of the Alicorn before she realized what was about to take place.

"You..... YOU CANT BE," She hollered out.

"What? Afraid that you might lose?", Twilight mocked Chrysalis.

"No, That my guards reported that they locked up a unicorn that bears a resemblance to you is what's up.", Chrysalis told this mystery Alicorn in front of her.

"It's no joke, My name is Twilight Sparkle, and i'm from a reality where you were beaten by my brother and his fiancee, along with help from me and my friends.", Twilight spat back at the Changeling Queen, " and I'm here to set it right." and with that Twilight's horn began to glow bright. It was a spell Chrysalis was afraid to speak of.

It was a Power of Love spell that was so strong it could blast her and her army all the way back to the Badlands. And not to mention the fact that they were wearing gold necklaces with specific shaped gems in the center. Chrysalis looked on in fear as she realized she was staring the Elements of Harmony from Equestrian legend.

As the five other ponies gathered around Twilight, there was a glowing white sphere that began emanating from them. Streaks of color began shooting past her as she slowly started to realized she was staring at weaponized Elements of Harmony. The same elements that had been used to banish Nightmare Moon over a century ago were now being utilized against her and her army. An intense magic field expanded outwards from the six ponies and hit Chrysalis with incredible force.

She Screamed out "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" and suddenly her and her entire army of Changelings were flung out of the Forest and hurled thousands of miles away from both the Forest and Canterlot.

They entered Canterlot to find a ghost town. They set about finding the entrance to the Catacombs and seeing who was still alive down there. The very last cell Twilight came across contained a white Stallion and a small Purple Unicorn. The Stallion looked on the verge of death, he was malnourished, his ribs nearly showing under his white coat. Twilight nearly started crying when she realized it was her brother, Shining Armor, and herself. But what got to her the most was that they were covering themselves with a lavender colored pony with a purple and pink multicolored Mane, a Pony that was believed to be dead. It turned out that Chrysalis had failed to strike a killing blow to Cadence and she had simply remained unconscious all this time. Shining Armor was too weak to do anything to help. It was up to Twilight, the Unicorn version, to try and help keep Cadence alive while they were all locked up together. As the unicorn Twilight came out of the Catacombs and into the light of day she couldn't believe her own eyes. There in front of her was herself, and not just another unicorn, But an Alicorn. The Alicorn Twilight then turned to her friends and told them to take care of themselves as the portal opened up. AJ hugged her and told her good luck, Rarity hugged Spike and whispered to him," i always hoped to see you again, here or in the next life, my little spikey wikey."

Author's Note:

doing a few revisions. i just want someone to read it and think 'that was interesting'. Just added a few structured points here and there. feel free to read over and tell me what you think. Currently listening to Awoken Typography remix by the WoodenToaster and H8_seed at the moment. i feel songs like that and others give me help in avoiding writer's block at times.