Trials of Sarah: A New Mark

by Zipp Storm

Chapter 2: Traditional Princess Sleep Over

Author's Note:

Author's Note: This chapter will combine the events from the episodes Traditionally Unicorn Sleep Over and Have You Seen This Dragon?

Today, Sarah was inside of the Crystal Brighthouse with some ancient books from the Castle of Friendship for any other clues as to Opaline's powers and abilities other than what Discord explained while simultaneously feeding Snowdrop, Tempest and Glimmer applesauce.

Luckily, she found a horn written book by Twilight and Celestia about Opaline’s powers as a Fire Alicorn.

"You trying to dig up some dirt on Opaline?" Spike questioned.

"Yeah.....can't help but wonder......what she'll do now. Especially since Hitch, the girls and I know about her presence now and I have this feeling she knows about your return except Twilight and the girls.” Sarah pondered.

"I'm sure no matter how dangerous she's become with or without her full power, you ponies will be fine. Besides you've got an army of your own if she rears her head in public." Spike reassured.

"True true." Sarah nodded.

Snowdrop, Tempest and Glimmer Glow cooed happily at her Alicorn mother and reached up to her wanting to be hugged. Sarah obliged and took them in her hooves. "But still can't help but worry."

"Twilight and her friends have faced enemies just as dangerous as Queen Opaline and have always succeeded I have no doubt you and your friends will be the same way." Discord smiled as he came floating in.

"Yeah....thanks Discord and Spike." Sarah grinned. "Might as well go and get some fresh air to help clear my head."

Leaving Snowdrop, Tempest and Glimmer in Discord, the adult Student Six and her familys' care, Sarah, her mentors, Zeraora and Zoura went out to Maretime Bay where they ran into Izzy whom apparently met another unicorn who was new in town called Misty (to their shock) and invited her to a traditional Unicorn Sleep over at the Crystal Brighthouse tonight. Sarah and everyone else recalled what Edge told them about Misty and her ‘relationship’ with Opaline and knew this could be a chance to tell her the truth about her.

---

At the Dark Castle, Opaline and Misty were discussing and Opaline was very intrigued about Misty being invited to the Brighthouse and her friendship with Izzy which she can use to her advantage. "So I get to go to the party?"

"Oh Misty, you're gonna part it up alright." Opaline nodded while smirking. You're gonna part all night until you steal Sunny's precious magical lantern, that baby dragon and those fillies.”

"I'm not so sure that's how parties work. I've never been to one," Misty indicated earning an angry look from Opaline. "B-But you're the expert!"

"Get in that lighthouse and-"

"Brighthouse."

"Whatever! Get there and find. That. Lantern and creatures!" Opaline demanded.

---

At the Brighthouse, Izzy told the others about the new unicorn she met and they were all curious about meeting her. "Did you say Sparky was growling at her?" Zipp asked surprised Sparky actually growled at somepony since he never did that before ever.

"Ahh you know. Sparky growls at everypony and every twig, bug and critter!" Izzy cooed at the baby dragon. "He's just a curious baby dragon. It's what he does!"

"I'm not so sure.....dragons are intelligence. They have affection for their friends, fury for their enemies." Sarah frowned thinking Sparky's growling at Misty was a foreshadow or warning. "And given he growled at Misty, he see her as the enemy and doesn't trust her."

"She's right. You saw how all her dragons reacted to us compared to her Uncle." Zipp pointed out.

"Very true..." Sunny nodded.

"You should put that Disillusionment Charm over Twilight and the others for tonight, until you tell her the truth, including us." Sandbar suggested.

"So....will we tell her the whole truth tonight?" Smolder quizzed.

Sarah sighed, "It might not be something she's ready to hear but she has to know the truth."

---

(The scene opens up with Sunny and Sarah roller skating out of the Brighthouse and Castle of Friendship together with Edge Blade, Tempest Sparkle, Glimmer Glow and Snowdrop Winterfell flying beside them on her back and Spike and Discord on the side before Sunny changed into an Alicorn and their cutie marks appeared behind them)

Hey!

You gotta let it glow

Hey!

You gotta let it shine

(Switching to the Mighty Ones, Zipp and Pipp, the sisters were flying above the clouds together with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy before Zipp flew in front of Zephyr Heights as her cutie mark appeared behind her while Celestia, Luna, Cadence and Pipp appeared in the Mane Melody stage with Jazz Hooves and Rocky signing as Pipp's cutie mark appeared behind her.)

Oh, let's make our mark together

Just riding on forever

Just keeps on getting better, better, better

(Izzy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie is seen next uni-cycling before she happily leaps up and shows Izzy's cutie mark in the background. Applejack, Hitch and Sparky come out of the Police Station together with Hitch's animal friends as he poses and Sparky flies off his back as Hitch's cutie mark is shown)

Everypony, everywhere

You can feel it in the air

Find your spark and just glow and shine

(Opaline's Dark Castle is shown next with the evil Alicorn and Misty in front of what appears to be a magical pool of water as Opaline smirks evilly before the final scene features Edge Blade, the Filly Trio, the Mane Five, the Mighty Ones, their Pokemon all together with Sarah, her family, the Guardians of Harmony, Celestia, Luna, Cadence, adult Six, Discord, Queen Novo, Princess Skystar, Throax, Pharynx, Prince Rutherford and Grandpa Gruff, walking and flying to the beat as Sunny's lantern is shown with Prisbeam Power inside of it before the title appears with the Guardians of Harmony, Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Mane Five, Mighty Ones and Sarah all together as Sunny changes into her Alicorn form)

Make a mark that you can share

Hoof to heart, you know we care

Oh ponies, come on, let's all unite

Trials of Sarah: Mark Your Mark

---

After a while, the rest decide to help out with the decorations and it did take too long for them to realize things went overboard as Izzy hummed loudly

"Roll out the yarn balls!" the-happy-go lucky unicorn said cheerfully, while Sunny, Pipp and Sunset looked at the exaggerated amount of yarn balls on the dinner table.

“Where does she get this amount anyway?” Twilight asked the others in surprise, with no answer as the others are clueless themselves.

---

Then outside the Brighthouse, Zipp and Hawlucha were lifting some tea cups with lights on the ceiling.

"Woop! Woop! String up the tea lights!" Izzy said, as Zipp did such the thing with a smile, but a bird stood on the string and Zipp frowned at it.

---

Later, all of them (including Spike, Edge Blade and the Filly Three, Discord and the Adult Student Six and the Mane Six's pokemon) were inside the Brighthouse, "Hang lots of colorful scarves for... Ambiance!" Izzy said, as everyone around the Brighthouse placed scarves of different colors in places like the lamps and the stairs as the others smiled at this.

“Gotta say, Izzy. You really know how to set things up for the occasion.” Sarah said with a smile, really admiring Izzy’s decoration skills.

“Heh, I try.” Izzy said with a smile, and then she heard the doorbell ring, and Izzy gasped and turned to it excited. "Sweet sauce, horseshoe toss! She's here! Yay!" She cheered, walking excited to the door.

Izzy opened the door and found Misty, holding her own pillow with a sheepish smile. "Welcome to the Brighthouse, Misty..." Izzy tried to say, but she realized Misty never told her her last name. "Misty, uh... Uh, what's your last name?" She whispered.

"Ah, uh..." Misty tried to come up with something since she didn't have an actual last name. She looked at the Brighthouse quickly and talked before thinking. "Bright-house!" she replied, but the rest looked at her confused, especially Zipp who raised an eyebrow at that.

"Bright, uh..." Misty started to look around again, then she looked at the image of dawn behind the Brighthouse on one of the doors stained glasses and smiled.

"Bright... dawn. Brightdawn!" She said, smiling sheepishly again.

"Welcome, Misty Brightdawn, to the best unicorn sleepover of your unicorn life!" Izzy said, as Misty entered the Brighthouse and looked in awe at the decorations.

"So nice to finally meet you, Misty!" Sunny said with a smile. “Izzy’s told us--” She tried to add but was cut off.

"Told you? Told you what?" Misty asked defensively as she walked aside nervously.

Sarah, Twilight and Edge Blade raised an eyebrow at Misty’s behavior, knowing it had to do with her isolation and manipulation from Opaline for all her life. Sarah placed the Disillusionment Charm over the Adult Student Six, Spike, Discord, Mane Six and Princesses of Old as planned so they could watch how things played out.

"When did you say you got into Maretime Bay?" Zipp asked suspiciously to Misty, who turned to her in surprise.

"Oh I didn't––" Misty tried to reply, but Zipp bombed her with questions.

"In town just for a visit or staying permanently?" Zipp asked, which made Misty feel uncomfortable.

Izzy then came between the two ponies as she gave Zipp a smile. “Zipp, Zipp, Zipp, Zipp.” She said as she placed a hoof on Zipp’s back. “Buddy, you’re hoofing it up the wrong hill here! You don't need to 'detective' her. Misty's our friend." She

Zipp kept looking at Misty suspiciously. "Ooh! We're already way behind schedule." She said, going closer to the others. "Come on, 'unicorns'!" Izzy said, as she, Sunny and Pipp ran away giggling excitedly, while Misty gulped nervously and Zipp and the others followed behind

“So when should we break the truth to her?” Zipp asked the gang.

"Not quite yet, Young Zipp." Celestia replied. "Izzy did put a lot of work into this sleepover. We'll tell her when the time is right.”

“Okay." the Pegasus Princess nodded.

---

At the kitchen's table, the girls (sans Edge Blade whom was feeing the Filly Three) were decorating fake unicorn horns with some of Izzy's crafting stuff, while Izzy was decorating her actual horn with some little pearls.

Sarah created a small golden horn ring for herself. After finishing with her hornring , she made a little reverence to show it to the others, who exclaimed in awe at Izzy's decorated horn.

Pipp tried to put some glitter on the fake horn that she had on her mane, but the glitter bottle's lid fell, and the glitter fell in Pipp's chin, giving her a Glitter beard, which caused everyone - herself included - to laugh at it.

“You got yourself a glitter beard again, Pipp.” Sunny said through her laughs, which earned louder laughs from the rest of the girls, including Pipp of having a glitter beard before from her failed products she was making.

“Oh my glitter.” Pipp said with a smile, but seeing this as an upgrade compared to her last glitter beard since this one is a little small.

---

Later on, Izzy built up a pillow fortress with pillows from the couches and the bedroom, putting a red flag at the top to finish it, "Ta-dah!" Izzy said cheerfully, showing the tower to the others, who are awed at the pillow fort Izzy made.

Misty put her pillow on the fortress, but it tilted before falling up completely. While the rest immediately moved aside, Izzy fell on one of the pillows, and the rest just laughed again at the scene.

---

Later, after Edge Blade put the Filly Three down for their nap upstairs, the group sat around the dinner table, with a board game on it that Izzy brought, "So, how does this game work?" Sunny asked her.

"The rules of 'Dare the Mare' go..." Izzy started, then she took a deep breath and explained the rules quickly. "If a player spins the wheel and lands on an odd number then they dare the mare to do something fun, but if they land on an even number they dare the mare to do something funny and if their fun is too funny or funky too fun they go back and do it all over again!"

Sarah and Zipp looked at each other confused, Misty smiled nervously, Sunset had no idea of what she just heard since Izzy can really make up words as she goes.

“That’s a mouthful, Izzy.” Sarah commented on Izzy from saying those words without taking a breath.

Pipp, however, smiled nervously. "But that makes total sense."

Izzy took a deep breath again and threw the board game away, almost hitting Sunny, Sarah, Edge Blade and Zipp if it wasn't because they dodged it.

"Whoops. Explaining the rules took too long!" Izzy said cheerfully. “We've got to move on, party ponies!" She said, moving on to the next activity.

---

Now they were in the living room, with Sunny and Izzy sitting in front of each other on some pillows while Izzy held Sunny's hooves together and the others just looked.

"The art of hoof-reading has been in the Moonbow family for generations! It all started with Great-Great-Auntie Buttons." Izzy said with pride, while Misty looked around, and after checking no one was looking at her, she started to search for Sunny's lantern as quickly as she could. But once she got back to her initial position, Edge Blade did looked at her with suspicion in her eyes while Misty smiled nervously and looked back at Sunny and Izzy.

"Ooh! So interesting!" Misty said, while the rest, sans Edge Blade, Sarah, Spike, Discord, the Guardians of Harmony, Princesses of Old and Adult Student Six, looked on with a smile.

---

Back at the dinner table, there were 5 tea cups and a kettle in the middle of the table.

"Tea time!" Izzy announced, as she gave a cup to each one of her friends. However, when she gave her cup to Misty, she drank some of it, and Izzy looked on with a smile and a raised eyebrow. "Uh... Misty?"

Misty stopped slurping. "Those tea leaves were for reading, not for drinking. Remember?" She said, while Misty put the drink back to the cup with a sheepish smile.

---

Later, there were some bowls with ponycorn and cups for each one of the mares, "Ponycorn station!" Pipp sang excitedly at the ponycorns.

"Yum! Oh, thanks Izzy!" Sunny said with a smile.

“Great snacks!” Sarah added with a smile as well.

"Yeah!" Zipp added with a smirk.

Misty, however, grabbed one of the ponycorns and looked at it suspiciously. She then ate it, and if her eyes could turn into literal stars, they definitely would have right now. "This is the best things I've ever eaten in my entire life!" she exclaimed with joy.

While the mares just looked at her with smiles, except for said group as Pipp ate one of the ponycorns slowly.

Misty saw their reaction and realized what she said as quickly spoke again with a sheepish smile. “That I say every time I eat it ‘cause I eat it all the time. Or did when I lived in Bridlewood all the time.” She said quickly as she grabbed more ponycorns and tossed them into her mouth, trying to not draw suspicion since she hasn't lived in Bridlewood all her life so she doesn’t know the custom as she giggled nervously.

Edge Blade looked at Applejack, Sarah and Twilight thinking the same thing about Misty's obvious lying.

---

Then, the mares sat down on the living room couches to watch a movie. You know, the usual sleepover thing. With Zipp, Sarah, Edge Blade and Pipp sat together on the couch with Pipp having a bowl of ponycorn on her hooves and Sunny and Misty sitting on a couple of chairs while Izzy sat on the floor and held the TV mote.

The others were on different pillows around the area.

"'Trotting Hill', a unicorn sleepover classic!" Izzy said cheerfully, then looked at the hour on her phone. "But we only have three minutes to move through, let's go!" she added, throwing her phone away and speeding up the movie.

"Don't you see, Salty?" A unicorn mare said in the movie.

"I'm just a unicorn standing in front of another unicorn, asking him to share with her!" Izzy repeated the line. "So romantic!" She said, once again speeding up the movie.

"Izzy, speeding through the movie takes away the fun you know." Sarah informed the happy unicorn.

"Say Izzy, you think we can slow down a bit?" Sunny asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I've barely made a dent in my chocolate ponycorn!" Pipp pointed out, now holding the bowl of ponycorn they had before.

Misty smiled at the ponycorn widely as she spoke. “I’ll help you finish it!” She called out excitedly, really loving the ponycorns and wanting some more.

Izzy gasped at what she heard from her friends. “Slow down?" She asked, and got up so suddenly that her tail hit Misty and made her feel in the ground, while Pipp looked confused at Izzy whom was now facing all of her friends. "If anything, we need to speed up! If we don't do everything, it's jinxie!"

"You've got to be kidding me." Rainbow Dash frowned. Unicorns were never this superstitious in Ancient Equestria ever and they definitely never saw not speeding through movies to the best parts as bad luck.

"What's next, Izzy?" Sunny asked her, as Izzy had the list open for her, Sunny and Pipp to read it.

"'Ask an Amethyst'?" Pipp read a bid confused. "What's that?" She asked Izzy.

"You mean having conversations with your crystals is just a unicorn thing?" Izzy questioned with a smile.

“Back in my day during ancient Equestria, unicorns didn't do that." Twilight pointed out.

Must be a new thing generations later. Besides, Rarity is a gem kinda unicorn, but she doesn’t talk to them.” Sunset pointed out since this never happened back in the old days and added Rarity who loved collecting gems, but never talked to them, which made Misty surprised to hear that from Sunset from hearing part of ancient Equestria and about Rarity and that Sunset knows of it.

“Whoa.” Izzy said in awed as she then turned to see Misty, who was eating from the ponycorn bowl. "Can you believe that, Misty?" She asked her about the thing with the crystals.

"Uh, totally. It's, um... What you said." Misty replied nervously, since she was too busy with the ponycorn that didn't pay attention to Izzy. "So where are the little baby Alicorns? Shouldn't they be here too?"

"They’re.....upstairs napping." Sarah replied slowly.

"Are they magical like your-our cutie marks?" Misty inquired.

"They're definitely something alright, but we're not sure what exactly so far they-" Sunny began before Sarah cut her off.

"Hasn't developed any magic yet cause they are still babies." Sarah finished for Sunny, not wanting to expose her daughters' power to Misty just yet.

"Hmm..." Misty nodded.

"So, uh, Where's that little dragon from earlier?" She asked curiously. "Shouldn't he be enjoying the party as well?" She added.

"Oh, Sparky? Hitch is limiting the overnight dragon-sitting until he gets the hang of his dragon fire" Pipp explained.

"'Dragon fire', is that magical? Like your Cut–– our Cutie Marks?" Misty asked, while quickly making sure not to blow her cover.

"It's definitely something." Sunny said with a smile. “We’re not sure what yet.” She added.

"It can transform all sorts of stuff, though!" Pipp said cheerfully. "Even Cutie Marks." She added. “Just ask Sunny about the little Hitch Switch!" She said with a giggle.

Izzy, Pipp, Zipp and Sunset turned to Sunny with smirks on their faces. “Oh!" Sunny said, as she looked away from her friends with a blush and a nervous chuckle, never gonna forget that time anytime soon.

“Though it did make the two ponies understand each other.” Sarah commented with a smirk.

Misty then placed a hoof on her chin, having thoughts on the dragon fire that may be useful for Opaline.

---

Later on, the group gathered in the living room holding some crystals while Izzy cleared her throat, "And now, for my favorite part–– Well, next to my favorite part and my other other favorite..."

Izzy took a deep breath and continued. "It's the sleepover sing-along!" She announced, then took another deep breath and somehow blew a note from the crystal. "We sing this all the time back in Bridlewood, even foals know it!" She pointed out with a smile.

"Well then, why don't you and Misty do it as a duet?" Zipp suggested with a very bad acted cheery tone. "Teach us together."

“But leave me out of it. I have no idea what this sleepover sing-along is.” Sarah said, reminding them that she doesn’t know these things yet.

Izzy gasped and then looked at Misty. "Brilliant idea!" she stated, then she grabbed Misty and dragged her along to the front of the rest. "We'll jump into the chorus together, then you take the verse." she instructed Misty.

Izzy started to sing, while Misty followed barely since she didn't know the song at all. While the rest were more focused about the crystals that started to float behind Izzy and Misty, Zipp looked at the last unicorn suspiciously.

Once Izzy stopped, Misty tried to follow up, however, she had to make up most of it since, again, she didn't grow up in Bridlewood. After she finished, Izzy looked down in disappointment, and she put the crystals back down.

"Oh... I guess we just learned different versions. That's okay..." Izzy said with a sad tone, walking away, while Zipp once again looked at Misty with suspicion, but seeing Izzy like that makes her feel sorry for the unicorn. Isolated for all of her life by a power-hungry and deceitful Alicorn, it wasn't her fault.

"I'm sorry we don't know a ton of unicorn stuff, Izzy." Sunny told her, approaching the mare. "But we're happy to learn!"

"And we're happy to do all the other things you had planned!" Pipp assured with a smile.

"It may just take us a while." Zipp added.

"Ah, thanks guys." Izzy said with a little smile. "Maybe we can continue the list and... I'll just sing the song by myself later." She added, feeling sad again, while Misty looked sheepishly and quietly walked away.

“No, no, no, no.” Pipp called out as the girls, sin Misty, came close to Izzy. “Of course not. I’ll sing it with you!”

“Or maybe we can play another game together?” Sunny suggested.

“Or maybe watch a full movie together?” Sarah added.

“Oh!” Pipp called out. “What about that Unicorn tradition you mentioned where we all balance yarn balls on our heads and coin to the highest number we can think of?” She suggested while Misty looked at the second floor and went upstairs, without anypony noticing.

---

Misty arrived at the bedrooms, and started to look around for Sunny's lantern on her section of the room, but she can’t seem to find the lantern.

“Where is that lantern?” Misty asked herself as she checked Sunny’s bed and found nothing, not realizing that the lantern was next to the otherside of Sunny’s bed, with Sunny’s saddle bag over it to keep it out of sight.

Misty then found the compact mirror she gave to Sunny on her birthday to spy on her and her friends. "Ooh! I can use this." She said with joy, then she grabbed the mirror and opened it. "Opaline? Opaline!" She called out, and after waiting for a few seconds, nothing happened. "Oh right. This thing doesn't work inside the Brighthouse." She said, remembering that the Unity Crystals had a spell that protected the Brighthouse from letting any spell or negative energy out.

Misty looked around for a window, then she arrived at Zipp's side of the room and opened the window, then poked her head out with the mirror on her hooves. "Opaline, I'm in!" She announced, as Opaline's face finally appeared in the mirror. "But no lantern. I did get some information about Sunset, but it will take too long to fill you in, so I’ll tell you later. What do I do next?"

"Ugh! Think, Misty!" Opaline scolded her. "There's got to be some way up to that glass room at the top. The lantern will be up there, with the Prisbeam!"

Misty looked up at the Brighthouse where the rainbow was shooting out and where the Unity Crystals are.

“Don’t come back without it! Then their power is ours.” She instructed lastly, then laughed maniacally, with Misty also delivered a very good maniac laugh, which impressed Opaline from this. “Oh, better, Misty. But it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t be a show-off.” She said as she ended the call.

Misty closed both the mirror and the window, then got back inside the Brighthouse and looked at the elevator. She got inside of it and looked at the button, then looked at her hoof and pressed the button, but the elevator did not move at all.

"Why isn't it working?" Misty asked herself with worry, as she got a few more tries. But then, an alarm rang and made Misty panic. "No! Shh! Shh, shh, shh! They'll find out––" She tried to shut the alarm off, but then a familiar figure showed up.

"Find what out?" Edge Blade asked looking at her with a little frown.

"That, uh, I can't figure out this key pad to go up to the washroom! So embarrassing." Misty said with a nervous smile.

“Misty, that’s just the elevator to the roof to the Brighthouse. ” Edge Blade pointed out to Misty, wondering why she is at the elevator, apparently trying to get up but couldn’t since the button also acts like a hoof scanner, preventing anypony who isn’t the Mane 6 or their friends from going up the Brighthouse while protecting the Unity Crystals from being taken.

"You were trying to find the washroom in the elevator?" Edge Blade questioned again.

“You do know there’s no other room except the roof of the Brighthouse, right?” Sunset asked Misty, since it’s not hard to tell that the Brighthouse doesn't have an extra room up top, it’s not that hard to miss.

"No, but I thought–– Well, I thought I'd go look at the view first!" Misty replied nervously. "It's a fun Bridlewood tradition, which is probably why you two didn't know about it."

"First Bridlewood tradition we totally get!" Edge Blade replied with a smile while Sunset nodded in agreement. "I love awesome views. Maybe we'll take you up there to look some other time!"

Misty smiled sheepishly. "But the washroom is down there." Edge Blade informed, pointing to the floor with her head. "It’s just the door to the right from the bedroom, Misty.”

Misty scratched her neck sheepishly and walked away nervously. "Thank you, mysterious alicorn. I'll be sure to take you both up on that."

Edge Blade just sighed sadly for the unicorn knowing when it came for her to know the truth, she'd be devastated.

---

Back at the living room, the mares gathered their respective sleeping bags. Sunny was in the middle of Zipp and Pipp, while Sarah was at Sunny's side and Izzy was in the middle of Zipp and Misty.

Twilight and the others were watching from the sidelines nearby.

"Well, that was fun, but I guess it's over now." Izzy said a bit sad, as she settled herself on her sleeping bag. "Good night, everypony." She added.

"I'm not that sleepy." Sunny confessed to Izzy with a smile, having a plan to cheer Izzy up.

“I’d be up all night and still have enough energy, so I'm not sleepy yet.” Sunset added, seeing Sunny’s plan while looking at Pipp, who is laying down on her sleeping bag, almost falling asleep. “Are you, Pipp?” She asked the young pegasus.

Then after hearing Sunset, Pipp suddenly stood up and looked around quickly. "Oh! No, no! I'm..." She yawned before continuing talking. "I'm really fired up for more fun actually." She said tiredly with a smile.

"Ah! Let's tell stories!" Sunny suggested with a smile.

That was enough to cheer Izzy up. "Sunny! How did you know we do that at a unicorn sleepover?!" She asked genuinely surprised.

“That’s one tradition we do here, too.” Sunny pointed out with a smile as she pulled out a flashlight and turned it on.

“It’s common in every sleepover, Izzy.” Sarah added with a smile.

"Woo!" Izzy cheered, as she sat down on her sleepover and the rest just looked at her with smiles.

"This is the true story of the Guardians of Harmony and the beginning of Equestria..." Sunny announced with a bright smile.

"Ah... I love this story" Pipp said with a smile, as she clapped her hooves to take the lights off as the mares listened to Sunny.

"This is the true story of the Guardians of Harmony and the beginning of Equestria. Once upon a time, there was a very special unicorn.." Sunny began with Discord whom was invisible creating the illusion of the story in the background.

"A bright Unicorn as bright as the sun! One day, she was summoned by the Princess for an assignment to learn about friendship. She moved to Ponyville and met Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi who became her best friends. Together they taught the power of Unity and how to live in harmony to everypony in Equestria. But then one day a magical accident happened. An Earth pony got hurt by a Unicorn named Opaline. Everypony started fighting with each other! The Princess and her allies, wanting to protect the kingdom and all of the ponies and creatures in it, in the final battle against the evil Unicorn now turned Alicorn, decided to put all magic into three crystal which we come to know today as the Unity Crystals before it got out of hoof. After that, the surviving Earth Ponies only felt safe with other Earth Ponies, Unicorns with Unicorns and Pegasi of a feather flock together. The ponies galloped trotted and flew as fast as they could with their crystals settling in what would become Zephyr Heights, Bridelwood and Maretime Bay while the survivors of the first war moved to the Peaks of Peril outside of Equestria by their allies. And that's where they lived forever.....until now."

"Wait! But that is not the true story at all!" Misty exclaimed.

"Yes it is. We pieced together the crystal part and the survivors ourselves. Literally." Sunny replied gesturing to Spike and Discord.

"Why? What have you heard Misty?" Sarah questioned intrigued as to what Opaline taught her.

You were right about magic being in Equestria at the beginning. But most of it came from another pony, who wasn't a pony at all. But an Alicorn Queen. Her magic was too powerful. They were jealous of her ability and wanted it all for themselves, so Twilight Sparkle stole all the magic from the Queen and his it away somehow. Then the Princess put an enchanted ivisi-bubble around Equestria so the powerful Alicorn Queen could never find the magic or the kingdom of ponies again! The Queen was left alone with only a shadow left of her strength and power. All while the others ponies created towns built with her stolen magic!" Misty told her tale which earned skeptical and suspicious looks from everyone.

"What?! That's the true version?!" Pipp exclaimed in total disbelief and not believe that at all. “Sorry Misty but that’s kinda ridiculous.”

"I agree." Spike frowned since the story portrayed his adoptive mother as a villain and he obviously knew the Alicorn Queen was Opaline.

Zipp clapped her hooves twice and turned the lights on, "Who told you that?" Zipp questioned also highly suspicious of the story.

"Oh----Nopony! Ah you know, I may have made some of it up!" Misty replied nervously.

"'True', 'Made up', what's the difference? That story was very creative, Misty. Especially the Alicorn Queen part, very creative and so epic." Izzy commented.

"Ahem..." Sarah coughed giving Izzy a knowing look since they did know whom the Alicorn Queen in the story actually was.

"Ooooh, we already know of the Alicorn Queen." Izzy said aloud.

"Y-You do!" Misty stammered a bit frightened.

"Yes.....its Opaline...or should we say....your adoptive mother, Misty." Sarah confirmed and Misty's eyes widened in fear.

"I-I don't know w-what y-you're talking about." Misty nervously laughed before Sarah dispelled the Charm and revealed Discord, Twilight and the others. “Eek!”

"Sorry sugarcube, but I can tell ya lyin'." Applejack quipped.

"T-Twilight Sparkle.....!" Misty gawked seeing the pony her 'mother' spoke of many times over.

"Hello Misty." Twilight Sparkle grinned. "I see you've been.....acquainted with Opaline."

Misty shrunk at the presence of the Legendary Alicorn but Fluttershy went over to her, "It's okay. We won't hurt you, Misty." Fluttershy cooed.

"B-But Opaline said you were jealous of her magical ability and wanted it all for yourself.." Misty stammered a bit.

"I'm afraid you've been horribly deceived young, Misty." Princess Luna replied. "For it was Opaline whom was the jealous one.....and what followed....was horrific."

"W-What do you mean?" Misty nervously asked.

Fluttershy gently turned to Discord, "Discord?"

Discord sighed but either way, he used his powers to show Misty what he'd showed everyone else a few months ago; from Opaline turning everypony against each other, to her killing a family of ponies, causing the extinction of the Ancient Equestria Dragon species up until she and Scarlet Nightmare killed Twilight and all the original Guardians before they were all banished again by Doug and Delilah.

When he was done, Misty was crying in utter shock and disbelief, "T-T-T-*sob*-That c-can't be..."

"I'm afraid it is Misty...." Cadence sadly frowned at her before she came over and gently hugged her in comfort as she sobbed into her ghostly shoulder.

"B-But she rescued me when I was a filly....she promised to give me a cutie mark." Misty sobbed.

"Nasty fire pony lie to nice unicorn pony." Yona frowned.

"As her way to manipulate you into doing crimes to benefit only her." Edge Blade replied.

Misty looked at Edge Blade and gasped a little, upon realizing whom she was now.

“Y-You must be Edge Blade…O-Opaline mentioned you a-a lot of time. Something about betraying her and stealing her other creations.”

”Pfft. We have a new family now thanks to Sunny and everyone else here. All Opaline cares about is power and manipulating others to get what she wants.” Edge Blade snarled.

"It what Opaline does." Gallus concurred.

"She tricks ponies." Smolder frowned.

"Innocents ponies." Ocellus added.

"Which is what she's been doing with you all along. Nopony can give you a cutie mark. You have to find it on your own." Twilight replied. "Find what makes you and you alone special and unique."

Misty sniffed as she separated from Cadence and wiped her tears. "B-But.....s-she told me she wants the baby dragon t-to gain her power back."

"Hmm.....well she won't be able to, thanks to the bracelets I made for the other rulers." Sarah huffed.

"You did?" Sunny blinked in surprise.

"I was going to give them to you after the Hisuian festival but I guess now's the right time," Sarah nodded before she revealed from her personal satchel several bracelets were golden and studded with amethysts, emeralds and rubies around them.

"The Bracelets of Stealth are for the other rulers. Once you put them on, you'd be hidden from Opaline and they'll be viewed as unimportant to Opaline keeping them safe from any scheming she'll do once their Kingdoms are restored." Sarah explained. "Once the Crystal Empire is restored I'll give the same bracelets to those subjects too."

"Wow..." Twilight breathed in awe.

"Edge Blade didn't want one for her and the fillies which I can understand."

"But how does she know if she's been in the Dark Castle this whole time?" Sandbar asked. "Besides her spying through Sunny's compact mirror."

"S-S-She has a pool where she p-projects all of Equestria through it." Misty sniffled. "I-It's how she knows about Sarah being the daughter of Doug and Delilah, Edge Blade and the fillies."

“Yeah. I saw that thing quite a few times sneaking back and forth.” Edge Blade snarled. “It allows her get a Birds Eye view over all of Equestria without ever leaving her Dark Castle. That’s probably how Misty knew about the fillies.”

"So she's been spying. That's predictable." Rainbow Dash growled.

"But Opaline knows about Sarah and her family being back which puts them in great peril along with Edge Blade and the Fillies if she attempts to steal their magic." Princess Luna recounted.

"Like'd like to see her try to face me again." Edge Blade smirked showing her sharp teeth.

"W-W-What do I do....?" Misty questioned torn at what she was meant to do. She was loyal to her adoptive mother out of fear and naivety but after seeing what she did in Ancient Equestria, she was torn between which path to take now.

"You won't do this alone Misty." Izzy finally spoke up to her unicorn friend. "We won't let Opaline use you anymore than she already has."

"B-But s-she's-"

"We know what she's capable of, but she doesn't know what we're all capable of together." Zipp replied. "We've got the survivors from Ancient Equestria, Sarah and her family, our Pokemon, Dragons, Edge, the fillies and the Magic of Friendship back. Together we'll defeat Opaline once and for all."

"S-So...w-what do I do now.....?" Misty asked as to what she was suppose to do in order to help defeat her adoptive mother.

"Here's what you can do." Fluttershy gently smiled at Misty before explaining their plan.

---

Later that night, Misty snuck some feet away and took Sunny's Magic Mirror (unaware of Discord - whom shrunk down to tiny size, listening in and recording).

Opening the window, Misty brought the mirror in front her and Opaline appeared on the glass, "What took you so long?! Did you find it?!" Opaline asked.

"I tried but this plan has been well, more difficult than we originally anticipated." Seeing her adoptive mothers angry look, Misty quickly continued, "But don't worry! I haven't found the lantern per se but I did learn new info about their new magic. They believe a completely different story about the origin of Equestria. Oh! And they tried to tell me about the little baby Alicorn but the odd white one stopped them for some reason. And we tasted ponycorn and did hoof reading together and-"

"Ponycorn? Hoof-reading?" Opaline replied displeased. "Did you actually have fun with these puny ponies?"

"No, No! Of course not! It was strategic hoof reading for gathering intel." Misty reassured nervously and quickly. "But have you seriously ever tasted ponycorn? Cause its the best!" Seeing her adoptive mothers confused look, Misty corrected herself, "I mean the best way to trick the ponies into thinking I'm one of their friends."

Spike, Edge Blade, Zipp and Sarah began to stir and peel and eye open, purposely eavesdropping on Misty, "We were getting to our top secret info that will take us to the next level, Opaline. Promise. But uh.....I think the ponies already know who you are."

“Hmph, they do huh? No doubt from that annoying Spirit of Chaos that somehow survived my creations attack. Along with my traitor of a first daughter whom slots my creations. No matter, once you bring me what I need, their power will instantly restore my own.” Opaline smirked evilly.

“Okay. I’ll try.” Misty nodded nervously.

---

In the morning, as a part of their plan, they allowed Misty to have just a small flame of Sparkys' fire and Snowdrops' magic and let her take it back to Opaline on purpose. Fluttershy would tail Misty to the Dark Castle (since Opaline couldn't see her) and act as a Confidential Informant or C.I along with Misty.

---

At Opaline’s Dark Castle, Misty entered the Thorne room where her mother was waiting, “Where are they?” she asked.

“I did everything I could to get Sparky-I mean your dragon and the others but this was all I could get.” Misty replied giving Opaline the jars of small dragonfire flame and magical aura.

“It’s been hundreds of moon since I last saw dragonfire. How beautiful…” Opaline smiled as she opens the jar and the dragonfire and magic aura was absorbed into her horn.

Misty quickly scurried near the tree as she watched Opaline's wings turn white with flame. “Yes! Power!” Opaline declared but she floated back down to the ground with only her horn still glowing with flames. “More! I need more! Then I can finally finish what I started with Twilight Sparkle, Doug and Delilah all those moons ago and gain control over all Magic! The way Alicorns were meant to. No more of this Unity and Equality stuff. The citizens of Equestrian should fear and love their immortal rulers and they will because soon I’ll give them a reason too.”

“And then you’ll give me a cutie mark?” Misty nervously asked.

”That…measly drop of dragonfire wasn’t enough! And you won’t be enough Misty until you GET THAT DRAGON AND PONIES!” Opaline yelled at Misty.

Opaline turned and used her magic to make an image of the Brighthouse appear. "I'm coming for you, little ponies. Especially you, Sunny Starscout, Edge Blade and Sarah Tomoe." She said with anger, while Misty walked to her room.

---

Once Misty made it to her room, which is nothing but a single throw pillow bed and a desk drawer with a window, she lay on her bed and sighed with sadness.

"For somepony made of fire, I've never met a heart so cold." Misty muttered, starting to sob at what Opaline just said to her.

Knock, Knock, Knock

Misty sniffed before she wiped her eyes and saw out the window was Fluttershy! Misty gasped before Fluttershy silently opened the window and floated inside.

Misty lowered her ears, close to tears again but Fluttershy walked over to her and hugged her, showing her compassion her so called adoptive mother never showed. "Nopony deserves to be treated with such cruelty. And you don't deserve her as a Mother after what she's done."

"I-I don't know what to do anymore...." Misty sobbed, completely lost as to what her future held now.

---

Back at Maretime Bay, the group was all watching over the town from the town bridge together, "Do you think Misty will really turn on Opaline?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"After what we all just showed her.....we just have to hope, she'll find the strength to finally not take orders from her anymore. She treats her with no respect and uses her as a pawn for her plans." Edge Blade frowned.

"Turning Misty against her may seem equally bad, but she needed to know what Opaline never told her, so she won't be exposed to her manipulation anymore." Twilight added.

"Their right..." Zipp nodded while Izzy lowered her ears slightly, scared for her friend and what Opaline may do to her or them if she gets the chance.

Sarah gently put a hoof on her shoulder, "We'll protect her Izzy....promise." Izzy gently smiled at Sarah.

"Well it’s official. Nothing can surprise me any more." Zipp said with a bored expression.

Suddenly, they all heard a very loud honk, which startled them all and caused Pipp to cover her ears. Then, they saw Pinkie Pie and Izzy arriving in an old tram car from Canterlogic Factory.

"Surprise!" Pinkie Pie and Izzy said in a cheery tone.

”PINKIE?! IZZY?!” Everyone gawked.

Pinkie and Izzy managed to stop the car before it could hit anyone, and then got down with a smile, while the rest stared at it confused.

"Ah... What is that?" Sunny asked with a sheepish smile.

"Our brand-new old, broken down, good-for-nothing, retired tram car!" Izzy presented cheerfully. "Great find, huh?!" Izzy lay on the cart which causes a wheel to come off and earned worried looks from her friends.

"Trust, I got something super-cool up our manes. It's gonna be tram-a-licious. Tram-a-blamo. Tramtastic!" Pinkie Pie added, while the rest just laughed at her attitude.

“Well, Pinkie and Izzy, whatever you two got plans for this tram car, I know it will be amazing.” Sarah answered with a smile. "Like the Motorhome and Carriage."

“Trust me, it will!” Pinkie cheered.

"Hey, and next time we're searching for something, you guys can get around in that." Zipp pointed out with a smile, referring to Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Sunny, Izzy, Hitch, Spike, Sandbar, Yona, Sparky since she, Pipp, Edge, Tempest Sparkle, Snowdrop, Glimmer, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Twilight, Sarah, Celestia, Luna, Ocellus, Gallus, Smolder, Silverstream and Gallus could fly.

Sunny could too but only when she’s in Alicorn form.

"That's just what I was thinking!" Pinkie said cheerfully. "Friends that stick together, can never be separated!"

Then, she and the rest of the group, sans Misty and Fluttershy, started to walk back to the Brighthouse laughing.

But then, Hitch panicked when Sparky disappeared again. "Sparky!" He called out in worry. "Sparky?"

Hitch turned to the tram car, Sparky poked his head from the inside of the tram car, wearing a driver hat as he made gibberish sounds and got out of it to run back with Hitch.

Hitch laughed a bit as he grabbed Sparky in his hoof. “Aw…” he sighed in relief as he walked away with the rest of his friends, ready to end their day back at the Brighthouse.