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Prologue: The Stellar Exile1,666 words
Be-Dazzling4,683 words
Answering the Call4,076 words
Return to Midnight Castle3,336 words
The Road to the Battle6,773 words
Battle Of The Bands part 19,908 words
Battle Of The Bands part 29,810 words
The Counter-spell8,057 words

Answering the Call

Elsewhere in the world, in a small village that seemed to be a couple hundred years of unimportant until a castle that looked extremely like some sort of crystalline tree that seemed to grow out of the ground and towered the town. Inside the castle five young women in their early twenties were currently in a room in the castle with various instruments, the first had hair that was like a rainbow in color and that was done in a high ponytail with a hairpin that looked like a stylized cloud and a tri-colored rainbow of red, yellow and blue, with cerise eyes. She wore black sock-like boats that went above her knees, with a dull purple skirt and light a dull blue shirt with white and gold wing styled sleeves. On her waist was a quiver and a bow and from her ankles came ethereal wing. Also, on her shirt was a pin of a stylized lightning bolt with wings, the wings were gold in color while the lightning bolt had the coloration of a rainbow of orange, yellow, cyan, alabaster, pink and purple. In her hands was a guitar with a stylized tri-colored lighten bolt from a stylized white cloud, She was the youngest of the group, Rainbow Dash. “This is going to be so awesome!”

The next woman had had long deep-magenta hair with a small tiara on her head with three sapphires cut as kites, this was Rarity, she had azure eyes, and she wore a long alabaster gown with some pinkish-purple with a long shawl that was composed of two rainbows in color, a traditional rainbow going the length of the shawl save for the width of one of the shorter edges which running perpendicular to the rest of the shawl was a rainbow of orange, yellow, cyan, alabaster, pink and purple, going around her back and hanging from her elbows. She was playing a white keytar with three sapphires cut into kites like the ones on her tiara. “I am more of a keyboard girl, but I must concede Applejack was right that function should trump form.”

Next was a blonde woman with green eyes, named Applejack. Her hair was done in a low ponytail and was dressed in brown pants, brown boots, a red leather jacket with some pieces of armor most notably pauldrons with stylized apples, brown gloves, a scabbard with a longsword in it which would be on her waist but was on a stand. Around her neck was a black cord that had a coin with a rendering of apples on both sides but looked like a rainbow of orange, yellow, cyan, alabaster, pink and purple. She finished stringing her bass with three stylized red apples painted on it and was making sure it was tuned. She tried it and was perfect, “If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter how pretty it is.”

The next woman in the room and the oldest of the five also had pink hair and teal colored eyes, but her hair was lighter shade of pink and her eyes were teal, she was Fluttershy she was dressed in a green, yellow and light blue dress with a stylized pink butterfly as a brooch for her hood, and above her left ear was a blue flower but one of its pedals was a rainbow of orange, yellow, cyan, alabaster, pink and purple. In her right hand was a tamarind with three stylized pink butterflies, “I am surprised that the Wonderbolt as asked us to perform for their Retirees Dinner.” Fluttershy said before the rest looked at her, “But I am also happy.”

After her, and the last one in the room was a woman shorter than all the others with bouncing cotton pink hair, blue eyes, this was Pinkie Pie, she wore a bear legged leotard with blue cruelly toed shoes a pink jester coat and a dark pink jester’s hat with three balloons, one was yellow and two were blue and on her jacket’s waist was a rubber chicken called ‘Boneless’, unlike other rubber chickens his right leg wasn’t the regular orange but a rainbow of orange, yellow, cyan, alabaster, pink and purple. Pinkie was at her drumsets, which had three balloons on the main drum much like the ones on Pinkie Pie’s hat. Pinkie drummed up a little. “Okay, Everyone.” Everyone then made sure their instruments were tuned. Once it was clear, “One, two, three!”

As the five played their respective instruments, the five started to sing in unison, “There was a time we were apart
But that's behind us now
See how we've made a brand new start
And the future's lookin' up, ah-oh, ah-oh
And when you walk these halls
You feel it everywhere
Yeah, we're the Wondercolts forever, ah-oh, yeah!
We are all together
(Ah, ah, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Now it's better than ever
(Ah, ah, oh-oh-oh-oh)
You can feel it, we are back (You... can... feel... it...)
And I'm so glad that we're better
Better than ever
Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
Oh yeah, we're better than ever
Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh”

Rainbow Dash took over in the song, “There was a time we couldn't see
Past the differences.”

Applejack sang next in turn, “That separated you and me
And it left us on our own”

Pinkie Pie took over in the song, “But now you walk these halls
And friends are everywhere”

Once Pinkie Pie finished she was joined by the four others, “Yeah, we're the Wonderbolts forever, ah-oh, yeah!
We are all together
(Ah, ah, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Now it's better than ever
(Ah, ah, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Now that we are back on track (Now... that... we... are...)
Yes, I'm so glad that we're better
Better than ever
Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
Oh yeah, we're better than ever
Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
Oh yeah, we're better than ever
Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
Oh yeah, we're better than ever!”
When they finished the song, “Yeah my band is AWESOME!” Rainbow shouted as she jumped into the and strung her guitar, high on the completion of this practice.
All four of the other young woman raised an eyebrow or frowned, “Your band?” Rarity asked for herself and the others, almost offended by Rainbow’s declaration.

“Duh!” Rainbow said as she rolled her eyes at that, and brushed it aside, “It was my idea to reform the Rainbooms and got us the gig.” She then crossed her arms crossed her chest, “Besides I’m the lead singer and guitarist.”
Applejack snorted at that, “Sorry Sugarcube, but it’s all about the bass.” Applejack said as she played a few cords of her bass.

Before there would be more of a back and forth, the door to the room opened and a young man with blue hair, blue eyes stepped in. He was dressed in a leather jacket over a white shirt with a blue heater shield on the front with a yellow lightning bolt on the shield. He also wore blue denim pants and a pair of sneakers. At his side was a sword in a scabbard, on the pommel of the sword was a rendering of Twilight’s Aura Mark, and on his back was a bronze colored figure-of-eight styled heater shield with a four-point star with stylized wings above an olive branch etched into it and a guitar. “Sorry, I am looking for Twilight, I thought that she would be here with you girls.” He said as he looked around and failed to see Twilight. He sighed as he prepared to ask the obvious question, “She’s in the library isn’t she?” The five women nodded. Flash shook his head with a smile. “Well, you ladies are sounding really tight.” Flash had to admit.

“Uh, we're getting there.” Rainbow said dismissing the compliment, “Rarity's still coming in a little late on the second verse, and Applejack's bass solo could use a little work. They'll get it together in time for our Wonderbolt gig.”

“You do know it’s not just Wonderbolt retirees there, right? It’s the whole military.” Flash pointed out, which Rainbow seemed to dismiss silently, which Flash accepted with an eye-roll. “Well, I am just gonna hit the library.”

“Hoping to check out a book?” Pinkie asked innocently.

“Actually it’s the Librarian I am want to check out,” Flash said without missing a beat. A second he realized what he just said, “Um .. yeah...excuse me… I got to .. um..” Flash flustered as he slowly backed away. “Keep rockin’ it, ladies.” As Flash left he collided with the doorway with a thud. He recovered quickly and left.

All five couldn’t help themselves from not giggling a little at Flash’s stumble, “Well, someone is quite the smitten kitten.” Rarity pointed out.

“Now now girls, we really shouldn’t be so harsh on Flash,” Fluttershy scolded.

Rainbow played a cord on her guitar, “What do you say we do ‘Awesome As I Wanna Be’?”

“Um, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy began to ask a little timidly, “I was wondering if we could maybe play the song I wrote?” She gave a pleading wide-eyed smile.

“We'll get to one of them sooner or later,” Rainbow said as she returned her guitar.

Fluttershy dipped her head with a sigh. Applejack saw that and placed her hand on Fluttershy’s, “Rainbow is thinking of the songs of the first and second act, right now, but your songs are great to close things out.” That brought a pseudo-smile to Fluttershy’s face. At that moment, Rainbow Dash then played a chord as she prepared to start ‘Awesome As I Wanna Be’.

Elsewhere in the castle, in a room full of shelves and books, and a handful of bookshelf ladders, there was another young woman. She had dark sapphire hair with two streaks, one was rose and the other was violet, with violet eyes, and metallic wings purple and gold in color which seemed to float behind her and yet also come from her back with two amethyst six-pointed stars functioning for the wings like her arm's shoulder balls. She wore a headband with a horn-like amethyst focusing gem on her forehead, with a dull blue robe with large golden cuffs, pink pants and brown boots that went up above her ankle. Around her neck was a triangle-like amulet that was colored like a rainbow of orange, yellow, cyan, alabaster, pink and purple. This was Princess Twilight Sparkle, Twilight for short and she was flying around the library organizing the books. “Okay, that’s the last of yesterday’s shipment of restocking Magiville’s Golden Oak Library.” She said to herself as she flew down to the floor and went to the door to the library from outside. “And the last shipment should arrive in…” She heard a knock at that door. “They're early.” She commented as she opened the door.

At the door was a familiar golden-haired woman with atypically orientated eyes dressed in the Mystican mail service uniform, behind her was a large mobile storage unit, “Delivery from Princess Celestia for Princess Twilight.”

Twilight flew past her and opened it. She couldn’t help but awe and gleeful laugh at the sight of the books therein. “Thank you Brighteyes,” She signed for the delivery and began to levitate the books out of the storage unit and into the library. Once the last book was in the library she saw the mirror that she and her friends used to travel to Midnight Castle. “Why is this…” Twilight started to ask. Brighteyes just closed her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. Twilight elected to just levitate it into the library and deal with it after the books were sorted. Brighteyes then blew a bubble that encased the portable storage unit, flew up to it picked it up and flew in the direction of Chantalot. Twilight could only shake her head before she shut the door and began levitating the books to their places.

As books floated to where Twilight was sorting them, Flash came into the library from the Castle itself, “Excusing me, I know the library is still closed, but I was hoping to check out a book.” He said. All the while Twilight was more focused on the books.

“Depends on the book,” Twilight answered still focused on the books

Flash smiled to himself as he used his wings to fly up in the air behind Twilight, “Well, I don’t recall the title, but I recall what’s it’s about. In it is a girl who became the apprentice to a sun goddess, saved her moon goddess sister from a demon of darkness, turned a chaos beast to stone, saved her brother’s wedding to a fertility goddess, saved a city of gems from a shadow demon, became a goddess in her own right, saved another soul from a fire demon’s possession, restored everything by giving a crystal to a tree and sent a magic-drain monster to the abyss.”

Twilight stopped as she was trying to figure if such a book existed, “I am not sure if we have a book like that.” She turned to where the fiction section of the new library was. “Do you mind waiting a few minutes.”

Flash then floated to directly behind Twilight and whispered into her ear, “As you wish, your Highness.” Twilight’s wings froze as her levitation spell on the books ended. She turned around to be greeted with a kiss on her lips. “Looks like I found what I was looking for,” Flash said after the kiss.

Twilight’s face went a deep red as she tried to look away, “Flash, stop it.” She asked as she tried to hid her blushing face. After a second Flash’s right hand held her chin as he looked into her eyes and batted bedroom eyes. He gave her another kiss on her check. Twilight couldn’t help but giggle a little. She then flew back a little and cleared her throat. “So what bring you by and what’s with the get-up?”

Flash looked at his clothes, “I am on leave for the week, and I thought I could ask you to a movie, maybe dinner.”

Twilight started to mutter as she tried to form an answer until she heard something, she flew to the ground and found a book that was glowing and vibrating. The front cover of the book had a sun that looked like a red and yellow yin-yang but there was no red dot in the yellow and not yellow dot in the red. “Huh?” Twilight asked as she opened it. She flipped through the books and found a lot of entries, not unlike her letters to Princess Celestia but these were from... “Sunset Shimmer?”

“Isn’t she in Stonlingrad? And why would Princess Cele…” Flash started as he looked over Twilight’s shoulder to see the book.

“TWILIGHT! YOU GOT A LETTER FROM…” came a voice that sounded much like a twelve-year-old boy as a purple-scaled bipedal reptile with green spines along its back, about the size of a twelve-to-thirteen-year-old boy. He stopped when he saw the book in Twilight’s hands. “I see you got the book already.”

Twilight and Flash looked at the dragon, “Oh hi Spike.” Flash said as he waved to the dragon.

“Hey Flash,” Spike said as he walked up to and handed the letter to Twilight. “And you got the mirror too.”

Twilight took the letter and began to read it,

My dearest student,
Not long after the Summer Sun Celebration, I received a request to help Baroness Cinch with her search for Angus McSteer, the only minotaur that has thus far evaded justice. Given everything that you and your friends were doing and the Mystican Games, I elected to place Sunset Shimmer on parole to help the search. I have hoped that maybe you would be able to help her and maybe learn from and teach her, to that end I have sent you the journal I have communed with Sunset through in the past with and the mirror if you wish to see her face to face. I know this is hard for you as Sunset had wronged you, but perhaps you can reach out to her in a way I could not.
Sincerely,
Celestia

Twilight then went to the book and began to read it.

Dear Prin… Mom,
There has been limited headway in finding Angus McSteer. There have been no records of him entering any of the neighboring domains, in fact, there have been no signs of him. There has been some headway in the little school, more of a training camp, for the recently discovered inherent powers among the subjects of Midnight Castle. Still have a lot of work there to do, but they are surprising swift learners. More recently three women have appeared from pretty much nowhere. They are half-sisters and go by the names Adagio Dazzle, who is a Magicborn, Aria Blaze, an Earthborn, and Sonata Dusk, a Skyborn. They are each have a strange ruby around their necks and they each are very skilled singers. However, their singing seemed to cause a green mist to form around all those listening, who are in turn start to become combatant. That mist is then absorbed into the rubies and the conflict is still there. Sugarcoat had suggested that we reach out for help, namely Twilight and her friends. If you would be so kind to pass this message along …
I love you… Mom
Sunse… your sunshine

Twilight then looked in the direction of the mirror then back to the book, then to the letter and repeated this thrice more. She then sighed, “And I haven’t finished organizing the library.” She looked at the ground and gave a sigh of stress.

Flash picked up one of the books that Twilight hadn’t put where she planned it to go yet, “Well the girls are in what I assume is the music room, I think they could take a break from their practice and there’s not that many books, the sev…” He then saw Spike, “Eight of us can get it done in less than an hour.” Flash then saw two books that were set aside from all the books. Both looked like they narrowly surprised an explosion. He was about to ask, but elected not ask, “I’ll get the girls.” he said and flew to get the others in the castle.

About an hour and a half later, and all the books that have been sent to the library organized, Twilight et al had looked at both the letter Princess Celestia sent and the entry in journal that was written by Sunset Shimmer, “Huh, three sisters that could sing and are each of one of the three races.” Applejack said before she went over to the bookshelves. As she looked at the shelves, “Hey Twilight, do have a copy of “My Rise”: King Bullion’s autobiography?”

“Why do you ask? It’s not like Earthborn families don't have Skyborn and Magicborn children, or that Earthborn cannot be great musicians in their own right?” Rarity asked as she joined Applejack as the paladin began to look for the book in question.

“Yeah.” Pinkie said as she seemed to just manifest setting on the shelf above Applejack about two arms lengths from Applejack, in her hand was the book Applejack asked for, “Pumpkin is a Magicborn and Pound is a Skyborn.”

“True but what are the odds?” Applejack said and asked as she accepted the book and began looking through it.

“Okay that might explain why you are skeptical of them being related, but King Bullion’s autobiography is an oddly specific book,” Twilight commented as she Fluttershy, and the rest joined Rarity on the ground.

“Eureka. Here it is, in what the editor called Chapter 3, but Bullion called “On My Muses” Applejack cleared her throat. Before she read aloud, “And thus concludes my apprenticeship under Star Swirl the Great… fool. Does he expect the understanding of magic to remain at what he himself can accomplish? I am by no means a humble man, but that old blowhard is looking for a serving of humble pie.”

“There is no way Bullion, would ever use that term, let me read.” Rarity said as she held her hand out for the book. As she shimmed through what was written, “(mutter, mutter) ‘A serving of humble pie..’” Rarity paused and looked up, “well I’ll be.”

“Can we get to the good stuff?” Rainbow Dash complained earning herself glares from everyone else.

Rarity began looking through the text again, “And there I heard their voices, and I was drawn to them, but a moth to a flame. Had I been on a boat I would have drawn trying to swim towards them, had another man been there my sword would have become drunk with his blood. Such voices… could not be of mortal origins. But before I saw them, I stopped. To my grave, I doubt I will understand why, but I didn’t just want to lay with them, no I was going to conquer them as I would conquer the three tribes.” Rarity kept reading from the book.

“Give me that!” Rainbow complained as she took the book, “Blah, blah enter the cave, blah blah meet three women wearing rubies blah blah one was an Earthborn with had moderate mulberry eyes with moderate purple hair with light brilliant aquamarine streaks, a Skyborn with moderate raspberry eyes, with light arctic blue hair with moderate persian blue stripes and a Magicborn with had raspberry colored eyes, with orange hair with yellow streaks. The Magicborn had focus gem that was in line with her womb and part of piercing that started at her navel...blah...bla…Sweet Celestia’s Tea Party!” Rainbow exclaimed as she slammed the book shut, “We can’t let Scootaloo read that. Not for a few years.”

Twilight took the book from Rainbow and opened it again and began reading it again in silence. As she finished reading she shut the book. “We need to get to Midnight Castle.” Twilight then flew over to the mirror. “Spike I need you to stay behind,” Twilight said as flew to the book that Celestia sent her with Sunset’s Aura Mark. With the book in her hand, she flew over to Spike to hand it to him. “I will write in the journal that Sunset has to let you know we’re ready to come back.” She flew back to the mirror and began to move the stars that could be moved, “Just align all the stars and the swirls along the sides.” At that point, all the stars were aligned properly, The stars on mirror’s left side and the swirls on the mirror’s right side are the ones that move.” Twilight said as she began moving the swirls. “Girls, go get your stuff, including your instruments.”

“You’re going to explain the plan to us, Sunset and the Shadowbolts on the other side, so you only have to say it once.” Applejack deadpanned as Pinkie Pie skipped to get the instruments everyone used.

“I’ll be right back, with some more outfits.” Rarity was heading out the public exit.

“Don’t go overboard with the number of outfits.” Applejack shouted.

“Huh, you can never have too many costumes.” Rarity dismissed and headed out. Applejack could only groan in response.

“Just be back here in two hours!” Twilight shouted to Rarity.

“Of course, Darling. Fluttershy, Dashie, would you help me?” The two groaned as they joined Rarity.

As everyone else was gone, “Hey Twilight, I know this might be overstepping things, but do you mind if I come along. There are a few of my buds at the support barracks there, and maybe I can get them to help.” Flash gave a weak smile as he rubbed the back of his head.

Twilight turned to face Flash and seemed to think for a second, “Actually that might help out.” She hugged Flash, “Thank you.”

“You’re not going to share the plan with me until we’re on the other side, aren’t you,” Flash concluded after the hugged ended. Twilight nodded. “Of course."

Two hours later, with everyone ready to go. Twilight finished aligning the last swirl, “See you soon Spike.” Twilight said as the portal opened and Twilight et al entered, once the last of the group went through, (Flash who was dragging everything Rarity deemed necessary), the portal closed and the mirror returned to normal with the stars and swirls no longer aligning.

Spike shrugged his shoulders and took a quill and parchment, “Well time to call the guys.” Spike became to write on the scroll.

Author's Note:

Um... don't expect as frequent updates as the other storyline... I hope you understand my changes thus far.

Song used 'Better Than Ever' from Rainbow Rocks... of course