What Didn't Happen

by Zeg

Perfect Timing

What Didn't Happen

by Zeg

Chapter XX – Perfect Timing

Celestia leaned forward to steal a glance around the corner, quickly leaning back after doing so. She had led the five Element bearers up the spire from the inside while Twilight’s group had taken a separate hidden path to the top. They had managed to swiftly scale most of the spire up to this point, but now she hesitated.

“Something wrong?” Rainbow asked in a quiet voice as she moved up beside Celestia.

Celestia held out a forehoof, lightly touching it against Rainbow’s chest to keep her back. “It’s just odd. This hall shouldn’t have been empty,” she said just before peering around the corner again. From end to end, the hallway was completely deserted. She finally stepped out into the hall, waving to the rest to follow her. “Come on, let's hurry. We’re almost to the throne room,” she said as she took off at a brisk trot toward the spiral staircase at the end of the hall. They were less than a couple minute from their destination now. All that was left was to climb this one last staircase and they would be at the spire’s upper throne room.

Celestia stopped dead in her tracks the very moment she heard a drawn out chuckle echoing from the end of the hallway. Her wings flared open as she lowered her head, taking a defensive stance in front of her group. “Well, look at this,” Discord said as he slowly descended from the spiral staircase, his talons grating on the crystal banister to create an uncomfortable, high pitched nails-on-chalkboard sound. The hackles stood up on Celestia’s neck and back as she watched him slowly reach the floor and then deliberately make his way toward her.

“Stay behind me,” Celestia said in a hushed voice as she watched him approach, causing the rest of the group to huddle in closer just behind her wings. She knew it was no use running if he were intent on attacking them. She also knew it was a lost cause to reason with him. However, she had promised to protect Twilight’s friends, and so she stood her ground as Discord approached since it was the only thing she could do.

He stopped there just before her, leaning in close to her as he absently twisted the end of his goatee in his talons. He then reached out and traced the tip of one of his talons just under her chin, causing her to clamp her teeth tightly together as he drew her head up level with his. The devilish smirk on his face only grew as he looked her face over.

His lips quivered as a suppressed chuckle began to force its way out. He finally let out a loud cackle as he rolled backwards onto his back. Celestia retreated a step back, holding one forehoof tucked up against her chest. Her ears splayed back as she watched Discord laugh maniacally and roll around on the floor. Whispers from the mares behind her began to reach her ears as they talked amongst each other. What’s wrong with him? Is he going to be okay? What’s so funny? Those and more confused questions passed quietly between the mares as they watched Discord succomb to the sudden fit of laughter.

Finally, after the awkward moment passed, he managed to get his laughter under control and reduce it to more of a giddy giggle as he pushed himself to sit up. He lifted his taloned hand up to wipe a single tear from the corner of his eye. “Oh, that’s so good,” he said through his chuckling as he pointed to Celestia. He pushed himself up to his feet, looking at the group before him for a few seconds before letting out another light chuckle and shaking his head as he continued on his way down the hall. “The look on her face is going to be priceless,” he said through his giggling.

As Discord left, Celestia maneuvered to keep herself between him and her charges, but it seemed he wasn’t particularly interested in them beyond whatever it was he had found to be so amusing. Fluttershy chanced a single step forward, putting herself just under Celestia’s wing as she called out to him. “You’re letting us go?” she asked, her question quietly echoing through the empty hall.

Discord stopped and turned toward them. For a moment, the mares tensed, but the smug grin on Discord’s muzzle didn’t exactly come across as threatening. “Why would I want to stop you?” he asked as he shrugged his shoulders. “This is the most interesting thing I’ve seen happen in centuries!” he said with a hearty chuckle as he turned to continue walking down the hall. As he continued on his way, he waved an arm in the air over his head and said, “Have fun storming the castle!” His echoing laugh faded shortly after he rounded the corner at the end of the hall.

Celestia let out a calming breath, allowing herself to relax as her wings and head drooped toward the floor. She looked back toward the bearers, seeing them all looking expectantly to her. Tucking her wings back against her sides, she lifted her head as she walked between them toward the spiral staircase at the other end of the hall, saying, “Come on, let’s go before he changes his mind.”

---

At the same time that Celestia’s group was climbing the spire, Twilight, Sombra, and Graphite were taking an alternate path to the throne room. In his time as king of the Empire, Sombra had made quite a few modifications to the kingdom using his dark magic to carve out spaces hidden within the facets of the crystals. These hidden spaces only showed themselves when the dark power that created them was present. So far, the changelings that had infiltrated the Empire in the recent days had found no evidence that Chrystallyn had discovered these hidden passages, or even had any knowledge they existed at all.

Once they had made it just inside the tower, Sombra used his power to reveal what he referred to as the Hall of Doors. It was a space refracted within the crystal walls of the spire that provided many alternate routes to and from the many chambers within, including a hidden path to the upper throne room. Their group walked the hallway lined with dozen of doors on either side until they came upon one that looked no different than the rest. It was this one that Sombra picked out and opened using his power to provide them safe passage through.

Twilight walked through the doorway just behind Sombra, and glanced upward. A narrow stairway jutted out from the dark crystal cylindrical walls, spiraling many stories high above them. Twilight took the lead, starting up the stairway with Sombra and Graphite following behind her. Their hoofsteps were the only sound that echoed up and down the hollow chamber for a few minutes as they carefully made their way up, until Twilight broke the otherwise silent moment with a question. “You had a thing for stairs, didn’t you?” She asked as she glanced just behind her to Sombra.

“I didn’t build this spire,” he grumbled as he cast a glance over the edge of the stairs to look down the shaft they had been scaling. Twilight also glanced down the shaft, then up to their destination. They were getting close.

“How are we doing on time?” Twilight asked, looking behind herself again, this time glancing around Sombra to Graphite. His horn and eyes had been giving off a dim greenish glow ever since they entered the spire. He had continued to channel his hive mind ability to act as a set of eyes and ears that could see and hear what was going on outside. His eyes seemed to wander slightly as he paused on the stairs.

“The shield is still up,” he said as he focused back on Twilight, and then added, “and the other group is nearly at the top. We should still have a few minutes.”

“Good,” Twilight said as she again glanced up the shaft, keeping a steady pace toward their destination. The end of the stairs was in sight now, with only a couple more rounds about the spiral stairway left to go.

“To be honest, I think my subconscious was punishing me,” Sombra said, which drew a curious glance from Twilight.

“Pardon?” she asked.

“You asked about the stairs,” he said, nodding his head upward. “I really had no reason to put them in. Very inefficient, since I could have just made the doorway go straight to—”

Sombra was cut off suddenly when a misplaced step caused his right hoof to slipped just off the narrow edge of the stairway. He only managed a quick gasp as he started to tumble over the edge, but then his fall was halted, leaving him hanging precariously over the multistory drop. Twilight used the levitation spell she had quickly cast to catch him to gently pull him back to the stairway, and once it appeared he was stable on his hooves again, she let the spell go. “You alright?” she asked.

“Yes. Thank you,” he said as he relaxed, letting out a relieved sigh. He glanced to both Twilight and Graphite, and then sadly shook his head as he said, “I’m just slowing you both down.”

“Nonsense,” Twilight said as she reached out and rest a hoof on his shoulder. “You’re the best one to lead us through this passage. If I had tried to do it myself, I would probably still be fiddling with the doors.”

“That may be so,” Sombra admitted. Twilight gave him a reassuring pat on his shoulder before turning to start up the stairway again. They made the last couple rounds of the stairs at a steady pace, coming up to the closed passageway that led to the back of the spire’s upper throne room. “I’ve been thinking,” Sombra said, pausing for a moment until Twilight looked back to him. “I know what you said, but I still think I should—”

“Stick with the plan,” Twilight said firmly. “I don’t want you putting yourself in harms way. Chrystallyn is dangerous, and she’s not going to listen to you. Just stay out of sight until I deal with her.”

“Right,” Sombra said through a defeated sigh, giving her a nod.

The group silently waited for a moment longer. Graphite continued channeling his spell, keeping a watchful eye on the events outside. He finally glanced up to Twilight, simply saying, “It’s starting.”

---

“Alright,” Moondancer said quietly. “It’s about time. I’ll take over the veil,” she said as her horn glowed. Cadance allowed the spell to pass from herself to Moondancer, and then the two of them cautiously approached the Crystal Heart. It spun slowly, suspended between the pointed spire of crystal above and below it, giving off a faint glow.

“It’s amazing,” Cadance said as she reached out with her magic. Her eyes widened when her aura touched the Heart, and she drew in a short gasp. “Wow, I’ve never felt anything like this,” she said as she continued to stare into the Heart’s facets with a wonderstruck gaze.

“You still good with this?” Moondancer asked, her eyes darting from Cadance to the Heart and back.

Cadance glanced to her side at Moondancer, and put on a confident smile. “Twilight said I would be able to control it,” she said just before looking back to the Heart. “I trust her.” Closing her eyes, Cadance focused on conveying her command to the Heart. It began to glow more brightly at first, and then it dimmed until its light faded out completely and its spinning came to a stop, leaving it simply hovering in place.

“I think that did it,” Cadance said as her eyes fluttered open. “The barrier should start to drop any minute now.”

---

The pegasi Nightguard were now gathered just outside the southern passage exit, each suited up and armed with practice spears. A low murmur of conversation passed between them as they discussed the upcoming mission. Gale glanced to her side to the underground passage, bowing her head slightly as Luna and Spike arrived at the top of the stairs.

“Alright ponies, lend an ear,” Gale said, raising her voice. The low buzz of conversation died out immediately, and all ears and eyes were now on her. “I want every single one of you to come back from this without a scratch,” she said as she walked down the alleyway between them. “Remember your signals. Confirm that any target you come across is a changeling before you engage, and if you have any doubts, keep your distance.” As she reached the opposite end of the group, she turned about and started walking back along the same path, glancing from side to side to each guard as she passed them. “This is just a mock battle, but if you’re not careful you can get hurt, or hurt someone else. Even a blunt spear can run someone through if you try hard enough, so err on the side of caution.” She came to a stop where she had started, stepping off to the side and looking up to Luna. “They’re all yours, Princess,” she said with a smile.

“Thank you,” Luna said as she took a single step forward. Holding her head up high, she spread her wings at her sides, the impressive span nearly touching the walls of the alleyway. All eyes were now on her, and for a moment she simply looked over the members of her Nightguard in silence. “I am sure some of you have misgivings over our role in all of this,” she began as she drew her wings back to her sides. “But I assure you, our part is no less important than the rest. We must make sure the innocents of this city are ushered to safety, even if that means we must play the part of the villains to accomplish this.”

She glanced up to the crystal dome over the city above. “To protect those who cannot protect themselves. To do what others are unable to do for themselves,” she said shortly before glancing back down. “That is what it means to be one of the Nightguard.

“So take to the skies this day, my Nightguard,” she said, her voice rising in volume slightly as her wings once again spread outward. “Take this task to heart, knowing that your actions today may very well save the lives of hundreds, perhaps even thousands.”

As Luna folded her wings back to her sides and took a single step back, and a rumble of hooves stamping the ground filled the air as her Nightguard applaud her speech. “Couldn’t have said it better myself, Princess,” Gale said with a smile as she stepped up to her side.

There was then a sound that resounded all around them. All eyes were drawn skyward at what could only be described as a shimmering sound that floated on the air, and there in the sky they could see that the power that had sustained the dome over the city had faded, leaving the dome to slowly dissolve starting at a hole that formed above the crystal spire. As the dome continued to fade away, the true sky was revealed overhead, with the sun hanging high in the afternoon sky. And only seconds later, a sliver of shadow began to overtake it, growing second by second as the sky started to darken.

“It has begun,” Luna said as she watched the solar eclipse moving into place. A moment later, she spread her wings wide. “On my wing! We strike first at the center of the city!” she said in a rallying cry as she vaulted into the sky. Spike and Gale were first to follow her, each launching into the sky and swiftly joining her on either side, and then the rest of the pegasi followed up quickly behind them.

Luna’s airborne squadron approached the center of the city as the daytime sky was plunged into darkness. She looked to her side, catching Spike’s glance and giving him a nod. Spike nodded back to her before veering off on his own, climbing into the sky above them. Once he had climbed to an altitude that was near the middle of the spire, he glanced down to the ground below him. He could make out many crystal ponies that had been drawn out of their homes at the sudden darkness and were now wandering the streets.

Drawing in a deep breath, Spike veered again, allowing himself to swoop toward the ground. As he dove downward, he let out a terrifying roar that lit the sky with a gout of green dragon fire. He then veered sharply upward, climbing back into the sky to circle off around the spire.

On the ground, crystal ponies began to scatter at the sight and sounds of a dragon attacking the city. At first, only confused and panicked scream for help filled the streets, but then the changelings disguised among the crystal ponies began to go to work.

“The Nightmare is attacking the city!” one called out, pointing a hoof skyward at the pegasi circling overhead.

“They have a dragon!” another called from nearby.

“Everypony get to the shelters!” yet another yelled as she took off at a gallop down the streets. As planned, many of the panicked crystal ponies began to follow her.

Some of the Nightguard began to descend from the sky, landing on roof tops along the houses that encircled the center of the city. As Nightguard and disguised changeling guards spotted one another, they gave a simple signal by drawing their weapons in a line just in front of themselves and giving each other a single nod, then they would engage in a convincing skirmish, clacking Nightguard spears against Crystal Empire swords in a mock battle. Luna and the rest of her Nightguard stayed airborne, using pegasi magic to create stormclouds that cast lightning bolts across the sky while Spike continued to fill the skies above the city with roars and dragon flame.

The impressive display was enough to send crystal ponies fleeing from their homes in hopes of finding shelter from the invading forces, away from the crystal spire.

---

Celestia stepped hoof upon the upper most floor of the spire. She took a few steps from the spiral staircase, looking first to the tall solid crystal double doors just before her, then right and left down the halls that curved along with the spire’s circumference. These halls seemed deserted as well. Turning about to look behind herself, she first looked to the bearers as they gathered just at the top of the stairway, and then her eyes wandered upward to the crystalline windows that looked out over the crystal city. She could see the shield dissolving over the city, revealing an unobstructed view of the midday sun just as the moon was beginning to overtake it. The light levels in the hall slowly darkened as more and more of the sun was eclipsed by the moon.

“It’s started,” she said. The rest of the bearers turned to glance out the window as they shared the silent moment.

Rainbow was the first one to look back to Celestia. “We’re ready. Let’s do this,” she said. The rest of the bearers each looked back as well, nodding their agreement with Rainbow.

Celestia turned to the crystal doors, looking up at them as she drew in a long breath before letting it out slowly. She took a few steps toward the doorway, preparing herself to meet face to face with someone she thought was gone from this world forever. She was just a second from using her magic to push the doors open when a glowing red aura took hold of them, and pulled them open for her.

As the doors swung wide, they revealed the inside of a circular crystal throne room. A glowing fractal pattern much like a twelve pointed snowflake was etched into the floor, spreading from the center of the floor out to the edges of the room, each tip stopping at a solid column of crystal at the edge of the room that towered up to support a dome overhead. Set on the far side just beyond the center of the room was a large crystal throne, and standing just before it at the very center of the room was Chrystallyn. “Do come in,” she said in a gentle, inviting tone. Her voice echoed in the otherwise quiet room, and for a time Celestia hesitated at the doorway. She finally led her group just inside the room, and just as they all cleared the doorway, it quickly swung closed behind them with a thud that rumbled throughout. The bearers took a skittish glance back at the doorway after it had closed behind them, but Celestia kept her stoic gaze locked forward on Chrystallyn. “I did expect a visit from you sooner rather than later, but it appears you’ve come up with something a bit more elaborate than what I had considered,” Chrystallyn said as she took a few steps toward the group. As she came closer, the matching red glow that emanated from the amulet around her neck and her eyes was more apparent. “Is a solar eclipse really necessary, or are you just showing off?” she asked as she stopped only steps away from Celestia and narrowed her eyes.

Celestia steeled herself, the muscles in her jaw flexing. She lifted one forehoof just slightly before sharply striking it back down on the floor with a loud clack. “You have much to answer for, and you’re a danger to all those near you, Chrystallyn,” she said.

Chrystallyn seemed unmoved by the statement for a moment, the only reaction that her brow lifted slightly. “Is that really the reason why you’ve come here?” she asked. She extended her forehoof, gesturing toward Celestia and her group as she asked, “Is that why you’ve brought the bearers with you and put on this... this show of power? I think you just want to intimidate me. You’ve always wanted the Empire to be part of Equestria, haven’t you?” Her eyes narrowed further as she made the accusation, glowing just slightly brighter.

“This has nothing to do with that,” Celestia said, quickly shaking her head.

“Oh, but it does,” Chrystallyn said lowly as she took a single step forward. Her head lowered slightly as she leaned into the step, and her wings lifted slightly from her sides. “At every turn, when I am near achieving my goals, one of you has always shown up to steal it away from me,” she growled as she took another slow step forward. Celestia responded by retreating a step and fanning her own wings out at her sides, but Chrystallyn seemed undeterred as she continued to slowly slink closer. “Not this time,” she hissed in a whisper. “I’ve already won, and your desperate attempts will change nothing.”

Celestia once again stamped a forehoof on the floor, halting Chrystallyn’s advance. “Just give up the amulet, and we’ll leave peacefully,” she said.

Chrystallyn held her hard gaze for a moment longer, until she finally lifted her head as she let out a quiet chuckle. “You’re still sticking to your act? You think I’ll just give you whatever you ask for?” she asked as she sadly shook her head. The small smile that had appeared on her muzzle them melted off, replaced by an angry scowl as her eyes momentarily glowed brighter. “You’ll never have the Alicorn Amulet, or the Elements for that matter. Did you honestly think that bringing the bearers here was going to accomplish anything at all? That you could just take from me whatever you wanted?” Her horn began to glow to the same shade as the amulet’s deep red light as she growled, “You will leave, or I will force you to.”

Celestia kept her stoic gaze locked on Chrystallyn, even when she noticed Twilight stepping out from behind the throne in her peripheral vision. This was the moment. She had to keep all attention forward on her so Twilight could take the shot. The bright flash of violet light was quick, sailing across the room with the intention of striking Chrystallyn from behind. However, just as it was nearly within reach, the shot of magical power scattered into a spray of sparks as it bounded off an invisible surface. The spherical shield flashed bright red for a split second around Chrystallyn’s body as Twilight’s power dissipated over it.

Chrystallyn didn’t even avert her eyes at first. She maintained her forward gaze at Celestia, a sly smirk slowly showing on her muzzle. “There you are,” she said quietly as the light on her horn flared.

---

Twilight had quickly gathered her power after she stepped out from the hidden passage behind the throne. The shot she took at Chrystallyn sailed true to its target, but was deflected by a barrier. At first, she thought that her shot may have been considered so insignificant that Chrystallyn hadn’t even bothered to acknowledge her, but then the floor around her hooves came aglow with many red circles of light. Her horn glowed as she tried to prepare herself for the counterattack, but the red ethereal chains that shot out of the floor came at her too quickly. She reared back as the chains took hold of each of her legs, clasping to her with shackles. One larger shackle found its way around her neck, and then the slack in the chains pulled taut as they retracted toward the floor, pulling Twilight back down to all fours. She looked at the shackle clasped around one of her forelegs, giving it a tug and putting mental pressure against the chains, testing her magic against them and finding them to be extremely strong. Breaking them with her power alone wouldn’t be easy.

“I knew you had to have been a part of all of this,” Chrystallyn said from across the room. She had now turned her attention to Twilight, and was making her way across the room. Beyond her, Twilight could see the others. Celestia had a single wing held out at her side to keep her friends out of the confrontation. It was now just a one on one between Twilight and Chrystallyn.

Chrystallyn stopped only a step away from Twilight, her taller stature making her seem to look down upon Twilight as if she were some sort of insignificant bug. “Something as ridiculously over thought as feigning an invasion of the Empire could have only come from your mind,” she said as a disgusted sneer twisted the corner of her mouth. “Yes, I know what you’re up to, trying to confuse and distract me. Sorry, but your little plan isn’t going to work this time. This time, you will be the one to fail.”

Even if the power of the presence before her felt intimidating, Twilight wasn’t about to dare show it. She kept her determined eyes focused forward on Chrystallyn and stood as tall as the chains allowed as she asked, “Is that something you’ve foreseen?”

Chrystallyn perked an eyebrow at the question, and then turned to glance over her shoulder back toward the group across the room. “So you told her,” she asked, directing the question toward Celestia. There was no response, but Chrystallyn let out a single amused huff as she turned her attention back to Twilight. “Do you remember the first time we met? That ill-fated attempt to take Canterlot as my own?” she asked as she lowered her head to be level with Twilight’s stance. “That day was meant to be my victory, but you stole that future from me,” she said as she narrowed her eyes. She grit her teeth together as she took in a seething breath. “I was completely blind to the possibility of any other outcome, and that was my downfall.

“But that did teach me something,” she said as her anger seemed to subside momentarily. “On that day, I learned that one’s fate is not hard set in stone. These visions are but a possibility.”

“And what do you see now?” Twilight asked quietly. “The only outcome I can see is a disaster once you lose control to the amulet’s power.”

Chrystallyn raised her head, letting out a tisk as she shook her head. “And so your true reason for coming here is revealed,” she said as her horn started to glow again with reddish light. “Just like everything else I’ve ever wanted, you want to take it from me, don’t you?” she accused as her face once again contorted with anger. “Well you can’t have it,” she growled, pressing her face close to Twilight’s as her eyes glowed brightly.

Twilight flinched back, the muscles in her legs flexing against the chains that held her in place. “Chrystallyn, it’s putting thoughts in your head,” Twilight said, trying to act the part of the voice of reason.

“What do you know!?” Chrystallyn screamed in Twilight’s face. For her part, Twilight managed only to cringe slightly at the outburst, refusing to cower before the anger directed at her. Chrystallyn growled to herself as she pulled back, pacing back and forth before Twilight with her head hung low, tightly squeezing her eyes closed over and over. “Lies. Nothing but lies,” she muttered to herself as she continued to pace for a moment longer, and then she paused mid step and side glanced to Twilight. Her wide eye twitched wildly as she looked Twilight over, and her breathing came in more forceful breaths. “Yes... yes you’re right. She just wants to steal my hard won future from me,” she whispered just barely loud enough for Twilight to hear. “Well, that isn’t happening. You’ll be spending the rest of eternity somewhere where you can never bother me again.”

Chrystallyn’s power flared again, and this time the Element of Magic perched in the crown upon her head shimmered brightly. The other five Elements set within the Alicorn Amulet also began to shine with light of their own, but then a series of multicolored sparks shot out from them. Chrystallyn yelped, her concentration broken from the sudden push back of power. “W-what. Why...,” she said as she stared down in disbelief at the Elements that had refused her.

“It seems the Elements don’t agree with you.”

Chrystallyn’s fearful eyes widened as she heard the words from Celestia’s voice echoing through the chamber. She spun around, facing the group across the room. “No. No, this is some sort of trick!” she said as she clasped a hoof over the amulet. “The Elements don’t have a choice. They listen to me!”

“If that’s really true” — Celestia’s eyes glanced over Chrystallyn — “then why are you shaking?”

Chrystallyn tensed up, retreating back toward the throne a step. She continued to hold the amulet against her chest tightly as if her very life depended on keeping it guarded. “You think you know the Elements better than I do? I created them!” she screamed back across the room.

“We...,” Celestia said. The word echoed through the room, casting everything else into a moment of silence. Celestia’s horn began to glow with a dim greenish aura as a tiara set with a violet, six pointed jewel appeared upon her head. “We created them,” the alicorn said just as a ring of green fire surrounded her and flickered over her body, revealing Chrysalis.

Chrystallyn drew in a shaky gasp. “You...,” she said in a ghostly, weak voice.

“Yes, me,” Chrysalis said as her horn and eyes both lit bright green. “Now! Take them back!” she called out.

Chrysalis poured her power into her Element of Magic. At the same time, the five bearers each closed their eyes, focusing their thoughts in the way they had been taught while Chrysalis cast a very specific spell, one that was meant to gift the Elements to a chosen bearer. The amulet around Chrystallyn’s neck began to emit red sparks of energy. Before she could lift her hoof from it, the raw power arced and skitter up her leg, causing her to scream out in pain. The protective shield she had been maintaining broke at that moment with an audible snap, and five different colored beams of light shot out from the amulet as the five Elements that had been imbedded within broke free. Each of the five Elements zipped across the room, finding its place with its chosen bearer as they reformed as the five unique jewels inlaid in golden necklaces.

Twilight took this chance to use her magic to put pressure against the ethereal chains that held her, and without the support from Chrystallyn’s magic they easily shattered. Casting a quick teleport, she blinked to right in front of Chrystallyn.

Chrystallyn, still cringing from the force of the raw power that had shot through her leg, forced her eyes open just in time to see Twilight summon Dusk into existence and charge the staff with her power. Twilight took the charged staff in her aura, reeling back as she prepared to bring it around in a sweeping blow. As the glowing staff came forward, Chrystallyn raised a foreleg as if to defend herself. However, Twilight noticed the spell being cast only a fraction of a second before her staff was going to connect, which was too late for her to react.

The foreleg that Chrystallyn had raised in front of her face became encased with solid red crystal. Just when Dusk was a breath from landing a hit, Chrystallyn forcefully swept her foreleg out under Twilight’s guard, hitting her squarely across the face with a blow so hard that the red crystal shattered and sent Twilight flying across the room into one of the pillars. Her scream came to a sudden stop when she hit as the air was forced from her lungs. The pillar cracked from the impact, and Twilight crumpled to the floor at the same moment that Dusk clattered to the ground nearby shortly before it phased out of existence.

Twilight struggled to push herself up from the floor, but the muddled feeling in her head coupled with the burning pain on the side of her face made it hard for her to focus enough to even steady her front hooves. She reached a shaking hoof up to the side of her face that felt like it was on fire, touching it gingerly and then pulling back to look, finding streaks of red staining her fur.

She tried to push the pain aside, focusing instead on recovering from the blow. Even though her head was still filled with a high pitched ringing sound, she had been able to make out her friends calling out her name after she had been hit. They were still there, still counting on her to finish this before it got out of control. She pushed herself up with her forehooves, squeezing her eyes shut against the throbbing pain and grunting through her clamped teeth, and once she had finally managed to push herself to sit upright, she opened her eyes to look across the room.

Her friends were still okay, for the moment. That fact alone brought relief to her mind, but the room had changed. Everything appeared to have a reddish tint to it. At first, Twilight wondered if this might be a side effect from her injury, but then she saw Chrystallyn slowly coming toward her. The amulet around her neck was glowing so brightly that Twilight couldn’t look directly at it. Arcs of red lighting periodically shot out from the necklace, some going as far as to connect with the floor, walls, and ceiling. The hum of the raw magical power in the air became more noticeable as the high pitched whine in Twilight’s head receded, and she became fully aware of the magical energy saturating the area around her. She had never felt something quite this powerful before.

“I have come too far,” Chrystallyn said, her voice beginning in a whisper and slowly rising as she continued to speak. “Again and again... the visions showed me nothing but failure, but I fought. I fought, and I won. I took back the future that had been stolen from me. And now that I have it, I’m not about to let you steal it again!”

Hundreds of small arcs of power jumped from the amulet and Chrystallyn’s horn, skittering across the floor’s surface toward Twilight. Red crystals sprouted from the path that the energy traveled, building up to one large crystal that grew from the floor only a few steps in front of her. The crystal hummed to a rising high pitch as the power built up inside it.

Twilight was tackled to the floor just as the crystal burst into thousands of tiny shards. The room was filled with the noise of what sounded like hundreds of windows shattering all at once, and a spray of tiny, razor sharp crystals speckled the area that Twilight had just been. Twilight slid across the floor on her side, her body covered by another as they slid to a stop together a short distance away. She blinked, opening her eyes to see Rainbow Dash clinging to her.

“Rainbow,” Twilight said as she reached her foreleg up to embrace her friend that had come to her rescue. However, she quickly retracted it when Rainbow drew in a hissing breath and let out a painful yelp in response. Glancing to her foreleg, she could see the fresh blotches of blood on her fur from where she had touched her friend’s back. Her ears splayed back as she drew in a horrified gasp, and she pushed herself to sit up as she tried to hold Rainbow steady beside her. “Oh nonono no, Rainbow,” she said as she hugged her friend close to herself, looking over Rainbow’s shoulder and down her back where she could see the blood that darkened her fur in multiple patches.

“Y-you... alright?” Rainbow asked in a shaky voice as she pushed a forehoof against Twilight’s chest. She strained to sit herself upright, shakely holding on to Twilight’s shoulder with her other hoof. Her breaths were coming in ragged gasps, and her body was trembling all over.

“I’m fine, but you’re not,” Twilight said as she hugged Rainbow close to her shoulder. The tension in Rainbows body went slack as she allowed herself to lean against Twilight, her muzzle halfway buried against Twilight’s neck.

“No k-kidding. T-this kinda hurts,” Rainbow’s muffled voice admitted as she limply hung there in Twilight’s embrace. Twilight grit her teeth and squeezed her eyes closed as tears started streaming down the sides of her face. She hadn’t wanted this... she hadn’t ever wanted any of this. What use was seeing her friends again if it just led to them being hurt? She opened her eyes again, looking across the room at Chrystallyn. It seemed that the only thing that was stopping her from doing more harm was that she was still physically recovering from the exertion of the first attack. Twilight’s mind raced as she tried to find a way out for everyone. At the very least, she had to get them as far away from here as she could, now, but she could barely focus through the throbbing in her head.

“Chrystallyn! Stop!”

Sombra’s voice echoed through the room, bringing everything to a complete stand still. The raw power emanating from Chrystallyn subsided, and she slowly glanced over to the throne. Sombra had stepped out from the passage behind it, showing himself.

A heavy silence hung in the room for a moment as the two of them simply stared at one another. Finally, Sombra chanced a single step forward. “You don’t want to do this,” he said as he cautiously approached her. One step after another, he carefully made his way to her as he spoke. “I know. I know better than anyone else in the world could.”

Chrystallyn’s chest was heaving quick breaths as she kept a side glance locked squarely on Sombra. “You can’t possibly know how I feel...,” her weary voice said. Her eyes squeezed nearly closed as a line of tears ran down the sides of her face. “To have everything taken away... you can’t possibly know,” she said as her voice lowered to near a whisper.

Sombra paused his advance for a few seconds, and then carefully nodded. “You’re right,” he said calmly as he again took a cautious step towards her. “That, I couldn’t possibly know how that feels. But I do know what that amulet is doing to you,” he said, his eyes momentarily glancing to the Alicorn Amulet before looking back to Chrystallyn’s tearful eyes. “It whispers to you. It tells you that the only way is through force, and that you must trample all those who stand before you.” Sombra stopped just beside Chrystallyn, nearly within touching distance of her now. “But that isn’t true. There’s another way,” he said as he slowly offered his forehoof out to her. She glanced down at the extended hoof, drawing in a shuddering breath as her body shook. She looked back up to the eyes of the one who she had once called her husband, but who had also turned on her and taken so much from her. “We don’t have to go down this path,” he said as he slowly shook his head.

Chrystallyn squeezed her eyes closed, causing more tears to flow freely down the sides of her face. A single, choked sob escaped her, and she opened her eyes slowly to look back down at him again. “I was forced down this path a long time ago,” she said in a sad voice.

Chrystallyn’s magic flared, and a bright red aura took hold of Sombra, plucking him from the ground. Giving her neck a quick flick, she sent him sailing backwards into the throne. The upper corner of the throne shattered from the impact, sending Sombra reeling through the air head over hoof like a rag doll until he landed a short distance away on the crystal floor. Gasps and frightened screams echoed through the room from the others as they watched, his body not moving after it slid to a stop.

The glowing red light had returned, saturating the entire room with its presence. Chrystallyn now sat slumped over near the center of the room, her head hanging low with her mane obscuring most of her face. Her chest heaved with each deep breath she took. “There is no other way,” she said as she stood, turning herself about toward the group standing near the entrance.

Twilight’s eyes went wide with fear. She looked to the side of the room where her remaining friends were, finding them backing away toward the door. Her eyes finally locked with Chrysalis’s, and she saw the helpless look in her eyes as if she were begging Twilight to tell her what to do. “Run,” Twilight said in a whisper, praying that Chrysalis would take her friends with her and escape.

Chrysalis turned toward the doorway, her magic lighting briefly as she made an attempt at opening it, but it refused to budge. Their backs against the door, Chrysalis and the remaining four bearers watched fearfully as Chrystallyn, seething with anger, approached them.

“You think you can just take what is mine and leave?” she growled at them. “You think I’ll just go back to that pathetic waste of space I was?” she said hotly. “I will not go back to being you,” she said as she glared across the room at Chrysalis. She then arched her neck back, pointing her horn skyward as she put forth an incredible amount of power. Her mane flared out around her, wiping about as it turned a tinge of dark red near the tips. Her eyes glowed brightly with red light as a deep growl emanated from her throat. She then tilted her head forward, pointing her horn toward the group as she screamed, “You can all. Just. Die!”

Twilight reached a foreleg out toward her friends, helplessly screaming out, “No, don’t!” However, there was nothing she could do to stop the spell from being cast. Red lighting cascaded from Chrystallyn’s horn in a blinding flash, skittering across the floor toward Chrysalis and her friends. Twilight could only avert her eyes and hug Rainbow close to herself, sweeping her own wing over Rainbow and herself to try and shield them as the room filled with the deafening sound of crystal shards bursting. The sounds of destruction raged on, drowning out all other noise for what felt like an eternity, but actually only spanned a matter of a few seconds. Twilight flinched at the sting of a few errant crystal shards that had flown across the room and struck her wing and her exposed flank. When the sounds died down, she remained huddled under her wing, shocked and terrified from what had just happened. She didn’t dare look, but at the same time she couldn’t stand not knowing. Her tears were already running hot trails down the sides of her emotionally pained face just from the thought of what she would likely see once she finally gathered up the courage to look.

Twilight finally lifted her wing, just barely enough to peer out from under it. The first sight she saw was Chrystallyn sitting where she had cast the spell, gasping for breath. She lifted her wing further, pulling it back as she looked toward the doorway. She then drew in a horrified gasp, cringing and looking away from the sight by reflex. Her voice trembled along with her entire body as she uttered one simple word.

“No....”

The others had been caught in the spray of razor sharp crystals, unable to escape. Her ears splayed back against her head as she heard their lingering cries of suffering from across the room, the image of them laying heaped together against the wall with countless wounds still burned vividly into her mind.

She had done this to them. She had brought them here, and allowed harm to come to her friends. She had grossly underestimated just how much power Chrystallyn would still have without the Elements and just how willing the angered alicorn would be to use that power against them. Her lack of foresight had doomed everyone else to suffer. And, she couldn’t think of any possible way to fix it. There was no way she could fix what had just happened.

Still, she wanted to save them all. She would beg whatever power out there that would listen and was willing to give her just one second chance to fix it all. She squeezed her eyes tightly closed, sending fresh tears rolling down the sides of her face, and she whispered her plea.

“Someone, please help us.” Twilight clung to her wounded friend. Rainbow’s raspy breathing slowly repeated the same pattern in her ear over and over. The wounds on the side of her own face still burned, but she didn’t care. She only cared for the safety of her friends now, and wanted nothing more in the world than to save them.

She flinched, the side of her face feeling as it had just been pinched. She leaned back, still holding Rainbow to her with one foreleg while she reached the other hoof up to touch the side of her face. Just as she was about to, she heard the sound of a tiny fleck of crystal landing on the floor at her side. She glanced down at it, seeing the tiny shard of red crystal still spinning on the floor where it had landed among the spattering of blood that marred the floor’s otherwise crystal clear reflection. And then another, and another. The tiny crystals fell to the floor as they fell out of the wound on the side of her face, and she could see by the reflection that the long scrapes where she had been injured were vanishing into thin lines until they disappeared altogether.

Rainbow’s grip on Twilight’s shoulder tightened, and she let out a grunt as she lifted her head. She slowly blinked her eyes as her wings flexed at her sides and she sat upright in front of Twilight. Twilight could only stare back, her mouth hanging slightly agape in disbelief at what she was seeing.

“Rainbow? Are you okay?” she asked in a shaky voice as she reached both of her hooves up to hold her friend’s shoulders.

“Yeah, somehow,” Rainbow said as she passed one hoof over and through her mane. She turned her neck and flexed her wing out at her side as she glanced down at her own back. Her brow furrowed in confusion, finding that not only was she not even injured any longer, but there wasn’t even a single drop of blood staining her fur now. She turned her head back forward, quirking an eyebrow at Twilight as she asked, “Did you...?” Twilight could only slowly shake her head in response.

Twilight then glanced across the room when she noticed movement near the doorway. Just like Rainbow, the rest of her friends had some how miraculously recovered from their grievous wounds, and were gathering themselves up from the floor. Chrysalis also seemed to had recovered, glancing about herself in confusion, and across the room Twilight caught sight of Sombra lifting himself from where he had landed earlier. As she watched the impossible happening all around her, she could only find herself thinking one thing.

Somehow, it had actually worked.

“How... how are you doing this!?” Chrystallyn yelled from the center of the room. She slowly backed away toward the throne, cowering toward the floor. Her ears were splayed back against her head, nearly covered by the long, straight strands of her disheveled mane.

Then there was a long, echoing chuckle. A deep one that carried a sinister edge. Chrystallyn’s eyes grew wide, and her rapid breaths suddenly came to a stand still. For a moment, she simply froze in place, until she finally whispered one word that sent a shiver through her entire body.

“Discord.”

The echoing laugh continued as Chrystallyn rapidly glanced about herself, trying to find its owner. Finally, she screamed out, “Where are you!?”

“Right here,” his voice said. One moment, he was no where, and then suddenly, there he was, standing right beside her. Chrystallyn let out a terrified yelp as she cringed away from him. “Oh-ho! A bit jumpy, aren’t we?” Discord said with an extremely amused grin on his face.

Chrystallyn shook her head, her mouth opening as she tried to force words out. She finally managed to ask, “How did you do it?”

Discord had somehow produced a fingernail file from somewhere, and was filing the sharp tips of his talons. “Do what?” he asked with disinterest just before he blew a quick breath across them.

Chrystallyn’s face contorted with anger even though her body was still shaking with fear. “Don’t toy with me. How could you break the spell? It shouldn’t be possible!” she accused as she glared at him.

“Oh, but I didn’t!” he said as he tossed the file over his shoulder. He then held both of his forearms up in front of Chrystallyn, showing her clearly that the bracers that made up the binding spell were still very much intact. “See?” he asked as his brow seemed to climb inches into the air above his forehead.

“B-but,” Chrystallyn stammered as she glanced about at the others in the room.

Discord glanced about, seeming to finally take notice of the audience that was watching. “Oh!” he said just as he reached up and began to twirl the end of his goatee in his talons. He then leaned closely in, putting his face only inches away from Chrystallyn’s. His manic grin seemed to spread from ear to ear as his red pupils dilated to the size of pin pricks. “I did do that,” he whispered just loud enough that only she could hear him.

“How?” she said back in a weak breath.

“Oh, silly Chrissy,” he said with a wave of his paw as he stood. Turning about, he took a few steps away with his hands folded behind his back, and then quickly spun about to look at her again. “Did you already forget our conversation just a couple days ago? I was bored out of my mind!” he said as he threw his hands up above his head. He let them flop back down at his sides, and then began to slowly pace about in a small circle there near the center of the room. “I asked you for something to do. Anything so long as I didn’t have to just sit there and stare at the walls,” he said as he made a sweeping gesture toward the walls surrounding them. He then pointed a talon to Chrystallyn as he said, “You said if I really wanted something to do, I could go patrol the tower for intruders or something.” He ended his walk standing next to Chrystallyn, and she leaned away from him as he leaned toward her and asked, “Aaand?”

Chrystallyn only eyed him warily. Discord let out a disappointed sigh as he shoulders sagged. He then leaned back and placed his hands just above his hips as he said, “Oh, come on. Did you really forget? That isn’t like you at all!” He quickly leaned his long body toward her, wrapping his lion arm around her shoulder and pulling the side of her face against his. She cringed at the contact, but otherwise didn’t make any attempt to escape. “I asked what to do should I actually find an intruder, and then you said...,” he started, tapping a talon against her chest. He silently watched her, his grin growing by the second as a look of realization washed over Chrystallyn’s face.

She pulled back from him, shaking her head as she quietly said, “No.”

“Oh, yes,” he said through a hearty chuckle. “I remember it word for word,” he said as he leaned in close to her as she back peddled. He reached his lion paw up just before her face, and touched a talon to each digit on his paw as he said the words.

“Take. Care. Of. Them.”

A giddy giggle echoed through the entire room as Discord relished in the aghast reaction that he got in response. “Of course that isn’t quite what you meant, but the spell seemed to believe that you meant it literally anyways!”

Discord couldn’t restrain his laughter any longer. He leaned back, letting go with a loud, unrestrained howling laugh that echoed through the chamber. Taking a loud gasping breath in, he leaned forward, pointing at Chrystallyn as he jibbered something unintelligible through his uncontrolled laughter. Chrystallyn slowly ground her teeth together as a seething anger built within her. “Discord,” she growled loudly, managing to grab his attention, at least briefly. “I revoke all privileges to your powers.”

Discord sniffed and wiped tears from his eyes with his palms as he worked to get he crazed chuckling under control. “Do you now!” he asked through his giggling. “Oh, well, I have wonder if that is actually going to work,” he mused as he turned and gestured toward the others standing in the room. “After all, you don’t have all the Elements any more, do you?” He grinned wickedly when he saw Chrystallyn’s angered expression melt off her face. “How about a little test, to see just how this spell of yours really works.”

Chrystallyn reached forward, screaming for him to stop, but it was already too late. Discord already had his talons raised, and with a quick snap of his digits and a flash of white light, only Chrystallyn and Discord remained within the room.

---

The streets surrounding the spire were now empty. The crystal ponies had fled from their homes, led away by the disguised changelings. The corona shining around the eclipse overhead provided only a minimal amount of light that the nearby flashes of lighting overtook briefly now and then. The storm clouds that Luna and her Nightguard had created no longer floated directly overhead at the center of the city, and were now instead swirling about in a ring that was slowly moving outward away from the spire. The plan was to keep the frightened ponies from rushing back toward the city center, and so far the mock invasion had done a fair job of convincing them to run the other way.

It was here, near the base of the tower, that everyone appeared after a bright flash deposited them all safely outside the tower. Twilight blinked and then rapidly glanced about at her surroundings. She turned, looking to each pony and changeling, finding that every single one of them had landed outside the spire along with her.

Nearby, next to where the Crystal Heart was hovering, Moondancer lowered the veil that had been concealing herself and Cadance, and they both quickly approached the group. “Twilight?” Cadance asked, the inflection on her voice making it seem as she was questioning what her own eyes were seeing. She trotted right up to the group, looking back and forth among them with a deeply furrowed brow before asking, “What’s going on?”

Twilight didn’t answer directly. Instead, she sat back on her haunches, closing her eyes as she drew in a deep breath, and then slowly let it it out. As she tried to calm her nerves, she reflected on what had just happened in the spire. While they had managed to get the Elements away from Chrystallyn, it had nearly come at far too great a cost, but then he had stepped in at the last possible moment. “Discord just saved us all,” she said thoughtfully as she slowly opened her eyes.

“W-where is he?” Fluttershy asked. Her question caused all those gathered to take a quick glance around the area, but the Lord of Chaos was no where to be seen. That meant that he had either stayed behind, or had chosen to send himself elsewhere. Likely the former, Twilight thought. If this binding spell placed upon him really did work based on what Chrystallyn had told him to do, then he had likely only been able to help them out, and not himself.

Twilight’s eyes suddenly went wide as she drew in a sharp gasp. At nearly the same moment, a bright flash of red light illuminated the area under the base of the spire. Twilight just caught a glimpse of the Crystal Heart, pulsing with red light, right before it shot upward through the base of the spire, shattering the spikes of crystal that it had been hovering between and leaving a gaping hole where it had crashed through the ceiling above it.

“Run! Go!” she yelled, urging her friends to turn away and escape. The gathered group had only begun to flee from the center of the city when the skies lit up with red above them. Twilight turned her head as she was galloping way, stealing a glance upward to the spire just in time to see the entire upper throne room explode. A red ring of energy rippled outward from the explosion, catching the top tips of the two towers on either side of the spire. The tower nearest to their group cracked near its base, and then began to come crashing down. At the angle it was falling, the debris was going to be very close to catching them.

Cadance must have seen the falling tower as well. She turned aside, skidding to a stop as she fanned her wings. Her horn was already alight with a bright blue aura, her face already a mask of concentration as she faced the falling debris head on. A light blue magical barrier shaped as a kite shield appeared just before her, not much bigger than herself. She angled the shield so it was nearly directly over herself, then her horn flared as the shield almost instantly grew to cover an area over many city blocks in all directions.

The rubble slammed into her shield, causing a visible ripple to flow over it wherever large chunks of crystal building struck it. The sound of crystal shattering against the shield caused most of the group to cringe toward the ground, covering their ears. Cadance, however, stood her ground as the shower of debris slammed into the shield, and it wasn’t until many quiet seconds after the last large chunk had shattered against her shield did she finally relax and drop it.

“Cadance!” Twilight called out as she cantered up to her side. “Are you alright?” she asked, looking over her. At the very second that Cadance had let the shield drop, she also fell back on her haunches as her head and wings sagged toward the ground. She appeared exhausted, taking in heavy breaths, but seemed otherwise unharmed.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said with a quick nod. She glanced back toward the rest of the group that had gathered nearby asking, “No one else is hurt?”

“Thanks to you,” Twilight said, leaning in and pulling Cadance into a quick embrace.

The rest of the group gathered up nearby, most of them staring in awe at the now shattered spire and the rubble that had rained down on the center of the city. The area that Cadance had protected had actually been left nearly unscathed, but beyond that, there were homes that had been completely demolished by chunks of crystal many times their size.

“What just happened up there?” Applejack asked quietly, her eyes turned upward toward the shattered spire.

Twilight looked from her friend up to the spire, and then around them as she surveyed the damage. It was a bit shocking to see the crystal city in such a ruined state, even if she had planned for the possibility. She could only hope that the evacuation of the city center had gone smoothly. She let out a light sigh, glancing sadly back up at the spire as she said, “Nothing good.”

“Did Chrystallyn do this?” Cadance asked, looking from Twilight up to the spire. “Is she...?” she began to ask, her ears splaying back as she did.

Twilight shook her head. “I don’t sense anything right now, but I have my doubts that she was done in by her own power.” Twilight’s brow furrowed, and she only spent a few seconds longer looking upon the devastation before she turned about to look to the rest of the group. “We need to regroup. It isn’t safe here. Let’s put some distance between us and the spire first,” she said, cantering between them. The rest of the group quickly fell in beside and behind her as she led the way down the street.

Many thoughts were heavy on Twilight’s mind. She had to assume that Chrystallyn was still alive until they found evidence proving otherwise, but perhaps whatever it was that she had done to destroy the spire had left her exhausted, perhaps even unconscious if they were incredibly lucky. This would be the moment to press for an advantage, but getting her friends to safety now that they had secured the Elements took priority. She wasn’t going to risk their lives a second time.

And then there was the Heart. Something had happened to it right before the explosion, which didn’t bode well. And, there was also the question of what had happened to Discord. Had he been caught in that explosion? Could he even survive such a thing? Normally, Twilight could safely assume so, but she didn’t know the full extent of the binding spell’s limits on his powers. Could Discord, an ancient embodiment of chaos... die?

She shook her head at the thought. Right now, she needed to focus on what she knew instead of what she didn’t, and she knew that this wasn’t over, not until the Alicorn Amulet was safely out of Chrystallyn’s hooves. Now, she had to prepare for their next move.

Comments

[Zeg]

Aaaand another.

[Alondro]

4324379 >>>Even though the past has changed, those who are from the future still exist. How could such a paradox happen?>>>

Dragon Ball Z time travel rules.

See latest DBZ: Abridged episode for full explanation!

Also, if future Twilight ceased to exist, then future Chrysalis would never had needed to get rid of her in the past, which means Future Twilight would still be there, which would mean future Chrysalis would get rid of pat Twilight, which would mean future Twilight doesn't exist, which would mean future Chrysalis would never have needed to get rid of her in the past....

No matter how you cut it, unless it forms a split universe where both timelines exist, you end up with a paradox.

[Levana]

4329387 You know what's also perfect timing? The fact I read it from start to now just before this chapter was uploaded!

[shyguy7829]

Mysteries! Two-for-one deal! Buy now!

Mysteries
The Origins of the Changelings: Chrysalis's true identity is that of the former Everfree and Crystal Empire Queen Chrystallyn.
Timey Wimey: Even though the past has changed, those who are from the future still exist. How could such a paradox happen?
The Missing Spark: Chrysalis manipulated her past self into sacrificing the past Twilight in an attempt to draw out the Element of Magic. The little girl remains trapped with the past Element of Magic within the hive mind. While there might be a way to conjure a body for her, it is highly unlikely that she can be saved.
Chrysalis's Strange Behavior: It turns out that Chrysalis had orchestrated a deal with Celestia to safeguard the Elements in exchange for a place to build a Hive without being ostracized by the public.
Secrets of a Changeling Queen: Chrysalis is attempting to reclaim her former kingdom, the Crystal Empire.
The Truth about the Elements: It turns out that Chrysalis is the true creator of the Elements and Tree of Harmony. Certainly there are things that only she would know about them.
The Chessmaster: Celestia has been guided by the powers of her visions to create all of her plans.
What the Mad God Knows: Discord has proved that he might be aware of Twilight Sparkle from somewhere. Is there anything else that he might shed a light on?
Dual Destinies: Both Twilight Sparkle and Chrysalis have received rather harrowing visions. Have their fates been sealed?
Amplifier Artifact: Twilight has acquired a Celestial Weapon, Dusk. When was it created? What was it doing in the hive mind in the first place?
The Dark Prince: Revealed to be the creator of the Alicorn Amulet as well as Chrystallyn's ex-husband, his former actions were the result of the Alicorn Amulet's dominating power.
A Bothersome Feeling: The Crystal Heart glowing red. Discord caught in a massive explosion with no indicator of his fate. What could this mean for Chrystallyn?
A Desperate Despot: It seems that Chrystallyn feels forced to continue her path of destruction and mayhem. Why would she continue to obliterate when she clearly doesn't want to?

[shyguy7829]

4329613
Let's wait for Zeg to clarify before we jump to conclusions.

[Zeg]

4329613
4329686
It will be clarified, but in the mean time, feel free to jump to conclusions to your heart's desire! That's part of the fun, after all. :needadiscordemote:

[Starlight Nova]

Discord stopped and turned toward them. For a moment, the mares tensed, but the smug grin on Discord’s muzzle didn’t exactly come across as threatening. “Why would I want to stop you?” he asked as he shrugged his shoulders. “This is the most interesting thing I’ve seen happen in centuries!” he said with a hearty chuckle as he turned to continue walking down the hall. As he continued on his way, he waved an arm in the air over his head and said, “Have fun storming the castle!” His echoing laugh faded shortly after he rounded the corner at the end of the hall.

Discord: I also might want just the tensest bit of revenge on her...

[Crimson Dawn]

It makes sense to use the idea of not wanting to change the past as an excuse to not having to devulge what happens to the characters in the future but I SOOO want to know about Pinkie's future.

[Alondro]

4329741 I'm calling DBZ time travel rules. MINE MINE MINE MINE MINE!!

[nanourmas97]

2280282
You really were from the future...

SHARE YOUR TIME TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY!!!

Story looks great so far! To bad I can't read it all tonight... Ofc, that's what read later is for!

[Hexy]

That description gave me chills. Bassline and I are gonna have to read this soon. It looks intense.

[Blankscape]

"Perfect Timing" indeed. I squealed when I saw it updated again

[Laluzi]

Oh man. That was brilliant. The plan did not disappoint at all, and Chrysalis playing Celestia was a brilliant touch. And of course the Elements would listen to her, instead of the version of her that was controlled by the Alicorn Amulet. And Discord! Oh, Discord, you magnificent bastard, that was brilliant. Somehow I don't foresee him going back to his cage? Fluttershy's developing a bit of a rapport with him, and he's been pretty nice, all things considered. Even if it's hardly for their sake.

Also;

You had a thing for stairs, didn’t you?” She asked as she glanced just behind her to Sombra.

[ForSpite]

4333324
I agree with your premise, I think the cost of a better future may well be a Twilight who never is as in sync with her friends as before because you're right that these aren't quite the friends she remembers, even if they become friends again.

[NebulaNyx]

Its Crunch time people, the end is almost here and by the looks of things its going to be EPIC!

[KMCA]

Oh Discord. You enjoyed that as much as I would in the same place, didn't you?

[Starlight Nova]

4341766 After what Chrysalis did to him? You KNOW he did.

[Starlight Nova]

Just how long are you going to be "scripting" the next chapter?

[Zeg]

4350886
For as long as it takes.

Only gotten to work on it an hour or so a night last few nights. Still working out what order I want to show things happening in and all that, since there's going to be a lot going on all at once.

[Ludicrous Lycan]

4359461 I see we share the same train of thought... I'm sure theres room in this car for two.

[EverfreeSparkle]

I have been wondering; what happened to past Spikes egg? Is it still somewhere where it can be magically hatched? Or has it been too long and the egg died? Or was it explained and I just don't remember?

[PropsValroa]

This was pretty intense to say the least. I didn't entirely understand most of it, but I got the gist of it. I quite like how the writer tied together various plot points like the Alicorn Amulet and Sombra, for example.

[Tape Deck]

Chrystallyn only eyed him warily. Discord let out a disappointed sigh as he shoulders sagged. He then leaned back and placed his hands just above his hips as he said, “Oh, come on. Did you really forget? That isn’t like you at all!” He quickly leaned his long body toward her, wrapping his lion arm around her shoulder and pulling the side of her face against his. She cringed at the contact, but otherwise didn’t make any attempt to escape. “I asked what to do should I actually find an intruder, and then you said...,” he started, tapping a talon against her chest. He silently watched her, his grin growing by the second as a look of realization washed over Chrystallyn’s face.

She pulled back from him, shaking her head as she quietly said, “No.”

“Oh, yes,” he said through a hearty chuckle. “I remember it word for word,” he said as he leaned in close to her as she back peddled. He reached his lion paw up just before her face, and touched a talon to each digit on his paw as he said the words.

“Take. Care. Of. Them.”

This selection is honestly one of the best pieces of writing I have seen recently. Discord agreeing to "take care of them", as in assist them.
You don't mess with Discord.