> The Equestrian Wind Mage: Season 2
>  by LordSiravant
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Episode 1: The Rise of Ganon Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 1: The Rise of Ganon Part 1

Princess Luna shuddered as she slept, a particularly vivid dream playing out in her mind. Images of fire, death and destruction swirled around her head, sending a cold chill down her spine. Monsters, many of which were familiar to her, ruthlessly attacked innocent people, not just ponies, but all manner of creatures that called Equestria home, guided by the will of an unknown master.

And then she saw him. Mane red like fire. Yellow eyes aglow with malice. A bipedal body taut with muscle and steeped in fearful armor. And on his thickly-gloved fist, a strange design gave off a strangely holy aura, three triangles arranged into a larger triangle, but two were only outlines while one was filled in, as though it were incomplete. The man laughed, a deep-throated bellow of a laugh that promised death to all who stood against him.

Luna attempted to seize control of her own dream, to glean more information from this ominous portent of doom. But the minute she tried, it all fell away, and she found herself awakening in a cold sweat. Even still, the face of the man she had seen was forever burned into her memory? Who was he? She did not know; what she did know was that he posed a threat to the entirety of Equestria.

Luna rose from her bed and groggily trotted through the castle towards the Throne Room, where she knew her sister would be. As she gave a curt nod towards the guards and opened the door with her magic, she took note of the worried expression etched on her sister's face as she busied herself with signing papers presented to her by a scribe, which expertly vanished the moment she saw her sister.

"Why, Luna, you're up early," Princess Celestia greeted, lowering the stack of papers. "Something troubling you?"

Luna's frown deepened. "Indeed. As I noted that something troubles you as well, dear sister."

Inwardly cursing at her sister's perceptiveness, Celestia handed the rest of the papers to the scribe. "I'll finish these later. For now, leave us."

The scribe looked irritated, but said nothing as she bowed and left the room, shutting the great doors behind her. Once they were alone, Celestia got straight to the point. "What did you see?"

Celestia knew the only reason her sister was up this early in the day was due to a dream that foretold urgent events, especially considering how involved she had gotten in last night's Hearth's Warming celebration at Vaati's palace. "Tell me what troubles you first," Luna replied. "If the same thing is subconsciously causing us alarm, I want to know."

Celestia sighed. "Just this morning, I sensed something unusual in our land. Unusual, but familiar. It was the same feeling I had when Vaati, and then his palace, appeared in our lands."

Luna looked worried. "Someone else has now come to Equestria from another world."

Celestia nodded. "It seems so. I don't know who, nor do I know their intentions. But I cannot help but feel concerned."

"If my dream is any indication, you should be," Luna warned. "I witnessed a being much like Vaati wreaking havoc throughout Equestria. But not only ponies suffered, but all creatures that live in and around Equestria were tormented by his conquest. Diamond Dogs, Griffons, even Changelings. And to make matters worse, his minions are the same as Vaati's."

That heightened Celestia's alarm. "Could it be? Has another of Hyrule's villains come to our land?"

There were many reasons why one could and would dismiss these omens. But not Luna. "Sister…I think so."

XXXXXX

Deep within the Everfree Forest…

Animals of all shapes and sizes fled as one as the strange light had flashed, incinerating all the trees within a ten-foot radius. And as the light dissipated, a man slowly rose to his feet and took in his surroundings. And then he laughed as he realized that he was once again free.

His laughter died down, though, when he took note of how…different this environment felt. He knew the magic of the Lost Woods. This was not the Lost Woods. The magic here was similar, but different. In fact, he could feel more magic running through the land beneath his feet than he had ever felt before.

Was he not in Hyrule then? If not, where was he?

He aimed to find out.

And take this land and make it his own, whatever the answer.

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds, Ponyville…

"Dad!"

"…"

"Dad!"

"…nrgh…"

"Daddy!"

"Ugh…"

"Sigh…Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Daddy, Dad, Dada, Daddy…"

"For the love of the Goddesses, Scootaloo, what?!" Vaati the Wind Mage groaned, reluctantly sitting up in his opulent bed and rubbing his eyes.

When he opened them, he found himself staring into the excited eyes of his foster daughter as she hovered in the air. A wide grin was plastered on her face as she waited for her surrogate father to notice what was different about her. She watched as Vaati's eyes slowly gained focus. It seems he had partied harder at the Hearth's Warming party last night than he had anticipated, Scootaloo noted with amusement. Suddenly Vaati blinked in realization. "Scootaloo…are you flying?!"

Scootaloo did a loopty-loop in mid-air. "My wings finally came in!" she declared, looking at her now fully-grown wings. "Isn't it great?!"

Vaati smiled. "Yes. Yes it is."

He then fell back into his bed. "It would be nicer if you had waited until I was already awake."

Scootaloo frowned. "Dad…it's almost noon."

"…It was a long night."

"A long night of drinking yourself under the table with Princess Luna, you mean," Scootaloo replied with a smirk. "You laugh a lot when you're drunk, by the way."

Vaati groaned as he rubbed his forehead. "Give me a break, kid. I've never had alcohol before. Ugh, I'm not even sure why I thought it was a good idea anyway."

"The Princess said you needed to let loose," Scootaloo answered, her grin widening. "And boy did you ever."

Vaati frowned at her. "I need to stop letting you hang out with Nigellas. That damned Wizzrobe's corrupting you."

"I used to live with an abusive, alcoholic father," Scootaloo replied with a more serious expression. "I've seen a lot worse, trust me."

Choosing not to reflect on her past, Scootaloo's expression returned to its previous deviousness. "Besides, I saw plenty before Uncle Maulgrim decided I didn't need to be in a room full of drunken adults and sent me off to bed. Like you and Princess Luna giving each other bedroom eyes…"

Vaati's face went beet-red. "B-b-bedroom…what?!" the sorcerer spluttered.

Scootaloo giggled. "It doesn't take an expert, Dad. You two are totally into each other."

"Be that as it may, that does not mean we are…we…"

Vaati gritted his teeth angrily as he felt his cheeks flush at the concept of himself…fooling around with someone, as it were. Despite always thinking himself a ladies' man, never once had he actually considered the concept of sex. Why would he? He was a kid when he first rose to power, and had never had the opportunity to be schooled in the idea of 'the birds and the bees'. That and he didn't mature for hundreds of years due to his extended stay in the Four Sword. While his maturity was growing now that he was free of the sword permanently, he had still gone without the dreaded "Talk". Oh, he understood well enough what it was by now, but the idea of actually partaking in it was one adventure Vaati was pretty sure he'd like to avoid until he was ready.

"For Din's sake, Scoots, she's a horse! And I'm a Hylian!"

"So?" Scootaloo asked. "I'm pretty sure the odd Diamond Dog-Pony couples out there do the nasty too."

"Thank you, Scootaloo, for sharing that most wonderful of images with me," Vaati sarcastically replied. "Now I don't think I can sleep anymore."

"Great! Now you can go flying with me! Ooh, ooh! Can Rainbow Dash come too?! Please, please, pretty please?!"

Vaati's eyes narrowed. "Well played, worthy adversary. Well-played."

Scootaloo grinned. "I learned from the best."

"I don't recall teaching you."

"I wasn't talking about you."

Vaati's left eye twitched. Damn you to the bowels of Tartarus, Nigellas. Damn you.

XXXXXX

Vaati grumbled incoherently as he shielded his eyes from the warm rays of the sun, following Scootaloo as they approached Rainbow Dash's cloud house. Vaati frowned as he looked up at the logic-defying structure. The last time he had come to this building, Rainbow Dash had stupidly tricked him into tasting rainbow fluid, and the feedback from the ensuing agony blew the house to bits. Not pleasant memories.

Nevertheless, the sorcerer kept his thoughts to himself as Scootaloo excitedly called out Rainbow's name as she flew up to the house. After a moment, Rainbow came out, smiling at her number one fan…no scratch that, number one niece. "Hey Scoots! What's…"

And then her eyes widened as she realized what Scootaloo was doing. "Scoots! You're flying!"

The two pegasi shared an excited hug and laughed together. "Dad 'n I just wanted to come and see if you wanted to fly with us!" Scootaloo explained.

Rainbow grinned. "I'd love to, squirt!" She looked over the edge of her house and saw Vaati down below, looking bored and still somewhat sleepy. "I ain't got much else to do today. Besides, Vaati could use a little wakin' up anyway, amirite?"

They shared a giggle as Vaati, having overheard their exchange, grumbled to himself, wiping the sleep out of his eyes. He tried to assure himself that spending time with his daughter in her special moment was worth the tired feeling, but his burning eyes cried out in protest in his mind, begging to be closed. But he knew Rainbow was right; a little flying would do wonders for waking him up. With that in mind, the sorcerer changed into his mighty demon form and stretched out his wings.

"Shall we fly, then?" he inquired in a lazy tone.

Rainbow shook her head. "You're such a showoff, you know that?"

"Pot calling the kettle black, I see," Vaati replied without skipping a beat.

"We'll see about that!" Rainbow challenged, flying off into the air.

Vaati rolled his eye as he took to the air as well, followed closely by an ecstatic Scootaloo. "You don't even know what that means, do you?"

The denizens of Ponyville looked up as they saw a huge shadow pass over them, their sudden fear evaporating when they saw it was only Vaati flying alongside Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo.

Wait, Scootaloo?!

It was no secret in the town that one of the young pegasus's greatest desires was to fly. And now that they saw her achieving her dream with their own eyes, many cheers rose up as ponies waved and called out Scootaloo's name, cheering her on. Scootaloo swelled with pride at the congratulations and praise. Rainbow looked at her and grinned. "Whaddaya say, kid? Ready to wow 'em?"

Scootaloo matched her grin and nodded her head. The two pegasi then began performing a series of aerial maneuvers around Vaati's much larger form. "Yes, that's fine, use me as a stunt object, why don't you?" he spoke up indignantly.

Many of the ponies laughed in response, but even so, the sorcerer's mood was only slightly soured. He couldn't really be mad considering how happy his daughter was. None of them noticed as Diamond Tiara, awkwardly walking on prosthetic limbs and accompanied by Silver Spoon, looked up as well and saw the display. Once upon a time, they would have lamented the fact that one of their main weapons of torment towards Scootaloo was no more, but now all they did was smile at how happy Scootaloo seemed to be.

As the trio flew over the town in the direction of the Everfree Forest, each of the other Mane Six, out doing their own thing, stopped to wave at them as they passed, smiling widely as they saw Scootaloo having the time of her life flying on her own. As they left the outskirts of Ponyville and passed over the boundaries of the Everfree Forest, Vaati sighed. "Alright, I give. This was a good idea. I haven't just gone out flying in ages. I needed this. And congratulations, Scoots. It's about time you got to share the skies with their master."

"Someone's got a high opinion of himself," Rainbow jibed with a smirk. "Master of the skies, huh?"

Vaati fixated his ponderous eye upon the sky-blue pegasus. "Are you challenging me on my own turf?"

"Your turf?" Rainbow laughed. "As if! I'm the fastest pegasus in all of Equestria! I can fly circles around you in the time it takes you to blink, big guy!"

Vaati's eye narrowed. "Speed does not necessarily equate mastery of the skies."

Rainbow got in his face and grinned. "You're just trying to justify being slow as molasses. I bet Scoots and I could beat you any day of the week!"

Scootaloo looked on with interest as her dad and favorite aunt's egos clashed. "Is that so?" Vaati growled. "Alright, I'll play your game. Scoots, you up for a little race?"

Scootaloo grinned. "Heck, yeah!"

Vaati's great eye scanned the landscape until he spotted a distant mountain range. Gesturing towards it with a wing, he declared, "The first one to reach that mountain range wins!"

The three competitors lined up alongside one another on a cloud, the pegasi crouching like cats about to pounce while Vaati began to build up a cyclone beneath his body. "Ready, set, GO!" Rainbow cried, zipping off past Vaati and leaving her trademark multicolored trail behind her.

Scootaloo was not far behind, flapping her wings so fast that they buzzed like an insect's. Vaati was slow to start, but as the cyclone generated by his magic grew in strength, his speed began to increase. Flapping his wings with all their strength, Vaati flew faster than he ever had before. The wind howled behind him as the great eye soared after the two pegasi, who were a significant distance ahead of him already.

XXXXXX

As the man trudged through the thick underbrush of the unfamiliar forest, he stopped suddenly as he felt a familiar presence quickly nearing his location. Blinking in surprise, he looked up through a break in the trees just in time to see two brightly-colored winged horses fly by, one of them leaving a rainbow trail in its wake. He furrowed his thick eyebrows in puzzlement at the bizarre scene.

And then his puzzlement turned to shock when he saw a great shape pass over him, the wind nearly strong enough to rip his cloak off his back. As the wind died down, the man took to the air to confirm what he had seen. Hovering over the forest canopy, he watched the retreating figure of the giant winged eye as it pursued the flying horses towards a distant mountain range. His eyes narrowed ominously.

"The Wind Mage…" he spoke to himself in a deep, baritone voice. "So Vaati is here as well."

The man then flew after the Wind Mage. If anyone could tell him where he was, it was Vaati. And he also planned to bring the arrogant fool under his heel, just as he had before a hundred years prior.

XXXXXX

Despite putting all his strength into his flight, by the time Vaati had reached the mountains, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were already waiting for him, and had been waiting for several minutes. The two pegasi were perched on a cliff top that led into a cave (that Rainbow had made sure contained no dragons). Vaati changed back into his normal form as he descended, glaring at the smug victors.

"It would be wise to remove those snide grins off your faces," Vaati warned between pants.

"You did your best, Dad," Scootaloo replied, hugging the flustered sorcerer.

"We still did better though," Rainbow cheekily butted in.

"I could have teleported in front of you two anytime I wanted," Vaati retorted.

"But then you would've been cheating," Rainbow countered.

"Like that's a foreign concept to you," Vaati sneered.

"Hey, I only cheat when I'm losing!"

Vaati smirked. "Exactly."

"But since I'm so awesome, I almost always win anyway, so I don't need to cheat!"

Vaati pursed his lips. "Touché, Rainbow. Touché."

The three of them sat on the ground to catch their breath and observe the view. Scootaloo inspected her wings. "My wings hurt."

"My everything hurts," Vaati replied with a groan as he leaned his head back.

Rainbow rolled her eyes as she leaned her head back too. "Wimps," she muttered under her breath.

But before Vaati could voice a retort to that, a new voice spoke that made Vaati's eyes snap open and widen in shock. "Well now, what's this? The once-great Wind Sorcerer Vaati, lying down with common animals. How trite."

That voice…

That was a voice he had not heard in a hundred years. It was a voice he thought he would never hear again. It was a voice that Vaati feared with every fiber of his being.

Rainbow and Scootaloo recoiled slightly at the unexpectedness and harshness of the voice, and the three of them gawked at the giant of a man looming menacingly over them. His short hair was red like fire, his eyes yellow like the desert sun, his armor black as night, and his skin darkened by years of desert exposure.

Vaati's jaw slackened. "There's just…no way…no way," he stammered as the dark man's sneer widened. "I-it CAN'T be…"

Scootaloo instinctively inched closer to the Wind Mage, intimidated by the other man's presence. Rainbow scrambled to her hooves and got into a defensive stance, also feeling that something was off about this stranger. "Vaati, who is this guy?!" she demanded.

When she looked to the mage for an answer, she felt a dark feeling in the pit of her stomach as she saw his expression. His face was white as a sheet, and his expression was one of pure fear. Whoever this guy was, Vaati was terrified of him.
The man's grin focused on her, causing her to involuntarily shudder. "So the common animals can talk, can they? How intriguing."

He stared at the trio like a predator, as if waiting for the first member to stupidly draw attention to themselves so he could strike. "Surely, then, the Wind Sorcerer has told you about me. After all, if any power in Hyrule could overshadow his, it would be mine. I am the wielder of the Triforce of Power. My name is Ganondorf Dragmire, King of Darkness. You may now kneel, lowly creatures."

Rainbow's fur bristled as her confidence returned. "No way! I don't bow to anypony but the Princesses!"

Ganondorf's sneer deepened into a dark scowl. "Princesses, you say? Then that means this is not Hyrule. That land has only ever had one princess at a time for all its history."

He bent down and seized Vaati by his tunic and held the much smaller wizard up to his level. That snapped him out of his terrified reverie as the mage teleported out of Ganondorf's grasp and reappeared by Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, positioning himself in front of his daughter to shield her from the Gerudo King. Frowning at the boy's impudence, Ganondorf lowered his empty hand and spoke, "Wind Mage, you are familiar with its citizenry, it seems. Where am I, boy?"

Vaati gulped down his fear and answered, "This is Equestria. This world is completely separate from Hyrule. I-I don't understand! How did you get here?!"

"In truth, that is a mystery to me also," Ganondorf plainly admitted. "I should have returned to Hyrule after the seal keeping me in the Sacred Realm had broken. But in the end, it matters not. I will find a way back to Hyrule and reclaim my rightful place as its ruler…but not before I have brought this world under my reign as well. And you, Vaati, are going to help me."

Vaati gritted his teeth. "I will not."

Anger flashed in Ganondorf's poisonous eyes. "What did you say to me, you petulant brat?"

That glare would have cowed any other man. Even Vaati had to keep his knees from buckling, but the sorcerer held strong, matching Ganondorf's glare with his own. "I said I'm not going to help you. I have retired from my life of villainy to live out the rest of my days here in peace. I've made friends, I live in comfort, and I have a family to call my own. And I'm not giving it all up to serve the interests of a delusional madman after all I've done to make myself a well-respected member of this kingdom!"

Ganondorf's eyes darted down to the small orange pegasus that clung to Vaati's leg and trembled under his sinister gaze. "How truly pathetic you have become, sorcerer," he coldly mocked. "Instead of conquering this world for your own, you have chosen to integrate yourself into its people. That is no life for one of your caliber. Your kind belongs at my side, for me to send out whenever the peasantry thinks it has any power for themselves and to quash their thoughts of rebellion. I did not give you a choice in the matter, Vaati! You will join me, or else you will DIE!"

"HEY! News flash, buddy!" Rainbow interrupted, flying over Ganondorf's head. "He said no! Now you better take your crazy 'take over the world' plans and high-tail it outta here, or we'll open a can of whoopass on your greasy hide!"

Ganondorf sneered. "Mouthy little beast. What can you or the Wind Mage do to hurt me? Only the powers of the Master Sword and the Arrows of Light have ever been able to bring lasting harm to me. As long as I have this…" Ganondorf held up his right hand, where the Triforce of Power glowed intensely through his glove. "…I am invincible here. But I am a generous king, and I will forgive you for your insubordination, worm, if you bow down to me."

"You're a king without a people," Rainbow retorted with a glare, causing Ganondorf to blink in shock. "Oh yeah, Vaati's told us plenty about you, Ganon. And let me tell you somethin'; I'm an Element of Harmony! My friends and I use them to kick jerks like you to the curb all the time! Just last month we blasted another King of Darkness into oblivion!"

"Rainbow, the Crystal Heart did in King Sombra," Vaati interrupted. "You guys were too busy trying not to get killed by demon wolves."

A glint appeared in Ganondorf's calculating eyes. "Is that so?"

Rainbow arrogantly puffed out her chest. "Yeah, that's so!"

Vaati didn't like where this was going.

"Then it seems I will have to test the power of these so-called 'Elements of Harmony' for myself soon enough. Then we shall see whether or not their power is worthy of my possession. And then I shall bring these so-called Princesses of yours to heel as well. Now fly, the lot of you. Warn your friends. Warn everyone. Tell the world that it shall soon belong to Ganondorf!"

Ganondorf's menacing laughter echoed in Vaati's mind even after he had grabbed hold of both Rainbow and Scootaloo and teleported them all back to Ponyville, appearing in the main hall of the Palace of Winds. "Scootaloo, go to your room, and stay there," Vaati commanded.

Too afraid to object, Scootaloo complied. "We have to find the others," Vaati bade, running out the door of his palace with Rainbow in tow. "NOW."

XXXXXX

Golden Oaks Library, several minutes later…

Once all of the Mane Six, as well as Spike, Maulgrim, and Nigellas, had gathered in the library, Applejack asked, "Now what in the heck's goin' on, Vaati? Why'd ya ask us to wear our Elements?"

"Yeah, you're acting really weird," Twilight Sparkle said to Vaati and Rainbow as she fiddled with her tiara.

"If you don't mind me inquiring, sir, why in blazes do you look like you've seen a ghost?" Nigellas added.

"Quiet, all of you! And listen up!" Vaati declared with authority, shutting everyone up. "All of Equestria's in danger!"

"Again?" Rarity voiced with a sigh.

"Yes, again! This morning, while Rainbow Dash and I were flying with Scootaloo, we were confronted by someone I have not seen in over a hundred years. Someone I didn't think could ever get to Equestria. But against all common sense, he has. Ganon, Hyrule's King of Darkness and the only man who has proven to be my superior when it comes to magic, has come to Equestria via unknown means with intent to conquer."

Everyone cringed at the sound of metal clanging against wood and looked over to see that Maulgrim had dropped his sword in his shock, not even registering he had done so. "My Lord," the Darknut slowly spoke. "Surely you jest…"

That heightened the seriousness of the situation. None of them had actually seen the commander of the Darknuts, stoic and unflappable Maulgrim, actually look afraid before.

"The King of Darkness," Nigellas muttered, pulling the rim of his hat down. "The fudging King of Darkness is here! Nayru's mammaries, we're toast!"

"Now everypony calm down!" Twilight interrupted. "I'm sure that if we work together, we can…"

Nigellas picked her up and held her at eye level. "Miss Twilight, you do not understand at all what this means. We are talking about a man who has the power of the Goddesses at his fingertips, has the clout to summon and control beings like Maulgrim and I, has on several occasions KILLED spiritual beings just like Discord, possesses an inability to die and/or stay dead, and, as the icing on the proverbial cake of our approaching doom, is the reincarnation of the most powerful Demon King to ever walk the earth, who cursed us bestial folk to serve as his kind's fodder forever as punishment for standing against him! Only one man has ever beaten him, and he is not in Equestria!"

"Okay…uh, please put me down," Twilight replied in a small voice.

"Oh…sorry," Nigellas sheepishly replied, setting the unicorn down.

"Well, maybe we can bring that guy to Equestria!" Pinkie Pie spoke up. "That way, that grumpy old meany-pants won't be a problem!"

"If you've figured out a way to do that, then be my guest," Vaati answered before he realized who he was talking to. "On second thought, please don't."

"It's okay!" Pinkie replied cheerfully. "He's not supposed to show up until next season anyway!"

Vaati just gave her a blank stare, unsure of how to respond.

"So, any idea where this Ganon feller might be?" Applejack asked.

Vaati's frown deepened. "Do not concern yourself with finding him."

Fluttershy gulped, fearing the answer. "Um…w-why?"

"Because he's already looking for us."

Twilight's color drained from her face. "You mean he's coming to Ponyville?!" she half-shrieked.

Rarity and Applejack gasped. "O-our families're in danger!" Applejack cried.

"My sister!" Rarity added. "Oh, I have to get her out of here!"

Trying to avoid a panic, Twilight took charge of the situation. "Alright, everypony, listen up! I'll go to Mayor Mare and have her issue an evacuation order. We'll relocate everypony in town to Vaati's Palace, where they'll be safe while we deal with Ganon when he arrives!" She glanced up towards Vaati. "Does that sound like a plan?"

"There's more than enough room for everybody at the palace," Vaati replied. "My monsters will also be there to protect them in case Ganon somehow sends up any minions of his own. Be aware though, Twilight. Ganon employs many of the same minions I do. Moblins, Darknuts, Wizzrobes…if they accompany him, do not hold back. All my minions wear my sigil somewhere on their body or clothing. If you don't see it, or if they attack you first, put them down without hesitation. But the most important thing here is to deal with Ganon himself. He personally wants to test the power of the Elements of Harmony against his own, so we have little choice but to answer his challenge."

Twilight turned to Spike. "Spike, I want you to send a letter to the Princesses telling them what's going on. Then I want you to go to the palace with everypony else."

"H-huh?! But why? I wanna help!" Spike begged.

"Ganon and his minions will kill you in a heartbeat, Spike!" Vaati answered. "You're too small to do much damage here! Now do as you're told!"

Spike gritted his teeth in frustration. "I'm not too small…"

"My Lord, how can we help?" Maulgrim offered despite his fear of Ganon.

"Aye, we might not be much use against the Evil King himself," Nigellas added, "but we might still be able to do something about any minions of his."

"If I know Ganon well enough," Vaati replied, "he may actually come here alone. In that case, it'll be just me and the Elements against him. If he does show up with minions, however, keep them distracted and don't let them interfere. Considering the Elements' power, they should be able to put a stop to Ganon. But for now, I want you to assist in the evacuation. Make sure everybody doesn't go crazy."

"Well I can't guarantee that, sir, but I'll sure as Dark World try!"

XXXXXX

Over the next hour, a mass exodus of confused, frightened ponies headed for the palace in the sky. Those that flew, flew. Those that could teleport did so. Those who could do neither were teleported en masse by the many Wizzrobes that had been sent down to aid them. As Derpy Hooves, with her young daughter Dinky on her back, flew up to Maulgrim as he directed the crowd, she asked, "What's going on? Why's everypony being moved to the big sky castle?"

"A powerful force of evil is headed for this village," Maulgrim replied. "The Elements of Harmony and Lord Vaati will deal with him while the civilians hide in safety. Now hurry; time grows short. We know not when Ganon will arrive."

Derpy gulped as she flew towards the palace, wanting to get her daughter out of danger.

"Are ya sure ya don't want me to stay 'n help?" Big Macintosh asked his younger sister.

Applejack feverishly shook her head. "No way, Big Mac. Ah need ya to look after Granny Smith 'n Applebloom 'til Ah come back, y'hear?"

"Y-you will come back, right?" Applebloom asked with wide, terror-filled eyes.

"'Course Ah will, Applebloom," Applejack answered warmly, ruffling her little sister's mane. "Ah've faced worse. Now go on, y'all!"

Applejack watched as her family headed up to one of the waiting Wizzrobes and was teleported away. She didn't want to worry them, but she was scared that she might actually not come out of this one. If everyone's word was to be believed, Ganon would be the most powerful, deadliest enemy she and her friends had ever faced. But she was an Element of Harmony. Surely her bond of friendship with the others would shine through, just as it had before.

Wouldn't it?

"Sweetie Belle, you stay safe with your cousins, understand?" Rarity said to her little sister.

"I-I don't understand! Where are you going?!" Sweetie Belle cried, confused and afraid. "It's something really bad, isn't it?! You never wear that necklace for anything else!"

Rarity tightly hugged Sweetie. "Hush, dear. Everything will be just fine. I'll come back for you when it's all over. I promise."

Sweetie looked up at her big sister with tear-stained eyes. "Pinkie Promise?"

Rarity smiled and did the immortal gestures. "Cross my heart, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye."

Meanwhile, Twilight hugged Spike before sending him on his way. "I promise I'll be fine, Spike."

"I know," Spike assured her. "You always come back! I'm not really that worried…I just wish I wasn't left out of the action so much."

"I know, Spike. You'll be old enough, one day."

Spike frowned, the memories of his birthday breakdown fresh on his mind. There were still places he occasionally hurt from his tussle with Vaati as the transfigured sorcerer had clobbered some sense back into his then-giant head. "Do you really believe that?"

Twilight's face fell. Spike had a point; she knew nothing about dragons, and it could very well be the case that he could not physically mature without a hoard of his own. "I don't know."

"Just go give that Ganon guy what-for, okay?" Spike asked, hugging his caretaker again.

Twilight smiled. "I'll be sure to."

After making sure Angel took care of the animals for her, Fluttershy joined the rest of the group in the town square as the last of the townsponies disappeared into the Palace of Winds, leaving Ponyville eerily silent and devoid of life. All of them took a moment to swallow their fear and mentally put their trust in one another and their Elements of Harmony. They had defeated Nightmare Moon; surely they could defeat Ganon. And with Vaati at their side, they were certain that they had the power to bring down this King of Darkness who dared to threaten their homes, families, and livelihoods.

"Has Spike sent the letter to the Princesses?" Vaati asked.

"Yes," Twilight answered with a nod.

"Good. The sooner they get it, the better. If the Elements and my strength prove to be insufficient, we will need their help. Fluttershy, you have a method of contacting Discord, wherever he is. If things start to go wrong, use it. The thought alone makes me cringe, but he may be required as well to halt Ganon's onslaught."

Fluttershy tentatively nodded, holding a small gold coin with Discord's stupidly-grinning face on it close to her chest before ensconcing it in her wing.

"Anything we should know before we get into this?" Twilight asked, standing by Vaati's left side. "Strengths? Weaknesses?"

"Ganon draws power from a holy relic called the Triforce of Power," Vaati explained, scanning the bright, snowy landscape for any sign of their approaching foe. "He stole it countless centuries ago in an effort to seize the complete Triforce, which contains the power of our Creator Goddesses and can grant any wish when fully assembled. He failed, and thus was left with only one of three separate pieces, the other two going to the Legendary Hero and the Princess of Hyrule. But the part he has is the most powerful physically, and strengthens his magic exponentially, made worse considering he was a skilled sorcerer before he even touched the Triforce. He favors dark magic, often combining it with physical attacks such as punches and kicks. He may also use a sword, with which he is quite proficient. But he is at his most dangerous in his demon form."

"Demon form?" Rainbow interrupted. "You mean he has a crazy body power-up thingy too?!"

"Indeed. He takes the form of a giant blue-furred Moblin-like beast in armor, and carries a truly awesome weapon called the Trident of Power, rumored to have once been wielded by the Dark God Majora himself. If he takes that form, get as far away from him as you can. He can shoot devastating barrages of energy balls and lightning bolts from that trident that will incinerate you instantly, as well as throw the damned thing like a boomerang. He will also start teleporting like mad, making it frustratingly difficult to score a hit on him."

Twilight frowned at Vaati's pause. "You…didn't say what his weaknesses are."

Vaati gave her a serious look. "Truthfully speaking, other than the Master Sword, the Four Sword, the Silver Arrows, and the Light Arrows, all of which were designed specifically to either kill him or kill other powerful evil beings like him, I don't think he has any weaknesses. He survives half of his battles with the Hero of Legend despite him carrying all that anti-evil weaponry and is just sealed away for a time, and the other times, when he actually IS slain, he is simply reincarnated as part of an unending cycle, that is if his servants don't resurrect him first. He even survived his own execution, for Din's sake! He simply shrugs off every other thing anyone has ever thrown at him, be it sword or spell."

"Well, if all those weapons were specifically meant to defeat people like him, then maybe the Elements of Harmony will work!" Twilight explained. "They're pretty much meant for the same thing!"

Vaati looked up as the skies began to darken, thick black clouds obscuring the winter sunlight and casting the town in shadow. Lightning flashed overhead, but no rain fell. Vaati peered into the unnatural darkness. "For the sake of Equestria, you had better be right," he warned ominously.

The clouds were so thick that they could not see outside the boundaries of the town; it was too dark. It was almost as if night had fallen. "Be ready, girls," Vaati advised. "That means that he is close."

Soon afterwards, Fluttershy yelped in fright as she beheld a humanoid shape slowly emerging from the darkness, its yellow eyes boring into them. The whole group tensed as the figure strode out of the darkness, a savage grin adorning his facial features. Lightning flashed behind him, bathing the Dark Lord in a terrifying glow as he chuckled menacingly at the enemies gathered before him.

Ganondorf had come.

> Episode 2: The Rise of Ganon Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I apologize in advance for the buttload of filler that follows the fight with Ganon, but I have a story to set up, so it was necessary. Enjoy.

~~~~~~

Episode 2: The Rise of Ganon Part 2

Silence fell over Vaati's group as they beheld the Dark Lord Ganondorf in his full glory, sneering at them. Ganondorf halted about fifty paces from them and stared them all down, sending a ripple of fear down all the opposing heroes' spines. But they were not about to back down. "Ganon!" Twilight yelled. "This is your only warning! Leave Ponyville now or we'll be forced to use the Elements against you!"

Ganondorf laughed and held his arms out. "By all means, try, little worms! Show me their power!"

Vaati severely hoped that was little more than overconfidence on Ganondorf's part.

Twilight looked to her friends. "Okay, girls! You know what to do!"

The others all nodded as the jewels on their necklaces started to glow, Twilight's tiara doing the same. Vaati and Ganondorf both looked on as the Mane Six slowly rose into the air, a bright light surrounding them all. Suddenly a Rainbow of Light shot forth from the Elements and shot towards the waiting King of Darkness with blinding speed. Ganondorf raised his fist up towards his face with the back facing outwards, allowing the Triforce of Power to be seen as it began to glow with growing power. And then the Rainbow was upon him, spinning around him like a vortex of swirling color. At that moment, a great sphere of light surrounded the evil king, erecting a barrier of holy magic between himself and the Rainbow of Light.

The swirling rainbow began to constrict, pushing against the light barrier with all its might in an effort to reach its target. Vaati watched with bated breath as the Elements of Harmony and the Triforce of Power fought one another with all their might. The sorcerer was unsure whether or not he should help. Would things go wrong if he did? He was afraid to find out. He could see Twilight and her friends gritting their teeth in exertion. He could barely see it, but it appeared Ganondorf was struggling as well, his fist shaking as he put all his strength into forcing back that blasted rainbow.

Slowly but surely, the barrier widened, pushing back the Rainbow of Light as the Dark Lord's superior stamina began to win out over that of the Element Bearers. It was to be expected; they had never used their Elements against an opponent who had the ability to fight back against their power. Finally the King of Darkness let loose a mighty bellow, and the barrier exploded outwards, shattering the Rainbow of Light like an eddy of multi-colored glass. The shockwave blasted back Vaati and the Element Bearers too quickly for the sorcerer to erect his own barrier to protect them. With a cry, each of them crashed painfully to the ground, each of their respective Elements flying off their body and settling in the dirt.

Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity were knocked clean out, overwhelmed by the explosion of power. Even the other three, having a higher tolerance for pain, were too dazed to put up any more of a fight, moaning collectively as the triumphant Ganondorf lowered his fist and approached them, panting from the exertion but grinning darkly nonetheless. Vaati, however, still had enough in him to unsteadily drag himself to his feet, causing Ganondorf to halt as the weakened sorcerer stepped between his enemy and his friends.

Ganondorf sneered. "Pathetic Wind Mage, have you learned nothing from our last meeting all those years ago?"

Vaati's palms crackled with energy. "You will not come any closer to my friends," he said, his voice a deadly calm despite his fatigue and the fear running through him.

Ganondorf scoffed. Vaati yelled as a ball of energy formed in his hands and flew at the Gerudo. Unfortunately for the Wind Mage, over a thousand years' worth of experience battling the accursed Hero of Legend had made Ganondorf an expert at Dead Man's Volley, and he nonchalantly deflected the energy sphere back at its owner with an idle backhand. Vaati, having little experience in the deadly game, did not time his response right, and cried out as he was struck by his own attack, collapsing to his knees as agony and electricity wracked his entire body.

Suddenly he felt something tug on his cape and lift him into the air. He looked up to see the face of Ganondorf level with his own, smirking triumphantly. Ganondorf raised his free hand and flexed his fingers ominously. "As I told you before, the power of that silly hat, even augmented by that worthless Light Force, could never compare to the power of the Goddesses. You are nothing to me, boy."

Vaati only had time to widen his eyes in terror before Ganondorf's fist crashed into his chest, painfully knocking the wind out of him. The next blow hit him in the stomach, wracking his body with unfathomable agony. Another brutal punch; Vaati felt his ribs crack. The sorcerer let out pained grunts and gasps as each blow came, breaking bones with every punch. Those members of the Mane Six who were still conscious could only look on in shock and horror as Ganondorf let loose a brutal beatdown on their friend. Soon Vaati's cries died down to weak whimpers as tears welled up in his eyes from the agony.

And then the final blow came, smashing into the mage's face. And then Vaati's world went black as the bloodied, bruised Hylian went limp in Ganondorf's hold. Ganondorf looked him up and down with disdain before roughly tossing him aside with enough strength to crash through the wall of a house. Vaati did not move any further.

Twilight's whole body shook as she tried to get it to move, but all it did was heighten her pain. "V-Vaati!" she whimpered.

Suddenly a shadow fell over her. Her eyes darted up to see Ganondorf looming over her, his eyes aglow with malice. He raised one hand, and Twilight gasped as her Element of Harmony rose into the air, followed by the others, which all swirled around the King of Darkness. "The power of these Elements amazes even me," Ganondorf drawled. "Their power very nearly matched my own. But in the end, not even they can compare to a relic forged by the gods themselves. Still, such power is not worthy of pathetic insects like you. Such relics belong in the hands of one who understands true power. These Elements of Harmony now belong to me!"

"THINK AGAIN, TYRANT!" a new voice abruptly boomed, causing Ganondorf to turn towards its owner.

Flying in the air was Princess Celestia herself.

The Princess of the Sun was terrible to behold. Upon her arrival, she had seen the destruction the strange man had wrought. Her faithful student and her friends all lay scattered around the town square, half of them unmoving. Vaati was nowhere to be seen. And then pure, blind rage took hold, transforming her normally-multicolored mane and tail into a raging flame. Her eyes glowed a blinding white as she bellowed at the King of Darkness. "YOUR TIME ON THIS EARTH ENDS NOW, EVIL KING! YOU WILL PAY FOR HARMING MY SUBJECTS!"

A mighty beam of sun energy exploded from her horn and made a beeline straight for Ganondorf, who raised his fist and brought the Triforce of Power to bear, deflecting the energy and scattering it in all directions. Suddenly, Ganondorf was struck from behind by another beam, this one of dark energy of a non-evil variety. The blow broke Ganondorf's concentration, causing Celestia's beam to hit him as well, the combined attacks causing Ganondorf to roar in pain before an explosion surrounded him. As Celestia and Luna watched the dust fall, their jaws dropped as Ganondorf actually rose back to his feet and laughed. "So you are the Princesses of this land! You certainly have impressed me with your power. But your efforts are in vain! Only the Hero of Legend has the ability to defeat me! All other beings, no matter how powerful, are still beneath me! Look well! I defeated your ultimate weapons, and now they are mine to wield! You think you can do better, worms?!"

"You think you can use the Elements of Harmony?!" Luna bellowed, just barely managing to keep her own rage in check, lest she risk falling back under the spell of Nightmare Moon. "Fool! The Elements cannot be used for evil purposes! They are unequivocally a force for good! They will deny you, King of Darkness!"

Ganondorf's smirk fell. "If that is the case, then I shall destroy them instead! Such a power should not exist if I cannot control it!"

"It is not so simple!" Celestia roared. "The Elements are pure magic, and cannot be destroyed! It is YOUR efforts that are in vain, Evil One!"

Ganondorf gritted his teeth. "It matters not! If I cannot control them, then I will still deny you their power! We will meet again very soon, Princesses! And then your thrones, and your world, shall be mine to subjugate, mine to dominate, mine to rule!"

"NO!" both Princesses cried, unleashing the full extent of their power.

But Ganondorf was already gone, having teleported away just before their attacks hit the ground where he once stood. And with him went the Elements of Harmony.

Luna snorted in anger, whipping her head about. "Where is he?! WHERE IS HE?!"

Celestia's rage fizzled out as she felt the evil king's presence vanish. "He is gone, sister," she spoke softly as the dark clouds above them began to dissipate, allowing the sunlight to stream back into the pockmarked town.

Luna whinnied, enraged. "NO! He cannot be allowed to escape!"

"Luna, my student and her friends are hurt!" Celestia sharply retorted. "Vaati could be hurt! They are our priority now!"

At the mention of the sorcerer, Luna's rage was replaced by worry as she glanced around the town, her panic rising. "Vaati? Vaati, where are you?!"

Celestia was at Twilight's side in an instant, kneeling down at her side. Miraculously, the young unicorn was still somewhat conscious, but it was obvious she was in a lot of pain. "P-Princess…" Twilight moaned weakly.

"Rest, my faithful student," Celestia softly spoke, draping an elegant wing over her weakened pupil.

"Princess…I'm sorry. I…I failed. I failed my friends. I failed Ponyville. I failed you."

Celestia gently nuzzled Twilight, tears streaming down her eyes. "You did what you could. I do not hold it against you. Oh, how did it come to this?"

She looked over to see her sister gasp in horror as she finally discovered Vaati's resting place. Parts of his violet robes could still be seen from under the rubble, but the sorcerer was not moving. "No…dear Mother, no," Luna whispered as she magically flung the boards and plywood aside, revealing the still sorcerer.

Luna's breath caught in her throat when she saw him. His face was bruised and bloody, his clothes were torn in several places, and his eyes were closed. "VAATI!" Luna cried, rushing to his side and lifting up his upper body with her wing. "Vaati, do not pass from this world yet! Please!"

She pressed her ear against his chest and breathed a sigh of relief when she felt a heartbeat, however faint. "We must get him and the others to the Wind Palace at once, sister!" she cried. "Vaati's wounds are grave!"

Celestia nodded in agreement before magically teleporting herself, her sister, the Mane Six, and Vaati up to the Palace of Winds. No sooner had she done so when Derpy looked out the window and saw them, turning her head to announce their arrival. The great oak doors of the palace swung open so forcefully it was a surprise they weren't ripped off their hinges. Nigellas strode out, gasping as he saw the state his lord was in, who was draped over Luna's back like a bloodied sack of grain.

"Sweet Farore's navel, what in the blazing hellfire happened down there?!" the Wizzrobe screeched.

"No time for an explanation," Celestia spoke with authority to match Vaati's own, causing the Wizzrobe to freeze in bewilderment. "Get them all to your infirmary, now."

Nigellas nervously saluted. "R-right away, Your Majesty!"

He turned to several ponies who had begun to gather around the scene. "Go make yourselves useful, collect the wounded, and follow me to the infirmary! Quickly, now!"

Lyra, Derpy, Bon Bon, a heavily-muscled pegasus named Snowflake, and Doctor Whooves all immediately complied, hoisting the Mane Six over their backs, Lyra carrying Fluttershy, Bon Bon carrying Rarity, Snowflake carrying both Rainbow Dash and Applejack, Derpy carrying Pinkie Pie, and the Doctor carrying Twilight. As they all followed Nigellas through the palace halls towards the infirmary, accompanied by the Princesses and the still-unconscious Vaati, Whooves whispered to Derpy, "It's a right shame the TARDIS didn't survive our encounter with the Zerg. I could have done something to help these poor chaps with that Ganon fellow."

Derpy sighed. "Yeah. I hate feeling helpless, now that I've gotten used to saving Equestria behind everypony's backs with you."

The Doctor glanced up at the unicorn on his back, who had finally slipped into unconsciousness. "We may still be able to do something later on. I have a feeling the opportunity may yet present itself."

"I just hope it isn't anything like our encounter with the Alicorn Without A Face," Derpy replied with a shiver. "I still have nightmares about that."

Whooves said nothing, preferring not to reflect on their harrowing ordeal with the Slender Pony.

XXXXXX

Eventually, they reached the infirmary, where all the wounded heroes were deposited on beds and their carriers dismissed. Celestia and Luna stayed, watching over them as Nigellas and the Wizzrobes assigned to the infirmary hurried to ready a batch of Red Potion for them all, harvesting the heart-shaped fruits of the life-giver plants growing in a special garden and grinding them into a thick paste before thinning the mixture slightly with fairy spring water. Nigellas silently lamented to himself; while they could harvest the life-giver plants indefinitely, the fairy spring water would run out eventually and there would be no way to replenish it. Once the potion was ready, Nigellas came back into the room with seven containers on a platter. "They need to be awake before I can administer this," Nigellas spoke to the Princesses. "Otherwise they may choke on it."

Celestia stepped forward. "I can help with that. I know a spell that will open an unconscious pony's airways so they can be administered medicine without fear of choking on it."

"…That's awfully convenient," Nigellas commented. "But I'm not stupid enough to refuse it. Do what you will."

Celestia nodded before performing the spell required, allowing the Wizzrobe to pour the Red Potion down the patients' throats. The effect was immediate; bruises vanished, blood returned to the veins, and cuts disappeared, leaving no scars. Nigellas and the Princesses winced slightly as they heard an uncomfortable cracking noise as Vaati's ribs and other broken bones repaired themselves. Once the healing was complete, Luna spoke up. "Now what?"

"Now, we wait," Nigellas answered. "Their wounds were severe, especially Lord Vaati's. They will need to rest before they are fit to leave."

The two alicorns nodded. "We understand," Celestia said. "We have a few royal duties we must attend to, particularly concerning how we will deal with Ganon. But we will return when we are done."

Nigellas nodded. "Sounds fair enough. They should be awake by then."

XXXXXX

Several hours later…

After declaring to the populace that a powerful sorcerer had entered Equestrian territory, Celestia sent several platoons of guards to search across the land for any sign of Ganondorf with orders to report on his activities. After hearing the news, Shining Armor and Princess Cadance immediately selected a group of guards to accompany them to Equestria and aid in the search, for they were incensed that this fiend had dared to harm their sister. While the Crystal Pony soldiers joined the Equestrian Guard in their hunt, Shining and Cadance went straight to the Palace of Winds looming over Ponyville as it always did, and noted with discomfort at how empty the town was. With Ganondorf loose, the citizens had decided to stay within the relative safety of the palace for a little while longer until they felt comfortable enough to return to their homes. As it so happened, Celestia and Luna arrived at the same time, allowing them to guide Cadance and Shining to the infirmary.

"Is Twilight going to be alright?" Shining asked.

"She is expected to make a full recovery, along with everyone else," Celestia answered. "The Wizzrobes are excellent healers."

"I still can't believe this," Cadance said. "Just one villain after another, getting worse each time. First there was Queen Chrysalis, then King Sombra, and now some other psychopath from another world entirely! At least we had Vaati around for the first two, but this Ganon individual, I heard, actually beat him! Is that true, Aunt Celly?"

Celestia nodded gravely. "Ganon comes from the same world as Vaati, and was apparently an even bigger threat to them than Vaati was during his time as a villain. If I am to understand, Vaati was actually forced to do his bidding once."

Shining's brow furrowed in deep concern. A short while afterwards, they reached the infirmary, where Nigellas greeted them. "Aye, you came just in time. The others are still waking up, but Master Vaati is already coherent enough to speak to you."

"Thank you, Nigellas," Celestia replied, stepping inside alongside Luna.

Seeing Cadance and Shining, Nigellas tipped his wizard's hat. "Lovely to see you two again, even though it's, once again, during a time of crisis."

Shining and Cadance both sighed. "It really is getting ridiculous," Cadance muttered.

"If you're here to see Miss Twilight, go on in," Nigellas offered. "I'm sure she could use your support right now. The fight with Ganondorf hurt a lot more than just her body."

"Thanks," Shining replied with a nod before following his wife into the infirmary.

The room was now filled with visitors, including all three Princesses, Shining, Spike, Nigellas, all three Cutie Mark Crusaders, and Maulgrim. Celestia came over to Vaati's bed, and noted with concern that the normally-unflappable sorcerer was staring off into space, with a deeply troubled look on his face. Scootaloo had tried getting his attention before, but the sorcerer just kept staring ahead, so she just settled for curling up at his side. As soon as she saw Celestia, she bowed her head out of respect. "Hello, young Scootaloo," Celestia greeted.

"Hey, Princess," she droned sadly.

Celestia turned her attention towards the silent sorcerer. "Vaati?" she spoke. "Vaati, I must speak with you."

Vaati was quiet for several more long moments, until he finally answered, "This is my fault."

Celestia shook her head. "Don't say that, Vaati."

Vaati finally turned his head to look at her, frowning angrily. "It's the truth, Princess. This is my fault, in more ways than one. I hesitated during the fight instead of helping out, and Twilight and the others paid for it. And it's my fault that Ganon is even here in the first place. First it was me. Then it was the Palace of Winds. And now Ganondorf. I think my impromptu move here has triggered a cataclysmic event. The dimensional boundaries between Hyrule and Equestria are beginning to fray. I'm certain of it. The two worlds could bridge together in the near future, and who knows what that will bring?"

At that moment, Luna approached his bedside. "I will not deny that such a thing intrigues us."

Vaati's frown deepened. "What it means is that Equestria has gotten caught up in the longest-running, bloodiest cycle of death and war in the history of all worlds; the Golden Trio Cycle. Whenever Ganon is freed, resurrected, or reincarnated, he menaces the land, causing misery for all its people and making war against them in pursuit of collecting the two pieces of the most powerful relic in Hyrule that he does not possess, the Triforce of Courage that the Hero carries, and the Triforce of Wisdom housed within Princess Zelda. Ganon himself possesses the Triforce of Power, which augments his strength to a terrifying degree. It is then that the Hero of Legend is reincarnated as well to oppose him, with the Princess of Destiny to guide his way. After much bloodshed and chaos, the Hero defeats Ganon. He always has. And then a century or so later, the process repeats itself. Woe was the day I was inadvertently caught up in it."

"How did that happen?" Luna asked.

Vaati glanced aside and noticed that everyone was staring at him, interested to hear his reply. The Wind Mage sighed. "It happened more than a hundred years ago…"

XXXXXX

The Four Sword Sanctuary, Hyrule, one hundred and twelve years ago…

Link was unarmed and had no way of fighting the dark doppelganger of himself prancing about, laughing mockingly at him. "You do have a way of fighting back, silly," Shadow Link cuckolded, skipping over to the Four Sword. "Pull it out and fight me!"

Link feverishly shook his head. "No way! If I pull it out, I release Vaati the Wind Mage!"

Shadow Link pretended to ponder that tidbit of information. "There is that one little snag. But it's not like you have a choice in the matter. Unless you pull out that sword and defend yourself, I'll just kill you where you stand. Either way, my boss will be quite happy!"

The dark mirror image drew its sword and pointed it at Link. "Your choice. You got ten seconds before I slice that empty noggin of yours right off your shoulders."

Link stood rooted to the spot.

"Ten…"

Link did not move, his eyes darting about in panic.

"Nine…"

Link began to hyperventilate, unsure of what to do.

"Eight…"

He looked towards the Four Sword sitting in its pedestal.

"Seven, getting testyyyyy…"

Link gulped and did what he knew he had to do. He rushed over to the Four Sword and reached towards the handle. Then he hesitated, knowing what would come if he did pull it out.

"Six…"

Link's hand trembled.

"Five…"

With a shuddering breath, Link gripped the handle of the sword and slid it out of its pedestal, raising the blade into the air. Suddenly he felt a weird sensation coursing through his body, and then three identical copies of himself, only with violet, red, and blue clothes, appeared at his side, standing in the exact same position. Before they could even comprehend what had just happened, a harsh wind began to blow. Shadow Link giggled maniacally as storm clouds began to converge over their heads, lightning flashing from within. A shape began to rise up from the Green Link's blade and form over their heads. A large, spherical body with golden horns, three pairs of bat-like wings, and a single red eye. Link knew the legend well enough; this was Vaati, the infamous Sorcerer of Winds.

"AH HA HA HA HA HA!" Vaati laughed. "I am free once again! Hyrule and its Princess shall be mine once more!"

The great demon orb unleashed a great tornado, which sent the four Links flying into the wall, knocking them unconscious. Then he flew off in the direction of Hyrule Castle, intent on his conquest. Shadow Link smiled darkly as he slid back into the shadows. "Buddy, you're in for a rude awakening when you get there."

Vaati flew across the skies, cackling in savage merriment as he saw the puny citizens of Hyrule scatter below him. Oh, how good it felt to be back! The demon eye spied Hyrule Castle just ahead and descended towards it, thinking little of the fact that smoke was rising from several parts of the castle. With a mighty roar, he burst into where he knew the Throne Room to be and announced, "Princess Zelda! I, Vaati the Wind Mage, have returned! Become my bride, and I shall spare your…"

Vaati trailed off when he finally surveyed the scene. It was not Princess Zelda that awaited him, but a man, a tall man with features as evil-looking as Vaati's own. In his hands was a black trident with a red jewel set on its head just beneath the prongs. The man smirked. "I've been expecting you, Sorcerer of Winds."

Vaati's eye narrowed. "Who are you?"

The man chuckled. "I am Ganondorf Dragmire, King of Darkness, Wielder of the Trident of Power, and your new master."

Vaati's wings flared out in anger. "WHAT?! My new master?! Fool! The Wind Mage answers to no one!"

Ganondorf grinned savagely, holding up the Trident. "You will answer to ME."

The Wind Mage drew back as the King of Darkness hunched over, growing in size and shape until a great blue armored Moblin-like creature stared back at him, its height greater than even that of the winged eye. Brandishing the enlarged Trident, the beast unleashed a deep-throated laugh. "Behold, Wind Sorcerer! I am Ganon, Holder of Power and the new ruler of this world! I am the creator and destroyer! Before this hour is through, you will bow down to me!"

Two of Vaati's wings grew into arms tipped with razor-sharp golden claws. Electric-blue magic flared between his horns. "I'll not bend my knee to an oversized Moblin!"

"You will bend it to your king!" Ganon roared, swinging his trident at Vaati.

The great eye saw it coming and grabbed the Trident in his mighty claws, attempting to wrench it out of Ganon's grip. Suddenly a burst of dark energy surged through the Trident, forcing Vaati to release his hold on it. Ganon followed up with a salvo of energy balls from the Trident. Vaati defended himself by moving his arms in the way of the blasts, grunting as he felt a painful tingling sensation in his arms. Then Ganon rushed forward, slamming full-force into Vaati, throwing all his weighty bulk behind the blow. Vaati quickly recovered, and the two mighty demons clashed arms, coming to a standstill in the middle of the Throne Room. With both of Ganon's arms occupied, Vaati's eye flashed before an intense beam of energy slammed directly into Ganon's chest, throwing the King of Darkness across the room, where he landed on his back.

Seizing the initiative, Vaati sent his own energy balls hurtling into the downed Ganon, causing him to roar in pain. Even so, the mighty beast managed to rise to its cloven hooves and twirled the Trident over his head, causing a multitude of fiery bats to circle around him before he lowered the Trident, sending the horde of fire bats at Vaati. Raising his arms, Vaati created a tornado around himself that absorbed and dissipated the bat-shaped fireballs.

But Ganon was not yet finished. With a snarl, Ganon threw his Trident like a boomerang, which hurtled into the tornado. Panicking, Vaati released his control of the wind, but the Trident kept going, blue fire trailing out of it. The dark weapon sliced into Vaati, causing him to cry out in pain. The weapon returned to Ganon's hand before he strode forward, raising it over his head. Vaati looked up just in time to see the King of Evil slam the Trident over his head, an explosion of dark energy destroying most of the Throne Room.

Ganon lowered his Trident and peered through the dust and rubble. When the dust cleared, there lay the defeated Wind Mage, so utterly beaten that he had shifted back into his Hylian form, which had not been seen since his first rise to power. As the sorcerer weakly looked up at him, Ganon sneered, returning to his Gerudo form. Crossing his arms in triumph, Ganondorf said, "You may now kneel, worm."

When Vaati looked up at him, the mage's face was contorted in pain and no small amount of fear. With no other choice, Vaati dragged himself to his knees and bowed before his conqueror, all semblance of dignity utterly crushed. Ganondorf's sneer widened. "Good move, Vaati. Now, do not tarry. You have work to do. Seal away the Shrine Maidens so that they cannot interfere with my plans."

Ganondorf glanced aside as a shadow materialized beside him. It stood taller than he, but had broad shoulders similar to his. Its body was black, with runes glowing bluish-green all over its body like tattoos. Two great horns curved inward and then outward over its head. "The Four Sword Heroes will no doubt be here soon, my shadow. Do not let them reach the first Shrine Maiden."

Phantom Ganon wordlessly nodded before disappearing in a cloud of black smoke with an echoing laugh.

XXXXXX

Present day…

"I did as he asked," Vaati finished explaining. "I sealed the Shrine Maidens away and helped Ganon spread his darkness across the land. It was then that I began to reclaim my true self. I guess you could say my defeat at Ganon's hands was the shock I needed to begin second-guessing my life choices. I could not fight against Ganon, not directly at least. And my pride prevented me from going to the accursed Heroes for help. There was only one way I could resist him and deny him his ultimate victory; when the Heroes came for me, I threw the fight and allowed them to seal me away again. He lost his chief puppet then. I was confident they would defeat Ganon again, and as I looked through the history books the Wizzrobes collected for me each time I returned, I was right. Ganon was indeed sealed in the Dark World not long after I was defeated. But unfortunately, he has seen fit to not only return, but to show up here, of all places."

Everyone collectively released a breath they didn't realize they were holding. "My word..." Cadance whispered. "How awful!"

Shining's face was stern. "Such a fiend can't be allowed to roam freely across our lands!"

Vaati shook his head. "Search all you want. You will not find him unless he wants to be found."

"My guards, as well as those of the Crystal Empire, are searching high and low for him," Celestia interjected. "I'm considering even asking Queen Chrysalis to be on the lookout as well. Luna had a dream about Ganon shortly before he arrived. In it, it was not only ponies that suffered, but all manner of beings, Changelings included."

"Then I know what Ganondorf is doing," Vaati replied. "He's currently attempting to establish a foothold in Equestria, as well as hide the Elements of Harmony away. He will likely place each Element under the guardianship of a powerful monster, which will also serve as a means for Ganon to control the locals in each area. In the meantime, he will also focus on building an army. Once he has done those things, he will undoubtedly march on Canterlot and attempt to seize your thrones and declare himself the new ruler. He is anything if not consistent."

If Celestia and Luna were troubled by this, they did not show it. However, Shining was less inclined to keep his emotions in check, looking up at Celestia and saying, "Your Majesty, I strongly request that all our guards return to Canterlot at once so we can beef up its defenses!"

Vaati gave a mirthless chuckle. "You saw how my monsters tore apart the Changelings almost effortlessly, did you not?"

"Yeah?" Shining replied.

"Ganondorf employs many of the same creatures, and they will show even less restraint than my own servants did. I do not recommend facing them in open combat, especially if Ganondorf decides to lead from the front, in which case every last one of your men will be dead in about five minutes."

"We can't just do nothing, Vaati!" Cadance cried. "The safety of Equestria is at stake!"

"And the Crystal Empire, the Griffon Kingdom, the Diamond Dog tribes, the Changelings, and every other nation around Equestria. If he gains control over Equestria, he'll eventually spread his dominion around all the other territories. And unlike most people in this world, Ganondorf has the means to do it. He can summon an endless number of completely subservient monsters that will never think to rebel against him. I agree; something must be done. But it must be done by those who are capable of fighting Ganondorf on his own terms."

Luna looked worried. "You intend to face him again?"

"I know," Vaati replied. "Both times I've faced him, he deftly defeated me. And he defeated the Elements of Harmony and now has them in his possession. But the Elements can be recovered. And when we face him again, all of us will work together. I'll wear him down as much as I can, and then we'll use the Elements to finish him off."

"And what of the rest of us?" Shining asked. "Our guards can do something to help, surely?"

"That's up to your Princesses to decide," Vaati answered. "I will assign my monsters to guard Ponyville during my absence. Whether you leave a contingent of your guards to help them is up to you, Princess. But after Ganon conquers Canterlot, and he will, so don't try to correct me, he will send his soldiers around the country to oppress the other villages and towns so they'll know who's in charge now."

Luna's brow furrowed. "What makes you so certain Ganon will succeed in conquering Canterlot?"

"Ganon is powerful enough to lay waste to any shield Shining here puts up in less than an hour, and he has a nasty habit of conquering castles thought unconquerable. Hyrule Castle has never been taken by an invading army, but Ganon has always near single-handedly penetrated its strongest defenses and seized control. The Hero is pretty much Hyrule's only line of defense against him. The Crystal Empire is much more remote, and it will take some time before Ganondorf is ready to assault it. I urge you both to stay there for the time being. Canterlot is not safe, but as long as you are, the populace won't give in to despair."

"You ask us to hide while Ganon assaults our home and people?" Luna spoke harshly. "No! If Ganon seeks to take our thrones, he will have to pry our cold corpses from them first!"

Vaati sat up and gripped Luna by the shoulders. "For the love of the Goddesses, Luna, don't give him the opportunity! If you get yourself killed, I'll never forgive you!"

Luna smirked. "In that unlikely event, I wouldn't be alive enough to care."

Vaati just glared flatly at her. "You have a poor sense of timing when it comes to humor, love."

"I swear, it's like watching an old married couple," Nigellas whispered to Twilight, who was watching the two dark magic users with mild amusement from her bed. "Not that I know anything about marriage."

Having overheard the Wizzrobe's comment, Luna's violet cheeks flushed a bright scarlet, while Vaati glared murderously at his servant, attempting to suppress his own blush. "Nigellas. Out. Now."

"Sir, I'm in charge of the infir…"

"I SAID OUT!" Vaati yelled, pointing a finger at the Wizzrobe's feet. Suddenly, the hem of Nigellas's robe caught fire, causing the poor wizard to cry out in fright.

"GAH! WHY IS IT ALWAYS MEEEEEEE?!" Nigellas screamed as he rushed out of the room to find some water before he was incinerated.

"Jeez, Dad," Scootaloo commented. "That was a little harsh, don't you think?"

"He deserved it," Vaati flatly replied.

"Nice to see you're back," Twilight spoke up, catching Vaati's attention.

"Save the sarcasm for later," Vaati snapped irritably, groaning as he stood up from his bed. "We have planning to do. Ganondorf is scattering the Elements as we speak, likely bringing other territories under his heel in the process. He may also be building an army. If that is the case, I estimate he will march on Canterlot to usurp the Princesses in about three days' time. Now, everyone come with me. I have a small room I use for situations like this in the lower levels of the palace."

XXXXXX

Palace War Room, Level B1…

Vaati led the Mane Six, who were all finally awake, Shining Armor, Maulgrim, Nigellas, (who had happened across an Aquamancer Wizzrobe, who had a good laugh at Nigellas's expense before putting the fire out) and the three Princesses over to a black iron door. "Ladies and gentlemen," Vaati began.

"Gentlecolts," Shining quietly corrected.

"My annoying comrades," Vaati pointedly amended as he opened the door. "Welcome to my war room."

"Well, it's about time you showed up!"

The whole group paused in surprise as they saw that someone else had beaten them to the war room, someone composed of many animal body parts and was sitting in a chair upside down on the ceiling. His eyes glowed with merriment in the dim light. Vaati sighed. "Discord."

"Don't look too happy to see me," Discord drawled as he finished his glass of chocolate milk, the empty glass disappearing as Discord dismissed it. "Yeesh, it's been almost two months since we saw each other! Aren't you the least bit happy to see your old pal Discord?"

"We are not friends," Vaati replied sourly. "I merely tolerate your presence, and only when you haven't redecorated my palace."

"Now, before you say anything, this chair didn't come from your precious palace," Discord interrupted.

Rarity, looking closer, recognized said chair. "Wait…is that my fainting sofa?!"

Discord looked down (up?) at it. "Is that what you use it for? Sheesh, calling you a drama queen would be an understatement."

"Discord, we're here for something important," Vaati snapped. "So unless you want to be a part of this, get lost. Like you were when Ganondorf came."

"Hey, don't pin the blame on me!" Discord pouted, putting his paws up. "I was in Zebrica trying to teach the locals how to dance the polka! If somepony…" Discord glared disappointingly at Fluttershy, who tried to hide her face in her hair out of shame. "…had bothered to use the little coin I gave her to keep in touch with me while I was out and about, I would have helped you out! Scout's honor!"

Vaati just glared at him for a moment before tiredly shaking his head. "Fine. Everyone take a seat around the table. You're fine where you are, Discord."

"Of course I am! I'm fine wherever I go!"

Vaati just shook his head as he and everyone else took a seat around the large oak table. Printed on its surface was a highly detailed map of an unknown continent. Noticing this, Vaati looked up at Nigellas and said, "Get the map of Equestria. This doesn't need to display Hyrule anymore."

"This is Hyrule?" Twilight excitedly asked, scrutinizing as many details as she could as Nigellas conjured the map he had acquired some time before.

She pouted as Nigellas covered the table's surface with the map face-down and touched his finger on the middle. When he removed the map, a more detailed version of it was now painted on its surface. The ponies sans the Princesses 'ooh'ed at that. "A special kind of table," Vaati explained. "The result of an old experiment of mine."

"An impressive feat of magic," Celestia commended.

"Yes it is," Vaati preened before getting down to business. "Alright. We have no idea where Ganon is at the moment, and any attempts to find him will end in failure or loss of life if someone is unlucky enough to actually stumble across him. What we do know is that he is likely going to pull the same stunt he does with every magical artifact he finds that responds positively to heroes; scatter them across all corners of the land, enslave the nearby locals, and put a powerful monster in charge of guarding each Element. After he's done that, he will march on Canterlot and attempt to either capture or kill you two."

He glanced at Celestia and held Luna's gaze for a moment before returning to the map, indicating each spot as he listed it. "Some likely places where he might place an Element would be the Griffon Kingdom, the Changeling Hive, and the Everfree Forest. I can't say where he could put the rest, but we'll have to find that out some way."

"Even when separated, Twilight and her friends still maintain their connection with their respective Element," Celestia explained. "With a little focusing spell, you can pinpoint where each one is."

"I can do the spell!" Twilight spoke up. "That'll help a lot!"

"The Element Bearers and I will search for the Elements of Harmony," Vaati continued. "The rest of you will focus on finding a way to resist Ganon through strength of arms. Most of my troops will remain here to guard Ponyville and the Palace of Winds, but I can send some to aid your own forces. I'd rather not summon more, as the ones here now have grown accustomed to being around ponykind."

"Meanin'?" Applejack asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Meaning we are more inclined to defend you with our lives for reasons other than just following orders," Maulgrim rumbled, risking an aside glance at Rarity just quick enough for no one to notice. "Which will make us fight that much harder to ensure your protection."

Applejack mouthed a silent "oh" as she understood. Rarity seemed to as well, for she smiled up at the proud Darknut. "Are you saying that we're worth fighting for?"

Maulgrim was thankful the lovely unicorn could not see the rosy blush tinge his dog-like face through his omnipresent helmet. "I am, my lady."

Nigellas scoffed. "You're such a hopeless romantic, you know that?"

"Moving on," Maulgrim interrupted with some force. "Please continue, sire."

Vaati's eyes narrowed momentarily as he observed the scene. Something was definitely starting to form between those two. Was Maulgrim falling for Rarity? A Darknut falling in love to begin with was such a foreign concept to the sorcerer's mind, but he shook all these thoughts aside as he resumed. "With that in mind, a few of my Wizzrobes will be added to your unicorn ranks, some Darknuts will bolster your Earth Ponies, and if you're patient enough, I can summon some Kargarocs and possibly the Helmaroc King, if Ganon hasn't already done so, to aid your pegasi warriors."

"What are Kargarocs?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Large birds of prey that can be trained into war birds," Vaati explained. "The Helmaroc King is the largest of them all, and is intelligent. That may not come as a surprise to you all, considering the unusually high level of intelligence this world's animals possess, but Helmaroc is capable of telepathy."

Vaati noted how disconcerted Fluttershy looked at the idea of using birds as war beasts. He inwardly sighed. She's going to find a lot of her ideals crushed in front of her before this adventure is through, he thought to himself before he went back to his explanation.

"Once that is done, I highly suggest evacuating Canterlot's citizenry to the outer towns and villages, leave a skeleton crew behind to tempt Ganon into attacking so he'll be distracted, and make the Crystal Empire your temporary capital for the time being. It's much more defensible than Canterlot, it's more remote, which will give you more time to focus on beefing up its defenses, and it has its own means of defense that should deter Ganon's advance for a while longer."

"I think it's a good idea, Your Majesties," Shining said. "Vaati has a good point. The Crystal Heart's magic is stronger than anything Cadance and I can conjure. We also found a few of Sombra's old weapons he had kept in storage. We were originally going to destroy those frightful devices, but now it sounds like we may need them after all. Better that they should now serve the cause of good."

Vaati quirked an eyebrow. "What manner of weapons would these be?"

Cadance repressed a shudder. "Tower-mounted crystal stake hurlers."

"Tower-mounted ballistae that could fire multiple projectiles at once," Celestia explained. "King Sombra built them in an effort to kill me and Luna before we could reach him. It was indeed a miracle we actually managed to avoid them all. We destroyed them before moving on to Sombra himself, but I should have known he would have kept spares. They're highly effective against large groups of flyers, and can be used to devastating effect against ground forces too."

"I still feel uncomfortable with using weapons designed by that awful bastard of a king," Shining sighed. "But if it helps defend the Empire, I'll have them set up right away."

"And what should I do?" Discord asked, craning his head over Vaati's face. "You've ignored me this entire conversation."

"You have our full permission to give Ganon and his minions as much hell as you can give them," Vaati answered, smirking. "Sow the seeds of chaos in Ganon's perfect order."

Discord grinned from ear to ear and spun around in the air, laughing joyously. "Oh, now this is going to be fun! Finally I can inflict some good old-fashioned chaos without repercussions!"

"However," Vaati interrupted, "do not make yourself directly known to Ganon. At least, not yet. He'll tear you apart in seconds if he gets ahold of you. Remember that I thrashed you, and he has beaten me twice, once while I at full power."

Discord's smile faltered. "Will do," he assured them.

Vaati turned to his two chief minions. "Maulgrim, Nigellas, you two will be in charge of Ponyville's defenses. If need be, teach the townsfolk how to defend themselves. You may not like it, but you will have to give them each monster's specific weaknesses. Such knowledge will increase their chances of survival."

Maulgrim nodded. "I understand, sire."

"If it helps, we'll do it," Nigellas agreed.

Vaati stood up from his chair. "Alright, if that's all settled, I have summoning to do. The Princesses will evacuate Canterlot and bait Ganon with a few soldiers staying behind, who will evacuate as well once Ganon launches his attack, before going to the Crystal Empire to help strengthen its defenses. Discord will go undercover and harass Ganon and his troops however he can. Girls, use whatever means necessary to locate your Elements. Do not be troubled if you do not find them all; it probably means Ganon still has them in his possession and hasn't found a place for them yet. Once you've found them, we can begin our search."

"Sounds like a plan," Twilight agreed.

"Council adjourned, then," Vaati announced, heading towards the door. "I'll be on the roof of the palace. Find me there when you've got something."

XXXXXX

Twilight and her friends all sat in a circle on the floor of the palace's library, Twilight spoke up. "Okay, girls. When I perform the spell, I want you all to focus as much as you can on your connection to each of your Elements. Try to see what they see."

The whole group nodded, after which Twilight lit up her horn, feeding her magic into her friends' minds to focus better on their connections to the Elements. They all closed their eyes and bowed their heads, furrowing their brows as the minutes ticked by. Finally, Twilight canceled her spell, bringing everypony back to wakefulness. Twilight shook her head. "I didn't see anything. Ganon must still have my Element."

"Me either," Rainbow added in disappointment. "Guess he still has mine too."

"And mine," Rarity included.

Pinkie's hair deflated slightly. "He's got mine too."

"Um…I,uh, I saw something," Fluttershy spoke up. As the others looked to her for an explanation, she continued, "I saw tunnels and caves. They looked like the old Diamond Dog tunnels from when they captured Rarity." Rarity smirked at that, remembering the admittedly-profitable experience. It fell when Fluttershy shivered terribly. "I also saw…I saw…" She gulped. "I saw a dragon."

Everypony went still. "H-he got a dragon to guard the Element of Kindness?!" Rainbow gawked. "How?!"

"I-I don't know," Fluttershy answered. "I've never seen a dragon like that before, not even during the great migration. It had a long body like a snake. I-its hair was on fire. Its scales looked like they were made of l-lava. It almost looks like a sea serpent, only with fire instead of water."

Twilight quirked an eyebrow. "I know dragons can sit in lava like it's water. But a dragon made of lava just sounds ridiculous."

"Like crocodiles made of rock and wolves made of wood?" Rarity pointed out.

Twilight opened and shut her mouth, realizing that the fashionista had a point. "Ah saw sumthin' too," Applejack interrupted. "Ah think mah Element's been taken to the ol' castle in the Everfree Forest! That Ganondorf feller's got some really creepy magic skills, 'cause Ah saw all kinds'a undead monsters, pony n' otherwise, lurkin' about the place. O-one'a them was a dragon zombie that looked like it'd been dead for a while before."

Twilight frowned. "So, the only two Elements we can find, and dragons guard them both. At least they're close."

"With Vaati and me around, we won't have any trouble with those overgrown lizards!" Rainbow boasted.

Twilight stood up. "Alright, let's go find him."

They all went up to the roof of the palace and stopped cold at what they saw.

Looming over the Sorcerer of Winds, and glaring at them with pupil-less, predatory eyes, was the biggest bird any of them had ever seen.

Its plumage was mostly dark-blue, with magenta and white end feathers on the wings and three yellow and green tail feathers trailing out behind it. A steel helmet covered its face. The huge bird of prey screeched at them, which sounded more like a deafening roar due to its titanic size. Fluttershy fell on her back and pointed her legs up in a rigid position, while Rarity collapsed in a dead faint. "Hold, you great, stupid chicken!" came Vaati's sudden voice. "They are neither food nor intruder!"

The giant helmeted hawk shut its beak and glanced curiously at the Wind Mage. "Twilight and company, meet the Helmaroc King," Vaati greeted, gesturing towards the massive blue hawk. "My single most powerful servant."

The Helmaroc King projected its unspoken question into the sorcerer's mind. Sire, you know these creatures?

"I do," Vaati answered. "I consider them friends and allies. You will consider them the latter, that's an order. The former is up to you to decide in due time. Familiarize yourself with their thoughts, but do be gentle; several of them scare easily."

The great hawk's gaze focused on the group of ponies, and they could each feel something subtly probing their minds, something bestial yet carrying an air of magnificence and royalty. Twilight stood rooted to the spot as she looked into the glowing yellow orbs of Helmaroc's eyes.

Do you fear me?

Twilight gulped. She could not stop her mind from responding with a definite 'yes'.

Yet you do not fear my master, he who bested me as Lord of the Skies. Why?

Twilight mustered her courage and organized her thoughts. This creature was telepathic; jumbled thoughts were akin to spoken gobbledygook. Because Vaati is my friend. Now why did you choose to serve him?

I was the Lord of the Skies before him. He defeated me. I had to.

Why didn't you stab him in the back, like I'm sure you could have?

Because I respect and fear his power.

You might not know this, but telepathy is a two-way street, Helmaroc King, Twilight replied, and she could sense the bird's mild surprise. I'm a high-class magician who comes pretty close to Vaati in terms of raw magical ability. Granted, he's more refined, but I'm getting better too. And I've studied telepathy, and I can see that you serve him for reasons other than him beating you. At first it was out of respect, but I can see that's changed over the centuries, even if you didn't bother to notice. You serve him for the same reason I'm not scared of him; he is our friend.

Helmaroc was silent for several moments, before it suddenly made a series of squawking noises that could have been interpreted as laughter. You are as keen and sharp of wit as he, Twilight Sparkle. Lord Vaati has chosen his friends well.

Twilight let loose a sigh of relief that she had apparently fallen into the mighty beast's good graces. Vaati smirked. "Good. Now that we're acquainted, your assignment, Helmaroc, is to take your flock and fly for the Crystal Empire far to the east of here. An alicorn named Princess Celestia will meet you not far from the outskirts of Equestrian territory to guide you the rest of the way. You shall aid her pegasi warriors in defending the Empire from Ganon's attack, which is soon to be coming."

The Helmaroc King chirped. So Ganon has found his way to this land too?

Vaati nodded. "Time grows short. I have other matters to attend to, namely searching for important relics Ganon has scattered that are necessary to defeat him. Now fly!"

Helmaroc bowed his head before unfurling his great wings and taking to the skies, flying off into the distance. Vaati then turned to his companions, Rarity and Fluttershy back on their feet now that the giant bird had gone. "Now, tell me you found something," he said.

Twilight nodded. "We did. Ganon still has most of the Elements. But he's apparently put the Element of Kindness in the Diamond Dog caverns and the Element of Honesty in the old abandoned castle in the Everfree Forest."

"Any idea on what beast guards them?"

"Some sort of fire serpent-dragon-thing guards Kindness and an undead dragon is guarding Honesty," Twilight answered.

Vaati groaned and put a hand over his forehead. "For the love of the Goddesses, he's not pulling any punches this time, is he? Volvagia and a Stallord?! He really has it in for us…"

"They won't be a problem, will they?" Rainbow uncertainly asked.

"Stallords are truly dangerous creatures, and it's damn hard to kill something that's already dead, especially when it's freaking huge. Volvagia is known as the Goron's-Bane, as it loved to feast on the Goron people. This is the second time Ganon's revived it, and it sounds like he's enticing its loyalty by offering the Diamond Dogs as an alternate food supply."

Fluttershy gasped. "Oh no! Those poor creatures!"

"Honesty is closest," Vaati said. "We'll retrieve it first, then move onto Kindness. Hopefully Ganon will have found a place for the others by then."

"Right! Now let's go save Equestria!" Rainbow declared, flying up and pumping a hoof in the air.

XXXXXX

"The adventure begins…

The sorcerer and the Carriers of Harmony walk towards their destiny…

Unknowing of what fate lies in store for them, and their precious world…

And we will be watching all the while...

Gwo hoh hoh hoh hoh…"
> Episode 3: The Search For Honesty Part 1 - Relics of the Past
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 3: The Search for Honesty Part 1 – Relics of the Past

"In the shadows, relics of the past lay forgotten and alone. Never truly resting; awaiting recognition."

Everfree Forest, evening…

Vaati, Twilight, and their companions trudged through the thick underbrush of the Everfree Forest, Twilight and Rarity's horns lighting the way. Vaati kept a sharp lookout, his eyesight keener than the ponies'. He had heard about the kinds of creatures that lurked within these woods, especially at night. The Timberwolves he was confident he could burn to ashes in milliseconds. Glancing down at Twilight, Vaati asked, "Are you sure you know where we're going?"

Twilight nodded. "I'm certain of it. We've been there before."

Vaati returned his glance to the rest of the silent forest. "If you say so."

Suddenly he heard his ears prick up as he caught a very faint noise up ahead. It almost sounded like a voice. "Hold, ladies," Vaati commanded, causing them all to stop and look up at him in confusion. "Something's up ahead. I heard a voice."

As quietly as possible, they continued on, the voice growing louder until they were able to recognize it. Twilight gasped. "Zecora!"

Fluttershy gasped as well. "Oh no! We haven't seen her for a while! She might not know about Ganon's attack!"

"And it sounds like she's in trouble!" Vaati cried, sprinting forward. "Come on!"

As they got closer, they could clearly hear Zecora's voice. "Leave me be, you unnatural beasts! I refuse to become your feast!"

And finally the group found the zebra, looking panicked. A group of strange creatures surrounded her, closing in ever so slowly. They looked like an unnatural cross between rabbits and slugs, with floppy ears, black beady eyes, and whiskers. But they had no discernible mouth or feet, and they growled nastily at the frantic zebra as she kicked them away and threw a few potions at them, all to no avail.

Fluttershy looked torn. Despite how cute and cuddly those creatures looked, no rabbit could make such unsettling noises or attack an innocent pony like a pack of Timberwolves. "What in the hay are those?!" Rainbow Dash cried.

Vaati narrowed his eyes. "It seems Ganon's left his mark here. Those are Pols Voices. Rabbit demons descended from the flesh-eating bunnies that emerged when Majora's presence began poisoning the natural order of the world. Their weakness is loud noises. Shouting won't be enough; we need Canterlot Voice loud."

"I have a voice amplification spell," Twilight said. "Granted, it can't reach Canterlot Voice quality, but I think it'll be enough."

Twilight's horn glowed as she suddenly shouted, "Hey! Leave Zecora alone, you freaks of nature!"

The effect was immediate. The Pols Voices' ears vibrated, causing them to squeak in agony before most of them burst into flames and perished. One still remained, having somehow withstood the loud noise. It turned towards Twilight and reared back, exposing the gaping, tooth-lined maw beneath its body. Wasting no time, Vaati fired a spell right down its gullet. The Pols Voice exploded into a black cloud of dark energy that dissipated on the gentle breeze of the forest.

With the monsters destroyed, Zecora breathed a sigh of relief, adjusting her satchel of potions and herbs over her shoulders. "I thank you, my good friends, for stepping in to prevent my end," she said gratefully.

"What are you doing out here, Zecora?" Twilight asked. "Didn't you hear about Ganon?"

Zecora raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I know not of whom you speak. All I know is that many strange monsters have appeared this week. When I realized it was not safe to stay, I packed my bags and headed Ponyville's way."

Vaati smirked. "Good thinking on your part. Those monsters were created by Ganon, a sorcerer from my world more powerful than even I. He has come to Equestria somehow and is now seeking to conquer it."

Zecora frowned. "That is troubling news indeed, but before I go, of my words take heed. Evil awaits you all further down this road, for many undead things have made the old castle their abode."

"We know," Vaati replied. "The Element of Honesty is being held there. Ganon scattered the Elements so they couldn't threaten him, and we're going to get them back. A skeletal dragon seems to be the so-called boss of the area."

Zecora shook her head. "It is not the dracolich you should fear. Another controls the beast, so I hear. An old foe of mine, punished for a crime from ages past. Had it not been for Twilight, that day would have been dear Applebloom's last."

Everyone's eyes went wide at that as Applejack turned to look at Twilight, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "Twi, what's she talkin' about?!"

Twilight blinked and looked down as she remembered. "It was several months ago. I was going to deliver some supplies to Zecora, and Applebloom came up to me and insisted that she go along with me. I told her no, but then she gave me that look. I'm sorry, Applejack, I couldn't resist it any more than you could. I told her she could come as long as she didn't wander off. We visited Zecora, and on our way back, we came across a bunch of trees that had fallen across the path. Applebloom tried getting my attention at one point, but I was busy, so I told her to wait. By the time I was done removing the trees, she was gone." The ponies gasped at this, Vaati quirking an eyebrow. "I searched high and low for her well into the night. Thankfully I finally found her, but when I did, she told me the most unbelievable story I've ever heard. She had wandered off because she was following a strange filly with glowing eyes and came across a village in the forest called Sunnytown."

The other Mane Five exchanged concerned glances. "But…Sunnytown's just an old pony's tale!" Rainbow pointed out, repressing a shudder. "A pretty creepy one, if Daring Do and the Village of the Dead is anything to go by."

"That's what I said!" Twilight insisted. "She said that the ponies were nice to her at first, and were setting up some kind of party. The food apparently tasted really rotten though, even though it looked like it had just been made. She then wandered back into the forest and found an abandoned house, and that was…" Twilight looked unwilling to continue.

Zecora finished for her. "That was where she found the bones."

Twilight gaped. "Th-the bones of a filly…Zecora, how did you know?"

"Before I answer that, continue your story. I know it already, but with details much more gory."

Twilight looked increasingly disturbed by this as she complied. "W-when she went back to Sunnytown, the whole place looked like it had been abandoned for a hundred years. And that was when she saw the skeletal corpses of ponies rising from the ground, and they started chasing her. According to her, one of them, who didn't look as decayed as the others, let her go and held the others off while she escaped. But others chased after her, cornering her in some part of the forest. And that's when I found her. B-but I didn't see any undead ponies! There's no way something like that could be real, not without Ganon's help!"

"Just like Nightmare Moon wasn't real?" Applejack replied tersely. "And curses? Twilight, why didn't ya tell me any'a this?!"

"Indeed," Vaati added crossly. "You should have brought this up with me the moment you returned so I could have investigated the matter for myself."

"I…I…" Twilight stuttered.

"She had no reason to believe Applebloom's words were true," Zecora spoke up in Twilight's defense. "Now calm yourselves, before words are spoken that you will rue."

They all quieted down at that. Zecora then began her own tale. "A hundred years in the distant past, a town lay in the Everfree, built to last. Those who lived there were Earth Ponies all, and their ignorance and fear brought about their fall. For, you see, some knew them as the Blanks, as no Cutie Marks adorned their flanks. Because of the Cutie Pox that ravaged their people, Cutie Marks became something that made them fearful. And when a young filly learned her true calling, what the townsponies did was truly appalling. The one called Gray Hoof was the pony who led, and they burned the poor filly until she was dead. The magic of the forest took offense to this crime, punishing the conspirators for all time. Not even the filly's sister was spared this terrible fate, as she convinced herself she was to blame for acting too late. Even though the fault was not hers, her guilt and self-hate earned her the curse. For years with my potions I have kept them at bay, preventing the Cursed Blanks from ever seeing the light of day. But now it seems Gray Hoof has made a deal with your foe, who has granted him power not like any I know."

"So he bumped a Stallord down to miniboss status in favor of a magically-zombified child killer?" Vaati asked, unsettled. "That's…rather unusual, even for Ganon. What of his fellow accursed? Should we expect them too?"

Zecora nodded. "Those who had helped him murder the filly have left his side, for unlike them, Gray Hoof feels no remorse due to his pride. The others, who long ago lost their minds to the spell, followed him unquestioningly on this road to hell. Slay them you must; for they now serve a cause most unjust. There is one whom may aid your quest, but only if you pass a most difficult test."

We haven't even reached the first dungeon yet, and already we've been offered a sidequest, Vaati thought dryly to himself. Now I think I'm starting to understand what the Hero has to go through day after day. Fate really does have an obnoxious sense of humor.

"What kind of test?" Twilight asked, intrigued. "Who is this pony that can help us?"

"You must brave the village of the cursed, a place to which I must lead you first. Find the lone house on the edge of the town, where the events of that terrible night went down. There you will find a long-dead mare weeping for her kin, who cannot bring herself to admit she is free of sin. You must convince her she need not suffer for her sister's sake; the forest's harsh punishment is not hers to take. Find the bones and call forth the filly's ghost; it is her words the sister needs to hear the most. Once that is done, your first ally she will be; if you succeed in defeating Gray Hoof, the forest will set her free."

Vaati glanced at his companions, taking note of the varying degrees of uncertainty and hesitation on their faces. "Oh, come on, ladies," he spoke. "This isn't the first time you've faced pony-tale monsters. You should be used to this."

Twilight shook her head, as if to clear her mind. "Vaati's right, girls. This won't be much different from confronting Nightmare Moon or King Sombra."

"Well, only if we're expecting a fight," Vaati said. "If what Zecora said is anything to go by, all we have to do is talk."

"Those in the town barely hold their minds still intact," Zecora warned. "Do not be surprised if they choose to attack. Avoid them until your task is through; they may not see sense until you do."

"So, if they attack us, just avoid them and refrain from attacking in turn?" Vaati clarified. "You ask a steep request."

"Ah agree," Applejack pointedly spoke up, liking the idea of bucking their heads off much more.

"If Applebloom did it, so can you," Zecora pointed out. "Remember; she endured this horror too."

Applejack frowned and hung her head. "Ah gotta talk to Applebloom about this first chance Ah get."

"Worry about that another time," Vaati answered. "We have work to do. Lead the way, Zecora; the sooner we get this Stalpony to pull her head out of her flank and help us, the better."

Zecora nodded her head and started forward. "Stay close to me; it is easy to get lost in the Everfree."

For well over half an hour, Zecora led the six ponies and wind sorcerer through the thick underbrush of the forest, having long left the trail behind. When it became too dark to see, Twilight, Rarity, and Vaati all conjured balls of light to help see where they were going. Suddenly they heard strange noises coming from far away, noises that sounded like wolfish growling, leaves rustling, and yelps of pain. The whole group stiffened; if those were Timberwolves, that was bad news indeed. "Kill the lights," Vaati whispered harshly, extinguishing his light source.

The others followed suit and hunkered down in the foliage, hoping not to attract the attention of any of the vicious hounds of wood. But it appeared that they were too late; the noises were starting to get closer. Before anyone could prepare to defend themselves, a lupine shape burst forth from the underbrush, stumbling haphazardly as though wounded and trying desperately to escape from something. Even in the darkness, one could see that the injured creature was a Timberwolf.

The green magic that animated the beast was strangely flickering, and it was whimpering in pain as it fell on its side, scratching at its side with its hind paws. Vaati risked a tiny ounce of light to take in the scene and approached the Timberwolf. Fluttershy, ever the animal lover, overcame her terror and crept over to the monster. The creature whined, tugging at Fluttershy's heartstrings. "There, there, it's okay," she whispered, examining its body for its wound.

When she saw it, she gasped in horror and backed away fearfully, while Vaati's eyebrows rose. There was a nasty bite mark on the Timberwolf's right shoulder, but it wasn't the bite mark that had raised their alarm; it was the rapidly-decaying wood surrounding the bite wound. It was drying up and flaking off, and it appeared to be spreading. Fluttershy looked into its glowing green eyes and could see how much pain it was in, and it brought tears to her eyes. "W-what's happening to him?" she whimpered. "Vaati, can't y-you do something?"

Vaati shook his head somberly. "No. This one's a goner. No other bite could cause an effect like this; he has run afoul of a Stalhound."

"A Stalhound?" Twilight whispered. "Is…is that…?"

"An undead wolf, yes," Vaati finished. "All Stalkin are reanimated by a foul magic that can spread through bites, cursing the victim to die and be reborn as a Stalkin. That goes for animals as much as people. That's what makes them so dangerous, especially when they were led by their creator, Gomess the Phantom Reaper, Lich Queen of the Misery Mire, during the war against Majora. We have no choice other than to put him out of his misery, before the curse does it for us and turns him into something worse."

Fluttershy closed her eyes in mourning, coming to terms with what had to be done. She had taken care of many animals in her lifetime, and she had had to endure the pain of letting them go whenever their suffering became too great or life had run its full course time and again. It hurt; it hurt her so much, but she knew it was for the best. And with that in mind, she gently stroked the dying Timberwolf's neck and whispered comforting words to it. Everyone could see her silver tongue calm the frightened creature as Vaati quietly readied a euthanization spell. If the victim died before the curse could take effect, they would be spared unless a dark magic user found the body afterwards and reanimated it anyway.

Fluttershy did not see him perform the spell, but she knew from the way the Timberwolf's eyes were fading. "Shhh," she gently soothed as the forest hound sighed and breathed its last.

For several moments Fluttershy wept, cradling the beast's head in her hooves in mourning. "We need to hurry," Vaati ushered. "Fluttershy, I know it's killing you inside, but we have to go NOW. The Stalhound is probably still around, and it might not be alone. We need to get going before it…"

An unearthly growl interrupted the sorcerer mid-sentence.

"…finds us. Crap."

Another canid shape emerged from the foliage, and they all immediately smelled the vile stench of decay emanating from the creature. Other than its silhouette, all they could make out were the two yellow pinpricks flickering from where its eyes were. Vaati immediately cast forth a ball of intense light to ward off the beast, illuminating it for all to see as it recoiled. A gray-furred, zombified wolf snarled as it backed away from the light. Its eye sockets were empty, hence the glowing lights from within. Parts of its fur had fallen off in places, and some flesh had already peeled away, revealing a few ribs and the muscles underneath. Tree sap, saliva, and some blood dripped from its mouth, signs of previous victims it had hunted. One of its ears was badly torn, and its teeth were yellowed with decay.

The light seemed to repel it, rendering the undead hound unable to pounce on its intended victims. Growling fiendishly, the Stalhound turned tail and fled back into the dark forest, braying all the way. "Hurry, all of you!" Vaati ordered. "It'll come back, and with friends! Get a move on!"

"The hour grows darker indeed," Zecora spoke up, continuing to lead them, but with more urgency. "We must make for Sunnytown with all speed!"

The group quickly followed Zecora's lead, a shiver running down their collective spines as the distant howl of the Stalhound was joined by several others. The hunt was on. "Zecora, now that those Stalhounds are actively hunting us, I think it may be wise for you to stay with us for the time being," Vaati suggested.

Zecora glanced at him over her shoulder. "I was thinking exactly the same. Your quest might be easier if I came."

Zecora suddenly stopped and glared ahead at an opening in the foliage that led into a darkened clearing. "My friends, we are here. Whatever you do, do not give in to fear."

All other talk abruptly ceased as they cautiously entered the dilapidated village of Sunnytown. The air grew still, a vague scent of death hanging in the air. To Vaati, it felt like walking into a town that had just been claimed by the curse of the Stalfos, which, in a manner of speaking, was not far from the truth.

"I don't see anypony," Twilight spoke up, still somewhat skeptical of the whole idea of a cursed town.

Fluttershy shivered violently, getting a distinct feeling that they were being watched.

"The mark…"

They collectively froze at the voice. "G-guys," Rainbow stuttered. "Tell me y-you heard that."

"The mark…they have the mark!"

Suddenly, something crawled its way out of the earth directly ahead of Twilight, who shrank back, horrified, as the blackened, zombified remains of a long-dead Earth Pony stared back at her with smoldering red eyes. From the stringy mane and the shape of its decayed body, one could deduce that this one was female. Narrowing her eyes, Applejack stepped forward and put herself between her friends and the Cursed Blank. "Alright, you disgusting freak'a nature! You gotta lot to answer fer!"

The zompony looked at her, surprise evident on its gnarled face. "Y'all tried to kill mah sister!" Applejack yelled. "Applebloom! Yellow coat, bow in her mane, remember her?!"

Several more zombie ponies burst out of the ground, surrounding the nervous group. "Applejack, we have a task to…" Zecora nervously began to say.

Applejack glanced over her shoulder. "NO! Ah'm not lettin' this slide! They tried to hurt a member'a MAH FAMILY!" She glared into the eyes of the female zompony, unafraid of the horror standing before her. "Ya got ten seconds to explain yerselves 'fore I buck yer damn head off."

It was as if the shock of somepony standing up to them had snapped them out of whatever evil that ruled their minds, for the four Blanks stopped suddenly, staring at them. "The filly…" the long-haired female spoke in recognition. "She was…she was nice to us…"

"She did not have the cursed mark," another zompony, a male, said. "She was so nice…we wanted her to stay."

"But she didn't…" another female whispered, her hollow, reedy voice betraying remorse. "She fled…she fled because of what we are…what we've done…"

The fourth zompony, also male, added, "The terror in her eyes…it was the same fear we saw when we…when…"

"When you burned an innocent foal to death in the fireplace of her own home," Applejack finished with a hateful glare. "Every last one'a ya deserves what ya got. You killed her just because she discovered her special talent. Our Cutie Marks ain't no curse; they're what define who we are!"

"The last time we saw those marks upon us, they brought only misery and death," the female standing in front of Applejack hissed.

Applejack angrily stomped her hoof. "CUTIE POX AIN'T NO EXCUSE FOR BUCKIN' MURDER!" she roared.

The zompony looked down towards the ground, ashamed. The others had similar expressions of regret on their rotted faces. But Applejack felt no pity for them; regretful or not, they had done things she considered unforgivable. Finally Twilight came up to Applejack's side and put a hoof on her shoulder. "It's okay, Applejack, I'll take it from here," she said.

Throwing one last venomous look at the female zompony, Applejack nodded and withdrew into the rest of the group. Looking at the undead mare, Twilight said, "Applejack places a strong value on family. Regardless of the circumstances, I don't think she'll ever forgive you. But I believe everyone deserves forgiveness if they're willing to receive it. I can see you all regret what you've done. So I think you deserve to know why your actions were wrong."

She took the zombies' silence as permission to continue. "When you chose to live here in the Everfree Forest, you cut yourselves off from the rest of pony civilization. There's no way you could have known that there was a difference between Cutie Marks and the Cutie Pox disease. The Cutie Pox is a rare virus, so once it went away, you shouldn't have expected it to return. I know how horrible it can be; Applebloom suffered from it herself a while before she came here."

The zompony mare recoiled in shock at this new information. "But…she…she had no…"

"You don't need to have a Cutie Mark to fall victim to the virus. And even if you were to suffer it again, Zecora knows the cure. There's no excuse for what you did…but I can understand why you felt driven to do it. That's why I can forgive you."

The mare sat on her haunches and put her head in her hooves. "Mitta was right…we do deserve this…our ignorance was our damnation…even so, we have always regretted our actions…"

Losing his patience, Vaati abruptly spoke up. "And where is Mitta? That's who we came here for."

The female zompony looked over her shoulder towards the opposite edge of town. "She spends all her time in the old house on the other side of town. Where it happened…where we damned ourselves."

Vaati looked over towards where the undead pony had indicated and said, "Alright, ladies. Let's get this over with."

The sorcerer and his companions awkwardly trotted past the unmoving Stalponies towards the opposite side of the ruined town, where a dilapidated, but still standing, house stood sentinel. Vaati took the lead and slowly opened the door, which creaked audibly from disuse. They all peered inside to see another zompony, though not nearly as decayed as the others, laying down on all fours with its back to them, staring forlornly at a pile of blackened bones sitting in the fireplace. This was the one they were looking for.

"Mitta, I presume?" Vaati spoke first.

Not expecting visitors, Mitta jumped and whirled around, glaring at them with glowing red eyes. "Who are you? What do you want?" she demanded.

Applejack stepped forward, and regarded the cursed blank with a much less hateful look. "Yer the one that saved mah little sister."

"Your sister?" Mitta repeated. "Wait…that accent…you speak of Applebloom?"

Applejack nodded. "Thank you…for what ya did 'n all."

Mitta looked downward. "She was the first one to approach me with kindness since we…"

Mitta was unable to bring herself to continue, but the message was clear. "We've come to you, Mitta, because we need your help," Vaati explained. "Zecora here explained that you may be of use in getting us through the Everfree Castle Ruins."

Mitta looked confused. "How could I possibly help? We cannot leave this place…"

"You can now, my dear friend," Zecora answered. "For now, my wards and potions are at an end."

Mitta looked away. "What purpose would it serve?" she asked. "We're cursed. We will always be cursed. And we all deserve every moment of it."

"I can sense a spiritual presence nearby," Vaati said. "That must be her."

Zecora nodded. "Call her here. It is time for the truth to be realized."

Vaati reached out with his magic, coaxing the wayward spirit of a murdered filly towards him. Both of you have avoided this moment long enough, Vaati spoke through his mind. Time for you to drill some sense into your sister's rotting skull.

Soon a chill air enveloped the old house as a spectral filly manifested before them. She had a light grey coat, a mane of orange with a yellow streak running through it, a Cutie Mark displaying a magnifying glass, and pupil-less eyes that glowed a soft yellow. The moment Mitta saw the ghost of her sister, her jaw dropped and she collapsed on her haunches. "R-Ruby…I'm sorry," she uttered.

Ruby took in the sight of her dear sister, who was unable to look her in the eye, before she turned towards Vaati. "You…have strange powers," she spoke in an ethereal voice. "I want her to see…I want her to understand…I want you all to see my memories…can you help me?"

Vaati slowly nodded. "I can. Let's all take a trip down memory lane, shall we?"

Vaati cast the spell, linking his mind with Ruby's, which then transferred into the consciousness of all the others present.

XXXXXX

When they all opened their eyes, they were in the middle of Sunnytown. However, it did not look like the ghost town they had initially entered. All the houses were in perfect condition, and the grass was freshly-green rather than dry and lifeless. Dozens of posts surrounded the village, with lanterns hanging off of them that bathed the town in a rich, welcoming light. There were decorations everywhere, as well as food of all kinds arranged on several long tables in the village square.

Vaati opened his mouth to comment on the scenery, but found that his voice had gone. Of course; they couldn't speak so as to not disrupt the memory taking place. Mitta looked distressed; she did not want to bear witness to this dreadful ordeal again. Ruby looped a comforting arm over her older sister's shoulder, which slowly seemed to calm her down.

Ponies were bustling about, hurrying to finish the decorating. Every one of their flanks was blank. A grey earth pony stallion with black hair was busily ordering them about. "Hurry up, everypony!" the stallion said. "We've only got about an hour left before the Summer Sun Celebration begins! Roneo, stop looking for that dang gem of yours and go finish setting up that table!"

The pony in question looked up from where he had been walking and whined, "But Grey Hoof, I gotta find it before the party starts so I can give it to Starlet!"

Vaati and his companions all narrowed their eyes at the one who had identified himself as Grey Hoof. The stallion rolled his eyes and replied, "You'll have time to look for it after we're done setting up. Now hop to it!"

"Yessir," Roneo sighed before heading off to assist with the work.

At that moment, a very much-alive Mitta trotted towards the town from her house, intending to help as well, when her also-living sister abruptly appeared from the nearby shrubbery and pulled Mitta aside. "Ruby, what is it, can't it wait?" Mitta asked impatiently. "I need to help with the party preparations!"

"I found Roneo's gem!" Ruby pointed out, gesturing towards a large ruby sitting by her. "I realized how good I am at finding stuff and look what I got!"

Ruby gestured towards her flank, where her new Cutie Mark was.

Hearing herself scream in horror nearly tore Mitta's heart in two all over again.

The noise immediately caught the attention of everypony in the vicinity. "Mitta, what's wrong?!" Grey Hoof cried, hurriedly trotting over.

He abruptly stopped as he saw the magnifying glass adorning Ruby's rump. "Sweet Celestia," he murmured. "S-she has…she has the Mark!"

The two mares who had overheard him, a green pony named Three Leaf and Starlet, gasped and drew back in terror. Ruby looked confused and frightened by what was happening. "W-what's going on? Why are you all acting like this?!"

"Roneo! Gladstone!" Grey Hoof barked. "Take Ruby to the village warehouse."

The two ponies hesitantly came forward to take Ruby away, but Mitta got in their way. "What're you going to do with her?!" she demanded.

Grey Hoof leveled a dark glare at Mitta. "Mitta, dear, step aside. Leave this to us. We will figure out what we need to do with her."

Mitta glared right back. "I swear to Mother Faust, if you hurt her…"

"We will do what we must," Grey Hoof sharply interrupted. "The safety of our village comes first before family matters! We'll have this sorted out by tonight, okay?"

Mitta didn't look very convinced, but Gladstone was a lot stronger than she was, so trying to fight him and Roneo off wouldn't have done any good. Forcing herself to ignore her sister's protests, Mitta watched as the two stallions carried Ruby off towards the warehouse. "Don't worry, Mitta," Grey Hoof said with a smile. "Everything will turn out just fine."

The scene suddenly shifted to the interior of the warehouse. Ruby was sitting in the far corner of the room, crying and afraid that she had done something wrong. "She's the first one of us to get the Cursed Mark since the outbreak," Grey Hoof said, glaring at her. "We can't let her spoil the party or infect any of the others."

"What are we supposed to do though?" Gladstone asked. "She's just a filly! It's not like we can just exile her from the village. She'd face certain death out there where the monsters lurk."

"We can't let her stay here though!" Roneo responded. "What if she begins infecting others?! I remember what the outbreak did to both my grandparents! If Starlet ever went through that…I don't know what I'd do…"

Grey Hoof sighed and rubbed his temple. "There's only one thing we can do," he said. "Tonight…while the party's going on, we'll take her to the old house on the outskirts of town and find some way to dispose of her."

Gladstone looked concerned by that. "Dispose? What do you mean by…"

Grey Hoof gave him a serious look, and Gladstone's eyes widened in horrified understanding. "No…GODS no…y-you can't actually be serious, can you?!"

Roneo caught on as well and gasped, "Grey Hoof, what are you saying?! You're…y-you're asking us to help you…For Faust's sake, Grey Hoof, SHE'S A FILLY!"

Grey Hoof angrily stomped his hoof. "And a threat to this village as long as she remains here! I can't let her spoil this party and scare the other townsfolk! Mitta caused a big enough scene as it is! We cannot let word of this get out!"

"Grey Hoof, ponies will notice she's gone!" Roneo countered. "MITTA will notice she's gone! What are you going to do about that?!"

"We'll just say that Ruby got lost in the forest and was killed by a pack of Timberwolves," Grey Hoof responded. "We can easily paint Mitta as a lunatic who went mad out of grief."

Gladstone visibly shook. "Grey Hoof…you're asking too much of us…"

Grey Hoof frowned. "I'm asking you to take the safety of Sunnytown's citizens into account, Gladstone. We HAVE to do this, for the good of everypony else."

Roneo and Gladstone looked uncertain, glancing over at the cowering filly in question. "For the good of the village…" Gladstone muttered, the very words tasting bad in his mouth.

Roneo gulped. "I'll…I'll do it…for Starlet."

The scene then morphed into the interior of the house on the town border, where Grey Hoof had just finished lighting a fire in the fireplace while Roneo and Gladstone nervously watched over a tied-up and struggling Ruby, who was crying her eyes out in terror. "It's ready," Grey Hoof spoke. "Bring her over here."

The two stallions still looked hesitant. "Are…are you really sure about this, Grey Hoof?" Roneo asked meekly. "This…this seems wrong!"

Grey Hoof growled at him. "Think about the other fillies! Think about your families! Think about Starlet! They are all in danger of the curse if we don't go through with this, right here, right now! Now hand her over!"

Gladstone and Roneo both sighed forlornly, knowing they had no other choice. "I'll do it," Gladstone said to Roneo. "I don't want there to be blood on your hooves."

Roneo didn't protest, stepping aside as Gladstone picked her up in his teeth and brought her over to the fireplace. Ruby felt the heat near her body and struggled harder than before, screaming sobs escaping her raw throat. "I DON'T WANNA DIE! I DON'T WANNA DIE!" she wailed.

"Throw her in the fireplace," Grey Hoof ordered, a steely look in his eyes.

"PLEASE, NO!"

Gladstone squeezed his eyes shut as tears slid down his face. "Faust forgive me," he whimpered before he tossed the filly into the roaring flames.

Ruby's agonized screams would forever be burned into the minds of those who were observing the memory.

Just as Ruby had been dumped into the flames, the door burst open, causing Grey Hoof and the others to turn around. Mitta, a wild, desperate look on her face, was currently fighting against the hold of both Three Leaf and Starlet, ignoring their insistence that they were doing what had to be done.

"WHERE IS MY SISTER?!" Mitta screamed. "WHERE IS RUBY?! WHERE…!"

"MITTA, HEEEEELP MEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAGH! IT HURTS!"

Mitta's eyes nearly bulged out of her sockets as she heard Ruby's screams emanating from the fireplace. In that moment, she threw off both of the other mares and raced towards the fireplace. "Keep her away from the fireplace until the screams stop," Grey Hoof ordered.

"RUBY! RUBY!" Mitta screamed, trying desperately to push her way past the two stallions.

But she simply could not overpower the two stallions, and even as she struggled, she watched as Ruby's body slowly stopped struggling and her shrieks of agony died out as her body was consumed by the flames. Mitta went limp, staring at the smoldering remains of her beloved sister.

"It is done," Grey Hoof spoke with satisfaction. "Now we can head back to the party."

Mitta glared at Grey Hoof with utmost hatred. "MURDERERS! YOU BUCKING MURDERERS! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOOUUUU!"

Suddenly the fire went out, as though a huge gust of wind had blown it out. The atmosphere grew undeniably colder as all of the ponies in the town suddenly felt a strange sensation overcome them, as though the very feeling of life were being drained from their bodies…

XXXXXX

Suddenly everyone was brought back into the real world. At which point Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash all lost their lunches, the memory of Ruby being immolated like a primitive sacrifice forever scarring their minds. Rarity collapsed on her back and brought out her fan, desperately trying to fan herself as she fought the urge to hyperventilate. Fluttershy lay sobbing on the ground as the vision played out again and again in her mind. Pinkie's hair had gone perfectly flat as she stared at the bones in the old fireplace, where just moments before, she had watched their owner succumb to her agonizing fate. Zecora simply looked on grimly. Even Vaati looked ill. It hit him especially hard because he remembered that Scootaloo and her friends had come so terrifyingly close to suffering the same fate.

"T-that…that motherbucker…" Applejack snarled, a furious look in her eye as she recovered. "That son of a bitch is dead when Ah see 'im."

Mitta lay on the ground, covering her face with her hooves as she bawled. "I'm sorry, Ruby! I-I couldn't save you! I'm a horrible sister!"

Ruby lifted up her distraught sister's face and looked her in the eye. "Mitta, listen to me. It wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was! If I hadn't screamed, nopony would have noticed your Mark!"

"After how everypony had been told about how horrible Cutie Marks were for all those years, how could you not have reacted the way you did? You didn't know the truth; none of them did. And the moment you figured out what they planned to do to me, you tried to stop them. You most certainly didn't do nothing. Please…stop blaming yourself for what happened to me. They would have eventually noticed anyway."

"H-how can I? How can I possibly forgive myself for what happened?"

"Mitta, haven't you wondered why I haven't…well, passed on yet? It's because it hurts so much to see you torturing yourself like this. I can't move on as long as you keep on beating yourself up over something that wasn't your fault."

"She's right, Mitta…" another voice suddenly said.

Everyone turned around and were surprised to see the other four zombie ponies that had remained in the town. "Three Leaf?" Mitta whispered in shock.

The one that had spoken nodded her head. "It wasn't your fault. It was ours. The whole time, it was ours. We didn't know that our actions were completely unjustified. We tried to keep her from you, but you figured it out on your own."

"We have always regretted what we have done," Gladstone added. "Now more than ever, now that we know the truth about the Mark."

"That's why we want to help too," Roneo spoke up. "We want to make amends for what we have done. Grey Hoof's actions were inexcusable, and he bears no remorse for them. Whatever deal he made with that strange armored creature promised terrible things for innocent ponies."

"That's why we refused his offer," Starlet said. "We still had enough of our minds intact to know that we didn't want another act of evil to weigh on our conscience."

Finally Vaati decided to speak. "Now I need to ask this; how exactly can any of you help us? Zecora here never actually explained that."

"Those like us," Three Leaf explained. "Those of us who are cursed cannot be killed. We cannot enter the sweet embrace of death by any means as we are. And we can spread our curse to others by touch alone. They pose a far greater danger than most of the other undead beings roaming the old castle ruins."

"We can deal with our own," Roneo explained. "While we distract the other Cursed Blanks, you can fight your way through the other undead creatures and reach Grey Hoof."

Vaati was silent for a moment. "You realize, of course, that your curse was set upon you by the magic of the Everfree Forest itself. There's no guarantee that, if you help us, it will release you from it."

Gladstone shook his head. "That doesn't matter to us. Not anymore. No matter what, we want to do what we KNOW is right for a change, rather than what we THOUGHT was right."

Vaati looked at his companions. "Well, what do you girls think?"

Twilight nodded her head. "Help is what we came here for in the first place. The more the merrier."

Applejack sighed. "Ah still can't forgive y'all for the things ya've done and tried to do, but…if'n you're willin' to make up fer it all, Ah won't object."

Zecora smiled. "The offer of repentance is a mighty gift. I will not oppose the closing of this rift."

Vaati nodded resolutely. "Very good. Now, let's go storm that damned castle."

End of Part 1
> Episode 4: The Search For Honesty - Everfree Castle Ruins
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 4: The Search For Honesty Part 2 – Everfree Castle Ruins

Everfree Forest, nightfall…

Vaati, Zecora, the Mane Six, and the residents of Sunnytown made their way through the dark forest, wary of their surroundings as they followed Twilight. Vaati couldn't help but be worried; so far, they had seen or heard no sign whatsoever of the Stalhounds that were surely prowling the forest now, searching for them. The forest was deathly quiet. No crickets chirped, no wind rustled the leaves above them. "Guys, i-is it just me, or has the Everfree Forest gotten even spookier than normal?" Rainbow Dash whimpered, unable to keep up her cool and fearless demeanor in such an ominous atmosphere.

"The darkness is spreading," Vaati answered. "The stronger Ganon becomes, the tighter his stranglehold on this forest grows, and the more dangerous it gets."

"Why haven't we seen any more of those dreadful…oh, what did you call those fiends?" Rarity spoke nervously.

"Stalhounds?" Vaati clarified. "I imagine it's because they lost our scent. But if we make too much noise, they'll pick up our trail again, so be quiet, everyone."

"Stalhounds? What are those?" Mitta asked.

"Undead wolves," Vaati explained. "They suffer from a somewhat different curse than your own, though. They can, thankfully, be killed again."

"Are they servants of this Ganon creature you keep talking about?" Gladstone asked. "The one who approached us?"

"Yes. Though they may or may not be answering directly to Grey Hoof now."

"I don't get it, though," Twilight said. "Grey Hoof, as terrible as he is, was doing what he thought was best for Sunnytown. Why would he suddenly join with someone as horrible as Ganon?"

"Ganon promised us a way to remove our curse," Three Leaf replied. "We were willing to accept…until he told us the conditions. We had to guard something called the Element of Honesty and…and kill the ones who came to retrieve it. Gladstone, Roneo, Starlet, and I couldn't bear the thought of having more blood on our hooves, but Grey Hoof, he…he accepted the offer, and took those of us who were so far gone from the curse that they had become mindless skeletal abominations we started calling Bone Fiends with him. He still believes he's doing what's best for our village. He just…is willing to do horrible things to do that."

"Grey Hoof is as much a trusting fool as he is a murderer," Vaati growled. "Even if Ganon could remove your curse, he would not likely keep his word. You lot are more useful to him as undead. He would either force you to continue serving him out of fear or brainwash you into being his slaves. Either way, you would still be cursed."

"Maybe…maybe we can make him see reason," Roneo tentatively suggested. "We know now that we were completely in the wrong. Maybe we can make him see too…let him know he doesn't have to hurt any more innocent ponies for our sake."

"Like y'all made him see reason when he wanted to kill Ruby?" Applejack replied darkly.

Gladstone and Roneo both hung their heads in shame.

"Whatever happens, Grey Hoof has to answer for what he's done," Mitta said with a determined glare. "You all deserve your curse, but the greatest fault lies with him for convincing you to go through with it in the first place."

"Look out! We've got company!" Vaati abruptly hissed.

Everyone snapped out of their conversations as three Stalfos suddenly emerged from the darkness, two of them carrying rusted swords and one carrying a long spear. Twilight yelped and reflexively cast a spell in their direction, blasting one of the Stalfos swordsmen to smithereens. The remaining two leapt into combat, weapons raised. Knowing that they couldn't raise too much noise, Vaati summoned his rapier and blocked the Stalfos swordsman's stroke before following up with a swing that cut through its spine and bisected the skeletal warrior. He finished off his weakened opponent by beheading it.

Meanwhile, the spear Stalfos threw it weapon like a javelin at Rainbow, who swiftly dodged and angrily yelled, "Oh no you didn't!"

Weaponless, the Stalfos realized its mistake too late before Rainbow slammed into it hard enough to break it apart, sending bones flying everywhere. She landed and smirked. "Yeah, yeah, I'm awesome," she spoke proudly to herself.

She did not see the Stalfos archer in the bushes train its bow on her and fire.

"NO!"

Rainbow suddenly saw one of the zomponies stand in front of her just in time to intercept the arrow that had been meant for her. Overcome by shock, Rainbow watched slack-jawed as Gladstone ignored the arrow burrowed in his withered chest and charged at the archer. The Stalfos backed up, firing another arrow that hit him right between the eyes. Gladstone shrugged it off and yelled as he tackled the other undead creature, sending its bow flying out of its hands as it fell to the ground. The Stalfos looked up just in time to see Gladstone's hooves smash its cranium like a melon.

He turned around to see Rainbow gawking at him. "You…you just saved my life," she spoke in awe.

Gladstone chuckled nervously. "I'm not gonna let anypony else die on my watch."

Vaati dismissed his weapon. "That appears to be the last of…"

Then they all heard a distant chorus of eldritch howls. "Goddessdammit," Vaati growled. "They're onto us again."

"They're gonna keep followin' us 'til we put a stop to 'em," Applejack pointed out grimly. "Ah say we take 'em on right here, right now. No runnin'."

"I agree," Vaati admitted. "Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Zecora, group together in the center. None of you are accustomed to fighting. Applejack, stay with them and protect them in case the Stalhounds manage to break through our formation. Twilight, Rarity, you and I will form the next ring and fight at a distance with our magic. Rainbow Dash, do everything you can to distract them. Sunnytown ponies, you'll fight from the front. You can't die, and you are most likely immune to their bites, so keep them at bay while Rainbow and us magic users pick them off from afar. Everyone clear on the plan?"

"Hey, I can fight too!" Pinkie Pie declared indignantly.

Vaati just stared flatly at her. "Pinkie Pie, just listen to the adults for…"

Pinkie abruptly fished a candy cane battle axe out of nowhere and held it in her hooves. Immediately Vaati's mind flashed back to a certain job hunt that happened so very long ago. "I bloody forgot you even had that," Vaati murmured.

"This, my friends, you may find an odd sight," Zecora spoke, adjusting her satchel. "But even I know a thing or two on how to fight."

Vaati groaned and face-palmed. "Just don't get bitten, any of you. Okay?"

Nobody had time to respond, for the hounds of hell were upon them. From out of the darkness leapt the undead beasts, a dozen in total, yellowed teeth gnashing as they unleashed unearthly howls and snarls. Fluttershy screamed in horror at the sight of them and cowered under her hooves. Three came straight at Vaati, the mage smirking as he unleashed a flurry of fireballs from his hands that incinerated them long before they could reach the sorcerer. One leapt at Pinkie, who hefted her axe over her shoulder and brought it crashing down on the Stalhound's head, splitting the decayed skull open and splattering brain matter. To Pinkie's horror, bits of it sprayed onto her. Forcing herself to hold down her bile, she dislodged the axe blade from the now-dead monster's head.

Zecora reached into her bag and tossed out a potion into a pair of oncoming Stalhounds, unleashing a green cloud of gases hazardous to creatures of evil. The zombified wolves halted, for the gases caused even their dulled nerves intense pain. Rainbow Dash seized the initiative and plowed through the mist, smashing into the back of one of the monsters and shattering its spine, dropping it. The other one vainly attempted to bite her, but she flew out of its reach before swooping in again, using her momentum to land a wicked right cross across the Stalhound's face with enough force to snap its neck like a twig. With a sickening crack, the monster went down.

Another Stalhound closed in towards Twilight, who brought her magic to bear with a terrified grimace. She couldn't believe this was happening. She had gone up against Changelings and a deranged moon goddess, but never had she imagined going up against zombies, of all things right out of myth. Nevertheless, she shoved those thoughts aside and concentrated on producing a powerful energy beam, which streaked into the oncoming monster. It yowled as it was consumed by light and reduced to ash. Twilight shuddered as she watched the ashes fall.

One of the monsters snapped at Rarity, who jumped back before bucking it in the face, momentarily disorienting the undead beast. "Take this, you ruffian!" she cried, levitating a bunch of sharpened gems out of her saddlebag and flinging them at the monster.

The precious stones burrowed into the Stalhound's skull, killing it instantly. Without a word, Rarity pried the stones out of the dead monster and removed the bloodstains, making sure not to look at the creature unless she wanted to lose her lunch at the sight.

Mitta, Gladstone, and the rest of the Sunnytown ponies ganged up on a pair of Stalhounds. Gladstone, the strongest out of them, wrestled one of the beasts to the ground, ignoring its slashing claws that raked against his withered side as Roneo gripped it by the neck and pulled with all his might. Despite the Stalhound's thrashing, his grip only tightened as he finally ripped the monster's head right off its body, which went slack immediately.

Three Leaf bucked at one as Mitta jumped on its back, trying to throw it off-balance. The Stalhound, however, merely shook her off. As soon as she hit the ground, the undead wolf sank its teeth into her back and shook her like a ragdoll before roughly tossing her aside, where she slammed painfully against a tree trunk. "Mitta!" Starlet cried as she rammed into the monster's side.

Mitta, thanks to her curse, quickly recovered and again jumped onto the monster's back. Starlet then slammed into it again while Three Leaf hunkered down on its other side. The Stalhound tripped over Three Leaf's body, collapsing on its side. As she fell off its back, Mitta wasted no time as she picked up a heavy rock in her hooves as Three Leaf and Starlet tried to hold it down with their own bodies. Mitta then smashed the rock on the downed monster's snarling head, crushing it like a wet sack, brain matter splattering all over the ground as its body went still.

A Stalhound charged at Applejack, its tongue hanging out of its mouth, its eyes burning like hellish coals. Fluttershy let out a terrified scream as she covered her face with her hooves. Applejack whipped around and threw out her legs, bucking the monster so hard that its head flew right off and landed in the bushes. The farmpony turned just in time to see the last one right about to tear her throat out. She didn't even have time to scream.

Suddenly, however, the wolf was consumed by fire and was incinerated on impact. Wide-eyed, Applejack looked over to see Vaati lower his hands. "That looks like the last of them," Vaati announced, looking around at his companions. "Everyone alright?"

They all breathed a sigh of relief as Twilight cast a diagnostic spell over everyone. "We're fine, we're okay," she responded. "Just a few scrapes."

They all took a moment to let the adrenaline wear off as they recovered. "Alright, let's keep moving," Vaati finally spoke up. "We need to recover that Element as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the stronger Ganon's influence becomes."

The others wordlessly nodded as they resumed trekking through the forest, passing through the river where they had once met the sea serpent over a year ago, when the Mane Six had first become friends in order to stop the rampaging Nightmare Moon. There was no sign of him, however; it was likely he had fled from the forest once it had become more dangerous, returning to the oceans from which he originally hailed. No more monsters waylaid them, and soon they reached a break in the trees, and they finally reached the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters.

The ruins looked as dilapidated as ever. The walls and towers were crumbling, and in many places there was no longer a roof. Crows cawed in the night, sending shivers down their spines. Most of the windows were broken, allowing them to see dark shapes moving within. A flimsy bridge was the only way across the chasm that separated them from the castle. Vaati glanced over his group. "You all ready for this?"

"I sure as heck am!" Rainbow declared. "Now let's go kick some zombie flank!"

"Rainbow, hold your horses," Vaati interrupted. "Everyone, no matter what happens, stick together! The undead's greatest strength has always been their numbers."

They all nodded in understanding before continuing on. Vaati eyed the bridge warily. "Are you sure that's sturdy enough to hold you all?"

Twilight nodded. "It got us across just fine when we first came here after Princess Luna returned as Nightmare Moon over a year ago."

"I don't recall that," Vaati said.

"It happened several weeks before you arrived," Twilight answered, starting across the bridge, the floorboards creaking in protest at the sudden weight as the others followed along behind her.

Vaati floated over the abyss, not trusting that bridge to hold his weight, and watched the others cross. At least Rainbow and Fluttershy flew, lessening the weight somewhat. Though the bridge was old and rickety, it managed to hold enough for them all to eventually get to the other side.

Once everyone was together again, Vaati turned and said, "Alright, now does everyone remember the plan?"

"We deal with the Bone Fiends," Mitta replied.

"While we fight our way through more of those skeleton dudes, find Grey Hoof and that zombie dragon, kick both their flanks, and get Applejack's Element back!" Rainbow finished.

Vaati smirked as he transformed into the winged eye. "Let's hope the lot of you can keep up."

With the giant flying demon leading the charge, the peculiar entourage of ponies, zebra, and zomponies burst into the Everfree Castle Ruins. Awaiting them was a large group of Stalfos brandishing a multitude of weapons. Some carried swords, others spears, a few had axes, and the remaining ones had bows. Scattered amongst the horde of Stalfos warriors were what Vaati assumed were the Bone Fiends: little more than black pony skeletons that, like Mitta and the others, gave off an eerie, blood-red glow.

Fluttershy eeped and hid behind Rarity. "O-o-oh m-my…t-there's s-s-s-so m-many of t-them!"

"Umm…this might not be as easy as we thought," Twilight surmised nervously.

"Says who?" Vaati asked before sending an enormous gust of wind at the small army before them.

The wind was so powerful that most of the undead were blown into the wall, shattering on impact. Others sailed further down the ruined hall. The Bone Fiends groaned audibly as they picked themselves off the ground, as well as the Stalfos that hadn't been slammed against the walls.

"Now's your chance!" Vaati roared. "Mitta, you and your compatriots can deal with the rest of these! Everyone else, with me! We're going in!"

"Good luck, all of you," Gladstone said.

"We'll hold them off as long as we can!" Starlet vowed. "You have our word!"

"Thank you for letting us atone for our sins," Roneo added.

"Please…help Grey Hoof see the error of his ways as we did," Three Leaf implored.

"Forget that!" Mitta snapped. "Give him the thrashing of his unlife, you hear me?!"

"With buckin' pleasure!" Applejack answered with a grin, tilting her hat as she watched the residents of Sunnytown confront their own mindless brethren before looking at her friends. "C'mon, y'all! Ah think mah Element's this way!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Applejack!" Twilight called out, stopping her friend. "We should stick together!"

"Agreed! There could be anything in this place!" Vaati declared, leading the way as he smashed the remaining Stalfos aside with his arms.

As they passed the defeated skeletons, Rarity stopped for a moment and wordlessly picked up a discarded Stalfos sword with her magic. Seeing this, Twilight stopped and gawked. "Rarity, what are you doing?!"

The others halted, turning around to witness the exchange.

"While I don't particularly like resorting to this," Rarity answered, "using a weapon instead of just magic will conserve my magical strength. I would suggest you pick one too, dear."

"Are you crazy?!" Twilight cried. "You don't know how to use a weapon!"

"I think Rarity honestly has a point, Twi," Rainbow said, retrieving a spear and snapping about a foot or so off the bottom half of the shaft to better accommodate her size. "We're gonna need these. We can't fight everything with just our hooves and magic."

Twilight bit her lip as she realized that Rainbow was right. It didn't sit well with her at all, not being a big fan of violence, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Sighing in defeat, she noticed a discarded scimitar and enveloped it with her magic. "Let's just go."

"Ah think Ah'll just stick with Bucky McGillicuddy and Kicks McGee right here," Applejack said, stomping her hind legs for emphasis.

"I already got a weapon!" Pinkie chirped, waving her candy cane battle axe.

"Stick with my potions, I think I might," Zecora spoke. "Against the undead, they have worked well night after night."

Fluttershy, understandably, also refused to take one for herself, though she did not speak a word of it.

The group continued down the hall until they reached what had once been the throne room. The moment they arrived, the lot of them heard an ear-splitting chorus of shrieks rend the air. They sent such a horrifying chill down everyone's spines that they all froze in their tracks. "I-I can't move!" Twilight shakily spoke up.

Even Vaati had to fight off the petrifying effects of the horrid screams before he replied, "ReDeads!"

Everyone looked to see a group of shriveled, humanoid corpses shuffling menacingly towards them, their arms outstretched as they reached towards their prey with bony fingers. Vaati was the first to recover, lashing out with his mighty claws and ripping all of the zombies within reach to shreds. This did little to hinder the approach of the rest of the horde, which unleashed another chorus of deafening, blood-curdling screams to immobilize their prey once more.

"V-Vaati! W-why can't w-w-we move w-when t-t-those things scream?" Applejack demanded, gritting her teeth in exertion as she tried to move.

"There's magic in their voices," Vaati answered, also struggling to recover. "L-like those three sirens of yours that Starswirl banished from Equestria long ago. Only their shrieks use an aura of fear to pin their enemies in place, rather than cause strife as a food source. And I'm sick and tired of hearing them!"

With a frustrated bellow, Vaati again broke free of the ReDeads' spell, and this time he incinerated the whole lot of them with a massive eye beam, taking out a good chunk of the wall behind them in the process. And just like that, the spell over the others broke, allowing them all to breathe a sigh of relief.

Well, all except Twilight, who let out a cry of disbelief at the blatant destruction she had just witnessed. "Vaati! These ruins are a historical relic! You can't just blow things up willy-nilly!"

Vaati rolled his one eye. "Yes, because getting your blood sucked out by the undead so that you can join their ranks is so much more preferable."

"How are we gonna keep ourselves from getting stuck like that again?!" Rainbow demanded. "There's bound to be more of those things down here!"

"Unfortunately, I don't have any earplugs," Vaati replied. "Other than that, I'm not sure what can help you."

"Actually, I think I can help," Rarity spoke up, rummaging through her satchel.

Rarity then brought out a bag of cotton balls and opened it up with her magic. "While these are meant to go with my beauty products, I think they'll also work as impromptu earplugs."

"Rarity, you're a lifesaver!" Twilight exclaimed as her friend distributed the cotton balls amongst all the others.

"A lady makes it a point to always be prepared," Rarity pointed out matter-of-factly.

"A fine sentiment, I'll tell you all," Zecora spoke as she stuffed her ears. "But I do believe there is another room beyond this wall."

Everyone looked to where Zecora was gesturing and saw that the hole Vaati had blasted in the wall had revealed a hidden hallway. "Luna did confide in me once that she installed a lot of trapdoors and hidden passageways in this place when she and Celestia still lived here," Vaati said. "This must have been one of them."

Realizing that his demon form was too large to fit inside the passageway, Vaati groaned before returning to his Hylian form. "Well, so much for that," he murmured. "Come on, girls."

Luckily, it appeared that the Stalfos had not yet made use of this place, as they encountered no enemies here. Perhaps they weren't aware of the various tricks and traps yet, which, Vaati realized, could work to his group's advantage. Of course, it also helped that the undead generally did not retain the bulk of their intelligence after death. With this in mind, Vaati began leading the group down the secret corridor towards a wooden door in the back. However, mere feet in front of said door, the floor abruptly dropped out from under Vaati's feet. Not expecting this, Vaati cried out as he fell down the trap door, unable to clear his head enough to cast a levitation spell around himself.

"VAATI!" everyone cried, looking down into the darkness.

"Vaati, are you okay?!" Twilight cried.

"C'mon, Vaati! Say something!" Rainbow added. "Can you hear us down there?!"

"I don't think we could hear him with these in!" Rarity pointed out in a raised voice so her friends could hear her through the cotton balls stuffed in their ears.

"We gotta go down after him!" Applejack demanded. "He might be in trouble down there!"

"B-b-but it's so d-dark down there," Fluttershy whimpered.

"Just stay close to us, Fluttershy," Twilight reassured her, noticing how scared her friend looked. "We won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

Just then, they heard an unmistakable screeching sound that still sent a chill down their spines, though was muffled enough that it didn't paralyze them. "There's more zombies down there!" Twilight cried, and without a second thought, she jumped into the hole.

"Twilight!" Applejack cried as she and the others all followed after her.

Once Twilight hit the bottom, she immediately cast a spell to illuminate the pitch-black room. They appeared to be in some sort of hallway, with suits of pony armor standing sentinel along the walls. Vaati lay on the ground, unable to move as a horde of shriveled, masked ReDead Knights lifted their massive swords over their heads in preparation to chop the sorcerer to pieces. Vaati looked up at the undead monstrosities, and for the first time in a long time, the Wind Mage truly feared for his life.

However, much to everyone's surprise, once Twilight's magical light lit up the hall, the ReDeads collectively hissed and growled as they recoiled from the light, as if it was burning their withered skin. The effects of their screams wearing off, Vaati blew them all away from him with a mighty gust of wind. "Vaati, are you alright?!" Twilight demanded, looking her friend over.

"Thanks to you, I am," Vaati replied nonchalantly, as though his brush with death had never even happened. "Twilight, whatever you do, don't put out that light! The undead hate the light! As long as it shines on them, their ability to attack us is hindered!"

"Then we had better finish them quickly!" Rarity spoke up, bringing her new weapon to bear.

With a war cry the likes of which one would not normally expect from someone like Rarity, she swung her sword down upon the exposed neck of one of the ReDeads, cleaving its head from its shoulders. A black, slimy ichor spurted from the zombie's severed neck before it crumpled to the ground, giving off a hideous, foul-smelling stench of death and decay.

Rainbow flew up to another ReDead Knight and thrust her new spear into its face with such force that the head was ripped clean off its body. As the headless corpse sunk to the ground, Rainbow retched at the vile scent emanating from the severed head still attached to the spearhead. "Yuck! That is disgusting!" she groaned, trying not to puke as she frantically shook her weapon, attempting to dislodge the head from its blade.

Meanwhile, Vaati summoned one of his Eye Sentries, which he immediately converted into his signature rapier. The ReDead facing him, still stunned by Twilight's light, could only gawk stupidly as Vaati thrust his sword straight through the creature's mouth and out the other side of its skull. The undead creature emitted a strangled gurgling noise as it collapsed backwards, allowing Vaati to pull his sword out.

Applejack confronted the last zombified warrior as it attempted to rally itself and kicked it hard in its chest. There was enough force in the blow that the ReDead Knight was thrown back against the wall, a sickening crunch echoing throughout the hall as its skull made contact with the hard stone, splattering the blackened, decayed remnants of its brains all over it. The zombie slumped to the ground and did not move any further. As soon as they were all dead, everyone removed the cotton balls from their ears, since there were no more ReDeads left in the room.

"Aww, why didn't you guys leave one for me?" Pinkie whined.

Suddenly they heard a noise like metal plates scraping against one another. "I think you may have spoken too soon, Pinkie," Vaati surmised as he glared ahead as far as Twilight's magic would let him.

"W-what is that?" Twilight asked worriedly.

Vaati finally realized it, and without a moment's hesitation, he whirled around and blocked the halberd that had been aimed right at the back of Twilight's unsuspecting head, causing her to look up wide-eyed. He pushed it back with all his strength, throwing the attacker off-balance.

"The suits!" Vaati cried. "Something's animating them!"

Even as he said this, torches that had been hanging over the wall suddenly lit themselves, banishing the darkness and allowing them to watch as the other suits of armor abruptly came to life, brandishing swords, spears, and axes as they stepped down from their proper places. Applejack immediately bucked the one that had tried to attack Twilight away from her friends, scattering the armor all over the place. With its disguise destroyed, the culprit revealed itself with a despicable cackle.

"Of course!" Vaati said, instantly recognizing the spirit. "Poes!"

The ghost brandished its lantern, swinging it at Applejack's head. The farmpony ducked just in time to avoid the fireball from Twilight that disintegrated the Poe on contact. Meanwhile, the one that had been standing at attention on the opposite side of the wall moved to attack Pinkie, who grinned as she deflected its spear with a practiced swing of her axe. The move managed to disarm the animated armor, allowing Pinkie to freely smash its helmet with enough force to drop the thing. As soon as the exposed Poe revealed itself, Pinkie cut it off mid-cackle with another swing of her axe, the bisected ghost screaming as it burst into flames.

Another suit of armor swung its sword at Rainbow, who quickly flew out of reach and stuck her tongue out at it. "Hah! Can't get me from up here, chump!"

"Rainbow Dash, look out!" Fluttershy screamed in panic from where she was hiding behind Zecora.

Rainbow saw the spear that had been thrown at her by another suit with barely a second to react. But a second was all Equestria's Fastest Pony needed, and she lithely dodged the spear and responded by diving down and crashing into the now-defenseless suit of armor, smashing it apart with a ringing clanging noise. She was on her feet in a second as the Poe was forced to reveal itself. It didn't even have time to greet her with its signature cackle before it found itself impaled on the business end of Rainbow's spear. I'll have to thank Fluttershy for saving my flank later, Rainbow mused to herself. Wow…never thought I'd hear myself saying that.

Rarity parried a rather clumsy swing from one of the possessed suits, following up with a slash against its shoulder. Unfortunately, it was only a glancing blow, for the armor managed to hold. The armor attempted to seize advantage of this, but a weapon wielded by magic operated under different properties from a weapon wielded by hand. Rarity's sword spun around and knocked the helmet clean off its shoulders. The rest of the suit shuddered and collapsed as the Poe left it. However, Rarity struck before it could escape, destroying the ghost with one swing of her sword.

One of the possessed suits swung a broad axe at Twilight's neck, causing her to cry out as she stumbled back out of reach. Forgetting that she even was carrying a weapon in the first place, Twilight's hold around it dropped as she poured all her magical energy into a solid beam of light that blasted both armor and occupant to smithereens. Okay, I think it's best if I just stick to my magic for now, she decided to herself. I'm way more used to it than I am with an actual weapon.

Another enemy saw a tantalizing target in Zecora and Fluttershy and advanced on them, raising its halberd. Glaring at the suit of armor, Zecora fished a potion out of her bag, uncorked it with her mouth, and splashed its contents at the ghostly armor. Upon contact, the potion emitted a green mist that completely enveloped the monster. The suit stopped and shuddered before it went slack and fell limply on its side with a loud bang. The Poe emerged, screeching dreadfully as the potion burned away every inch of its undead body until it finally disintegrated to ashes. Fluttershy couldn't bear to look, and wept as she covered her eyes.

The remaining suits were steadily advancing down the hall towards them, weapons raised threateningly. To this, Vaati scoffed before he glanced over his shoulder. "Stay back, everyone! I'll take care of the rest of these fools!"

All the ponies promptly backed up as Vaati cast up his hands, gathering energy in his palms. Suddenly, everyone felt a wind begin to blow, which quickly intensified as a compact twister appeared in the midst of the remaining possessed suits of armor, sucking all of them up into the vortex. Vaati then added a multitude of Razor Wind spells that basically turned the small tornado into a magical, wind-based meat-grinder. It did a good job of both pulling the suits of armor apart and shredding the Poes within. After a few moments, Vaati let up his assault, letting the broken piles of scrap metal that once been ancient pony suits of armor clatter to the floor.

"Everyone alright?" he asked.

Twilight nodded. "Yeah. We're okay."

"Let's get a move on, then. There's a door down at the end of the hall."

The others fell into step behind the sorcerer as he led them down the now-silent hallway down to the aforementioned door. Vaati opened it a crack and peered inside, just in case something unpleasant was lying in wait on the other side. "Alright, it looks like the coast is clear," he said out loud as he swung the door open, revealing a staircase that led down further into the darkness.

"Y'all think Grey Hoof's down there?" Applejack inquired.

"Only one way to find out," Vaati replied. "Stay close to me, everyone. I imagine he'll try to sic that Stallord on us first."

"That Stallord thing you keep mentioning…that's a zombie dragon, right?" Rainbow asked.

"Correct," Vaati confirmed, wondering why she felt it important to ask.

"Well, don't you think we should all come up with a game plan?" Rainbow pointed out. "I mean, none of us have dealt with something like this before, and we obviously don't have the Elements of Harmony to back us up right now. So, how do we go about kicking this thing's butt?"

Vaati considered Rainbow's point for a moment before he decided, "Leave the Stallord to me. My demon form should grant me roughly equally footing against such a beast. The rest of you can deal with Grey Hoof, and I'm quite sure Applejack in particular is eager for a piece of him."

"Damn right Ah am," Applejack muttered darkly.

"Are you sure you can handle it?" Twilight asked, her faith in Vaati's power having wavered ever since the fateful incident that had prompted this venture.

"Don't worry about me, Twilight," Vaati reassured her with a confident smirk. "A Stallord is a mighty foe indeed, but it is no Ganon."

"You're one of my best friends," Twilight answered seriously. "Of course I'm gonna worry about you."

Vaati rolled his eyes, bemused. "While I appreciate the sentiment, it's unfounded. You should concentrate on worrying about any sort of plan Grey Hoof has in store for all of us."

Twilight wordlessly replied with an uncertain nod.

Vaati nodded back with a smile. "Good. Now, make sure to keep that light of yours going. There's no telling how dark it is down there, and I don't fancy running into any more ReDeads in pitch-black darkness again." The sorcerer shuddered. "I really don't."

Twilight gulped. This was one of the few times that Vaati, whom she had always known to be as brash and fearless as Rainbow Dash, had shown genuine fear. It was understandable, though; if she and the others hadn't come when they did, he would have been dead. And Vaati, in all his power, was relatively unaccustomed to such a situation, about to die and being unable to do a thing to stop it. The very thought of being in a similar situation honestly terrified her too. Still, she knew that one should not let fear cloud their judgment, for bad things happened when fear was allowed to take root in one's heart. King Sombra was testament to that fact.

The group traveled down the winding staircase that led down in to ever deeper darkness until they finally reached the end, opening up into a massive underground chamber. The darkness seemed to swallow even Twilight's light, preventing them from seeing very far ahead. Just as they all entered the room, they suddenly heard the sound of metal sliding into place, and turned to see that iron bars had fallen over the entrance to the stairwell, trapping them inside.

Before anyone could respond to this, they suddenly heard echoing laughter throughout the chamber. It sounded hollow and reedy, just like any other undead, and was distinctly male. "Well, well, well! Look at what we have here! Ganon told me you would be coming, so I decided to ready a surprise just for you!"

Suddenly several things happened at once. A deep, rumbling growl penetrated the darkness. Said darkness was immediately dispelled as numerous torches blazed to life.

Torches that had begun screaming.

"S-sweet mother'a Celestia," Applejack gasped in horror as she and the others took in the sight of the other Sunnytown ponies tied to posts that were arranged all around the chamber, and currently screaming bloody murder as their bodies were engulfed in flames. As cursed undead, this would not kill them, as their bodies would regenerate the damage, which honestly made their predicament even worse.

"I-it's the Sunnytown ponies!" Twilight cried in shock. "I thought they were back near the entrance! H-how did they end up like this?!"

"We simply must help them!" Rarity demanded.

"Unfortunately, we have a bigger problem on our hands," Vaati interrupted as he stared down the massive skeletal dragon standing in the middle of the chamber. "A much bigger problem."

The Stallord promptly roared in their faces, nearly shattering their eardrums in the process. Rarity willed herself not to faint; Fluttershy was not so fortunate. Suddenly they saw somepony standing on the undead dragon's shoulder, smirking down at them like a cat that had just caught the canary. This was most likely the Grey Hoof that had been causing all the trouble.

What they had not expected was the fact that he was an alicorn.

Grey Hoof now looked like a Cursed Blank version of an alicorn. Tattered, dried-up black skin clung to equally black bones, all of which emanated the Cursed Ponies' signature eerie red glow. His mane and tail were burning flames, and his wings were bat-like, but no membrane was attached to the fingers. Instead, a smoky darkness took shape there, as if to compensate. Grey Hoof grinned maliciously down at the ponies, zebra, and sorcerer gathered before him.

"You look surprised," he stated matter-of-factly. "Weren't expecting an alicorn, were you?"

"Ah don't care what ya are!" Applejack yelled, finally face-to-face with the one who had tried to kill her sister without her even knowing it for so long. "T'me, y'all 're nothin' but a murderer and a sadist!"

Grey Hoof regarded Applejack with detached interest. "That accent is familiar to me. I wonder why…"

"YA RECOGNIZE IT BECAUSE THAT'S MAH LITTLE SISTER'S ACCENT!" Applejack bellowed, enraged. "APPLEBLOOM! THE LITTLE FILLY YOU TRIED TO KILL!"

Grey Hoof let out an over-dramatic gasp as he seemed to remember. "Oh! That precious little filly with that cute little bow in her hair! Yes, I most certainly remember little Applebloom." His expression turned dark. "She ruined my party…just like Ruby did."

"That wasn't no party she was ruining!" Pinkie interrupted. "I'm the premier party pony of Equestria, so I know what is and isn't a party, you rotten excuse for a pony!"

"SHUT UP!" Grey Hoof boomed, seemingly having gained access to a bastardized version of the Canterlot Tone. "I can't believe the nerve of the whole lot of you! After everything I did for the ponies I cared about and lived with, what do I get in return? BETRAYAL!" The last word he yelled towards his burning fellow undead townsponies. "I joined Ganon for them! I executed Ruby for them! And I tried to be a good pony and spare your sister from the curse that you and your friends all have fallen victim to! But nopony has shown me any appreciation for it! None!"

"Spare mah sister?!" Applejack repeated. "From what?! Findin' her special talent?! Cutie Marks ain't no curse, and the rest of your townsfolk joined us because they realized that! Anypony can see how flimsy yer excuses are, and always have been! But Ah can already tell you're too far gone. Either that Ganon feller messed up yer mind when he turned ya into an alicorn, or y'all were barkin' mad t'begin with. Either way, Ah hate you as much as Ah pity you."

"Pity…me?" Grey Hoof repeated before laughing. "How adorable! I don't need your pity! I have more power at my hooftips than I ever thought possible, and my new master has even promised to lift me from my curse once I finish you! Rather generous for a Dark Lord, isn't he? After that, I will take my place in Equestria as a god of death! No longer will I be referred to as Grey Hoof! All will fear my new name, Nightmare Grave!"

"Not if we got somethin' to say about it!" Applejack cried.

Nightmare Grave looked down at the waiting Stallord. "Alright, you giant pile of dusty old bones! Time to show us all what you're made of!"

The Stallord roared again as Nightmare Grave took to the air, intending to let the skeletal dragon deal with his foes. Vaati wasted no time in assuming his demon form, the appearance of which momentarily caught the undead alicorn off-guard. Suddenly Nightmare Grave felt a rope wrap around his hind leg. "What?!"

He looked down to see that Applejack had lassoed his leg. "You think a little Earth Pony like you can pull me down?!" Nightmare Grave scoffed, starting to flap his wings harder.

Applejack allowed herself a savage grin as she yanked on the rope with all her strength, instantly bringing Nightmare Grave crashing to the ground with a startled yelp. As the cursed alicorn slowly recovered, Applejack looked at her stunned friends. "He's mine."

"B-but Applejack!" Twilight protested. "He's an alicorn now!"

"He hasn't been for long! So Ah'll bet he ain't totally used t'being one yet. 'Sides, this motherbucker tried to hurt mah family. Nobody gets away with hurtin' an Apple. So go help Vaati with that dragon, and leave Grey Hoof to me."

Twilight and the other Mane Six nodded uncertainly as Applejack readied herself for the fight of her life. By now, Nightmare Grave had risen back to his hooves and shaken the lasso off his leg. "Hmph, it seems I underestimated your strength," he spoke. "Be sure that it will not happen again."

Applejack adjusted her hat. "There's a whole lot more t'me than just mah strength, pardner."

"Die!" Nightmare Grave intoned, his horn glowing with a red aura before it sent a fireball hurtling towards her.

Applejack nimbly dodged the admittedly-sloppy attack and began running at him full-speed. Nightmare Grave unleashed several more fireballs, but Applejack side-stepped each of them. Just as he readied another, the farmpony swung around and bucked him in the face with all her strength. The skeletal alicorn's head snapped back with a sickening crunch as both his neck and jaw broke. Nightmare Grave stumbled back as Applejack turned back around to face him. However, before her eyes, Nightmare Grave's bones healed themselves, allowing him to flash Applejack the chilling rictus grin of the dead.

"You stupid, stupid country bumpkin," Nightmare Grave sneered. "Even as an alicorn, my curse currently still applies. You cannot kill me, you accursed freak, no matter how you try."

"That only means this'll hurt a whole lot longer for you," Applejack shot back.

"What do you know of pain, you deluded hick?!" Nightmare Grave snapped. "Nothing! You don't know what it's like to feel a constant numbness in your body and soul, to feel the wind as it whistles through your bones, to be unable to breathe, to lack a pulse and a heartbeat! That, sister of Applebloom, is real pain! And I endured it for a hundred bucking years! All because this warped forest took offense to my efforts to keep Sunnytown safe!"

"Oh, shut up with yer excuses!" Applejack cut him off. "Not a single one'a them was worth a filly's life! The Everfree Forest took offense because you murdered a child in cold blood because she discovered what she was good at! And while she lay there in that fireplace, screamin' in pain and beggin' for it to stop, you smiled. You're a disgustin' piece of filth that deserves a whole lot worse than what ya got!"

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Nightmare Grave screamed. "I will not be talked down to like this! You cannot cause me any more pain than I already feel! And now, I will share my pain…WITH YOU!"

His horn glowed as a spectral black mist snaked out from the tip and slithered menacingly towards Applejack. The farmpony instantly realized what he was trying to do; he was attempting to pass his curse onto her, just as he had tried before with Applebloom. But Applejack wasn't about to have any of that. She immediately dodged the tendrils of darkness, which continued to race after her as she ran. Nightmare Grave laughed, mad and drunk on his newfound power. "Now do you see what I'm truly capable of?! And once I'm through with your friends here, I think I'll mosey on over to Ponyville and pay dear little Applebloom another visit, heh heh heh…"

"You ain't goin' near any of mah family EVER AGAIN!" Applejack bellowed, leaping over the curse magic right towards Nightmare Grave's face, delivering a wicked right hook that sent him reeling before following up with another kick that sent him careening against the wall.

Meanwhile, Vaati struggled against the Stallord, doing his best to avoid its snapping jaws and serrated teeth. Just as the undead beast opened its mouth to send a rush of its vile, corrosive breath his way, Vaati countered by channeling a tornado straight at the Stallord's face, deflecting the attack. Vaati followed up by gripping the Stallord's neck and attempting to wrestle it to the ground. Even with the power of wind to aid him, this was proving to be a difficult endeavor, as the Stallord was several times larger than Vaati's demon form. Eventually Vaati's smaller frame and lighter weight ultimately worked against him as the Stallord threw its head up with enough force to throw the transfigured mage into the air, his back crashing painfully against the stalactites hanging from the ceiling.

Vaati grunted as he felt the sharp rocks dig into his skin and cursed to himself. He knew he could easily end this fight with one blast from his strongest attack, the massive energy beam he could shoot from his eye. However, this attack alone drained a great deal of energy in the process, and Vaati wanted to be sure he had enough strength left in him to deal with Grey Hoof, uh, Nightmare Grave, after he finished off the Stallord.

The Stallord roared up at him, prompting Vaati to start descending towards the undead beast. Suddenly, a lavender energy beam clipped the Stallord in the shoulder, diverting its attention away from Vaati. The demon narrowed his eye. "What is Twilight doing?"

As the Stallord turned towards Twilight, she sent another beam right at its face, causing it to snarl in anger. However, before it could move to attack the small unicorn, it felt another beam, though weaker in strength, strike the back of its head. Rarity stood behind the beast, out of reach of its swinging tail, readying another attack. And then Twilight struck again, her magical beam singing the Stallord's cheekbones. It then found Rainbow Dash body-slamming into its forehead repeatedly, while Pinkie chopped at its forearm with her axe. Zecora uncorked another potion bottle and cast it over the hulking beast, burning its ribs like acid.

Now, if there was one thing the undead were even better known for other than their strength of numbers, it was their abject stupidity. After all, one did not really have the mental faculties to be any sort of clever or intelligent when your brain was significantly rotted or basically a pile of organic dust. Being faced with so many attackers was enough to confuse and disorient the monster, which seemed unable to decide which one of them to attack, and apparently having forgotten all about Vaati.

But Vaati certainly hadn't forgotten it.

Its face now smoking and as pock-marked as an unsheltered moon, the Stallord finally decided to go after the closer one of the two, Twilight, when suddenly Vaati's large bulk smashed into its back, shattering its spine (and virtually every other bone that formed its body in the process) with ease. The Stallord shrieked one last time before it went down, utterly defeated as the eldritch fire-light vanished from its empty eye sockets.

Nightmare Grave watched his gigantic attack animal fall with a look of utter shock. "Y-you defeated the Stallord?!" he marveled. "HOW?!"

Just then, a light glowed throughout the chamber as a golden necklace with an apple-shaped pendant appeared around Applejack's neck.

The Element of Honesty had been recovered.

"A little somethin' Ah like to call teamwork," Applejack quipped.

Nightmare Grave gritted his yellowed teeth. "Enough of this nonsense! Time for you to join the ranks of the trotting dead!"

The undead alicorn once more unleashed his curse aura, and this time, Applejack did not move to avoid it, instead just calmly walking forward. The aura washed right over her, but it did not have the effect Nightmare Grave was expecting. In fact, it had no effect at all; Applejack walked right through it as though it weren't even there. She knew her Element of Honesty would protect her, and thus did not even flinch or break stride as the black mist continued to swirl around and assault her in vain.

Nightmare Grave couldn't believe what he was seeing. "I…what…h-how?! HOW ARE YOU NOT AFFECTED?!"

Applejack just smartly tapped her Element in reply.

Nightmare Grave stumbled back, spluttering incomprehensibly. "No! This cannot…This isn't possible! IT'S NOT POSSIBLE!"

"Grey Hoof of Sunnytown," Applejack intoned, glowing faintly as she fully tapped into her powers as the Element of Honesty. "Too long have ya lied to yourself, disguisin' the hideous truth of your actions with thinly-veiled excuses in order to ignore your own guilt. No more. You will see the truth, here and now."

Nightmare Grave unleashed a cry as he prepared to ram Applejack in the throat with his horn. But once he got close to her, her eyes went pure white and locked onto Nightmare Grave's red ghost-eyes, freezing the skeletal alicorn in place. "Look into my eyes, Grey Hoof," Applejack commanded. "Witness the truth of your actions…learn why you were wrong…and feel the pain you caused others by them."

Nightmare Grave's face went completely slack for a few moments before it began contorting with pain as he saw the ugly truth of his sins. He began to scream, clutching his head and shrieking incomprehensible babble as he writhed on the ground, begging it to stop. Applejack looked on without emotion as Nightmare Grave's power waned as the Element of Honesty's power washed over his body, slowly turning him back into the zombified Earth pony he had once been.

Grey Hoof lay huddled on the ground, sobbing violently as it all came crashing down on him. "What have I done? What have I done? What have I done?! What have I done?! What have I done?!"

This he kept repeating endlessly, heedless of everyone else in the room, until thick, gnarled vines burst out of the ground, surprising everyone. The vines quickly coiled around Grey Hoof, snapping him out of his mantra as they dragged him into the ground. His screams would likely echo in their minds for weeks afterwards as the will of the Everfree Forest dragged Grey Hoof beneath the earth, dragging him to hell to serve a fate far worse than mere undeath. What that fate would be, none knew, nor did they wish to speculate. Once it was over, all that remained was a few upturned stones and a pile of dirt to serve as Grey Hoof's grave. At that moment, the eldritch fire that had been consuming the trapped Sunnytown ponies abruptly fizzled out, allowing their cries to die down at last. Twilight and Rarity wasted no time in undoing their ropes with their magic, causing them all to fall unceremoniously to the ground, unable to stand for several minutes as they slowly recovered from the sensation of being burned at the stake, as it were.

"Is everyone alright?" Twilight asked.

Mitta was the first to struggle to her hooves. "I…I think s-so…Grey Hoof…where…?"

"Grey Hoof wouldn't let himself understand the depths of his crimes," Applejack answered. "And so Ah made him see the truth of it. But it was too late for 'im. His sins were unforgivable, and the forest responded in kind. Ah doubt we'll be seein' him again."

Three Leaf sniffed sadly. "I c-can't believe he actually could find it within himself to hurt us. I guess…somehow, deep down I knew he was too far gone. He always was stubborn as a mule in his ways. I just didn't want to accept it."

Applejack smiled. "Ah think y'all might wanna take a moment t'look at yerselves."

Mitta, Three Leaf, Gladstone, Roneo, and Starlet blinked in confusion for a moment before they noticed something different about themselves.

"I…I'm breathing again," Gladstone marveled, clutching his chest. "I can feel my heartbeat! I-I'm alive!"

"W-we're alive!" Mitta exclaimed, looking herself and the others over.

"I can't believe it!" Roneo cried, laughing as he hugged Starlet. "The curse! The curse is finally lifted!"

Now that they were no longer undead, the Sunnytown ponies now once again looked just like they had a hundred years ago.

"Y'all were willin' to repent 'n make amends for your mistakes," Applejack continued. "To that, the forest also responded in kind. Congratulations; you're free."

Gladstone laughed. "Yeah…yeah we are, aren't we?"

Just then, a shimmering light appeared, from which emerged the ghost of Ruby, a wide smile on her face. "Yes…it's done! Thank goodness you're okay, Mitta!"

Mitta's smile fell. "…It's not fair. You were the biggest victim in all this, Ruby, but we're the ones that got to return to life in the end."

To this, Ruby's smile widened. "Are you really, really sure about that?"

Mitta regarded her sister's spirit with a confused look. "What?"

"Now that Applejack and her friends have recovered the Element of Honesty, Ganon's hold over the Everfree Forest is broken. The Bone Fiends and the other undead have all crumbled to dust. And yet, as Ganon's power here wanes, the forest is absorbing that magic into itself, enough so that it can perform one miracle, one use of a power Ganon takes for granted; the ability to truly restore the dead back to life."

Mitta's eyes widened, realization setting in, but not daring to let herself believe it just yet. "W-what…what are you saying?"

Ruby's smile became a playful grin. "If you really want to know, you know exactly where to find me."

And with a flash, Ruby was gone.

Mitta stared at the empty space for several moments before she turned to the others. "E-excuse me…I have to go."

Vaati smiled, having returned to his human form. "Don't let us hold up the family reunion. Off with you!"

Mitta then galloped out of the chamber, the exit from which had thankfully unsealed itself after the boss's defeat, never looking back. They all watched her leave, knowing in their hearts that what awaited her was something she deserved very much. Twilight turned back towards the Sunnytown ponies. "What're you all going to do, now that you're free?" she asked.

Three Leaf sighed. "I honestly don't feel like returning to Sunnytown. Like, ever."

Gladstone nodded. "I agree. Too many unhappy memories."

"And it was our isolationist lifestyle that sort of brought all this upon us in the first place," Roneo pointed out. "I really think it's time we left the Everfree Forest for good."

"But where will you go?" Rarity inquired.

"I think Ponyville should be our first stop," Starlet suggested. "I think we all owe a certain little filly a big apology. After that….I don't care. Anywhere's better than back in Sunnytown."

"I personally think that's an excellent plan," Vaati agreed. "In fact, we'll be heading back to Ponyville ourselves to stock up on supplies for a more protracted journey, so what's say you lot travel with us for just a bit longer?"

Gladstone gestured towards the exit with a hoof. "Then lead the way, fillies and gentlecolt."

XXXXXX

Mitta was not quite used to being alive again, and had thus run herself ragged by the time she reached the ruins of Sunnytown. Yet the sensation of pain in her breast, the feel of her heart furiously pounding against her ribcage, was absolutely incredible. But all of that was pushed aside as she quickly moved past the dilapidated houses over to the one in the very back where it had occurred all those years ago. She soon reached the front door and swung it open with such force that it ripped right off its hinges and crashed loudly to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust. Mitta burst inside the old house.

"Ruby?"

"MITTA!"

And a hundred years after being unfairly torn apart by two different states of undeath, two loving sisters were finally reunited in life as Ruby tackled her big sister in a bear hug.

XXXXXX

"And thus, the first step of the journey is over, another begins…

The forgotten relics have gained their recognition…

One Element down, five to go…

And now the fun can begin at last…

Gwo hoh hoh hoh hoh!"

End of Part 2
> Episode 5: Seeking Kindness Part 1 - A Plan And A Nightmare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 5: Seeking Kindness Part 1 – A Plan and a Nightmare

The return journey back to Ponyville passed without incident. The Everfree Forest had lost that extra degree of menace, and no more monsters, both native and undead, harassed them for the remainder of the hike. It was approaching the time when Luna would call down the moon when the group of ponies, sorcerer, and zebra emerged from the Everfree on the outskirts of Ponyville. It was then that they noticed all of Vaati's monsters, as well as most of Ponyville's residents, hard at work fortifying the town. Some of the monsters were planting huge, sharpened stakes in the ground all over Ponyville's perimeter, facing outward at an angle. Other monsters, as well as some of the stronger ponies, were carrying over more stakes to other areas of Ponyville where others were waiting to implant them as well. Meanwhile, the remaining monsters and ponies were constructing wooden towers at various key points of the town and along each corner of the field of stakes encompassing the outskirts of Ponyville.

"W-what's all this?" Twilight gaped.

"What in Equestria is everypony doin'?" Applejack asked.

Vaati smirked as he observed. "Heh. An old Blin tactic," he explained. "During times of war, the Moblins and their various cousins would surround their cities and fortifications with sharpened stakes like these, as well as sentry towers that were garrisoned with archers and spear throwers. These were meant to repel, or at the very least, delay an enemy's advance, as the invading force would have to maneuver past the field of stakes without impaling themselves, which would give the archers plenty of time to whittle down their numbers." Then Vaati noticed something else. "Huh…that ballista tower's definitely a Darknut thing, though."

"Ballista tower?!" Rainbow Dash cried.

The ballista tower in question was being constructed smack dab in the middle of the marketplace at the center of town. The fact that it was also significantly taller than the Moblin sentry towers meant that, once it was finished and the ballista attached to the top, it would have an uninterrupted view of the entirety of Ponyville.

"What kind of range does it have?" Rarity asked, eyeing the distant tower with a critical expression.

"I wouldn't know," Vaati replied. "I've never seen a Darknut ballista in action myself, but I've heard various accounts that say they can accurately hit a target at over five hundred meters away, and their maximum range is about eight hundred meters. Whatever the case, I do hope a time doesn't come when they actually have to put it to use."

Twilight sighed, looking downcast. "I hate this. Equestria's been a peaceful nation for centuries. And now, just like that, the home I love, the ponies I live with and care about, all of them are preparing for war. I hate war. I hate violence. And seeing these towers being put up…even after we defeat Ganon, Ponyville will never be the same, will it?"

Vaati felt a familiar sinking feeling in his gut as her words reminded him that all of what was happening was basically his fault. "I'm sorry," he muttered.

Barely had the words left his mouth when he felt something wrap around his waist tightly. "Vaati, don't you dare blame yourself for this," Twilight chided as she hugged him. "You couldn't have known something like this would happen. None of us could. So don't beat yourself up over it."

"That doesn't change the fact that I am responsible for it, however unintentionally," Vaati retorted. "Twilight, Equestria is going to war. Ponies, possibly ponies you know, are going to die. And it's all because my appearance in Equestria has damaged the boundaries between our homeworlds, allowing fiends like Ganon to appear where they feasibly should not."

Twilight bit her lip at the harsh truth of his words. If Ponyville did end up facing an attack, there would most likely be casualties. And she knew almost every pony that lived in Ponyville, even if they weren't close friends or anything more than acquaintances. The idea of any of them being killed in the heat of battle was a mortifying thought.

"If it comes down to that, we can still help," Gladstone finally spoke up.

"I'm sure your friends and family could use a couple of extra hooves," Roneo added. "We may not be invincible zombies anymore, but all of us can still throw down if we need to."

"Do you see those monsters?" Vaati pointed out. "Ganon employs those creatures too. Do you truly feel yourselves capable of tussling with the likes of Moblins, Darknuts, and Wizzrobes?"

"We used to live in the Everfree Forest," Starlet pointed out. "You really think we didn't have to drive off monsters that came wandering in from time to time?"

"I still remember that incident with the chimera," Gladstone remarked with a chuckle. "Mind you, this was before we all got cursed, because after that, the magic of our curse drove off any nearby monsters, as they could sense something was not right about Sunnytown and wouldn't dare go near it anymore. Even the Timberwolves stayed away."

"We can handle them just as well as anypony else can," Three Leaf said. "That's the best anypony can hope for, I guess."

"You say you're worried for the ponies," Rarity inquired. "But do you worry for the monster folk?"

Vaati gave her a questioning look before he finally answered with a huff, "As far as servants go, it would be a shame to lose such fine ones as I have."

The Mane Six smirked at Vaati's defensive reply. Clearly he couldn't just spit it out, but his roundabout answer was enough to indicate that he did indeed care for his minions. "Alright, let's go see how everyone's doing," Vaati said, walking towards the fortified town.

As they approached a break in the fortifications, they happened upon Nigellas, who was sternly directing his Geomancer Wizzrobes into magically digging holes en masse for more stakes to be put in, hopefully cutting down on valuable time. Nigellas was so invested in ordering his kin about that he at first didn't notice Vaati and his company approaching. "Nigellas!" Vaati barked.

The sound of his master's voice snapped Nigellas out of his reverie at being the boss, the Wizzrobe commander saluting. "Lord Vaati, you've returned!" he exclaimed.

Vaati waved his hand dismissively. "At ease. I see you lot have been busy during our short absence."

Nigellas glanced over the various defensive modifications surrounding them and nodded. "Aye. While we were all still holed up in the Palace, that Mayor pony called all of the monster leaders together. The whole thing was that Moblin chief, Borus's idea. We're just adding our own touches."

The Wizzrobe then looked down at the Sunnytown ponies gawking at the multitude of strange, two-legged beasts intermingling with the townsponies as though nothing were unusual about it. "Uh…who are these guys? Never seen them around here before."

Surprised at being addressed, each of them began to open their mouths to fumble out some excuse, as they weren't quite sure how these huge and dangerous-looking creatures would react to the truth. But before any of them could utter a word, Vaati stepped in smoothly and said, "Just a few strays we picked up along the way. They will be remaining in Ponyville for the time being to aid you in any way."

Nigellas inclined his head in understanding. "Ganon's toadies drive you out of your home?" he inquired.

"You might say that," came a voice from behind them.

They all turned to see that Mitta had returned, with a certain grey-coated filly who was distinctly NOT a ghost close at her side. The Sunnytown residents gasped at them in surprise. "Mitta?! Ruby!" Gladstone gaped.

"W-what are you doing here?" Starlet uttered. "I-I thought…"

"We're all being given a fresh start," Mitta plainly interrupted. "I really don't care about where you all go, but Ruby and I are staying in Ponyville. Ruby's already got a friend here, and obviously Ponyville's the friendliest place around, if all of this is any indication." She gestured at the scene before them.

"That it may be," Vaati pointed out. "But all of this is being put up for a reason. Ganon's forces could attack this town at any moment, and that's definitely no place for a child."

"Are any other towns better defended?" Mitta asked.

Vaati opened his mouth to list off the various other settlements dotting Equestria's landscape, but then thought better of it. Most of them were probably being abandoned, as Celestia had implored her citizenry to make for the Crystal Empire and other territories beyond Equestria's borders with all due haste. "Uh…well, Canterlot's already been evacuated, as it will be a high-priority target for Ganon's forces, and Princess Celestia strongly urged everyone else to leave Equestria and take shelter in better-defended allied territories, like the Crystal Empire. So, no."

Mitta and the other former undead looked at him in confusion. "Crystal Empire?" Mitta repeated. "What Crystal Empire?"

Twilight closed her eyes and raised a hoof, a sign to Vaati and all her friends that she was about to enter her dreaded "lecture mode". "Well, about a thousand years ago, a group of Earth ponies, who were escaping persecution from the pegasi and unicorns, traveled up north to find a place out of the way enough for them to settle. When they got there, they discovered a huge field of crystals that…"

"Long story short, city made out of crystals got taken over by an evil king who's basically our world's Ganon about a thousand years ago, got cursed and disappeared for a thousand years, and then it came back, we found the Crystal Heart and made said king go boom, and now Twilight's brother and sister-in-law are running things up there!" Pinkie Pie less-than-eloquently explained before taking a big gasp of air.

Twilight flashed her overeager friend the stink-eye as Pinkie cheerfully kept smiling. "So…you've done this before?" Ruby asked.

"I've been pulling most of the weight, honestly," Vaati admitted. "Not that these ladies can't handle themselves. I just tend to get to the bad guy first. But I think it's safe to say I can't do all the heavy-lifting anymore, now that we're contending with someone who is much more powerful than me and has his own army at his command."

"We still have the other Elements to find," Zecora spoke up. "Is there a reason we returned here first? What is on your mind?"

"We're not equipped for a long journey," Vaati answered. "We need supplies. Food, weapons, medicines, things of that nature. That, and Ganon may have placed at least one more Element somewhere by now. You'll need to check on that and get some rest while we're at it. Go home to your families, rest among them, for we will likely not see them again for some time."

"Sounds good," Twilight agreed. "So, Zecora, are you planning to go with us?"

"Indeed I am, my good friend," Zecora replied as she nodded. "I will help you see this journey through to the end."

"You can spend the night at my house, then," Twilight said. "I have an extra bed for guests at the library."

"Yes, quite nicely that will do. I can use your lab to mix many a special brew."

"You might need some Red Potions for your trip too," Nigellas advised. "I'll have someone bring you a few, master. Shall I ready a satchel with a bottomless charm as well?"

"A bottomless charm?" Rarity inquired.

"I know what that is!" Twilight exclaimed. "It's a spell that enlarges the inside of a container or bag directly proportionate to how much stuff is put in it, so that it never gets full, and doesn't get bigger or heavier! I recently put one on my own bookbag!"

"Hmm, then that's the one we'll use," Vaati replied. "Bring all the Red Potions you have available to Twilight's library so she can store them."

"I'll see to it, then," Nigellas responded with a bow before turning towards the busy Geomancer Wizzrobes. "You boys know what to do. Keep at it!"

Several of them grumbled irritably in response as Nigellas teleported over to the Palace of Winds. Deciding to set to work, Three Leaf stepped forward and asked, "Any of you gentlecolts need help?"

"You can help carry some of those stakes over yonder," one Wizzrobe said, gesturing towards a pile of timber that a pair of Moblins was sharpening.

Roneo glanced at Vaati and the Mane Six. "Again, thank you for everything," he said, the other former residents of Sunnytown nodding in agreement. "We won't forget it. C'mon, ponies, let's get to work!"

As they set off to go help in any way they could, Vaati and his entourage observed for a moment before Rarity said, "I had best get to the boutique. Sweetie Belle will probably be worried, and my parents have likely fled towards the Crystal Empire too."

"Ah can have Big Mac 'n Granny Smith look after her 'n Scootaloo while we're out 'n about," Applejack suggested. "They'll be safe with mah family."

"I appreciate it, dear," Rarity replied with a smile. "The little ones can think of it as an extended sleepover."

"That will be quite alright, Applejack," Vaati added. "Scootaloo is certainly welcome at your place at any time, but I do think Maulgrim and Nigellas can do a sufficient job of caring for her in my absence. Out of all my monsters, those two dote on her the most."

"I'd better check on Spike too," Twilight interjected. "Why don't we all meet up at the Palace entrance at 7:30 sharp tomorrow morning?"

"Ugh, that early?" Rainbow griped.

"Early bird gets the worm, Dashie!" Pinkie chirped.

"You're all going to need weapons too," Vaati spoke up. "And ones that aren't covered in rust. Stalfos weapons won't last long in combat."

"I'll settle for a simple sword, darling," Rarity said. "Though it would be nice if you could set a jewel or two in the handle somewhere."

Vaati rolled his eyes. "I promise nothing, but I'll see what I can do."

"All I need is right here!" Pinkie gestured to her axe.

"I could use a better spear, I guess," Rainbow said. "Though can you make it more my size? Your monsters' weapons are too long for me to use."

"Um…can't I just rely on my magic instead?" Twilight asked nervously. "It's just that…I don't feel comfortable using a weapon, and…"

"Twilight, there are many beasts out there who are resistant or even immune to magic," Vaati interrupted. "What will you do then, without a weapon to defend yourself with, hm? You can't afford to cling to your pacifistic ways right now, Twilight."

Twilight sighed. "I know, you're right. I hate it, but I can't argue with your logic. Just get me whatever you feel like."

"Thank you, Twilight," Vaati replied with a triumphant smirk. "I knew you would see it my way."

"Oh, hush," Twilight chided irritably, to which Vaati snickered.

"Ah've said mah piece already, but Ah don't need a weapon," Applejack stated matter-of-factly. "Bucky McGillicuddy 'n Kicks McGee'll do me just fine."

"At least put on an iron horseshoe or something," Vaati advised. "Something that'll offer protection for your legs and put a little more pain behind your kicks."

"…Okay, Ah guess somethin' like that'll be just dandy," Applejack relented.

"Um…I-I, uh…" Fluttershy stammered, knowing they expected her to say something on the matter too.

"It's okay, Fluttershy," Twilight began. "You don't have to have a weapon if you don't want…"

"She needs one too," Vaati interrupted sternly.

Fluttershy 'eeped' in dread. "Vaati, Fluttershy's…" Twilight began to say.

Vaati sharply cut her off. "Fluttershy has to go with us, but without some kind of weapon, she has literally no way to defend herself. If she can't protect herself, she will be nothing but dead weight to us, and that is something we absolutely cannot afford any of us to be. A pacifistic lifestyle will get you killed out there, do you understand?"

Twilight bit her lip. She knew Vaati was right, but she also knew that Fluttershy would never lift a hoof to harm anypony. It was a dilemma that even her calculating, clever mind could not find an immediate solution for.

"U-um, Vaati?" Fluttershy timidly spoke up.

"What?"

"Um…I…I have a-an idea…t-that is, i-if you d-don't mind…"

"And that is…?" Vaati pressed, quirking an eyebrow.

"I-I'll take a w-weapon, b-but…I really hope I-I don't ever h-have to use it, s-so…c-can I b-be more o-of a healer i-instead?"

"A healer?" Vaati repeated, confused. "What are you talking about? You don't have any access to healing spells."

"Vaati, I've been looking after animals most of my life," Fluttershy responded with a bit more strength behind her voice. "I can bandage a pony just as well as any animal…um, i-if that's okay with you, that is…"

"If I may interrupt, I think Fluttershy has a point," Zecora interjected. "Her skills and my remedies should be an effort that is joint."

Vaati just stared flatly at the zebra for a moment. "You're starting to get desperate with the rhyming, aren't you?"

"I do have the occasional off day, but doing this requires me to think before I say."

"That…actually makes a lot of sense," Vaati admitted before regarding the rest of his companions. "So, everyone clear on the plan?"

"I'll go to the library and gather some books on healing spells and herbal remedies," Twilight said.

"I'll go to Sugarcube Corner and whip us up some delicious cupcakes for the trip!" Pinkie chirped.

"I'll take Sweetie Belle to Sweet Apple Acres with Applejack, and then close up shop at the boutique," Rarity informed.

"Ah'll go back home 'n tell everypony 'bout the situation," Applejack said. "Ah think we'll git some apples 'n apple treats ready for y'all too."

"I'm gonna go and make sure the weather team can manage without me for the time being," Rainbow said. "And then I'm gonna take a nice, long nap."

"I'll go to my house, tell Angel to take care of the other animals for me while I'm gone, and gather up all the medical supplies I have," Fluttershy murmured.

"My dear Twilight, could I trouble you for use of your lab?" Zecora asked. "My current collection of salves is looking a little drab."

"Sure, whatever you need," Twilight answered.

"And while you're all doing that, I'll be having the monsters work on your weapons and some traveling armor," Vaati finished. "Nigellas and Maulgrim can look after Scootaloo in my absence. We'll all meet up at the Palace at 7:30 am sharp. Got all that?"

Everyone nodded their heads. "Alright, see you all tomorrow, then," Vaati bade, at which point the group separated.

XXXXXX

"Are…are ya sure, Doc?" Applejack asked again, her voice cracking. "Are ya absolutely certain?"

Doctor Strange Love, a unicorn doctor who specialized in Cutie Marks and the various maladies that affected them, nodded his head solemnly. "I'm afraid so, Miss Applejack," he replied. "We've gone over the results of the test again and again, as I'm sure you understand how serious a matter this is. But the results speak for themselves; your sister has a very rare form of albinism that basically renders her body and soul unable to produce a Cutie Mark, even if she did finally find her special talent."

"W-will…will she know it's her special talent?" Applejack asked.

Strange Love sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I honestly don't know. She might not, seeing as how your sister and her friends have been going about getting their Marks over the years."

Applejack leaned back in her seat, staring into space with a look of utter devastation. "…What am Ah gonna tell her?" she whispered to herself.

"That's up to you to decide, Miss Applejack," Strange Love replied. "But if you want my advice, I think it's best that she knows this now so that she can move on with her life."

Applejack held back her tears as she shook the doctor's hoof. "Thank ya for yer time."

The walk home passed in agonized silence as Applejack's mind warred with itself. One the one hoof, Applejack hated lying, and lying to her sister, of all ponies, was something she considered an unspeakable act. But on the other hoof, telling her sister the truth would be certain to shatter every last hope and dream Applebloom had. It was a painful decision to make, but ultimately Applejack's sense of honor won out. She would tell Applebloom the truth, even if it broke her heart.

As she approached the farmhouse, she sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes before opening the door. Big Mac was currently out working in the fields, and Granny Smith was fast asleep in her favorite chair. Applejack decided to leave her other family members be for now; she could tell them the news later. Applebloom deserved to hear it first.

Applejack climbed up the stairs towards Applebloom's room and nudged open the door. Applebloom was currently sitting on her bed, drawing up plans for another crusade. Applebloom was the only member of the original Cutie Mark Crusaders to not have gotten her Cutie Mark, despite the fact that she was now almost old enough to graduate from Cheerilee's school. And so, Applebloom was now crusading all on her own, which made what Applejack was about to say hurt all the more.

"Hey, Applebloom?" Applejack asked. "Can…can we talk for a moment?"

Applebloom looked up in surprise. "Oh! Sure, sis! What is it?"

Then the younger sibling noticed something alarming. "Applejack? Why are ya cryin'?"

Applejack sniffed and rubbed her eyes with a hoof. "Ah just went 'n saw that Cutie Mark specialist again…and he figured out why y'all don't have yer Cutie Mark yet."

"It's cuz Ah haven't found mah special talent, right?" Applebloom asked.

Applejack slowly shook her head. "No, Applebloom. That…that ain't it."

Applebloom's brow furrowed in confusion. "Ah don't understand. Is…is somethin' wrong?"

Applejack was silent for a moment, her mind struggling against her heart at what she should say once again. "Ah…Ah'm so sorry, 'Bloom," she finally said, fresh tears streaming down her face. "The doctor said…" She took a moment to compose herself before continuing. "He said that…you have a condition…one that…that means that you'll never be able t'have a Cutie Mark of yer own."

She felt her heart break as she saw the look of shock on Applebloom's face quickly morph into a horror-stricken, wide-eyed stare. "A-Applejack…are ya pullin' mah leg?" Applejack said nothing, and Applebloom's eyes became wet as well. "Sis, t-this is a joke, right? Tell me it's a joke!"

"Ah wish it were," Applejack responded. "Sweet mother'a Celestia, Ah wish it were."

"No…" Applebloom whimpered, shaking her head in horrified disbelief. "N-no! No! NO NO NO NO NO!"

"Applebloom, Ah…" Applejack began, but before she could say anything more, Applebloom leapt from her bed and flew past her sister, bawling.

"Applebloom!" Applejack cried, turning to follow, but suddenly she felt a hoof touch her chest, stopping her.

She looked to see her brother, Big Mac, lower his hoof and shake his head sadly. "Let 'er be alone a few, AJ," he advised solemnly.

Applejack looked at Big Mac and realized he was right; Applebloom needed a few moments to come to terms with this revelation on her own before the rest of the family could move in to comfort her over the news. "Ah'll go get dinner started," Applejack responded, barely above a whisper as she struggled to compose herself.

Dinner was soon ready, yet Applebloom hadn't returned. "Now where'd that 'lil ol' Applebloom run off to?" Granny Smith asked. "She never misses dinner."

"Ah thought she'd be back by now!" Applejack worriedly said. "We gotta find her!"

The Apple family all quickly rose from their chairs and each grabbed a lantern before rushing outside. "Ah'll check th' clubhouse!" Granny Smith informed.

"Ah'll check th' apple fields!" Big Mac spoke.

"Ah'll check th' barn!" Applejack cried, and they all separated to go search their chosen areas, calling out Applebloom's name.

Applejack rushed over to the barn and saw that the doors were ajar. She remembered having closed them earlier today, which meant that Applebloom was probably in there. Applejack pushed the door open and looked inside.

And she screamed.

Applebloom, her little sister, the jewel of her family that she had sworn to her late parents she would protect, was swinging limply from the rafters, a noose tied securely around her neck.

When all the truth does is make your heart ache, sometimes a lie is easier to take…

XXXXXX

Applejack was still screaming as she catapulted awake, along with every other member of her household. Big Macintosh burst through her door, his expression a combination of grogginess and terror. "AJ! Y'alright?!"

Applejack stopped screaming and jerked her head towards her brother, panting heavily. "Ah need t'see Applebloom!" she suddenly said, rushing past Big Mac without offering an explanation.

Applejack ran down the hall to Applebloom's room and had to restrain herself from outright throwing the door open. Applejack breathed a deep sigh of relief as she saw Applebloom sound asleep in her bed, somehow having not even heard Applejack screaming earlier. Her light snoring was a reassurance to Applejack of her sister's safety.

"Is somepony gonna tell me what all th' hullabaloo's about?" Granny Smith demanded in a whisper as she slowly hobbled down the hallway. "Ponies're tryin' t'sleep here!"

"AJ, what's goin' on?" Big Mac whispered. "Ya just started screamin' outta nowhere. Scared me half t'death!"

Applejack shuddered as she slowly closed Applebloom's door. "A-Ah don't wanna talk about it."

Granny Smith narrowed her eyes. "Applejack, ya know there ain't no hidin' stuff in this family. Tell us what's on yer mind. Maybe we can help."

Applejack sighed, knowing it was futile trying to hide something from an Apple. "…Ah had a nightmare."

"A nightmare?" Big Mac repeated with concern.

"Princess Luna's s'posed t'be lookin' out fer that kinda stuff!" Granny Smith huffed. "Where in tarnation was she?!"

Applejack shook her head. "She 'n Princess Celestia're probably busy tryin' t'reassure everypony that Equestria ain't gonna go down without fight and that everythin's gonna be okay. Maybe she didn't have time t'patrol our dreams tonight. Ah'm just gonna…go back t'bed now. Maybe it was just a one-time thing."

"Are ya gonna be okay, AJ?" Big Mac asked.

"Ah'll be fine," Applejack replied, forcing a smile. "We Apples're made'a strong stuff, remember?"

Big Mac smiled in reply. "Eeyup."

XXXXXX

The Crystal Empire, Princess Luna's room…

Princess Luna rose from her bed, confusion and anger taking root in her heart. She was the Goddess of Dreams, and she was well aware of the distress fair Applejack had experienced in her nightmare. However, when Luna had attempted to approach the Element Bearer's subconsciousness to appease the admittedly-horrifying nightmare…she could not quite describe it, but something had abruptly pushed against her, and it had pushed hard. Not expecting such an attack, Luna was helpless to stop this terrible force from literally pushing her straight out of the dream world.

She had never been pushed out of the dream world before.

The realization hit Luna like an oncoming train, and she bared her teeth in a snarl. For a moment, her teeth sharpened, and her eyes narrowed to catlike slits before she managed to control the remnants of the dark power that still remained within her. But her fury did not abate, for she knew now what she had encountered.

Dream manipulation.

Luna was not unfamiliar with dream magic. Not only was she the ultimate authority on it, she had encountered others in the past, when Equestria was still adjusting to the Princesses' rule, who had been foolish enough to use dream magic to attack others in their sleep from afar. Most were inexperienced, and Luna had caught up with them quickly and justice swiftly served. After the first few incidents, Luna had convinced Celestia, with little resistance, to abolish the practice altogether save for Luna herself.

Dream magic was a dangerous weapon in the wrong hooves. The possibilities for inflicting harm were many, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Mostly it had been used to torment ponies, but Luna had always found the perpetrators before too much harm could be done.

That was before King Sombra had come along.

Sombra had mastered dream manipulation to a level that had rivaled her own. As the self-proclaimed Master of Fear, Sombra had been able to enter the dreams of key members of Equestria's military and economical leaders, torturing them for information. And unlike with the ponies of the past, Sombra had demonstrated an ability to not only torture his victims into insanity, but he could also outright kill them in their sleep, either by literally scaring them to death or inflicting injuries on them that appeared on their bodies in the waking world. There was a very good reason that many ponies, especially in the Crystal Empire, still thought of Sombra as the Bogeymane rather than Nightmare Moon. And worse still, his raw power and talent had been enough to keep Luna at bay long enough to get what he needed, leaving her helpless to watch as he tortured ponies she knew and cared about.

There was nopony she hated more in the world than King Sombra, and for a split-second, she contemplated the possibility that the son of a Diamond Dog was not quite as dead as everypony had believed. But then the rational part of her mind cut in and pointed out the truth.

Whatever she had encountered attacking Applejack's dreamscape, it was not King Sombra. It was completely foreign, a presence like nothing she had felt before…

No…

She had felt it before.

Unbidden, a hidden memory surfaced in her mind, a horrific cacophony of hideous, multilayered laughter, mocking her powerlessness.

The world of dreams…our world…Gwo hoh hoh hoh hoh hoh!

Luna shuddered, trying to suppress the quiver of fear than ran down her spine. Something had invaded her realm, and it was powerful.

Perhaps it was Ganon?

But then she shook her head. It hadn't felt like Ganon's presence either. That, and she had felt this other force long before the Dark Lord had appeared in Equestria. Something else was at work here, beyond the evil of Ganon. And it was targeting the Elements of Harmony. Just what was going on?

Luna resolved to tell her sister all about this when she awoke to usher in the morning, but for now, Luna resolved to reenter the world of dreams, hopefully to single out this dark power and obliterate it at the source. But as she focused her power and poured her essence into the infinite expanse of dreams, she realized that the presence was gone, as though it had never even been there.

Luna whinnied in abject frustration.

XXXXXX

The Badlands, Changeling Hive…

Queen Chrysalis, resting in her chamber after overseeing another batch of eggs be laid by her breeder drones, received the first frantic warning from her guards at the entrance right before they were sharply cut off by cries of pain followed by deadly silence. Chrysalis stood as she learned from the constant information her hive filtered into her mind of the bipedal, armored beast that had calmly strode into her kingdom as if it owned the place, casually blasting aside any Changeling that dared stand in its way.

"Speak, you miserable creatures!" Ganondorf snarled as the Changelings finally decided that it was smarter to back off. "Who amongst you has authority to treat with me?"

Deciding that she would not give this beast any more chances to harm her subjects, Chrysalis teleported right over and appeared before Ganondorf in a flash of green light. Immediately, her Changelings regrouped behind her, emboldened by their Queen Mother's presence.

"I am Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings!" she challenged the invading Dark Lord. "Who are you, vermin, to come to my hive and desecrate it with your wanton violence?!"

Ganondorf's lips curled up into a smirk as he folded his arms. "Who am I? I am he who holds the power of the gods at his fingertips. I command armies of beasts and monsters numerous beyond measure. I am Ganondorf, King of Darkness, he who shall rule this world, and if you value your life, and the lives of your kind, you will bow to me."

Chrysalis's eyes widened in shock at this man's impudence. "You…you think I would just bow to you?! To anyone?! How dare you?!"

Chrysalis's horn flared green as a bolt of energy lanced out of it, aiming for Ganondorf's chest. With an idle backhand, the Gerudo King deflected the attack into the wall. "Do you truly believe you hold the power to oppose me?" Ganondorf sneered. "Because I am feeling generous, I will ignore your ill-advised move if you bow to me."

"NEVER!" Chrysalis roared. "Changelings, to me!"

Her fellow Changelings gathered behind her, glaring at Ganondorf with fiery intensity. Ganondorf's sneer never left his face. "So be it, then," he intoned before turning his head back towards the mouth of the cave. "Come, my Gohma! Before you lies your new hive, and your waiting feast!"

Chrysalis and her Changelings all blinked in surprise as the realization sunk in. He hadn't come alone.

And then they came.

Horrific beasts suddenly appeared and began clambering into the hive, a horde of arachnids both big and small, all with the same defining characteristic; a large, round, yellow eye with a green iris, and a yellow pupil shaped like a division symbol. The hideous beasts that went by one name that would send shivers down Changeling spines for the rest of eternity.

The Gohma.

XXXXXX

Ponyville…

Rarity awoke with a start, her mind reeling from what she had just witnessed in her dreams. Ganon had attacked the Changelings. And if she had seen it, then that meant that one of those…things, was carrying her Element of Generosity. Vaati and the others needed to know this. She looked towards her window and saw that it was still dark out. Releasing a groan, her head hit her pillow once more.

To Tartarus with it, it can wait till morning, Rarity thought to herself before falling back to sleep.

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds, War Room, the next morning…

"You are certain of this?" Vaati asked.

"I know what I saw," Rarity retorted.

"It seems you were right, Vaati," Twilight said. "Ganon's taken control of the Changeling Hive and placed an Element there, just like you predicted."

"What I wasn't predicting, and really should have, considering Ganon's love of dramatic irony, was that he would unleash a Gohma infestation to keep them imprisoned," Vaati replied. "A hostile takeover, one hive to another."

"O-oh, my…h-h-how awful!" Fluttershy gasped, putting a hoof to her mouth. "I h-hope they're alright!"

Vaati rolled his eyes. "Fluttershy, I'm sure they would appreciate how your heart bleeds for them, but your Element is much closer to us. We have to get that one first, I'm afraid."

"B-but, what about…?" Fluttershy began.

"What about them?" Vaati snapped. "They're just a bunch of parasitic monsters that can't survive without leeching off of others! I personally believe the Gohma are doing your world a favor by slowly devouring every last one of them."

"Vaati!" Twilight reprimanded sharply. "That's a horrible thing to say! You shouldn't think that about anypony!"

"Twilight, have you forgotten about…" Vaati started.

"No, Vaati, I haven't forgotten about their attack on Canterlot," Twilight cut him off. "I also haven't forgotten about seeing your monsters slaughter them by the hundreds with gleeful abandon, smiling the whole time as the Changelings eventually stopped trying to fight and just started begging for mercy! Vaati, how can you see nothing wrong with holding grudges like this?!"

"There's a difference between holding a grudge and recognizing the existence of an enemy as a safety hazard," Vaati retorted.

"They aren't our enemies anymore!" Twilight almost shouted, startling everyone around her before she composed herself. "Equestria and the Changelings signed a peace treaty after the battle, remember? We haven't been attacked by them since. I agree it's an alliance that's still a bit shaky, but that's how a lot of alliances start out! Vaati, why do you think Equestria has had so few wars?"

"Because this world is made of sugar, spice, and everything nice?" Vaati asked snidely, which Twilight knew was a defense mechanism.

"It's because we look for diplomatic solutions, not cling to old grudges that accomplish nothing but killing more innocent people! The only reason we had wars with Sombra and the Griffons in the past was because Sombra and the Griffon King at the time were both evil tyrants that their own subjects hated and could not be reasoned with!"

"Please, stop fighting!" Fluttershy abruptly cried out before slapping both hooves over her mouth.

Both Vaati and Twilight went silent and stared at her in wide-eyed surprise. Fluttershy sunk lower in her seat, tears in her eyes. "I-I don't l-l-like it when m-my friends fight," she whimpered.

Vaati sighed heavily. "Just…understand where I come from, Twilight. Hyrule is not, and never has been a very forgiving place for anyone. Old grudges die hard in my world, a world I was born in and lived in for countless centuries. Viewpoints like that don't just go away after a year or two."

Twilight nodded her head. "No no, it's okay. I understand. Hyrule's a whole lot different from Equestria. It's something even I have to remember once in a while."

"Well, we know where two Elements are located now," Rarity spoke up. "And now that we're all sufficiently armed…"

Everyone took a moment to observe the weapons leaning against their seats. Vaati had his signature rapier crafted from the essence of a Sentry, with a scabbard to match. Fluttershy had been given a Bokoblin crossbow and a quiver full of iron-tipped bolts. Rarity had a custom saber made for her size, with a gold-painted hilt and a red gem set into the pommel. Twilight had received a halberd custom-tailored for pony usage, which she eyed with discomfort. Pinkie, of course, had her candy cane axe, which she regarded fondly. Rainbow was idly examining a Moblin spear that had been whittled down to size for her, with a strong, if gnarled, shaft tipped with a razor-sharp curved blade. A red strip of cloth was tied around the shaft directly under the spearhead. For a pony, it was more of a glaive than a spear. Zecora had her own satchel of offensive potions and some poisons. And finally, Applejack looked down at the metal horseshoes that adorned her hind legs.

"This is gonna be a li'l awkward walkin' fer me," Applejack commented under her breath.

"Twilight, you have the supplies?" Vaati asked.

"Right here," Twilight replied, lifting her satchel onto the table, where it made a heavy clunking noise that shouldn't have been made by something that size. "I made sure I did an inventory when we got here. I got all of our medicinal supplies in this pouch, two weeks' worth of food and water in this pouch, and some books on healing and pony combat in the main part."

"Alright, then it sounds like we're all ready to go, then," Vaati announced, standing from his seat followed by the others. "Has everyone said their goodbyes?"

The Mane Six glumly nodded their heads in confirmation. Vaati honestly understood; he felt the same way after he had seen a crying Scootaloo off to school. He knew that she was afraid they wouldn't come back, and he had promised her that they all would.

And Vaati's word was law.

"Off to the Diamond Dog Mines, then," Vaati intoned. "And then, we'll make for the Badlands and the Changeling Hive."

Once Vaati and his companions left, the Palace was virtually empty, as the monsters were still helping the ponies fortify the surface.

Which suited King Dethl just fine.

The Demon King of Nightmares appeared from the shadows and maneuvered its way through the Palace's halls until it came to the dungeons, which it knew, to its immense chagrin, Vaati had converted into a child's bedroom. But as disgusting a thought that was, that child still had something there that Majora knew about and intended to take advantage of.

"Search the child's closet," a voice whispered in Dethl's ear. "My visage lies there."

Dethl moved over to the wardrobe closet that had been placed in Scootaloo's room and magically swung it open with a flick of its finger.

Piled into the left corner of the wardrobe was Scootaloo's Nightmare Night costume.

Sitting over it was the mask she had worn as part of it.

Majora's Mask.

As Dethl looked at the metal replica, something smoothly emerged from the Nightmare's shoulder. It looked like some sort of parasite, shaped like an eyeball that had been ripped right out of someone's skull, with the veins still attached. The veins were a deep violet. The eye matched the color of the mask. Majora's Parasite crawled down Dethl's body towards the weapon it would use to tie Majora's presence to Equestria.

And from the parasite came a roaring bout of booming laughter that echoed across the rafters and empty halls, with no one around to hear the mad cackles of hell itself.

End of Part 1
> Episode 6: Seeking Kindness Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 6: Seeking Kindness Part 2 – Diamond Dog Mines

Outside the Diamond Dog Mines…

Vaati looked over at the old quarry where the Diamond Dogs made their home. Not much had changed; most of the old holes were still filled in, though one remained open. What had changed, though, was that the place was not being patrolled by the native ape-hounds. It was being patrolled by a bipedal lizard of some kind. It was basically a reptilian version of a Diamond Dog, with the head of a gecko, lime-green scales, shiny red iron shoulder pads, a helmet that looked like the skull of some other reptile, and an axe blade tied to the end of its tail. It used its spear as a walking stick as it paced around the quarry, its eyes darting about as it occasionally flicked its tongue, tasting the air for any sign of trespassers. Vaati silently thanked the Goddesses that they were downwind of the creature, preventing it from catching their scent.

"What is that thing?" Rainbow whispered as they observed from their hiding spots.

"That, my dear Rainbow Dash, is a Lizalfos," Vaati answered grimly. "And where there are Lizalfos, there's bound to be Dinolfos too. And with that helmet he's wearing, I'd imagine they've got some Helmasaurs waiting for us down there too. Probably some Dodongos as well to finish up the roster."

"Dodongos?" Applejack questioned. "Helmasaurs? What in tarnation're they?"

"Flightless dragons," Vaati answered. "Big enough to swallow a pony whole. Helmasaurs are much faster than Dodongos, but both are slow at turning. Helmasaurs can only breathe short bursts of fire, fireballs basically, but they protect themselves by having hard, thick plates in their skulls that cover and protect their faces. They often attack by ramming enemies with those hard skulls of theirs, much like goats. Dodongos have a really powerful fire breath, and they have a tendency to explode upon dying."

"They what?!" Twilight hissed.

"They lose control over the chemicals in their bodies that produce dragon-fire, and they mix together and cause the body to explode."

"Why don't other dragons explode when they die, if that's the case?" Rarity asked.

"Dodongos have a lot more of that stuff than regular dragons do, in order to compensate for their flightlessness. The exploding may also be a spiteful attempt at taking the attacker with them."

"What are their weaknesses, my friend?" Zecora asked. "Is there a way to bring them a quick end?"

"Lizalfos and Dinolfos aren't that strong, really," Vaati replied. "Get past their defenses and just deal a sufficient wound. Dodongos and Helmasaurs, however, have tough hides except around their tails."

"And their sluggishness should make it easy for us to get at their tails, right?" Twilight asked.

Vaati shrugged. "Unless there are others watching its back."

Vaati started to stand before hunkering down again. "Oh…one more thing. The Lizalfos people are related to dragons, so some of them can inherit the dragons' fire-breathing capabilities or be born with wings."

"Oh, that's simply divine," Rarity sarcastically responded. "So we're tussling with quite possibly hundreds of dragon-like beasts down there. I guess we should at least be thankful that they aren't Equestrian dragons."

"Indeed," Vaati said. "Hyrulean dragons tend to be smaller than their Equestrian counterparts, which will definitely work out for us. Now, we better take care of that sentry. If he's allowed to raise the alarm, we'll have to fight an entire army just to get inside, and I'd rather not deal with that until we have the Diamond Dogs backing us up. Fluttershy's the only one out of us with a long-range weapon."

Everyone glanced at Fluttershy, who paled at what this meant for her. "I-I…I can't…!" she whimpered.

"Sweetie, you're the only one who can," Rarity consoled her. "This is what we have to do, for the safety of Equestria and everypony you care about."

Fluttershy looked into her friend's eyes for several agonizing moments before she finally nodded, tears streaming down her face as she placed a bolt on her crossbow and leveled it towards the unsuspecting Lizalfos sentry. Her hoof trembled over the trigger as she fought with her conscience over whether she should take the shot.

"You can do this, Fluttershy," Rarity whispered. "Take the shot. Aim for his heart. Make it quick."

Fluttershy whimpered as she lined up the sight with the pacing sentry's chest where she assumed its heart to be. "I'm so sorry," she whispered as she finally pulled the trigger.

THWIP!

Everyone watched as the bolt struck true, sending the sentry to the ground, where it perished in a puff of black smoke. "Good shot," Vaati commended. "Now let's get down there before any of his buddies decide to check on him."

Rarity took a moment to console a sobbing Fluttershy, rubbing her back and stroking her hair. "There there, dear, it's alright. It's alright."

Vaati stood up. "Let's get going. We'll need to find the dungeons. I'd imagine that Ganon and the Lizalfos would have loved the irony of trapping the Diamond Dogs in their own dungeons to await Volvagia's belly."

"What about the Darknuts you left with them?" Rainbow asked. "Remember? That's how you kept them under control."

"Of course I remember," Vaati snapped. "I'm not sure if any survived. If they did, they'll probably be imprisoned alongside the Diamond Dogs. Again, Ganon loves irony."

"So, what'll happen once we let them out of the dungeons?" Twilight asked.

"We ask them to fight alongside us, of course," Vaati stated. "We can't possibly get through an entire army of dragonkin on our own, especially with space so cramped in those tunnels. We'll need our own army to reach Volvagia, and I'm certain the Diamond Dogs will be more than happy to oblige."

"Vaati…you're talking about an actual battle here," Twilight stammered. "A-an actual battle between two opposing forces!"

"And your point is?" Vaati countered. "You've been in battle before, Twilight. Remember the wedding incident?"

"That doesn't count," Twilight murmured.

"Why?"

Twilight looked him in the eye. "Because that was more of a massacre than a battle."

"We're at war, Twilight," Vaati admitted plainly. "Whether you like it or not, that's what happens in a war. Battles are fought; people die."

Twilight walked past him. "Let's just go."

Vaati watched her for a moment before following. I don't like this. We've been fighting and arguing a lot more than we used to ever since Ganon came here. Why? Why did this have to happen?

Vaati knew he would probably be asking himself that question a lot over the course of their journey.

XXXXXX

Once everyone slid down the hole into the Diamond Dog Mines, they quickly looked around to make sure no one else was in the chamber with them. Unfortunately, there were.

Almost immediately they were set upon by a marauding band of Lizalfos that had happened to be passing by at the time. "Look alive!" Vaati called out as the first Lizalfos charged him, spear aimed at his chest.

Vaati deflected with his blade and pushed back with a wind spell, smashing the monster against the wall with a sickening crack. Its spine broken, it vanished into black smoke as the others approached. One let out a high-pitched shriek as it swung its sword at Rarity. However, it soon found its sword torn from its grip by a magical force. It only had time to look at its empty hand before Rarity beheaded it with its own sword. Instead of blood, the beast also disintegrated into black smoke. Suddenly, an iguana-headed Dinolfos opened its mouth and unleashed a wave of flame from its maw. Vaati saw it coming and swept the flame aside with his wind magic as Rainbow plunged her spear into the Dinolfos's chest, cutting its breath deathly short.

"W-why do they do that?" Twilight managed to ask as the Dinolfos disintegrated.

"Do what?" Vaati asked as he sheathed his sword.

"Turn to dust like that," she elaborated. "Why don't they leave bodies?"

Vaati's sharp eyes darted around the cavern they had entered before he answered. "Remember when I mentioned how the monster races had been cursed in ages past?"

"Umm…You said something about that, but it's been a while…"

"When the Goddesses made Hyrule, each of them had races that they favored, for a variety of reasons. Nayru, being the Goddess of Wisdom, preferred the Hylians, as they were seekers of knowledge and clever thinkers. Farore, being attuned with Nature as well as Courage, often favored races that were closer to nature than the Hylians, such as the Gorons, Zoras, and Kokiri. Din valued strength and cunning, befitting her nature as the Goddess of Power, and as such, she was considered the patron deity of all the beastly races, as well as the Gerudo people, who sometimes referred to her as the Goddess of the Sands. King Demise, in his arrogance, fancied Din as his wife, and during the time when he warred with Hyrule for possession of the Triforce, he had the audacity to approach the Darknuts' temple to Din as his forces defiled their capital city and demand her hand in marriage in exchange for halting the destruction."

Vaati paused in his description for a moment to ensure that no other sorties were coming their way. "Well…what happened?" Rainbow asked, barely containing her curiosity.

Vaati looked over at her. "To his surprise, Din actually appeared before the Demon King…and laughed in his face. If I recall the history books correctly, she laid a verbal smackdown on Demise so hard that he was left speechless in his rage. Unfortunately, Demise then retaliated by defiling her temple, and in doing so, wove a curse upon all those who worshipped her above the other two. The monsters were dragged en masse into a void between worlds some refer to as the Realm of Twilight, where they were sent into stasis, to await the call of Demise and his kin so that they may defile the very Goddess they had once so fervently worshipped. However, Demise was defeated and sealed away before he had a chance to put his curse to use. But others began practicing it after him, as you can obviously tell. No one ever expected two demonic forces to use the same spell with intent to use against each other, though. Perhaps that is the greatest irony of all."

Rainbow scoffed. "Wow, that Demise guy sounds like a real flankhole. I like how that goddess of yours showed him what's up. What he did afterwards was a real jerk move, though. Gotta feel sorry for these guys."

"Demise was eventually killed, wasn't he?" Twilight asked. "So why is his spell over the monsters still active?"

"Demise's physical body was destroyed," Vaati explained. "But his essence lives on in Ganondorf through the curse he placed on the bloodlines of Onigami and Hylia's mortal reincarnations. It's how Ganon's avoided death for so long; he's hard to kill, and if the Hero does succeed at killing him, Demise's essence simply ensures that he is eventually reborn anew. The Golden Trio Cycle was Demise's last 'screw you' towards the side of light, and a way to ensure that he'll continue to exist to trouble Hyrule."

"Wait a moment," Rarity said. "Even if we do manage to defeat him…what if it only means we have temporarily defeated him as well?"

"Oh no…Rarity has a point," Twilight bemoaned. "Even if we do defeat Ganon, will it only be temporary? Will he come back again long after we've all grown old and died, and our descendants have to deal with him? I…I don't think I could live with that on my conscience."

Vaati sighed. "I don't know. I really don't know. I don't want to think about it too hard. All of us have faced mortal peril before. While I admit that Ganon is far beyond any foe any of us have encountered in the past, letting that get to us is not going to help anyone in the long run. We need to focus on reclaiming the Elements of Harmony first, then we can worry about whether or not any of it's even worth it in the end."

Twilight forced a smile. "You're right. As long as we all work together…there's nothing we can't overcome! All of Equestria and beyond is depending on us! We'll get through this!"

She held out her hoof. Rainbow placed her hoof over Twilight's with a grin, Pinkie shortly following suit with an even bigger grin. Rarity soon did so as well, then Applejack, and then Fluttershy, tentatively. Finally Zecora placed her hoof on top, and then they all looked at Vaati expectantly. The sorcerer rolled his eyes melodramatically as he placed his hand over Zecora's hoof.

"Together!" Twilight called out.

"As friends!" the rest of the Mane Six responded enthusiastically as they all broke contact.

"That was cheesy," Vaati remarked. "Now let's get down to business before more of those oversized lizards find us."

"I think I remember where their dungeons are," Rarity said, taking the lead. "They tried to imprison me at one point, but I only made things worse for those poor souls in response."

All of them shared a smug grin amongst themselves at Rarity's reminder of her escapade here well over a year ago. "Lead the way, then," Vaati commanded. "But don't get too far ahead."

"Don't forget, Vaati," Rarity said with a dainty huff. "I may be a lady, but I can certainly take care of my…"

A deadly chorus of hisses cut her off.

"Oh dear…" Rarity muttered, her eyes as wide as saucers, as another group of Lizalfos emerged from the tunnel she had just been about to enter, glaring daggers at her.

Before the Lizalfos could assault her, an ominous shape rose up behind Rarity, casting its shadow over the lizardmen. Noticing the shadow, Rarity turned to see that Vaati had assumed his demon form and was glaring threateningly at the Lizalfos. With his large frame, horns, and wings, Vaati didn't have a lot of room to maneuver. But it was the shock factor he was going for; his appearance alone had momentarily paralyzed the monsters with fear, giving the others the perfect opportunity to dispatch them. Rarity slashed one Lizalfos's throat as Rainbow ran another through with her spear. Twilight blasted another against the wall with a powerful burst of magic. Vaati quickly finished it off with an Eye Sentry before returning to his human form.

"Handle yourself, huh?" Vaati sneered.

Rarity chuckled nervously and made sure to stay closer to them as she led them through the Diamond Dog tunnels. Luckily, no more Lizalfos patrols harassed them as Rarity led them on. Since they hadn't been here long, it was likely that the Lizalfos were taking their time mapping out the place so that the patrols wouldn't keep getting lost, which likely meant one thing.

"We haven't run into a lot of them so far," Vaati said out loud. "They might be using the main chamber as their base. That's probably where we'll find the rest of them."

"Why would they all be down there?" Twilight asked.

"Let's face it, Twilight," Vaati replied. "They likely know we're here now. They'll be fortifying their position in a place where they can put their advantage in numbers to greater use rather than be forced into a bottleneck through these tunnels. I imagine the prisons will be heavily guarded, though."

"I think we can manage the dungeon guards, at least," Rainbow said. "And after that, we can let the Diamond Dogs handle these chumps while we take out that dragon!"

After about ten more minutes of meandering through the vast network of tunnels, Vaati was about to open his mouth and question Rarity as to whether she actually knew where they were going or not when the unicorn in question raised a hoof. "We're almost there," she whispered. "I can hear a lot of activity down there."

Everyone stilled and pricked their ears to listen. They could hear the echoes of Lizalfos voices and hissing intermingled with the snarling and gruff voices of the Diamond Dogs, who were likely trying to provoke their jailors. They all crept up to the passageway that opened up into the dungeons, after which Vaati peeked over at the scene that awaited them.

The dungeons were filled to the brim with angry Diamond Dogs, barking, snarling, and hurling insults at the Lizalfos guards that were watching them. There were at least twenty Lizalfos in there, along with another lumbering, quadrupedal lizard with a thick skull that lay dozing in a corner. A Dinolfos appeared to be in charge of the guard detail, as it turned towards one of its flunkies from where it was sitting at a table and hissed, "Make 'em shut up over there! Can't 'ear meself think with all their yappin'! Go fish, Private."

The Lizalfos he was playing the aforementioned card game with grumbled as he looked at his cards. "If you wasn't my commandin' officer, I'd say you was cheatin' me."

Meanwhile, the guard that had been given orders waltzed up to one of the cells and rapped the hilt of its sword against the bars. "Quiet down in there, all 'o you! I've got half a mind to stick one of yeh like a bloody pig, so hush up 'fore one'a yeh finds yerself on tonight's menu!"

Vaati recognized one Diamond Dog in particular who pounded his fist against the bars one more time in anger before he shouted, "Simmer down, Dogs! We aren't helping ourselves any!"

"That sounded like Rover," Rarity whispered. "Thank goodness he's alright. What about his betas?"

"Since when did you care about your own kidnappers?" Vaati whispered back incredulously.

"Just answer the damned question, Vaati," Rarity chided, not wanting to be pulled into a morality debate of her own.

Vaati blinked at the harshness of Rarity's tone but let it slide as he looked over at the dungeons again. "Yeah, they're both there…hm, I think I see my Darknuts in there towards the back. Looks like most of them managed to survive."

"So what's our plan of attack?" Applejack asked.

"Simple; attack," Vaati replied.

Before anypony had time to process Vaati's response, Vaati waltzed into the dungeons and casually blasted several of the Lizalfos into the wall hard enough to knock them out. The sorcerer's entrance made the Dinolfos and Lizalfos drop their cards in surprise right before Vaati sliced the Dinolfos's head clean off. Still in shock, the Lizalfos looked down at his commander's abandoned cards.

"I was right! 'e was cheatin' me!"

He too was promptly smashed against the wall for his trouble.

Once the guards had been taken care of, Vaati strode up to the unconscious Lizalfos that possessed the keys and tugged it off its belt. As Vaati stood upright, he heard someone banging on the bars. "Lord Vaati! Look out!"

Vaati barely had time to register the Darknut that had cried out to him before he suddenly felt all the air knocked out of him as something slammed into him like a freight train.

"VAATI!"

Suddenly, the monster that had body-slammed the sorcerer was enveloped in a magical aura and sent hurtling into the wall, allowing Vaati to fall on his back in a heap. "Vaati, are you okay?" Twilight cried as she and the other ponies rushed in.

Vaati lifted up his head long enough to say, "No, Ezlo, I said two teaspoons of sugar in my waffles."

And then he was out like a light.

Meanwhile, the beast that had attacked him had managed to right itself and pawed at the ground in preparation to charge again. "Twilight, what is that thing?!" Rainbow demanded.

"That must be a Helmasaur!" Twilight responded as she tended to Vaati. "Keep it busy while I help Vaati!"

Rainbow saluted as she swooped down and poked at the Helmasaur's eye with the butt of her lance. "Hey, chump! Up here! Look at me!"

The Helmasaur snarled and spat a fireball at Rainbow, who nimbly dodged the attack. "Is that all you got?!" she goaded.

The Helmasaur didn't get a chance to show her, as Pinkie Pie snuck up behind it and sent her axe crashing into its back, severing the spine. The Helmasaur let out a dying shriek as it collapsed, unmoving. Pinkie grunted as she dislodged her weapon from the corpse. Twilight lifted Vaati's head up as she poured a small dose of Red Potion down his throat, allowing him to come to with a groan. "Ugh…can't believe I didn't see that damned thing coming," he grunted as he slowly stood.

"YOU!" Rover finally cried, recognizing his people's saviors and pointing furiously at them. "What are you doing here?!"

"Saving you," Rarity replied shortly as she levitated the keys off of the guard. "The least you could do is say thank you."

Rover shut his mouth as Rarity's point registered with him. The Diamond Dogs and Darknuts stepped back as Rarity unlocked each of their cells. Rover begrudgingly muttered a word of thanks as he and his packmates exited their prisons. "You!" Vaati commanded one of the Darknuts that had been imprisoned alongside their charges. "Where have the Lizalfos put all your weapons and armor?"

"They're keeping all of them in one of the nearby chambers," Fido, the larger of Rover's two main cronies, answered for him.

"And the dragon," Vaati pressed, choosing to ignore the interruption. "Where is it?"

Rover's eyes closed as he shivered. "W-we don't know. But those giant lizards…they have frequently been threatening us. They say we will be fed to it, and that they will eat our pups themselves."

"Not if we can help it," Rarity spoke up. "Don't worry, dear. That dragon won't be making a meal out of any of you."

"Is the red-haired demon still with them?" Spot asked, shuddering.

Vaati shook his head. "No, Ganon's long gone. I take it he's the reason all of you ended up in your own dungeons?"

Rover nodded bitterly. "We…we were helpless before him. We could not hurt him, but he could hurt us. We were little puppies compared to him. The lizards did not come until after we were imprisoned."

Vaati smirked. "Then now's the time for you to gain your revenge. We need your help in getting past all the Lizalfos and dragonkin blocking off Volvagia's lair, wherever it is."

"You're going to fight the dragon?!" Fido exclaimed disbelievingly.

"You're damned right we are," Vaati replied. "He's guarding something important of ours and we need it back if we're going to stand a chance at defeating Ganon. You all just worry about the Lizalfos; we'll handle Volvagia."

"You know where the main chamber is?" Rover asked.

"I can use my gem-finding spell to lead us there," Rarity informed them.

Rover grunted as he was reminded of the kidnapping incident. "We will go and reclaim our weapons," one of the Darknuts intoned. "We will meet you at the main chamber, milord."

"Get going, then, all of you!" Vaati demanded. "Prepare for battle!"

XXXXXX

Diamond Dog Mines, 1F, Main Chamber…

Soon afterwards, Vaati and the others arrived at the main chamber and took in the sight that awaited them.

At least three hundred Lizalfos, along with a few Dodongos and Helmasaurs, were gathered in preparation for their arrival. It appeared that the invaders had been expecting Vaati to free the captive Diamond Dogs and lead them into battle, for the Lizalfos army had fortified their positions, erecting wooden barricades around their camp, as well as planting sharpened stakes to delay their advance. Archers stood at the ready behind the barricades, while the swordsmen and spearmen assembled just ahead of them in a four man thick line. Standing on a boulder so that he could survey the battlefield was an unusual Lizalfos who stood out from the rest in that he had wings like a dragon. In his hands were a well-crafted straight-edged sword and a round shield, and a steel helmet that tapered to two points over his head. A necklace of bones and teeth hung around his neck. The way he was standing above his brethren, along with his uniqueness, immediately profiled him as the leader of the Lizalfos warband.

As he surveyed the force arrayed against them, Vaati glanced at Twilight and said, "I'll take the leader. I want you girls to focus on finding any new tunnels that may lead to Volvagia's lair. It will be emitting a heat source and will probably be somewhere in their camp. Once you find it, alert me so that we can press on while the mutts keep these lizards distracted."

Suddenly the Aerolfos leader cleared his throat and issued his challenge. "I am Sul-Kat-Na, Son of Dragons, and ruler of all Lizalfos clans! You stand accused of treason against our lord and master! Surrender yourselves and Lord Ganondorf may see fit to spare you!"

"Treason?!" Vaati laughed. "Ganon is no lord of mine, or of Equestria! Step aside so that we may deal with the dragon, or none of you shall live to see the next sunrise!"

"You shall not pass!" Sul-Kat-Na declared. "This is where you shall die, sorcerer!"

Vaati's smirk widened. "I think you've got that backwards, Aerolfos." As soon as he said that, the sounds of baying hounds echoed throughout the chamber. "I believe this is where all of you shall die!"

Suddenly, Rover, Fido, and Spot, all wearing armor, emerged from one of the other tunnels that opened up into the main chamber. "Diamond Dogs! Attack!" Rover commanded, wielding a mace of impressive size.

At their Alpha's beckoning, hundreds of armored Diamond Dogs, as well as Vaati's surviving Darknuts, poured into the main chamber. This moment of distraction was all that Vaati needed. The Wind Mage cast his hands up and unleashed a powerful burst of wind energy that toppled most of the Lizalfos and their fortifications. Sul-Kat-Na was the first to regain his footing. "Attack! Attaaaack!" he cried, attempting to rally his disoriented soldiers.

"Let's go, girls!" Vaati ordered, summoning his rapier and joining the charge.

"Alright, let's do this!" Rainbow declared as she and the other girls joined as well.

By the time most of the Lizalfos had recovered their bearings, the horde of Diamond Dogs was upon them, and the two opposing armies clashed to the sounds of ringing steel, colliding bodies, the screeches and hisses of Lizalfos, and the howling and baying of Diamond Dogs.

Rainbow dodged a Dinolfos's fire breath before running it through with her lance. She was almost bowled over by a falling Diamond Dog before its killer, a Lizalfos swordsman, turned its attention towards her. It let out a shrill cry as it swung its weapon at her. Rainbow quickly parried before taking to the air and delivering a swift kick to the monster's face hard enough to knock it out.

Rarity cut down a Dinolfos just in time to see a Helmasaur charging right at her. Yelping in surprise, Rarity leapt aside, dodging the attack. The Helmasaur skidded to a halt right before Rarity plunged her sword into its back. Suddenly a Lizalfos came at her, sword raised. Seeing this, Rarity dodged the swing and kicked it in the knee with enough force to break its leg. The Lizalfos shrieked in agony as it fell to the ground before Rarity cut its cries short with a swift beheading.

Zecora mostly dodged her attackers, as she did not have a weapon to fight with other than her potions, which would do more harm than good due to the presence of numerous allies who could also be affected by them. Fluttershy was close by her, whimpering in terror and trying to keep her eyes away from the intense battle around her. "Be quick and hurry, Fluttershy!" Zecora yelled. "To find the dragon's lair, this battle we must pass by!"

Pinkie wielded her axe with amazing dexterity, parrying and dodging with surprising skill, and each blow she landed was fatal. While she did not enjoy having to fight and kill, she knew it was necessary in order to save Equestria. Her Pinkie Sense instantly alerted her to danger as a Dodongo attempted to roast her with its fire breath. Pinkie nimbly dodged the wave of flames and slew the beast with a mighty blow into its back. She then quickly leapt away as the Dodongo's body exploded.

Applejack ran up to a Lizalfos and bucked it hard in the chest, caving in its armor as it was knocked several meters back. Another Lizalfos came at her, brandishing a spear. Applejack knocked it aside with a hoof and stomped on the shaft, breaking it. The Lizalfos had a split-second to regard its destroyed weapon with open-mouthed shock before it too found itself experiencing the business end of Applejack's hind legs.

Rover proved himself to be much more capable in combat than kidnapping, swinging his mace with incredible dexterity. No Lizalfos was a match for his strength, and with his two Betas backing him up, he was unstoppable. A Helmasaur charged at him, but the Diamond Dog leader saw it coming and smashed his mace over its head with enough strength to cave in even its hardened skull, dropping it. With each swing of his mace, a Lizalfos fell. Many a foe quailed before his fierceness.

Twilight put up a magical barrier around herself as she pushed her way through the embattled hordes of Diamond Dogs, Lizalfos, and the occasional Darknut and Helmasaur. Weapons and fire bounced harmlessly off her shield as she made her way towards the Lizalfos camp to search for the entrance to Volvagia's lair. Eventually she broke past the battle and entered the camp, which was void of activity. "Alright," she said to herself, dropping her shield as she began to search. "Find a hole with a heat source. Heat source, heat source…"

Her attention was suddenly drawn to a new tunnel that went further beneath the earth, a faint orange glow flickering from within. "Found it!" Twilight cried.

She turned around just in time to see Sul-Kat-Na bearing down on her, his sword pointed right at her throat. She only had time to gasp in terror.

"TWILIGHT!"

Sul-Kat-Na was abruptly blown aside by a powerful gust of wind as Vaati arrived on the scene. "Get behind me!" he shouted. "I'll deal with this miscreant!"

The Aerolfos rose to his feet and flapped his wings once in hesitation, less willing to face the infamous Sorcerer of Winds in combat now that he was alone. But Sul-Kat-Na visibly steeled himself for a fight he knew he was likely to lose, for Din's honor was sacred to all monsters; he would never run from a fight. The Lizalfos leader leveled his blade at Vaati.

"You do realize you don't stand a chance against me, right?" Vaati arrogantly proclaimed.

"That may be," Sul-Kat-Na spoke. "But on Din's honor and my own, I'll never back down."

Vaati twirled his sword in his hand. "A respectable belief. Too bad it won't save you."

Sul-Kat-Na let out a shrill cry as he charged. Vaati smoothly deflected the incoming blow and retaliated with impressive speed. To the sorcerer's surprise, Sul-Kat-Na managed to parry every blow with either his sword or shield before going on the offensive. Vaati took a few steps back as he parried the series of strikes before lashing back with a series of thrusts and slashes. Again, Sul-Kat-Na blocked them all, but this time he took to the air. He flew a circle around the battlefield before coming at Vaati again with sword raised high. Vaati quickly parried, but found himself stumbling back a bit from the strength of the blow. Sul-Kat-Na retreated back into the skies in order to repeat his attack. "Oh, you're not going to try that a second time," Vaati intoned.

As the Aerolfos dove at him again, Vaati raised his hand, forcing the air out of Sul-Kat-Na's wings. With a cry of shock, Sul-Kat-Na fell hard against the ground, the wind knocked out of him in more ways than one. Vaati strode up to the fallen Aerolfos. "Have you forgotten that I am the master of the wind and sky?" he taunted smugly. "Or did that pigheaded honor pledge of yours conveniently remove that from…"

A wave of fire cut the Sorcerer of Winds' boast short. He was barely able to erect a shield in time, but parts of his clothes had already caught fire. Vaati dispelled the shield and patted out the flames, giving Sul-Kat-Na time to recover. Once the flames were extinguished, Vaati leveled a wicked glare at the Aerolfos. "Oh, it's on now."

"Why do you think I am called Son of Dragons in the common tongue?" Sul-Kat-Na boasted.

Vaati didn't grace his enemy with a reply, instead choosing to unleash a hail of fireballs from his palms. Sul-Kat-Na's eyes widened as he attempted to dodge, but Vaati's reflexes were faster. Sul-Kat-Na yelped as he was hit with multiple fireballs and fell back to earth. Sul-Kat-Na weakly shook his head and saw his sword lying within arm's reach. Just as he grasped its handle, though, Vaati's foot stamped down upon his arm, pinning it in place. "I think not," Vaati spoke, his voice dangerously low. "This fight is over."

Sul-Kat-Na stared death in the face with conviction. "Aye…it is," he admitted, bowing his head in respect and waiting for the end.

Vaati raised his sword to finish off his foe.

"Vaati…wait," Twilight suddenly said.

Vaati sighed, somehow knowing what was coming. "Let me guess. You want me to spare his life, don't you?"

"I know, I know, you get this a lot," Twilight conceded. "But…I don't know, it doesn't seem right. He's not evil, just serving an evil master."

"It would be wise to kill me, pony," Sul-Kat-Na spoke from where he lay. "Any loyalty I hold towards Ganon is magically enforced. I could not disobey him if I wanted to."

"Then we're going to break whatever spell he holds over you," Twilight answered with conviction.

Vaati's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you serious, Twilight? That spell can't be broken! It will last forever so long as Demise's essence is tied to the mortal plane through Ganon's existence! And since Demise's curse prevents Ganon from being killed permanently, I don't see how such a spell can be broken!"

"Any spell can be broken, Vaati!" Twilight answered. "I know it! I know the Elements can do it!"

Vaati rolled his eyes before glaring down at Sul-Kat-Na. "You should consider yourself very fortunate that Equestrians are stupidly forgiving. I'll agree to spare you if you order your soldiers to lay down your arms."

Sul-Kat-Na thought about this. To be fair, Ganondorf had not explicitly mentioned that he could not surrender if he lost the battle, likely because such a thing had not occurred to the King of Darkness. "…Very well. For sparing my life, I shall grant you this honor," he acquiesced before looking towards the battlefield, where it was clear that his forces were losing. "Lay down your arms, my brethren!"

At that, the fighting ceased as the Lizalfos looked at their leader in shock. "Lay down your arms!" Sul-Kat-Na repeated. "This battle is lost!"

Several moments of silence went by before the remaining Lizalfos complied, dropping their weapons and surrendering to the victorious Diamond Dogs and Darknuts. "I have serious doubts about this, Twilight," Vaati said as he lifted his foot, allowing Sul-Kat-Na to stand. "You had better be right."

"What'll be done with them in the meantime?" Twilight asked.

"They'll be put in the dungeons!" Rover answered as he came up to them. "Let's see how they like being crammed in there!"

"Please don't mistreat them," Twilight begged. "It's not their fault they're bound to serve whoever summons them."

Rover rolled his eyes as Zecora and the rest of the Mane Six caught up to them. "Fine," he grumbled. "Dogs! Round up the prisoners and put them in the dungeons!" Rover then rounded on Vaati. "I'm coming with you. We Diamond Dogs have a score to settle with the red-haired beast."

"His name is Ganon," Vaati informed. "And we have other places to go after we kill the dragon. So unless you're ready to go on a long journey with people and ponies you don't like and face even greater dangers, I advise against it."

"I will go," Rover repeated firmly. "I want to smash that great big nose of his into his skull!"

"If he wants to come, that's his choice, Vaati," Rarity spoke up. "The more, the merrier, I say."

Vaati sighed again. "If you insist." He then glanced at Rover. "For what it's worth, I have enough wealth to last me a lifetime, honestly. After this is over, I'm releasing your pack from my service."

Rover blinked in surprise. "We're…free?"

"I'll be ordering my Darknuts to relocate back to Ponyville as well. They're needed more there."

Rover grinned and cried, "You hear that, Dogs?! We're back in business!"

The Diamond Dogs all howled in elation at the news, relieved that they could go back to their way of life, mining jewels solely for themselves. "Twilight, have you found Volvagia's lair?" Vaati asked over the din.

"Mhm!" Twilight nodded. "Over here!"

She led them over to the hole she had found earlier. Vaati looked in and spoke up, "You all ready for this?"

Everyone silently nodded.

"Good," Vaati said. "I don't know how it is with Equestrian dragons, but the dragons of Hyrule are resistant to magic. Volvagia's weakness is his head, if I recall. Rover, that's where you can come in, since you're the only one out of all of us with a half-decent bludgeoning instrument."

Rover grinned darkly as he patted his mace in his paw. "What are we waiting for?!" he snarled.

With Vaati in the lead, the group of ponies, zebra, and Diamond Dog descended into the tunnel, leaving the rest of the Diamond Dogs behind to deal with the prisoners. The deeper they went in, the warmer it became.

"Sheesh!" Rainbow commented, wiping the sweat off her brow. "Why's it getting so hot in here?"

"Volvagia is known as the Fire Drake of Death Mountain for a reason," Vaati replied. "It is believed he was born from the very heart of the earth, crafted from molten rock by Din herself. Thus, he prefers to be in a heated environment. What we're feeling now is just his body heat. If we let him lair here for long enough, he would dig his way so deep beneath the earth that he would create a volcano right on Ponyville's doorstep to house himself in."

"There's p-plenty of volcanoes far a-away from h-here," Fluttershy whimpered, expecting the dragon in question to come charging in at any moment. "And w-with other dragons, too! W-why can't he j-just go there?"

"Because Ganon ordered him to stay here and guard your Element, remember?" Vaati reminded her.

Fluttershy lowered her eyes as she took this information in, a multitude of thoughts and ideas whirling in her mind at the implications. He has to stay because Ganon's making him. He can't leave because he has to guard my Element. But if he doesn't have my Element anymore, could we convince him to go away and live with the other dragons? Oh, but don't we have to…k-k-kill him to get my Element back? Oh…I don't want it to come to that. I hate anyone getting hurt for things they can't help. What can I do…?

She was abruptly pulled from her thoughts by a thunderous growl just as Vaati's entourage entered a larger chamber which served as Volvagia's lair. Everyone halted and looked at the foe they were about to face as it slithered out from behind a boulder, floating lazily in the air. The Fire Drake of Death Mountain was a nearly sixty foot long lindwyrm with scales like coagulated lava. Its mane was a raging flame. Its pupil-less green eyes bore into its soon-to-be victims. Volvagia let out a piercing roar at the invaders, sending a rush of sweltering hot air in their direction.

"Time to show this oversized lizard who's boss!" Vaati cried.

Volvagia struck first, unleashing a torrent of white-hot flames. Vaati swept the flames aside with his wind magic, but just as he was about to follow up with a Razor Wind, Volvagia seized a boulder and chucked it at the group. All of them cried out as they dove aside, separating them. The boulder fell over the tunnel entrance, blocking off their escape route.

"Agh! We're trapped in here!" Rarity cried out.

"Damn! We'd better kill this thing quick, or we'll all die of heatstroke in here!" Vaati snarled, getting back to his feet.

Volvagia snarled as it regarded them with hungry eyes. Fluttershy gasped in horror as its gaze centered on her, as she happened to be the closest one to it. Volvagia then slithered down towards the ground and shrieked right into her face, as if protesting the indignancy of the invasion of its lair.

Vaati and the rest of the Mane Six's eyes widened. "Fluttershy!" they all cried.

"Get back, you fool!" Vaati bellowed.

Volvagia glanced up at the rest of them, and Fluttershy knew what she had to do. It was now or never.

"HEY!"

Everyone promptly went dead silent as Fluttershy caught Volvagia's attention again. But when the dragon glared into her eyes, it was not expecting the steely gaze that the timid pony was returning. It was a look that somehow pinned the subterranean lava dragon in place, preventing it from looking away. The deeper it gazed into those icy blue irises, the deeper they penetrated into Volvagia's soul, and its flame died in its throat.

Vaati and the Mane Six finally realized what was going on as they observed. She was giving Volvagia the Stare.

And it was working.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Fluttershy admonished. "Coming into these innocent creatures' home and taking it over! How can you be so selfish?!"

Volvagia was too transfixed by her Stare to reply in any way, but her words began to stir something deep inside the volcanic lindwyrm's heart.

Shame.

"And then you threaten to eat these poor Diamond Dogs too, especially when there's all these jewels around that are so much healthier to eat! What would your mother think?!"

"No! Don't give away our jewels!" Rover desperately yelped.

"Shut up!" Rainbow hissed.

At Fluttershy's words, the orders Ganon had implemented in Volvagia's mind seemed to drift further and further away from consciousness, especially at the mention of its mother, the sweet-natured Gleerok, who most certainly would not have approved of Volvagia's behavior. Volvagia unwittingly let out a small whimper, and its meaning was clear to Fluttershy; Volvagia missed its mother. The fire drake then let out a series of whimpers, rumbles, and grunts that told Fluttershy a heart-wrenching tale.

Volvagia lived with its mother, Gleerok, the gentle, white-scaled sister of the more violent three-headed dragon, Gleeok, deep inside the heart of Death Mountain, at that time known as Mount Crenel. One day, while Volvagia was still a young hatchling not even old enough to fend for itself, a dark presence invaded Gleerok's nest. Feeling threatened, Gleerok tried to usher her chick to safety, but when she had turned to face the dark force, it changed her into a raging monster that did not recognize her own child. Scared and confused, Volvagia fled. And that was the last time it ever saw its mother, for when it finally returned several days later, Gleerok was dead, killed by the Hero of Legend, who had seen it as just another beast to kill. The Gorons had praised him for killing its mother and promptly made her lair their home; Volvagia would never forgive them for that. As it finished its tale in its guttural language, it let out a low, mournful whine that subtly tugged at everyone's heartstrings like a violin bow.

Fluttershy's expression softened considerably, her heart breaking for this poor creature that had lost so much while so young, left with nothing but anger, hatred, confusion, and hurt to keep it going. She would have petted the dragon's snout were it not for the heat its body was constantly radiating. "Oh, no, no, don't cry. Please don't cry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad about your mom. If you could just let me have my Element back and give these poor creatures back their home, I can tell you where you can find other dragons, and maybe you won't feel so lonely anymore."

Volvagia gave her a questioning rumble, as if asking her if there were actually other dragons out there.

Understanding this, Fluttershy smiled and nodded. "Of course! There are lots of dragons in our world! They won't be hard to find at all!"

"…I don't believe what I'm seeing," Vaati murmured, slack-jawed at the scene before him. "She actually just tamed the Bane of the freaking Gorons."

Volvagia rumbled a reply that Fluttershy interpreted as a question regarding jewels. Certainly there weren't enough of them in this world to fully live off of, were there? "Why, there's plenty of caves out there just like this, bursting at the seams with all kinds of delicious gems!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "Just make sure when you do find one that nopony else is already living there, okay?"

Volvagia nodded its head, looking into her eyes, eyes that reminded the burning lindwyrm of its beloved mother, who had often looked upon it with equal compassion. Fluttershy held Volvagia's gaze as she felt her Element of Kindness materialize around her neck. With her Element returned, Fluttershy beamed and hugged Volvagia's snout. The Element of Kindness's power, augmented by the warmness of her heart, protected her from Volvagia's intense body heat. "And if the other dragons are mean to you, there's another mountain close by with lots of jewels you can live in, and I'll come and visit you so you won't be lonely. How's that sound?" Fluttershy asked, smiling warmly.

Volvagia purred its approval, smoke issuing from its nostrils.

XXXXXX

Outside the Diamond Dog Mines, 15 minutes later…

Vaati, the Mane Six, Zecora, and all the Diamond Dogs watched as Volvagia soared away towards the nesting grounds of the Dragon Kingdom, slithering gracefully through the air. As the dragon slowly vanished over the horizon, Vaati sighed. "Well, that's that, then, I suppose. Onward to the Changeling Hive, then?"

Rover looked at his two Betas. "You two! Keep these mutts working while I'm gone!"

Spot and Fido saluted. "We'll have lots and lots of gems dug up by the time you get back!" Spot said.

"Yeah! Lots of gems!" Fido echoed eagerly.

Rover grinned at his cohorts. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was certainly going to miss them.

"We should stop by Appleloosa first, on our way there," Twilight spoke up. "It sits right on the edge of the desert where the Badlands are located. Even if everypony's evacuated already, we can still rest there, restock our supplies, and take some time to come up with a plan to deal with the Gohma."

"Agreed," Vaati consented. "Now let's head out. The sooner we recover the next Element, the better." The sorcerer glanced down at Fluttershy, who was still watching Volvagia's retreating figure with a compassionate smile. "You ponies really do manage to amaze the Dark World out of me sometimes, you know that?"

"Oh, there's nothing to be surprised about," Fluttershy replied. "Miss Volvagia's really sweet once you get to know her."

Vaati was about to reply with an off-handed comment when Fluttershy's words fully registered with him.

"…VOLVAGIA'S A GIRL?!"

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds, Scootaloo's bedroom…

Scootaloo sighed dejectedly as she shrugged off her bookbag and flung herself onto her bed. The Palace was uncomfortably quiet, since the monsters were down on the surface readying Ponyville for attack, and her dad was off saving Equestria. Scootaloo wiped a tear from her eye at that thought.

"I miss you, Daddy…"

She was just so tired from all of this, and once Applebloom insisted she have some time just to herself and some new filly named Ruby, Scootaloo had just decided to go home and rest.

And rest she did, heedless of the dark power that stirred as she slipped into the quiet embrace of sleep.

XXXXXX

Your father cannot escape me…

Scootaloo moaned as she twisted uncomfortably in her sleep.

Your father is bound to me by the strings of fate… the unknown voice that was not quite there spoke again.

Scootaloo shivered, her breath hitching in her throat as she tossed and turned.

My time is coming…

Vaati will pay for attempting to escape his destiny…Your world will suffer for housing him…

Equestria…

will…

BURN.

Scootaloo awoke to the sounds of her own screaming.
> Episode 7: Generosity's Capture Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 7: Generosity's Capture Part 1 – A Hostile Takeover

The sky was dark. The sun had turned black, and the moon was looming far closer to the surface of Equestria than it should have been. The states of the two celestial bodies left the sky a dark red color, casting long shadows over the land. The acrid stench of smoke hung in the air, causing Scootaloo to cough involuntarily. She found that she was standing all by herself in the valley between Ponyville and Canterlot. Ponyville itself was nowhere in sight; neither was the ever-present Palace of Winds. As she looked over her shoulder for her missing home, she suddenly felt the uncomfortable sensation of being watched.

And then the laughing started.

It started quietly at first, low and threatening, but quickly began to build up in volume and intensity. The sound of it made Scootaloo's blood freeze as she slowly began to turn her head towards the insane cackle. Her eyes fell upon it just as the mad bout of laughter reached a terrifying crescendo.

The first thing she saw was the eyes. Those horrifyingly familiar eyes.

That were staring right at her.

The rest of the abomination's twisted body was indecipherable from the surrounding gloom, but the glow emitting from its eyes revealed the head as vaguely heart-shaped. Two massive horns grew from the top of its head like great, needle-like spires, with eight smaller horns protruding from the lower half of its face. Countless tendrils extended from its body, curling towards the sky seemingly in an attempt to claw at it. It sat upon the smoldering ruins of Canterlot as though the whole city were little more than a throne to it. It was even bigger than an Ursa Major!

As its hideous eyes bore into her, Scootaloo let out a gasp of horrified realization as she finally knew what it was that loomed over the entirety of Equestria, using its crowning jewel of a capital city as its twisted throne.

In that same instant, she also knew she was about to die.

"H-HELP ME! SOMEPONY HELP ME!"

XXXXXX

"H-HELP ME! SOMEPONY HELP ME!"

As Luna immersed herself in her world of dreams, the scream of a filly immediately caught her attention. The second she zeroed in on the filly's dream, Luna realized several things at once; this was Scootaloo's dream, and that this was not a mere dream.

Luna immediately tore through the threshold of Scootaloo's dream like a rocket, impacting the ground between Scootaloo and the colossal abomination that stared her down. Scootaloo blinked with shock as she recognized her father's favorite princess putting herself between the young filly and the horror that plagued her. Luna threw her head up, her horn flaring with intense dream magic as she bellowed, "BEGONE FROM THIS REALM, THING OF EVIL! THIS IS OUR DOMAIN! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE!"

To her surprise, and mounting dread, the massive being merely stared at her as though she were a mere fly buzzing over its head.

And then it spoke, with a voice so thoroughly chilling it assaulted the soul as much as the ears. Luna's magic petered out with a pathetic hiss as its voice echoed in her mind.

"Your time will come soon, Princess of the Night. For now, I permit thee to continue to indulge in your people's ignorance."

Luna managed to bristle indignantly, but any attempt at a retort died in her throat as the thing continued.

"Rest assured; I will shatter the pedestals you and your sister have been placed upon soon enough. Equestria will see through their self-appointed idols as I bring about the end of mortal zealotry."

The demon raised its massive hands shoulder-high, each of them large enough for an adult dragon to sit comfortably in the palm. "Equestria has lived in blind ignorance wrapped in emotional sensation long enough! I will free them of their pathetic delusions! No more idols! The pedestals shall fall!"

Luna finally managed to recover from her paralyzing fear enough to charge her magic back through her horn. "Begone! I command it!" she yelled, unleashing a burst of energy meant to dissolve this twisted vision.

"No more idols! The pedestals shall fall!" the thing roared back at her defiantly, resisting the push.

Luna retaliated with another wave of magic, and this time, the fringes of the dreamscape began to crack and waver. "Begone! I command it!" Luna bellowed.

"NO MORE IDOLS! THE PEDESTALS SHALL FALL!"

"BEGONE! I COMMAND IT!"

And with one last, mighty bellow, Luna unleashed a massive explosion of dream energy, shattering the dream and forcing its occupants back into consciousness.

XXXXXX

Scootaloo catapulted awake, breathing heavily from confusion and terror. The memories of what she had witnessed pounded against her skull, and she could feel a headache coming on from what had transpired. At the very least, she was thankful that Princess Luna had heard her cry for help. Just being in the presence of that unholy terror, even if in a dream, was more terrifying than anything else she had ever been through. Those piercing eyes remained at the forefront of her thoughts, boring into her soul long after their owner had been expelled from her dreamscape.

Deep in the back of Scootaloo's mind, she knew that had not been a normal dream. It had seemed too real, and the fact that Luna had had to forcibly push back the nightmare, as well as the dark one's ominous warnings, only confirmed it in her mind.

The implications were unnerving, to say the least.

For Scootaloo alone now knew the truth.

Majora had infiltrated Equestria.

XXXXXX

Luna's bedroom, Crystal Palace…

Luna involuntarily released a shuddering breath as she was forced awake by her own spell. That dream…that had been something else. Luna pictured the nameless horror that had menaced young Scootaloo in her mind, and felt a cold shiver run down her spine. She was not certain what to think. This being had been using dream magic, but to Luna's mounting dread, it still did not match the magical signature of the force that was targeting Vaati's traveling companions. Which could only mean one thing.

There was more than one dream weaver working against her.

If that was the case, then her worst fears were confirmed. Ganon was not the true enemy here.

Her thoughts ventured back to this new assailant. What truly bothered Luna was the manner in which she was forced to dispel the nightmare. Very rarely did she have to forcibly wake herself and the dreamer, but that thing, for Luna did not know its name, or if it had one, had pushed back, and a prolonged fight in someone's specific dreamscape could have disastrous consequences for the dreamer. And Luna did not want one of her subjects, Vaati's surrogate daughter, no less, to come to any harm while under her care.

Still, her spell had significantly rattled her, and thus it would be a while before Luna's nerves calmed enough that she could return to sleep and resume her watch over the night. Celestia and Cadance were both currently asleep as well, and Luna knew how stressful the recent events had been for all of them. The Crystal Empire was full of refugees, and more were pouring in with each passing day. Celestia and Cadance had been hard at work ensuring everypony found a place to stay and keeping their spirits up. Since Luna wasn't nearly as much of a people pony, a fact she lamented as that had originally been one of the factors that had isolated her before the Nightmare Moon incident, she had coordinated with Shining Armor and the military to fortify the Empire's defenses. Shining Armor had reluctantly overseen the installment of King Sombra's old crystal stake hurlers, while Luna had worked with the Crystal Heart's caretakers to use its power to erect a wall of crystals around the perimeter of the city. The walls had afterwards been carved and trimmed so that troops could man them. Roosting all over the spires of the palace and in every possible nook and cranny were the Kargorocs, with the Helmaroc King himself nesting in the tower that Sombra had once used to house the Crystal Heart. The great bird had said little upon his arrival, but Luna was certain the gigantic masked hawk was intelligent. The Wizzrobes, Darknuts, and other monsters that Vaati had placed under the Princesses' employ turned their hands towards whatever was needed, patrolling the city when their tasks were done. Everypony knew that Ganon would eventually attack the Crystal Empire, and they wanted to make sure that they were ready.

With all this in mind, Luna chose to wait until morning to deliver this distressing bit of news to her sister and niece. The lunar alicorn stepped over to her balcony and observed her beautiful night. But the serenity of the quiet evening did not ease her thoughts. For she knew that beyond the Empire's boundaries, evil forces stirred, and she feared that Equestria would not be prepared to face them when the time came.

The words of the nameless horror resurfaced unbidden in her mind. "No more idols…" she whispered to herself, pondering their meaning.

Unbeknownst to Luna, however, her confrontation with Majora had been little more than a distraction, for at this very moment, somewhere out there in the Equestrian wilderness, another nightmare was taking place.

XXXXXX

"You are pathetic."

Ignoring the ominous voice, Fluttershy ran desperately through the dark forest, her heart pounding furiously against her ribcage. Everywhere she looked, she saw a large, luminous green eye glaring at her from the shadows.

"You think you can run from us? There is no escape."

"SOMEPONY HELP ME!" Fluttershy screamed, her chest burning from exertion.

"Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy gasped. That voice sounded like Twilight!

"Twilight! Where are you?!" Fluttershy cried.

"Here! Over here!"

Fluttershy followed the sound of Twilight's voice and found her friend all alone in a clearing. "Twilight, what's going on?! Where are we?!" Fluttershy whimpered as she approached.

Before Twilight could answer, however, multiple dark shapes sprang from the darkness all around them, their eyes aglow with malicious intent. Fluttershy skidded to a halt at the sight of the creatures, for she recognized them instantly as the winged wolves that King Sombra had commanded during his attempted conquest of the Crystal Empire. They were just as terrifying now as they had been when she had first laid eyes on them. Twilight gasped as she saw them, but as her horn glowed in an attempt to defend herself, the monstrous hound directly behind her pounced forward, crashing into her back with enough force to knock her down. Twilight yelped as she collapsed, her magic fizzling out in her shock.

"Twilight!" Fluttershy cried.

However, before she could even think about trying to help, one of the hounds turned its attention towards her, snarling as it got between her and her endangered friend. Fluttershy stared into its hellish pupils, and all she could see was purest evil. Her Stare would do no good against such a wicked beast.

"Fluttershy! Help me!" Twilight cried in fear, unable to get up as the hound that had attacked her had her pinned to the ground by a strong paw.

The hound directly facing Fluttershy growled again, as if daring her to try. Fluttershy felt her whole body freeze up at the threat and her own uncertainty and terror. Her hesitation was all they needed.

"Fluttershy…?" Twilight whimpered, realizing her friend was too terrified to help her.

And before Fluttershy's eyes, the whole pack fell upon Twilight and ripped her apart with bloodthirsty zeal. And all the while, Twilight screamed, curdling Fluttershy's blood. But her fear had pinned her in place; all she could do was watch as her friend was murdered before her very eyes.

"You are weak. Helpless."

Fluttershy whimpered in terror as the hideous voice returned.

"Your friends don't see it now. But your cowardice…will destroy them."

Fluttershy suddenly felt something wet splash across her face. Some of it entered her mouth, leaving a metallic taste.

"They will all die. And it will all be YOUR FAULT."

Fluttershy wiped at her face and saw that her hoof was stained dark red.

XXXXXX

Unknown part of Equestria…

Fluttershy was still screaming as she catapulted awake, overcome by terror. Everyone else was roused alongside her, each of them looking around wildly, expecting an attack. Rover covered his ears and gritted his teeth, whining in distress. Twilight was the first to recover, realizing her friend was recovering from the throes of a nightmare, and hurried over to her. "Fluttershy? Fluttershy!" Twilight cried, shaking Fluttershy's shoulder.

That seemed to snap Fluttershy out of her hysteria, and she gazed at Twilight with panic-stricken eyes. The moment she saw her friend alive and well, though, Fluttershy enveloped Twilight in a tight hug as she began sobbing profusely.

"Oh Twilight! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"F-Fluttershy!" Twilight stammered in concern. "What's the matter? What are you saying sorry for?"

"I'm sorry I'm so weak and helpless! I'm sorry I get scared all the time! I'm sorry I'm such a coward!"

That certainly got everyone's attention. The rest of the Mane Six instantly crowded around Fluttershy, offering her words of comfort as Vaati, Zecora, and Rover looked on with expressions varying from concern to irritation. "Fluttershy, you are not weak," Twilight stressed. "You are not helpless. You are not a coward. You may not know it, but you are a very, very brave pony. You were the one who had the courage to stay true to your beliefs in kindness and still find a way to recover your Element. You're the only pony who has tamed dragons. You are just as strong as any one of us, maybe not so much in body, but definitely in spirit."

Fluttershy's sobs eventually died down, allowing the Mane Six to break their group hug. "I'm sorry I woke all of you," Fluttershy sniffed. "I-I just…had a really bad dream."

"You too, huh?" Applejack worriedly spoke up.

Everyone glanced at her, curious and concerned. Applejack nervously scratched the back of her head. "Yeah, maybe I should'a said somethin' before, but…Ah had a pretty bad nightmare m'self not too long ago."

Vaati narrowed his eyes. "Was it, by chance, on the night we recovered the Element of Honesty?" he asked.

Applejack blinked in realization. "Yeah…it was."

Seeing what Vaati was getting at, Rarity said, "And we just recovered Kindness…"

"What's going on with the Elements?!" Rainbow demanded. "Are we all gonna get nightmares when we get our Elements back?!"

"Just remember, sillies!" Pinkie declared cheerfully. "Giggle at the ghosties! Laugh away your fears and they can't hurt you!"

"And how exactly do ya laugh off seein' yer little sister hang herself?" Applejack shot back a little harsher than she had intended.

Everyone went deathly silent the moment that escaped her lips. Pinkie just stared at her in open-mouthed, horrified shock, her hair slowly beginning to deflate at the implications.

"How could I laugh, after I watched someone I cared about…" Fluttershy whimpered as the traumatizing vision returned, and she struggled to continue. "… g-get t-t-torn apart b-by monsters a-a-and b-b-being too s-scared t-to stop it?!"

After several moments of dreadful silence, Vaati finally murmured, "My Goddesses…"

"I-I'm so sorry," Pinkie finally managed to say.

Even Rover appeared disturbed by this, if his uncomfortable expression was any indication.

"Where in the Dark World was Luna during all this?" Vaati demanded, pacing back and forth irritably. "She's supposed to be making sure things like this don't happen!"

Nobody had any answer to his rhetorical question.

"Let's just get some more rest," Twilight advised. "We need to be ready for when we reach Appleloosa."

There were mumbled words of agreement as everyone returned to their respective slumbers.

"The yellow one…" Rover muttered, catching Rarity's attention. "She is worse than the marshmallow!"

"Don't tempt me," Rarity ominously warned, glaring daggers into Rover's back.

The Diamond Dog involuntarily whimpered in response and wisely did not reply.

XXXXXX

Dethl laughed to itself as it withdrew from the yellow pony's dreamscape. The King of Nightmares had not been able to flex its powers in such a manner in such a long time, and the pleasure it gained from the Equestrians' fear made its black heart glad. With each new nightmare, it learned more about the Elements and their bearers, and the more it knew, the better prepared Majora would be to strike them all down in the final battle.

And, as if in confirmation of the old saying about speaking of the devil…

Dethl.

The Nightmare snapped out of its reverie as it felt the presence of its lord and master join it in the dream world. "What is your will, Great One?"

I have enacted the next stage of my plan for this world. The time for recruitment of this realm's natives is now, while our enemies remain blind to the true scope of their peril.

The dream world shifted and coalesced into an overhead, realistic map of Equestria. Dethl watched as the map zoomed in on the jungles of the southeast, specifically on a ruined temple of some kind.

Here lies a primitive tribe of Equestrians under the rule of a local warlord by the name of Ahuizotl. His tribe is isolated from the rest of Equestrian society; they will be the easiest to convert. I have assigned this task to Ghirahim, as he has reported to me that King Sombra has been fully revived, but is still recovering. Ghirahim will approach this warlord and gain his trust. I will accompany him through my Mask and demonstrate my power to these Equestrians. Ahuizotl is fond of magical artifacts; he will not resist me. But the warlord is a useless fool; I have no personal interest in him. Once his tribe is under my total control, Ghirahim will assassinate the wretch and convert the temple they are using as a base of operations into the Equestrian branch of the Church.

Dethl chuckled darkly. "A truly masterful plan, Lord."

Tell me what progress you have made with the Elements.

"Two have been recovered. We have looked into their minds, and we have seen their strengths and weaknesses. Truly, they cannot hope to stand against your greatness. The peasant is honest to a fault and obsessed with the trivial concept of family, while the animal lover is afraid of her own shadow. The latter was particularly amusing to toy with. We may yet come back for her."

Do not succumb to overconfidence. The Princess of the Night must not be allowed to confront you directly. Not yet. I have kept her attention diverted from you for the time being, but I will not permit you to hinder my plans for the sake of your own petty amusement. Are we understood?

Dethl glowered. "Yes, Lord."

And then a thought occurred to the Demon King. "What of the child?"

I will break her in due time. Such a matter must be handled delicately. Once I have utterly shattered any semblance of sanity in her mind, I can pick up the pieces and mold her into an ideal weapon against the Wind Mage. He will PAY for abandoning his purpose.

Dethl bowed its head in reverence. "Is there still the chance that he may rejoin us?" the Nightmare finally asked. "Perhaps he can still be turned…"

Any man will keep fighting so long as he has something to lose; something he thinks is worth protecting. We must take everything from him first. In that moment, he will join us or die.

Dethl bowed once more. "As you will it, master."

Begone. And be certain to monitor Ganon's activities as well.

And with that, the king and the god vanished from the dreamscape.

XXXXXX

The next day…

Queen Chrysalis half-dragged herself onward through the scorching sands of the Badlands, too exhausted and badly wounded to attempt flight. The harsh sun beat down relentlessly on her, further sapping away what little energy she had left. Gods, she was thirsty. She gritted her teeth as she once again reminded herself why she needed to keep going, no matter what. Bordering the Badlands and the stomping grounds of the nomadic buffalo tribes was a small Equestrian frontier town. She couldn't have been bothered to remember the name of the village on her best days, but she knew it was there. And as much as she hated to admit it, she needed their help.

Chrysalis alone had managed to escape the Gohma takeover of her hive. She had attempted to fight the being that called himself Ganon, but her efforts had proven to be fruitless, and she had been soundly beaten and left for dead at the mouth of her lair. Ganon had left soon afterwards, though, and the Gohma had been pushing deeper into the Changeling Hive, leaving Chrysalis with the perfect opportunity to escape, an act that had haunted her since. Yet it gave her a sense of purpose; she vowed to return with the Equestrians beside her and free her children from the Gohma scourge.

She could still hear the thoughts of her children, though only if she focused on them, and she knew that most of them were, thankfully, still alive. However, she knew that would not be true for very long; the Gohma had already repurposed the Changeling Hive's biological infrastructure to suit their own preferences, and all the surviving Changelings were imprisoned in much cruder cocoons than what had been developed by her people. Once the Gohma were fully established, they would begin a process that Chrysalis feared with every fiber of her being; the attempted assimilation of the Changelings. No doubt they would attempt to incorporate the Changelings' ability to shapeshift into their own genetic structure. If they were to succeed, the consequences would certainly be dire for all of Equestria. Of course, Chrysalis didn't care very much about that; she was more concerned with saving her hive from the agonizing fate of being eaten alive by these relentless predators.

So deep into these thoughts was she that she at first didn't notice as she hobbled into the main street of Appleloosa. Eventually, though, the change in scenery snapped her out of her thoughts as she looked around. She was expecting gasps, or even screams.

What she got instead was absolute silence.

Appleloosa was utterly deserted.

Of course it was deserted, she realized. Ganon must have passed through it on his way to her hive, hadn't he?

The town was completely devoid of life. There was nopony around to help her.

She had come all this way, pushed herself to the brink of death, for nothing.

Chrysalis let out a strangled cry that sounded like a cross between a wail of despair and a groan of exhaustion as her legs finally gave out on her. It was over. There was nothing she could do. Her people were all going to die. And worse yet, she was going to die too, all alone in an abandoned Equestrian town.

She released a shuddering breath, closed her eyes, and simply gave up. She laid there, alone and forgotten in an empty street, and waited to die.

XXXXXX

Vaati soared through the skies in his demon form. Clutched protectively in his talons were Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie. On either side of him flew Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, while directly beneath them, Rover and Applejack ran, keeping pace with Vaati's shadow. This, they had collectively decided, was the quickest method of travel they could manage, as they wanted to reach Appleloosa and the Badlands as quickly as possible. Thankfully, as most of them were physically fit, they did not need to take many breaks, and what would otherwise have been a three-day trek to Appleloosa passed in just little over half a day.

Once the town was in sight, Vaati descended and released his charges as they reached the ground, returning to his Hylian form and flexing his stiffened muscles. "Mm, so this is Appleloosa?" Vaati asked, making a face as his joints popped.

"Yup," Applejack answered as she caught her breath. "And…it looks like everypony's already evacuated."

Even as she said that, though, Rover caught a scent on the wind. "No…not everybody," the Diamond Dog muttered as he followed the unknown scent out into the main part of town.

Confused, everybody followed him to see what had caught Rover's interest, and the whole group caught sight of somepony lying motionless in the middle of the street. With the black carapace, long hole-ridden legs, and teal mane, there was no mistaking who it was.

"Queen Chrysalis," Vaati confirmed what had passed through the Mane Six's minds.

"And she looks like she might be hurt! Come on!" Twilight bade, rushing towards the fallen Changeling Queen.

"Twilight!" Vaati barked, suspicious of the whole thing.

Twilight paid the sorcerer no heed as she skidded to a halt by Chrysalis's prone form and looked the Changeling over. Her carapace was cracked in several places, and she was bleeding in many places. "Chrysalis…?" Twilight said, barely above a whisper. "Queen Chrysalis?"

When there was no response, Twilight gingerly nudged the Changeling's shoulder. The moment she did so, Chrysalis abruptly sucked in a wheezing breath, her eyes fluttering half-way open, delirious and unseeing. But it confirmed that Chrysalis was indeed still alive, but just barely. Wasting no time, Twilight undid the medicinal flap of her satchel and telekinetically levitated a bottle of Red Potion out of it as the others cautiously approached. Using her magic, Twilight undid the cork while simultaneously lifting up Chrysalis's head. "Drink this," Twilight spoke calmly. "It'll heal your injuries and recover your strength."

Chrysalis was in no state to object, involuntarily swallowing as the potion was gently poured down her throat. "That's it, slowly," Twilight coaxed. "Slowly."

When the bottle was half-empty, she closed it back up and put it away while still keeping an eye on the queen. Before her eyes, all the blood was absorbed back inside the body before the cracks closed up and sealed themselves, not even leaving any scars. Chrysalis's eyes opened a little wider in surprise as she looked up at Twilight's smiling face. "You're gonna be okay, Chrysalis."

That voice, that face, both felt so far away. All Chrysalis wanted to do was rest. And rest she did, as she fell into the blissful oblivion of unconsciousness.

XXXXXX

Muffled, distant voices slowly began to rouse Chrysalis from her dreamless sleep. Odd; she could have sworn she was all alone. And something about those voices sounded awfully familiar. She blearily opened her eyes, and the blurry, yet unmistakable outlines of multiple ponies met her vision.

"…waking…!"

"How…feeling…?"

Chrysalis groaned as she felt a headache coming on, and willed her vision to come into focus. She appeared to be inside a house, lying on an admittedly-comfortable bed. Sitting around her were three ponies, one of whom Chrysalis recognized instantly.

"You!" Chrysalis growled angrily at Twilight Sparkle, forcing herself into a sitting position. "What are you doing here?!"

"We just saved you from the brink of death and all you got to say is, 'what are you doing here'?!" Rainbow Dash indignantly retorted. "You could at least show us a little gratitude!"

"Calm down, Rainbow," Twilight chided her friend. "I wasn't exactly expecting her to be happy to see us." She looked back at the person that had nearly ruined her life and taken over Canterlot. "To answer your question, we're here to help you."

Despite the fact that help was exactly what she had come here looking for, she had not expected it to come from her, and her pride just could not accept such a possibility. "What makes you think I even need your help?" she snapped.

"Ya mean, other than the fact we found ya out in the middle'a the street, half-dead?" Applejack tersely pointed out.

Chrysalis fell silent, knowing that the farmpony had a point.

"Look, Chrysalis," Twilight spoke up. "We know what's happened to the Changelings, and we're here to help you put a stop to the monsters that have imprisoned them."

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes. "How do you know of the Gohma?"

"Whichever one is their leader, a queen, I'm guessing, is holding one of the Elements of Harmony. The one who unleashed the Gohma on your people, Ganon, took the Elements from us and has been scattering them all over Equestria to keep us from using them against him."

"What about that Wind Mage of yours?" Chrysalis sneered, the memory of their brutal showdown still fresh on her mind. "Surely he could have dealt with Ganon for you."

Twilight uncomfortably looked away. "He…Vaati's no match for him. Ganon's beaten him twice, and we were around to see it the second time."

Something about that sounded off to the queen. "What do you mean?"

Twilight sighed. "Ganon…comes from the same world Vaati does. We don't know how he got here, and apparently even Ganon himself doesn't know how either, but he's quickly proved himself to be the most powerful and dangerous foe we've ever faced."

"Even we Changelings are aware of the power of the Elements of Harmony," Chrysalis said. "How could you not have used them against him when you had the chance?"

"That's just it. We did."

Chrysalis had not been expecting that answer, and her mouth fell open in shock. "He…overcame the Elements of Harmony?! Those things are supposed to be the ultimate power in this world! How could this dimension-hopping interloper overcome them?!"

"The Triforce of Power."

Chrysalis would have recognized that youthful, condescending drawl anywhere. Her eyes shot up towards the door to see Vaati the Wind Mage leaning against the door frame.

"Vaati," Chrysalis growled.

"Chrysalis," Vaati sneered back. "I would say it's nice to see you again, but we both know that would be a lie."

Twilight looked over her shoulder and glared at him. "I thought I said to wait downstairs."

Vaati shrugged nonchalantly. "I got bored. Now, to elaborate upon what I was saying, Ganon happens to possess a magical artifact of his own called the Triforce of Power. It's one of three parts, and it basically serves as my world's counterpart of sorts to the Elements of Harmony. However, unlike the Elements, the Triforce is of divine origin, and that's why he managed to beat the Elements."

"If that's the case, why even try and recover them?" Chrysalis challenged. "Since Ganon's proven to be beyond anything Equestria can throw at him, why bother recovering the Elements at all if he's stronger than they are?"

"Look, I know it seems like we don't have much hope," Twilight said. "But there's always a way to win, even if we can't see it right off the bat. When we have all the Elements back, Vaati's going to do everything that he can to wear Ganon down, and then we'll use the Elements again while he's too fatigued to put up a fight."

"And what if Ganon can't even feel tired?" Chrysalis pointed out.

Vaati scoffed. "The Triforce of Power doesn't grant limitless stamina, though the Triforce of Courage comes pretty damned close. There's a reason he's been trying to complete the set all this time, you know. I can't beat him; I'm not going to deny that. But I have enough fighting ability that I might be able to tire him out enough that the Elements can finish him off."

"And you think you can keep up with him long enough to do so?" Chrysalis asked. "Just by looks, I can tell Ganon has a lot more stamina than you."

Vaati blinked at the audacity of that statement. "…care to run that by me again?"

"If you insist," Chrysalis smirked, pleased that she had managed to strike a nerve in the mage. "Ganon was bursting at the seams with muscle. You, on the other hand, are essentially a walking stick. Even without magic, I say Ganon could punch your head right off your shoulders."

Even Rainbow Dash could not suppress the ugly snort of laughter that escaped her nostrils. Twilight looked away from Vaati to make sure he couldn't see her fight back a grin. Applejack awkwardly excused herself from the room, but Vaati could still clearly hear her collapse into a fit of hysterics as soon as she closed the door. The Wind Mage blushed in embarrassment and anger. "I have magic!" he yelled in an effort to defend himself. "I don't need muscles when I have all the magical power in the world!"

Twilight cleared her throat to will away the chuckle that was working its way up and said, "She actually has a point, Vaati. There has to be a balance between body and mind in order to maximize one's own magical capabilities."

Vaati's eyes narrowed. "What are you getting at?"

"Even if you have a lot of magical power, if your body isn't at its physical peak as well, you won't be able to maintain your magical strength for long. You'll tire out fast. And haven't you noticed that that is your primary weakness?"

Vaati folded his arms. "You're about to tell me I need to work out, aren't you?"

Twilight instantly perked up as the idea came to her. "Work out! Vaati, that's a great idea!"

"What?" Vaati uttered.

"If you're going to fight Ganon again, you need to be at your physical peak just like he is! We need to improve your strength, speed, stamina, reaction time, combat and magical skills so that they're up to par when we face Ganon again!"

As she said this, she levitated a pen and notepad out of her satchel and began excitedly writing in it, no doubt drawing up some sort of workout regimen for Vaati to follow. Vaati promptly spun on his heel and made for the door. "I regret everything. I regret everything I've ever done."

XXXXXX

Downstairs, twenty minutes later…

"You're going to make Vaati work out?" Rarity incredulously asked, throwing a glance towards the sorcerer as he sourly huddled in a back corner. "What in Equestria brought this on?"

"Well, duh!" Pinkie Pie spoke up obnoxiously, gesturing towards Vaati. "He doesn't have any muscles like a stallion should! I say he should've started working out a long time ago! Imagine all the things he could do with some big, strong muscles!"

Vaati pointedly turned his back towards them, and thus was not privy to the wistful sigh that escaped Pinkie's lips. "W-whoa, Equestria to Pinkie Pie! You okay there, dude?" Rainbow nervously asked.

"Wow," Applejack muttered. "Didn't know she was into that."

"How are we going to put aside any time for this?" Rarity asked.

"Don't worry," Twilight replied, indicating the piece of paper she had. "I've drawn up a carefully thought-out training regimen that will take our travel times into account. Vaati, you want to take a look?"

Vaati glared over his shoulder at her and thrust his hand out. "Just so you know," Twilight added with a cheerful smile. "I've got this whole schedule committed to memory, so burning it up won't do you any good."

Vaati groaned and went back to sulking.

"What about the Changeling?" Rover finally spoke up from where he sat at one of the abandoned saloon's card tables, glancing at the stairway that led up to the second floor.

"She'll be coming with us," Twilight answered. "She's taking some time to rest, though. We all might want to do that; it's a long way through the desert up to the mountain where the Changeling Hive is. This would also be the perfect opportunity to restock on our supplies, especially water. In the meantime, I want to go over the various parts of the training regimen I want each of you to help out with."

Zecora was the first to look at Twilight's proposed schedule. "Hm, your organization skills make my heart glad. But perhaps there's something I think you could add."

"What do you have in mind, Zecora?" Twilight asked.

"I myself follow my own training ritual, one that makes concentration a trait most habitual. It will help a great deal, you'll find, for it exercises patience, balance, and peace of mind."

"Does it have anything to do with your asinine rhyming habits?" Vaati snidely asked from where he stewed.

Brushing off the rude remark, Zecora replied, "No, that is merely a tradition of my tribe. To speak in rhyme makes us think before we describe."

"Alright, I'll leave that part up to you, Zecora," Twilight said, jotting down more notes. "Now, onward to our last order of business. Vaati, please stop sulking and join us over here."

Vaati grumbled incoherently as he reluctantly joined them at their table. "We need to figure out our plan of attack for the Hive. What can we expect from the Gohma?"

Vaati cleared his throat and delved into his memories. "Well, like the Changelings, the Gohma function as a hive mind, but there is absolutely no individuality amongst them. The Queen is the one that organizes the collective consciousness of her individual hive, as well as serving as a link to other Gohma Queens and hives for their creator, a gigantic demon that called himself Iemanis. Since Iemanis hasn't been seen or heard from since the great war against Majora, I somewhat doubt we'll have to worry about him."

"What are their weaknesses?" Twilight asked.

"The eye," Vaati replied. "Always the eye, no matter what caste they are. And their most crippling weakness is, if the queen dies, the entire hive loses control of itself and all its members rip each other and themselves apart."

Several moments of shocked silence followed.

"Well, in that case, the queen is mine."

Everyone abruptly glanced towards the voice's origin to see Queen Chrysalis coming down the stairs, looking well-rested and ready to blast aside whatever Gohma dared cross her path. "I thought you were resting," Vaati said.

"Seems I did not need as much as I thought," Chrysalis replied, joining them. "Whatever medicine you gave me did more than heal my wounds; it's filled me with enough love energy to feed my entire hive for two full days!"

Vaati blinked in realization. "…Damn, how did that not occur to me?!"

"Vaati, you didn't tell me Red Potion has love energy in it!" Twilight remarked with surprise.

"Truthfully, I did not even remember that," Vaati admitted. "But it makes sense. Do you remember what I told you Red Potion is made with?"

"Uh…I think so…wasn't it, uh…a life-giver plant?" Twilight slowly asked.

Vaati nodded, ushering her to continue.

"Uh…oh! Fairy spring water! That's the other ingredient!" she finally recalled.

"The fruit of the life-giver plant, interestingly enough, is shaped like a red heart," Vaati explained. "Eating one will save you even if you are on the brink of death, but only by eating a lot can you fully recover, which can be time consuming, as the fruit takes three days to regenerate. It's easy to grow, as it doesn't require sunlight, just positive magical energy running through the soil, and the plant itself can live quite a long time, around ten years or so. But when it's mixed with water from a fairy fountain, the fairies' healing magic that runs in the water increases the effect many times over. And since fairy magic is also powered by positive emotions such as love…"

Vaati trailed off, letting the implications sink in.

"Where do you find this plant?" Chrysalis finally demanded. "I must have it! To be able to grow crops of this 'life-giver plant' in our own hive…we could feed ourselves without having to leech off the positive emotions of others!"

Vaati considered the idea. "Perhaps, once this is over, I might be inclined to grant your people some seeds for your own use. Anything to get you out of our hair."

Twilight sighed at Vaati's persistent unfriendly attitude towards Changelings. "Anyways, back to the subject at hoof. You mentioned the Gohma having castes?"

"Yes," Vaati confirmed, returning to the matter of importance. "There's the Queen, who honestly isn't the strongest fighter in the hive. Then there are Armogohmas, huge spider-like Gohma that can spit lasers out of the giant eye on their backs." This got a number of unsettled looks out of the listeners. "Then there are the soldiers, or Pincer Gohma, which resemble large, human-sized crabs in appearance."

Rarity glowered. "I don't like crabs."

"Why?" Vaati asked.

"Long story. Please continue."

"Well, anyways, lastly there are the larvae. They're the newly-born infants that serve as cannon fodder when the Gohma choose to attack an enemy settlement. Some of these Gohma Larvae eventually get morphed into other members of the castes I just mentioned. But there is only ever one queen. And as I said, all of them share a single characteristic that also functions as their weak point; a giant eye."

"We're going to be dealing with many enemies down there," Chrysalis warned. "We must free my captive Changelings before we can proceed into the heart of their den."

"The Gohma already defeated you and your Changelings," Vaati reminded her. "How could they possibly help?"

"I already told you, I now have enough love energy to empower my hive for two whole days!" Chrysalis shot back. "Free them, and I shall feed them. And then we will drive these Gohma wretches from our homeland once and for all!"

To Be Continued…
> Episode 8: Generosity's Capture Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 8: Generosity's Capture Part 2 – Changeling Hive

Ganondorf stared up at the city of Canterlot with a hard expression, examining the protective shield that encased the entirety of the capital city. Behind him waited an army consisting of thousands of monsters from all walks of life, from Stalkin and Lizalfos to Blins and Darknuts. There were even a handful of his elite Iron Knuckles, Darknut-sized suits of Gerudo armor animated by the enslaved spirits of the past Gerudo kings that wore them, amongst his forces. He could see a handful of Equestrian guards eyeing him warily from behind the safety of the barrier as they guarded the only entrance to the city by foot.

He had just returned from the Griffon Empire, having forcibly deposed their king and left his fused mothers, Twinrova, and a detachment of Blins in charge of keeping them subdued, as well as guarding another Element. Another was now in the hands of the Wizzrobes occupying the city in the sky the locals called "Cloudsdale". The last Element, however, the one that resonated more power than the rest, he had, for the time being, kept for himself. As powerful as they appeared to be, he had deduced that they were useless unless all of them were together. Such a glaring weakness, Ganondorf thought to himself. How could such a power have sustained this world for so long?

The Dark Lord shook his head, his thoughts returning to the city he was about to lay siege to. Seeing as most of his troops couldn't fly, Ganondorf knew their only option was to march up the mountain pass, an option he did not like as it meant his army would be forced into a bottleneck, preventing them from taking advantage of what he was certain was their superior numbers. Which meant he would have to lead from the front and clear out whatever defenders stood at the gate so that his forces would have uncontested access to the city.

But first, that magical barrier needed to be dealt with.

Ganondorf raised his fist, gathering power into his hand as the Triforce mark on his wrist lit up. The monsters closest to him hurriedly backed up as their leader charged up his attack.

"MRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHH!" Ganondorf bellowed as he unleashed a condensed swirling mass of pure annihilation at Canterlot's protective bubble.

The resulting explosion shook the ground for miles around and left their ears ringing uncomfortably. The effect was immediate; the entire barrier shattered as though it were made of pink glass, the shards disintegrating as they fell towards earth. He could see the guards react with shock at how the shield had been destroyed so easily. Ganondorf smirked. Good; they should be afraid.

He then turned towards his gathered forces. "We go to battle! I shall lead!"

XXXXXX

As soon as they saw Ganondorf at the head of his forces as his army emerged from around the bend, the gate guards knew it was time to go. They turned and bolted, vanishing into the city. Ganondorf's smirk widened. A wise move, cowards.

And yet, as they marched into the streets of Canterlot, Ganondorf could not help but notice that the whole place seemed eerily empty. No guards, no frightened civilians attempting to escape, nothing. Ganondorf narrowed his eyes as his soldiers glanced about warily, expecting an ambush. Without a word, Ganondorf reached out with his magic, searching for any signs of life in this place. It was with great surprise that he discovered that Canterlot had been fully abandoned. "Damn!" he snarled. "They tricked us into thinking they were still defending this place!"

"They're gone?" one of the Moblins stupidly asked.

Ganondorf gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Yes, they're gone, you fool! Their leaders are still out there, which means the natives will continue to resist us!"

He glanced up at the main castle that overlooked the rest of the city and said, "Come; the castle is ours for the taking. I want two hundred of my men with me! The rest of you, secure the perimeter! Make sure there is no one here, in case someone managed to mask their presence from my spell!"

Two hundred of Ganondorf's best soldiers followed the Dark Lord as he continued onwards towards Canterlot Castle while the rest of his army began to spread throughout the rest of the city, kicking down doors to inspect the houses. Ganondorf was already nearing the castle when it began, and thus was unaware of the many traps that spontaneously began to spring up.

Monsters combing the streets suddenly found the cobblestones below them transformed into wet soap, causing many of them to tumble to the ground in a heap. Monsters struggled to stay upright, but could not take a single step forward without slipping and falling. The monsters that had already entered the houses abruptly fell under attack by flying books that had spontaneously sprouted needle-like teeth. Flowerpots and vases used their flowers as legs to crawl across the floor to entangle the hapless warriors of Ganon as they fended off the attacking books.

And then the furniture started to move.

Chairs and tables kicked at the confused and disoriented monsters, forcing many of them out into the streets, where they immediately fell victim to the soapy roads. And the coup de grace came in the form of the beds and sofas charging out the doors like a herd of rampaging buffalo. Either their enchantments protected them, or their four legs just worked better in such an environment, but either way, the furniture had little trouble traversing the slippery streets as they bucked and stomped on the hapless monsters. Moblins squealed and Darknuts cursed as the Wizzrobes desperately attempted to nullify whatever spells were causing these strange events, to little avail. Monsters swung their weapons to ward off the attacking objects, and while this successfully managed to destroy some chairs and smaller objects, the larger beds and sofas were barely fazed. As the Wizzrobes floated above the mess, trying to undo the rampant magic or flinging their own attack spells at the animated household appliances, they suddenly felt rain begin to pour down on them. Only it wasn't rain; it was chocolate milk, coming from pink clouds that had situated themselves perfectly over the Wizzrobes' heads. Losing their patience, the Wizzrobes fired spells to dissipate the strangely-colored clouds.

Big mistake.

Numerous explosions later, the entire city of Canterlot was an ungodly mess of splattered cotton candy, soap, broken furniture, and disoriented monsters sprawled all over the place. One of the Wizzrobes shakily stood, surveying the carnage. "Ugh…what in the Dark World just happened?"

"What in the Dark World are you wearing?!" another nearby Wizzrobe called out.

The Wizzrobe looked down at himself and saw a rather garish-looking tutu attached to its waist.

"W-what in the Goddesses…?!" the Wizzrobe screeched, trying to pull off the tutu, but for some reason it wouldn't come off.

As other monsters began to recover, they too noticed that a number of them were now sporting ballerina outfits and various other less-than-manly apparel. "GRRAAAH! What insanity is this?!" a Darknut bellowed as he attempted to pry a wreath of strange blue flowers off his helmet.

As other monsters began attempting to free themselves from the strange, offensive clothing, those who had been spared then noticed something the other monsters were too frustrated to.

Their weapons, every last one of them, had turned into pool noodles.

It was utter chaos.

XXXXXX

Inside Canterlot Castle…

Ganondorf and his entourage swept through the empty castle, making sure there were no enemies waiting in ambush. Many of the stupider monsters were so focused on their task that they did not realize this until one of the Wizzrobes abruptly spoke up as it emerged from a door it had just entered, "Wait a minute. How'd I end up back in here?"

Before Ganondorf could open his mouth to demand an explanation for this stupidity, he heard the sound of a door opening above him, followed by a surprised shriek as a Lizalfos abruptly fell from above and hit the floor with a resounding thud. Ganondorf and the monsters still in the main hall looked up just in time to see a door on the ceiling close and vanish into thin air. The Darknut that had just been about to follow that Lizalfos looked at the door, then back at his groaning comrade, and shook his head violently as he tried to make sense of the situation.

"S-sire! Something's wrong with this place!" a Wizzrobe cried in distress as more and more monsters began to get lost in the castle.

Ganondorf gritted his teeth. "This must be some sort of elaborate system of traps. But all it's doing is turning doors into random portals. How utterly juvenile. Stop making yourselves look even more foolish, and let me handle this nonsense!"

The monsters quieted as they eagerly waited for their master to fix this mess. Ganondorf brought his fist up, awakening the Triforce of Power within him. Willing this idiotic magic to dissipate, Ganondorf unleashed wave after wave of dark energy, shattering the various traps and spells throughout the castle. When he was certain that all of them were nullified, he lowered his hand and glared at the big oak doors that likely led to the Throne Room. With a dramatic flourish of his cloak, Ganondorf strode up the flight of stairs and roughly thrust open the doors, which groaned in protest. Ganondorf spied two thrones at the opposite end of the room and marched towards them. As he approached, he took note of the fact that one throne was situated at a higher level than the other. The higher one was gold, and bore an image of the sun. The lesser throne next to it was black and decorated with a crescent moon symbol. For a very brief moment, Ganondorf was reminded of the age-old symbol of his people, the star and crescent moon, and with that moment came the fleetest sensation of something that had almost become foreign to the King of Darkness.

Regret.

But it was gone as quickly as it had come, before Ganondorf could even have time to register it. So, the princess affiliated with the sun places herself higher than her moon-affiliated sister, he noted in his mind. How amusing; the lesser one probably worships the older too much to take note of her own political inferiority. Perhaps I can find a way to use that if the situation presents itself…

The idea of possibly turning the Lunar Princess to his side was a tempting one. But before he could think on this matter further, he realized he had reached Celestia's throne, and blinked as he saw something sitting on the chair.

A freshly-baked pie, with a sticky note attached to the tinfoil pan.

Ganondorf's brow furrowed. Was this another trick? He had dispelled all the wards that had been impeding his progress; surely whatever spell this had been booby-trapped with had been similarly nullified. Ganondorf cautiously picked up the pie, tore off the note, and read it.

Scrawled in big, bolded letters were the following words:

SOOOEY! PIG-PIG-PIG-PIG!

"What?" Ganondorf uttered in confusion.

His answer came in the form of the pie flying out of the tin and splattering all over Ganondorf's shocked face. As the ruined contents dribbled all over his face, hair, and armor, Ganondorf just stood there, stock-still, an expression of utter shock and incomprehensible fury on his face, still holding the empty pie tin and the now-ruined note.

XXXXXX

Canterlot Caverns…

Discord couldn't contain himself any longer; the chaotic spirit burst into a fit of hysterical laughter as he observed his beautiful chaos on various crystal walls that were acting as viewing screens of sorts that monitored the entirety of Canterlot. "His face! Oh sweet Faust, his FACE!" Discord cackled in between breaths.

The final prank he had sprung on the uptight King of Darkness himself had been Discord's favorite part of the whole incident. And now that the monsters' weapons had all been rendered useless, (well, save the ones in the castle, but who was counting?) it would be quite a long time before they could mount any sort of offensive on the rest of Equestria.

Which suited Discord just fine, because he was just getting started.

XXXXXX

Ponyville…

From atop one of the guard towers, Maulgrim grimly watched as the distant capital of Canterlot fell to Ganon's invading army. The two Bokoblin archers stationed in that tower watched alongside him, all of them knowing it was simply a matter of time before Ganon turned his attention towards them.

Maulgrim's ear twitched as he picked up the sound of someone climbing up the ladder behind him, the newcomer clearing his throat to announce his presence.

"Well, I sent the kid off to school," Nigellas said. "She seemed a little out of it, though. Must not be getting a lot of sleep, considering everything that's been going on."

The Wizzrobe then noticed how Maulgrim was looking towards Canterlot with a grim expression. "What's got your attention, Grim?" he asked, using a nickname he knew the Darknut loathed.

"Canterlot has just fallen," Maulgrim answered without looking away, his arms folded, the situation too grim for him to acknowledge the admittedly-appropriate moniker. "I just saw the shield collapse and Ganon's forces enter the city."

Nigellas's expression hardened as he joined his old companion. "So the old bastard's making his move, is he?"

"Looks like it," Maulgrim replied.

Nigellas sighed. "You know what this means, don't you?" he asked solemnly.

Maulgrim finally turned away from the sight of Canterlot and headed towards the ladder. "I will speak with Mayor Mare and organize a town meeting. The time has come; we must prepare these ponies for war."

"I'll go double the town watch," Nigellas offered, following Maulgrim down the ladder. "If Ganon sends troops after us, we'll see them coming from miles away."

XXXXXX

Ponyville Elementary…

Scootaloo could barely focus on Miss Cheerilee's lessons, rubbing her eyes and yawning tiredly. The events of last night had eliminated any possibility of sleep for the young pegasus, and now she was suffering the consequences. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle both shared concerned looks as they observed their exhausted friend. As soon as the recess bell rang, and the foals all got up to go play outside, the two of them accosted their friend before she could even rouse herself enough to stand up.

"Scoots? Are ya alright?" Applebloom asked. "You don't look so good."

"Did you not get any sleep last night?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo shook her head, as if to clear her thoughts. "Yeah. Just a bad dream. I'm fine."

Applebloom narrowed her eyes. Having been raised by Applejack, a pony who could smell a lie from miles away, Applebloom knew that Scootaloo wasn't fine at all. Whatever bad dream she had, it had really messed with her. But why was she trying to hide it?

"Scootaloo, you're not fine," Applebloom plainly pointed out. "Ya look like you're 'bout ready t'fall over. We're your friends; we don't keep secrets from each other, do we? Tell us what's goin' on."

Some friend you are, in their eyes. After all, you did not ever tell them about your late father, did you?

Scootaloo released a shuddering breath as she heard his voice in her head. And the truth of his words stung; she had kept her past a secret from her closest friends until Vaati had exposed it. What was one more secret to keep? Especially if it meant keeping her friends safe…

"C'mon, Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle pressed. "Tell us what's going on. We want to help you."

"Well, you can't, so can't you just drop it?!" Scootaloo suddenly snapped angrily, slamming her hooves down on her desk.

The noise made her friends jump, their eyes wide with shock and hurt. Scootaloo took advantage of their silence by standing up. "Just…leave me alone for right now, alright?"

Scootaloo began walking towards the door. "B-but, Scootaloo…" Sweetie Belle stammered.

"I SAID I NEED TO BE ALONE, FAUSTDAMMIT!" Scootaloo screamed angrily as she turned towards them, barely fighting back tears.

Without another word, Scootaloo took off, leaving two confused and distressed friends behind. As soon as Scootaloo was gone, Sweetie Belle started to cry. "W-what's going on, Applebloom?" she whimpered, choking back a sob. "Why i-is she s-so mad at us? What d-d-did we do?"

Applebloom hugged her sobbing friend, fighting back her own tears for her sake. "Ah don't know, Sweetie," she said, trying to keep her voice calm. "There's somethin' she ain't tellin' us, and we're gonna find out what."

"B-but she said she w-w-wants us to leave her alone!" Sweetie Belle sobbed.

"We're her friends. She needs us, whether she wants t'admit 're not. C'mon, Sweetie. Let's go find her."

Meanwhile, Scootaloo hid behind a bush, a spot that none of the other foals knew about. It was her own personal hidey-hole, and right now, she desperately needed it. As she hunkered down in her hiding place, her thoughts strayed back to the events of last night, cruelly taunting her.

XXXXXX

Last night, Palace of Winds…

Majora.

Majora had found Equestria.

The moment she realized that, a cold feeling of dread washed over her body. Scootaloo remembered what she had read about Hyrule's dreaded God of Evil. Ganondorf was small-time compared to him.

But how had he found it? And why was she the only one that knew about it?

And then it hit her, and the young filly threw off her covers and approached her closet, flinging it open. Right where she remembered putting it was the replica of Majora's Mask she had worn for last year's Nightmare Night. He was here because of this. It had been made because she asked for it.

This was her fault.

But now was the time to make it right. Picking up the mask, she flapped her wings and rose into the air, hovering through the darkened, silent corridors of the Palace over to the front doors. She tried to be as quiet as possible, but the heavy oak doors still creaked audibly as she gingerly nudged them open. A cool rush of nighttime air swept over her small frame as she flew around the Palace all the way to the back. She raised the mask over her head, intending to chuck it into the Everfree Forest below her, where it couldn't bother her again.

Are you prepared to face the consequences of what you are about to do?

Scootaloo's blood ran cold as she realized that the mask was talking to her, and she was frozen in place out of fear.

You think merely tossing this mask into the bowels of this forest will rid you of me? Stupid, ignorant child. There is no escape from me.

Scootaloo finally found her voice again. "Y-you're bluffing…"

Am I?

Scootaloo was silent.

Are you willing to take that chance?

Uncertainty clouded her mind.

Answer me, child.

Scootaloo slowly lowered the mask.

I thought as much.

Scootaloo gritted her teeth in anger. "I swear, I'll find some way to get rid of you!"

Even if it means your friends' deaths?

Scootaloo's heart nearly stopped. "W-what…?"

You are mine now, child. If you attempt to escape me, I will destroy them. And you will watch them die.

Scootaloo didn't know what to think. She wanted to escape this nightmare so badly, but to do so would endanger her closest friends. "What do you want from me?!" Scootaloo demanded tearfully.

I want you to see the truth. The truth that your self-appointed idols have hidden from you. The truth of your world and your false gods.

Scootaloo fell silent, confused and afraid.

My time is coming, child. If you wish to spare your friends a terrible fate, you will heed my will and renounce all the bonds you have made in this world.

Scootaloo shook her head. "I-I won't abandon my friends!"

Then they will die.

Majora had spoken this so matter-of-factly that it terrified her.

Your bonds of friendship must be sundered. For their own good.

Tears leaked down Scootaloo's face as she sighed heavily. "You win."

A wise decision, child.

Suddenly, a fierce look of determination crossed her features. "But I will fight you. I swear I'll keep resisting you as long as I can."

I have broken far greater minds than your own, child.

Majora unleashed a hideous laugh as Scootaloo fell to her knees in despair.

XXXXXX

Present…

Scootaloo was jolted out of their thoughts as she heard her name being called. "Scootaloo! Scootaloo!" Applebloom called out, searching for her friend.

No.

"Scootaloo, where are you?" Sweetie Belle cried.

Please…

"C'mon, Scootaloo, we can't just leave ya alone like this!" Applebloom pleaded.

You have to…please, just go away…

After several moments of silence, Applebloom sighed sadly. "It's no use. She's gone."

"What're we gonna do, Applebloom?" Sweetie Belle tearfully asked. "I f-feel like we're losing her…"

Applebloom's voice cracked as she answered, "Ah don't know."

The end-of-recess bell chose that moment to ring, and the fillies and colts all began to head back into the schoolhouse. Scootaloo, however, stayed behind, hidden, not wanting to return to the classroom. She couldn't bear to see her friends again. It would only make things harder for her. She didn't want them to get hurt; like it or not, she knew what she had to do.

"I-I'm so sorry, girls," Scootaloo whimpered as she cried to herself, alone and vulnerable.

XXXXXX

The Badlands…

For a short while, Vaati had repeated the act of carrying those who could not fly while he and those that could did so. However, about halfway across the desert, Vaati said, "We need to travel the rest of the way by foot. Otherwise, the Gohma will certainly see us coming, and it would be preferable to retain the element of surprise."

With this in mind, he, Chrysalis, Rainbow, and Fluttershy all lowered themselves to the ground, Vaati returning to his Hylian form as he released his passengers. Rover was naturally panting like, well, a dog, as he took a swig from his waterskin. Rarity wiped the sweat from her brow as she whined, "Ugh, it's so unbearably hot out here! All this sweat makes me feel so unclean! It's certain to ruin my makeup!"

Rover put his paws over his ears and whimpered, "No, please, no…"

Rarity suddenly realized what she was doing and coughed in embarrassment. "Ah, sorry, Rover, dear."

"Oh, just suck it up, will you?" Vaati snapped irritably. "This is a quest! You can't go on a quest and expect to stay perfect and pretty through the whole thing!"

Rarity fought the urge to pout, as she knew the sorcerer was right. Didn't mean she had to like it, though.

The group began walking across the barren wasteland towards a lone mountain in the middle of the Badlands. Not ten minutes later, though, a sudden rumble caught their attention, causing them all to stop. "Did any of you feel that just now?" Vaati asked.

"Strange," Twilight replied. "I don't recall there being any fault lines near the Badlands. Earthquakes shouldn't be commonplace around…"

However, before she could finish her sentence, the ground exploded in front of them as something forced its way out. They all cried out in surprise as they saw a large, sandworm-like beast rise into the air. While its body was worm-like, its head bore a resemblance to the head of a fly, with two large compound eyes situated on either side of its head. "What the?!" Rainbow cried. "What is that?!"

Suddenly two more exploded out of the ground and joined the first one in the air as they circled the group like a trio of vultures. "Oh, this is just incredible," Vaati seethed as he watched the monsters circling overhead. "It just had to be freaking Lanmolas…"

"Vaati, what are these things?!" Twilight cried out, readying an offensive spell as the creatures broke off and tunneled back into the ground.

"Lanmolas," Vaati answered. "Sandworms native to Hyrule. Ganon must have brought them here to impede our progress across the desert. Be careful where you step! They'll try to pop up right underneath you!"

"I never encountered these creatures during my own journey across this wasteland!" Chrysalis pointed out. "Why are they appearing now?!"

"Waiting for us, most likely," Vaati replied.

Just then the sorcerer felt the ground vibrate beneath him. "SCATTER!"

Everyone dove in random directions as the Lanmolas emerged once more from the ground, emitting a clicking, insectoid hiss. One came right at Vaati, its mandibles opening wide. Vaati promptly blasted it backwards with an intense gust of wind, knocking the Lanmola out of the air. The creature flailed on the ground in confusion momentarily before tunneling back beneath the earth. Another came at Chrysalis, who snarled in anger as she let loose a stream of green flames that washed over the Lanmola. Chrysalis stepped aside as the screeching sandworm fell to the ground, writhing in agony as it was consumed by the eldritch flames.

"Remind me never to piss bug-pony off," Rover plainly stated.

The third Lanmola zeroed in on Twilight, who reacted by enveloping the monster in her magic and throwing it against the ground. As she struggled to hold the monster in place, Rover came up and crushed its head with his mace, splattering bug juice all over the place. Twilight's eyes widened almost to the size of saucers as she felt some of it hit her face and chest.

Blood.

I'm covered in blood!

And then the flashback hit her.

XXXXXX

Streets of Canterlot, two months ago…

Chaos reigned in the streets as ponies, monsters, and Changelings battled, with the Changelings clearly on the losing side. Twilight tried to stay close to her friends, but they were soon lost in the throng of struggling bodies, and she was all alone. Suddenly she saw a Changeling right before it crashed into her, pinning the unicorn against the ground. Twilight yelped as the Changeling snapped at her face, trying to push it back with her hooves. Glancing about in panic, Twilight noticed a broken Moblin spear nearby and quickly seized it in her magical grip. Survival instinct quickly taking over, she pulled it towards her and plunged it into the Changeling's shoulder, the spearhead punching all the way through the other shoulder.

The Changeling shrieked in agony as its grip slackened, its green blood squirting all over her body and face as she pushed it off. She struggled to her hooves and watched as the Changeling spasmed on the ground. She dared to look into its eyes, and in that moment, she did not see a mindless monster; she saw a sentient being that was dying, and pleading to whatever god it had for the life that was even now leaving its eyes. That fearful expression soon became frozen on the Changeling's face as its body ceased twitching. Twilight then saw her reflection in a piece of broken glass from one of the shattered windows of a store; she was covered in the Changeling's blood, the Changeling she had just killed.

She stumbled back and fell on her haunches as she released a choking sob, her eyes never leaving the face of the dead Changeling, unable to tear her gaze away from that empty, fearful expression forever staring into nothingness.

XXXXXX

Twilight, overcome by the memory of the Canterlot Wedding Battle, began to hyperventilate as tears spilled down her face. She began wiping at her face frantically, trying to wipe off the blood but instead smearing it all over her. "Get it off me! Get it off me! GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF ME!" Twilight repeatedly shrieked in panic.

Vaati snapped his head in Twilight's direction as she utterly broke down, eyes widening in worry. "Twilight? Twilight!" Vaati cried, starting towards her.

However, the remaining Lanmola chose this moment to resurface, bursting out of the sand between the sorcerer and his traumatized friend. Vaati gritted his teeth angrily as he quickly assumed his demon form. "I don't have the patience for this! OUT OF MY WAY!" he roared, seizing the sandworm in his talons and unceremoniously snapping it in two like a twig.

Vaati cast the broken corpse aside before returning to normal as he rushed to Twilight's side, the rest of the Mane Six not far behind. "Twilight! Twilight, what's wrong?" Vaati demanded, placing his hands on her shoulders to steady her.

"NO! NO! PLEASE! GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF ME!" Twilight screamed, desperately trying to get the blood off her face.

"Twi! Twi, calm down! Calm down, it's alright!" Applejack said, enveloping her friend in a hug. "It's alright, sugarcube, yer alright…"

Vaati and the others quickly joined in as Rarity fished a kerchief out of Twilight's satchel and wet it with some water. "It's alright, dear, just hold still," Rarity soothingly said as she began wiping Twilight's tear and bloodstained face.

"What in Tartarus is wrong with her?!" Chrysalis demanded, annoyed at this turn of events.

Rarity shot the queen a pointed look as she finished cleaning her blubbering friend's face. Confident that the others would see to her well-being, Rarity broke off from the group and walked past Chrysalis, jerking her head in a motionless request to follow her. Chrysalis huffed but complied as she and Rarity trotted a safe distance away so Twilight could not overhear them.

"War is hell, Chrysalis," Rarity began. "You're not the only one who realized it that day you attacked Canterlot."

Chrysalis repressed a shudder at the reminder of her greatest blunder. "What are you talking about?!" Chrysalis snapped haughtily as she attempted to suppress her emotions.

"I know the implications of this will probably go right over your head, but during the battle, if any of us could even call it that, Twilight killed someone for the first time. She was defending herself, yes, but she watched a Changeling die at her hooves. Its blood was all over her. She saw that it knew it was dying and that it was scared. Can you even begin to imagine how that affected someone as caring and friendly as Twilight?"

"And what does that have to do with what happened here?" Chrysalis asked, uncomprehending.

"Flashbacks, Chrysalis," Rarity answered. "When that sandworm's blood got all over her, she had a flashback, and she experienced that trauma and pain all over again. What she saw on that day is going to haunt her for the rest of her life. Now do you understand?"

Realization slowly dawned on the Changeling queen as it hit her. "You ponies have a name for it…" she spoke.

"Post-traumatic stress disorder," Rarity confirmed grimly. "How did you know about it?"

"Do you honestly think Canterlot was the first time I've been to Equestria?" Chrysalis replied. "I've lived a long time, pony. Not as long as your princesses, but at least a few centuries. I spent a great deal of time studying your knowledge and ways."

Both their ears pricked as they heard someone walk up to them.

"Why wasn't I told of this?" Vaati softly asked, having heard their conversation with that extra-sharp hearing of his. "Why didn't she tell me?"

Rarity turned to look at him. "Do you really think she wanted to relive that experience, Vaati?" she pointed out.

"If I had known, I wouldn't have been so adamant about all of us coming," Vaati responded.

Rarity shook her head. "No, Vaati. You made a very good case when you insisted we all go. Besides, the six of us always stick together. That's what makes us strong."

"How touching," Chrysalis scoffed. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to save my people, if that doesn't bother your little bonding session too much?"

"We're not going anywhere until Twilight recovers," Vaati proclaimed, turning on his heel to help see to Twilight.

It took several minutes for Twilight to finally calm down. When she did, she made numerous apologies for holding them up like she had, and they finally continued on, leaving the ruined corpses of the Lanmolas behind. The rest of the trek through the desert, thankfully, passed without incident, and all too soon they had reached the lonely mountain that contained the Changelings' lair. A narrow path wound its way up towards the peak, where a large cave was barely visible. Vaati stopped and turned towards his entourage.

"Alright, this is it," he announced. "When we penetrate the Gohma's lair, all Tartarus is going to break loose. Our first goal should be to locate any surviving Changelings that have been imprisoned and free them so that Chrysalis can empower them. After that, we need to find the Queen's chamber, which will likely be the same chamber Chrysalis once occupied, and destroy the Gohma Queen. The queen is likely the one holding the Element of Generosity hostage, and her death will remove the rest of her brood as a threat. Unfortunately she'll likely be under heavy guard. Chrysalis, how big is your personal chamber?"

"It could comfortably accommodate two adult dragons," Chrysalis answered. "Why?"

"Because the bigger the chamber, the likelier it is we'll be confronting at least one Armogohma once we reach it. They're gigantic, so they'll probably stay in the area they have the most freedom of movement in. Armogohmas should also be priority targets; sometimes one can assume the role of secondary queen if the main one dies, as Armogohmas are the only Gohma besides the queen that possess the ability to lay eggs."

"In either case," Chrysalis maintained firmly. "I wish to dispose of their wretched queen myself. This is my hive, and she is intruding on my territory."

"Ah, Chrysalis," Rarity spoke up. "As much as I understand where you're coming from, remember that this is my Element at stake here."

"Ah wasn't th' one that took down th' Stallord, remember?" Applejack pointed out. "If she wants t'take down this other queen herself, Ah say let 'er. Ain't no harm done."

"Before we begin, allow me to say," Zecora spoke, fishing out a potion from her satchel. "This potion should be useful for keeping bad bugs away."

"Will it affect my Changelings?" Chrysalis demanded.

"I'm afraid so, but do not fear; I will not use it when your people are near."

"The Gohma will likely be keeping all the imprisoned Changelings together in one place," Vaati advised. "Keep a sharp eye out, and remember; all Gohma can be quickly slain if you target the eye. So, with all that aside…is everyone ready?"

Twilight gulped and nodded, hoping that the coming battle would not induce another fit.

Pinkie bounced up and down as she hefted her candy cane axe over her shoulder. "Yep yep yep!"

Fluttershy reluctantly armed her crossbow with a gulp.

Rainbow gripped her lance tighter and said, "Looks like it's time to call an exterminator!"

Rarity readied her saber with a grim expression.

Applejack adjusted her hat. "Let's squash some bugs."

Zecora placed her insect-deterring potion in her mouth, ready to throw it at a moment's notice.

Rover smacked his mace against his paw, growling in anticipation.

Chrysalis's wings buzzed in agitation as she glared up at the mountaintop. I'm coming, my children, she projected with her mind, feeling the surprise and mounting hope of her subjects as they heard her. Just hold on; Mama's coming.

"Then let's do this," Vaati intoned, summoning his rapier as he led them up the mountain pass.

No words were spoken as they traversed the pass, all of them anticipating what was certain to be a tough fight. By the time they had almost reached the entrance to the Changeling Hive, Twilight, Rarity, and Zecora were quite winded. Vaati abruptly raised his hands, signaling them all to halt. "Few minutes to rest," he explained. "Once we've all caught our breath, we move in. The entrance is just up ahead."

They all nodded and did as he suggested, drinking water and relaxing for a brief moment. Once everyone had sufficiently recovered, Vaati peeked over from behind a boulder at the mouth of the cave. Two Pincer Gohma, which the Equestrians remembered as being the soldier caste, stood guard, their ponderous, singular eyes scanning the environment for any possible threats. Vaati looked over his shoulder and gestured at Fluttershy and Rarity to join him. "We'll need to eliminate them quickly," he whispered. "Unfortunately, no matter how we do it, killing them will alert the rest of the hive to our presence. So we'll have to do this quickly so we can get as deep inside their lair as possible before they rally. I want you two to do it. You know where to aim, right?"

Both of them nodded. Seeing Fluttershy's pained expression, Vaati sighed. "Fluttershy, don't feel bad about this. The Gohma are mindless automatons. They're soulless monsters that exist solely to devour and eradicate other species. Compassion is a wasted effort on these creatures. They don't feel fear, anger, or happiness; only hunger."

Though that didn't offer much comfort to the timid pegasus, it at least assured her that this was the right thing to do. Vaati stepped back to give the two of them some room. "I'll take the closer one," Rarity advised as she telekinetically readied a sharpened throwing gem. "Alright, dear?"

Fluttershy nodded, aiming her crossbow at the Gohma Soldier furthest from her. After a few moments' hesitation, a bolt and a gem both flew, nailing each Pincer Gohma in the eye. The creatures shrieked and fell writhing to the ground. Moments later, their legs curled in on themselves, and the soldiers went still. Vaati immediately rushed forward, pointing at the cave. "Go! Go!" he yelled.

With a chorus of battle cries, the ponies, Diamond Dog, zebra, and Changeling all followed the sorcerer into the Changeling Hive. A handful of Gohma Larvae immediately turned to face them, chittering with surprise and ill intent. Chrysalis promptly blasted one in the eye with enough force to blow it to smithereens. Vaati stabbed another one with his sword, while Rarity expertly nailed the remaining ones with more of her throwing gems. "Come," Chrysalis bade, taking the lead. "I know where my people are being held."

The Changeling Queen led them through the winding tunnels as the sound of mobilizing Gohma began to get louder. A Pincer Gohma abruptly blocked their path, flanked by a number of Larvae. "Come and get some!" Rainbow cried, diving down at one of the Larvae and impaling it with her spear.

Vaati sidestepped as one of the Larvae lunged at him with a chirp, stabbing it as it turned for another assault. Chrysalis, overcome by rage, vengeance, and a lust for battle, immediately went for the soldier, firing another beam of green energy at its eye. However, this time the Gohma soldier protected its eye by shielding it with one of its ponderous claws. It then retaliated by shooting several small spheres of energy out of its eye at Chrysalis, who promptly raised a shield to ward off the blasts. As she was defending herself, Rover rushed forward, his mace raised high. The Pincer Gohma had no time to react, and was helpless to stop the Diamond Dog from utterly crushing its head with a sickening crunch. Another Larva lunged at Rarity, who promptly stopped its attack cold with her saber. Pinkie slew another with a well-timed swing of her axe, while Fluttershy took down another with her crossbow. As soon as the last one fell, Chrysalis hurriedly continued onward. "This way!"

Soon they found themselves in a large chamber. While it was not the queen's chamber, it was still rather large, and lining the ceiling and walls were multiple cocoons holding imprisoned Changelings, which began to struggle against their bonds with much more ferocity as they saw their queen return at last. However, a large group of Gohma Soldiers was also waiting for them, which glared at the intruders with their bulging, creepy eyes. Twilight struck first by enveloping the entire swarm with her magic, lifting them into the air, and smashing them against the ground to disorient them. As soon as the soldiers were downed, Vaati and his entourage fell upon them with bloodthirsty zeal, eliminating them before they had a chance to right themselves.

Once the soldiers were dispatched, Vaati took note of the Changelings trapped in the chamber. There were at least several hundred of them trapped here; nowhere near what their numbers had been during the wedding incident, but still a little more than what had ultimately survived that bloodbath. Changelings must mature quickly, Vaati thought to himself. Though, considering their insectoid nature, I suppose it only makes sense.

Chrysalis stepped forward, smiling as she was reunited with her subjects. "The time has come, my children," she intoned, her horn glowing with the positive energy she had gained from the Red Potion. "The Gohma scum have overstayed their welcome here. Now is the time to take back our hive!" Her love energy washed over the Changelings, strengthening them. "Feed, my darlings! Feed, and vengeance will be ours!"

Newly empowered, the Changelings began to force their way out of their prisons with squelching sounds, chattering as they swarmed in the air like a horde of enraged locusts. Suddenly, the chittering of approaching Gohma joined them as the monstrous invaders began pouring into the chamber, intent on preventing the Changelings from escaping. Hundreds of larvae and soldiers rushed forth to meet them, their blue bioluminescence clashing with the green bioluminescence of the Changeling Hive. And without a moment's hesitation, Zecora unleashed her potion, a yellow cloud enveloping the Gohma horde, eliciting a chorus of shrieks and hisses as the monsters recoiled.

Chrysalis's grin was terrifying. Her Changelings shared her animalistic smile as she reared and yelled, "CHARGE!"

And the battle began.



The Gohma swarm charged as the Changelings flew over them, firing countless blasts of energy at their enemies, directed by Chrysalis's newfound knowledge of their weaknesses. Dozens of larvae and even a few soldiers collapsed under the deadly rain of Changeling energy beams, and the Gohma advance momentarily buckled under the assault. It was then that Vaati and company joined the charge, Fluttershy flying up to join the swarming Changelings as she took potshots at the Gohma army. Vaati assumed his demon form with a bloodlusted roar, tearing into the Gohma with his mighty claws and flinging multiple balls of electrical energy into the horde of monsters. Twilight held back and shot an energy beam at any Gohma that broke off from the swarm to get at her, willing herself not to have another episode by continually reminding herself that these creatures were not sentient.

Rover swung his mace with a battle-crazed howl, smashing Gohma left and right, with Pinkie watching his back and lashing out with equal zeal. Rarity and Rainbow also stood together back-to-back, decimating any Gohma that dared approach them. Applejack bucked and thrashed with all her might, knocking countless Gohma away from her, with Zecora close by doing the same. As soon as the potion's effects wore off, the countless hordes of Gohma began to recover, the Pincers glancing skyward and shooting dozens of energy balls in answer to the relentless Changeling assault. Some of the Changelings were hit, unfortunately, cutting their lives short. The Gohma swarm finally began to push back, forcing Vaati's group further back into the chamber. Many of the Changelings responded by landing on the ground and firing a salvo of energy beams at the approaching Gohma horde, felling many more. But their numbers were seemingly endless, and the Gohma relentlessly pressed on.

Realizing that fighting at a distance was no longer an option, the Changelings hissed their battle cries and charged, horns lowered to act like a wall of spears. The two insectoid swarms smashed into each other with a thunderous crash. While a number of Changelings were still fighting from the air, most of them were now on the ground. Still, the initial assault had yielded promising results; the Gohma swarm was significantly reduced in number, and now the two armies were of roughly equal size and strength.

Vaati roared as he felt a salvo of Gohma energy balls strike him from behind. He turned to see a trio of soldiers advancing on him, their eyes aglow in preparation of another attack. Vaati did not give them the chance, summoning a horde of stone eyes that spat a continuous stream of white-hot lasers at the arachnids, eliminating them. He then enveloped the stone eyes in dark energy and sent them hurtling into the swarms of Gohma still pouring into the chamber. Satisfied with the results, Vaati saw a Larva crawling towards him and promptly smashed it with his fist.

Chrysalis reveled in the fight, unleashing every attack spell she knew into the Gohma hordes. Several soldiers, recognizing her as a priority target, shot energy balls at her, but Chrysalis dodged and retaliated with larger energy balls of her own, reducing the attackers to mush. She fired beam after beam into the swarm, each one easily slaying a foe. The Changelings still hovering in the air rallied around her, continuously raining death down upon their loathsome enemies. Many Gohma were too distracted by the Changelings assaulting them from the ground to turn their attention towards the fliers. Even with their superior numbers, it was clear that this fight was beginning to turn against the Gohma's favor.

The combined assault of Changelings, demon, ponies, Diamond Dog, and Zebra began to whittle down the Gohma's numbers, though in their mindless existence, the thought of retreat never once entered into the arachnids' collective minds. Thus, they kept coming, determined to wipe out as many foes as they possibly could. Vaati unleashed an eye beam into the onrushing Gohma, leaving nothing but greasy smudges on the floor. With the fresh energy flowing through their veins, the Changelings were putting up a much greater fight than before, and now the tables had been turned on their predatory conquerors. And with Vaati, the Mane Six, and a Diamond Dog amongst the Changeling onslaught, the Gohma ultimately stood little chance.

What for the longest time had been a continuous stream of Gohma attackers finally began to slow to a trickle, until the last of them finally came skittering into the chamber. The Changeling swarm pushed against the remaining attackers, continuously thinning their ranks. And after a few more minutes of intense fighting, the last Pincer fell, Rainbow's lance lodged in its eye. The chamber fell silent as the survivors took note of their losses. Vaati and his entourage all breathed a sigh of relief at seeing that all of them had survived. Chrysalis was not so enthused, observing the silent battlefield with a grim, saddened expression. Numerous Changelings both dead and dying lay scattered amongst the broken corpses of Gohma. At least a hundred more of her children had perished in the fighting, but she strengthened her resolve by reminding herself that they had gone down fighting for her and each other, in defense of their homes, rather than as meals for the Gohma.

"It's not over," Vaati said, returning to human form. "The queen is still in her chamber, and there will be more Gohma waiting for us there."

Chrysalis nodded in acknowledgment. "I will lead you there. Let's end this."

At her direction, the surviving Changelings joined Vaati's party as they navigated through the winding passageways of the hive. No more Gohma came forward to assault them, likely because all of them save for the Queen Gohma's personal guard had perished back in the prison chamber. Very soon, they reached the queen's chamber, and stopped cold at what they saw.

A huge swarm of Gohma Larvae and Soldiers awaited them with nasty, hungry glares. Towering over them were two massive spiders large enough to go toe-to-toe with an adult dragon. And where Chrysalis's throne once sat was the Gohma Queen, a twisted abomination of claws, pincers, and segmented legs, sitting atop a large cluster of eggs that even now was growing in number by the minute. Queen Chrysalis stared down her Gohma counterpart with a fiery hatred and righteous anger. The Gohma Queen unleashed a guttural growl as she directed her remaining swarms, glaring back at Chrysalis with equal hatred. The Gohma began to slowly advance, ready to devour the rebellious intruders. Chrysalis gritted her teeth, her heart burning with vengeful fury as she abruptly took to the air. "YOU'RE MINE, BITCH!" she roared, lithely dodging all the Gohma projectiles sent her way in her rush to get to the Queen.

"Go! Attack! ATTACK!" Vaati commanded.

"To the queen!" the Changelings chorused out loud, surprising Vaati and the Equestrians, who had not known that regular Changelings could actually speak.

Again, the two swarms collided with the force of an earthquake, both sides continuously firing volleys of their corresponding energy beams at one another. The Armogohmas stalked forward, ready to crush the Changelings flat with their mighty legs. Vaati assumed demon form again and yelled, "Come on! We'll deal with the Armogohmas!"

As Chrysalis flew towards the Gohma Queen, her monstrous arachnid nemesis detached herself from her egg sacs with a hideous roar, rearing back as she snapped her claws threateningly. "Did you truly think I would simply stand idly by and allow my children to suffer?!" Chrysalis challenged. "This is MY hive! I am Queen! I will kill you here, filthy usurper!"

The Gohma Queen roared as Chrysalis fired an energy beam at her eye. However, the Gohma Queen closed her eye, Chrysalis's attack deflected by her enemy's thick eyelid. And when the Queen opened her eye again, she immediately retaliated with a beam of her own that Chrysalis swiftly dodged. The Gohma Queen then leapt into the air towards Chrysalis, an attack she had not been expecting. The larger queen knocked the Changeling broodmother out of the air, pinning her against the ground. The Gohma Queen let out a gurgling growl as she glared at her counterpart, ready to devour her. However, Chrysalis recovered quickly, enveloping the Gohma Queen with her magical energy and flinging her against the wall.

Meanwhile, Vaati tussled with one of the massive Armogohmas, pushing against the monster with his enhanced strength while simultaneously sending multitudes of wind and darkness spells at the massive spider, which, alas, merely exploded harmlessly against the creature's thick carapace. Of course, Vaati wasn't trying to kill it; he was merely distracting its attention away from the ground, where Pinkie and Rover were sneaking up on its thrashing legs. Suddenly the Armogohma felt two of its legs give out as Pinkie And Rover simultaneously bludgeoned them with their respective weapons. Losing some of its leg-power, the Armogohma was helpless to stop Vaati as he abruptly tugged at its front legs, forcing the massive arachnid to the ground. Rainbow wasted no time in dive-bombing it and driving her spear into the huge eye on its back, silencing the beast.

The other Armogohma unleashed a stream of fire from the eye on its back, roasting a number of Changelings that had been unfortunate enough to be flying overhead at that moment. Suddenly it felt its legs freeze up as two magical auras enveloped them. Twilight and Rarity simultaneously pulled all its legs outward, dragging the Armogohma screeching to the ground. As soon as it was grounded, Rarity flung a multitude of sharpened diamonds into the monster's eye. "Good work, dear," Rarity commended Twilight, who gulped as she nodded.

The both of them looked towards where Chrysalis and the Gohma Queen were fighting and pondered whether or not she needed any help.

Chrysalis flung energy balls at the Queen, but they were unable to penetrate her tough exoskeleton. The Gohma Queen lunged at Chrysalis again, but this time she was expecting the attack and flew out of her opponent's reach. The Gohma Queen crushed an unfortunate Changeling beneath her impressive bulk as she made landfall. Chrysalis's heart swelled in anger at this as the Gohma Queen turned to face her as though the slaying of Chrysalis's kin wasn't even a matter of concern. Chrysalis also chose to make landfall, glaring at the Queen Gohma with narrowed intensity. The Gohma Queen stalked menacingly towards her, emitting that strange gurgling noise again. With a furious yell, Chrysalis charged forward and threw herself against the Gohma Queen, using her magic to augment her strength. The Queen uttered a shriek of surprise as she actually felt herself being pushed back by the smaller queen. Chrysalis then touched her horn to the Gohma Queen's chest, sending thousands of volts into her body.

The Gohma Queen roared as she threw Chrysalis off of her. But Chrysalis was not down and out just yet. Baring her teeth in a snarl, Chrysalis once more enveloped the Gohma Queen in her magic and flung her nemesis into the wall again and again before smashing her against the ground. The Gohma Queen snarled as she righted herself. But Chrysalis was already upon her, and the Changeling Queen struck the Gohma Queen with more volts of emerald electricity.

It was too much for the Gohma Queen.

Chrysalis's rage-fuelled assault was just too strong. The opposing queen hissed as she struggled to remain standing, her eye opening as she glared at Chrysalis. Seeing her chance, Chrysalis ceased her attack and glared right back. "Are you in pain?" she spoke coldly. "Good; it is paltry compared to the pain you put my hive through. This is for every Changeling you tortured and killed, you filthy wretch!"

Chrysalis, channeling the rage and sorrow of her people, unleashed a mighty yell as she drove her jagged horn right through the Gohma Queen's eye, sending more of her magic through her convulsing body for good measure. The Gohma Queen shrieked as she was consumed by emerald flames that burned her from the inside out. By the time Chrysalis dislodged her horn, the Gohma Queen's smoking body collapsed into a pile of hideous-smelling ashes.

The effect was immediate. The remaining Gohma swarms went absolutely berserk, overcome by the pain of the loss of their collective consciousness. The Changelings and their allies immediately backed off as the Gohma succumbed to their madness, ravenously tearing one another and themselves apart. Rarity shielded Fluttershy's eyes from the gruesome sight as the Element of Generosity materialized around her neck, while the Changelings looked on with grim satisfaction. At last, their hive had been reclaimed.

XXXXXX

Thirty minutes later, outside the Changeling Hive…

While a funeral pyre burned for the nearly two hundred Changelings that had fallen in battle, the survivors chucked the broken remains of the Gohma invaders over the cliff to serve as a warning to any who dared to attempt to threaten the Changeling people ever again. Chrysalis observed the funeral pyre with a saddened expression, while Vaati's party busily cleaned their weapons. Without turning away, Chrysalis spoke up, "I wish to accompany you on the rest of your journey. Ganon must pay for the horror he unleashed on my subjects. And yet, my children cannot survive in this harsh climate without me."

Vaati and Twilight shared a look, knowing how to solve this but uncertain of whether the potential consequences were worth it. "Well," Twilight hesitantly began, "there is the Crystal Empire."

Chrysalis turned around to face them. "Crystal Empire? What are you talking about?"

"It's a kingdom of sorts up in the frozen north that is probably full of more love energy than the entirety of Equestria," Vaati explained further. "The Crystal Ponies there use an artifact called the Crystal Heart as a method of protection. It's powered by intense love magic, so much so that its former ruler, King Sombra, a unicorn who was basically a living embodiment of hatred, was quite literally blown to smithereens when it was used against him. From what I heard, even the Elements of Harmony could not have done that to him."

"And who rules this Crystal Empire now?" Chrysalis asked suspiciously, though inwardly hope swelled in her veins.

Vaati and Twilight glanced at each other again. "Princess Cadance and Shining Armor," Twilight reluctantly answered.

All hope evaporated from Chrysalis just like that. "My people would be banished from there long before we could even set foot in it if that is the case," she snapped. "Need I remind you that it was their wedding I almost ruined?!"

"Need I remind you that they were the ones who convinced me to spare your life?" Vaati coolly countered.

Chrysalis fell silent, realizing that the infuriating sorcerer had a point.

"It wouldn't hurt to try," Twilight offered. "The Crystal Heart can feed your people just by being there. And as long as the Crystal Ponies are happy, the Heart's magic is self-regenerating. The Changelings would never go hungry!"

Chrysalis weighed the options in her mind. She did not like it, but this "Crystal Empire" offered the greatest hope for her people's protection and survival. "Very well," she finally said. "But how will they find the Empire? And how can you guarantee that my children will not be killed on sight?"

Vaati waved his hand, summoning an Eye Sentry. "This Eye Sentry bears my memories. Order your Changelings to follow it, and it will lead you to the Empire. Once it does, it will contact me and I will converse with Cadance and her dithering idiot of a husband."

"Hey!" Twilight complained indignantly. "Don't call my brother names!"

Vaati rolled his eyes. "In any case, we'll need to rest for a while. Hopefully the location of the next Element will reveal itself while we sleep."

Rarity gulped at that. While she knew that resting was necessary if they were to find the locations of the remaining Elements, she knew that it was a very likely possibility that she would have a nightmare tonight, and she was not certain she was prepared to deal with it, if her friends' reactions to their own were any indication. Twilight saw this and put a reassuring hoof on Rarity's shoulder. "It'll be okay, Rare," Twilight said comfortingly. "No matter what happens, we're all here for you."

Rarity smiled. "I know."
> Episode 9: Daring Do and the Church of Majora (revised)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

AUTHOR'S NOTE: WARNING! A torture scene lies ahead, my lovelies. Nothing M-rated, but if you are squeamish about torture in general, you may skip this chapter. It does not concern the overall story just yet.

XXXXXXXX000XXXXXXXX

Episode 9: Daring Do and the Church of Majora

Something big was going down in Ahuizotl's territory; of that, legendary adventurer Daring Do was certain. She had come because she needed a new book idea, and Ahuizotl had no shortage of backup plans for his harebrained goal to envelop the Tenochtitlan Valley in eight hundred years of excessive heat. To this day, Daring could not even begin to fathom the reasons for this, especially considering that Princess Celestia could likely correct it with minimal effort if she noticed something was amiss. She had been discreetly keeping an eye on the activities of Ahuizotl's tribe over the last couple of days as they set up camp around yet another ruined temple. Standard Ahuizotl fare.

That is, until he came.

Daring Do had no idea what to think of the strange, bipedal creature that had abruptly appeared in the makeshift village. Whatever it was, it had bone-white hair that fell over its left eye, long ears that tapered to a point with black diamond earrings dangling from the earlobes, and hideously pale skin. The creature's face appeared to be covered in makeup, with white lipstick and thick eyeshadow. Its eyes glinted with unfathomable malice and a sense of smug superiority. It was dressed in outlandish clothing, consisting of a white leotard of sorts with numerous diamond cutouts that exposed more of its skin, with a strangely-designed cloak over top that tapered to three points. Its long-fingered paws were covered by elegant white gloves.

Daring couldn't help but notice that the natives couldn't seem to make sense of him either, surrounding the creature and levelling their weapons threateningly. "You! Intruder!" one of the stallions yelled in broken Common Speech as he thrust his spear at the creature.

To everyone's shock, the creature coolly raised a hand and caught the sharpened stone tip of the spear between two thin fingers. A cruel smile adorned its features as the stallion desperately tried to dislodge his weapon from its vice-like grip. Suddenly, with what seemed to be minimal effort, the being ripped the stallion's spear out of his grasp, and before he could even blink, his own weapon was plunged through his throat. With a strangled gurgle, the unfortunate stallion collapsed and died, his blood staining the jungle floor.

Daring's mouth fell open in shock at such a casual display of violence. Not even the Griffon Rebels had been this utterly ruthless during her hunt for the Griffon's Goblet. Well, that's something I'm gonna have to leave out for the foals' sake.

The remaining tribesponies gawked at the grinning creature, who chuckled menacingly before it opened its mouth and spoke. "That's right, you filthy pack animals. Be afraid. It would be unwise to make my gorge rise, now that I have tasted blood."

Daring furrowed her brow. Whatever this thing was, it was definitely male, and yet his style of clothing and mannerisms all had an effeminate flair that clashed starkly with his bloodthirsty callousness. "I have come to seek an audience with your leader, Ahuizotl," the sinister visitor announced. "Take me to him at once, if you place any value on your insignificant lives."

Too terrified to object, two of the ponies wordlessly ushered the being to follow them into the temple, who blissfully hummed some unknown tune to himself as he complied. Gods, that psycho creeped her out already. Daring waited and watched as the other tribesponies solemnly carried off their murdered comrade. Once they were gone, she quickly followed after the strange creature and entered the ancient temple. She took care to avoid any possible traps and look for alternate paths so that she would not encounter any other tribesponies as she followed the creature to Ahuizotl's new throne room. She watched from a hidden alcove above the room as the creature entered. Ahuizotl sat on his throne, two beautiful female ponies fanning him with palm leaves as he inspected a large golden ring of some kind, his ever-faithful cats lounging at his feet. As soon as the intruder appeared, though, their ears pricked and their heads collectively shot up, all of them sensing something horribly wrong with the strange creature. They hissed and growled as their hair stood on end, alerting Ahuizotl to the newcomer's presence as he stopped in the middle of the throne room.

Ahuizotl was a very strange-looking creature himself; his body was mostly catlike, but his front paws were similar to the white-haired being's own, and an extra hand was situated at the end of his prehensile tail. His head was unusually long, with all his facial features squashed around the front, his massive sharp teeth protruding from his upper jaw. Ahuizotl's eyes narrowed as he saw his unannounced visitor. "Who are you?" he demanded. "And why was I not told of your coming?"

The tribesponies accompanying him opened their mouths to explain the situation, but a clearing of the being's throat silenced them. "I would much rather prefer to do my own introductions, thank you," the creature snapped with false politeness before meeting Ahuizotl's suspicious gaze and taking a grand bow. "Greetings, Lord Ahuizotl of Tenochtitlan Valley. My name is Ghirahim. Lord Ghirahim. I come on behalf of my master to offer you a…proposal."

Daring listened in intently, holding her breath in order not to draw any sort of attention to herself as Ahuizotl responded, "What sort of proposal?"

Ghirahim chuckled darkly as he procured an item from who-knows-where and held it up for Ahuizotl to see. Daring's eyes narrowed as she focused on it. Is that a mask? Daring asked herself, studying the heart-shaped headpiece closely from where she observed the scene.

"This, my prospective companion," Ghirahim explained, "is an item of immense power, far greater than any magical artifact you have ever seen, or ever will again. This is my master's gift to you; the key to your greatness. This is the Mask of Majora."

Ahuizotl stared into the eyes of Majora's Mask, and could not suppress the shudder that ran down his spine. Those eyes almost felt alive somehow, like they were scrutinizing him. Nevertheless, while intrigued, Ahuizotl was not entirely sold on the idea. "And what sort of power could this mask of yours offer me? What sort of being are you?"

Ghirahim pursed his lips impatiently, clicking his tongue in agitation as though considering whether he should grace the equally-strange creature before him with an answer. "I see the pot has no issue calling the kettle black," Ghirahim spoke with a condescending sneer. "After all, you are just as strange a being to the inhabitants of this world as you would be considered in mine."

"I am one of the Children of Krastos, for your information, and you are avoiding my questions," Ahuizotl answered with a threatening gaze.

None of them seemed to notice Daring fighting back a grin as she observed the scene, though it quickly vanished as she considered the implications of Ahuizotl's statement. Children of Krastos? What in the world-wide Equestria is he talking about?

Ghirahim heaved a dramatic sigh. "If you must know, I, sir, am a demon. Why, you could almost call me a Child of Majora, though my master is fortunate enough to still be alive, unlike that 'Devouring Serpent' of yours."

Ahuizotl chose to ignore that, probably because he cared little about the nature of his heritage. Though that would explain why there aren't any others of his kind, Daring thought to herself. But is that Ghirahim weirdo really a demon? And the way he's talking makes it seem like he's from a whole different world! Just what is going on here?

"And what can your master's mask offer me?" Ahuizotl asked again. "You have still not answered that."

Ghirahim grinned. "More power than you will ever know." He lifted the mask over his head. "Observe!"



Ahuizotl's cats, which had been hissing at Ghirahim before, suddenly went deathly silent in primal fear as Majora's Mask awakened. The mares that had been fanning him dropped their instruments and hid behind Ahuizotl's throne, whimpering in terror. Ahuizotl did not fail to notice any of this as he observed, which concerned him greatly. He had a feeling that this was no ordinary magical artifact. The room darkened as the torches were snuffed out by the crushing blackness. The only remaining light came from a few small windows, and the hellishly-glowing pupils of the mask itself. Up in her hiding place, Daring could not hold back the shudder that ran down her spine. This mask was far different from the Wooden Mask she was familiar with. The idea that there existed a version of that twisted thing that was even worse terrified her, as she knew very well of the Wooden Mask's corruptive influence. She willed herself to stay strong in the face of her fear and continued to listen as Ghirahim intoned in a voice that sounded deeper and darker, almost as though the mask were speaking through him, "This mask is a vessel for the power of Majora. Through him, you and your people can obtain ultimate power, ultimate glory…ultimate greatness! With it, you can move mountains, summon armies the likes of which your world has yet to see, pull the very sun and moon out of the sky! Eight hundred years of sweltering heat? Paltry! Majora can grant you an eternity! Even your tribesmen can benefit from his might! Let them approach the mask and expose themselves to his will! He will grant them power untold! You will possess the greatest power in all of Equestria, nay, the world!"

Suddenly a deep, booming laugh echoed throughout the chamber, and there was no way it could have come from Ghirahim. Shivering in barely-controlled terror, Daring realized the laugh had come from Majora's Mask itself. Sweet Faust, that thing's alive.

Accept me, Ahuizotl. Accept my power, and you will be richly rewarded.

Daring realized that the mask itself had indeed spoken just now. Her fears were confirmed: this was much, much worse than the Wooden Mask. There was no way she could allow it to fall into Ahuizotl's hands; whatever was going on here was much bigger than even her nemesis was prepared for. With that, she steeled her resolve and brought out her trusty whip.

Ahuizotl stared wide-eyed at Majora's mask, finally understanding the fear that ran through his cohorts. This truly was a weapon beyond anything he could have ever conceived in his wildest dreams…or worst nightmares. But the allure of this newfound power was impossible for him to deny. As he opened his mouth to accept Ghirahim's offer, something happened that cut off his reply. A familiar blur of tan swung over Ghirahim and snatched the mask right out of the demon's surprised grip.

"Thanks for the souvenir, Ahuizotl!" Daring Do called out. "Catch you later!"

Ahuizotl let out an enraged yell. "DARING DO! After her, you fools! Stop her!"

Immediately the tribesponies chased after the intruder as Ghirahim whipped around, glaring into Daring's retreating back. How could one of those filthy Equestrians get the drop on me?! Ghirahim thought angrily to himself, feeling his lust for blood rise in his throat. I'll make her suffer for this!

With a snap of his fingers, Ghirahim vanished in an explosion of red, white, and black diamonds.

XXXXXX

Daring Do flew with breakneck speed towards the exit, kicking and pushing aside any tribesponies that tried to stop her. Majora's Mask was clutched tightly in her arms as she flew, and thus, she did not notice the fleshy violet tendril that suddenly snaked its way out of the mask's back and abruptly wrapped around her torso. Daring's heart nearly beat out of her chest with shock as she felt it. "W-what…?" she barely had time to utter before she felt herself flung out of the air and smashed roughly against the ground, forced to release her grip on the mask in the process.

Daring grunted with pain as she shook her head and looked up. Immediately, all hope sunk as she saw the Mask of Majora floating above her of its own accord, its eyes ablaze with pure evil and malice as its tendril retreated back inside it.

You should not have interfered here, Equestrian. And now you will pay for prying in affairs that are not your own.

Daring's eyes widened as she realized how way over her head she was now in. Screw the mask; she needed to get the buck out of here. However, the moment she turned around to do so, a wall of magical diamonds rose up, blocking her escape. At the same time, another wall appeared right in front of the mask, which did not even acknowledge this at it continued to glare at the adventurer. Suddenly she heard a noise that sounded like a metallic version of a teleport and saw Ghirahim right in front of her, his eyes narrowed with wicked intensity.

She is all yours, Ghirahim, Majora intoned as he powered down his mask so that Ahuizotl and his cohorts would not realize just how independent it really was. Do with her as you will.

Ghirahim grinned savagely, snapping his fingers as he summoned a black saber out of thin air. "With immense pleasure, oh Great One."

Daring backed up, realizing she was trapped with this psycho. While she was never one to back down from a fight, this guy was unreal. Even she was not certain whether she could beat him, especially in this enclosed space where she didn't have a lot of room to fly. It didn't help that this being was very tall, at least a head taller than Princess Celestia herself, meaning he could pluck her right out of the air if she tried. The odds were painfully against her this time.

But that wasn't going to stop her. She had faced impossible odds before and come out on top. Ghirahim would be no different.

The demon sniffed the air with a wicked smirk, closing his eyes as he took in her scent. "Mmm, I can smell your fear, little pony. Your very being is rank with it. As it should be, hm hm hm hm…"

However, the second he opened his eyes, he heard a CRACK as something snapped across his face, drawing black blood on his cheek.

"You talk too much, you know that?" Daring Do challenged, cracking her whip again.

Ghirahim wiped his cheek and looked at the blood that now stained his white gloves. Ever since he lost his connection with Demise, Ghirahim had lost his status of sword spirit and been reduced to merely another demon. While his powers themselves hadn't been weakened, it meant he was now vulnerable to damage just like any other creature. The sight of his own blood made the Demon Lord see red as he looked up at his unfortunate soon-to-be victim. "You're going to regret that!" he screeched, lunging at her with sword drawn.



Daring dove out of the way, her opponent's sword missing her so closely that it managed to shave off a few hairs on her tail. She flew up behind Ghirahim and bucked him with all her strength as he was turning around, knocking him into his own energy wall. Ghirahim growled with rage as he shook his head.

"Wow, you're a whole lot slower than I thought you were, buddy," Daring taunted with a grin. "You sure you can keep up?"

Ghirahim gritted his teeth in rage and snapped, "Let's see you dodge this, then!"

The Demon Lord snapped his fingers, causing a bunch of black diamonds enshrouded by blood-red auras to appear all around him. With a wave of his hand, they shot at her with blinding speed. But Daring was faster, and years of experience with dodging arrows, spears, and numerous death traps allowed her to dodge this new attack easily. She cracked her whip at him again, hoping to put out one of his eyes. However, Ghirahim saw it coming this time and grabbed it. Before she could even register what had happened, Ghirahim yanked on the whip, pulling her out of the air. Daring let out a cry as she crashed painfully to the ground.

As she shook her head, she saw Ghirahim bearing down on her, sword raised over his head. Survival instinct taking over, she flew up and tackled him in the chest, sending both of them to the ground and knocking Ghirahim's sword out of his hand. As soon as Ghirahim hit the ground, Daring rolled off of him and grabbed his discarded blade, awkwardly shoving her hoof between the handgrip and guard as Ghirahim stood back up. Seeing that she had commandeered his weapon, the enraged demon summoned another one out of thin air and held it at the ready. "Who would have thought I would be crossing blades with a filthy horse?" Ghirahim remarked with a bloodthirsty grimace. "Though I suppose it doesn't matter; either way, I'm going to slice open your belly and spill your innards all over the ground."

"You're not the first one to try that, buddy," Daring countered, though the way he had so casually stated his intentions just heightened his creepiness factor.

"No, but I'll be the one to succeed!" Ghirahim snarled, rushing forward.

Their two swords clanged as Daring defended herself, and by this time, several of the tribesponies that had been pursuing her had caught up and were transfixed by the battle before them. Unable to intervene, they simply stood and watched the spectacle as the newcomer dueled their leader's rival.

Daring flew out of reach as Ghirahim slashed at her, taking care not to bump into the wall of energy behind her, as she was pretty sure touching it would hurt. Ghirahim pressed his attack, slashing at her again. Daring parried before swooping over Ghirahim's head to slash at his back, but the demon whipped around and deflected her attack with a practiced swipe of his blade. He then struck again, aiming for her throat, but this she blocked in turn and then followed up with a stab at his chest.

However, Ghirahim's free hand abruptly shot out, and he caught the tip of his blade between two deceptively-delicate fingers. Having seen this trick before, Daring immediately released her grip on her weapon and kicked Ghirahim in the face, his head snapping back from the force of the blow. Ghirahim stumbled back in a daze, and Daring seized the initiative, retrieving her whip, flying behind the disoriented demon lord, and wrapping her whip around his neck and flying upward, attempting to choke him. While she was never one for killing, this monster was definitely a sadist who would not hesitate to murder her or anypony unfortunate enough to get in his way. She could not afford to refuse to extend the same courtesy.

However, Ghirahim retaliated by leaping into the air, smashing Daring against the ceiling. The wind knocked out of her, Daring was helpless to stop Ghirahim as he tore the whip-turned-garrote off his neck, seized her by the throat, and threw her against the energy wall, which sent thousands of volts of magical electricity surging through her veins. With a scream of agony, Daring ricocheted off the wall and fell limply to the ground on her back. She could barely keep herself conscious, her vision blurry and her head pounding. As her vision continued to lose focus, she saw Ghirahim standing over her, a terrible grin on his face as he allowed his barrier to drop. "Look at me," he commanded silkily. "I want to see the life leave your eyes."

So…this is it, then, Daring realized. This is where I'm gonna die.

Daring had a feeling that her adventuring would one day claim her, and she thought she had been prepared to face that day. But for death to finally be at her doorstep…no amount of preparation and acceptance could change the fact that she was afraid to die. Ghirahim saw this, and his evil grin widened. "Ah, yes. There's that fear again. I was hoping that would be the look on your face as you met your end."

Ghirahim flicked his tongue like a snake as he pointed the tip of his blade downward and raised it over his head, intending to skewer the helpless mare where she lay. She could only pray that it would be quick.

"STOP!" a commanding voice abruptly yelled. "STOP THIS AT ONCE!"

Ghirahim blinked in surprise and lowered his blade as he turned to face the one who had interrupted him. The crowd of onlookers parted as Ahuizotl came onto the scene, his ever-faithful entourage of cats beside him.

Ghirahim grinned at Ahuizotl, but it did not reach his eyes, which flickered with anger at the interruption. "Ah, Ahuizotl. You're just in time to witness your old enemy's demise."

"Her end will not come at your hands," Ahuizotl retorted sharply. "She has caused me and my tribe more grief in the past than you can imagine. I will be the one to deal with her!"

Ghirahim's expression darkened. "Then you should have gotten here sooner."

"If you kill her without my say-so, our deal is off!" Ahuizotl snapped. "Have I made myself clear?!"

It would be so easy to kill you right here and now, you wretched creature, Ghirahim thought to himself. But since we need you alive for the time being…

"Perfectly," Ghirahim answered in a clipped tone, dismissing his blades. "I would prefer it if you did so quickly; we have so much work to do, after all."

Ahuizotl gestured to two of his tribesponies. "Take her to the dungeons. And make sure she stays there. I will decide what to do with her later."

The two tribesponies nodded as they dragged Daring to her hooves and carried her away. As they did this, the world-famous adventurer finally slipped into the realm of unconsciousness.

XXXXXX

That night…

Ahuizotl, weary from the events of the day, padded into his personal tent with his cats in tow. His thoughts whirled a mile a minute, and most of them focused on his old nemesis, Daring Do. Of course she would get involved. That was how she was. But this time she had gotten in way over her head, and Ahuizotl feared he might have as well.

Everything had been so simple before Ghirahim had come along. Ahuizotl would find a new artifact and attempt to use it, and Daring Do would inevitably come along and steal it away from him. This game between them had gone on for years. But now this game had taken a darker turn.

Truthfully, Ahuizotl did not even know what the Rings of Destiny did, which were what he had been after when Ghirahim had first appeared. They probably didn't bring about eight hundred years of sweltering heat like he said they did, but Ahuizotl didn't care. Their true purpose was to bring Daring Do to him.

Why?

Even Ahuizotl still couldn't figure it out. He had his suspicions, but those were so utterly audacious that there was no way they could be true.

Could they?

Daring Do had been his most persistent enemy. And yet, just when the opportunity to destroy her had finally come, he had halted it. Why? He ostensibly told himself it was because that she was his rival, and therefore only he had the right to destroy her. But did he really want to destroy her?

As his cats settled down around his bed, Ahuizotl walked over to a table that held treasures that Daring Do didn't even know he had, treasures that were more important to him than any other artifact he had taken in his long career. He picked up one of them with his tail and held it at eye level, inspecting it pensively.

Daring Do and the Quest For the Sapphire Stone.

The story of their first encounter.

Yes, Ahuizotl was aware of the books Daring Do had written about her adventures. He had collected every last one of them. He had wanted to see all their encounters from her perspective so he could see into his enemy's mind and figure out her thoughts, her patterns, and any weaknesses he could have possibly exploited.

What he had not expected was the insight and entertainment this would bring him. To see the world from Daring Do's perspective was a whole new experience for him. He had expected her to be just as arrogant as she appeared whenever she swooped in to derail his latest plan. What he instead discovered was that she was a very smart, very talented historian and adventurer who ultimately did what she did because she wanted to help ponies. Her personality was rather enchanting, if only he could experience that side of her for himself…

Why do I keep having these thoughts? Ahuizotl abruptly thought to himself as he shook his head. Why am I so attracted to my own archnemesis?

Then the gravity of one particular word hit him.

Attracted.

Impossible, Ahuizotl thought disbelievingly. Unthinkable! How can…how can I possibly be infatuated with Daring Do?!

And yet, by admitting this to himself, so many pieces abruptly fell into place. It explained the thrill that rushed through his veins when she appeared, his tendency to place her in traps that even he knew she could easily escape, and of course, hawking his latest artifact that would bring about centuries of excessive heat, even when that wasn't what the artifact in question actually did, just so she could track him down…

This was more than just a simple game of cat and mouse. It always had been, even though both parties hadn't yet realized it. This was a subtle courting ritual. Her books revealed that Daring Do basically thought of her adventures as one big game of thrills. And whether she knew it or not, it had become this for Ahuizotl as well.

But then Ghirahim had gotten involved. And now Daring Do was wallowing away in a dark dungeon somewhere in the Fortress of Talicon, awaiting his judgment. Just what was he going to do with her?

XXXXXX

Ghirahim watched as a group of tribesponies hesitantly entered the room that had been set aside for Majora's uses. Upon Ahuizotl's orders, they had come here, and though they did not know what to expect, they trusted their leader's edicts. This was the third group to come in so far, and Ghirahim was pleased with the progress they were making. Once this 'batch' was ready, more than half the tribe would be under Majora's absolute control. Ahuizotl had no idea just what exactly was going on in that room, and the less he knew, the better, as far as Ghirahim was concerned.

Majora's Mask had attached itself to the wall at the far back, and all the ponies that had entered the room stared at it expectantly. With a smirk, Ghirahim observed as his creator spoke, the room darkening as an oppressive atmosphere of darkness took hold over them.

You come to me on the eve of chaos. A great change is soon to take place in your world, one that will completely alter the balance of power in this realm. I am your salvation. I am the one who brings truth into a world of deception. Renounce your gods and worship me, and I shall lead you into a new age of glory and prosperity. Only by my will can you be saved. Only by my knowledge can you be enlightened. Only by my power can you be judged worthy of ascendance.

Ghirahim did not see this, but he knew that Majora was filtering images of Equestria's destruction into their minds as he spoke, persuading them to see his argument. The gathered tribesponies shivered in terror as they saw all this, and Ghirahim knew that their superstitious, primitive minds would not refuse the Dark God.

"W-we will obey," many of them shakily agreed in thickly-accented voices.

Then approach me, and the ascending shall begin.

The tribesponies did so, overcome by fear and awe.

Recite the creed of the Church. By His will, we will be saved.

"By His will, we will be saved," the ponies recited.

By His knowledge, we will be enlightened.

"By His knowledge, we will be enlightened."

By His power, we will ascend.

"By His power, we will ascend."

Now, come forward and accept the gift of my essence.

Enraptured, the ponies came forth as Majora's Mask spawned a multitude of his Parasites, which immediately fused with the hapless converts, bending them irreparably to Majora's will. While this was rather satisfying to watch, Ghirahim was still starting to grow bored with it all. As his master did not seem to need him for the moment, Ghirahim grinned as he turned on his heel and strode away. He knew exactly what would brighten his evening.

XXXXXX

Dungeons…

Daring slowly awoke, her world beginning to come back into focus. The first thing she noticed was that she was shackled to the wall high up from the ground. Instinctively, she tried to pry her hooves out of the shackles. Unfortunately, in this case, her strength was not enough, and the metal cuffs held firm. After a few more moments of struggling, she abruptly gave up with a heavy sigh. "Dammit," she cursed under her breath.

As she fully regained awareness of her surroundings, the events of the day immediately caught up to her. Ghirahim…he was going to kill me, she thought to herself. But…why didn't he?

And then she remembered someone calling out, commanding the bloodthirsty demon to stop, a voice that sounded strangely like Ahuizotl's…

And now she had woken up in the dungeons. Ahuizotl must have called him off so that he could be the one to off me in the end, she thought with finality. And for once, I've been put in a trap I can't seem to escape. What am I gonna do? Maybe I can find a way to break out when Ahuizotl's goons come to get me. They'll probably put me in some random death-trap in the temple…

Daring was shaken out of her thoughts by the sound of the door to the dungeon area creaking open. Daring's head shot up in a brief flicker of hope that instantly sank into crushing despair as she saw Ghirahim enter the room, stopping just outside her cell and regarding her with a predatory grin that she really didn't like. And then he vanished in a swirl of multi-colored diamonds as he teleported inside her cell, that leery smile of his now directly in her face.

"What the buck?!" Daring cried out, startled at the demon lord's sudden closeness.

"Ahuizotl was gracious enough to tell me some things about you, Daring Do," Ghirahim stated, his breath prickling uncomfortably against her skin, causing her to involuntarily shudder. "According to him, you have a habit of coming in at the most inopportune times and derailing his plans again and again. You remind me so much of someone I once knew who was like that. Insufferable hero types like yourself really need to be taught a lesson in minding their own business."

Suddenly Ghirahim lifted his hand and backhanded Daring harshly across the face. The adventurer's head snapped to the side from the force of the blow as she saw stars. She then felt Ghirahim grab her roughly by the cheek and force her to look into his black pupils. "That was for making a fool of me earlier today," he said in that hideously silky voice of his. "I happen to be a demon of reputation, and you just swooping in like you did and attempting to interrupt my work, well…it's made me rather disagreeable."

Daring responded by spitting in the demon's face. Ghirahim released his grip on her as he angrily wiped his face clean. He then retaliated with a swift punch to her gut, knocking the wind out of her. Daring struggled for breath, unable to double over due to her shackles. He then grabbed her face again and forced her to look into his eyes once more. "I'm going to kill you, little pony," he sneered. "Every second you continue to exist makes my bloodlust rise ever more. How a loathsome little fly like you has managed to outwit Ahuizotl for so long baffles me, but I suppose in the end, it doesn't matter. Both of you will be dead once Lord Majora has succeeded in converting all the members of this backwater tribe. In the meantime, I'm going to have a little fun with you. I'm sure Ahuizotl won't mind. If I can't have your death, then at least I will have your suffering…"

Ghirahim stepped back and snapped his fingers, his black saber flickering into his waiting hand. The demon licked his lips in anticipation as he levelled the tip of his sword at Daring's chest. Her eyes widened in fear as Ghirahim slowly, almost seductively, used his blade to unbutton her vest until it hung at her sides, exposing her belly. Daring began struggling frantically against her bonds as she felt the cold steel lightly touch her chest. She felt it slowly begin to dig into her skin, and as the discomfort grew into pain, Daring began to hyperventilate in terror. And then the skin finally gave way, and the bloodletting began.

Daring squeezed her eyes shut, gritted her teeth, and screamed through clenched jaws as Ghirahim's sword cut into her chest about half an inch deep before it slowly began to trail down her belly, blood pouring freely from the growing laceration. Daring cried out in agony as tears fell from her eyes. Oh Faust, it hurts! Make it stop! Oh dear Faust, make it stop!

Just below her belly button, the sword finally retracted, and Ghirahim took a moment to admire his handiwork. From her chest all the way down to her lower belly was a long, thin laceration that oozed blood. Daring choked back a sob, overcome by pain. It hurt to breathe. The pain was indescribable, and in her mind, she continuously begged it to stop. As she finally forced herself to open her eyes, she saw Ghirahim approach, licking his lips again as he eyed her wound hungrily.

Oh gods, please no…

Ghirahim's long tongue snaked out of his mouth and licked at her injury, lapping up the blood like a dog from a water bowl. Daring could not stop herself from crying due to the pain and the horrifying sensation of being so utterly violated by this monster. A couple times, his tongue dug deeper into the laceration, widening it ever so slightly and increasing her agony. Her blood and Ghirahim's saliva smeared her coat as the sadistic demon had his way with her. Ghirahim let loose a seductive sigh as his face rose to hover at her neck. "How fitting," he spoke softly, almost as though he were conversing with a lover rather than a torture victim. "Equestrian blood is even sweeter than the blood of Hylians."

Daring feebly recoiled from his hot breath brushing at her neck, realizing, to her horror and revulsion, that her pain was outright arousing him. "G-get away from me, y-you sick bastard," she whimpered.

Ghirahim chuckled as he finally pulled away from her. "Ah, I'm afraid you raise a fine point, my dear. I do have other matters to attend to, after all. But if Ahuizotl doesn't get to you beforehand, perhaps we can have a little more fun. I trust you'll still be hanging around in the meantime, hm?"

Ghirahim laughed at his own joke as he strode out of the dungeons, licking his blade as he went. Daring Do could only glare hatefully at his back with as much remaining intensity as she could muster. It vanished behind a grimace as she was left alone with her pain and vulnerability.

Daring Do, hero of Tenochtitlan Valley, treasure hunter and adventurer extraordinaire, had at last been broken.

XXXXXX

Ahuizotl's tent…

Ahuizotl found that he couldn't sleep. He wasn't sure what, but something in his gut told him something was terribly wrong. And then there was the question of Daring Do, languishing away in the dungeons, and considering no alarm had been raised, it seemed she had been unable to escape for once. Perhaps if he went and saw her, maybe monologue for a bit, he could decide exactly what he needed to do with her. Ghirahim was fully expecting him to kill her, but Ahuizotl knew he could not, would not do that. Which could mean trouble if Ghirahim found out.

Ahuizotl quietly left his bed, making sure not to disturb his sleeping cats and padded out of his tent. As he did so, he noticed that many members of his tribe now looked uncomfortably different. Their coats had all turned purple, and their manes had all fallen off their scalps. Their eyes now looked like the eyes of Majora's Mask, but there was a sense of emptiness in their gaze. All of their Cutie Marks had been replaced by an image of the mask, which alarmed Ahuizotl. Even he knew how important Cutie Marks were in expressing a pony's sense of self. For them to have changed into this could only mean that Majora's Mask had consumed them utterly, so that they existed only to worship and serve it. Ahuizotl began to realize the mistake he had made as he pushed on towards the temple.

He headed straight for the dungeons, unsure of what he would do once he arrived. Anything other than killing her was certain to not only upset Ghirahim, but also arouse his suspicions. And Ghirahim had proven himself a force to be reckoned with. Soon enough he reached the dungeons and padded up to her cell. When he saw what awaited him inside, his eyes widened with shock and horror as he ripped the cell door right off its hinges and rushing over to Daring Do, who was in really bad shape. Her wounds were still bleeding, leaving a small puddle of crimson blood soaking into the floor below her.

"What has he done to you, Daring Do?" Ahuizotl spoke with worry and barely-suppressed rage as he lifted her chin to see if she was still conscious.

She was, but it was obvious that the pain she was in had reduced her to a state of delirium. Her eyes were unfocused, and it looked like she had been crying during her torture session. "It h-hurts," she whimpered repeatedly, not even recognizing Ahuizotl in her current state. "M-make it stop…please, make it s-stop…"

Ahuizotl looked down at the laceration that stretched down the length of her belly, and realized he could smell saliva mixed in her blood. His blood boiled with rage; Ghirahim did this. This was the last straw; as soon as he tended to Daring, he would march right up to Ghirahim, tell him that the deal was off, and throw him and his accursed mask off the edge of a cliff.

Ahuizotl worked his tongue around inside his mouth, building up saliva. He knew what he needed to do, but based on what had already happened to her previously, she was not going to take it well. "I don't know if you can recognize me right now, Miss Do," he spoke softly. "But I'm going to help you. My saliva has limited healing properties. It will at least stop the bleeding and temporarily prevent infection."

Daring gave no indication that she had heard him, continuing to whimper deliriously. Ahuizotl stretched out his tongue and slowly trailed it down Daring's injury. The moment his tongue touched her skin though, her eyes bugged out and she began thrashing violently. "NO! NO! PLEASE NO! STOP IT! STOP IT!"

Ahuizotl forced himself to ignore her as he licked at the injury, the taste of her blood in his mouth intoxicating as well as discomforting. After a few minutes, he was done, backing away as he saw the wound heal itself slightly. He would be back for her. But first, it was time to deal with that sadistic wretch of a demon.

Ahuizotl left the dungeons and searched throughout the ruined temple for Ghirahim, tracking him by scent over to a particular room, where he could hear him talking to someone. Two of his converted guards stood guard at either side of the door, and Ahuizotl had a sinking feeling that they would no longer answer to him. He had already lost his tribe and done nothing to stop it. Unable to get closer, Ahuizotl relied on his sharp hearing to pick up whatever conversation Ghirahim was partaking in.

…most of the tribe has been successfully converted. There appear to be a few stragglers that are suspicious of my intentions. I trust you can apprehend them and bring them to me before they go running to Ahuizotl?

"Of course, Great One. And as far as I know, that ignorant buffoon still has no idea what's going on. I doubt he'll be expecting my blade in his back once we don't need him anymore."

Ahuizotl is a fool, but he's not THAT stupid. Don't get overconfident, Ghirahim. Has Ahuizotl dealt with his old nemesis yet?

"I don't believe so, Master."

Mm, I suspected as much. There is something more than animosity between them, I can sense it. I doubt he will kill her. Which means you'll have the privilege of doing so yourself once Ahuizotl is dead.

Ghirahim chuckled darkly, the sound making Ahuizotl's fur bristle with anger and hatred. "I've already had a little fun with her. Some hero she is, squealing like a little piggy the moment she feels real pain."

Heheheheheheheh… That is why these Equestrians are pathetic. The Princesses have coddled them ceaselessly and blinded their eyes to the true nature of the world. They must be hardened with fire, tempered by darkness, and molded into weapons to serve me. Deal with the rebellious tribesmen, and then get rid of Ahuizotl. And then the Church will at last gain its foothold here.

Ahuizotl had heard enough. So they've been plotting against me from the beginning, Ahuizotl thought to himself as he hurried back to the dungeons. And that mask is no mere weapon; it is sentient, and it has turned my tribe against me. It's settled then; I must free Daring Do and escape this place, before Ghirahim has a chance to assassinate me. I don't have the time to seek out whoever is resisting Ghirahim. I'll simply make a proclamation upon my escape for them to flee. It's the best I can hope for.

He procured his trusty cat whistle and blew into it, knowing his faithful pets would hear it from the other side of the camp. In the meantime, he returned to the dungeons and approached Daring Do's cell. Holding her steady with his tail-hand, he used his front paws to rip off her shackles and free her.

"Whu…? Ahuizotl?" Daring weakly muttered.

"Come, Miss Do, we must away," Ahuizotl said, depositing her on his back.

"Going somewhere?"

Ahuizotl's breath hitched in his throat as he turned to face Ghirahim, who had just entered the room. The demon lord sneered smugly at him, his arms folded across his chest. "Ghirahim," Ahuizotl growled threateningly.

"No wonder my master thinks so little of you," Ghirahim scoffed. "His suspicions proved correct after all; that little wretch on your back is no enemy of yours, she's your sweetheart."

Ahuizotl crouched, ready to fight if he must as Ghirahim summoned his sword. "The beauty and the beast," Ghirahim cuckolded. "How romantic. I'll bury you both together!"

Ghirahim lunged at Ahuizotl, intending to slice his face clean off. Thinking quickly, Ahuizotl grabbed the door of Daring's cell and flung it at the crazed demon, knocking him to the ground with a metalling "BANG". Wasting no time, Ahuizotl looked up at Daring and cried, "Hold on!"

Daring clung to his back with all the remaining strength she could muster as Ahuizotl bounded over Ghirahim and raced out of the dungeons. He was almost out of the temple when Ghirahim abruptly appeared in the entryway, blocking their escape. Ahuizotl skidded to a halt and glared at his foe, who matched his glare with one of his own. "You will not leave this place alive," Ghirahim snarled. "Once I have you both subdued, I'll kill her first. But before I do, I'm going to make you watch as I fill that miserable pony with so much pain, she'll deafen herself from the sounds of her own screams!"

Ahuizotl crouched into a fighting position, intent on protecting the little pony on his back. "You will not touch her," he growled.

Ghirahim snapped his fingers, summoning dozens of magical diamonds all around the room. "I'll do with her as I please!" he yelled.

However, before Ghirahim could launch his attack, something huge struck him from behind, pinning him against the floor. Ahuizotl blinked in realization as he saw his tiger doing his best to hold the struggling demon down as his lynx, cheetah, black panther, and finally his precious house cat, Princess, came to their rescue. However, Ghirahim would not be deterred, and with a furious bellow of rage, he threw the tiger off of him. The panther leapt at him, but Ghirahim swatted her away with a rough backhand. Ahuizotl knew his cats would not be able to defeat Ghirahim, but perhaps they could buy the time he needed to escape.

But that would mean leaving them behind, he thought. My treasured pets…my companions!

As Ahuizotl's cats surrounded the angry demon, his tiger looked over his shoulder and purred softly, knowing exactly what was to come and begging his beloved master to flee while he could. Ahuizotl fought back tears as his heart swelled with pride and sorrow, but there was one in particular he could not bear to leave behind. He quickly grabbed his small, white-furred house cat, Princess with his tail and turned to flee, throwing one last look over his shoulder. His cats all met his gaze with misty eyes, ready to sacrifice themselves for him.

"I'm so proud of you all," Ahuizotl spoke fondly. "Thank you."

And with that, Ahuizotl ran, with Daring Do on his back and Princess mewling in his tail-hand, unable to bear to look back for fear that he would not be able to leave his pets behind. His sharp hearing then picked up the sounds of yowling and snarling big cats intermingled with the enraged shouts and yells of Ghirahim as he fought back. Near the edge of the camp, he turned around and gave his last command to his tribe.

"My people! Our time together is over! We have been betrayed! Flee! Flee while you can! Do not let yourselves fall under the grasp of the demon and his mask! Flee for your lives!"

He did not wait to see whether those that survived heeded his reply, turning around and dashing into the dense jungle and leaving every aspect of his whole life behind.

XXXXXX

Ghirahim roughly tossed the lifeless body of Ahuizotl's lynx off his blade, having finally slain the last of the tribal leader's attack cats. Their corpses lay all around him, their blood pooling at the demon lord's feet. Ghirahim breathed heavily in rage and exhaustion; the damned animals had allowed Ahuizotl and Daring Do to escape his grasp. But this was not where his misfortune ended.

The last remaining tribesmen have fled this place.

Ghirahim's anger was immediately replaced by fear as Majora's Mask floated up behind him, the evil god's fury coming off the mask in waves.

And now Ahuizotl and the Equestrian have escaped, with knowledge of our presence that they could possibly bring to the Princesses' attention! Your bungling may have cost us the element of surprise!

"M-Master, I…"

SILENCE!

Two beams of dark electricity flew out of the mask, sending the unfortunate demon lord to his knees as his body was wracked with agony.

You had better pray I can fix the mess you have created, or you'll be suffering a lot more than that!

Ghirahim could not answer his lord through the sounds of his own screaming.

Eventually, Majora seemingly tired of punishing the demon lord, the agonizing beams emanating from the mask's eyes abruptly ceasing as the accursed artifact floated out the entrance of the Talicon Fortress, leaving Ghirahim a quivering mess on the ground. Majora's Mask glared at the jungle its enemies had escaped into as it began a painstaking spell. Slowly but surely, the Dark God used the small window of his prison provided by his mask to bring creatures of his being to the far-off realm of Equestria. Three dark shapes pulsated and writhed as their forms coalesced, forming violet, bat-like wings, coal-black fur, a segmented, serpentine tail, and strong, lupine bodies.

Within minutes, three of Majora's Hounds awoke and awaited their creator's instructions.

Find them, Majora hissed darkly.

His Hounds growled as they launched themselves into the air, taking flight in relentless search of their prey.

XXXXXX

Ahuizotl did not stop running for a good hour, until he could not run anymore. Finding a clearing, Ahuizotl finally stopped and lay down, panting heavily from the exertion. He set down Princess on the jungle floor and then plucked a barely-conscious Daring Do off his back and gently deposited her at his side. Daring didn't seem to mind, or was too weak to. "Rest, Miss Do," Ahuizotl spoke softly. "We still have a great distance to travel before we can truly be considered safe."

Princess came up to his face, mewling questioningly with her large, cute eyes. Ahuizotl's heart constricted as he knew what his little Princess was asking. "…I am sorry, my little Princess," Ahuizotl said, tears running down his face as he petted his last remaining loyal cat. "They…they cannot join us again. They are gone."

As Princess saw her master cry, she seemed to realize what he meant, and she meowed sadly as she brushed up against Ahuizotl's chest, looking for comfort. To both Ahuizotl and Princess's surprise, however, that comfort came from Daring Do, who pulled the grieving feline close to her chest, needing comfort herself. It was amazing and saddening to see how vulnerable his former rival now looked without her hat and whip, both of which he had left behind in the temple in his haste to escape with her.

"Ahuizotl…" Daring spoke barely above a whisper.

"Yes, Miss Do?" Ahuizotl replied, trying to keep his voice level.

"I'm sorry…about your cats," she said weakly.

"…as am I, Miss Do," Ahuizotl finally answered with a heavy heart. "As am I."

They sat in silence a few minutes more, solemnly pondering the situation they had found themselves in, when Daring finally spoke up again. "Ahuizotl…why did you do it?"

He knew what she was asking, but he did not know how he would answer. To stall for just a bit more time, he looked down at her and said, "Hm?"

"You had so many opportunities to kill me today," she continued. "You could have let that whacko Ghirahim kill me...you could have killed me yourself after you called him off…you could have even left me to die in that dungeon…but you didn't. Why did you save my life?"

Ahuizotl carefully weighed his words in his mind. He could simply tell her that she was his enemy, and therefore only he had any right to defeat her, but for some reason, the thought of those words left a bad taste in his mouth. But how could he possibly tell her, the pony that, for years, had been his nemesis, that he was in love with her? How could she possibly understand? Such a thing couldn't be possible; he was one of the Children of Krastos, born of the broken and dying body of the Devouring Serpent himself, and she was a pony born of the warm light and love of Mother Faust. Those of Krastos and those of Faust were meant to be as opposed to each other as their creators had been.

"Ahuizotl?"

Daring's questioning voice shook Ahuizotl out of his thoughts, and he realized that she was still waiting for his reply. "Ah…I must admit it is…a complicated thing. One that may take some time to…explain. Time I am not completely certain we have at the moment."

What Ahuizotl didn't know was that Daring had an idea, and the implications had left her mind reeling. Unbidden, the mocking words of Ghirahim as he had addressed her old enemy entered her mind.

"That little wretch on your back is no enemy of yours, she's your sweetheart. The beauty and the beast, how romantic…"

After all this time…it doesn't make any sense! Daring Do thought in confusion. How could Ahuizotl possibly have feelings for me?! He and I have been enemies ever since we first met! He's put me into all sorts of death-traps and left me to die more times than I can count!

"But I can tell you this; I'm certain the fans of your books would object to their hero meeting an untimely demise."

It took her a moment, but once it clicked in her mind, her eyes widened and she looked up at him in shock.

"You…you knew?" she breathed.

Ahuizotl smirked. "Not only did I know, I read every last one. They were surprisingly entertaining. I even came to one of your book signings. In disguise, of course. The irony admittedly left me in a good mood for days afterward."

Daring's eyes narrowed. "What kind of disguise?"

"At the time, I possessed a talisman that could transform me into a pony when I wore it around my neck. Unfortunately, I was forced to leave it behind with…everything else."

After a moment, Daring's curiosity compelled her to ask another question. "What were you talking about when you were calling yourself a Child of Krastos?"

Ahuizotl quirked an eyebrow in mild surprise. "You heard that, did you? You are an adventurer and a historian, Miss Do. Surely you know of Krastos, at the very least?"

Daring's brow furrowed. "I know he was destroyed by Mother Faust and his body supposedly used by her to build Equis. That's our oldest legend, passed down by the Princesses themselves."

"Mm," Ahuizotl responded. "Well, I can tell you that not all his body exists as the world we live upon. Upon his dying breath, parts of the Devouring Serpent split from his shattered form and became the great terrors that haunt the world today. Discord, Grogar, and myself, just to name a few. Some of us were incarnated as children; others sprang forth already fully grown. I myself was born a child from his left fang, while Discord was born from his right, also as an infant. Most of us have not interacted with one another, save for Tirek and Scorpan, who grew from Krastos's eyes, which caused them to consider one another brothers. I do not know what has become of most of them, truthfully, nor do I care. Most of them were as utterly evil as Krastos had been."

"And how is trying to bring about eight centuries of sweltering heat not evil?" Daring challenged.

Ahuizotl could not help himself; he laughed. "That too, is a long story, Daring Do."

His laughter died in his throat as he suddenly caught a scent on the wind, one that reeked of foul magic and murderous intentions. Daring noticed his abrupt change in demeanor, her eyes narrowing as Ahuizotl sniffed at the air. "What is it?"

Ahuizotl's response was to deposit Daring and Princess on his back with his tail-hand as he quickly stood. "It is as I feared."

Before Daring could demand an explanation from him, a chorus of unholy, demonic howls rent the air not far from them, chilling their bones.

"We are being pursued!" Ahuizotl cried, breaking into a run just as a trio of winged wolves emerged from over the tree line, no doubt searching for them.

Daring looked over her shoulder to see the Hounds of Majora in hot pursuit, their eyes resembling those of that hated Mask. She immediately knew then what had sent these twisted beasts.

And with growing dread, she realized they were gaining, and fast.

"Ahuizotl, stop!" she yelled. "It's no use trying to run! They're faster than us! We have to fight 'em!"

"You are in no condition to fight, Daring Do!" Ahuizotl snapped.

"We don't have a choice! THEY'RE ALMOST RIGHT ON TOP OF US!"

Ahuizotl looked over his shoulder to see that Daring was unfortunately right. The closest Hound was mere feet from him, its claws outstretched and its fangs bared. What the monster didn't account for was Ahuizotl's tail-hand, which immediately stretched out and grabbed the hellhound by the foreleg, even as Ahuizotl continued to run, and threw it over his shoulder against a tree, the force of the impact toppling the tree and crippling the Hound. Undeterred, the other two continued their pursuit without their fallen packmate.

Princess hissed in Daring's arms as another of the Hounds neared, its malevolent eyes gleaming with evil purpose. Without warning, Ahuizotl suddenly turned sharply to the right, darting into the thickest parts of the jungle. The Hounds' wings became a hindrance in such dense foliage, forcing them to continue the chase on foot. Though they still remarkably fast, Ahuizotl's experience in navigating the jungles of Tenochtitlan Valley allowed him to slowly gain distance between himself and the murderous beasts of Majora. He even stopped for a moment to pull a smaller tree out of the ground and throw it at the approaching wolves, knocking them to the ground and momentarily disorienting them. Wasting no time, Ahuizotl pressed on, desperate to escape the vile monsters before he became exhausted.

And then he was forced to skid to a halt as the ground abruptly dropped off below, a nearby waterfall roaring thunderously. Ahuizotl looked behind him and could hear the growls of the demonic wolves as they approached. There was only one way to go now.

"Hold on to me!" Ahuizotl commanded.

Realizing what he was about to do, Daring shouted, "Are you freaking crazy?! That's a hundred-foot drop, and there could be rocks at the bottom!"

Oh, Ahuizotl knew that perfectly well. But he was willing to take his chances, especially since the alternative was a guaranteed death. With his tail-hand, he swept his charges off his back into his arms as he leaped off the edge, clutching Daring and Princess tightly against his chest in order to protect them.

The impact was painful. Their bodies stung all over from the water slapping against their skin, but they had miraculously survived. Ahuizotl quickly swam to the opposite shore, deposited Daring and Princess on his back once more, and disappeared into the jungle just as the Hounds of Majora reached the edge of the cliff. The monsters, realizing their prey had vanished, howled with anger, the voice of their equally-enraged master joining them back at the fortress.
> Episode 10: The Battle For Ponyville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 10: The Battle For Ponyville

Canterlot Castle…

To say that Ganondorf was having a bad day would have been a gross understatement. With each passing moment, the King of Darkness was growing to hate Equestria more and more with every fiber of his being. The magic of this place was utterly uncontrollable and annoyingly unpredictable. Just this morning, as he had sat himself down on his new throne, forged from the melted-down remains of the Princesses' old thrones, the blasted thing had promptly thrown him off and began bucking and kicking around the Throne Room like a panicking racehorse. It had taken more of his magic than it feasibly should have to contain whatever force that had been animating it.

And then there was the issue with the monsters' weapons. Once Ganondorf had completed his conquest of Canterlot, he had received frantic reports from his monsters down in the city that all hell had quite literally broken loose due to a multitude of magical traps that had been sprung on them, culminating in their weapons being transfigured into useless foam noodles. It had taken Ganondorf the better part of a day to fix that mess, as he couldn't pull off the rest of his conquest if his troops were weaponless. At the very least, none of his troops had been killed, but there were quite a few bruises dished out in the chaos.

The most frustrating thing of all was that he had so far been unable to pinpoint the source of this chaotic magic, leaving him with no option but to continue to persevere in the face of this trouble until the culprit was discovered. While Ganondorf could be patient when he wanted to be, now was not such a time. The longer the culprit remained at large, the further delayed his plans would likely be.

Ganondorf growled irritably under his breath as he strode over to the balcony that overlooked the city. He could sense that his servants were wary of any further incidents, and that it had all of them on edge. While he did not care overall for their well-being, even he knew the danger of his soldiers being unable to get any rest. They could not fight at their best if they were also battling their own fatigue, and he had yet to see the Equestrians' prowess in battle.

Based on what he had seen, they were a very magic-oriented species, much like the Wizzrobes. But this magic manifested in different ways, depending on the type of Equestrian, of which there were three, as his Wizzrobes had informed him as they raided the castle's library for research and (without his knowledge) relaxation. They were supposedly having trouble with a section of the library that was restricted, as it had powerful and complex spells in place to deter intruders. Such a place likely had invaluable information of all sorts that was probably kept from the general public, so Ganondorf planned on doing something about it once he had consolidated his position here.

As Ganondorf surveyed his new domain, something abruptly caught his eye. A fair distance from Canterlot lay a town that appeared to be heavily fortified in the style of the old Blin strongholds of yore. But that was not what his attention was drawn to; it was the Palace of Winds that hovered over it. Immediately Ganondorf remembered this as the town he had come to in order to confront the Elements of Harmony. Based on the fortifications he could make out, it looked like the town had dug itself in, expecting a fight.

And a fight he would give them.

The sorcerer called that backwater collection of hovels home, as did his miserable "friends". The fortifications suggested that Vaati possibly had monsters of his own stationed there, to aid in the town's defense. Rather ironic, he admitted; two legendary foes of Hyrule, using the same monsters against one another. He recalled the Darknuts that had been intermingled with the Diamond Dogs when he had gone there.

The town's proximity and its sentimental value to his enemies convinced him that Ponyville would be the first native town to feel his wrath. It was time to crush the fight out of these miserable ponies. With a wave of his hand, Ganondorf summoned one of his mightiest servants, who awaited his order as it bowed humbly.

"My shadow…Phantom Ganon," Ganondorf spoke. "I want you to take a thousand of my best monsters and lay siege to that village. After that, take the Palace of Winds above it for our own. Kill any who resist, whether they be monster or pony."

Phantom Ganon bowed his head lower in acknowledgment before vanishing in a curtain of blue flame. With his orders given, Ganondorf turned his attention back to seeking out the source of the prank-like spells before the culprit could strike again.

XXXXXX

Ponyville…

The time had finally come. Reluctantly, the citizens of Ponyville had banded together with Vaati's monsters to learn the basics of combat. The Earth ponies were learning how to use spears under the Moblins' guidance, the pegasi were taught the basics of swordplay by Maulgrim and his Darknuts, and the unicorns practiced a number of offensive and defensive spells at the behest of the Wizzrobes, who were using an Equestrian military guidebook as a reference. Other Darknuts had hastily pounded together some armor for the ponies, using whatever spare metals they had. This training had been going on for at least three days, and while some ponies were catching on, others were having some difficulty. Meanwhile, Nigellas walked around the various sentry towers overlooking the town, carving strange symbols into the scaffolding with a magical knife. As school had ultimately been cancelled until further notice, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Ruby were currently watching the Wizzrobe do his work with barely-restrained curiosity.

"What'cha doin' over there?" Applebloom finally asked.

Nigellas turned to look at the curious trio of fillies and said, "Carving some anti-teleportation runes into all the towers. It'll keep enemy Wizzrobes from teleporting behind our defenses. I put some up around the Palace too. Also adding some fireproofing runes to keep these structures from going up in flames."

Nigellas turned to resume his work when he suddenly realized something. "Wait a minute," he said, glancing between Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. "Where's Scootaloo? Isn't she always with you two?"

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle's ears folded back against their heads in sadness. "She…she's been avoiding us," Sweetie Belle glumly answered. "We haven't talked to her in a couple days. She's been spending all her time up in the Palace now since school got cancelled."

Nigellas furrowed his brow in confusion. That didn't sound good; the Cutie Mark Crusaders were practically inseparable. "Did you have some sort of argument?" the Wizzrobe asked. "I haven't seen her much either, what with being so busy with the town defenses and all, but I did notice she's been really out of it lately."

Applebloom shook her head. "A-Ah just don't know," she answered glumly. "She told us 'bout some nightmare she had a couple days back, and then she got all confrontational about it with us when we asked about it 'n screamed at us t'just leave her alone. We…we haven't seen 'er since."

"I feel guilty somehow," Ruby abruptly spoke up. "She apparently didn't start acting like this until I came. Maybe she thinks I'm replacing her or something."

Applebloom fervently shook her head in denial. "No. Ah know Scootaloo, and she ain't like that at all. Somethin' else is up."

This was starting to raise the Wizzrobe's suspicions. Scootaloo was apparently acting really strange and shutting herself away from the outside world, but why? Maybe she was lashing out because of Vaati's absence and starting to feel some sort of abandonment issues? "I've been too busy to really pay attention to her," Nigellas finally told them. "But Maulgrim and I will go talk to her tonight about what's going on and hopefully bring her out of it."

The three fillies smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Mr. Nigellas," Applebloom said. "We just want Scoots back."

Nigellas opened his mouth to offer some reassurance, but he was immediately cut off by the sound of a Moblin war horn blowing. Everyone in the town sharply turned their heads as several other horns joined in. The towers on the side of Ponyville facing Canterlot were sounding the alarm, which meant only one thing in everyone's horrorstruck minds.

Ganondorf's army was coming.

Applebloom and her friends looked around, wide-eyed, as they saw everyone's expressions. "W-what's goin' on?" Applebloom cried in fear.

Immediately Nigellas sprang into action. "Alright, all of you!" he shouted at the monsters as he began relaying orders. "Get the foals to the Palace, NOW! Man your positions! Prepare for battle! The enemy has come!"

Monsters and ponies shouted and cried out as they hurried to their designated positions. Blin archers crammed into the towers and armed their bows. A Darknut climbed up the ballista tower and manned the contraption. Moblins and Earth ponies formed a line of spears, while behind them stood the unicorns and Wizzrobes, ready to provide magical support to the front lines, with the occasional Darknut, Keaton, and Stalfos evenly divided amongst their ranks to serve as heavier infantry to keep the front line from breaking. Above them hovered the pegasi, along with a multitude of Poes armed with scythes and their signature lanterns. Hidden amongst the houses were numerous Wallmasters and Floormasters waiting in ambush, avoiding the sunlight as best they could in the shadows of the alleyways.

While this was happening, a few ponies were ushering their protesting and terrified foals towards the safety of the Palace of Winds. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle both went without question, knowing that this would be the best time for them to confront Scootaloo themselves and find out what was wrong with her. As soon as the last of the foals disappeared behind the heavy doors of the Palace, the remaining ponies joined the rest of their comrades as they awaited the enemy advance.

Eventually the ground troops could see it too; a large column of monsters steadily marching towards Ponyville. Standing in one of the towers, Maulgrim and Nigellas could make out Wizzrobes, Moblins, Stalfos, Lizalfos, Darknuts, and even an Iron Knuckle or two. A large butterfly as tall as a Moblin with a wingspan three times that flew over them, while a black humanoid figure that glowed an eerie pale blue that bore some similarity to Ganon seemingly led from the front.

"Oh, we're in for it now," Nigellas said. "Looks like Phantom Ganon's leading this posse."

"And they have a Mothula as well," Maulgrim added. "Unfortunately we have no boss-level monsters of our own to counter them. That will put us at a disadvantage."

"At least their numbers aren't too great," Nigellas offered. "I'd say there's around a thousand of them or so. With us and the ponies together, that's not even two to one odds. I think we can hold out."

"Just in case, I'll have one of our scouts try to get help from the Diamond Dogs," Maulgrim replied. "We'll certainly need all the help we can muster."

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds, Scootaloo's bedroom…

Scootaloo sat on the floor of her bedroom, stock-still, as Majora's new mask hovered over her head, filling her mind with dreadful images as the God of Ruin spoke.

This nation claims to be founded on the pillars of friendship. This is not so. It never has been. Do you truly believe that old grudges and rivalries can die so quietly?

Scootaloo stubbornly tried to shake the images from her mind. "You're not even from here! How would you know anything about Equestria?!"

Stupid child, even now my influence continues to spread across this land, uncovering secrets your Princesses, false goddesses that they are, have long thought buried. I know every one of their dark truths, and the time will soon come when they are brought to light. Perhaps a history lesson is in order. Tell me, do you know what became of the old pony kingdoms, before Equestria became one nation?

Scootaloo blinked as she realized she didn't. The subject had been glossed over in school, not giving much detail as to the ultimate fates of Princess Platinum and Commander Hurricane's bloodlines.

I thought not, Majora said, slowly circling over Scootaloo's head like a vulture. The Princesses were young when the ruling families of the three pony tribes supposedly settled their differences, and helped them establish Equestria after the Windigos were driven away. It is said that the three rulers requested that the Princesses rule over them as a safeguard, but in truth, the Princesses decided this themselves, ostensibly to maintain peace between the tribes as mediators and serve as protectors from outside threats. According to them, they would permit the tribes to continue to rule themselves, but the old grudges died hard. Princess Platinum of the unicorns remained confrontational with the alicorn Princesses, fearful of the position they commanded over all others. Commander Hurricane of the pegasi continued to act spiteful towards the other races, and both unicorns and pegasi looked down upon the Earth ponies, which caused many of them to leave Equestria and establish the Crystal Empire for themselves. This was still not a land of friendship and tolerance, and the Princesses knew this.

The three apprentices of Starswirl the Bearded could not keep the peace between their superiors, and it was feared the Windigos would take advantage of this opportunity to return. And after the debacle with such beings as Discord and Tirek, showing how impotent the three tribes were in dealing with these threats themselves, the Princesses decided then that ponykind could not be trusted to govern itself, and they forcibly tore down the old kingdoms and absorbed them all into one nation, governed solely by them. Commander Hurricane withered and died, broken and penniless, and Platinum and her descendants were forced to become lesser nobility under the Princesses, their status and titles slowly becoming ever more of a bad joke to their new rulers. The Crystal Empire ultimately did not escape the Princesses' attention either. To make matters worse, Platinum's sister, Princess Amore, led a group of unicorn nobility to the Crystal Empire and wormed their way further into the Crystal Ponies' politics until they became the new rulers. The Crystal Ponies only accepted this change in dominion because they later discovered that Amore could enchant the Crystal Heart far better than they could.

After Amore's son, King Sombra, came to power, changing the way he believed the Crystal Empire should be run and governed, the Princesses saw this as an opportunity to bring the Empire under their yoke as well, using Sombra's harsher rule as an excuse. Realizing that his kingdom was in danger of absorption, as the last of the old pony kingdoms free of the Princesses' influence, he turned to darker powers for help. He became the student of a mighty being that called himself Grogar the Necromancer, and under his guidance, Sombra gained the power he needed to fight against the Princesses. But he still feared the possibility of defeat, and thus forced his subjects to mine constantly for magical gems in order to further strengthen his powers when the Princesses inevitably came.

And come they did, high and mighty, comfortable in their self-righteousness, and they did battle with the king. Sombra, unfortunately, could not prevail against the Princesses' combined power, but he would not allow the last free kingdom of ponies to become another vassal state to the Princesses, and hid it away from their reach. Before he himself was banished, he also managed to plant the seed of doubt within the Night Princess's mind that perhaps their efforts were not as noble as they so fervently believed. The Sun Princess, realizing her sister was turning on her, banished her as well, to await a time in which she could find a way to curb her dissent. The Night Princess's isolation drove her to madness and spite, and you saw what happened when she returned.

"Nightmare Moon was gonna bring about eternal night!" Scootaloo countered. "If she wasn't stopped, she would have killed us all!"

And what do you think drove her to that?

Scootaloo furrowed her brow. "What're you talking about?"

Even the Princess of the Night was no fool. Do you truly believe she didn't know that her plan would have led to the death of your world? What effect do you think the Elements of Harmony had on her?

Scootaloo said nothing, still not understanding.

The Elements were used to brainwash the Night Princess into a mad tyrant so that she could be sent to the moon with a clear conscience, so that the ponies would not question the Sun Princess's harsh punishment. And when she returned, still mad and corrupted, the Elements were used by its new, unsuspecting bearers to return her to normal, only what they truly did was wipe her mind clean of all treasonous thoughts she had, so that she would never question her sister again.

That is the truth of your Princesses and the 'harmony' they represent. Harmony is order, and the Princesses seek to maintain absolute order, by any means necessary, including by putting their niece on the throne of the Crystal Empire after Sombra was defeated once more, at last securing Equestrian rule over the last of the pony nations. Their 'harmony' has suppressed ponykind far longer than you can imagine. Their 'harmony' has suppressed your true, independent natures. Your society is an affront to nature's balance, and that is why this world has been trapped in technological stasis for so long.

Under the surface of Equestria, there is far more wrong with it than the Princesses of the Sun and Moon want you to see.

"I…I don't…" Scootaloo stuttered, wanting to deny all of this.

But it made an uncomfortable amount of sense. And it didn't help that she was seeing visions of all of this transpiring before her very eyes, as though she were there to witness all of it.

Much of ponykind has been conditioned to love and worship the Princesses unconditionally, never knowing the dark secrets behind their rise to power. They cannot survive in the world I would build. Not without you. I must rely on you, a native Equestrian, to open their eyes to the chains they have unknowingly been bound to.

"I-I don't want to believe you," Scootaloo whimpered. "I can't…"

I represent the Other Truth. I speak the truth that you don't want to hear. I dispel ignorance, and you are afraid because I am dissolving the false, perfect world you have built around yourself.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Applebloom, Ruby, and Sweetie Belle had left the other foals to go search for Scootaloo, and had finally found what they believed to be her room. They could hear Scootaloo's voice on the other side, but just as Applebloom was about to call her name and nudge the door open, they heard another voice answer Scootaloo. This other voice chilled the young fillies to the bone, and immediately tipped them off that something was terribly wrong.

"W-who's she talking to?!" Sweetie Belle whimpered.

"Shh!" Applebloom hissed. "Ah'm tryin' t'hear what they're sayin'!"

The three fillies pressed their ears against the door as the other voice monologued, their horror rising at the terrible words it was speaking. Scootaloo was arguing with it, but it was clear she was losing her resolve. And then the voice finally confirmed why Scootaloo had seen fit to avoid them for so long.

You want to save your friends, do you not? To do that, you must first accept the truth for yourself. Then you must open their eyes to it. If they are really your friends, they will listen. But if they don't, then there is nothing I can do. They will be destroyed once I have risen again.

Applebloom's eyes narrowed. "So that's what's been goin' on. Whoever's in there's been threatenin' her."

"But who is that?" Ruby asked. "They don't sound like Ganon at all. In fact, whoever it is sounds like they might be even worse."

"Scootaloo needs us! C'mon, girls!" Applebloom cried, turning around and kicking the door open with a resounding BANG. "Scoots! Don't listen t'anythin' he's sayin'!"

The three fillies saw Scootaloo turn to look at them with wide, shocked eyes. But what their attention was drawn to was the mask that had also turned to face them as it floated in the air of its own accord.

"Applebloom! S-Sweetie Belle! What are you doing here?!" Scootaloo screamed in horror.

"We heard everything, Scootaloo!" Applebloom cried. "That thing's lyin' to you! Every word!"

The mask visibly bristled in anger. Embrace a lie long enough, and it becomes the truth. That is the way your kind have lived for so long, is it not?

"Ah've been raised by the most honest ponies in all of Equestria!" Applebloom countered. "Ah can tell just as well as they can when somepony's lyin' through their teeth!"

"Y-yeah!" Sweetie Belle added, swallowing her fear. "We're your friends, Scootaloo! Did you really think we'd leave you alone to get lied to by this…whatever it is?!"

Majora suddenly laughed, echoing in their souls as much as the halls of the Palace. So, you choose ignorance and death over enlightenment and immortality? So be it.

Scootaloo snapped out of it and suddenly leapt between her friends and the homicidal god. "NO! I won't let you harm my friends! I knew I shouldn't have believed you! I'm sticking with my friends, and I will find a way to stop you!"

Stop me? I think not, child. If you will not see the truth, then you and your friends will die in ignorance!

The mask rose higher into the air, consumed by violet flames, the eyes glowing like hellish coals.

I sacrifice this meager vessel, to bring forth a mightier manifestation of my will! Come forth, my Avatar!

"Run, NOW!" Scootaloo yelled, bolting out the door.

"C'mon!" Applebloom cried to the others as she followed.

The four fillies ran as the mask was torn asunder, pulsating with magic as a new form took shape.

XXXXXX

Canterlot Caverns…

Discord was laying low for a bit, observing as Ganondorf fruitlessly reached out with the Triforce of Power to locate the spirit of chaos. Discord chuckled merrily at the growing look of frustration on the King of Darkness's face. As long as Ganondorf didn't discover these secret caverns, Discord could make the Dark Lord's day miserable with relative impunity.

And then he suddenly felt something that made his fur and feathers stand on end, some of which promptly grew legs and scurried off before they poofed back onto Discord's body. "I sense a disturbance…in the force," Discord muttered, summoning a black hood over his head for good measure.

His deep connection to the magical field surrounding Equis allowed him to sense disturbances in the magical plane, and he could sense that something big, and probably very, VERY bad, was happening in the distant Palace of Winds, even as Ganondorf's troops closed in on Ponyville below. He glanced once more at the magical screen showing Ganondorf continuing to search for him and furrowed his bushy eyebrows, dispelling his hood. "That's strange," Discord muttered to himself. "It doesn't look like ol' Ganny's causing this. But if that isn't the case, then who else could it be?"

Discord was familiar with Vaati's magic, reminding himself uncomfortably of the fact that he had experienced it first-hand, and that didn't feel like Vaati's magic either. Overcome by curiosity, Discord snapped his fingers, teleporting out of the caverns over towards the Palace. To his surprise, however, instead of appearing inside it as he intended, his teleportation spell short-circuited, dropping him just outside of it.

"Eh?" Discord uttered in confusion before noticing the runes on the walls.

"Oh," he said to himself, tracing his fingers along the patterns as he felt the magic emanating from them. "Anti-teleportation runes. Figures. Guess I'll have to get in the old-fashioned way."

Discord looked up to see one of the stained-glass windows depicting Vaati's trademark eye and floated up to it. Humming the Mission Impossible theme to himself, Discord extended an eagle talon and began carving a hole in the glass in the shape of a rubber duck. Once the unconventionally-shaped hole was cut, he licked his lion paw and stuck it onto the glass before pulling out the part of the window he didn't cut, leaving a duck-shaped panel floating in the middle of the windowpane. Discord dumped the glass on the ground and proceeded to eat the duck-shaped cut like a cookie before entering the palace. "Now, to find our newest troublemaker," Discord said through a mouthful of glass-turned-rock candy.

XXXXXX

Scootaloo and her friends did not get far before the wall of the former dungeons exploded outward as something large burst through it. They stopped to see what was coming, and gasped in horror when they saw it. A tall humanoid figure carved seemingly from obsidian stared them down, its hands seemingly folded in some sort of wordless prayer. It had to be at least eighteen feet tall, not including the horns on its head. Its head was shaped like the mask, but lacked most of its tribal features. The menacing, glowing eyes remained on its face though, as evil-looking as ever. Eldritch-green tattoos trailed all over its slender, black body, serving as magical veins of sorts. On its back between its shoulders, two flanges stuck out, pointing upwards.

The Avatar of Majora hummed as Majora spoke through it. Behold; my Avatar! There is nowhere you can run from me! I'll crush the lot of you under my heel!

"RUN!" Scootaloo screamed.

The fillies fled from the Avatar's presence, the evil god laughing menacingly. Let the hunt begin!

XXXXXX

"Scootaloo, where are we gonna go?!" Sweetie Belle cried as they ran down the palace corridors. "We can't let him find the other foals! They could get hurt too!"

"Why are all the foals up here to begin with?!" Scootaloo demanded.

"Ganon's attackin' Ponyville, so they sent all the foals up here where it was safe!" Applebloom answered. "Or at least, where they thought it was safe."

The fillies suddenly heard thunderous footsteps behind them as Majora's Avatar rounded the corner behind them and gave chase, cackling hysterically. "We're the only ones who can do anything now!" Scootaloo cried. "We have to fight him ourselves! So first, we need to get to the weapons vault! It's where the monsters store extra weapons!"

"Are you crazy?!" Sweetie Belle shrieked. "We can't fight that thing!"

"Sweetie, we're the only ones that can!" Scootaloo yelled. "If Ganon's attacking Ponyville, then everypony's needed down there! I know a little bit about what we're dealing with, so it's up to us now!"

Scootaloo scoffed and looked at her friends as they rounded another corner. "Maybe…maybe we can get our Cutie Marks in saving everypony," she half-joked.

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom looked at each other and back at Scootaloo. "So, what's yer plan, Scoots?" Applebloom asked with a determined look.

"Ruby, you're good at finding stuff, right?" Scootaloo asked.

Ruby nodded her head. "Uh huh!"

"Alright! When we get to the weapons vault, we need to set up some kind of trap for him!" Scootaloo said. "Once he's down, I want Ruby to use whatever time we have to find some sort of weakness! That thing looks like it's just a golem of some kind, so it has to have a power source somewhere!"

"But where'd it come from? Who is that, Scootaloo?!" Ruby demanded.

Scootaloo's expression darkened as she answered, "Somebody a hundred times worse than Ganondorf. His name is Majora; the evil god from Hyrule folklore I dressed up as for Nightmare Night last year. That monster chasing us is just one of his creations; the real deal is as bad as Krastos."

They were so focused on their running and talking that they didn't notice someone standing in front of them until Scootaloo ran right into them. As Scootaloo shook her head, she and the other fillies looked up to see the last person they expected.

"Discord?!" Scootaloo cried in awe.

"The one and only!" Discord replied, bowing grandly.

"W-what're you doing here?!" Sweetie Belle cried. "You need to get out of here! Run! Something really bad is coming after us!"

"That's who I'm here for, actually," Discord cheerfully stated. "So who's Equestria's latest pain in the neck?"

As if on cue, Majora's Avatar appeared from around the corner, the golem's eyes ablaze with malicious intent. The Avatar abruptly stopped as it caught sight of its prey hiding behind the mismatched dragon standing before it. Majora recognized him instantly.



Discord. At last we meet.

Discord could feel the waves of power emanating from the golem, but he didn't let that deter him. "Well, it's no surprise you know all about me," he stated smugly. "After all, this handsome devil just so happens to be the Master of Chaos himself!"

You are not worthy of that title.

Discord's eyes nearly bugged out at the shocking accusation. "I…w-what?! How could…I'm Discord, for crying out loud! Chaos is literally my game!"

Exactly, Majora said, taking a step forward. You treat this warped magic you call chaos like it's all a game. Your immature pranks are more annoying than amusing, like those of another who tried wielding my power in the past with such intentions. You don't even know the true meaning of chaos, so how can you claim yourself to be its master?

Discord was shocked into silence by Majora's words.

I see you for what you are, Discord. I know exactly what it is you fear.

Discord snapped out of his shock and indignantly retorted, "What on earth are you talking about?! I'm afraid of nothing!"

Majora laughed cruelly. Oh, please. You're so predictable it's insulting. You're nothing more than an attention-seeking brat. Look at how you want to hold onto everyone's attention with your pranks like a spoiled child. That alone is proof enough that you fear being nothing. You fear being tossed aside by history, being relegated to the realm of myth and fairy tales until you are forgotten altogether. Reduced to oblivion. True chaos.

Discord was struck dumb by this, unable to form a reply as Majora mercilessly continued. You see, I know true chaos, and it is not merely the application of unpredictability and childish pranks. True chaos, blasphemer, is the power and emptiness of the primordial void, of which I am the Master.

Discord took a step back as Majora stepped forward again. And now, Discord, you will die for wasting my time.

XXXXXX

Ponyville…



Ganon's army spread out to encompass the whole of Ponyville, preventing any means of escape. The ponies regarded this with varying degrees of fear, while the allied monsters looked on stoically. Eventually, Phantom Ganon took one step forward and boomed, "You are regarded as traitors in the eyes of our lord! Surrender now, and we may see fit to spare you! Defy us, and we will slaughter you to the last man, woman, and child!"

Teleporting on top of one of the towers so everyone could see him, Nigellas took one look at Ganon's doppelganger and shouted, "Piss off, you big-head wanker! Surrendering ain't in our vocabulary!"

Phantom Ganon snarled at the insult and raised his sword over his head. "Attack! I don't care if the whole lot of you get lodged on the end of all their blades in the process; WIPE THEM OUT!"

Nigellas teleported over to the rest of the troops as Ganon's forces charged. "What's say we give these twats our biggest Ponyville welcome?!"

The monsters and some of the ponies cheered as they readied for the fight of their lives. The enemy monsters charged, their weapons levelled. Soon they reached the wall of stakes, and their charge slowed. "Archers, fire!" Maulgrim bellowed.

The archers in the towers began loosing volley after volley of arrows into the horde of enemies, many hitting their mark, dropping monsters that promptly burst into puffs of black smoke. Soon, however, more of them were beginning to push past the field of stakes, ready to meet the lines of ponies and enemy monsters awaiting them.

"Let 'em have it, mages!" Nigellas cried, unleashing a stream of fireballs from his hands.

The unicorns and Wizzrobes joined him, shooting beams of fire, ice, and other elemental energies at the horde, taking down many more. Enemy Wizzrobes floated over the stakes and answered with volleys of their own. Unicorns raised shields to counter the blasts as the allied Wizzrobes fired over them. Meanwhile, the Mothula reached one of the towers, the occupants too late to notice it as it fired a volley of fireballs from its proboscis, causing the tower to explode and killing the monsters inside. Several enemy Geomancers began pushing a group of the stakes out of the ground, clearing a small path for the monsters to enter the town unhindered.

Maulgrim cursed at this. "Prepare to receive attackers! For Ponyville! For Equestria! For freedom!"

A wave of monsters poured through the breach, eager for battle to join. "CHARGE!" Maulgrim roared.

The two sides clashed to the sounds of ringing steel and magical discharges. Maulgrim easily cut a swath through a group of Stalfos, their bones and brittle armor no match for Darknut refined steel. A Moblin attempted to run him through with its spear, but he deflected it with his shield and cut the attacking monster down. The fallen Moblin was immediately replaced with a much mightier foe as an Iron Knuckle approached, brandishing its tremendous axe. Maulgrim's eyes narrowed under his helmet. "Bring it on!" he roared.

The Iron Knuckle promptly obliged, swinging its axe with an ethereal grunt. Maulgrim stepped back, avoiding the blow before going on the offensive. The Iron Knuckle, however, blocked the Black Knight's downward slash before striking him with the top of the axe head in the chest, denting his armor a bit. Maulgrim grunted as he stumbled back. The Iron Knuckle pressed forward, intending to strike him down, but Maulgrim abruptly lunged forward, shoulder-tackling the animated armor. The Iron Knuckle fell to the ground, allowing Maulgrim a moment to recover. The Iron Knuckle flailed like a downed turtle before it eventually got back to its feet and came at him again. Maulgrim blocked the attack with his shield, and couldn't suppress a grunt of pain at the force of the blow as it reverberated down his forearm. The Iron Knuckle moved to strike again, but this time, Maulgrim side-stepped the attack and brought his sword down on the shaft of the axe, forcing it out of the Iron Knuckle's hands. It barely had time to register this unfortunate change of events before Maulgrim chopped down on its shoulder, dropping the entity.

Nigellas's magic was more than what normal Wizzrobes could handle, easily besting the weaker ones that challenged him. A Stalfos attempted to chop his head off, but Nigellas saw it coming and teleported behind the skeleton. Before it could turn around, he blasted it apart with a well-placed fireball. Suddenly he heard a high-pitched, girlish scream nearby and turned to see a huge, burly pegasus with absurdly tiny wings trembling in terror at the Mothula that loomed threateningly over him. "Oh, you've got to be kidding," Nigellas grumbled, remembering that Snowflake…or was it Horse Power? Bulk Biceps? Ah, who cares, the guy was deathly afraid of moths.

Bulk Biceps slowly backed into an alley as the Mothula closed in on him. Suddenly, he saw shapes leap over his head and latch onto the startled giant moth. He watched with surprise as a trio of Floormasters distracted the Mothula, allowing him to run and hide until someone else dealt with it. The Mothula began flapping its wings harder and harder, and soon they were buzzing like a bee. The vibrations forced the Floormasters to let go, where they fell disoriented to the ground. Just as the Mothula was preparing to finish them off, it suddenly felt a fireball hit it painfully from behind. The giant moth screeched as it turned around to see Nigellas readying another fireball. The Mothula screeched angrily as it answered with multiple fireballs of its own. The Wizzrobe teleported out of the way and reappeared on a rooftop with another fireball in hand and launched it at the Mothula's unprotected back once again. However, the Mothula was expecting this and flew upward, soaring over the town in search of Nigellas.

I must be freaking nuts, Nigellas thought to himself as he saw the Mothula coming at him. Me, a stinking Wizzrobe, taking on a boss monster! If I come out of this in one piece, I'll pray to the Goddesses every day, no matter who summons me!

Suddenly a beam of fire hit the Mothula in the chest, knocking it out of the air, where it landed on the roof of Sugarcube Corner. Nigellas looked down to see who his rescuer was.

"Yo, dude! Ya looked like you could use some help!" the unicorn DJ, Vinyl Scratch, offered as she trotted towards him from one of the alleyways.

"You sure you're up for taking on a boss monster?" Nigellas asked. "They're bastards to fight compared to us regular monsters."

"Don't think it matters at this point," Vinyl said, looking at the Mothula as it recovered. "Looks like he's gettin' back up for another round."

"Alright, then!" Nigellas replied. "Mothula's just like any other bug! It's weak against fire!"

"Aw, yeah!" Vinyl yelled enthusiastically. "Kill it with fire!"

The Mothula shrieked angrily as it flew back into the air, unsure whether to go for Vinyl or Nigellas first. Vinyl decided for it, hitting it with another fire beam. The Mothula chittered in pain as it felt itself begin to weaken under the assault. Enraged, it dove at Vinyl, spitting a trio of fireballs at her in response. Vinyl, however, just teleported out of harm's way, further infuriating the frustrated boss monster. The giant moth swiftly avoided Nigellas's fireballs and went for the Wizzrobe next, only for Vinyl to hit it in the back with another fire beam. While it was painfully distracted, Nigellas launched fireball after fireball at the Mothula. Its body consumed by flames and its insides roasting from the heat, the Mothula's strength finally gave out, and the immolated monster fell out of the sky, exploding in a cloud of black mist midair. Nigellas looked up at Vinyl and gave her an impressed nod.

Lyra was focused on fending off an Ice Wizzrobe, and thus didn't see the Darknut coming up behind her. However, before it could strike, it found its face abruptly covered by fur as Bon Bon furiously jumped on its head and grasped at its helmet. As it was trying to get her off, the Darknut tripped over Lyra and fell towards the Aquamancer.

"…oh," it muttered right before the Darknut fell on top of it, stunning them both.

A Lizalfos came running at Big Macintosh, hissing angrily. Big Mac saw it coming, and said one simple word before bucking it into oblivion. "Nope."

Octavia and a Wallmaster waited in ambush as the Moblin that had been chasing her entered the alley. Gripping a wooden beam in her hooves, she looked at the disembodied hand and muttered, "Toss me."

The Wallmaster obliged, grabbing her and throwing her at the surprised Moblin with all its strength. Octavia let out a yell as she whacked the Moblin across the face with the plank with enough force to topple it and break one of its tusks in the process.

As a Lizalfos came at Lotus, the spa pony threw a hoof-ful of dirt at the monster's face, blinding it. As the Lizalfos stumbled about, trying to clear its eyes, Aloe hunkered up behind the monster's legs, causing it to trip over her and fall on its back, after which Lotus promptly smashed its head in with a large rock. They may have been the spa ponies of Ponyville, but they knew how to throw down when needed, and they ironically fought dirty.

Berry Punch clutched a Molotov cocktail in each hoof, chuckling drunkenly as she chucked them at a group of approaching enemy monsters, spilling broken glass and burning alcohol all over their bodies. The monsters scattered, screeching as their bodies went up in flames. "I'm drunk!" she cackled. "You don't have an excuse!"

A Lizalfos came at her from where she sat atop a crate of wine bottles. Seeing it coming, she picked up another bottle and smacked it across the monster's face, sending it crashing to the ground and shattering the bottle in the process. "Ugh…what a waste of good wine," she grumbled as she readied another Molotov cocktail.

Colgate, the town dentist, fired up her trusty drill as a Moblin challenged her, grinning as she saw the disgusting state of the monster's teeth. "Open wide!" she cried, avoiding the Moblin's spear and jumping on its head before promptly pressing the drill against the monster's jaw.

The Moblin positively howled with pain as it got a long-overdue check-up from a very angry dentist. It was too blinded by pain to think coherently, stumbling back until it dropped and bonked its head on the stone wall of the local tavern, knocking itself out. "Oh, that's a shame," Colgate smirked as she got off the Moblin's face. "Looks like you'll need to come in for another appointment."

Roneo and Starlet made sure to stay close to each other, neither wanting to leave the other’s sight. But the rigors of battle were making it difficult for them. A Darknut approached Starlet, intent on crushing her with its gigantic mace. Starlet, wide-eyed and overcome by fear, took a frightened step back, knowing there was no way she could harm such a beast. She gasped as she suddenly bumped against the side of a house, the Darknut looming menacingly over her with its mace raised high.

Suddenly a stone struck the back of the Darknut’s helmet with a resounding “CLANK”, causing the monster to turn. “Get away from my mare, you creep!” Roneo yelled as he threw a spear at the Darknut’s chest.

The spear harmlessly bounced off the Darknut’s thick breastplate, falling uselessly to the ground. The Darknut grinned ominously under its helmet as it turned its attention towards Roneo. However, this was Roneo’s intention, as it diverted the monster’s attention away from his beloved. As it took a step forward, though, something abruptly rammed it in the back of its leg, knocking the canid knight to the ground with a startled grunt. Gladstone rolled out from under the Darknut’s bulk as the downed monster struggled to right itself. Three Leaf quickly ran over and dragged off the Darknut’s helmet while Mitta and Starlet focused on getting the heavy mace out of the Darknut’s reach. The Darknut’s vision went black when Gladstone bucked it in the side of the head, knocking it clean out.

“…You alright?” Mitta finally asked as the former residents of Sunnytown caught their breath.

Surprised at Mitta’s show of concern, Three Leaf nodded, “Yeah…yeah, we are.”

Doctor Whooves cringed at the wanton destruction occurring all around him as the battle progressed. Unfortunately, his sonic screwdriver wouldn't be much help against these monsters; they weren't mechanical beings, after all. He suddenly noticed a Moblin bearing down on poor Daisy, who had fainted on the spot out of fright. Before he could move to help, though, he saw Lily and Roseluck attack the surprised monster from behind, getting over their collective tendency to panic and run in fear in order to help their sister. They yelled and screamed and stabbed at the Moblin with their spears as it vainly tried to throw them off. Eventually it went down, allowing them to drag their unconscious sister to safety.

Glad that that was one battle won, he focused on trying to keep anypony else from getting killed. He had failed in that endeavor so many times in the past; it was very possible he would fail here. But damn it all if he wasn't going to try! The Doctor saw a Poe and Mayor Mare cooperating to take on a Lizalfos, but a Stalfos was sneaking up on them from behind. "Oh, no you don't!" he cried out, charging forward and throwing his whole weight against the skeleton as he tackled it.

As it fell to the ground, he hastily twisted off its skull and smashed it under his hooves, causing the undead warrior to slacken in defeat. Mayor Mare and her Poe companion had, by that time, finished off the Lizalfos and went off to aid in another part of the battle. He looked around, hoping that Derpy was nearby and that she was alright.

"Doctor, look out!"

Speak of the devil…wait, what?

The Doctor turned to see Phantom Ganon about to cut him low. "BOLLOCKS!" he cried, leaping aside as the ethereal sword crashed into the spot he had just been standing in.

Phantom Ganon regarded the Doctor with evil, yet appraising eyes. "You Equestrians have much more fight in you than my master or I expected. I'm impressed. But this is where it ends!"

"Not a chance, hotshot!" Derpy cried as she came down and slammed a bucket down on Phantom Ganon's head…only for it to get stuck on his horns as Derpy clumsily tumbled to the ground and sat up. "…oh."

Phantom Ganon pried the bucket off his horns and tossed it aside. "Fools."

The Dark Lord's doppelganger swung his sword at a still-recovering Derpy as the Doctor tried to push her out of the way. However, another sword abruptly blocked Phantom Ganon's attack and forced the demonic ghost back.

"You will not harm them," Maulgrim growled, brandishing his sword and shield.

Phantom Ganon guffawed. "Ah, the Darknut code of honor shines through again! Still fighting even when the odds are impossible. How poetic."

Phantom Ganon struck first, flinging a ball of energy from his free hand at the Darknut. Maulgrim lifted his shield and blocked the attack, the energy crackling against his shield. Phantom Ganon then pressed his attack, and Maulgrim met the demon blow for blow as their massive blades clashed. The Doctor and Derpy backed up to give the two combatants some space. "Should we help him?" Derpy asked.

"Of course we're going to help the chap!" the Doctor answered, like it was the most obvious answer in the world. He glanced up at the ballista tower, which was currently unmanned, as the Darknut had gone off to join the fight below. "And I think I have an idea…"

"Whoa, watch it!" a pony wearing a full helmet the Doctor recognized as Sea Swirl cried as she ran by, swinging her tail over her head, which was currently covered in metal tubes with a spiked ball on the end, thereby converting it into an attached ball and chain.

As soon as the unconventionally-armored pony had run by, the Doctor motioned for Derpy to follow him over to the ballista tower.

Meanwhile, Maulgrim gasped for breath as he continued his struggle against Phantom Ganon. Several minutes had gone by, and the Darknut had lost several pieces of his heavier armor in the fight. Phantom Ganon never let up his assault, eager to finish off the Darknut. But Maulgrim would not yield; not while he still drew breath. Thus the Black Knight fought back, parrying and blocking Phantom Ganon's swings and thrusts and following up with some of his own. Both were skilled combatants, but it was clear Phantom Ganon was starting to gain the upper hand as the demon teleported behind Maulgrim and cut off another piece of armor. Maulgrim snarled as he swung at Phantom Ganon, but the ghost parried and readied another energy ball, flinging it point-blank at Maulgrim's chest. The Black Knight roared in agony as the force of the blow and the pain it caused him knocked him flat on his back.

Phantom Ganon moved to finish him, swinging downwards, but Maulgrim had recovered enough to see the attack coming and rolled out of the way. Phantom Ganon sneered as Maulgrim slowly stumbled to his feet. "It's hopeless, Darknut," he gloated. "You cannot win."

Maulgrim said nothing as he shrugged off the last remaining bits of his outer armor and tossed his broadsword aside, now drawing his dueling sword. Maulgrim lunged at Phantom Ganon and met him once again blade to blade. With all his heavy armor gone, Maulgrim was now much faster on his feet, and he actually managed to force Phantom Ganon back a few steps from the ferocity of his attack. However, Phantom Ganon soon regained his footing and counterattacked, regaining his ground. Maulgrim was panting from the exertion, and Phantom Ganon could tell his enemy was beginning to tire. As Maulgrim swung at him again, Phantom Ganon teleported behind him once more and threw an energy ball. Maulgrim struck it with his sword, sending it back at Phantom Ganon. Mildly surprised by this, Phantom Ganon struck it himself, sending it back at its original target. Maulgrim was no expert in Dead Man's Volley, and coupled with his fatigue, there was no way he could keep it up. An explosion of pain as it hit sent the Black Knight to his knees.

Phantom Ganon floated to the ground and strode up to the defeated Darknut. "You have fought well," he said. "But it simply was not enough. Look at me; I want you to at least face your death with dignity."

Maulgrim slowly lifted his head up and glared at Phantom Ganon.

And then that glare suddenly morphed into a smile.

Phantom Ganon's eyes narrowed. "What are you smiling for?!"

THWIP!

Suddenly, a ballista bolt pierced the shadow of Ganon through the chest, the tip protruding from between his pectorals. Phantom Ganon let out a strangled yell of pain as he too was forced to his knees, clutching at the tip of the bolt. The demonic ghost looked over his shoulder to see the two ponies whom he had tried to kill earlier manning the ballista.

"This…impossible," Phantom Ganon groaned disbelievingly.

He turned to see Maulgrim's sword levelled at his throat. "This is Equestria," Maulgrim said with a victorious, if weary grin. "And here…anything is possible!"

With that, Maulgrim plunged his blade through Phantom Ganon's neck, finally silencing the demon once and for all. The demonic spirit's body vanished in an inferno of blue flames, leaving no trace.

And as the final nail in the coffin of Ganon's troops' fortune, from out of the forest suddenly came a large force of Diamond Dogs, slamming into the unprotected rear of Ganon's ranks.

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds…



Discord was slammed against the wall by Majora's Avatar, struggling to bring his magic to bear, as the entity was apparently exuding an anti-magic field of some sort, weakening his ability to counterattack. And the anti-teleportation runes around the Palace were preventing him from utilizing any teleporting tactics.

But Discord was not helpless. Not this time.

His tail fur made a finger-snapping motion, summoning several exploding pies out of thin air and splattering them against the Avatar's face. Majora's Avatar stumbled back, momentarily disoriented by the explosions, freeing Discord from his grip. Discord then summoned a giant plush hammer and cried, "Fore!"

He struck Majora, flinging him down the hall, the hammer emitting a cow's moo as it struck. The Avatar immediately got to its feet, the eyes glowing menacingly. Suddenly a fiery beam of energy shot out of the eyes. Discord used his magic to alter his body's structure, splitting his head in half and allowing the beam to pass him harmlessly by.

Majora charged at him, quickly closing the distance between himself at the chaotic spirit and charged a spell between the golem's horns. Discord prepared himself, but could not escape the all-encompassing field of magical energy that exploded from the horns, catching Discord in the chest and smashing him once more against the wall. "Ugh, that's gonna be sore in the morning," Discord muttered, cracking his back.

Majora strode towards Discord, his Avatar's hands once again folded in their default praying position. Discord quickly changed the floor to wet soap. Majora, not expecting this, lost his footing, the animated statue crashing to the floor, landing on its back. A resounding crack resonated throughout the hall as the flanges on the statue's back broke. The Avatar struggled to rise, as it could not gain a grip due to the slippery floor.

Discord skidded merrily towards him. "Not so tough now, are…" Discord began.

He was interrupted by a pair of violet tentacles that abruptly sprang out of the Avatar's back and wrapped themselves around him. Dark magic coursed through them into Discord's body, causing him to howl in pain. The tendrils flung him down the hall, allowing Majora to dispel the soap road spell and rise to his feet. The Avatar then struck the downed spirit with another stream of fire from the golem's eyes, bringing further pain to Discord.

The Avatar of Majora didn't let up its assault, keeping up the beams as it stalked towards him. You pathetic creature, Majora hissed. You never had a chance. I am a true god. You are a false idol. And now you shall die, slowly and painfully, for your blasphemy.

It was at this moment that Scootaloo and her friends emerged from around the corner and took in the scene. Scootaloo had a spear, while Sweetie Belle and Applebloom were carrying a long length of rope. Sweetie Belle put her hooves to her mouth in horror at the pain Majora was inflicting upon Discord. Ruby looked at the Avatar's back and blinked as she saw an eye staring unblinkingly out the back of the golem where the two flanges had once been, identical to the eyes of the mask itself. "Girls, I think I know what his weak point is!" she exclaimed. "It's that eye on his back! It has to be! It was protected earlier, and it looks like Discord managed to knock off whatever was guarding it!"

"Good eye, Ruby!" Scootaloo commended.

"But how're we gonna get to it?" Applebloom asked worriedly. "He's as tall as our old barn!"

"I want you and Sweetie Belle to tie up his legs while he's still distracted with Discord," Scootaloo informed them. "After that, I'll call out to him. It's me he wants, so he'll probably try to go right after me. And when he does, he'll fall over. Then we destroy that eye before he can get back up!"

Sweetie Belle gulped. "Scoots…w-what if…what if it doesn't work?"

Scootaloo gave them a teary smile and wrapped them all in a hug. "Then I'm glad I got to have such great friends like you at my side."

The four fillies fought back their tears and steeled themselves for what they knew they had to do. "Let's do this, girls," Applebloom said.

Discord's bloodcurdling screams echoed in Applebloom and Sweetie Belle's minds as they nervously approached with the rope. Luckily, it appeared that Majora had yet to notice them, and soon they reached his legs and began tying the rope around them. As this was a golem and not a living creature, it did not feel sensations such as pain or touch, and Majora's single-minded concentration on Discord's suffering blinded him to this new peril.

After a few minutes, Sweetie Belle tied the loose ends of the rope securely together, she and Applebloom hurriedly backing up as Scootaloo joined them.

"HEY! Leave him alone, Majora!" Scootaloo yelled. "It's me you want, remember?!"

Majora's beams abruptly stopped as he heard Scootaloo's voice behind him. The Avatar looked over its shoulder at them. In a hurry to die, are you? Very well, I shall fulfill your…what?!

Majora's Avatar tried to turn around, but in doing so, it fell victim to the ropes, and the mighty golem crashed to the floor. Discord managed to recover enough to magically pin Majora's arms to the ground with black, green-thorned vines. Scootaloo readied her spear as she and her two best friends stood on the golem's restrained back and glared into the defenseless eye animating it.

You think this is the end? This is but one of my Avatars. One of many. This victory of yours achieves nothing but a temporary reprieve. My influence even now is further rooting itself in this world, and you are but children. Soon I will be ready to strike, and when I am, you and everyone you care about will die!

"No," Scootaloo answered firmly. "When that time comes, I'll fight you again. I'll keep fighting you until you can't hurt anypony ever again."

"So will Ah," Applebloom added with a determined look. "Scootaloo might as well be family t'me. And Ah'm gonna protect mah family."

"And I will too!" Sweetie Belle spoke. "I'll follow my friends till the end of time!"

The eye glared at them. And then the dark god chuckled grimly. You have damned yourselves.

Without another word, Scootaloo let out a yell and plunged her spear into the eyeball, eliciting a bellow of rage that descended into a mad cackle as the Avatar disintegrated into a black sludge that promptly burned away in violet flames. Discord groaned in pain, his whole body covered with burns.

"Are you alright, Mr. Discord?" Sweetie Belle asked, coming up to him.

Discord weakly smirked. "I've had worse, trust me. But this is going to put me out of commission for a bit. I hope Ganny doesn't miss me too bad."

"Scootaloo! Sweetie Belle! Applebloom!" Ruby suddenly cried, pointing at their flanks. "Look!"

The Cutie Mark Crusaders glanced at their flanks, and gasped in shock.

Adorning each of their flanks was a Hylian shield Cutie Mark, with the trademark red bird replaced by a red silhouette of an alicorn.

"Ah…Ah don't believe it," Applebloom uttered in awe.

"W-we got them…" Sweetie Belle breathed. "We actually got our Cutie Marks!"

Scootaloo inspected hers closely, a frown etched on her face. Applebloom noticed this and said, "Scoots? What's wrong? We finally got what we've been lookin' for all this time! Aren't ya happy?"

Scootaloo looked up at them. "I am, but…look at what they represent. Those are Hylian shields, the shields used by the Legendary Hero and the Knights of Hyrule. It means we're protectors. But not just any protectors…look, the red bird's been replaced by an alicorn, showing our connection to Equestria. We've just drafted ourselves into a war that's been centuries in the making. We've been marked as warriors of the Hyrulean Goddesses. Majora was right; when his war begins, we'll be called upon in the name of two worlds to fight him and the forces of evil. I would have been okay with this, but…I didn't want you two dragged into it with me."

Applebloom smiled. "We would've gone with ya regardless, Scoots. Friends stick together."

"And, with these Cutie Marks, we can be real Crusaders now!" Sweetie Belle piped up. "All three of us, together! Like it should be!"

Scootaloo could not hold back her tears of emotion as she enveloped her two lifelong friends in a hug. "You're the best friends anypony could ever ask for. Thank you so much for being there for me when I thought I was alone. I'm honored that we're all in this together."

"Oh, GAG," Discord grumbled, though on the inside, he couldn't help but feel proud of those three little fillies.

Still, the encounter with the astoundingly-powerful golem had left his mind reeling. Now he too realized that Ganon was not the only enemy, nor was he the worst.

XXXXXX

Ponyville…

After the Diamond Dogs had shown up, the battle sharply turned against Ganon's favor. And with the death of their leader, there was no one left in command to direct their forces. Coupled with the redoubled efforts of the defending monsters and their shockingly-ferocious pony allies, this was a battle Ganon's forces could not win. Finally the remaining enemies broke ranks and fled back towards the safety of Canterlot. Content with their victory, the Ponyville defenders did not pursue, and stayed behind to take note of their losses.

Most of the town was surprisingly still intact. A few houses had been damaged by smashing bodies or small fires, but otherwise the town was unharmed. After a few minutes of mingling amongst the wounded, Nigellas finally made his way up to Maulgrim, who was leaning wearily on his sword. "Unbelievable," Nigellas began, shaking his head. "I'll never doubt the strength of ponykind ever again. Every single one of them survived, Grim. ALL OF THEM."

Maulgrim managed a smile. "They may not seem like warriors at first glance, but a warrior's heart beats in every one of them."

Nigellas folded his arms. "We did lose a number of our own, though," he said grimly. "I can only hope they don't end up under Ganon's yoke in turn if they are summoned again."

Maulgrim's smile faded. "A pox on this cursed existence we're reduced to. I can only pray that it is lifted one day, Goddesses willing."

Both Wizzrobe and Darknut glanced at the horizon as Celestia's sun lowered to make way for Luna's night. "Aye," Nigellas agreed. "Goddesses willing."
> Episode 11: Reclamation of Loyalty Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 11: Reclamation of Loyalty Part 1 – Storms On The Horizon

Canterlot Castle, Ganon's Throne Room…

"What do you mean, you lost the battle?" Ganondorf snarled, his fingers grating against the arms of his throne as he glared down at the Wizzrobe that had been granted the unfortunate honor of relaying the bad news. "Your task was simple. Capture the Equestrian town and the Palace of Winds. And you mean not only to tell me that my army was defeated, but that Phantom Ganon and Mothula were both slain, and there wasn't a single Equestrian life lost?!"

"Um…yes?" the Wizzrobe shakily whimpered.

One enraged yell and an explosive ball of energy later, there was nothing left of the hapless Wizzrobe save for a black, smoldering smudge on the floor where it had once stood. His rage still boiling, Ganondorf stood from his throne and strode over to the balcony that overlooked the city, silently fuming to himself.

How? Ganondorf furiously asked himself. How can these miserable, strangely-colored equines, these ponies, possibly be so resilient?!

The Dark Lord growled with discontent. I underestimated them. Deeply.

"My Lord!" came a voice from behind him.

Ganondorf did not even turn around to acknowledge the speaker, but the voice carried the distinct high-pitched, scratchy tone characteristic of Wizzrobes. "What?" Ganondorf growled.

The Wizzrobe flinched at Ganondorf's harsh, angry tone, and took notice of the smoking black mark on the floor that reeked of burned fabric and charred flesh. Well, I guess we know what happened to Rhastabel, the Wizzrobe thought before it spoke its piece. "W-we found something, M-Master. Something t-that might interest you."

"Speak quickly!" Ganondorf snapped. "My patience is thin!"

The Wizzrobe gulped and replied, "We f-found a map of E-Equestria, sire. One t-that has apparently b-been recently updated. A particular neighboring kingdom caught our interest, a-and we Wizzrobes set about researching it. U-up in the far north, t-there is a place c-called the Crystal Empire. It apparently was o-once ruled by a unicorn tyrant who banished this Crystal E-Empire to the void for a thousand years w-when the Equestrian Princesses d-defeated him. The E-Empire has recently returned, a-and this tyrant along with it, b-but it seems he was destroyed by a-an artifact called the Crystal Heart, which appears to b-be some sort of protection for the Empire. F-from what we have gathered, i-it's little more than a city-state b-by now, and furthermore is essentially a v-vassal state t-to the Equestrian throne, since the Princesses' niece, who is apparently also an alicorn, currently rules it."

As the Wizzrobe spoke, Ganondorf's anger was replaced by curiosity, and as it finished, something clicked in the King of Darkness's mind.

"The Princesses are there," he declared, turning around to face his minion. "There's no doubt of it; that's where the cowards are hiding. Bring me this map at once!"

The Wizzrobe fished a paper out of its robes and unfurled it. "I had a feeling you would ask, sire," it said, handing it over to its master.

Ganondorf scrutinized the Equestrian map, and quickly found the location of the Crystal Empire up north. It sat close to the Crystal Mountains, and was separated from the rest of Equestria by over a hundred miles of frozen, snow-covered wasteland. "Yes," Ganondorf murmured as he inspected it, the gears in his devious mind turning as he processed this new information. "It makes perfect sense. It's remote, it's isolated, and it's well-defended."

Ganondorf grinned menacingly. "And the best part is, all three of the alicorn Princesses will be there. Which means I will not have to hunt them down individually. When the Crystal Empire falls, all of Equestria will crumble with it at the knowledge that their rulers are now my helpless prisoners."

Ganondorf looked up at the waiting Wizzrobe, who was nervously twiddling its thumbs. "Inform the troops to make ready!" he barked. "We march on the Crystal Empire come morning!"

The Wizzrobe quickly saluted. "It will be done, sir!" it squeaked, eager to leave its master's terrifying presence.

After the Wizzrobe had left, Ganondorf turned and glanced towards the moon, allowing its soft rays to spill across his dark-skinned face. He sighed heavily; he needed rest. Even the wielder of the Triforce of Power occasionally required sleep, for even that wondrous fragment of Din's holy power could not eliminate that mortal need.

Ganondorf strode through the lofty halls of Canterlot Castle, occasionally passing by a monster on patrol, which would instantly salute, often with a fearful look, at his presence. Ganondorf paid them no mind; all that he cared about was a peaceful slumber so that he may brood in quiet. Unfortunately, the only bedding he could currently make use of was the mattresses the Princesses used for their bedchambers, which merely sat on the floor and did not stand on legs like a king's bed should have. Still, it would do for now, until his servants could fashion a bed fit for a king of his stature.

All too soon he arrived at the Princesses' former bedchamber and locked the door behind him. He would not tolerate any interruptions tonight. Silently, he undid his cape and unfastened his armor, leaving him in just his leggings. The weary Dark Lord hung his apparel on the hangers that the Princesses had used for their own purposes before settling down on what he assumed had once been Princess Luna's bed. Ganondorf pulled the covers around himself and released a growling sigh before slowly falling asleep.

XXXXXX

The World of Dreams…

Princess Luna, ever vigilant in her watch over the night, started as an unexpected dreamer joined in with the multitude of other dreamers whose subconscious floated in the expansive void between dreams. She could not believe it; Ganon was asleep and dreaming.

After so many days, Luna had begun wondering if Ganon ever slept at all. But now that it seemed he did, this now presented a golden opportunity for her; to enter the unprotected mind of her enemy and see what it was he knew. Perhaps she could even…

NO.

Luna caught herself immediately before that last thought could finish. I am not Sombra, she reminded herself sternly. I will not stoop to his level. But still, I must gain an insight into the foe to whom we are opposed.

Without further ado, Luna flew over to Ganon's dream bubble and immersed herself in the subconscious world of the King of Darkness.

What she was not expecting was to find herself in a roiling black storm cloud. Red lightning flashed all around her, the thunder booming in her ears. But she could tell that this was no mere storm; it didn't even feel like it was part of the dream, and yet it was undoubtedly a part of Ganon's consciousness. And just being inside this unnatural storm filled Luna with a dark, worried feeling. She could outright feel the intense rage and all-consuming hatred being exuded by the storm, as though it were a living, breathing entity born of the deepest, darkest depths of malevolence. The lightning began striking ever closer to the Princess of the Night, and Luna realized she had two choices; retreat and abandon this one chance to see into Ganon's mind, or fight her way through this twisted storm of rage.

With a determined snort, Luna flew through the crushing blackness, lithely avoiding the crimson bolts of lightning that seemed determined to zap her right out of the sky. The further she persevered, the more violent this storm became, and the foreign feeling of hatred and lust for power ever intensified. The wind swirled around her, threatening to blow her off-course, but she held on. Soon it was not just the explosions of thunder or the howling winds that assaulted her ears; now she was certain she could hear a voice interlayered with the roaring winds, a constant bellow of rage, as though the storm itself were expressing outrage at its inability to hinder her.

Suddenly, Luna burst through a break in the storm, and all immediately fell quiet. The oppressive atmosphere of hatred and malice evaporated instantly, and Luna found that she was now hovering over a vast ocean. A small island adorned with a single, lonely tower stood sentinel in the very center of the expanse of liquid blue, and all around the area, the storm roiled ceaselessly beyond.

The whole thing confused Luna immensely. This isn't a mere dream, she surmised cautiously. What is this, then? Where am I?

Knowing that the answer to these questions likely awaited her in the lonely tower, Luna flew over to it and touched down on the balcony at the top floor, ready for anything.



"I can feel his rage even more than usual," a familiar voice abruptly spoke. "You've got guts, braving that storm to reach here, Princess of the Night."

Luna looked ahead to see a red-haired man clad in swirling black robes adorned with numerous golden patterns slowly turn to face her.

"Ganondorf," she said darkly, readying for a fight.

To her surprise, Ganondorf merely raised a hand in a gesture of peace. "Not the Ganondorf you know, my dear Princess."

Luna's brow furrowed in surprise as she stopped to consider the subtle differences between the Dark Lord and the man now standing before her. For instance, he looked much older, his face marred by wrinkles borne of age and weariness at the world. His facial features were hard, but not cruel, and his eyes were not poison yellow, but a hazel-nut brown. In short, he looked far older and much less evil than his waking counterpart.

"I-I don't understand," Luna breathed in confusion. "This is no dream. Where are we?"

Ganondorf smiled thinly. "I welcome you, Princess Luna, to my fortress of solitude. The last vestige of my true self before evil consumed my body and soul and forever bound me to a curse not even of my own making."

"Your true self?" Luna repeated. "So this realm exists apart from normal dreams?"

"You could say that," Ganondorf answered. "I am forced to share my subconscious with another, and he does not dream. Thus, I cannot properly dream either. In the few times I am granted rest, I am consigned to wander this tower, alone with my thoughts, with nothing to do but watch that storm constrict ever more with each passing reincarnation, a sign that Ganondorf is slipping away, further consumed by the aspect of Ganon."

Both he and Luna looked out the window at the distant wall of black over the horizon. "So that thing out there…that is no storm, it is a living entity," Luna spoke.

"Indeed," Ganondorf answered. "Since you are not of my world, you will likely have not heard this story apart from the snippets the sorcerer has likely told you."

Luna blinked. "I admit, my knowledge of your origins is limited."

"Come, let us walk together," Ganondorf bade, gesturing towards the door. "I will tell you all there is to know."

Luna hesitated a moment, but finally relented and followed Ganondorf outside. The two of them walked side-by-side, taking in the peaceful sounds and smells of the ocean as Ganondorf began.

"Centuries before I was born, a great Demon King was defeated in battle by a hero among men. Demise vowed that his hatred would never perish, and that he would continue to menace the bloodlines of the guardian deities that had lowered themselves to mortal forms in order to protect the land through a curse that would give rise to an incarnation of his will and malice. I became that vessel for his hatred. When I was born, even in my childhood, I felt a foreign resentment burning within me, but I dismissed it merely as discontent with the treatment of my people, the Gerudo. I was the first male born to their tribe in a hundred years, and thus I was crowned their king. It was hoped that I would lead the Gerudo out of the time of darkness and bring prosperity back into their lives.

"You see, we Gerudo were forced to live in the barren deserts of the south, where there is little food or water, for we were driven from our homeland by the arrogant and vain Hylians during their petty War of Unification. Being as the Gerudo wished to remain independent of Hylian machinations, we inadvertently chose the wrong side, and we paid for it. Our people were reduced to thievery and prostitution to make ends meet, and the Hylians detested us all the more for it, detesting us for the life they had reduced us to!

"The harsh winds of the desert were cruel to my people. During the day, the winds stirred the sands and burned our skin like fire. When night came, a chill like no other nipped at our bodies, carrying with it the souls of our young and elderly, who could not survive such extreme weather. We were a starving people, and I was determined to save them by striking back at the Hylian usurpers and claiming their sacred Triforce for my own. With its divine power, I would undo the damage the Hylians had wrought and restore the Gerudo's honor and well-being.

"But it was not to be. The older I grew, the more that desire for vengeance took a darker turn. I did not know it then, but Demise's will was beginning to manifest within me, twisting my desires and dreams to suit his savage lust for power and destruction. When I touched the Triforce, and it split apart and left me with only Power to call my own, in that moment, I was lost to the hatred of Demise, reduced to little more than a lingering shadow of his malice, no longer in control of my own thoughts and actions, driven only by a burning need to conquer, to pillage, to burn.

"Ganondorf and Ganon are not one and the same, Princess. I was once my own person, but as time goes on, Ganon further consumes my being. You see, Ganon essentially is Demise."

As Luna took all of this in, she glanced once more at the storm. "And those clouds…?"

Ganondorf glanced at them as well. "Yes…those clouds of darkness are all that is left of Demise's hatred. With each passing year, it grows ever closer. It will not be long; soon, this entire fortress, and thus myself, will be devoured by the will of Demise. It is a fate I would not have wished upon my very worst enemies. Even the eternal release of death is beyond my reach, for whenever I am struck down, my soul is whisked away by Demise's essence to await the time in which I am reborn."

"I am sorry for the cruel hand fate has dealt you," Luna apologized, finding herself sympathizing with someone she had initially thought to be as vile and cruel as King Sombra. "I…know somewhat what it is like."

"Do not feel pity for me, Princess," Ganondorf replied. "My people suffered the ultimate consequences of my descent into madness and legend. It was they who were imprisoned in the Arbiter's Grounds, a prison blasphemously built over the Spirit Temple, and left there to die by the Hylians. It was they who were exterminated as a people in the futile attempt to prevent my return. To live every day under the control of the bastard who damned your people to death and ruin is the cruelest of ironies, and it is a nightmare from which I cannot wake."

Luna truly did not know what to say. She had not realized that there could be more to the King of Darkness than he let on, and to know what he had been forced to endure, what he was still being forced to endure…

She had thought her own backstory was tragic, but she had merely fallen out of jealousy towards her sister's popularity. He had fallen because of circumstances outside his control in his quest to save his people, and his efforts ultimately cost him everything.

"…It is not fair that you are cursed with such an existence," Luna finally said. "I cannot permit it to continue. The Elements of Harmony are powerful…if the Triforce of Power does not resist, they could free you. I know it. They freed me from the spell of Nightmare Moon; surely they can purge Demise from your soul."

Ganondorf quietly considered this. "It would be difficult. I would have to be worn down first, and the Wind Mage has not been able to keep up with me long enough to do so. I have no control over myself when I am awake; I cannot help you in any way when the final confrontation inevitably occurs."

Luna glanced once more towards the ocean. "I believe in them."

Ganondorf smiled. "Then perhaps this old man can keep a little hope in his heart after all."

Then that smile fell. "I must warn you though, Princess. I have discovered the location of the Crystal Empire and deduced that you are there. My forces will march on it tomorrow. I suggest you ready yourselves in any way you can. That is all the aid I can offer you."

Luna's heart constricted as she realized that the inevitable moment had come. "Then ready we shall," she answered. "We will fight, and though we will be enemies once more when we awaken, I will not condemn you to this existence any longer if I can help it. The Elements will free you, and I swear by our dear mother that Demise will be destroyed once and for all!"

Ganondorf could not help but feel pride for these mighty, virtuous people. "There is strength within you and your people," he commended. "Your hearts are strong, and you possess wisdom and kindness that my world sorely lacks. If anyone can put an end to the Golden Trio Cycle, it is the protectors of Equestria."

Luna opened her mouth to reply, but was abruptly interrupted by a sudden rumble. Both of them looked up at the storm, which had seemingly intensified and was attempting to push its way further in.

"I think now would be a good time to depart," Ganondorf grimly advised. "It would seem Demise feels you have overstayed your welcome."

Luna nodded and unfurled her wings. "A Princess of Equestria is bound by her word. I promise we will help you find peace."

Ganondorf bowed his head. "Now fly, Luna of the Moonlit Stars. And may the way of the Triforce light your path."

Luna nodded with finality before she took to the skies and headed back into the storm of Demise. The Demon King's hatred made manifest relentlessly struck at her with hurricane winds and bolts of red lightning, but Luna overcame these terrible obstacles and quickly escaped the tainted dreamscape.

XXXXXX

Crystal Empire…

Luna heaved a sigh as Celestia, Cadance, and Shining Armor all joined her at the round table, all of whom looked very tired and irate about being awakened in the dead of night. Still, they all knew Luna would have to have a good reason for this, so they all held back their complaints.

"What's this about, Luna?" Celestia asked with a yawn. "Did something happen in the dreamscape?"

Luna nodded. "Yes, my sister. I bore witness to the dreamscape of the King of Darkness, and I have learned much about what we are up against."

"So Ganon actually does sleep?" Shining marveled. "You could have done more, Princess. Perhaps you could have used dream magic to…"

"Do not suggest such a vile course of action to me ever again, Prince Armor," Luna angrily snapped. "Sombra utilized that horrible power time and again before we overthrew him. I refuse to stoop to that monster's level."

Shining went dead silent out of fear and shame.

"What did you learn about him, Aunt Luna?" Cadance asked, hoping to deflate Luna's anger by returning to the subject at hand.

"I learned that there is far more to him than meets the eye," Luna explained, eliciting varied expressions of surprise and confusion. "Ganondorf, for that is his true name, was destined for evil long before he was even born, for his existence is owed to the curse of the Golden Trio Cycle, forced upon him by the dying wish of the Demon King Demise. Ganondorf is compelled to seek power and commit acts of evil by Demise's hatred, which exists as a part of him similarly to how Nightmare Moon existed within me. He is not even in control of his own actions anymore, and the part of him that remains Ganondorf is so tired, Celie. Tired of being alive, of being an instrument of revenge for a demon long since dead, of being unable to join his people in death so long as Demise's hatred burns within his soul. I pity him, and I want to help him."

"I don't see how we can," Shining interrupted. "I mean, if what you're saying is true, then this Demise character has had Ganon under his control for possibly thousands of years. How could we possibly separate the two after so long?"

"The Elements of Harmony," Celestia answered. "Remember that Luna too was bound to the twisted soul of the Nightmare for a thousand years, and yet they succeeded in sundering the Nightmare's power and returning my sister to normal. Surely the Elements could do the same to Ganon if he is too weary to protect himself with his Triforce of Power."

Cadance shook her head. "I don't know. I mean, I see what you're getting at, but Aunt Luna wasn't always bound to the Nightmare. It sounds to me like Ganon's been bound to Demise since he was born. He's the whole reason Ganon's alive in the first place. If the Elements were to destroy Demise's remaining essence…what would happen to Ganondorf? They…well, it's very possible that would kill him."

Luna smiled sadly. "And he could not ask for better."

Realizing what she meant by that, the others fell quiet as they considered this.

"That is not all I have to say, though," Luna continued. "Ganondorf warned me shortly before Demise forced me out that he knows we're here in the Crystal Empire, and that he is approaching with his armies to capture us. While he cannot control himself in the waking world, he at least aided us with his warning."

Celestia sighed. "I suppose it was inevitable."

"We'll need to beef up our defenses," Shining said. "We've gotten a massive surge of refugees. I suggest we indoctrinate them into the royal army and start training immediately. With all of us fighting, and with the aid of the Helmaroc King and the other monsters, I think we'd be able to hold out in the event of an attack."

Celestia was silent, her mind warring with itself. She hated war, and for so long she had dealt with the forces of evil on her own terms rather than risk the lives of her ponies. But that time of peace had come and gone. Ponykind no longer knew the horrors of war because of her own actions, and soon they would have no choice but to learn it all over again for the sake of survival. It wasn't fair.

"I…I loathe it, but I agree, Shining," Celestia finally said glumly. "I cannot be counted on to protect my little ponies anymore. They must learn to defend themselves, to fight their own battles, and find their own inner strength. We are at war, and Equestria must have an army. Rest while we can, for tomorrow, Equestria will again learn the art of war."

XXXXXX

Rarity was having the time of her life performing for the prestigious Canterlot Talent Festival. She had pulled out all the stops on her costume, a fancy, bejeweled dress. Her friends were sitting in the front row of seats, eagerly watching her. But just as the best part was starting, the unthinkable happened; Rarity caught a snag on her dress, tripped, and with an ungraceful yelp, fell to the floor. The entire audience gasped with shock at the display. As Rarity shook her head and realized what happened with dawning horror, she suddenly heard the crowd begin to boo her.

Rarity's breath hitched in her throat as she heard the crowd's displeasure, and soon jeers and insults joined the multitude of boos and hisses.

"Boo, you stink!"

"Get off the stage, ya ugly mule!"

"Sweet Faust, that dress is ugly as sin! No wonder she fell!"

"I wasted my bits on THIS?!"

The ugly taunts bit into Rarity like dozens of stinging bees, and she quivered on the ground as she looked towards her friends for support…

…only to see them walking out of the theater with disappointed frowns, not even sparing her a second glance as they left her alone with the crowd of angry ponies as they insulted her looks, her talent, her dress, and everything she valued in herself. And the humiliated fashionista could do nothing but lie on the cold hardwood floor of the stage and cry helplessly, her tears smudging her makeup all over her cheeks.

"I-I'm so pathetic…" she whimpered to herself.

And then the first tomato hit her, clipping her exposed shoulder and causing her to gasp in horror at the red juice and bits of pulp staining her dress. And even as she raised her head to look at it, another tomato splattered against her chest. She shakily stood, overcome by despair and humiliation as she saw more tomatoes flying at her. She raised her hooves to defend herself, but was unable to stop the tomato that hit her directly in the face, knocking her back to the ground.

She dared not get up again, bawling her eyes out in shame as tomatoes fell around her and the crowd's cruel jeers rang in her ears.

XXXXXX

Mad Buffalo Saloon, Appleloosa…

Rainbow Dash twisted fitfully in her sleep as visions assaulted her subconscious. She could see clouds, pegasi fleeing or attempting to fight the multiple Wizzrobes relentlessly trying to corral them, and finally all of her fellow pegasi being herded in chains into a stone tower she definitely did not recognize. Finally, she caught sight of a much taller Wizzrobe who wore a metal mask and thick robes of golden silk, a leader figure of sorts. A set of keys hung from a red sash tied around the Wizzrobe's waist, likely to whatever cells her fellow pegasi were being forced into.

The Element of Loyalty was reaching out from the grasp of the golden Wizzrobe, and Rainbow quickly realized where her Element now was.

Cloudsdale.

She needed to let the others know right away, and so she willed herself to wake up and drag herself out of bed. She opened the door to the hallway and began heading towards Twilight's room when she suddenly heard something coming from Rarity's room as she passed by and paused. Rainbow's eyebrows flew up in realization as she remembered.

Rarity…she's having her nightmare!

Deciding that the news of her Element's location could wait, Rainbow pushed open the door to Rarity's room and found the fashionista curled up in her bed in the fetal position as she cried in her sleep. Rainbow immediately rushed to her side and began nudging her shoulder.

"Rarity? Wake up! C'mon, Rares!" Rainbow whispered, shaking Rarity's shoulder with increasing intensity until her friend's eyes abruptly flew open as she gasped.

"Ah! W-what…?" she whimpered as the world slowly came into focus.

"Shh, it's okay, Rarity," Rainbow soothingly said, rubbing her friend's shoulder. "You were having a nightmare."

Rarity shivered as she recalled the experience. "I-it was so horrible. Oh, darling, I don't ever want to experience something like that again."

Rainbow hugged her and said, "Don't worry, I think it's just a one-time thing. It's over now."

As Rainbow turned to go, Rarity held up a hoof and cried, "Wait! I-I don't want to be alone right now. C-could you…um…"

Rainbow smiled. "Sure, I'll stay with you."

Rarity returned her smile. "Thank you, dear."

Rarity scooched over to allow room for Rainbow as she climbed into bed and burrowed under the covers. The warmth of her friend's body quickly eased Rarity's mind, and within moments she had fallen back asleep. Rainbow smiled as she prepared to reenter the realm of dreams when she suddenly heard a familiar voice.

"Got room for a couple more, sugarcube?"

Rainbow looked over her shoulder to see the rest of her friends in the room too, all with soft smiles on their faces. Rainbow opened her mouth to question how they had known, but quickly decided that it didn't matter and sighed dramatically, though with a wide smile on her face. "Oh, get in here."

Though it was a bit of a tight fit, the rest of the Mane Six piled onto Rarity's bed, being careful not to awaken Rarity as she was buried under a pile of friends.

XXXXXX

"Gwo hoh hoh hoh," Dethl laughed as it detached itself from Rarity's subconscious.

That had been enjoyable. Dethl had decided to play things a little different this time, forgoing violence in favor of utter humiliation and betrayal, things that certainly proved a far more effective fuel for its nightmare influence when dealing with someone like Rarity. It also laughed at its own ingenuity. As it had expected, Princess Luna was unable to resist poking into Ganon's mind once the Demon King of Nightmares had planted the desire for sleep in his mind, just barely avoiding the attention of the last fragment of Demise boiling in the Dark Lord's subconscious. It had waited until she had entered Ganon's dreams before making its own move, and by the look of it, she had either left the world of dreams entirely or was still inside Ganon's dream. It did not matter, in the end; Dethl had gotten what it came for.

"Three down, three to go," Dethl spoke to itself with a wicked chuckle.

Dethl's laughter died down as it felt a familiar presence join it in the dream world.

And he was NOT happy.

The child…curse her! Majora raged. She dared to defy me! And then, she and her wretched friends actually DESTROYED ONE OF MY AVATARS!

Dethl's eye widened in shock. "That little whelp of a pegasus did WHAT?!"

She has chosen to defy us to the bitter end, Majora snarled. My plans for her have failed.

"What will you do then, oh Great One?" Dethl inquired.

Majora's anger slowly morphed into grim determination. I will simply have to seek out others who will be more…receptive to our cause. They are out there, those who do not conform to the standards set upon them by Equestrian society. Those who are bitter…those who are misguided…these hearts can be so easily tempted. Then they can spread my message further across all corners of this world. Now, tell me of your progress.

"We have just finished our little one-on-one with the Element of Generosity," Dethl answered smugly. "She represents Generosity, but her fatal flaw is ironically her own vanity and obsession with appearances. Almost like an Equestrian lovechild of Ghirahim and Lady Veran."

Ghirahim failed in his mission as well, as it so happens, Majora sourly reported. The fool inadvertently tipped Ahuizotl off to our plans for him, and he escaped with an Equestrian he had long claimed to be his nemesis but truly proved to be otherwise. If you find an opportunity to dispose of them, do so, but remember to avoid the Lunar Princess at all costs.

"…and what of the rest of our plans?" Dethl asked. "What news?"

Preparations are being made as we speak. Though this will not happen for some time yet, I plan for General Onox to travel to the Dragon Kingdom and take control of it in preparation for the coming war. We will definitely need them in order to strike at the Crystal Empire. Now that Sombra is revived, I am sending him to his new base of operations in the Tenochtitlan Valley, where, as Head Priest of the Equestrian branch of the Church, he will seek out any other tribes in the region and convert them, as well as organize a host of Disciples to spread my influence across the land, while Yuga does the same in Hyrule. Finally, I have discovered the existence of an Equestrian demon who may prove to be a valuable ally, for it seems he has his own army of monsters at his command. He and his kingdom are currently imprisoned in the dark void between realms, but there is a way to break that seal. I am assigning the task of releasing and gaining the allegiance of this demon to Veran. She has always had a favorable way with words.

Dethl's eye narrowed in suspicion and curiosity. "And the name of this demon?"

Grogar the Necromancer. King Sombra's mentor.

XXXXXX

The next morning…

Rarity slowly awoke as she felt a strange pressure on her body, one that was expanding and deflating in a steady rhythm. Blinking in confusion, she looked to see that all of her friends were piled together in her bed, still asleep. She then recalled the events of last night and smiled as she realized that her friends were indeed there for her, and always would be.

She let it be for a while until Rainbow shifted in her sleep, the movement causing the others to slowly wake up. "Unh…?" Twilight mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "What time's it?"

"11:30," someone replied. "And you ponies say I sleep like a rock."

Twilight looked over her shoulder to see Vaati standing at the doorway with his arms folded. "No, we don't say that. You sleep like the dead."

Vaati's eyes narrowed. "Hilarious. Now get ready and come downstairs. The others are waiting for you."

XXXXXX

After the Mane Six had disentangled themselves, they proceeded to head downstairs, where the Wind Mage and their non-pony allies all sat at a large round card table. Chrysalis looked on with an impatient expression as she drank a small shot of Red Potion to replenish the magical strength she had spent in yesterday's battle with the Gohma, Rover was busily grooming himself as a dog would, and Zecora was in the middle of meditating. Vaati looked up as he heard their footsteps and said, "About time you got down here. We poked around a little bit and found some food and supplies in the kitchen that the townspeople left behind. Whichever one of you is the best cook, get some breakfast started."

"I'll do it!" Pinkie chirped, bouncing cheerfully past them over to the saloon's kitchen area. "Who's up for some pancakes?!"

"Ah think Ah'll go help her," Applejack volunteered, following Pinkie. "Hopefully they got summa our apples still in the back."

The rest of the Mane Six joined the others at the card table.

"So, what is the plan, my good friend?" Zecora asked. "I hope we are not currently at a dead end."

"Last night, I found out where my Element's being kept," Rainbow informed them. "It's up in Cloudsdale, and it looks like all the pegasi that live there have been rounded up and put in some kind of prison tower by a bunch of Wizzrobes. One of them has my Element."

"He gave an Element of Harmony to a lowly Wizzrobe?" Vaati exclaimed. "What in the world…?"

"He looked different from the others," Rainbow offered. "He was taller, and his robes were gold. He was also wearing some kind of mask instead of a hat. Maybe that means something."

Vaati's eyes widened at the description. "…now it does make sense."

"You know who this Wizzrobe in question is?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, I do," Vaati replied grimly. "The most powerful Wizzrobe of them all, the head of their ancient order…Shanzom the Golden."

"Pfft," Rainbow scoffed, waving a hoof in dismissal. "So what? We can take 'em! Didn't you make that wish to become the most powerful sorcerer in the world or something like that?"

"The most powerful sorcerer alive," Vaati corrected. "Shanzom was dead at the time I made that wish. I curse the way I worded that wish, as it left me vulnerable to the possibility of stronger sorcerers coming later, whether by birth or resurrection."

"Is that why Ganon is more powerful than you?" Chrysalis asked.

"No, that's because the Wishing Cap I stole just didn't have the same strength as the Triforce. It was crafted by a Minish sage; no item forged from the mortal world can ever compare to the power of the gods, even if the Triforce is just a tiny fragment of their collective power."

"Are you saying this Shanzom fellow is stronger than you as well?" Rarity inquired worriedly.

Vaati shook his head. "Stronger? No. But I'm certain he can match my abilities as they are blow for blow. That's not to mention the multitudes of lesser Wizzrobes at his command."

Twilight shuddered. "Are we going to have another battle on our hooves?"

"No, I don't think so," Rainbow answered. "Shanzom has the keys to their cells. We're gonna have to defeat him first before we free the pegasi."

"Looks like it will be just us against the Wizzrobes this time, then," Vaati surmised. "Which thankfully means none of the other pegasi will be endangered."

"And what are the weaknesses of these Wizzrobes?" Chrysalis demanded.

"Your people have fought them before, in Canterlot," Vaati said. "They're powerful magic-users, but they're terrible at close-quarter combat. And, they can't take a physical hit worth a damn."

"So our best bet is to get up close and personal with 'em?" Rainbow asked with a grin. "Sounds like my kind of fight!"

"Speaking of fighting," Twilight spoke up. "Before we move on to Cloudsdale, there's the matter of your training exercises, Vaati."

"Buck," the mage muttered under his breath and his shoulders drooped.

"Language, mister," Twilight admonished as she brought out her schedule, causing Vaati to roll his eyes. "First, we're going to need to build up your muscles."

"Welp, no dumbbells to be found here, so I guess that's out of the question," Vaati quickly said. "Too bad."

Twilight flashed a smirk as she levitated two chairs and transfigured them into a set of dumbbells of varying weight.

"Buck," Vaati hissed again.

"Do I need to wash that mouth out with soap?" Twilight chided irritably.

"You're not my mother," Vaati snorted.

"Somepony's gotta be, since you always act like such a child," Twilight responded.

"For most of my existence, I was a child, Twilight," Vaati reminded.

"Which only proves my point further!"

Realizing she was right, Vaati facepalmed. "Urgh…shouldn't have said that…"

The others struggled not to laugh at this, but multiple sniggers could still be heard. "Quiet, all of you," Vaati snapped, giving all his compatriots the stink-eye. "Let's just get back to the subject at hand."

"Glad you're coming around, Vaati," Twilight smiled.

"Let's just get this over with," Vaati growled. "What's your plan?"

"While breakfast is being made, you're going to be lifting weights," Twilight said. "We'll start with the five-pound barbells. Pick 'em up and get cracking, mister!"

Glaring all the while, Vaati picked up the five-pound weights and held them at his sides. "How many times must I do this demeaning exercise?"

"A hundred times," Twilight answered.

Vaati's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets. "A hundred?!"

"Go on and get cracking! Those weights won't lift themselves!"

"UUUUUUUUUUUUGH," Vaati groaned as he reluctantly began.

As Vaati lifted the weights with increasing fatigue, Chrysalis couldn't help but laugh. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" she said to Twilight.

Twilight couldn't help but crack a small smile. "…maybe a little."

By the time Applejack and Pinkie Pie returned with breakfast in hoof, Vaati's arms were incredibly sore, to the point where he could barely move them. "What have I done to deserve this torture?" the aching sorcerer complained to the heavens as he sat down with the others. "Wait…don't answer that," he added as an afterthought.

Applejack quirked an eyebrow. "What's he goin' on about?" she asked Twilight, pointing at Vaati with a hoof.

"First day of exercise," Twilight replied.

Applejack nodded. "Ahh." She then looked at Vaati, who was sitting limply in his chair, his arms dangling like wet noodles. "Now that there's just a sad display, pardner. Hearty exercise ain't gonna kill ya."

"Then why do I feel like I'm dying?"

Twilight facehoofed. "Sweet Celestia, you are such a child."

"Shut it," Vaati snapped with a glare.

"Let's just eat breakfast and give your muscles time to settle down before we move on to the next stage for today," Twilight said, reminding everyone of the breakfast in front of them.

Chrysalis and Rover both opted out, Chrysalis not requiring solid food and Rover being a carnivore and munching on jerky instead. Twilight could tell that Vaati was trying to eat as slowly as possible in order to delay his exercise as much as he could. The unicorn librarian rolled her eyes and said, "You got ten minutes to finish that before the next round starts. It's no use delaying the inevitable."

Vaati glared sourly at her and begrudgingly began eating at a normal pace.

XXXXXX

Twenty minutes later, outside…

After they finished breakfast and washed their dishes, Vaati and the others headed outside. "Rainbow, I'm going to need your help with this one," Twilight spoke up.

"Sure, what do you need me to do, Twilight?" Rainbow asked, flying over to her.

"Alright, Vaati, listen up!" Twilight barked like a drill sergeant. "Your next exercise will focus on improving your reaction time and attack speed. First, go ahead and take your monster form for this one."

Vaati sighed as he grew into the large winged eye. "Alright, what next?"

"Since you'll probably take this form sometime when you fight Ganon, we'll be doing several exercises in this form," Twilight instructed. "Rainbow Dash is by far the fastest out of all of us. So Vaati, what I want you to do is try to grab Rainbow out of the air while she flies around you."

Rainbow grinned. "Aw heck, the only exercise this'll be is one in futility!"

Vaati's eye narrowed as multiple violet-black tentacles grew out of his body in preparation. "We'll see about that. Now come on!"

"Bring it on, slowpoke!" Rainbow challenged eagerly.

"Alright, go!" Twilight cried, stepping back and joining the others.

What followed was a good twenty minutes of Rainbow lithely dodging Vaati's flailing appendages, able to keep up despite no less than eight dark tendrils all trying to pluck her out of the sky. It didn't help that Rainbow constantly taunted him all the while, infuriating the sorcerer and causing him to concentrate even less.

"Exercise in futility indeed," Chrysalis smirked.

"He is letting his emotions control every move," Zecora observed. "He must overcome them to find his groove."

"You actually have a good point there, Zecora," Twilight agreed. "I didn't think of that earlier. Vaati definitely needs to learn to control his emotions."

After a few more minutes of the display, Twilight cried, "Okay, that's enough for now!"

Vaati glared at Rainbow as he retracted his tentacles, panting audibly. Though, to give him credit, Rainbow looked pretty winded too. "Don't look so glum, Vaati," Twilight said. "I wasn't expecting you to catch her the first time."

"The taunting wasn't necessary," Vaati growled between gasps.

"Actually, I think they are," Twilight countered sagely. "One reason you didn't do so well is because you let her taunting get to you. The angrier you got, the less you were able to concentrate, and the harder it became to keep up with her."

"What are you getting at?" Vaati snapped.

"Control your emotions," Twilight stressed. "Discipline your mind. That's what our next exercise will be about; disciplining your mind and learning to control your emotions. Let's come back inside; Zecora will be your tutor for this one."

Vaati sighed again as he returned to normal and followed them in.

XXXXXX

Ten minutes later…

Twilight and the others went upstairs and left Zecora and Vaati alone in the saloon. Vaati sat cross-legged on the floor as Zecora instructed him. "Strength must not come just from body, but also mind. Through meditation, that inner strength you will surely find. Listen to my voice, and empty your mind; follow my rhythm and leave all thoughts behind."

Vaati closed his eyes and took a deep, slow breath as Zecora began chanting in her native tongue. He slowly emptied his mind of all his thoughts and let all aspects of his consciousness relax as Zecora's chant washed over him. This proved to be one of the easier exercises, as Vaati had experimented with meditation in the past.

Half an hour later, Zecora finally brought him out of his meditation. He had to admit, he felt a whole lot better and more relaxed. "You did well, my dear friend," Zecora congratulated. "Do it once a day; do not put it to an end."

Vaati waved a hand dismissively. "Whatever. Let's let the others know they can come down now."

Once the group reconvened downstairs, Vaati asked, "Alright, I did your silly exercises. What else is there to do now?"

"We'll rest for about an hour and eat lunch, then we'll do it all one more time, and then we'll be done for the day," Twilight informed. "Tomorrow we'll leave to go after the next Element."

Vaati sighed in defeat. I never realized heroes had it so rough.

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds, Scootaloo's bedroom…

After everypony had returned to the surface, Scootaloo and her friends waited for Nigellas and Maulgrim to arrive to check up on her. Eventually they did, and when they saw the gaping hole in the wall where Scootaloo's bedroom was located, they instantly cried out her name as they rushed in.

"Sweet Din, what happened?!" Nigellas cried, kneeling down and checking Scootaloo for injuries. It was then that the Wizzrobe noticed something. "Wait…is that…what I think it is?!"

Scootaloo looked down at her flank at her brand-new Cutie Mark and nodded solemnly.

"The Hylian Shield…" Maulgrim murmured in shock, before recovering. "Tell us everything."

Scootaloo looked at her friends for support, who nodded encouragingly as she began her tale.

"That mask you made me for Nightmare Night last year…I…I don't know how, but…the real deal found out about it and possessed it somehow. It all started a few days ago, after I had a really bad nightmare, and…I saw Him."

Maulgrim's mouth dropped open in utter shock and horror. "No…no, it CAN'T be…!"

Nigellas gripped Scootaloo by the shoulders. "Kid, are you sure? Are you absolutely, positively sure?!"

Scootaloo nodded, confirming their worst fears. "Majora has found Equestria."

Several moments of stunned silence followed before Nigellas croaked, "A-and the Cutie Mark…? Where…?"

"Majora was trying to convince me to join him," Scootaloo said, looking at her mark. "He was telling me all about these 'secrets' that the Princesses were hiding from their subjects, and that they were lying to us and keeping us subdued with a false system of government centered around friendship. He was talking about how the Princesses were falsely treated as idols and worshipped, and that he was here to put a stop to it and show Equestria the truth of our world. I…" Scootaloo fought back tears at this part. "I almost believed him…if m-my friends hadn't shown up when they did…I don't know what would have happened to me. But…but they knew I was in trouble, and they put themselves in danger without a second thought to protect me. Then the mask…it turned into some kind of golem. Majora kept referring to it as his Avatar…"

"THERE WAS AN AVATAR OF MAJORA RUNNING LOOSE IN THE PALACE, AND WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT?!" Nigellas positively shrieked.

Maulgrim managed to retain his composure, but just barely. "An Avatar of Majora on its own is strong enough to match Lord Vaati's power. How did you manage to defeat it?!"

"Ruby found its weakness, and we took it by surprise," Scootaloo answered. "Right before we destroyed it, Majora taunted us one last time, saying that all we were doing was delaying the inevitable, and that his influence was already spreading. And then all of us made a promise; if he was going to threaten our friends and family, and everything else we care about, we were going to fight back, no matter what it took. And then we got these."

Nigellas and Maulgrim, who had not paid the other fillies much mind, now noticed that Applebloom and Sweetie Belle also bore the symbol of the Knights of Hyrule. "Pretty neat, huh?" Sweetie Belle asked.

The two monsters spent a minute processing all this information before Nigellas's shoulders sagged.

"Dammit, Golden Ones, they're too young for this," he muttered grimly, shaking his head. "Too young."

Applebloom furrowed her brow. "What're ya talkin' about?"

Maulgrim sighed heavily. "Those marks upon you mean that you have been chosen. Your vow caught the attention of the Golden Goddesses themselves, and now you have been branded with the mark of their sacred knights. The three of you are destined to take up arms against the forces of darkness." The Darknut shook his head. "I would not have wished this upon those so young."

"No, guys, it's fine," Sweetie Belle said. "We understand what we're getting into."

"We've come t'terms with it," Applebloom added. "If Scoots was gonna stand up to him, we were too."

"We're the only ones so far who know that he's involved in everything that's been happening lately, and we have no way to tell the Princesses about it 'cause they're too far away. I don't know when Majora's planning to strike, but we have to be ready for it when it comes."

Applebloom slowly perked up in realization. "We have one way…"

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle's eyes widened as they remembered. "Spike!"

"This is too much," Nigellas groaned. "I'll go down and get a message sent out."

The Wizzrobe quickly left, overcome by the multiple bombshells that had been dropped. Maulgrim looked aside. "So young, and yet the flames of courage burn bright within you three. I can only hope the Goddesses bless us with time to prepare you for whatever lies ahead."

"I want to learn how to fight!" Scootaloo cried.

"Ah realize now that Ah have a gift when it comes t'carpentry," Applebloom added. "Ah wanna be an engineer! Ah wanna learn how t'build siege engines 'n battle towers!"

"And I'm gonna learn how to be as good at magic as Miss Twilight!" Sweetie Belle finished. "And one day, I wanna become an Archmage like Starswirl the Bearded!"

"And now we're gonna be…" Scootaloo said.

"CELESTIA'S ROYAL CRUSADERS!" they all cried in unison.

Maulgrim felt pride in his heart for these three fillies, who didn't even realize how each of them evoked one of the prime aspects of the Goddesses, but also a deep sadness at the fate said Goddesses had in store for them. Watch over these young souls, oh Din of the Imperishable Flame, he silently prayed. Bless them with your guidance and protection.
> Episode 12: Reclamation of Loyalty Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 12: Reclamation of Loyalty Part 2 – Cloudsdale Prison Tower

Ponyville, the next morning…

Ponies and monsters busily set about repairing the damage from yesterday's battle, replacing stakes and fixing the damaged sentry towers. A number of other ponies were continuing their military training, while the Darknuts toiled away in the forges above in the Palace, fashioning armor and weapons for the Equestrians. Wizzrobes wove spells and enchantments into the metal as the Darknuts hammered and beat away, adding magical defense to the armor and a few offensive spells to the weapons. Nigellas stood inside one of the towers, observing the various goings-on with a troubled expression. His mind was still on the events from yesterday, and the revelation it brought.

An Avatar of Majora, Nigellas thought to himself. Those haven't been seen since the dark times, when he freely walked Hyrule. And then one just shows up in Equestria out of nowhere! And it seems the Church is starting to come out of the shadows again…could it be? Has the time come again? Is Majora close to breaking free? And if so, why did Equestria have to be drawn into it? They don't deserve this.

Suddenly the Wizzrobe heard a noise like the howl of a trumpet and turned towards the sound. What he saw made his eyes widen. "Maulgrim!" he cried, catching the Darknut's attention below. "I think you're going to want to see this!"

Maulgrim broke off from where he was overseeing the ponies' training and climbed up the ladder. "What?" he demanded.

"See for yourself," the Wizzrobe replied, pointing towards Canterlot.



Marching down the Canterlot Mountain Pass was rank upon rank of monsters, numerous battle standards bearing the symbol of the Gerudo people fluttering in the breeze on red cloth. Blins, Darknuts, Stalkin, Lizalfos, Wizzrobes, Iron Knuckles, and countless other monsters marched in formation, their iron boots pounding the ground below them like the drums of the apocalypse. Looming over them was a green-scaled dragon with a single white horn protruding from its forehead. Over them flew hordes of batlike Vires and Anti-Fairies wreathed in blue, red, and green flames, as well as a red-scaled dragon clad in black armor.

"I recognize those dragons," Maulgrim spoke. "Argorok, Devourer of the Wind Tribe, and Aquamentus, Terror of Lake Hylia."

"Someone's leading from the front too," Nigellas observed.

Indeed someone was, a familiar red-haired figure astride a great black horse.

"Ganon," Maulgrim confirmed.

By now, everyone else had stopped what they were doing as they too saw the massive army emerging from Canterlot. Nigellas was about to order everyone to arms, but then noticed something. The monsters were not heading towards Ponyville. As they reached the base of the mountain, they turned northwards. Furrowing his brow in surprise, Nigellas said, "Where in the world are they going?"

"There is only one place northwards that would catch Ganon's attention in such a way," Maulgrim answered solemnly.

His eyes widening in realization, Nigellas breathed, "The Crystal Empire."

The Wizzrobe turned towards the towering Darknut. "What are we going to do?"

"We have two options," Maulgrim replied. "Shore up here and make safe, or ride to the Crystal Empire's aid."

Nigellas grimly contemplated this for a moment before he said, "I think we should call a meeting. Let the ponies decide."

"Agreed," Maulgrim responded, turning on his heel.

XXXXXX

Crystal Palace…

As Luna and Cadance discussed defensive strategies and war tactics with a number of monster captains and Shining Armor busied himself with recruiting and training the Crystal Ponies and refugees, Celestia sadly watched it all transpire from the balcony of the Crystal Palace, hating herself for failing her ponies in this dark hour. They were so like children, and she wanted to keep them all out of harm's way forever, but it was becoming apparent that the time had come for her children to grow up, as it were. She knew that the Crystal Empire was a week's march from Canterlot on foot, meaning they did not have much more time to steel their defenses. Having witnessed Ganon's power before, the Solar Princess could not help but wonder if the Crystal Heart would be able to hold out against him.

As she lost herself in these thoughts, a letter appearing in front of her abruptly pulled her out of them.

"Oh!" she exclaimed in surprise as she opened the scroll and read its contents.

Princess Celestia,

I am writing this message to warn you that the situation has grown far more dire than we initially believed. Ganon is not our only enemy here, nor is he the worst. Ponyville was recently attacked, and we successfully repelled the invaders. However, afterwards, we learned that another battle was waged in the Palace above, against an enemy far more terrible than Ganon and those of our people that are forced to serve him. And young Scootaloo and her friends, along with Discord, were the only ones who dared to confront it. They fought an avatar of his likeness, and against all odds, successfully defeated it. The dang kids even got their Cutie Marks for it, but that's a much grimmer prospect than it initially sounds.

In our world of Hyrule, there exists a force of evil responsible for the deaths of billions and the utter reshaping of our world. He was the first evil to walk our earth, and from his power came all the demons that plagued us afterwards. Thousands of years ago, he was sealed in the Dark World, but he vowed that this would not be the last we saw of him.

Majora, our counterpart to your world's Krastos, has somehow found Equestria.

I do not know how or if Ganon connects with all this, but I feel it's possible that the Dark Lord may be the puppet and distraction this time around, and while we've been focusing on him, Majora's servants, for they are many, move in the shadows, spreading across Equestria and the lands beyond it, recruiting and converting those who are discontent with your rule with promises of power. If this is the case, then it means that the Church of Majora has already established a foothold in this world, a power base from which to operate. This church will not only serve as a gathering place for Majora worshippers, but also as a gateway for the dark god's spawn to enter this realm. It is likely that Majora has begun marshaling an army right under our noses. When they will attack, I know not, but after Ganon is defeated, it is imperative that you find and destroy this new branch of the Church before Majora can cause the same damage to this world as he did ours.

Now, back to the kids. The Cutie Marks they got…Princess, they got Hylian Shields. They all made a vow to fight against Majora, and in doing so, they've caught the attention of our Goddesses. They now have a part to play in the future, whatever that may bring.

Warn everyone you can. The Church of Majora must not be allowed to gain strength here, or else they will unleash a horror so great that Equestria will be plunged into chaos and darkness forever.

-Nigellas

P.S., talk to your sister. She might know a little about this.

By the time Celestia finished the letter, her heart had quite literally dropped into the pit of her stomach. How could she have let all of this transpire right under her nose? And little Scootaloo had been alone with this horror for who knows how long…did Vaati know? Luna had mentioned encountering an evil presence in the dream world, and a second one had been eluding her for some time. Were these two entities affiliated? There was so much that Celestia didn't know, and she hated it.

And another thing utterly baffled her. If Majora was anything like Krastos had been according to her mother's own account, why would anyone even worship something so dreadful and destructive? Even the Serpent's Children refrained from worshipping him, as even one worshipper would have revived him, which would have meant the death of the Children and the near-instantaneous destruction of Equestria. No one, not even the most vile beings in this world, wanted Krastos back.

Perhaps it was because Majora was still alive, and that his body had not been used to shape the world afterwards. Apparently it had already come to exist before he began to threaten it. But were their end goals the same? Did Majora want to reduce Equis back to the primordial void? But if he did, who would be insane enough to worship the being who sought their own destruction? What did Majora even want with Equestria?

And this Church of his…how was she going to deal with it? Nobody had any idea where it was, or how well-defended it was. If it was indeed the main base of operations for Majora's forces to strike at Equestria, then it was likely to be difficult to locate and even more difficult to destroy.

Right now, though, she had to remind herself that Ganon was the most pressing threat here. It was his army that was approaching the Crystal Empire, and it seemed that Majora and his servants planned to lay low until the dark god felt the time was right. Did Ganon know of this? She somehow doubted it. He had never made any mention of Majora, and he seemed to be the arrogant sort that would rather fancy himself a god than worship one.

And the revelation of Ganon's true nature also served to complicate matters. Now that she knew he was essentially suffering the same affliction as Luna had when she had become Nightmare Moon, she was not sure what to think. Was there a possible way to save the true Ganondorf from the influence of Demise? But if there was, what would become of him? His people were no more, exterminated by the Hylians as a result of actions that were not entirely his own. Luna had even said Ganondorf was so tired of his existence that he just wanted to die. Would it be cruel to grant him life if Demise was purged from his body?

Too many questions, and not enough answers, she finally thought to herself. Only Vaati and the Elements of Harmony hold the key to solving this riddle. I must leave it in their hands and hooves.

It was then that she noticed something strange. A black cloud was steadily approaching the Empire, moving against the wind. Narrowing her eyes, Celestia used her keen vision to discover the identity of the phenomenon approaching the city.

"Changelings…"

XXXXXX

Mad Buffalo Saloon, Appleloosa…

Vaati was abruptly pulled out of his deep slumber by the telltale shrieking of one of his Eye Sentries. Groaning, Vaati turned on his side to unhappily acknowledge the creature.

"Urgh…what?"

"Good morning to you too, Vaati. First of all, I'd very much like to know why there is a swarm of Changelings sitting on the Crystal Empire's doorstep."

Vaati sat straight up as he heard Princess Celestia's voice emanating from the eyebat like a two-way radio. "Princess Celestia! You say the Changelings have arrived?"

"I don't believe I stuttered."

Vaati rolled his eyes. "In case you were wondering, yes, we did direct them to you. The Changelings were also affected by Ganon's reign, as he infested their hive with a brood of their Hyrulean counterparts, the Gohma, and he placed an Element there. We've got it back, and Chrysalis has joined our troupe, along with the zebra potion maker who lives close to Ponyville and the leader of the Diamond Dog pack that had stupidly kidnapped Rarity before. It seems we've been gathering allies rather than dungeon items on this quest of ours."

"Why did you send them here?"

"Hey, you need all the help you can get right now," Vaati reminded. "Besides, the Changelings deduced that the Crystal Heart has the power to provide them with enough food to last them indefinitely. It's self-regenerating as long as the Crystal Ponies continue to power it, right?"

"I suppose so. So how many Elements have been recovered?"

"Three," Vaati answered. "Honesty in your old castle inside the Everfree, Kindness in the Diamond Dog Mines, and Generosity in the Changeling Hive. We just learned yesterday that Loyalty's been taken to Cloudsdale, and that the pegasi there have all been captured by Wizzrobes."

"That would explain why Captain Spitfire has yet to arrive with her Wonderbolts," Celestia somberly spoke.

"Why does that matter?" Vaati asked. "They're just a stunt team."

"No, they're more than that. While they do perform stunt shows during peacetime, they also all have high-ranking positions in the Equestrian military. That's why they're so difficult to get into; you have to prove that you're military material as well as a talented flyer. Without them, training the pegasi refugees will be much more difficult and time-consuming, and time is not something the Crystal Empire has much of anymore."

Vaati furrowed his brow. "Don't tell me Ganon's already figured out you're there."

"I'm afraid he has. But Vaati…that is not all. Ganon is not the only force of evil from your world that has set its sights on Equestria."

Vaati's eyes widened in concern. "Who else from my world could possibly be involved here? Most of the other demons haven't been seen or heard from in centuries! Why would any show up now?"

"Because their master has now become interested in Equestria."

"Their master…?" Vaati repeated.

Slowly, dreadfully, realization began to creep up on him. There was only one being to whom all demon-kind answered. Only one who could unite them all under one banner as effectively as Demise had.

"No…no…! Princess…p-please tell me this isn't happening! Please tell me you're wrong! PLEASE TELL ME IT'S NOT HIM!"

There was no answer from Celestia, which only confirmed it in Vaati's mind.

"Golden Goddesses above…" Vaati whimpered as he took a shuddering breath. "Majora…freaking Majora is behind all this!"

The sorcerer gripped his head and gritted his teeth. "It's my fault! It's all my fault he found you!"

"Vaati, please calm down…"

"HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR EQUESTRIA CATCHING THE EYE OF MAJORA HIMSELF?!" Vaati screamed, overcome by guilt and hysteria. "HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN I HAVE PUT EVERYONE ON THIS WORLD IN MORTAL DANGER?!"

"Vaati Picoru, you listen to me right now!" Celestia sternly reprimanded. "Now is not the time to panic. Scootaloo did not when she faced his wrath; you must not either."

Vaati's heart stopped at that last sentence. "What did you just say?"

Celestia sighed. "Majora apparently attempted to turn your daughter against you. But when she refused to be swayed, he tried to kill her. From what I was told, young Scootaloo and her friends were instrumental in defeating an avatar of Majora's likeness."

"HE WENT AFTER SCOOTALOO?!" Vaati cried, throwing himself out of bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Going back to Ponyville!" Vaati answered as he hurriedly clothed himself. "I have to see her!"

"Vaati, the other Elements are still out there! And Ganon's forces are marching on the Crystal Empire as we speak! You must focus on your objective!"

"This is my daughter we're talking about, Celestia! I can't just leave her be, not after knowing what happened to her after I left! I should have been there, Princess! She had to defend herself because I wasn't there to protect her!"

"Scootaloo is alright, Vaati, I swear it. She was not harmed in any way, and Maulgrim and Nigellas are taking good care of her. I understand that you are worried and fear for her, but I assure you she is doing well. But right now, the most important thing is to regain the Elements of Harmony, for without them, we have no hope of defeating Ganon, let alone preparing for whatever Majora has in store for us."

"I know!" Vaati snapped, rubbing his face. "I know. It's just…it's hard, is all. If I hadn't sent that Eye Sentry to you, I would have had no idea what had happened to her. What if something worse had happened, and I never knew until I returned home? What if I were to come back to Ponyville, triumphant in victory, only to learn that I had to bury my little girl because I couldn't protect her?"

Vaati could not stop his voice from breaking as he spoke, nor could he fight back the tears that spilled from his eyes. "I…I never expected I would feel such things, but…I love that little girl. I see myself in her when I was that impressionable age. I meant to offer her the protection I never received from the evils of the world, a-and I failed. Even if she got out alright in the end, do you have any idea how much that hurts?"

After a few moments, Celestia finally spoke, and her disembodied voice betrayed her emotions as she softly replied, "Yes, I do."

Vaati wiped his eyes and sniffed as Celestia continued, "Banishing Luna to the moon when she fell under the influence of Nightmare Moon was the hardest thing I have ever done, and doing so almost destroyed me. I am still plagued by guilt whenever I think about it because I realize now that I could have stopped it, had I bothered to open my eyes and see the signs. I was too overcome by the people's adoration to notice how they were shunning my little sister, and that knowledge weighed on my conscience forever afterwards. That was the only time I was truly angered by my subjects, to the point that I contemplated putting some of the more troublesome offenders to death."

Vaati blinked in surprise. "I didn't even think you were capable of that."

"I had just lost my sister. The only family I had, all because they refused to acknowledge her as my equal. Would you not have been similarly incensed? Our bond was more than just sisterhood; we were two halves of the same coin. One completed the other; without my other half, I felt incomplete. I felt that for a thousand years. Do not think you alone feel this kind of pain. Be thankful that she is safe and waiting eagerly for your return, and do not worry about what could have happened."

Vaati sighed heavily. "Safe for now. But for how long? If Majora is active in Equestria, then he is active in Hyrule, which means that his seal is weakening, and he and his servants are readying for his return. Prophesy ordains that the ensuing war will be Hyrule's last, whether by victory or annihilation. And now Equestria's going to be drawn into it. You think this war with Ganon is bad? Majora has an entire world's worth of demons far worse than the monsters that serve him and me under his thrall. And that's not including his countless worshippers and any other forces of darkness that may rally under the banner of the Dark World. I fear that Majora may also attempt to recruit old enemies of Equestria as part of his plans against this world. It will be a war of apocalyptic scale. Millions are going to die, and it is too late to do anything about it other than ready ourselves for a fight that will determine the fate of Equestria and Hyrule."

Vaati turned away from the Eye Sentry. "It's hard to admit this, but…I'm scared, Celestia. I fear that I may lose everything and everyone I care about, all because I allowed the evils of my world to find Equestria."

"Vaati…it does not matter whether or not you are responsible for the events that have transpired. You came here and built a new life for yourself. You made strong friendships with the ponies of this world, took in a young filly who was suffering and began raising her as your own, and even protected Equestria from multiple dangers and even helped reform most of them. Now the time has come for you to defend everything you have come to love. And know that everypony in Equestria will stand with you, regardless of the danger. No matter what may come, the bonds of true friendship can never be broken."

Vaati took a deep breath as Celestia's words sunk in. "Your words give me hope. I just hope you realize the gravity of what you're promising."

"Equestria's age of peace is coming to a close. I do not like it, but even I now realize that my ponies must learn to protect themselves, rather than completely rely on my sister and I and the Elements of Harmony to fight their battles for them."

"Finally realizing you can't coddle the children forever, eh?" Vaati spoke, attempting to make light of the situation.

"I guess I am," Celestia replied. "The morning is almost spent, Vaati. I suggest you hurry onwards to Cloudsdale. Spitfire and her team will prove invaluable in the defense of the Crystal Empire. See that they arrive before Ganon does."

"We'll do all we can, Celestia."

"Thank you, Vaati. I have the utmost faith in you all. Good luck."

Vaati was about to dismiss the Sentries, but a final word from Celestia stopped him.

"Vaati…you will see her again. I promise."

Vaati's heart constricted as he thought of Scootaloo and how sorely he missed her. "Goodbye, Princess."

Immediately after Vaati dismissed the Eye Sentry, he heard his bedroom door open.

"Vaati? What's going on? I heard you yelling," Twilight sleepily asked, a concerned look forcing its way past her half-lidded eyes.

Vaati sighed deeply as he turned to look towards his first and closest friend. "Wake up the others," he solemnly spoke. "There is something I must tell them."

XXXXXX

Ten minutes later, downstairs…

As everyone, groggy and irritated, sat around the card table they had been using for their meetings during their time in Appleloosa, Vaati cleared his throat, unsure of how to begin. Only Applejack didn't look overly tired, being used to waking up early. "What's this all about, dear?" Rarity asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost! Is something wrong?"

"I…recently talked with Princess Celestia," Vaati began. "And she provided me with a great deal of news concerning Equestria, both good and bad."

"Give us the good news first," Rainbow immediately replied.

"Well, the good news is that the Changelings have reached the Crystal Empire and have been permitted entry."

Chrysalis was silent for a moment before she replied, "My hive confirms this."

"Unfortunately, the bad news heavily outweighs the good," Vaati continued grimly. "So I'll start with the least of it. Ganon has discovered that the Princesses are hiding in the Crystal Empire, and his armies are marching on it as we speak."

"What?!" Twilight gasped, all weariness leaving her.

"How is that the least of the bad news?!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"Because Ganon is not the only evil force of Hyrule that has gained an interest in Equestria, nor is he the greatest."

Everyone went perfectly silent at this.

"W-who…who could actually be worse than Ganon?" Pinkie whimpered in shock.

Vaati waved his hand over the table as he muttered a spell. "Aquas scryosa."

Suddenly a veil of water pooled over the table's surface, but was contained to the very center of the table. Everyone looked at the round puddle of water as images began to ripple across its surface. There was fire, moving shadows, and faces terrible and dark dancing between the flames.



"Not long after the Golden Goddesses created Hyrule and the Triforce," Vaati narrated, "a primordial terror tore a great hole in the earth, opening a portal between the World of Light and the Realm of Darkness."

As he spoke, the image of fire shifted to a scene of a flaming crack ripping open the serene landscape of Hyrule, issuing forth multitudes of horrific demons. The scene shifted to the terrible monsters laying waste to all the cities and villages they came across. Men fought and died in vain as their women and children were heartlessly cut down behind them.

"The armies of the Dark World had come for one purpose; to destroy the world of Hyrule and claim the Triforce for themselves. Leading these vile hordes was their conquering god, the dark force that had sired all their foul race: Majora."

As Vaati uttered that fearful name, a shadow overtook the image as a deep, dark voice began to laugh. 



As the images flickered and rippled, the laughter increased in volume and hysteria, until a clear image burst forth from the chaotic ripples, the owner's mad, echoing cackle reaching its bone-chilling crescendo. A towering mass of violet tentacles with two thin, almost skeletal arms that could easily fit a full-grown dragon in the palms of its hands. And from this amorphous, hideous shape came a heart-shaped head with two long horns growing from the top and four more running down each side of its face. Two large, unblinking eyes burned like hot coals and pierced the very souls of all who looked upon the visage of Hyrule's ultimate enemy.

"Countless millions died in the war that ensued, the first war in Hyrule's history, and the landscape forever changed by the volumes of magical power both sides brought to bear against one another. At the height of Majora's terrible glory and power, he was opposed by two other gods; his younger brother and sister, Onigami and Hylia."

The image shifted from Majora's horrific visage to the faces of the two Guardian Gods. Onigami stood tall with silver armor, white hair, and fierce war paint, hefting a mighty double-helix sword which he used to devastating effect against the demon hordes. At his side was Hylia, her beauty unmatched and the light of her blessing too much for the forces of darkness to bear. Golden pauldrons protected her shoulders, under which she wore a brilliant white flowing gown. She sang and played a tune on a golden harp, bolstering her allies and weakening her foes with her aura.

"Under the guidance of the God of War and the Goddess of Peace, the people of Hyrule rallied and began driving the hosts of Majora back, until the three gods stood alone in the final battle. Majora's forces were beaten back, but Majora would not permit victory so long as he stood."

The pool of water rippled as a new image came forth, showing the three opposing deities facing each other down on the fields of Hyrule, their respective armies waiting a safe distance behind their patron deities. Onigami wielded his double-helix blade, and Hylia her harp and a Bow of Light. Gripped in Majora's mighty claws was a massive black trident with a red jewel inserted into the shaft just beneath the three prongs; the Trident of Power. Majora pointed towards his opposing siblings as though he was speaking to them, but his words went unheard. With a flash of lightning, the three gods clashed, the sky burning red, blue, and gold as the power of the gods clashed against one another. Majora channeled lightning through his Trident and struck at his enemies, but Hylia protected herself and her brother with a shield of light energy. Onigami would send blue discs of energy from his sword at Majora, who countered repeatedly with the Trident, sometimes responding by throwing it like a boomerang. This was always deflected back into the dark god's hands without causing any damage to his foes. Fiery beams of energy burst forth from his eyes, and these Onigami failed to defend himself against. Hylia moved to aid him, but Majora raised his hands, ripping whole mountains from the earth and enveloping them with foul magic before hurling them at the Guardian Gods. Hylia's shield was not strong enough to repel the massive rocks, and Hylia was knocked off-balance by the assault. Majora slammed his fists into the earth, a fissure spider-webbing from the point of impact towards his downed foes. But Hylia's grace and feminine fragility were deceptive, and she rose from the rubble with her Bow of Light trained on Majora, and she struck him with a shaft of golden light, staggering the God of Evil. Hylia took the chance to help Onigami to his feet as Majora began to recover, and thrust her hand out, healing the earth beneath them. Majora bellowed in rage, preparing to attack again, but he was struck again by Hylia's Arrows of Light, which was then joined by Onigami's power discs. Majora slowly buckled under the combined assault, but as his last throw of the dice, he unleashed a massive wave of fire that scorched the land for miles around. Hylia and Onigami could not defend against this in time, and both took the full brunt of the attack. But Majora's power was spent, and though it seemed Onigami too was down for the count, Hylia was able to rise to her feet.

"Majora was ultimately defeated, and was imprisoned by Hylia within the Pyramid of Power, deep inside his own Dark World," Vaati continued as the scrying pool showed Majora being forced inside a massive pyramid of yellow stone and locked in ethereal chains as two heavy doors slid shut, sealing him within. "Onigami was mortally wounded in the battle, but Hylia preserved his essence by confining him to a mortal body to be reincarnated in times of need, just as she would later be. However, Majora vowed that he would return, and that if he could not destroy Hyrule, he would corrupt it and purge the light of the Goddesses from the earth."

With another wave of his hand, the water evaporated, pulling everyone out of their mesmerized state. All of them bore varying looks of shock, horror, and confusion on their faces. "Since then, those who are loyal to him have mostly remained underground," Vaati finished. "He has a church dedicated to his worship that draws recruits in with promises of power, vengeance, and deliverance from what Majora views as false idols."

"I'm not gonna deny that was the freakiest, but also the most epic thing I've ever seen," Rainbow admitted, "but what's this got to do with anything? Why the history lesson?"

"Because you all need to know what we are truly up against," Vaati answered. "Ganon is just the prelude, a warmup, if you will. The worst is yet to come."

Twilight's eyes widened. "Vaati…are you saying…?"

"Yes," Vaati confirmed for her. "Majora has discovered Equestria, and on the eve of his return, no less. Scootaloo…" Vaati took a deep breath to keep himself calm. "Scootaloo was forced to confront one of his Avatars all on her own."

The Mane Six and Zecora all gasped. "Oh my goodness!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "Is she alright?"

"Celestia says she is," Vaati answered heavily. "But…I can't believe it until I see her again. I have no idea how emotionally damaged she could be, and being away from her after knowing what happened gnaws at me. But it is through this that it was revealed that the Church of Majora has gained a foothold in Equestria."

"You mean to tell me that…thing, whatever it was, is about to get free?!" Chrysalis demanded. "I've never seen power of that magnitude in my life! If Ganon was capable of defeating the Elements of Harmony, imagine what this beast can do!"

"Why do you think Majora is so feared?!" Vaati snapped. "Hylia implied a number of times to her people that Majora sought to destroy the Triforce, not use it, and in doing so, the world would have slowly withered and died without its light and the connection to the Goddesses it gave."

"Would the Triforce have granted such a wish, if that were the case?" Twilight asked, remembering the holy artifact's purpose from what she had read.

Vaati shook his head. "No; he would have simply crushed it in his hands like tissue paper. He has the power to do so; the Elements of Harmony would fare no better. At least, they wouldn't on their own."

Applejack leaned back in her seat, overcome by this news. "So…what does this mean fer us?" she hoarsely asked.

"It means," Vaati responded, "that when Majora's forces strike, we will have to find a way to seek Hyrule's help. If we fall under attack, it stands to reason that Hyrule will be similarly besieged as well. An alliance between worlds against a common enemy."

"But…why?" Fluttershy timidly asked. "W-why would he threaten Equestria? What did w-we ever do to him?"

"Do not forget that Majora's heart is blacker than the deepest night," Vaati replied. "He delights in causing suffering and turning friends and nations against one another. This world is so pure, friendly, and full of warmth, all of which Majora hates with a burning passion. If anything, he's here to warp it all into a reflection of his own twisted nature because its existence alone angers and disgusts him. He also sees the Princesses as false idols, and he will stop at nothing to turn the people against them and strike them down for all to see."

There was a long period of silence before someone finally spoke up. "The Diamond Dogs will stand against him," Rover vowed.

"If Majora is truly a more dire threat than Ganon," Chrysalis said, "my Changelings will maintain our alliance with Equestria after Ganon is dealt with."

"I was hoping you would," Vaati replied with a knowing smirk. "Considering that the Lord of the Gohma, Iemanis, and by extension all Gohma, are under Majora's thrall…"

Chrysalis's eyes flashed with hatred of the beasts that had sought to devour her race. "Iemanis…I will remember that name."

"With that out of the way, I'd say we've dilly-dallied here long enough," Vaati said with finality. "We need to hurry and get to Cloudsdale so we can get the next Element. Ganon's on his way to the Crystal Empire, so we need to work fast."

"Can we have breakfast before we go?" Pinkie eagerly asked, the idea of food managing to cheer her up some.

The rest of the Mane Six shared a chuckle at this.

XXXXXX

Tenochtitlan Valley, the Equestrian Church of Majora…

"You have done well to bring me these fresh recruits, Disciple. Majora will be pleased with your services."

King Sombra stood at the altar of the newly-converted church as he addressed the hooded pony kneeling at the foot of the stairs. At the hooded one's side was a unicorn mare with a lavender coat, violet mane and tail with a sky-blue streak running through them, and a Cutie Mark depicting a star underneath two blue wisps of magic. The unhooded mare looked uncertain of her surroundings, but did her best to hide it. Not that Sombra was fooled.

"And who is this mare standing beside you?" Sombra demanded.

The hooded pony rose to their feet. "She is the leader of the town Lord Majora sent me to," the pony answered, revealing themselves as female. "She is the one that wove the spell over the townsponies that removed their Cutie Marks."

King Sombra quirked an eyebrow at this. "Removing Cutie Marks? Quite an impressive feat of magic. Even I have had difficulty mastering such a spell. What is your name?"

"Starlight Glimmer," the mare answered. "I came because your Disciple here promised me that Majora could help me spread my idea of friendship and harmony throughout Equestria. I wish to become a Disciple as well, so that I can work more closely with your god to see my quest through."

Sombra grinned. "The Divine Darkness will judge for himself whether you are worthy of Disciplehood."

The former Crystal King turned towards the altar, upon which sat a seven-foot-tall bust of Majora in a humanoid form with his hands folded in prayer. The eyes, even without a glow, looked like they were piercing Starlight Glimmer's very soul.

"Master, there is somepony before you who desires Disciplehood," Sombra intoned, kneeling in reverence.

After several moments of tense silence, an oppressive atmosphere of darkness closed in around them as the eyes of the statue began to glow like hellfire.

Approach me, young one, and I shall know you better.

Starlight shuddered at the terrible voice that had spoken, but steeled her nerves and cantered up the stairs until she was right in front of the looming statue. She felt her body go numb as the dark god probed her mind and tested her inner mettle. After what felt like an eternity, Starlight finally felt Majora's presence recede from her inner being, and she resisted the urge to collapse on her knees.

Starlight Glimmer, I have looked into your soul, and within it, I find great potential. I accept your request; you will join the ranks of the Disciples. Disciple Shimmer, take our newest recruit and show her everything she needs to know. As my only Equestrian Disciples thus far, the two of you must work together to accomplish the tasks I give you. Go above and beyond my expectations for my Disciples, and I shall reward you with the gift the false goddess denied you: alicornhood.

Sunset Shimmer smirked underneath her hood as she glanced aside at her newest companion. "We won't fail you, Great One."

Now go, Majora ordered. I must speak with Sombra alone.

Sunset and Starlight bowed and left the hall.

Fortuitous it is that we have Princess Celestia's greatest failures at our side. She could not see their true potential; we will be the ones to nurture it within them.

Sombra smirked. "Indeed. Celestia always thought friendship to be more important than raw talent. Absurd."

All will fall into place in good time. But I must warn you, Sombra; we may not have the element of surprise for much longer. The former ruler of this land escaped with knowledge of this place's location, and another Equestrian spurned my offer and has likely revealed my motives to our enemies.

Sombra's smirk faded. "What must we do then?"

We must find a way to make the church appear invisible to undesirable eyes.

Sombra's grin returned. "I know just the spell. It will not only hide this place from view, but all who come here without your mark will feel a pressing urge to leave."

Good. Remain underground for the time being. Until my followers are ready for war in both worlds, do not do anything to draw attention to yourselves. I will slowly begin sending spawn through the gateway beneath this fortress to bolster our forces here. War will come soon, but not until my seal is at its weakest.

"I understand, Lord," Sombra answered, bowing.

XXXXXX

The next morning…

The journey to Cloudsdale passed in relative silence. Though Ponyville was on the way there, they skirted by it at a considerable distance, for they knew that if they chose to go there, they would be hard-pressed to leave again out of worry for their families. It took an entire day and a half to reach Cloudsdale, and when they did, they stopped.

Sitting on the largest of the clouds that formed the pegasus city was a tall, round stone tower, likely kept aloft by the same magic that ran through the Palace of Winds.

"That must be the prison tower the Wizzrobes built," Vaati observed as he returned to human form and released his hold on the companions that could not fly. "It's likely also functioning as their base. And I won't be surprised if Shanzom's waiting for us at the very top."

"So what're we waiting for?!" Rainbow demanded, twirling her spear in her hooves. "Let's go get my Element back!"

"Hold your horses, Rainbow!" Vaati snapped, grabbing hold of her tail before she could fly off. "We can't just go in blind. We need a game plan, especially since we're dealing with magic-users this time."

"So what exactly is this plan of yours?" Chrysalis asked.

"Unlike our previous foes, Wizzrobes are considerably smarter," Vaati said. "They'll likely have all kinds of tricks and traps in store for us up there. They will also likely have placed various runes around the tower that will disable teleportation, so that we can't just bypass everything and instantly get to Shanzom. They're going to make us work for it."

"What about the pegasi that were captured?" Rarity asked. "We simply must free them!"

"I think it would be better if they remained there until the Wizzrobes are dealt with," Vaati answered. "Besides, Shanzom has the keys to their cells anyway."

"Well, if we…" Rainbow started to say, but something abruptly caught her attention.

Vaati saw it too, and squinted in an effort to get a better look at the strange creature that was running towards them. "What in the world is that?"

However, Rainbow, having a far better memory when it came to a certain book series, gasped as she recognized the figure. "I-is that…who I think it is?!"

XXXXXX

After two days of constant running and tending to the weakened pony on his back, Ahuizotl was utterly exhausted. The urgency of their flight had left them with no time to eat and barely any sleep, for the constant fear of pursuit by the demons of Majora gnawed at them until they were well away from the Tenochtitlan Basin. Panting with exertion, Ahuizotl suddenly felt a familiar wetness on his back.

Daring Do's wound had reopened again.

Ahuizotl cursed to himself as he looked over his shoulder at his former enemy. Daring was barely conscious, having lost a considerable amount of blood despite Ahuizotl's best efforts. He looked back towards the floating city of Cloudsdale that grew ever larger as they neared. "Stay with me, Daring Do!" Ahuizotl bade her. "We're almost there!"

He was so focused on keeping her conscious that he did not notice the group of ponies and other creatures that he just so happened to be running straight towards.

"HEY! AHUIZOTL!"

Ahuizotl skidded to a halt in surprise as he saw a sky-blue pegasus coming right for him. Before he could even think to defend himself, something teleported in the attacking pegasus's path and snatched her by the tail as she flew past it, stopping her.

"For Din's sake, Rainbow!" Vaati snapped irritably. "How many times do we have to tell you?!"

"But look who's on his back!" Rainbow cried. "It's Daring Do! The Daring Do! And she's hurt! I'll beat you to a pulp for hurting her, you thug!"

Recovering from his shock, Ahuizotl indignantly retorted, "I was not the one who harmed her! She needs medical attention, NOW! So save your accusations for later!"

Vaati turned towards his stunned comrades. "Twilight! The satchel, bring it over here!"

Twilight shook herself out of her surprise at seeing what she had up till now believed were fictional characters as she rushed over, fishing a Red Potion out of her bag. Vaati took it from her and held it out to Ahuizotl. "Tell her to drink this," the sorcerer ordered. "It's a potent healing potion."

Ahuizotl stiffly nodded at Vaati as he took the bottle in his hand, using his tail-hand to lower Daring to the ground on her back, allowing everyone to see the ugly laceration running down the length of her stomach. Several of the Mane Six gasped at the sight. Ahuizotl's housecat leapt off his back and stood at his side, glaring at all of them suspiciously. "These people have offered us their help, Miss Do," Ahuizotl spoke, uncorking the bottle as he lifted Daring's head with his tail. "Drink this; they say it will heal your injury."

Daring was barely coherent enough to comply as she gulped down the potion until the bottle was empty. Immediately the laceration closed itself and vanished, not even leaving a scar. The strength returned to Daring Do's body, and she opened her eyes, feeling completely rejuvenated.

"Holy cow!" she exclaimed, taking to the air and feeling her stomach. "I feel great! What's in that stuff?"

"Nevermind that," Vaati interrupted. "Now, ignoring the fact that, up until a few minutes ago, we all thought you were fictional characters…"

"I am such a huuuuuuge fan, by the way!" Rainbow interrupted, zooming up right in Daring's face and flashing a stupidly-huge grin.

Daring regarded the mare in front of her with shock, recognizing her from a long, long time ago. However, she quickly shook it off and said, "I just had a near-death experience, kid! Gimme some air!"

"Indeed," Vaati replied, giving Rainbow a quick glare. "Care to tell us exactly how this near-death experience occurred?"

"You look a lot like him," Ahuizotl cryptically observed, regarding Vaati suspiciously. "Pale hair…tall, upright body…strange clothes…"

"Look like who?" Vaati impatiently asked.

"Ghirahim," Daring answered. "The one who did this to me."

Vaati's eyes widened as he recognized the name.

"You know that name," Ahuizotl noticed.

"What happened?" Vaati demanded. "Tell us everything!"

Ahuizotl and Daring shared a glance before they began, recounting the appearance of Ghirahim at the Fortress of Talicon, the artifact known as Majora's Mask, Daring's capture and subsequent torture, the discovery of Ghirahim's impending betrayal, and their escape from the fortress. By the time they were done, the Mane Six all had looks of shock on their face, while Vaati grimly pondered this new information. Zecora, Rover, and Chrysalis, not having read the books, merely looked on with grim expressions.

"Well, at least we know one thing," Vaati finally spoke up. "The Church of Majora has established an Equestrian branch in the Tenochtitlan Valley. That's something, at least."

"But the Tenochtitlan Valley is just a hundred or so miles from the Crystal Empire!" Twilight exclaimed worriedly. "They would have a clear path straight to it if they chose to attack!"

"Look, we'd love to stay and chat," Daring interrupted, "but we need to get to Canterlot and warn Princess Celestia about this. All of Equestria's in danger!"

"Equestria's been in danger for a while now," Vaati responded. "Your little escapades in the Valley have left you behind the times, Daring Do. Another villain from the same world Majora and I hail from is already besieging Equestria. He's already taken Canterlot as his new base of operations, and the Princesses have fled to the Crystal Empire."

"Ghirahim and that mask of his hail from your world?" Ahuizotl asked.

"Mm, perhaps I should have mentioned that before," Vaati conceded, scratching his head. "But not precisely. They hail from the Dark World, which was created as a dark reflection of my world, Hyrule. Majora, who created that mask, was around long before either world was even created."

"And what about this new guy who's taken over Canterlot?" Daring demanded.

"His name is Ganon, the King of Darkness," Vaati explained. "I don't know how he got here, but I suspect now that Majora may have had something to do with it. He has scattered the Elements of Harmony all over Equestria, so we've been running around trying to get them all back."

"So where is this Crystal Empire?" Daring demanded. "We need to warn the Princesses about Majora!"

"Princess Celestia already knows about Majora," Vaati told her. "In fact, she knew before we did. You aren't the only denizens of this world he has approached."

"Is the Princess of the Sun going to do something about him?" Ahuizotl asked. "I would think such a matter would merit swift action."

"Considering that Ganon's army is already marching towards the Crystal Empire," Vaati pointed out, "they don't exactly have the time on their hands to do so."

Daring groaned and face-hoofed. "Dammit, I've been away from Equestria for way too long."

Looking up from her hoof, she suddenly noticed the ominous tower looming over Cloudsdale that she was pretty certain hadn't been there last time she came here. "What in Tartarus is that?" she exclaimed, pointing up at it.

"That would be the base of operations for the servants of Ganon that are occupying the city," Vaati explained. "All the pegasi that live up there have also been imprisoned within it."

Daring blanched. "Even the Wonderbolts?!"

Overcoming her fangirl impulses, Rainbow Dash said, "Yeah. Though, if Ganon was leading the attack, even they wouldn't have stood a chance. The guy's unreal!"

Daring shook her head. "I just hope Spitfire and her crew are alright. They were good buddies of mine in flight school."

"You went to flight school with the Wonderbolts?!" Rainbow positively squealed in fangirlish delight. "Wow! Not only is one of the coolest ponies ever actually real, but she actually knows the other coolest ponies ever! My mind is so blown!"

"But one thing confuses me," Vaati admitted. "If you actually are the real Daring Do and Ahuizotl, who in the world is actually writing the books?"

Daring sighed. "I am. A. K. Yearling's just my pen name. I've basically been writing my autobiography and passing it off as a young adult adventure series."

"Why?" Vaati asked, raising an eyebrow.

Daring shrugged. "Brought in more bits that way. Look, can we skip the life story and get to busting those pegasi out of that prison?"

"If you're willing to help us," Vaati said. "We could always use an extra hand or two." He then stole a glance at Ahuizotl, taking note of his tail-hand. "Or three."

"Don't you have someone to take care of your cat?" Twilight asked, looking at Princess. "And on that note, where are the rest of your cats?"

Ahuizotl's expression saddened. "They sacrificed themselves in order to allow Daring and I time to escape Ghirahim."

Twilight, Rainbow, and Fluttershy all gasped. "Oh, no! I'm so sorry!" Twilight whimpered.

"Those poor things!" Fluttershy sobbed.

"Dude, you may be a bad guy and all, but that really sucks," Rainbow admitted. "I'm sorry about your loss."

Ahuizotl waved his tail-hand in dismissal, but it was clear it still haunted him. "I will honor their memories in due time. But we must first deal with the issue at hand."

"Well, before we go in, there's a few things you must know," Vaati advised. "The enemies we're facing up there are a race of dark sorcerers called Wizzrobes. They're potent magic-users and particularly clever. I know you're no stranger to tricks and traps, but theirs are more magical in nature, so stick close to us. Our goal is to reach the top, where the lead Wizzrobe, Shanzom the Golden, is waiting for us with the Element of Loyalty and the keys to the dungeon cells."

"Alright, then let's get a move on!" Daring impatiently said, ready to just get this over with.

"Hold on, everyone!" Twilight abruptly spoke up. "I need to put a spell on all of us non-pegasi so we can walk on the clouds."

Her horn glowed brightly as her aura washed over all her companions that were not pegasi, granting them the cloud-walking spell. "Okay, that should do it!" Twilight exclaimed, pleased with her work.

"Answers that question," Applejack said. "But how're we all gonna git up there?"

"I'll teleport those of us that can't fly up there," Twilight offered.

"We'll meet you up there," Vaati acknowledged. "Be careful."

"Wait a second," Daring interrupted. "I just realized; if I'm gonna be working with you, then I should at least know your names."

Realizing they had indeed forgotten the introductions, Vaati introduced, gesturing to each one as he did so, "I am Vaati, the Sorcerer of Winds. These are the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony; Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy. And these are the other strays we've dragged along throughout our journey." Chrysalis growled at this, which Vaati pointedly ignored. "This is Zecora, Rover, and Chrysalis."

"Queen Chrysalis," Chrysalis angrily corrected.

Daring looked them up and down. "How'd you get a Diamond Dog and a Changeling to tag along with you?"

"The same way you got Ahuizotl to tag along, I assume," Vaati answered. "An alliance of mutual benefit against a common foe."

I think it was way more than that, Daring thought, stealing a glance at Ahuizotl, who was giving Rainbow a scrutinizing glare. Uh oh…

"Alright, let's get going, everyone!" Twilight ushered. "See the rest of you at the top!"

Twilight's horn flashed, and she and the others were gone, leaving only Vaati, Daring, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Chrysalis to catch up with them. Rainbow struggled to keep her fangirling to a minimum as she flew alongside the greatest hero of all time in her mind. Daring tried to ignore it as best she could, despite how it ate away at her. Soon enough, they rejoined the others in the entrance plaza of Cloudsdale, and as they did, they noticed Ahuizotl and Rover suspiciously sniffing the air.

"I smell something strange," Ahuizotl commented, glancing around. "I cannot place it. But it is strong."

"I smell it too," Rover affirmed, baring his teeth and readying his mace for action. "They are watching us."

Almost immediately after those words left the Diamond Dog's mouth, numerous robed figures of many colors phased into being all around them, their black hands raised over their heads as they charged their magical attacks. "COVER!" Vaati yelled.

He, Twilight, and Chrysalis raised a magical shield around their group right before the gathered Wizzrobes struck with all their might. Dozens of elemental spells slammed against the multi-layered shield, but it held firm against their assault. As soon as the attacks ceased, Vaati and the others dispelled the shield, and they all readied for battle…

…only to find that they were now alone in the square.

"Cowardly bastards fled after their ambush failed," Vaati sourly surmised. "Be on your guard. Wizzrobes are frequent teleporters and like to ambush their foes."

"We've already faced dragonkin, the Gohma, and the freaking undead," Rainbow pointed out. "These guys'll be a cakewalk!"

Daring furrowed her brow. Dragonkin? Undead? What has this kid been getting into?!

And then her surprise morphed into guilt. And what have I been missing all this time?

She was shaken out of this by Vaati's curt order. "Onward to the prison tower."

"So it was these creatures that I smelled," Ahuizotl surmised. "Good; that means their magic cannot mask their scent."

"Indeed," Vaati replied. "You and Rover keep your noses up, let us know if any Wizzrobes are nearby."

Ahuizotl set his cat down and whispered to her, "Go, Princess. Find somewhere safe to hide. I will call you when it is safe."

Princess meowed in acknowledgment before running off towards one of the cloud houses. Satisfied, Ahuizotl joined the others as they marched towards the prison tower looming over them.

XXXXXX

Inside the prison tower…

As the group entered the tower, they immediately noticed the many cells that lined the wall, each containing numerous angry and frightened pegasi. Seeing their potential saviors, many of them started calling out, "Hey! Get us out of here!"

One pegasus in particular came forward and looked at Vaati. Vaati recognized her as the captain of the Wonderbolts, Spitfire. "Hey…you're that Wind Mage fella, right? Is there a way you can get us out of here?"

"I actually think it best if you all stay there for the time being until we've taken care of all the Wizzrobes," Vaati answered. "No sense putting you all in unnecessary danger."

"You sure you can handle all of them?" Spitfire asked. "That Ganondorf guy may not be around here anymore, but those guys were pretty tough themselves."

Vaati smirked. "I like to think I'm above the capabilities of the monsters Ganon and I like to command. Besides, we've all tussled with major evils in the past and come out on top. Don't you worry."

Spitfire glanced behind Vaati, spying someone familiar. "Daring Do?! Sweet Faust, it's been years! Where've you been?"

Daring scratched her head awkwardly. "Yeah, that's kind of a long story. I'd love to catch up, I really do, but I think we need to focus on getting rid of your weird jailers first."

Suddenly Ahuizotl spoke up, "They are near!"

"Speak of the devil," Vaati murmured, whirling around with the rest of his companions to see a group of Wizzrobes phasing into view.

Thanks to Ahuizotl's warning, the Wizzrobes didn't even have time to charge up an attack before the full wrath of their foes fell upon them. A flurry of dark energy balls from Vaati and a stream of green magic from Chrysalis incinerated the Wizzrobes on contact. "Any more questions?" Vaati quipped, relishing the looks of surprise on the prisoners' faces.

"…guess you do got this covered," Spitfire conceded.

"Right," Vaati replied. "We'll return in a bit. Let's go, everyone!"

The group of heroes and companions began ascending the winding staircase up to the next level. Once they reached the next floor, another batch of Wizzrobes appeared to waylay them. They met with the same results as their previous assaults, and were quickly disposed of with almost insulting ease. But before they could continue, Daring said, "Wait a minute! Something's not right with those stairs!"

"A trap, I assume?" Vaati asked.

"Look," Daring replied, flying down and giving a spot on the staircase a swift kick before pulling back.

Immediately a pillar of white-hot fire rose up from between the steps, which would have reduced anything stepping on it to ashes in milliseconds. "Good eye," Vaati congratulated. "How did you see it?"

"I'm properly paranoid," was Daring's only reply.

Ahuizotl snorted in amusement at this. "Mostly thanks to you, chucklehead!" Daring snapped irritably, rounding on her old nemesis.

After a few moments, the fire pillar died down, deactivating the spell. "Okay, let's move on," Vaati advised. "And be on the lookout for any more traps."

It seemed the Wizzrobes had wisely decided to back off after their previous ambushes had all met with failure, for no more were encountered for the duration of their climb, not that it made them any less on edge. Luckily, Daring's uncanny proclivity for discovering traps enabled them to trip them one after the other without incident and continue unhindered, until they finally reached the top floor.

As expected, their target awaited them with the rest of his followers, all of them ready for a fight. Shanzom himself was a full two heads taller than his lesser kin, dressed in flowing robes of golden silk adorned with red patterns of flame. A metal mask covered his face, two glowing yellow eyes glaring from behind the visor. Surrounding him was at least a hundred Wizzrobes covering all areas of elemental magic; Pyromancers, Aquamancers, Aeromancers, Geomancers, Non-Elementals, and two Summoners. An imposing force, to be sure.

But Vaati and crew had seen worse.

Shanzom stepped forward and declared in a voice that, uncharacteristically of his brethren, was a deep baritone, "The lot of you stand accused of treason against our lord Ganondorf! Stand down at once or be destroyed!"

Vaati rolled his eyes, "Look at you, oh Lord of Wizzrobes. Parroting the decrees of Ganon like an actor in a play. You hold little more loyalty towards him than we do, and what loyalty you do have is forced. You were once the Grand Overseer, a magician with few peers in all of Hyrule! And now you are just another one of that Gerudo nutcase's minions. How do you even live with yourself?"

"You think I am pleased with my fate and that of my people?" Shanzom growled. "I curse Demise and his hateful incarnation with every fiber of my being. I know my loyalty to him is not my own. But I do not have the power to fight it. But you have the power to destroy me and end our suffering for a time. Let's see if you can do it! Wizzrobes, attack!"



Twilight and Vaati raised a shield around their companions just as the Wizzrobes struck, ricocheting their spells back at them. Some were struck down, but most teleported out of the way. "Let's kick some flank!" Rainbow crowed. "CHAAAAAAARGE!"

Vaati, the Mane Six, Rover, Chrysalis, Zecora, Ahuizotl, and Daring Do all let out a chorus of war cries and launched themselves at the horde of Wizzrobes. Vaati morphed into his demon eye form, making a beeline straight for Shanzom. "I cannot deny that I have found myself looking forward to this," Shanzom proclaimed. "Let us see which of us is truly the most powerful sorcerer alive!"

Shanzom thrust out his hands, sending a salvo of fireballs at Vaati. The giant winged eye blocked them with his arms, Vaati grunting from the sting of flames meeting his skin. Shanzom then followed up with a blast of blizzard-like ice energy that enveloped the demon. However, Vaati pushed past this attack and shot a beam from his eye at the Wizzrobe leader. Shanzom saw it coming (Vaati cursing at the flash from his eye beforehand that gave it away) and teleported out of harm's way before flinging a bunch of conjured, sharpened stones in response.

Vaati let out an angry cry of pain as multiple rocks struck him, puncturing his skin and digging into flesh as he held up his arms to ward them off. A few tore holes in his wings, causing him to lose some wing power. Vaati, though, did not let this deter him as he countered with a horde of stone eyes that began spitting lasers at Shanzom. Shanzom raised a shield that blocked the lasers and then sent the wall of energy hurtling towards Vaati, knocking Vaati and his orbs back. Vaati recovered and redirected his stone eyes to surround the Wizzrobe and attack him from all sides.

Shanzom scoffed at this and teleported from view just as the lasers all fired at once at where he had stood a split-second before. Vaati turned to see Shanzom behind him, too late to stop the Razor Wind spell that slammed into him. Vaati roared in agony as the wind energy sliced into him multiple times, and the Wind Mage glared at the Grand Overseer in rage.

"You dare…You DARE use my own spells against me?!"

Shanzom did not reply, instead opting to press his attack, alternating instantaneously between various elemental spells. But Vaati had had enough.

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" he bellowed, knocking all the spells backwards with an explosion of wind magic. "BURN!"

Meanwhile, the Wizzrobes were not faring well against the combined onslaught of their enemies. Chrysalis easily overpowered several Wizzrobes that had ganged up on her, reducing them to ashes with a well-placed volley of energy blasts.

Zecora used a potion to conjure a green smoke that took the shape of Nightmare Moon, the very same she had used for Nightmare Night, and directed the apparition to dive-bomb a group of Wizzrobes. Reacting with surprise, the Wizzrobes vaporized it with a multitude of spells, dispersing the green mist all around them. The Wizzrobes were too late to see Rainbow, Rarity, and Pinkie emerge from the mist and hack them all down.

Daring Do delivered a swift kick to a Wizzrobe's jaw, causing its neck to snap sideways before it fell and burst into a cloud of black smoke. Seeing a fireball coming at her, she quickly flew over it and saw Ahuizotl seize the offending Pyromancer by the head with his tail-hand and slam it repeatedly against the floor until it too crumbled to dust.

Rover avoided a wave of ice energy as he slammed his mace into a Wizzrobe's chest, flinging it into the air. He glared at the attacker before bounding up to it and caving its head in with a sickening crack.

Twilight defended herself from an attacking Aeromancer, hiding behind a shield as a Razor Wind slammed against it. As soon as the spell ceased, she dropped it and blasted the Wizzrobe directly in the face with an energy beam, blowing its head clean off. As with all monsters, there was no blood, and the headless Wizzrobe collapsed as it vanished in black smoke.

Applejack bucked an attacking Geomancer right between the legs, sending the Wizzrobe groaning to its knees. Another kick to the head silenced it for good.

Fluttershy quickly picked off targets with her crossbow, tears streaming down her eyes all the while as Rarity covered her. These Wizzrobes could have been friends had they not been forced to serve Ganon, and that knowledge ate away at her and filled her with guilt at what she was doing.

All of them working together successfully began thinning the Wizzrobe ranks, and amidst all this chaos Vaati and Shanzom fought still. Vaati sent a flurry of electric energy balls from his horns at the Wizzrobe Lord, who once more teleported out of the way before sending a wave of multi-elemental energy his way. Vaati blasted the spell apart with another eye beam and flew at Shanzom, claws outstretched. Shanzom, of course, vanished again, but Vaati was prepared this time. He thrust his arm into the ground, his hand and forearm sinking into shadow. Just as Shanzom reappeared behind him, ready to strike once more, Vaati's claws exploded from beneath him. Shanzom had not been expecting this, and suddenly felt powerful electrical energy course through his body, a yowl tearing from the Wizzrobe's throat.

However, Shanzom was not finished yet; the Grand Overseer pushed past the pain and sent a wave of energy bursting outwards, forcing Vaati's claws apart, and teleporting as soon as he was free. Vaati cursed under his breath as Shanzom reappeared before him. "I commend you, Vaati, Sorcerer of Winds," Shanzom said. "You almost had me there."

"You are really beginning to annoy me!" Vaati snapped, summoning a horde of eyebats. "Get him!"

The Eye Sentries complied and began spitting lasers randomly as they all flew of their own accord at Shanzom. Unlike the stone eyes, the Eye Sentries flew under their own direction, and were capable of coordinating attacks of their own free will. Shanzom raised a shield around himself to deflect their attacks, but then saw Vaati dip his arm into the ground again. Cursing, Shanzom dropped the shield and teleported out before Vaati's arm could reach him. However, Vaati took the initiative and summoned even more eyebats to harass him. Seeing the swarm of Eye Sentries all gunning for him, Shanzom knew that he could not hold them all and the Wind Mage off at once. Vaati had won, but Shanzom would go down fighting with all the dignity he had left in him. Thrusting his hands outward, he sent a hailstorm of sharpened stones at the eyebats, taking down many of them even as they began firing their lasers at him in response. Shanzom gritted his unseen teeth as he felt the lasers cut into him, burning flesh and fabric. But he kept up his assault, and he managed to take out all the Eye Sentries, but was significantly wounded as a result.

Shanzom looked tiredly up at the giant demon just in time to see his eye flashing again. He teleported again, but was panting heavily with exertion as he reappeared. However, Vaati too was similarly winded, and both wizards took a moment to catch their breath.

"HEY, SHANZOM!"

Shanzom whirled around just in time to see Rainbow Dash coming right at him, spear pointed right at his chest. "Gimme back my Element, you creep!"

Shanzom was just too exhausted to do anything but grunt as Rainbow plunged her spear right through his chest, the tip punching all the way through and coming out his back. She quickly pulled her spear out, and the golden Wizzrobe sank to his knees. Looking around, he could see that all his servants had fallen, and now was his time to join them in the void once more. He fixed his gaze on Vaati as the great eye approached, and slowly nodded his head. "Not bad, kid," he managed to choke out. "Not…bad."

And then Shanzom the Golden was no more, his body crumbling to ashes as he fell backwards, leaving behind a set of keys. As soon as he fell, the Element of Loyalty materialized around Rainbow's neck. "Aw, yeah!" she cried enthusiastically. "Four down, two to go!"

Vaati returned to his previous form and hunched forward, breathing heavily.

"Why is nopony questioning the fact this guy just turned into a gigantic flying eyeball monster?" Daring Do marveled.

"We got used to it," all of them sans Ahuizotl chorused immediately, as though they had been asked this multiple times before.

Vaati eventually rose back to his full height and breathed deeply. "Okay, that's four Elements down. Now, let's go bust those pegasi out, shall we?"

XXXXXX

A few minutes later…

"Are you guys sure you don't need our help?" Spitfire asked again once everypony was free and news of the coming siege of the Crystal Empire had been delivered.

"Trust me, the Princesses need you more than we do," Vaati answered. "Just hurry up and go. I don't know how long it'll take for Ganon to get there, but you better make sure to get there before he does so you can train all those pegasi."

Spitfire sighed. "I can't believe this. I never thought I'd be training anyone besides Wonderbolts recruits."

"Just get going," Vaati pressed. "You don't have a lot of time."

Spitfire nodded. "You're right. Thanks for everything, guys. And when you do fight Ganon, give him what-for for us, okay?"

"Don't have to tell us twice!" Rainbow declared. "And when this is all over, can you train me?"

Spitfire rolled her eyes in amusement. "Send in a request and we'll see about it. Good luck on finding those other Elements! And Daring, you better come back to catch up with all of us after all this is over, you hear me?"

Daring rolled her eyes in response, but cracked a smile all the same. "Fine. I guess I can make some time, as long as somebody doesn't go around trying to throw the Tenochtitlan Basin into eight centuries of unrelenting heat again!"

Ahuizotl shrugged. "To be quite fair, most of those artifacts I collected didn't even do that."

Daring blinked in surprise. "Well jeez, I was starting to wonder! I mean, I was starting to think somepony was manufacturing the damn things for you! But…why would you lie about something like that?"

Ahuizotl looked away, unable to fight back the rosy tint in his cheeks. "Perhaps we can save this conversation for later."

Rainbow happened to listen in on this, and couldn't help but hear the gears turning in her head. Ooohhh…is this a villain/hero romance I'm sensing?

She grinned stupidly. I approve.

"Yyeeah…you're gonna have to tell us about your, um…unique stallion here," Spitfire uncertainly said. "Welp, gotta run! We're burning daylight, after all! Let's go, everypony! We're off to the Crystal Empire!"

XXXXXX

That night…

Inside the Cloudsdale Hotel, everyone was sound asleep, weary after yet another day of fighting. Everyone, that is, except Daring Do.

The adventurer just could not bring herself to fall asleep. There was too much on her mind. Ahuizotl lay on the bed on the other side of the room, Princess curled up beside him. She believed he was asleep, as his back was turned, but as she let loose a heavy sigh, she suddenly heard, "When are you going to tell her?"

She jolted her head towards Ahuizotl as he turned on his side to face her. Feigning annoyed ignorance, she asked, "Tell who what?"

"Do not attempt to feign ignorance, Miss Do," Ahuizotl responded. "The pegasus with the blue pelt and rainbow mane…she is your daughter, isn't she?"

Daring wanted to deny it, tell him he was crazy and stupid for even suggesting that, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. He knew. Daring sighed.

"I…I was still in college," she hesitantly began. "I was studying to become an archaeologist. My second year, I got to go to an archaeological dig in Saddle Arabia. That's where I met…him."

Daring paused, finding the right words to say. "He was on the same dig, working as a reporter for the international news. His name was Rainbow Blitz. He was so friendly, charming, and just absolutely handsome…he and I hit it off, and over the course of the dig, he and I had a fling. Well, one thing led to another, and…before I knew it, I was pregnant. It turned out he was from Cloudsdale too, and so he and I went back together after the dig was over with. As the pregnancy carried on though, I…I got scared. I wasn't even out of college yet and I already had this little creature inside of me that would grow into a pony, a child to call my own, and…I didn't think I was ready for the responsibility. So…after Rainbow Dash was born, I…I ran away. The day after I was released from the hospital, I ran away. I went to a different college, assumed an alternate name, and eventually became an archaeologist, and I came face to face with you on my first adventure."

Ahuizotl took this all in in silence. A heavy silence hung in the air, until Ahuizotl finally broke it. "I see."

"Yeah," Daring said, barely above a whisper. "And now, after all these years I see her again, and…she's not just a fan of my books, but she's become a hero in her own right. And…I was too much of a bucking coward to stick around for any of it."

Daring could not hold it anymore; the famous, tough adventurer began to cry. "I've been saving the Tenochtitlan Valley for years, going up against you, Griffon rebels, and other crazies during my adventures, and yet I didn't even have the courage to send her a Faustdamned birthday card once in a while! She should have every reason to hate me! How can I possibly tell her now, after all this time? I just…I can't do it, because I'm just a coward deep down, after all's said and done."

Ahuizotl was silent for the longest time, contemplating. At last he sighed. "You cannot run from this. You and she have been reunited again, surely for a purpose. I understand what it means to be afraid to tell someone something important, for fear of how they may react to it. I would tell you to overcome this fear, but…to do so, I must overcome it first."

Ahuizotl carefully slid off the bed so as to not disturb his cat and sat on the floor in a catlike fashion. Daring looked at him in confusion as she sniffed and wiped away her tears. "When I met you," Ahuizotl began, "I indeed found you to be a pest, but…soon, I came to enjoy our little encounters, so much so that I…well, I claimed to be threatening the Valley or perhaps the world when in truth, all I wanted was to see you again, for there was something about you that made me feel something I did not quite understand. I was not sure if it was hatred, or anticipation, but…there was a fierceness in your eyes, a confidence in your being that appealed to me. You were my worthiest opponent, and yet you had become more than that. I was fascinated by you, but I could not understand why. But when that Ghirahim creature came and changed everything, I realized the truth; what I felt for you was not the respect of a worthy enemy. It was…it was love. Love for this strong, beautiful creature that stood defiantly up to me time and again, when others would have turned and fled, or ignored me altogether."

Daring Do's eyes widened at that last sentence.

"Daring Do…I, Ahuizotl, am in love with you, and have been since our second encounter."

Daring could not find words as she felt an intense heat in her cheeks and her heart pounding furiously against her chest. She couldn't believe it; oh, she had had a suspicion, but she was willing to deny such a thing because it was only a suspicion. But now he had fully admitted it, and there was no more denying it in her mind.

Ahuizotl's…in love…with me?

She was not certain how to feel, because now she was contemplating everything she had felt concerning him in the past. She certainly could not fault his persistence, but for it to actually have all been just to get her attention? The thought was overwhelming.

"I will let you judge your feelings for yourself," Ahuizotl said, shaking Daring out of her thoughts. "But now that I have gained the courage to reveal my truth to you, it is time you did the same for her."

Daring took a deep breath as Ahuizotl's words sunk in. He had confessed his love for her more than because of a simple need to, but also to give her the courage to reveal her own secret to someone she found she truly cared for.

"You're right," she whispered. "You're absolutely right."

Daring left her bed and headed towards the door, glancing at Ahuizotl over her shoulder. "No more running."

Ahuizotl smiled, a genuine smile that seemed strange on his face, as Daring opened the door and left their room.

Daring slowly trotted down the hall towards the room where she remembered Rainbow Dash bunking in. She stopped in front of it and stared at the door for a good long while, gathering her courage. Part of her screamed at her to turn back, to leave well enough alone, but Ahuizotl's words were louder.

I'm done running away.

Slowly but surely, Daring Do opened Rainbow Dash's door, knowing her life, and the life of her daughter, was about to change forever.
> Episode 13: A Mother's Confession, A Nightmare's Wrath
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 13: A Mother's Confession, A Nightmare's Wrath

She had held it off for so long. For years she had heeded Pinkie Pie's warnings, but in the end, she just could not resist the opportunity to do it.

She was going to prank Fluttershy.

Sure, Fluttershy was extremely sensitive; everypony knew that. That was just how she was. But what harm could a light-hearted prank possibly do? Fluttershy was one of her best friends; surely she'd know that it was all in good fun if one of her closest friends pulled it on her rather than some rude stranger.

With all this in mind, Rainbow Dash had donned a realistic-looking dragon mask and was now trotting towards Fluttershy's cottage, grinning with anticipation. She had also managed to procure a little magical recording device that contained a real dragon's roar; boy, had that been hard to get a hold of! She could hear her friend through the open window tending to Angel and bit back a sinister chuckle as she waltzed up to the door and knocked on it briskly.

"Coming!" came Fluttershy's sweet, unsuspecting voice as she approached the door. Opening it up, she began to say, "How can I help…"

"RRROOOOAAAAAARRRRR!"

The loud roar and the mask on Rainbow's face had an immediate reaction from Fluttershy; she fell back from the doorway with a loud scream, landing on her back and clutching her chest. Taking off the mask, Rainbow laughed uproariously, heedless of Fluttershy's spasms and broken gasps for air.

"Holy cow, Fluttershy!" Rainbow chortled. "You should see the look on your face right now! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Rainbow spent a full two minutes laughing hysterically before she finally began recollecting herself. "Haha…don't worry, Fluttershy, it was just me."

She looked down to see Fluttershy's reaction, but something immediately threw her off. Fluttershy lay still on the floor, one hoof still clutched to her chest, the other limp at her side. Her eyes were wide-open with fear, but they stared emptily at the ceiling, never blinking.

"Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked, starting to get worried. "Hey! Fluttershy!"

She flew over to her friend's side and repeatedly nudged her shoulder, but received no response. "Fluttershy! C'mon, this isn't funny!"

Now her worry was starting to grow into full-blown panic. Nopony could keep their eyes open that long without blinking. Rainbow put her ear against Fluttershy's chest, and paled as her worst fears were realized.

Fluttershy's heart wasn't beating.

"No…no no no NO NO NO NO NO NONONONONONONONO!" Rainbow panicked, refusing to believe it in her mind.

She began desperately administering CPR, constantly muttering, "c'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" under her breath with each push against Fluttershy's chest. She put her mouth to Fluttershy's and blew air down her throat. "Don't do this to me, Fluttershy! C'mon!" she cried as she withdrew and began pushing against her chest again.

But it was too little, too late. And after ten minutes of CPR without results, Rainbow realized the horrifying truth.

Fluttershy was dead.

She had scared her own best friend literally to death.

Rainbow collapsed on her haunches, hyperventilating as she stared into Fluttershy's unblinking eyes, forever sealed in that expression of the mortal terror that had claimed her. "Oh Faust, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Rainbow bawled. "I should've listened to Pinkie! I'm so sorry!"

Before Rainbow knew it, it was the day of Fluttershy's funeral. The surviving members of the Mane Six, all dressed in black, refused to talk to Rainbow, only acknowledging her presence through hateful, accusing glares. But Pinkie's was the worst; it was her warnings that Rainbow had defied, and now look what had happened. Such venom in her expression; it seemed almost unnatural on Pinkie's usually-happy face. Rainbow stood alone in silence throughout the entirety of the funeral, tears streaming down her face. She continued to stand there as all the mourners eventually left, leaving her alone in the Ponyville Cemetery. She stood before Fluttershy's grave, reading the epitaph with a heavy, guilt-ridden heart.

Fluttershy

A kind soul. A true friend.

Taken before her time.

All because of her.

Rainbow sank to her knees as she lay a bouquet of roses underneath Fluttershy's headstone. She gently placed a hoof on the cold stone, tracing it over her best friend's name.

"I'm so sorry, Flutters," she murmured mournfully. "I swear I'll never, ever prank again."

"Rainbow Dash…"

Rainbow jumped in surprise as the familiar voice that came from behind. "Wha…? Fluttershy?"

Rainbow whirled around, and found herself face-to-face with the best friend she had murdered.

Only Fluttershy now looked withered and rotting, her once-kind face now sunken and wrinkled. Her eyes had a glazed-over look, but they met Rainbow's open-mouthed, horror-stricken stare with a look of anger and betrayal.

"How could you do this to me?" Fluttershy accused. "I thought you were my friend."

"F-Fluttershy!" Rainbow begged. "I-I swear I didn't know!"

"Yes you did!" Fluttershy shot back. "Pinkie Pie warned you about pranking me, that I wouldn't be able to take it! And you did it anyway! You killed me!"

It would have been bad enough had Fluttershy been yelling. But the fact that she still spoke in that soft, timid whisper was all the more gutwrenching.

"Pinkie trusted you. You are the Element of Loyalty; she thought she could trust you not to do it. But you betrayed her. You betrayed all of us."

Rainbow couldn't form words, because she knew Fluttershy was right.

"Traitor," Fluttershy hissed.

"I-I'm sorry," Rainbow whimpered, curling in on herself as she sobbed uncontrollably.

"Murderer."

Those two words repeated endlessly in her head, whispered by all her former friends with contempt and disappointment. Rainbow squinted her eyes shut, pressing her hooves against her ears, but the voices continued unabated, cutting into her with their brutality…

XXXXXX

Daring Do slowly opened the door and felt her breath catch in her throat as she heard the muffled sounds of Rainbow Dash crying in her sleep. Quickly pushing it the rest of the way open, Daring entered the room and saw her long-lost daughter curled in her bed in the fetal position, her eyes squinted shut as tears streamed down her face. "I-I'm so sorry," she whimpered. "I d-didn't mean to…!"

Daring realized Rainbow was having a nightmare, and from the looks of it, a pretty bad one. Seeing how much Rainbow was suffering, Daring refused to let it go on any longer, and approached Rainbow's bedside. Shaking Rainbow's shoulder, Daring whispered, "Hey, kid! Wake up!"

At first she didn't succeed, and Rainbow remained locked in the throes of her night terror. "Hey, come on, Rainbow Dash! Wake up!" Daring pressed more loudly, roughly shaking Rainbow's shoulder.

Finally Rainbow's eyes snapped wide-open as she took a huge gasp. She sat bolt upright, slowly coming to her senses as she let loose a strangled bawl. Immediately she felt herself wrapped in a tight hug, and Rainbow's breathing finally began slowing down as the waking world came back into focus.

"Shh, shh, it's alright," she heard a voice say as the owner gently stroked her mane. "I'm here, kid. I'm here."

Choking back a sob at the memory of what she realized had been her nightmare, Rainbow looked down to see who had a hold of her, and could not contain her utter surprise.

"D-Daring Do…?"

Daring Do slowly pulled back from the hug, looking at her with a worried expression. "Are you okay? You looked like you were having a pretty bad nightmare there."

Rainbow shuddered. "Y-yeah…"

"You…wanna talk about it?"

Rainbow violently shook her head.

"Okay," Daring said softly. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"T-thank you," Rainbow whimpered.

Daring awkwardly stood there for a few moments, looking like she wanted to say something but was unsure of how to say it.

"Um…i-is something wrong?" Rainbow hesitantly asked.

Daring sighed in response and looked her right in the eye. "Rainbow Dash, I…got a confession to make. I mean, I know this is probably bad timing and all, considering that bad dream you just had, but I really…need to get this off my chest. I…I've seen you before. A long time ago, on the very day you were born, actually…"

Rainbow's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I don't understand…how could you have met me the day I was born?"

It was now or never. Daring steeled her nerves, took a deep breath, and said, "Because…I'm your mother."

Rainbow was shocked into silence.

XXXXXX

Dethl laughed as it reentered the void between dreams after Rainbow Dash's dream bubble had disappeared upon her awakening. Her nightmare had been its best one yet, and the Demon King felt a sense of pride. The Element of Loyalty was brash and arrogant, and though truly loyal to her friends, even the strongest loyalties could be shattered, and sometimes not even through an intentionally-malicious act. These fools would learn how deeply their own flaws contradicted what they were supposed to stand for, and surely the Elements of Harmony would be left powerless once their bonds of friendship were severed.

However, Dethl was abruptly pulled out of its revelry by a voice from behind.

"At last! At last I have cornered thee, demon!"

The King of Nightmares slowly turned to see Princess Luna staring it down.



And she did not look happy.

The Lunar Princess looked the Demon King of Nightmares up and down, taking in the features of the fiend that had caused so much harm to her people already. She noted with concern that its body bore an eerie resemblance to Vaati's demon eye form, though without the wings, horns, and gold patterns adorning the eyelid. Its body was spherical and pitch-black in color. Two bulky arms grew from its sides, each bearing a spiked ball for a hand with glowing red palms. A single eye, large and tinted a poisonous, sickly green, narrowed into a menacing glare as it locked eyes with her. This was it; this was the monster that had possessed Diamond Tiara and forced her to try and kill the Cutie Mark Crusaders, that had been interfering with her prophetic dreams to hide its intentions, that had been responsible for freeing and restoring the powers of King Sombra as well as granting him access to those loathsome winged hounds, that was even now unleashing nightmares the likes of which she had not seen since Sombra's time upon the bearers of the Elements of Harmony and taking utter pleasure in doing so. And Luna was eager to tear this son of a Diamond Dog a structurally-superfluous new flankhole, as the much more vulgar modern lingo of today so eloquently put it, for all the crimes it had committed against Equestria, against its ponies, and most unconscionably, against helpless children.

"Long have you eluded me," Luna growled. "Long have you threatened the dreams of my subjects. No more."

The time had come. Without any other distractions to aid it, Dethl had finally been caught by Princess Luna. But luckily for the Demon King, Majora had recently revealed that the element of surprise was no longer theirs, meaning that maintaining secrecy was no longer a concern. The Nightmare laughed mockingly, its deep, multi-layered voice sending chills down Luna's spine as it echoed across the vast dreamscape of Equis's inhabitants.

"Gwo hoh hoh hoh hoh…Princess Luna, Goddess of the Moon. At last we meet. We would say it is a pleasure, but in truth, your every breath insults us."

Luna's wings flared out as her horn glowed with energy. "Your time on this earth is at an end, creature of darkness!"

A violet streak of energy lanced out of Luna's horn, aimed right at Dethl's ponderous eye. However, Dethl coolly blocked it with a massive arm, never taking its eye off the enraged alicorn. "Equestrian whelp," Dethl sneered. "You lack the means to destroy us."

"If you're so confident in your hideous powers, then face me and stop running like a coward!" Luna roared.

"And why would we waste our valuable time with a bug like you?" Dethl replied condescendingly. "We have so much else to do that is far more important than taking the time to step on a cockroach like you. You cannot defeat us, no matter how you try. We could easily destroy you with a fraction of our powers, but alas, Lord Majora wants the pleasure of killing you all for himself. But since you went through all this trouble just to catch up with us, we don't see why we can't have a little fun. Your perseverance certainly deserves reward."

Dethl thrust its arms out, causing a multitude of black shadows to split from its main body and take the form of a horde of bats that looked as though they were made of ink. Without warning, the Shadow Bats flew off in random directions, each of them randomly targeting a dream bubble and entering it. Each penetrated dream instantly became a nightmare, rapidly increasing in severity.

"Let's see how many of your precious ponies you can save from quite literally dying of fright! And do tell the Wind Sorcerer hello for us! GAH HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

Luna could only stare slack-jawed as Dethl vanished from the world of dreams, its maniacal laughter ringing in her ears long after the vile beast had fled. She glanced all around at the tainted dreamscapes, overcome with shock. I've never seen such a display of power before! What sort of ancient horror are we truly facing here?!

But she didn't have time to consider that. Right now, she had to save several of her subjects from literally being scared to death in their sleep.

However, there was one thing she did know for certain.

That demon was definitely affiliated with Majora.

With all the speed and dream powers she could muster, she began hunting down the nightmares one by one, entering each dreamscape and quickly silencing the perpetrators with a well-placed energy beam. She could not stay to hear the dreamers' thanks, though, and forced herself to keep moving. But the nightmares were progressing fast, and despite her best efforts, she was beginning to panic inside with the fear that she wouldn't be able to get to everypony in time.

A Phillydelphian baker…

A filly in Trottingham…

The Ponyville teacher Cheerilee…

A Crystal Pony within the Empire…

A traveling showmare that Luna had honestly taken a recent interest in, also happening to be taking shelter in the Empire…

With each nightmare dispelled, the sense of urgency grew.

A young foal from Appleloosa was a frighteningly close call, and Luna was growing desperate. However, just as she emerged from the foal's dreams, she felt the unimaginable.

A dream bubble shattered, the subconsciousness of the dreamer fading forever into oblivion. Luna's heart stopped deathly cold.

"No…"she breathed, choking back a sob. "N-no, it can't…!"

For she knew which dreamer's life had been cruelly cut short by the machinations of the Nightmare King.

"P-Pipsqueak…I'm so sorry!"

XXXXXX

Cloudsdale Hotel…

It took several minutes for Rainbow Dash to find her voice again. "Wh…what?"

"On the morning of April 13th, nineteen years ago, at exactly 9:34 am, I gave birth to you at the Cloudsdale Hospital. You were three pounds, six ounces, and the first thing your dad, Rainbow Blitz, told me as I held you was that you had my eyes."

Rainbow's jaw dropped at Daring Do's perfectly-accurate repeat of the details of her birth that her father had given her. "You…I…h-how…?"

"I met your dad in Saddle Arabia," Daring continued, fearing that if she paused, she wouldn't be able to keep going. "I was on an archaeological dig as part of my college education, and Blitz was an international reporter covering the dig. He and I met, and we eloped. Two weeks later, just as the dig was close to done, I found out I was pregnant, and Blitz and I went back to Cloudsdale together. A year later I had you."

"If…" Rainbow stammered. "If you r-really are…my mom…then, where were you all this time?!"

Daring had been bracing herself for this question, and decided to answer bluntly and honestly. "I was a coward and ran away after they released me from the hospital. I wasn't much older than you are now, and I was still in college, and I-I just wasn't prepared to deal with a responsibility like this. Blitz was waiting for me at his house with you, a-and I never showed up. I trusted him to raise you, because I knew he was a good stallion. I left Cloudsdale, got a new name, and went to a different college. And I thought that my adventures would make me forget about my own guilt, but…it didn't. That's why I started writing about my adventures and turning it into a series for kids and young adults. Maybe, deep down, I was hoping that you would one day find my books and read all about my adventures so you could have somepony to inspire you to do big things, even if you never knew the truth about who I was. But…it wasn't enough. It'll never be enough. Now that I've seen you again, now that I've seen the pony you have become, I…I don't want to stay away anymore. I-I know I don't have any right to ask this, but…but would you be willing t-to let me into your life, so I can make up for all the time I was never there?"

Rainbow was absolutely silent as she took this all in, staring at her idol, no, her mother, in total shock. After a few minutes of heavy silence, Rainbow finally began to speak. "Dad never talked about you. He always g-got this sad look on his face whenever I asked about you, and he'd always say, 'maybe one day'. He had no pictures of you, nothing. As I got older, I thought you had died giving birth to me, and that he was constantly grieving about it, and that was why he wouldn't talk about you. But now I really know why; you hurt him. When I-I was born, h-he was expecting us t-to be a family! A-and then you ran away and left him all alone with m-me, and you knowingly cut us both out of your life!"

By now, Rainbow was fully in tears as her tirade continued. Daring winced at her harsh words, but knew that she had every right to be angry, every right to cut into her for how she had failed her own flesh and blood. She could not stop her own tears though, looking away in shame as her daughter continued.

"For nineteen years, I knew absolutely nothing about you!" Rainbow was close to yelling. "What you looked like, w-what you and Dad did together, and it was almost like you never existed at all! But y-you were still out there, running around and saving the world, and you knew that my dad was raising me all by himself! I never got anything from you, not even a birthday card once in a blue moon! You were just content to let me keep thinking you were dead or something!"

Daring, unable to look Rainbow in the eye, hung her head down as she quietly sobbed.

"And you know what one of the few things he told me about you was?" Rainbow suddenly asked in a much softer voice. "He was going to ask you to marry him once you got back from the hospital. He had the ring picked out and everything. He even showed it to me once. He was expecting the three of us to be a family together. You didn't just break his heart that day; you broke him completely. Rarely did I ever see him smile."

Daring lifted her head a few millimeters. "D-did?" she repeated, dreading what that phrasing implied.

"You didn't know, did you? You were off in Tenochtitlan, having adventures! Three years ago, Dad was working at the Rainbow Factory after he quit the reporter gig, and there was an accident. The spectra condenser malfunctioned, and Dad was caught in the blast."

Daring's breath caught in her throat. "Oh Faust…"

"There wasn't even anything left of him to bury," Rainbow continued. "I'm only thankful he died instantly, because he already suffered enough in life."

Daring didn't answer, hanging her head low again and sobbing remorsefully, letting out a pitiful whine. Rainbow opened her mouth to say something else, to make Daring see how much hurt she had caused, but those words died in her throat as she really took notice of her mother's state. Despite everything, the sight of her mother sitting in front of her, crying her eyes out, utterly broke Rainbow's heart. She was still, after all, her mother, and Rainbow valued family just as much as Applejack, if not more because she had much, much less of it than the farmpony. And after all these years, she had finally come forth with the truth and a desire to come back into Rainbow's life. She wanted to stay angry, but her guilt overrode her anger and Rainbow slid off the bed and wrapped her mom up in a hug.

"I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Rainbow whimpered.

After nineteen years of separation and suppressed emotions, mother and daughter embraced for the first time and cried into each other's shoulders.

XXXXXX

Crystal Palace, Luna and Celestia's bedroom…

Celestia jolted awake as she felt a horrific sensation deep within her soul that indicated something was terribly wrong. Hearing a noise, Celestia looked towards her sister's bed to see that Luna was sitting up, hunched over as she sobbed.

"Luna! What happened? What's wrong?" Celestia asked, fearing the worst.

Luna slowly looked up at her elder sister with tear-stained eyes. "T-the demon…the monster that has been plaguing the w-world of dreams since Vaati came to Equestria…I finally confronted it."

Luna seemed unable to continue, collapsing back into a fit of sobs. "Lulu, tell me what happened!" Celestia pleaded, throwing off her covers and rushing to her sister's bedside. "What did this monster do?!"

Luna tried to keep herself from hyperventilating, and she managed to choke out, "It…it unleashed a horde of lesser dream demons u-upon our subjects. T-they were trying to kill as many ponies as they could through their d-dreams."

Celestia felt her heart stop at this. Oh, please…let it not be so, she thought with dread.

"I…I…" Luna trembled, before she succumbed to a hysterical meltdown. "I w-was too la-ha-hate to s-save them! I c-couldn't get t-t-to all of t-them in t-t-time!"

Celestia's heart shattered as her worst fears were confirmed; Luna hadn't been able to save all of the affected dreamers.

"H-how many?" Celestia forced herself to ask.

"Th-th-thirteen," Luna sobbed. "Out of f-fifty. They…they…they took Pipsqueak"

Celestia was overcome with horror and sadness. Pipsqueak, the little foal from Trottingham that Luna had met on Nightmare Night of last year, who had told her she was his favorite princess, a foal that Luna had doted on ever since, often taking time to visit his dreams to play with him during her vigil…

His parents would find his cold, lifeless body still in his bed come morning.

"No…" Celestia whispered, tears spilling from her own eyes.

"T-they got a filly in Manehattan t-too," Luna whimpered. "O-one of the A-Apple relatives…a-and another f-f-foal in Filly…Fillydelphia…oh Celie, they were just foals! They didn't deserve this!"

Celestia swiftly embraced Luna as the Princess of the Night unleashed an anguished howl of guilt and despair at her failure to prevent the senseless deaths of innocent children. As she held Luna close, Celestia heard her sister mumble something into her chest.

"What was that, Lulu?" Celestia asked, looking down at her younger sibling.

Luna sniffed, a glint of hatred appearing within her grief-stricken eyes as she repeated softly, "The demon…it works f-for Majora."

So it was true. They were indeed affiliated, which meant that Majora had had his eye on Equestria for a lot longer than they had initially believed. Celestia stroked her sister's ethereal mane as Luna cried into her chest. As she did so, she looked out the window at the luminescent moon, a determined glare on her face as more tears slid down her cheeks.

I swear on our dear mother, Celestia silently vowed. You and your servants will pay for what you have done, Majora.

XXXXXX

Cloudsdale Hotel, Rainbow Dash's room…

"…and King Sombra was all like, 'no, this cannot be!', and he just has the most epic 'oh crap' look on his face, and BAM! Crystal Heart blows him and those freaky wolves into a billion pieces!" Rainbow eagerly regaled to her mother, gesturing excitedly as she did so. "And we all got hailed as heroes again, especially Vaati. Boy, were we starting to get used to that…so anyways, that was the third time we saved all of Equestria…"

Rainbow trailed off as she realized that Daring Do was fast asleep, still sitting upright on the floor with her head tilted downward. The exhausted adventurer had likely finally nodded off to the sound of her daughter's voice, for now that such a weight had been lifted off her chest, her body had finally begun to involuntarily power down. Rainbow knew this; she was pretty tired too, especially after her nightmare. (which she could not believe she had forgotten would occur after each Element was retrieved, for some strange reason) The young pegasus smiled as she pulled the blanket off her bed and draped it over her mother's sleeping body before laying back down on her bed. Before she closed her eyes, Rainbow stole one last look at Daring and whispered, "I forgive you…Mom. I'm glad you came back."

Rainbow sighed and closed her eyes.

Which then snapped open as she fell into another fangasm fit. "Omigosh, Daring Do is my mom!" she whispered excitedly to herself. "Daring Do is my mom! My life can't possibly get any cooler now!"

Daring's back was turned, so Rainbow did not see the corner of her mother's lips tug up into a smile, as though her daughter's words had reached her through the dream realm.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Ahuizotl stood outside their door, having been listening in the whole time. Satisfied, the former ruler of Tenochtitlan Valley returned to his room to rest alone with his cat.

XXXXXX

Across a stretch of sea…

Above and around mighty, snow-capped mountains…

Laughter was calling.

Griffons desperately tried to fend off hordes of attacking Blin warriors, but although their wings granted them an advantage against the pig folk, they were all but helpless before the onslaught of a strange humanoid female that led the Moblin army. She bore a slight similarity to Ganon, what with the dark skin and evil expression. Her hair was strange; half of it was a raging inferno, the other a solid block of ice. She held two wand-like broomsticks in her hands, each radiating fire and ice energy.

She struck down the Griffon King in cold blood, tittering with sultry laughter as she did so.

The sight filled Pinkie with anger and sadness, both of which Pinkie otherwise excelled at dispelling. But now the prince was without a father and too young to take the throne. Griffons by the hundreds were locked in their own dungeons, left to rot for their resistance. The sorceress of fire and ice settled comfortably into the Griffon King's throne, content in her new dominion.

The Element of Laughter had been taken to Griffhala.

But that's all the way across the sea! How'd Ganon get over there so fast?! Pinkie thought to herself. And how're we gonna get there fast?

XXXXXX

Ponyville, the next morning…

Maulgrim and Nigellas ventured down to Ponyville's surface just in time to hear the dreadful news; Pipsqueak, a young foal who lived there, had been found dead in his bed. While he appeared to have no injuries, he had been found with a look of utter terror forever etched on his innocent face, as though he had quite literally died of fright during the night. His parents were inconsolable.

A large crowd of ponies and monsters quietly watched Nurse Redheart and her unicorn doctors solemnly carry away Pipsqueak's tiny body, concealed under a white sheet so that the onlookers would not have to see such a heartbreaking sight.

"Died in his sleep, from what I heard," Nigellas spoke up, shaking his head. "Goddessdamned shame, this is."

"Old men and women die in their sleep," Maulgrim answered. "He was but a child, and a healthy one from what I could tell. Does this not seem unusual?"

"Is He behind it?"

Both Wizzrobe and Darknut looked down to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders standing at their side, watching the nurses cart away Pipsqueak's body with sad expressions. It was Scootaloo who had spoken, and a hard look was plastered on her face.

Nigellas thought for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't know, kid. This isn't the sort of thing Ganon's known for, so it probably isn't him. But at the same time, Majora, while probably having power over dreams, was not known for exercising it often."

"He exercised it with me," Scootaloo grimly pointed out. "He might have killed me if Princess Luna hadn't showed up."

"True," Nigellas conceded. "Still, if it actually is Majora, why Pipsqueak? Why not go after your friends for revenge?"

"Maybe he's tryin' t'make some sorta statement," Applebloom offered. "That he could git t'us at any time, that we ain't never gonna be safe as long as he's around."

"It's psychological," Sweetie Belle surmised. "He might be trying to induce panic amongst us."

"Now that I can believe," Nigellas agreed. "Psychological warfare is right up Majora's alley. He loves turning people against each other."

Scootaloo shook her head as Pipsqueak's stretcher disappeared around the corner of a house towards the hospital. "He's gonna pay for this," she muttered darkly. "I knew Pip personally, and he was just the sweetest colt you'd ever meet. He didn't deserve this."

"I wager he will," Nigellas answered. "But right now, we've got to do something about Ganon. We called a meeting with the Mayor yesterday, and we're going to assemble a relief force to ride to the Crystal Empire's aid."

Scootaloo frowned. "Who'll watch over me while you're gone?"

"I'll be staying with you, kid," Nigellas spoke up. "Maulgrim will be the one to lead the relief force. Speaking of which, Maulgrim! Has our envoy to the Diamond Dogs returned yet?"

"Yes," Maulgrim replied. "The Diamond Dogs will be sending some of their best fighters to aid us. They are supposed to arrive within the hour."

"We better get ourselves some volunteers, then," Nigellas said, looking over his shoulders at the gathered townsfolk.

"Indeed," Maulgrim agreed, stepping forward to address the crowd before they could disperse. "Attention, denizens of Ponyville! The time has come for us to ride to the defense of your Princesses! Today, we march to the Crystal Empire! Glory awaits, but so may death! Who will stand with us? Who will join us as we march into Equestrian history?"

The crowd shared numerous glances, murmuring amongst themselves. Suddenly one pony stepped forward.

"I'm in," said Vinyl Scratch.

"Vinyl?" Octavia exclaimed in worry and surprise.

"The Princesses need us, Tavi," Vinyl replied, looking over her shoulder. "I'm going."

"Then I'm going with you!" Octavia declared stubbornly, trotting up to stand by Vinyl's side.

"I'll go," Lyra spoke as she stepped forward.

"Not without me, you won't!" Bon Bon proclaimed, joining her.

"Sparkler, take care of Dinky for me," Derpy said to her younger sister as she too stepped forward.

"Sis, you can't…!" Sparkler objected.

"I need to do my part for Equestria," Derpy explained. "Besides, it's not like I'm new to the whole 'saving Equestria' thing."

"In that case, you'll be needing me, then," Doctor Whooves spoke up as he trotted up to Derpy and joined the growing group of ponies. "You're my companion, after all."

Derpy smiled and hugged the ponified Time Lord.

"Why the buck not?" Berry Punch shrugged before coming forward. "Always wanted to see the Crystal Empire anyway. Colgate, look after Ruby till I come back."

"Berry, are you sure about this?" Colgate worriedly asked.

"Aye, as sure as vodka tastes like horseapples!"

"I'll fight!" Sea Swirl declared.

"So will I!" Pokey Pierce said.

"Me too!" said Caramel.

"YEEEEEEEAH!" boomed Bulk Biceps. "You know, as long as there aren't any more giant moths…" he added in a much quieter voice.

"Count us in!" the spa ponies said in unison.

Suddenly a certain group of Earth Ponies stepped forward together. "Us too!" Three Leaf vowed. "We'll fight with you!"

"It's time to do our part for Equestria!" Gladstone proclaimed.

"I'm going too!" Carrot Top said.

"Me too!" said Cloudchaser.

"Not without me, sis!" said Cloud Kicker.

"We're done with being scared of everything!" Roseluck proclaimed as she and her fellow flower sisters joined in.

"I'm in too!" Rainbowshine said.

"Me too!" Raindrops said.

Maulgrim and Nigellas watched in unrestrained awe as over half of Ponyville volunteered for what could possibly be a suicide mission. They could see it in their eyes; they were willing to lay down their lives for their homes, families, and the Princesses. Maulgrim failed to suppress a smile, while Nigellas discreetly wiped away a tear of pride. Looking beneath the pastel skin of these ponies, one could see that they were truly some of the bravest souls imaginable. Many of the other monsters regarded the ponies with expressions of abject respect for the sacrifice they were willing to make.

Maulgrim clasped his hands behind his back as he paced back and forth before the gathered volunteers. "Alright, fillies and gentlecolts, listen up! When our Diamond Dog allies arrive, we will march on the Crystal Empire! You saw for yourselves the force that stands opposed to us. Even with the Crystal Empire's defenders, we are likely outnumbered three times over. But we have something the enemy does not. We have a reason to fight. We have homes to defend, families to protect. And we have each other. Between us exists an unbreakable bond of trust and friendship, forged in fire and stronger than the finest steel! Regardless of what awaits us on the plains of the Empire, one thing is certain; what we do in life…shall echo in eternity!"

A great roar rose up as ponies and monsters cheered, eager for the fight ahead.

"Warriors…arm yourselves!" Maulgrim bellowed.

As the pony and monster volunteers dispersed to ready for war, a war horn sounded from the Everfree Forest. Maulgrim and Nigellas turned to see that their Diamond Dog reinforcements had arrived at last, emerging from the forest.

Only it was not just Diamond Dogs that greeted them.

Many of the ape-hounds were mounted on the backs of Timberwolves, which growled menacingly, eager for battle. Around and amongst the Diamond Dog horde was a great host of beasts native to the Everfree; cockatrices, manticores, chimeras, cragadiles, Timberwolves without riders, and even a fearsome hydra. Maulgrim and Nigellas regarded this with open-mouthed shock.

"How…wha…?" Nigellas stammered.

"H-how came you by such allies?" Maulgrim marveled.

"We've lived in the Everfree Forest a long time," Starlet spoke up. "More than most ponies, we are close in communion with the will of the Everfree. Last night, we and the Diamond Dog Betas paid a visit to the source of the Everfree's sentience and made an appeal to it."

"The Everfree's sentience?" Maulgrim repeated.

"Gaia," Mitta explained. "Otherwise known as the Tree of Harmony, the source of the Elements of Harmony."

Nigellas's eyes widened. "No bloody way…"

Mitta grinned. "And Gaia accepted."

"All creatures born of the Everfree are bound to the Everfree, and now they have been called upon by the Tree of Harmony to help us cleanse Equestria of Ganon's evil," Three Leaf said proudly.

As she said this, a manticore padded up to Maulgrim and glared at him. Maulgrim held his ground, unsure of what to do, but to his surprise, the manticore chuffed and knelt down before the Darknut. With a start, Maulgrim realized what was going on; the manticore was offering itself as his steed. Grinning, Maulgrim reached up and scratched the manticore behind the ears.

"Ganon won't even know what hit him."

XXXXXX

Cloudsdale Hotel…

Vaati, Chrysalis, Rover, Ahuizotl, and Zecora all waited in the lobby as the Mane Six slowly joined them one at a time, each waking up according to their own internal alarm clocks. Pinkie excitedly bounced downstairs, eager to share the news. Vaati arched an eyebrow, quickly realizing what she could possibly be so excited about. No one paid Rainbow Dash and Daring Do much mind as they sheepishly trotted downstairs and joined them.

"I know where my Element is!" Pinkie blurted out, unable to contain herself any longer. "It's in Griffhala!"

"Griffhala?" several of them exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah! Griffhala! You know, the place where all the griffons live across the sea, and they got a king and a prince, but now they don't have a king anymore 'cause some crazy lady who kinda looks like Ganon murdered him in cold blood and now she's locked up all the other griffons and she's acting like their new ruler and now there's a bunch of Moblins all over the place and…"

"PINKIE PIE!" Vaati and the rest of the Mane Six yelled.

Realizing that she had been rambling again, she sheepishly smiled and said, "Sorry."

"Now, what was this you were saying about a woman who looks similar to Ganon taking over Griffhala?" Vaati demanded. "And please try to talk like a normal person."

"Well, she had this funky hair, and half of it was on fire and the other half was a block of ice!" Pinkie explained. "She had these two wands that kinda looked like little broomsticks, and one was on fire and the other one looked like it was frozen! She looks like she couldn't settle with hot or cold, so she took both!"

"Fire and ice…" Vaati murmured, scratching his chin as he thought about who the sorceress in question would be. And then all of a sudden, it clicked, and Vaati's eyes widened in realization. "Twinrova…"

"Who?" Rarity asked.

"Twinrova," Vaati answered, turning towards her. "She was once two sisters, ancient Gerudo witches who were so in tune with one another that they had the ability to merge their bodies and souls into one entity without ill effects. Koume, the Sorceress of Flame, and Kotake, the Sorceress of Ice, were banished by the Gerudo for practicing dark magic, but they wormed their way back into Gerudo society after Ganon was born, and they raised him for their evil purposes."

"So she's essentially Ganon's mom?" Rainbow marveled.

"Not by blood, but basically," Vaati confirmed. "Since it appears the Twinrova sisters have made their bonding spell permanent, we will be dealing with a powerful sorceress who excels at fire and ice magic. However, she does have a major weakness."

"What's that?" Twilight asked.

"She's susceptible to her own magic," Vaati replied. "Our easiest path to victory would be to turn her own magic attacks back at her, but we could always just wail on her with our own spells. She can take quite a beating though, so expect a tough fight nevertheless."

"And the Moblins should be easy enough to take care of," Rarity replied. "I try not to speak ill of the ones who live among us in Ponyville, but I have to admit that Moblins are not the smartest of creatures."

"Don't let their stupidity lull you into complacency," Vaati said. "What they lack in brains they make up for in brawn. They're brutal warriors and will fight to the death without question when they face their enemies. That's why Ganon favors them as his primary minions."

"All this aside, this creates a bit of a problem," Twilight spoke up. "Griffhala is over a day and a half away from Equestrian shores by ship, and with Ganon causing trouble, I don't know if the major shipping lanes in Manehattan and Baltimare are still active."

"It's the best we can hope for," Vaati shrugged. "It's too far for us to fly or teleport, so going there by ship is our only option. Which is closer, Baltimare or Manehattan?"

"Manehattan," Applejack answered. "But if that don't work out, Fillydelphia's just about a hundred miles south'a Manehattan. Anyways, if the ponies there're diggin' themselves in rather than gettin' outta Equestria, we can spend the night with some'a mah folks down there."

"Let's shoot for that, then," Vaati agreed. "Let's hurry and find something to eat before we go."

"Wait!" Rainbow abruptly exclaimed, stopping them all before they could meander off to get ready for breakfast.

"What?" Vaati demanded impatiently.

Rainbow took a deep breath and said, "You guys are not gonna believe what I found out last night."

Vaati rolled his eyes. "Well, don't keep us in suspense; spit it out!"

"Daring Do is my mom!"

A good five minutes of silence followed. Vaati and the Mane Six looked utterly shocked, Ahuizotl had a smirk on his face, Zecora looked confused, and Chrysalis and Rover looked indifferent.

"And…?" Chrysalis remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"Rainbow, this is not the time for jokes!" Twilight reprimanded, recovering.

"She's not joking, though," Daring Do plainly spoke. "I am her mother."

Twilight's jaw dropped, followed by Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie, whose jaw dropped all the way to the floor.

"No way…" Twilight breathed. "Daring Do…THE Daring Do, is your mother?!"

"I know! Isn't it bucking awesome?!" Rainbow positively squealed, doing a loopty-loop in the air. "This makes my whole life twenty…no, no scratch that, a hundred twenty times cooler!"

Twilight put a hoof to her head as she fell on her haunches. "First I find out Daring Do is real…then I find out she's Rainbow's long-lost mother?! My mind is officially blown."

Vaati shook his head. "Bloody Dark World, that's a bombshell I wasn't expecting."

Applejack sidled up to Daring, glaring critically at her. "If you really are Dash's ma, then where were ya fer the majority'a her life?"

"AJ!" Rainbow began.

"No," Daring interrupted, raising a hoof. "It's alright, Dash." She then evenly met the farmpony's gaze. "When Rainbow Dash was born, I was afraid of the responsibility that came with caring for a baby. I didn't really plan on getting pregnant, and I was still in college, so I just didn't think I was ready. So I left her with her dad and moved to another town to start fresh. I know, it was a terrible thing for me to do, and there is no excuse for running from your responsibilities, especially when it comes to family, but I was young and stupid and scared. Judging from the accent, I'd say you're one of the Apple relatives, right?"

"Yup," Applejack replied curtly.

"So then you of all ponies know how important it is to keep your family close, and…I knew I was wrong in running away, but I was too scared and ashamed to go back. Until now. I understand if you won't exactly ever grow fond of me, but I want to be a part of my daughter's life and make up for lost time."

Applejack continued to stare at Daring for several tense moments before the farmer suddenly smiled warmly. "Aw, shucks. Can't argue with that. If Dash is fine with you, then you're fine by me."

Daring let loose a sigh she hadn't even realized she was holding back. But there was something else she had to do. Walking past Applejack, Daring trotted up to Ahuizotl, who looked at her questioningly.

"And you…" Daring hesitantly began. "If it hadn't been for you, I might have never gotten the courage to do this."

To everyone's surprise, she flew up to Ahuizotl's face and planted a kiss on her former nemesis's snout, her cheeks redder than a freshly-peeled grapefruit. "Thank you," she whispered with a shy smile.

Ahuizotl could not form a reply, merely touching the spot on his snout with his tail-hand with a dumbfounded expression, his cheeks slowly going red as well.

Seeing this, Rainbow could not suppress a fit of giggles. "So…when's the wedding?" she snickered.

"So you're okay with the idea of having Ahuizotl as your stepdad?" Daring smugly retorted.

All the gears ground to a halt in Rainbow's head as she collapsed on her rear. "Huh…wha…? Ahui…my…broken…sandwich…"

"Emergency! We have a Blue Screen of Death!" Pinkie exclaimed, diving into Twilight's satchel. "I repeat, we have a Blue Screen of Death! Administering reboot operation: Cupcakes!"

She promptly fished out a cupcake, opened up Rainbow's slackened jaw, and shoved the pastry into her mouth. Rainbow munched on it as she returned to reality.

"So moist," she muttered through a mouthful of cake.

"Operation success!" Pinkie grinned, wiping her forehead.

"I'm surrounded by weirdoes," Vaati grumbled, facepalming.
> Episode 14: The Battle of the Crystal Empire Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 14: The Battle of the Crystal Empire Part 1 – The Siege of Equestria

The Crystal Empire, two days later…

Celestia was starting to grow concerned for Luna. Ever since the incident with the demonic entity that had left a number of innocent Equestrian civilians, including Pipsqueak, dead, Luna had been secluding herself in her bedroom, often skipping meals in favor of crying alone and beating herself up over her failure to protect those she cared about. And at night, Celestia would hear Luna sighing heavily with anger, frustration, and melancholy as she returned from the dream world after yet another unsuccessful search for the demon. It was clear Luna desperately wanted to exact vengeance upon this fiend for the unspeakable murders it had committed solely out of spite, but since it had elected to remain hidden, likely lying in wait for another Element to be recovered before showing itself once more, Luna's hunger for vengeance was left unfulfilled, and it was definitely affecting her.

Though there was a bit of good news to be had; Spitfire and the Wonderbolts had arrived at last and begun training the pegasi recruits. With the help of the monsters, their training was proceeding smoothly. Though peaceful by nature, the ponies were proving to be quick learners in the art of war.

That morning, Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor sat in the banquet hall, dining on a breakfast of fruits and various pastries. Luna, however, was absent-mindedly picking at her food with her fork, a look of weariness and sadness etched on her tired face.

Seeing this, Celestia sighed. "Luna, please eat. You're letting yourself waste away."

"I'm not hungry," Luna mumbled half-heartedly.

"Be that as it may, you've hardly eaten since the…incident," Celestia reprimanded. "I know you're hurting, but you cannot hurt yourself in turn."

Cadance observed this with concern. "Aunt Celie, what's wrong with Aunt Lulu? Did something happen?"

"I failed to protect my subjects from a monster that lurks within dreams! That's what happened!" Luna abruptly snapped. "And ponies died as a result…"

Cadance and Shining were taken aback by this. "But…you're the guardian of dreams! I thought…" Shining began.

"You thought wrong," Luna interrupted harshly. "I was not prepared for the power my foe displayed, and my subjects paid for it. Some of them…some of them were just children."

Cadance's mouth fell open in shock. No wonder this had hit Luna so hard. "…it killed foals?" she breathed.

"I have failed as the guardian of dreams," Luna bemoaned, starting to cry yet again. "I'm not worthy of that title any longer."

Celestia quickly pulled her sister into a hug. "You did what you could, my dear sister. You cannot blame yourself for what happened; never has Equestria borne witness to such power. You couldn't have expected this."

"That doesn't change the fact that I still failed!" Luna sobbed into her sister's chest. "Our ponies count on me to protect them at night, and I couldn't! And since the coward is hiding itself from me, I can't even be granted the release of vengeance!"

Celestia said nothing, merely rubbing her grieving sister's back. Cadance felt a tear trail down her own eye at the scene, while Shining grimly regarded his unfinished plate of food. The enemies of Equestria are getting bolder with each passing day, he thought bitterly to himself. But they've awakened a sleeping giant. We won't take this lying down. I swear by all that's holy that Equestria will rise beyond these challenges and strike like a dagger at the hearts of those who would threaten our homes and families!

He was interrupted from his thoughts by the sound of the door slamming open, revealing a Crystal Pony guard who quickly ran inside. "Your Highnesses!" he declared urgently, bowing hurriedly.

"Yes, what is it?" Cadance asked worriedly, throwing one more glance at her aunts.

"They're here, Your Majesties," the guard grimly reported.

XXXXXX

Celestia, Cadance, Luna, and Shining all stood on the Crystal Palace balcony overlooking the city, and from this vantage point, they could clearly see legions of monsters marching from the south through the snow-covered wastelands, heading straight for the green fields of the Empire. Scattered amongst the monstrous hordes were various siege engines, such as catapults, ballistae, and siege towers, likely built during their march. A pair of dragons marched alongside them, one clad in black armor flying overhead, and a large green one with a single white horn growing out of its forehead lumbering on the ground.

"Order all the civilians inside the walls," Celestia ordered. "Seal the gates, call our warriors to arms, and prepare to activate the Crystal Heart."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the Crystal Guard saluted, disappearing inside the palace to begin relaying the news.

"Will the Crystal Heart hold him back?" Cadance worriedly asked.

"I cannot say," Celestia replied with a solemn shake of her head. "The Triforce of Power is a mighty relic indeed. It already proved itself to be a match for the Elements of Harmony; I fear the Crystal Heart will only delay the inevitable. We'll use what time it gives us to continue training our soldiers and beef up our defenses, for when that shield falls, all Tartarus is going to break loose."

XXXXXX

Astride his great black war horse, Ganondorf led his vast host as they converged on the Crystal Empire. "Spread out," he commanded. "Surround the entire city! Leave them no way to escape!"

The monsters obliged, dividing into two columns that slowly began encircling the boundaries of the Crystal Empire. Ganondorf could see ponies and the traitorous monsters of Vaati manning the walls, while several towers boasted strange ballista-like devices. Ganondorf sneered at this; all the preparation in the world would not stop him from reaching their precious Princesses. The Dark Lord watched as his vast army soon surrounded the entire city, leaving the cold northern climate for the enchanted warmth the Empire provided.

"On my signal," Ganondorf declared, "unleash hell upon them."

"Catapults at the ready!" a Moblin captain boomed, other monster captains joining in with their respective divisions.

However, something unexpectedly happened. Without warning, a wave of light exploded outwards from the Crystal Palace that dominated the city, washing over the Empire until it reached the walls, where it condensed into a bright blue energy shield. Many of the monsters regarded this with shock.

"What is this?" Ganondorf snarled. He looked all around him at his assembled monsters. "Bring down that shield! NOW!"

"Catapults!" the captains commanded.

Immediately the catapults began launching large stones at the Crystal Heart's shield, but they harmlessly shattered on impact with the shield's surface, which rippled slightly at each point of impact. Ganondorf silently watched as the catapults' projectiles proved fruitless in their attempts to breach the shield for a few minutes before he raised his hand. "Cease fire!"

The catapults did as instructed, awaiting Ganondorf's next order.

"Wizzrobes to the front!" Ganondorf barked. "Bring that shield down! I don't care if you run yourselves ragged in the process, but you will destroy it!"

All the Wizzrobes in Ganondorf's army stepped to the front of the monster hordes and raised their black hands, unleashing hundreds of attack spells of various elements at the shield, each of them exploding against its surface like sticks of dynamite.

But the shield held still.

No matter, Ganondorf thought. No matter how strong it is, no shield can hold off enemy bombardment indefinitely. Not unless it self-regenerates.

He would exercise patience. Perhaps in the meantime, the defenders within the city would begin to run low on food and supplies, and when the shield inevitably fell, they would be too weak and starved to put up a fight.

"Argorok, Aquamentus, do your part!" Ganondorf snapped.

The two dragons snarled as they complied. While Aquamentus unleashed fireball after fireball at the shield, Argorok strafed over it, breathing streams of white-hot flames on its surface. But nothing seemed to put a dent in the shield.

But Ganondorf was willing to wait. He could be patient when he wanted to be.

XXXXXX

The Princesses and Shining continued to observe Ganon's bombardment of the Crystal Heart's shield. "I don't understand," Cadance spoke. "If Ganon's so powerful, why isn't he trying to bring down the shield himself?"

He thinks it beneath him.

They all looked up to see the Helmaroc King swooping down and landing on the balcony's railing, forcing the ponies to back up to allow it some space. The great bird had demonstrated that it spoke telepathically, and so they visibly calmed when they saw it.

Ganon does not know that your shield is self-regenerating, the Helmaroc King explained. Thus, he's expecting his monsters to do the grunt work for him. I imagine that once he does finally catch on, then he'll intervene personally. Your shield will last as long as his arrogance does.

"I suppose that's…comforting," Celestia replied uncertainly. "In the meantime, we'll concentrate on readying all our defenses and continuing the training of our new soldiers."

Helmaroc let out a booming chirp. Do so quickly; Ganon will not give you a second chance.

The giant bird flew off back towards its balcony to observe the situation, telepathically relaying orders to the flock of Kargarocs all roosting in various parts of the city. (which, being birds, were leaving quite an unbelievable mess in the process) The Changelings chittered as they hovered over the city, watching Ganon's army with wary eyes. The air was thick with tension, as they all knew that not even the Crystal Heart would be able to repel the Dark Lord indefinitely. But it would hold for now.

XXXXXX

That evening…

Trixie Lulamoon sighed wearily as she cast one last look up at the shield and the countless spells continuing to reflect off it before retiring to her wagon for the night. The times had not been kind to her since she had last come to Ponyville. For starters, word had spread about her false stories, (likely through the Apple family, which had relatives EVERYBUCKINGWHERE, and had a fanatical devotion to the concept of honesty to boot) and as a result, attendance to her shows had plummeted to virtual nonexistence. She had used the last of her money to buy a few days' worth of food, and when word of Ganon's invasion had come, she wisely decided to travel to the Crystal Empire for safety. And since the Crystal Ponies were likely unaware of her past, she had realized that she might be able to make some sort of comeback there, though she would tone down the tall tales, as she didn't want to get called out on such behavior again, just in case the Apples, by some miracle, had some forgotten relatives here too.

However, once she arrived, it was not a comeback she got; it was a drafting order.

Apparently everypony taking shelter there now had to learn how to fight because Ganon would eventually march on the Crystal Empire once he realized the Princesses were there, and the monsters weren't enough of a defense to hold out against Ganon on their own.

Those monsters…

Trixie shook her head as she shut the door behind her. She did not like the monsters one bit, because she knew exactly from whom they had been spawned.

Her thoughts darkened as she was reminded of the sorcerer who had essentially driven her out of town. She knew he was still around, and that he was helping Equestria against Ganon. But it was still him that had utterly crushed any dignity she might have had, that had threatened her with a violent death were he ever to see her again. Though it was thanks to those Ponyvillians in general that she had lost her reputation, especially those two idiot foals that had forcibly put her in a spotlight she didn't want to be in. The hecklers, even if they were the Elements of Harmony, she could deal with, and dealt with expertly, as far as she was concerned. But a real Ursa Minor was something else entirely.

At the very least, with all the military training she had been forced to undergo, her magical abilities had improved exponentially, strengthening the potency of her illusion spells as well as giving her access to some attack and defensive spells so that she could now defend herself. One day, once the whole situation with this Ganon character blew over, she had every intention of going back to Ponyville and giving Vaati the Wind Mage a piece of her mind.

Because when she returned, she truly would be Great and Powerful.

"I have been watching thee for some time now, Trixie Lulamoon."

Trixie yelped and jumped at the unexpected voice. "Who's there?!"

To her surprise, from out of the shadows stepped none other than Princess Luna herself. Seeing this, Trixie gasped as she quickly knelt. "P-Princess Luna!" she exclaimed.

Luna held up an elegant hoof. "Rise, young one."

Trixie timidly did so. "W-what are you doing here?" she asked, awed to be in such a lofty presence.

Luna smiled. "I have come because I have seen great potential within you through your dreams. I have also seen that life has not entirely been fair to you."

Trixie glanced towards the floor. Yeah, thanks for the reminder, she thought sourly to herself.

Noticing this, Luna said, "Forgive me, I did not wish to offend."

"No, it's fine, Princess," Trixie replied hurriedly, not wanting to drive her audience away.

Luna's smile returned. "As I said before, I have gained an interest in your abilities, as well as your past."

"W-what sort of interest?" Trixie stammered, curiosity beginning to overwhelm her anxiety.

"Your illusionary abilities have become of great interest to me, primarily because it is a power I myself excel at," Luna explained. "I also know that the quality of your life has plummeted due to events both in and outside of your control. Before Ganon's unpleasant and unexplained arrival, my sister had proposed that I follow her example and take in my own student. After careful consideration, as I looked into the dreams of each of my subjects, saw their hopes, their fears, and their deepest desires, I made my decision. Trixie Lulamoon, otherwise known as the Great and Powerful Trixie, I have decided that I want you to be my student."

Trixie was utterly silent, her mouth hanging open in abject shock at what she had just heard.

Princess Luna, Trixie thought in amazement. Princess Luna wants me to be her student! Sweet Faust, I can't believe this!

"I-I don't know w-w-what t-to say," Trixie stammered stupidly, inwardly cursing at herself for letting her cool slip so utterly.

"I know the timing may seem odd, what with our enemies pounding on our very gates," Luna said. "But regardless of the circumstances, I intended to approach you with my offer tonight. But before you make your decision, know that I will expect the best from your studies, both magical and otherwise, and that I do not tolerate cheek and disrespect. What say you? Do you wish to have the honor of being my first student?"

Trixie was overwhelmed. "Y-your very first student?"

Luna smiled. "A far worthier entry in the history of the world than a freelance magician, wouldn't you say?"

Trixie took several deep breaths in an effort to calm down and process everything that had transpired within the last few minutes. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected this; a tutelage of her own under a princess! She would be of equal standing with Celestia's own student, Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic and the mare Trixie remembered as being the one to pacify the Ursa Minor after Snips and Snails had pulled their incredibly stupid stunt.

And then…

Then she would ensure that the Sorcerer of Winds got his comeuppance.

The showmare grinned. The Great and Powerful Trixie was back.

"When do we start?"

XXXXXX

The next day…

The shield continued to hold the entire night, and the denizens of the Empire woke up in relative safety come morning. It appeared the Wizzrobes loyal to Ganon had completely worn themselves out, for the assault on the barrier had slowed to a few scant potshots here and there. One could barely see it, but on the other side of the barrier, Ganon's forces were constructing siege camps of varying quality. The Darknuts' and Wizzrobes' were fairly neat and well-made, while the Moblin-made tents were of a substantially-lower quality. The Moblins in particular were having issues with the rough winds of the Arctic as a result, often having to approach the Wizzrobes, usually with a threat of violence on their lips, for enchantments that would hold off the subzero gales of the north.

And Ganon had yet to attack the shield himself.

Was he planning on waiting them out? Did he hope to starve the city into submission? These questions Celestia asked herself as she observed the morning from the Crystal Palace's balcony. If that was his plan, then he was in for a long wait, as the Empire's supply stores were well-stocked. They could easily hold out for several weeks, more if they rationed wisely, and Vaati and the Mane Six were already on their way to recovering yet another Element, and three were already back in their possession. They would no doubt return to the Empire long before it was ready to fall.

As long as that shield held and Ganon's patience remained, the Crystal Empire would hold out. Hopefully Vaati and company would return before their time ran out, and hopefully crush the Dark Lord utterly on the fields of the Empire.

But Celestia dared not hope. It was far likelier that Ganon's patience would wane, especially since he too ultimately knew he didn't have a lot of time before all the Elements were recovered, and he would bring down the shield himself. She hated it, but the looming prospect of battle was the far likelier scenario. Ponies would die, families would be torn apart, and Equestria would again bear witness to the horrors of war.

She could also sense unease in the Changelings. Though this was to be expected; the last time they had faced such mighty beasts, the outcome had been almost hilariously one-sided. However, she knew that, now that they had been gorging themselves on the Crystal Heart's energy, each of them was bursting with power waiting to be unleashed. The Changelings had infested an abandoned crystal building near the palace as a temporary hive, its surface slick with Changeling biomass and organic energy crystals, and at the moment, most were resting within, though a few were still gathered around the Heart and feeding, while a few others were hovering over the city walls, glaring at the mass of enemy troops busily building their siege camp. The Crystal Ponies (and by extension, everypony else) were wary of the bug-ponies, regarding them with suspicion, and in at least one case outright hostility, when a particularly racist stallion began hurling curses at one of the drones and then attacked it when it stubbornly ignored him. The hooligan was now currently sulking in the Crystal Palace's dungeons, and Celestia had personally healed the injuries the Changeling sustained in the brawl.

Celestia sighed as the gravity of the situation hit her yet again. Shaking her head, she retreated within the palace and retired to her bedroom, taking out a secret bottle of wine she kept for herself in stressful situations. She needed a godsdamned drink.

XXXXXX

Ganondorf's tent…

The King of Darkness sat alone in his opulent tent, poring over the volume of the Crystal Empire's history he had taken with him from Canterlot's library. He had just given the order for his Wizzrobes to resume the bombardment, and smirked as he heard the explosions sound once more. However, that smirk fell as he finally found what he was looking for in the book he had been reading.

"The Crystal Heart is the source of the Crystal Empire's prosperity, as well as its primary means of defense against attack. The Heart was discovered in 2 A.D. by Earth Pony miners who…"

Ganondorf grunted as he glossed over the next few paragraphs until he came back to the interesting parts.

"…the Crystal Heart, so it is said, is powered by the light and love within the hearts of the Crystal Ponies…"

Ganondorf sneered as he read this. This world grows more ridiculous with each passing moment, he thought to himself. I should have come here long ago and demonstrated to these witless fools where real power comes from!

Putting these thoughts aside, Ganondorf returned to his reading.

"…and when their positive emotions are at their strongest, the Heart resonates power of similar strength to the legendary Elements of Harmony, erecting a powerful shield that repels those with evil hearts and is virtually impenetrable. And as long as the Crystal Ponies continue to pour their positive energy into the Heart, the barrier it generates is self-regenerating. No force in Equestria or beyond, to this day, has ever succeeded in piercing the defenses of this mighty citadel. The Heart's power proved its worth in 7 A.D., when a pack of dragons assaulted the Empire, hoping to lay claim to the vast riches it contained…"

Ganondorf read no more, scowling as he slammed the book shut. "So this shield truly is self-regenerating," he muttered to himself, stepping outside and glaring at the pristine blue barrier that separated him from his quarry. "My minions can't possibly bring it down, then. I'll have to do so myself."

Starving them into submission was no longer an option; it would take too long and the sorcerer was regathering the Elements at this very moment. He needed to capture the Princesses before Vaati arrived, for if he succeeded, then he could barter their lives in exchange for servitude and submission. His plan formulated, Ganondorf allowed himself a triumphant smirk. He would wait until nightfall, and then he would strike, and Equestria would be utterly his.

XXXXXX

That evening…

Most of the citizens and soldiers of the Empire were fast asleep, hoping to get as much rest as they could before the inevitable confrontation. A number of sentries, both monster and equine, continued to patrol the perimeter of the city, every so often glancing at the shield. However, it was much more difficult to see through the shield in the dark of night, so none of them could really tell what was going on on the other side of the barrier.

Inside the Crystal Palace, Celestia and Cadance had both gone to sleep. Luna, however, was fully awake as she tutored her newest protégé.

"Do you remember the lessons from today's chapter?" Luna asked as she paced around the unicorn sparring grounds, eyeing Trixie critically.

"Y-yes, Princess," Trixie quickly answered, still having not entirely gotten over her awe at being in Luna's presence.

Luna smirked. "Good. Now it is time for you to exercise them. First, you shall attempt to entrap me within the most potent illusion you can muster. I care not what it is; do your best. I shall attempt to dispel it."

Trixie nodded uncertainly as Luna prepared herself. "Whenever you are ready. Give me no warning."

Trixie took a deep breath to calm her nerves. You can do this, Trixie. You are Great and Powerful; now prove it.

Trixie then struck as quickly as she could, stabbing towards Luna's consciousness and quickly attempting to warp and deceive it through illusions of the senses. Luna was mildly caught off-guard as she felt her breath leave her, tricking her mind and body into thinking she was underwater. A potent illusion, but what Trixie didn't realize was that alicorns did not require air as desperately as mortal ponies; her time on the moon was testament to that fact. Thus, she simply held her breath as she fought back against the illusion, bringing herself back to her senses. Trixie's inexperience left her unable to reestablish dominance, and in no time at all, Trixie's illusion shattered, and Trixie fell panting.

Fighting back a grin of pride, Luna strode up to her winded pupil. "Not bad for a first try," Luna commended. "Your only error was that you did not take into account the fact that alicorns do not require air."

Trixie inwardly cursed. She had thought her illusion was clever. Seeing her student silently admonishing herself, Luna lifted Trixie's chin with a dainty hoof.

"You are learning, my faithful student," she said. "Do not trouble yourself with the mistakes you've made. Focus only on growing from them. Even the great Starswirl was once a mere student like yourself. Remember that, dear Trixie."

Trixie wordlessly nodded. Satisfied, Luna lowered her hoof and cantered back over to the far side of the training ground. "Now, try again," Luna commanded. "And think of something different this time."

Trixie furrowed her brow as she wracked her brain for any ideas for her next performance. After a few minutes, she finally got an idea. Without hesitation, she lunged for Luna's consciousness once more, and with all the strength she could muster, she fooled Luna's senses into thinking she was standing on a pillar of rock that rose hundreds of feet into the air, with barely enough room to walk across the top. Luna seemed unperturbed by this, until she realized that she could not feel her wings. Luna looked at her back to see that they were gone. For good measure, Trixie began to conjure the illusion that the pillar was wobbling, as though it were struggling to hold Luna's weight and could fall at any moment. This actually succeeded in disorienting Luna, but the alicorn princess reminded herself that this was merely another illusions, and began attempting to reassert dominance over her mind. Again, once she regained her bearings, she was quickly able to drive Trixie out, and the showmare once again fell to her knees in exhaustion.

"Huff…huff…I thought…pant…I thought I had you there," Trixie spoke between gasps for breath.

Luna smiled. "You'll have to try harder than that to fool me, my student. However, your illusions are already becoming more potent with each test. However, what works against you is that I am expecting an attack. To truly hone your skills, you will have to randomly attempt to deceive me throughout the day. In this, you will have to exercise great patience. I am a very cautious mare, Trixie; I will be wise to your tricks for quite a while. You will have to wait until such a time that I have, for whatever reason, let my guard down. If you are able to truly envelop me within an illusion I cannot escape, then we shall move onto the next stage of your lessons."

Trixie blinked. "But…that could take ages!"

"Indeed," Luna agreed. "But the greatest feats of magic require patience. I hope you will learn that lesson well."

Trixie opened her mouth to inquire what her teacher meant by this, but she was interrupted by a muffled boom that sent a rippling shudder throughout the city. It was enough to jar everyone out of their sleep, and immediately a cloud of dread enveloped the Empire and its denizens. "P-Princess, what was that?" Trixie stammered, looking around fearfully.

Luna quickly trotted over to the edge of the training ground, which offered a distinct vantage point over the city, and saw the barrier shudder violently from some sort of powerful impact. With a gasp of realization, Luna knew what was responsible. "Trixie, go to the lower levels of the Palace and hide," she commanded with steely authority.

"What?! B-but Princess…!"

Luna whirled on her student. "Do as I say! Ganon himself is assaulting the barrier! Once it falls, he will make a beeline straight for the Palace, and he will slaughter anypony who gets in his way! I do not want you to be among those unfortunate dead! Now go! Hurry!"

Trixie's eyes misted with fear, but she knew Luna was right; if she crossed Ganon's path, she wouldn't stand a chance against him. Trixie gulped as she turned and ran for safety, throwing one last look over her shoulder at her new teacher, fearing that this might be the last time she would see her, before disappearing inside the citadel.

"TO ARMS!" Luna bellowed in the Royal Canterlot Voice, flying over the city so that all may hear her. "TO ARMS, DEFENDERS OF EQUESTRIA!"

Immediately ponies, monsters, and Changelings fully roused themselves as another powerful blow slammed against the Crystal Heart's barrier. A number of Crystal Ponies began feeding positive energy into it in order to restore whatever damage had been done, but their fear was lessening the effects. Ponies hurriedly clad themselves in armor and readied their weapons as they began rushing to their positions.

"Come, men! To the walls!" a Darknut captain boomed. "Defend the walls!"

"Arm the stake hurlers!" a pony captain ordered.

"Pegasi, get those thunderclouds into position!" Spitfire barked, dressed in the armor of the Royal Guard rather than the skintight leotards the Wonderbolts were known for.

The other Wonderbolts helped the pegasi soldiers move dozens of storm clouds saturated with electricity into key positions throughout the city as hundreds of monsters and ponies converged on the crystal wall that encircled the boundaries of the imperial city. The Changelings swarmed into a buzzing mass of black and green, gathering up their vast stores of magical energy. The Helmaroc King and his flock of Kargorocs circled over the city like vultures waiting for the feast to begin.

Another boom resonated throughout the city, and this time the barrier visibly wavered, hair-thin cracks spider-webbing across its surface that even now were slowly closing. Luna flew over to the main balcony of the palace and quickly galloped into the bedroom she and her sister shared. "Celie! It's starting!" Luna exclaimed upon bursting in.

She found an already-armored Shining Armor helping to fasten on Celestia's golden armor as she grimly looked at herself in the mirror.

"Yes," Celestia spoke, her voice heavy with resignation. "Luna, I want you and Shining to command the city garrison. Cadance and I will remain here and await Ganon's arrival, for he will easily slaughter anypony who tries to defend us."

Luna gasped. "Sister…surely you are not serious?! Ganon is our most powerful foe yet! You need me!"

"And Equestria needs a living Princess," Celestia answered sternly. "I know very well of Ganon's power. If I am to fall, then I want you to take what survivors you can and flee to where it's safe. As long as one of us remains alive, the ponies of Equestria will still have hope."

Luna fiercely shook her head. "No! Celie, I can't! I only just got you back! I don't know what I would do were I separated from you again, and this time forever!"

"Please, Luna, GO!" Celestia bade. "There isn't much time! Our ponies must see one of us fighting alongside them if their hope is to remain!"

Finally Shining fastened the last strap of Celestia's armor into place. "Alright, you're set, Your Highness," Shining informed with a heavy sigh. "Are you sure you don't…"

"My answer remains the same, Prince Shining," Celestia interrupted. "Go with Luna. Leave Ganon to Cadance and I."

Luna and Shining shared a look before Luna stepped forward and hugged her sister. "If you die, sister," Luna whispered in Celestia's ear, "I will brave the deepest, darkest pits of the afterlife to fetch you back, and I will not be happy. You understand?"

Celestia allowed herself a smile as she answered, "Good luck out there, Lulu."

The sisters broke apart, and Luna turned towards the doorway. "Come, Prince Armor," she sternly bade. "We've a battle to command."

"Yes, Your Highness," Shining unwillingly conceded, following her out.

XXXXXX

Outside the barrier…

Ganondorf roared as he sent another large energy ball at the shield, the impact widening the cracks on its surface. Ganondorf grinned wickedly; it wouldn't last much longer. All around him his monsters awaited, many of them carrying torches to see through the gloom of the night. Catapults were winched back as pots containing burning pitch were loaded into the baskets. Siege towers teeming with Stalfos, Moblins, and Lizalfos slowly rolled into place, each of them pushed by a team of Big Blins. Darknut sappers winched back the cords of their ballistae and loaded them with heavy wooden darts. As Ganondorf continued to assault the weakening barrier, his army began to chant his name, sounding to the beleaguered defenders within like a herald of woe.

"Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon!"

Big Blins carried large kettle drums hung over their shoulders, beating the horsehide-covered drums with heavy wooden mallets that thundered across the battlefield, reverberating in the ears of the imperial garrison like the very heartbeat of Krastos. But the monsters of Vaati maintained their calm, collected composure, ever courageous in the face of overwhelming odds, and from this the ponies and Changelings found their own courage, steeling themselves for the fight ahead.

Ganondorf lowered his arms as he saw the barrier vainly attempting to repair itself. One more mighty blow and it would fall. Ganondorf grinned, feeling the age-old Gerudo lust for battle boil in his veins. He would not wait any longer.

Ganondorf gathered waves of dark magic in his palms, charging his body full of evil energy. When he could hold it in no longer, he thrust out both hands with a mighty bellow, unleashing a tremendous beam of purple energy that smashed into the shield with the force of a hundred earthquakes.

The effect was immediate; the shield gave at last, shattering like a massive dome of luminescent blue glass, the shards disintegrating into nothingness. The Equestrians regarded this with mounting fear as they seemed to realize that the hour of battle was upon them at last. Laughing in triumph, Ganondorf turned towards his mighty hordes. "Begin the attack!" he roared loud enough for the defenders on the walls to hear.

Immediately following this was the bellow of dozens of captains and commanders barking out orders to their own individual companies.

"Catapults!"

"Loose!"

"Get those siege towers moving!"

"Bring up the battering ram!"

Ganon's forces threw down the gauntlet first as their catapults unleashed their blazing cargo. Burning pots sailed over the walls and shattered in the streets, sending burning oil all over the place and igniting all within reach. As the defenders watched these missiles assail their city, the ballistae picked their shots and fired.

A bolt nailed a Moblin right in the throat, tearing off the beast's head even as its body tumbled off the battlements, dissolving into black mist below. Spitfire gasped as she felt another bolt whip past her, barely missing her. "Ponies! Watch out for those ballistae!" she ordered as she saw more target her team.

However, one of them wasn't quick enough.

Spitfire watched in horror as a bolt slammed into one of her teammates, piercing her all the way through the chest and knocking her out of the sky. She was dead long before she hit the ground.

"NO! FLEETFOOT!" Spitfire wailed.

Fleetfoot had almost been like a sister to Spitfire. They had gone up the ranks of Wonderbolt training together, always at each other's side through thick and thin. And in the blink of an eye she was gone, the first of what would surely be many casualties. Spitfire fought back tears as she took charge once more, knowing that she had to stay strong for her soldiers and teammates, no matter what.

Having seen Fleetfoot fall, a blazing fury erupted within Luna. Clad in armor the color of deepest black, she swooped down from the palace and took command.

"Make these servants of Ganon pay for their crimes!" she bellowed. "Stake hurlers, FIRE!"

At her command, the stake hurlers mounted throughout the city unleashed a deadly rain of sharpened crystal stakes upon Ganon's innumerable legions, and countless monsters fell beneath the hail of darts. "Quickly, douse those fires!" Luna ordered.

Teams of ponies descended upon the roaring flames, carrying buckets of water which they threw upon the fires, eliciting a chorus of hisses as the fires were quenched one by one. Great plumes of smoke rose into the air, choking the skies. Monster archers began trading volleys of arrows, turning the air thick with death.

"Quick, pegasi! Get out of range!" Spitfire demanded, she and her ponies dragging their clouds higher up into the air out of bowshot. "All units, fire!"

From the mass of clouds came a volley of lightning bolts that struck the tightly-packed ranks of enemy monsters. Those with heavy armor suffered the worst, the metal magnifying the electricity to lethal heights. All the while, twenty mighty siege towers built of heavy timber and covered with hastily-beaten steel plates slowly lumbered towards the city walls. The metal plating appeared to have some enchantments woven into them, for unicorn energy blasts merely bounced off. Seeing one nearing the wall, Luna shot a powerful blast of violet energy that immediately overwhelmed whatever enchantments it had, and the tower exploded, annihilating all who dwelt within. As she prepared to destroy another one, though, she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She turned just in time to see the armored dragon Argorok bearing down on her, its claws outstretched. Luna quickly dove down, Argorok's claws missing her by mere feet. The dragon wheeled around, ready to strike at her again, when another winged shape abruptly emerged from the smoke from behind. Without warning, the Helmaroc King tackled Argorok, throwing all his weight behind the attack as he knocked Argorok screeching out of the sky and into the streets below.

She turned her attention back towards the siege towers and promptly blasted another one to bits. However, this provoked yet another response; hordes of flying beasts rose from Ganon's ranks and took to the sky. Giant, batlike Vires, Anti-Fairies wreathed in blue, green, red, and white flames, Aerolfos, and other winged beasts converged on Luna and the pegasi soldiers, forcing the pegasi to abandon their stormclouds and fight in close quarters. It was at this last that the Changelings entered the fray, swarming past the pegasi and unleashing streams of green energy at the opposing monsters. The Kargorocs soon joined in, and a fierce aerial battle ensued. Though the defenders were outnumbered nearly two to one, the Changelings' raw firepower was enough for them to hold their own.

Luna saw a Vire bearing down on her and conjured her old sword, a weapon she had not wielded since the last time she had fought on imperial soil during the final showdown with King Sombra. With practiced ease, she cut the demonic bat down before it could reach her. A pair of Blue Anti-Fairies bore down on her, snapping their bony jaws in anticipation. Luna conjured two ethereal swords and plunged them into the undead fairy spirits, instantly destroying them. Though she carved a swath of destruction through her foes, they still served their purpose; with Luna distracted, the first of the siege towers rolled up to the wall, and the heavy gangplank fell down. The garrison readied themselves as a monstrous tide of Stalfos, Blins, and Lizalfos poured out of the siege towers, and battle was finally joined to the ringing sound of clashing steel. Moblins battled Moblins, and the Darknuts formed a wall of iron to hold the enemy horde at bay as pony spearmen rushed in to do battle with the rampaging beasts. Wizzrobes unleashed cover fire, sending volleys of attack spells into the waves of monsters still pouring out of the tower, but the tide seemed endless. All too soon, a second tower reached the opposite side of the city wall, unleashing more of Ganondorf's minions upon the waiting city garrison. Soon another reached the wall, then another. All along the city walls battle raged as the defenders desperately tried to hold Ganon's forces at bay, but the city defenses for the time being seemed to be holding their own.

As this was going on, a team of Big Blins began hauling forward a battering ram of considerable size, the beam carved by some foul magic into the shape of a slavering boar. Slowly the battering ram advanced on the crystal gate, and all the while, Ganon's name was chanted ceaselessly by the monster hordes. Once it reached the gates, a pair of Big Blins began pulling back on its heavy chains and let it swing. The walls shuddered from the resulting impact, stirring Luna from the thrill of battle. Swiftly cutting down the Vire that had meant to assault her, Luna looked down to see the battering ram slam against the gate a second time.

Knowing it would not hold for very long, Luna withdrew from the battle in the skies and landed on the ground. "TO THE GATES!" she boomed in the Voice. "HURRY!"

Hundreds of unicorns and Earth ponies carrying lances converged on the gates, along with the remaining monsters that had been kept in reserve. Blin archers nocked their arrows and drew back the strings, while unicorns readied their energy spells. Another boom resounded as the ram struck again, and this time the gates visibly strained from the continued assault. Luna stood tall amongst her subjects, her presence serving to inspire and encourage her people. "Steady! Steady!" Luna ushered.

Suddenly the ram struck yet again, and this time the great boar's head smashed a great hole in the gates, its visage now leering menacingly down upon the hapless Equestrians. "You are soldiers of Equestria," Luna proclaimed sternly. "No matter what comes through that gate, you will stand your ground!"

As she said this, the boar's head pulled back as it readied for another swing. And with one more blow, the ruined gate smashed apart, and the first thing to barge into the city square was a large group of cyclopean Hinox, bellowing with rage as they wielded great spiked clubs and hammers. The lumbering beasts towered over all the defenders, standing nearly twenty feet tall, and the terror that went before them was great indeed. Even Luna was momentarily struck dumb as a number of helpless ponies were swatted aside and crushed by the rampaging Hinox. But the Night Princess quickly gathered her bearings. "Volley! Fire!" she shouted.

A hailstorm of arrows and energy beams forced several Hinox back, but it was then that the rest of Ganon's forces surged in. Immediately following behind the Hinox was a wave of Darknuts, their shields bearing the Gerudo symbol to differentiate between themselves and Vaati's Darknuts. As this mighty host approached, spears were lowered, but this did little to hamper the Darknuts, who smashed into the Equestrian line with ruthless brutality. The Hinox swung their weapons left and right, scattering the Equestrians and allied monsters into disarray. Soon after, hundreds upon hundreds of Blins, Stalfos, Lizalfos, and countless other beasts surged through the breach, and the battle quickly spilled into the streets. Luna quickly entered the thick of the fray, grunting and shouting as she swung her blade against the throat of a Hinox, felling the beast with a dying groan. Turning towards the monster horde, her horn flashed as a dozen monsters were enveloped in gravity spells that utterly crushed them into nothingness. An enemy Darknut swung at her with a mace of impressive size, but she swiftly side-stepped and drove her sword through its throat all the way to the hilt. The monster gurgled feebly as it expired.

Luck seemed to shine on the defenders of Equestria, for it seemed that the battle in the sky had turned in their favor. The hordes of Anti-Fairies, Vires, and Aerolfos had thinned considerably, and those pegasi and Changelings that were left without opponents now turned their attention towards the ground. Soon lightning bolts and Changeling energy beams volleyed and thundered into the breach, momentarily forcing back Ganon's approaching legions. The ground troops took advantage of this and attempted to push back against the enemy tide. Each pony that fell renewed Luna's rage of bloodlust, and her attacks grew ever fiercer. No monster could hope to stand against her. A Hinox attempted to crush her with its club, but she dodged and flew over its head, sending a dozen ethereal blades into its back, and the monster collapsed in defeat.

Luna whipped her head about, seeking another foe to destroy, when she abruptly saw an unconscionable sight. A Royal Guard, impaled through his belly by a Stalfos spear, was being raised into the air by the skeletal warrior, as though his flailing body were like some grisly trophy. Snorting in utter rage, she unleashed a beam of fire, incinerating the undead warrior, and quickly caught the falling spear in her magical grip. Lowering the dying pony to the ground, she recognized him as a new recruit that had just graduated from the royal academy not two months before. A young stallion with orange fur and striking blue mane whose name, Luna recalled, was Flash Sentry. His eyes were wide in pain and terror, and blood poured freely from his mouth. Luna's eyes welled with tears at the sight; he was so young, so healthy, and yet his life was unfairly cut short.

"P-Princess…h…h-help…m…" he struggled to whimper, but he never finished.

With a final choke that sprayed blood all over himself, the young soldier died, his expression of wide-eyed fear etched forever on his face like a mask of death. Luna sniffed as she placed a hoof over his eyes, closing them. She then raised her head, and murder flashed in her eyes. Bellowing with rage and sorrow, Luna sent a massive blast of magical energy through the breach that utterly annihilated all the monsters that had been pouring in, leaving a smoldering black smudge that ran deep into Ganon's lines. But at their master's behest, they relentlessly filled the gap Luna had left, and within moments more monsters came charging into the city.

"RALLY!" Luna proclaimed. "RALLY TO ME!"

Ponies, Changelings, and allied monsters began fighting through the vast hordes of enemies in order to reach their commander as she unleashed one of her deadliest abilities. Hundreds of monsters suddenly began clutching at their throats, as though they could no longer breathe. For in their minds, they had suddenly been transported to the moon. Utterly consumed by the illusion, their own bodies turned against them as they slowly suffocated. A gruesome and slow death, to be sure, but Luna's rage was at its highest, and it took every ounce of her willpower not to let it consume her. She dared not let loose, for she knew what would rise from her very being should she do so.

This act was enough to allow the city defenders some breathing space as the waves of monsters actually faltered at the sight. Truly, Princess Luna was a force to be reckoned with. Before them stood a powerful and angry alicorn goddess, and behind waited their lord and master. The decision was an easy one; they pressed their attack once more, determined to overwhelm the Equestrian defenders at whatever cost. And Luna gladly accepted their challenge. All around her, Equestrians and their allies rallied and pushed back with all the strength they could muster. The sounds of clashing steel and sundered flesh rang in everyone's ears, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and death. And yet the hope of the Equestrians never wavered, for a Princess and their prince were among them, and their power and wrath were too great for the enemy to withstand.

But even so, the tide had yet to turn, and the enemy still came in numbers innumerable. And the time had come for their master to take to the field himself. Ganondorf, as he dismounted his horse, turned to his current second-in-command. "Karuna, take charge of the ground operations here," Ganondorf ordered an unusually well-armored Moblin chieftain.

"Where are you going, Master?" Karuna asked.

"To bring these upstart Princesses to heel once and for all," Ganondorf growled. "Do not stop the attack until the city is taken. Slay all who resist."

The chieftain put a fist to his chest. "By your will, My Lord."

With that, Ganondorf strode towards the breach, his trusty Gerudo longsword clutched in his hand. Monsters cheered as they saw him, his presence serving to invigorate them. Ponies within braced for attack as they heard the enemy cheering. But when they saw the very leader of the enemy forces storm through the ruined gateway like a conquering tyrant, their hope finally began to wither. Ganondorf laughed in exhilaration as he launched himself into battle, slashing and slicing with one hand and flinging blasts of dark magic with the other. Pony, monster, and Changeling alike fell easily under his incalculable might, and an aura of sheer terror went before him. Even the mighty Darknuts quailed before the Dark Lord, and thus his path to the palace was a relatively unimpeded one.

Until a single pony stood in his path, blocking the way.

"I won't let you harm Princess Celestia or my wife!" Shining Armor challenged.

"Your wife?" Ganondorf repeated, then grinned in realization. "Ah…you must be married to one of the Princesses, then. Curious…I was not aware there were any princes in this nation."

"This is my kingdom, these are my people, and you are not welcome here!" Shining declared, magic gathering in his horn. "I don't care what it takes; we will stop you here!"

Ganondorf laughed cruelly. "By all means, try, worm! I'll tear you limb from limb!"

Shining struck first, unleashing a powerful beam of energy at Ganondorf's face. However, the King of Darkness coolly raised his fist and deflected it away from him. "Pathetic," Ganondorf spat before launching into his own attack.

Ganondorf sprang forward, his fist charged with energy. However, Shining teleported out of harm's way, and Ganondorf smashed his fist into the ground where Shining had once stood, leaving behind a smoking crater. Shining reappeared behind Ganondorf and sent another beam at his back. However, Ganondorf whirled around and struck the energy beam with a rough backhand, sending it back at Shining. Unable to react in time, Shining was struck hard by his own attack, sending him flying through the air until he smashed into the side of a crystal house, disappearing inside the hole he had made.

Ganondorf smirked at this. "All too easy."

Luna saw this happen from where she was battling a Big Blin, and with a yell of anger she slew her foe before moving towards the unsuspecting Ganondorf. However, something abruptly crashed down from the heavens, blocking her path. Stumbling back, Luna recognized it as the Helmaroc King.

The great bird was in bad shape. His feathers had been burned off in several places, and his mask had been shattered, exposing the King's face and revealing an almost rooster-like head. However he was still alive, considering he had yet to dissolve into black mist like all the other monsters did when they died. "Helmaroc!" Luna cried, but as she moved to approach, something else descended from the sky.

Luna's eyes narrowed as Argorok leered over her, its long tongue hanging from its mouth. The dragon seemed to grin as it spread its wings out to bar Luna's path, growling menacingly. "Do not think I will be so easy to conquer, dragon," Luna declared as her wings flared out.

XXXXXX

Crystal Palace throne room…

Celestia and Cadance, both of whom were armored and ready for battle, waited in the throne room. Celestia could sense that Ganondorf was drawing near, and her royal lance rose into the air. Seeing this, Cadance gulped as she readied her own weapon, a magical bow. Keeping her steely gaze on the door, Celestia waited.

And finally he came.

The doors burst outwards as Ganondorf smashed them open, a wicked grin on his face. But Celestia's glare did not waver as Ganondorf approached.

"Surrender now, Princesses of Equestria!" Ganondorf triumphantly demanded. "Your people have fought valiantly, but in vain! Your city burns around you, your warriors die in droves, and already I have cornered you. There is no escape now, but I am not without mercy. Kneel before me, surrender your absolute authority to me, and order your warriors to lay down their arms. Do that, and you and your people shall live. Do it not, and you will die, along with anyone who continues to rebel against my reign."

Celestia met his gaze evenly, for never had she been cowed by any foe, and she would not allow herself to be now. "You are mistaken, Ganon, if you think that the people of Equestria will ever bow to a foreign ruler, much less a merciless tyrant like yourself. You think that defeating us will rob ponykind of its fighting spirit? Then you underestimate them, for they will never stop fighting you."

"Then every last one of them shall die!" Ganondorf growled.

"Perhaps," Celestia conceded. "But what will you have then? Surely, even you must realize the folly of being a king without a kingdom."

"I think he already knows what that's like," Cadance spoke, catching Ganondorf's attention. "After all, you're the last of your people, aren't you? There are none left for you to rule over, and even when there were, your so-called kingdom was a barren desert, bereft of water and fertile soil! Your claim of kingship is as empty as the desert that spawned you!"

Ganondorf was struck dumb by their words. The utter nerve…

"You…you dare mock me?!" he snarled, baring his teeth. "I can destroy you with a fraction of the Triforce of Power within me!"

"Perhaps," Celestia said again. "But that won't make your claim any more legitimate. You try to seize other kingdoms for yourself because you cannot accept the fact that you failed your own people as a king, and even now, the so-called King of Darkness is just a puppet, dancing to the pull of the strings of a long-dead demon who could not accept his own defeat gracefully. You are not worthy of ruling Equestria, pawn of Demise."

Ganondorf could not believe what he had just heard. These Equestrian whelps had the nerve, the utter audacity, to berate him like some spoiled child! He would not stand for such impudence. His body pulsing with unbridled power, Ganondorf roared, "You will die by those words, scum!"

However, a sudden noise drew the attention of both Princess and Dark Lord, reverberating from the open windows of the throne room that overlooked the city. Glaring at the Princesses, Ganondorf then strode towards the windows and looked out to see what had caused the strange noise. But Celestia already knew what it was, and her heart swelled with hope at what it meant.

War horns.

With an expression of surprise and boiling anger, Ganondorf watched as a new army emerged from the frozen north, flying the banners of Equestria and the Wind Mage. Smirking, Celestia quietly brought her magic to bear, lowering the moon and bringing about the sunrise so that everyone could clearly see who had come to their rescue. Ponies, monsters, Diamond Dogs, and other beasts that Ganondorf did not recognize marched towards the Crystal Empire, sounding a chorus of war horns. Celestia grinned; the reinforcements had arrived.

The siege was over. The battle was about to begin.

To Be Continued…
> Episode 15: The Battle of the Crystal Empire Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 15: The Battle of the Crystal Empire Part 2 – The Battle of the Crystal Fields



A legion of ponies, monsters, Diamond Dogs, Everfree beasts, and even Buffalo marched towards the Crystal Empire, the morning sunlight at their backs glinting off their armor. Maulgrim, astride his manticore mount, rode to the head of his forces, with Fido, riding a large Timberwolf, and the Buffalo chief, Thunderhooves, alongside. Together, they took in the sight of the Crystal Empire ablaze, with countless legions of Ganon's soldiers still milling about outside the city. The sight of this ignited a cold fury within all who beheld the sight, but none moreso than Maulgrim himself.

"So the Changelings were right, then," Thunderhooves spoke. "The Crystal Empire was under siege."

Maulgrim looked down at the Buffalo Chief. "Again, I thank you for joining our cause. Especially since the opposing force is even larger than we anticipated."

"Think nothing of it," Thunderhooves answered. "When the Changelings informed us that Equestria was under siege, and that the Princesses were seeking shelter in the Empire, we knew we could not simply stand and watch."

Some of the Equestrians shifted uncomfortably at the sight of the massive force that awaited them, their eyes wide with uncertainty and fear. Seeing this, Maulgrim boomed, "Courage, ponies, courage! Remember, you came here of your own will!"

This reminder seemed to be enough to steel their nerves, and looks of fear were replaced by determined glares.

XXXXXX

Karuna growled as he pushed his way through the monster ranks. "Form ranks, you maggots! Form ranks! Pikes in front, archers behind!"

Recovering from their surprise at these unexpected enemy reinforcements, hordes of Stalfos and Moblin spearmen congregated at the front, with a multitude of archers gathering directly behind them.

XXXXXX

Maulgrim sneered as he saw the enemy prepare themselves for the inevitable charge and wheeled his steed around. "Fido!" he barked. "Take your Dogs down the left flank!"

The Diamond Dog Beta nodded. "Get ready, you mutts!" he called to his brethren.

"Ponies and monsters!" Maulgrim commanded. "Follow the Equestrian banner down the center! Thunderhooves, take your company right, after you pass the wall! Go now, and fear not the darkness!"

Maulgrim rode up and down his assembled forces, all eyes on him. "Arise, my brothers and sisters in arms! Spears shall be shaken! Shields shall be splintered! This shall be a day of swords, of blood, death, and glory! A day that shall pass forever into legend! Each one of you will be remembered for the deeds you will commit on this field of battle! Let all the world see the courage of Equestria, and let our enemies fear it! Ride! Ride with the rising sun! Ride for Equestria!"

The Darknut leader raised his sword high in the air. "Death!" he cried.

"Death!" the Diamond Dogs declared.

"Death!"

"Death!" the Buffalo joined in.

"DEEEAAATH!"

"DEEEEEEEAAAAAAATH!" all the ponies, monsters, Dogs, and Buffalo cheered together, their cries reaching the ears of the beleaguered defenders, who regarded the scene with awe and wonder.

His manticore pawing at the ground in anticipation, Maulgrim lowered his sword and cried, "CHARGE!"

War horns rang again as Maulgrim's forces charged forward to another chorus of "DEATH!"

Maulgrim rode at the head like one of the great heroes of old, and at that moment a beam of sunlight fell upon him, turning his obsidian armor golden, dazzling friend and foe alike. As they approached Ganon's massive army, the enemy spearmen backed up as the archers stepped forward, readying their bows. Yet the charge never faltered, and the allies of Equestria descended ever closer upon their foe.

As soon as they were within range, Karuna yelled, "Fire!"

The archers unleashed a volley of black arrows, which fell like a deadly rain towards the approaching enemy. "Mages!" Maulgrim cried, and at his behest a great shield of energy rose before them, generated by the combined might of the unicorns and Wizzrobes, and the hail of arrows harmlessly bounced off its surface.

Karuna snorted in anger, drawing his sword. "Get back, archers! Pikes, prepare to receive the charge!"

Stalfos and Moblins lowered their spears, planting them against the ground and creating a wall of surefire death.

And yet they still kept coming, fearless and bloodthirsty.

The enemy braced itself.

The two opposing armies were seconds from clashing.

And then…

"Wizzrobes, NOW!" Maulgrim cried.

And without warning, the entire army disappeared in a blinding flash of light. The monsters of Ganon regarded this with utter shock, looking around for any sign of the enemy. Suddenly, another flash of light heralded their arrival, all the way on the opposite side of the mass of enemy troops, where they were completely unprepared.

The enemy had no time to do more than stare in shock at the audacious move before Maulgrim and his allies were upon them. A resounding crash echoed across the fields as the two mighty armies clashed. Whole monster companies disappeared underfoot as the Equestrian reinforcements brazenly charged through rank after rank of enemy forces. Spears were lowered, and countless monsters were skewered on the ends of them. Onward they rode through a sea of bodies into the main body of Ganon's army, until they were pressed about from all sides. And then swords and axes were drawn, and a furious melee ensued. The Battle of the Crystal Fields had begun.

XXXXXX

Crystal Palace…

Ganondorf regarded the scene with barely-restrained rage. His troops, not expecting such a fierce onslaught, were now hard-pressed to hold their own, just when victory had seemed to be theirs. Ganondorf gritted his teeth. It had all been going so well, and yet victory was now slipping from his grasp just as he was about to seize hold of it.

"Impossible," he snarled to himself.

"We are still willing to discuss the terms of surrender," Celestia said from behind him. "But this time, I think we will be the ones to dictate terms."

Ganondorf whirled around, his eyes ablaze with raw fury. "You think this unexpected turn of events will save you?! I don't care if my entire army is wiped out in the process! I will bring you to heel once and for all!"

Celestia and Cadance braced themselves as Ganondorf began bristling with power. "We will see about that, King of Darkness!" Celestia declared.

Cadance drew back her bow and sent a shaft of light at the Dark Lord.

The fight was on.

XXXXXX

Crystal Fields…

Chaos dominated the Crystal Fields as the battle raged. Ganon's monsters struggled to recover from such a fierce onslaught, but they were driven further and further into disarray. The hydra towered over all combatants, its four heads whipping about as it snatched up any enemy monsters it came across, tossing them high into the air. Arrows and spears bounced harmlessly off its tough, scaly hide, and magic attacks did not fare much better, for hydras shared many of the strengths of their distant dragon cousins. It heedlessly lumbered through the swarms of monsters, who desperately tried to escape being trampled underfoot even as they tried to avoid the snapping heads. Manticores snapped with their mighty jaws, swiped with their large claws, and struck with their barbed tails with primal fierceness, even as their Darknut riders slammed their great swords upon the heads of those who managed to weave their way past the manticores' defenses. Cockatrices turned countless helpless monsters into statues that littered the battlefield. Chimeras and cragadiles laid utter waste to the enemy forces, the chimeras too fierce for the monsters to get close to and the cragadiles' rough skin turning virtually all blades. Hordes of Buffalo continued to charge relentlessly through the enemy, their thick skulls and large bodies easily dispersing any defensive pockets the enemy tried to form. Diamond Dogs astride their Timberwolf mounts rode deep into the enemy ranks, decimating all with their clubs, axes, and spears as their mounts howled from the thrill of battle. The ponies tried to stay close to the allied monsters in order to not get overwhelmed by their larger foes as they struck with spear and spell.

And yet the hosts of Ganon were still great, and they were not without their own heavy hitters. Aquamentus screeched in anger as it lumbered into battle, unleashing a stream of fireballs at the brazen enemy. Big Blins and the remaining Hinox charged into the fray, swinging with giant clubs and hammers in a rage of bloodlust. Many of them went straight for the Everfree beasts, intending to even the odds.

Aquamentus soon found itself confronting the wild-eyed hydra, its many heads hissing their challenge. The two reptilian titans lumbered forth and slammed their weighty bulks against one another, each trying to push the other back. The two beasts backed off, and Aquamentus spat a trio of fireballs from its mouth. They slammed into the hydra's chest, but it stumbled only a little, and the multi-headed beast answered with a volley of acid globs from each of its heads, which had more of an effect on Aquamentus's hide. Aquamentus snarled as it felt the acid burn into its skin and rushed at the hydra, and the two monsters collided once again.

Chimeras defended against Big Blins, and the Hinox went after the manticore-riding Darknuts. One Hinox came towards Maulgrim, brandishing its war hammer. His manticore snarled at it, but this did not hinder the juggernaut's approach. The manticore leapt forward and tackled the Hinox, but the monster managed to remain standing as it bellowed, trying to throw the manticore off. Its rough swinging eventually threw Maulgrim off his mount, and he tumbled into the dirt in a daze. Eventually the Hinox succeeded in throwing off the manticore, and before it could recover, the cyclops smashed in its head, silencing it for good. The Hinox then turned towards Maulgrim, who was getting back to his feet. As the Hinox approached, Maulgrim growled, "That was my steed you just killed, brute."

The Hinox swung down at him, but Maulgrim side-stepped and slashed the monster's arm. The Hinox recoiled, snarling in pain and rage. It struck again, sweeping at the Darknut, but this he also dodged by stepping back. The Hinox pressed its attack, but Maulgrim blocked with his shield, though the blow managed to significantly dent it. The Hinox howled with anger as it attempted to grab him. Seeing its hand coming, Maulgrim slashed at it, and the Hinox screamed as its fingers were sliced clean off. Dropping its hammer, the Hinox clutched at its bleeding hand, and thus let its guard down. Maulgrim immediately took advantage of this and plunged his sword into its chest, and the monster fell with a groan.

XXXXXX

Inside the city…

The sound of war horns drew the attention of both Luna and Argorok, both of whom glanced towards the horizon in surprise. Luna's heart swelled with hope and joy at what it meant, and that feeling rippled through all the remaining defenders of the Crystal Empire. After the longest night in the Crystal Empire's history, (considering they were notably absent during the events of Nightmare Moon) reinforcements had arrived to break the siege. Argorok hissed as it looked back down towards Luna, as if debating whether she or these new arrivals were a greater threat. After a few tense seconds, Argorok snarled as it spread out its wings and took to the air, soaring over the city walls towards the Crystal Fields.

Luna breathed a sigh of relief before she quickly rushed to the fallen Helmaroc King's side. "I can heal the worst of your injuries," Luna said to him, the great bird's head straining to look at her, "but you will need more attention from our healers after this. Stay out of the fighting; the tide may have just turned in our favor."

The Helmaroc King said nothing as he allowed Luna to heal his more serious injuries, enough for him to wobble unsteadily to his feet. I will not forget your deed here, Princess of the Night, he spoke into her mind. Now go; your sister has need of you.

Luna nodded in thanks as Helmaroc sought out safety before turning her attention towards the towering spires of the Crystal Palace. All around her, the defenders of the Empire redoubled their efforts, pushing back against Ganon's hordes with renewed determination. With the enemy's attention now split, the Equestrians and their allies began regaining lost ground, retaking streets once thought lost and slowly regaining the walls. Trusting the captains and commanders to lead her troops to victory in her absence, Luna took flight and flew towards the Crystal Palace with all haste.

XXXXXX

Crystal Palace, Throne Room…

The force of Ganondorf's attack sent Cadance hurtling into the wall, leaving a pony-shaped crater where she impacted the surface. Her bow lay broken not far from her as she slumped unconscious to the ground. Celestia inwardly cursed; alicorn though she was, Cadance was not a veteran fighter like her husband or aunts, and Ganondorf had predictably made short work of her. Now it was just the two of them, the Sun Goddess and the Evil King. Ganondorf raised his fist and clenched it, a surge of dark energy pulsating from his fingers.

"One down, two to go," Ganondorf growled. "Know this, fool; the longer you fight, the more pain you will suffer. You cannot defeat me."

Celestia was not in the mood for words; her response was a beam of searing light sent in Ganondorf's direction. Ganondorf thrust his cape outwards, and the light energy exploded harmlessly against him. However, before the dust had even cleared, Celestia was upon him, her lance aimed right for his twisted heart. But Ganondorf had a quick eye, and he swiftly raised his sword to block. A metallic clang echoed throughout the chamber as they locked blades. Both of them gritted their teeth in exertion, their eyes narrowed as they intensely locked eyes. To the Dark Lord's surprise, Celestia actually began pushing him back, his boots skidding on the crystalline floor as Celestia forced him back.

Snarling in anger, Ganondorf expulsed a wave of darkness from his body, knocking Celestia back. However, she raised a shield in time to avoid most of the attack's unpleasant effects, landing elegantly on all fours. Ganondorf raised both hands over his head, charging a massive ball of dark magic. Celestia was quicker, though, and sent a beam of light into Ganondorf's chest. The combined light and dark magic caused a substantial feedback pulse that sent the Gerudo warlord to his knees. But Celestia knew he was far from defeated, and so she pressed her attack, lunging for him as she poured light magic into her spear and aimed it once more at his heart.

"ENOUGH!"

And then she was stopped cold by a hand striking out like a cobra and seizing hold of the shaft of her weapon, turning it away from him, and with his other hand, he clutched her throat, his body positively radiating evil energy. His touch burned like white-hot iron, and Celestia felt him rip her spear out of her grip and toss it aside as he stood, glaring with a mad ferocity that far exceeded that of King Sombra.

"Enough," the Dark Lord growled. "I have lost my patience with you."

Celestia began to charge magic in her horn, but with blinding speed, Ganondorf grabbed her horn with his free hand and poured volumes of dark energy directly into her body through her magical repository, and the resulting pain was unlike anything she had ever felt. A scream tore from her throat, and it made Ganondorf grin.

"Arrogant cur," he scoffed, throwing Celestia to the floor. "You speak to me of what it means to rule?"

Her body wracked with unfathomable agony, Celestia weakly lifted her head as she watched Ganondorf approach.

"You have the gall to proclaim that my rule is false, and yet you are the one who now lies defeated at the seat of your own throne," Ganondorf sneered. "You have no idea what it truly means to rule! Though it only makes sense; I am a king, and you are yet another holier-than-thou princess who thinks wisdom matters more than power. Being King means to become dominant; it is a dictatorship! He who has the power and the iron fist deserves to rule over all else! I am stronger than you in mind as well as in body, thus you are the one who is unworthy of ruling Equestria!"

Her body was broken; pain penetrated every inch of her being, and yet Celestia still had the strength to smile. "Ha…you still don't get it, do you, Ganon?"

She held back a wince of pain as she met Ganondorf's glare with all her remaining willpower.

"Time and again…you have been defeated by those you have…considered beneath you. Have you never taken the time to ponder why?"

"What does it matter?" Ganondorf retorted. "I have beaten you."

Celestia weakly chuckled. "Yes…but I am not the one you should be worried about."

Ganondorf sneered. "Are you, perhaps, referring to that fool of a sorcerer and that group of peasants he calls friends? None of them are a match for me, even with the Elements of Harmony."

"The Elements…have not faced a power like yours before…that much is true. But it does not mean that your power is greater."

"Do not speak to me of your laughable devotion to those silly trinkets! The power of friendship pales before the power of the gods!"

At this, Celestia laughed. Through all her pain, she laughed in his face, caring not at all what consequences it might bring. "And that is why you've lost every time, King of Darkness, and why you're going to lose again. Because you do not, cannot, understand. I've learned a bit about your history, and I know the secret to your failures."

"And what, pray tell, is that?" Ganondorf growled, his patience waning.

"You have no friends. No one to rely on but yourself. You think that you are all that you need. You sit in your halls, with a bloody crown upon your head, content in your power and isolation. And yet a mere peasant boy has, time after time, risen up and deposed you despite all the power you brought to bear against him. Do you know why that is? Because he always has friends to back him up. You…do not. You don't have anyone watching your back when the going gets tough. No one to heal you when you're wounded, no one to give you courage when your heart is seized with fear, no one to give you the strength to keep going when all seems lost. You have nothing worth fighting for, and that is why you will never win. It is by accepting friendship into your heart that one can truly discover their inner power, and with it, Vaati, my student Twilight, and her fellow Element Bearers will defeat you when the time comes."

"They are nothing without their Elements!" Ganondorf roared. "They may be gathering the others, but I still have the greatest of them in my possession! They will have to face me if they want it back, and they will die long before they can reach it!"

Celestia's smile never wavered. "They won't need them."

And with that, Celestia finally faded from consciousness, the last of her strength giving out. She had said her piece. Ganondorf stood there in stunned disbelief; how could she have the nerve to berate him so even in defeat?! "Enough of this," he growled, stalking towards Celestia's limp form, his sword hovering over her neck. "Now you die!"

However, he was suddenly interrupted by a burst of dark energy slamming into his back, knocking him off his feet. Ganondorf quickly recovered, and turned to look upon his assailant.

Princess Luna stood in the middle of the throne room, and she did not fail to recognize that she now found herself in a strangely-familiar situation. Her sister sprawled on the floor in defeat, a conquering dark king hovering over her body, and she alone now stood against him in the halls of the Crystal Palace. Looking into his eyes, she even imagined a purple haze momentarily trailing out of them before she shook off the memory. The sight of her sister and niece bruised and bloodied made her blood boil even further, and now it was in danger of spilling over. But she knew now; she hated it, but she knew, that there was only one way she could face Ganon on equal footing. And after all she had seen and done, this was the only logical conclusion.

"I know that it is not entirely by your own will that you have committed these malicious acts," Luna said. "But you will still pay for all that you've done, King of Darkness! Every life you've taken, every home you've destroyed, and the pain you inflicted on my own flesh and blood…you are going to feel all of it in the bite of this blade."

Ganondorf grinned. "So the last remaining Princess has joined the fight! Excellent; now I don't have to hunt you down. But I have already bested your elder. You think you stand any more of a chance against my power?"

"Your power?" Luna repeated, a dangerous edge in her voice. "You claim to know the true meaning of power? You think that you own the darkness? I'll tell you the same thing I told the last evil king I faced down in this very throne room a thousand years ago. I was born into it, Ganon; you merely adopted it. I've stood unyielding against the power you represent each and every night in all the years I have ruled alongside my sister, and if you think I will yield now, you are mistaken."

Ganondorf's eyes narrowed, but even he could sense that something was off about Luna. He did not recall her eyes being slit like a cat's a moment ago.

"You should have heeded my sister's words, for she spoke the truth," Luna said, meeting Ganondorf's wicked glare unflinchingly. "You do not truly understand power, for you have used it only to terrify and dominate, not to inspire or protect. You have not used your power well, and thus you have allowed yourself to grow weak."

"I've had enough of this silly talk!" Ganondorf snapped. "You know not of what you speak! I am the bearer of the Triforce of Power! I am the chosen of the Goddess of Power herself! I understand it far better than any of you!"

"You stole that power!" Luna shouted. "You were not chosen! As always, the thief believes that everything he steals is his by right. Pathetic."

"You dare…" Ganondorf snarled.

"Yes, I dare," Luna interrupted without skipping a beat. "I dare because I am not afraid of you."

Ganondorf took one step back as a change overcame Luna. Her body seemed to grow taller, more slender. Her blue pelt darkened to an ebony black. Her mane and tail seemed to grow more wild and untamed, becoming more like a starry mist than the nightscape her hair had once been. Her sword morphed into a large scythe with a white crescent moon-shaped blade. Volumes of power radiated from the transformed alicorn's body as she glared daggers into the King of Darkness.

Ganondorf felt her power and glared back suspiciously. "Such power…what are you?"

A dainty, pitiless chuckle. "Your worst nightmare," Nightmare Moon intoned in all her treacherous glory.

XXXXXX

Crystal Fields…

Slowly but surely, the tide had begun to turn against the forces of Ganon. Though both sides fought hard, throwing everything they had at one another, it was clear that Maulgrim's forces were more organized and were taking advantage of the enemy's disarray. As more and more enemy monsters fell to magic, sword, axe, and spear, it seemed that victory was near at hand. Ganon's forces were soon pushed almost entirely out of the city, and the defenders then began pouring out of the city and joining the battle in the fields.

It was at this last that Argorok came swooping out of the sky, searching for victims. Unable to tell who was the commander of the enemy forces, the armored dragon decided to turn its attention towards the first pony it saw, and dove down at its target. Octavia had just dispatched an attacking Miniblin when she heard the telltale thrum of beating wings heading straight towards her. She looked up to see Argorok descending upon her, its mouth opening wide. She was no unicorn or pegasus; there was no way she could escape what was to come. As those gleaming white teeth fell upon her, all she could do was stare with a look of fear, and finally resignation.

And then those jaws snapped down upon her, and she was lifted off the ground high into the air. Argorok thrashed its neck from side to side, enjoying the taste of pony flesh before it threw its victim upon the ground. And a short distance away, Vinyl Scratch watched it all transpire with an expression of open-mouthed horror. Octavia, lying in a pool of her own blood, feebly twitched as Argorok landed on the ground, stalking towards her, eager to devour. Octavia weakly raised a hoof in a futile attempt to defend herself as Argorok's head leered over her, its mouth opening wide to devour her.

And then somepony stepped between the mortally wounded cellist and the hungry dragon, a pony Octavia recognized instantly.

"I will kill you if you touch her again," Vinyl growled, her eyes wide with anger, sorrow, and hatred.

Argorok breathed smoke through its nostrils as it glared at her with unseen eyes. Then, to everyone's surprise, it spoke, its voice a deep rasp. "Come not between a dragon and his prey, lest he devour thee in turn."

"Do your worst, you bastard. I won't let you touch her again!"

Argorok roared, beating its wings against the air as it took flight, sending a putrid rush of air at the white unicorn, who didn't waver for a moment. The dragon dove down at her, claws outstretched. However, Vinyl leapt aside, and as Argorok passed her by, she seized hold of the bejeweled end of its tail. Argorok cried out as it felt itself kinetically slammed against the hard ground with enough force to knock off several pieces of its black armor. As the dragon struggled to right itself, Vinyl noticed something strange on its back: a glowing blue orb situated between its wings, partially obscured by armor. Vinyl wasted no time in firing a magical beam that knocked off the last bit of armor protecting what she realized was Argorok's weak point.

Argorok howled with rage as it whirled around, only for Vinyl to hit it squarely in the face with another beam. Forcing itself to ignore it, for it was not causing Argorok more than minor discomfort, the dragon arched its head back and sent a sweltering-hot wave of fire out of its mouth towards Vinyl. The unicorn vanished behind the stream of flames, and Argorok kept it up for several moments just to be sure. Finally the dragon let up, but when the flames died down, Vinyl was nowhere to be found. Knowing that there should at least have been a charred corpse, Argorok whipped its head around, searching for her. It did not think to look up until it was too late.

With a cry, Vinyl reappeared in the air with her spear in hoof and landed upon the startled dragon's back. Argorok had to time to do more than hiss in surprise before Vinyl plunged her spear with every inch of force she could muster, into the crystal on its back. Argorok threw its head back and screeched in unfathomable agony. Vinyl jumped off and landed on the ground on all fours as the dragon rose into the air, flames pouring freely out of its mouth as it thrashed about mid-air, succumbing to its final death-throes. And with one last dying shriek, Argorok exploded into black mist, which was blown away by the winds of the north.

With the battle around her almost decided, Vinyl ignored all else as she quickly rushed to Octavia's side and knelt down, lifting her old friend's limp head in her arms.

"T-Tavi…?" Vinyl whimpered.

Octavia's eyes slowly opened, and she smiled, even as a sliver of blood trickled down her chin. "Vinyl…I'm glad you're with me. Here…a-at my end."

Vinyl shook her head. "No…no, I'm going to save you!"

Octavia's breathing became labored. "Y-you already…did." Her smile fell. "Vinyl…my body is broken. My passing is nigh. You…must let m-me go."

Tears fell from Vinyl's face. "No…" she whispered. "Tavi, y-you can't leave me…!"

Octavia's eyelids slowly drooped. "Vinyl…I want you to promise me something."

Vinyl's heart constricted as she realized she could not deny what was coming. "A-anything, Tavi."

Octavia smiled. "Promise me that…no matter what happens, you'll keep on living enough for the both of us. Do not let your grief eat away at you until nothing remains. You have to let me go."

Vinyl said nothing, stroking Octavia's hair.

"Promise me, Vinyl…"

Vinyl sniffed and nodded. "I promise."

Octavia's eyes widened a little as she looked into Vinyl's own, and her lip quivered. "Vinyl…" she uttered, and with a final gasp, Octavia stilled and moved no more, her eyes no longer seeing.

Vinyl simply stared into her friend's empty eyes, knowing that she would never again hear her complain about her music choices, or whine about her tendency to clean dishes using wubs, or berate her about being out late at night partying as she helped her get her drunken flank into bed. Octavia was gone.

Vinyl buried her face in Octavia's chest and released a long, mournful wail, heedless of the battle around her.

XXXXXX

Elsewhere, Maulgrim was fending off the blows of an Iron Knuckle, making sure to stay out of range of that obscenely-huge axe. The animated suit of Gerudo armor swung its weapon down, and the Darknut dodged. With its weapon stuck in the dirt, Maulgrim swiftly cut down the Iron Knuckle. With his newest foe undone, Maulgrim looked all around.

Victory was at hand.

The hydra had successfully defeated Aquamentus, the majority of the Big Blins and Hinox had fallen, and with Argorok also destroyed, Ganon's forces were in a full rout. Somewhere in the remaining hordes, the Moblin chieftain Karuna desperately sounded the retreat. Horns blew as Ganon's remaining servants turned and fled the field, their enemies nipping at their heels until they had retreated far into the blizzard far beyond the Crystal Empire's boundaries.

And then the Darknut saw something that made him grin.

"About time they showed up."

XXXXXX

Crystal Palace…

Ganondorf took a second to appreciate his new foe. She was exhibiting an aura of terror not unlike his very own. Yes, though she did not know it, she truly was the greatest of the two sisters. The Dark Lord scoffed. "How amusing. You think you're the only one who can change their body to increase their power? Allow me to demonstrate."

As he said this, Ganondorf hunched forward, and with a flash of terrible light, grew over three times his size. His skin changed from Gerudo skin to sickly blue fur. His muscles expanded and pulsed as pure power coursed through his veins. His head quickly lost any human features, all of which were quickly overtaken by the features of a slavering boar with pupil-less red eyes. His sword vanished, replaced by a black trident of impressive size that he held in his left hand. Standing at his full height, Ganon towered over Nightmare Moon, but her glare didn't waver for a moment.

"Perhaps I was wrong about you," Ganon said. "Perhaps you do have some understanding of power after all. A being such as yourself could be a high-level subordinate to me. I'll give you one chance; join me or die."

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes and heaved a dramatic sigh. "And here I was thinking you were going to offer me to be your queen, as if I haven't heard that one before. I think I'll pass, either way."

Ganon smirked. "Somehow, I knew you'd say that. Very well, then; die!"

Ganon brought the Trident down upon Nightmare Moon's head, only to find that she had blocked the attack with her scythe with practiced ease.

"I think you will find that I am not as easily conquered as my dear sister!" she grinned savagely.

Ganon roared as he tried to smash Nightmare Moon with his fist. Laughing, Nightmare Moon merely enveloped herself in her miasma-like mane, becoming incorporeal. Ganon snarled as the starry miasma encircled him, stifling him with her presence. But Ganon would not be denied; with another mighty roar of anger, he sent out a blast of dark energy that drove back the nightmare mist, forcing Nightmare Moon back into her physical form. As soon as she had, Ganon threw his Trident at her like a boomerang. He had expected her to attempt to dodge it; instead, she deflected it with her scythe, sending it crashing into the wall. Nightmare Moon then went on the attack, aiming for Ganon's head. But with a snap of the giant Moblin's finger, the trident reappeared in his hands, and he parried her attack, forcing her back again.

Ganon began spinning the Trident over his head, causing a multitude of fireballs to circle over him. Suddenly the fireballs became bats of flame, which all flew at Nightmare Moon, who coolly dispelled them with a quick slice of her weapon. She then answered this attack with a dark energy disk flung from her scythe, which Ganon blocked in turn. It seemed then that both foes realized that they would not be able to best one another through use of spellcraft, for they tightened their grips on their respective weapons before they clashed once more, pushing against one another with all their strength. Despite the enormous difference in size, they were pretty evenly matched, coming to a stand-still in the middle of the throne room. Nightmare Moon began flapping her wings, and again, Ganon found himself slowly being pushed back. He had grossly underestimated the physical strength of these equines.

Determined not to be overcome, Ganon abruptly phased out of view, teleporting over to the other side of the throne room. With nothing left to hold her in place, Nightmare Moon's own momentum was used against her, and she crashed headfirst into the crystal throne, shattering it to bits. Ganon laughed at this, reveling in the mayhem. But Nightmare Moon was far from a laughing mood, and she rose proud and erect from the rubble, her eyes glowing solid white. White magic circles pulsated around her, from which flew a salvo of energy swords. However, Ganon teleported again, coming to another section of the room, the blades passing him harmlessly by. He raised the Trident in the air, and a torrent of lightning ran up the shaft. Snarling, he pointed it at Nightmare Moon, sending a massive bolt of thunder magic her way. Nightmare Moon raised a shield which dispersed the electricity all around the makeshift arena, leaving countless scorch marks on the walls. Ganon let up his assault and saw Nightmare Moon lower her shield right before she became a blur of motion almost too quick for the eye to catch.

Ganon prepared for another attack, but was interrupted by a multitude of magical discharges slamming into his body from random directions as Nightmare Moon zipped around the room at blinding speeds. Bellowing with rage, Ganon slammed his fist into the ground, the resulting shockwave knocking Nightmare Moon out of her spell, sending her crashing to the floor. Ganon took immediate advantage of this and slammed the Trident down upon her stunned form, and an explosion rocked the palace. Nightmare Moon found herself falling through the floor of the throne room into the next floor down, her body smoking from the magical energies that had assaulted her. Momentarily dazed, she heard the sound of Ganon's laughter above her and immediately came to her senses.

Ganon clearly was not expecting her to get back up, because when she blasted her way through the floor, all he could do was gawk as she struck him full-force with a powerful beam of dark magic right in his ugly face. The impact threw Ganon off his cloven hooves onto his back with a shuddering crash. Growling, the King of Darkness slowly rose to his feet. "Urgh…that attack should have defeated you! How are you still standing?!" he demanded, wiping his cheek.

Nightmare Moon sneered. "As I said earlier, I am not as easily conquered as my sister, who always blanched at the idea of giving in to her dark side once in a while. You'll have to do a lot more than that to best me!"

Ganon's body bristled with dark magic. "Don't mind if I do!"

Again, Ganon threw his Trident, but as Nightmare Moon moved to deflect it, Ganon teleported once more as the Trident came towards the alicorn. Nightmare Moon struck it, but instead of it flying away, it began attacking her as though wielded by an invisible hand. Then Ganon reappeared right behind her, and she whipped her head around in time to see his massive fist crash into her face, sending her careening down the throne room, sliding across the floor until she was in the hallway outside the throne room. Not taking any chances, Ganon charged towards her.

But Nightmare Moon was not down. Not yet. Just as Ganon was almost upon her, she teleported out of his path right before the Trident smashed into where she had just been, blasting another hole in the floor. Ganon stood, realizing his prey had escaped death yet again. "Where are you, you coward?!" he boomed.

"Behind you," he heard a voice whisper in his ear.

Ganon turned and shot an energy blast out of his trident, only to hit thin air. "Show yourself!" Ganon roared.

"Hmm, where could the best princess be hiding?" Nightmare Moon's voice crooned from all around him. "Maybe here…" Now her voice sounded like it was coming from Ganon's right. "Or here…" Now it came from his left. "It matters not," she spoke from all around. "I am Nightmare Moon; I am everywhere!"

Ganon gritted his teeth; the fool was toying with him! Without moving a muscle, Ganon silently reached out with the Triforce of Power, seeking out his loathsome quarry. And with a start, he realized right where she was. With a speed that belied his immense size, Ganon whirled around and thrust his Trident outward, and with a gasp of pained surprise, Nightmare Moon found herself impaled through her chest, just when she had been about to strike at his unprotected back. Ganon grinned as he held her in the air.

"It's over, you fool," he declared. "Die now, and curse in vain!"

With a swipe of his Trident, he flung Nightmare Moon back into the throne room, where she tumbled to a stop and moved no further. Ganon stalked back into the throne room, his heavy footsteps shaking the foundations. His eyes were on Nightmare Moon as he approached. "I told you, worm," he snarled. "You cannot defeat me. Only the Hero of Legend wielding the Blade of Evil's Bane has the power to defeat me, and since neither of them exist in this world, there is nothing, no one, that can stop my takeover of this pitiful world! You would have been better off simply kneeling before me in the first place, yet now you lie here, dying! You could have avoided this, but no, you simply had to…"

"Shut up, will you?!"

Ganon was shocked into silence at the unexpected interruption of his tirade. "W-what…?"

Nightmare Moon had gotten back to her feet, looking none the worse for wear. "You talk too much, that's what."

Ganon gritted his teeth as he tried to hold back a scream of frustration, to little avail. "WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE TO KILL YOU?!"

"Go on and keep stabbing me if you want," Nightmare Moon laughed. "You might get somewhere after the three hundredth time. Now, if you're finished, I believe it's my turn."

And then Luna unleashed a massive beam of moonlit energy, and Ganon took the full brunt of the attack, flying into the far wall where the ruins of the crystal throne now stood. Ganon slumped to the ground and fell to his knees, panting heavily as he leaned on his Trident for support. He couldn't believe it; she was actually putting up enough of a fight that she was wearing him out! None but the Legendary Hero himself had ever managed to get this far in single combat with the Dark Lord, and the thought of the fact that it was a magical talking horse administering such a beatdown caused him more consternation than he was willing to put up with.

"You've humiliated me for the last time, you stupid pack animal!" Ganon roared, throwing a massive energy ball at the moon goddess.

Nightmare Moon struck it with her scythe, sending it back at Ganon, who deflected it back at her, and a tense game of Dead Man's Volley ensued. Ganon was very experienced with this deadly exchange, but Nightmare Moon had a keen eye and quick reflexes, easily able to keep up with the Evil King. In order to up the ante, Ganon took a risk and sent a second ball hurtling towards her just as she deflected the first one back at him. With the Dead Man's Volley now having taken an even deadlier new turn, both opponents were hard-pressed to keep up the exchange without missing a single beat. And ultimately, it was Ganon who made the mistake first, striking too soon and not hitting the ball in time. With a bellow of pain and rage, Ganon fell to the ground as his body burned with pain from both the energy balls striking their owner rather than the intended target.

As the Dark Lord lay on the ground, his mind raced. It…cannot be! Am…Am I losing?!

The great demon boar violently shook his head. No! I will not let it end like this!

With a grunt of exertion, Ganon threw himself to his feet and raised his Trident high in the air, charging a new attack. Nightmare Moon braced herself as dozens of green lightning bolts lanced out from the tip of the Trident, shooting in random directions. Nightmare Moon raised another shield to defend against them, but it seemed Ganon had been expecting this, for instead of blocking the lightning bolts, they shattered the shield like glass and struck Nightmare Moon all over, sending her to her knees with a pained cry. Ganon levelled the tip of his Trident at her head, and a beam of dark energy slammed into her, pushing her across the floor as it left a smoldering gouge of molten crystal. It seemed Nightmare Moon still had some fight in her, for another beam of magic exploded from the smoke and dust, but Ganon blocked it with a swish of his cape before following up with a blast of lightning that he kept up for a good minute, relishing the scream of agony that escaped Nightmare Moon's throat. When he finally let up his assault, he warily looked down, ready to attack again just in case, but upon closer inspection, Ganon's grin returned.

Nightmare Moon had been defeated. Unable to overcome Ganon, the nightmare side of Luna retreated back into the depths of her inner being as the bruised and battered princess returned to normal, utterly defeated. However, as Ganon stepped towards her, he stumbled, weariness overcoming him. He hadn't used such power in a long time, and though he had emerged the victor, he had been heavily weakened in the fight. But there was no one left to oppose him now, so it was of no consequence. Ganon used his Trident as a cane as he approached Luna's still form.

"What a waste of power," he sneered. "It is time you learned your place, once and for all!"

Luna blearily opened one eye to see Ganon's blurry form towering over her as he raised his Trident over his head. And then it came down. Suddenly there was a bright flash of light, and a thunderous roar, and Luna knew no more.
> Episode 16: The Regaining of Laughter Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 16: The Regaining of Laughter Part 1 – An Old Friend

Manehattan Wharf, three days earlier…

Vaati, the Mane Six, and their companions trudged through the Manehattan Wharf, observing their surroundings. The wharf was empty for the most part. Only a handful of ships were still docked, and few sailor ponies were around to crew them.

"Looks like most of these guys've made a run for it," Rainbow Dash said. "Not a lot of ponies around, are there?"

"At the very least, though, there are some ships with crews still manning them," Twilight answered. "Let's just hope one of them is willing to take us to Griffonstone."

"We could always steal one," Rover offered in an attempt to be helpful.

He received a multitude of glares for his trouble.

"We're going to need one big enough for all of us to fit without being cramped, but also fast," Vaati remarked. He then saw something and pointed to it. "That schooner over there looks promising."

They followed Vaati towards the ship in question, where a grizzled Earth pony stallion with gray fur, a mane and tail as white as sea salt, an eyepatch covering his left eye, and a Cutie Mark crudely depicting a boat at sea was busy overseeing a shipment of containers being loaded onto his vessel. His back was to them, so he did not notice their approach. "Let me do the talking, guys," Twilight advised.

Nodding in agreement, they all let Twilight take the lead as they came up behind the stallion.

"Excuse me, sir?" Twilight spoke up, raising a hoof. "Sir?"

The stallion blinked in surprise and looked over his shoulder. "Eh?"

"Are you the captain of this ship?" Twilight asked.

The stallion turned and regarded them with a critical eye. "That I am, lassie! Cap'n Sea Whilikers, at your service!" he greeted with a bow. "What do ye want with me ship?"

At the mention of the captain's name, Pinkie and Rainbow valiantly failed to suppress snorts of laughter.

"Well, see, we are on an important mission for Equestria," Twilight began, "and as part of that mission, we need immediate transportation to the Griffon Kingdom."

Sea Whilikers frowned. "That be a problem, lass. That's in the opposite direction'a where this cargo's bound to, not t'mention the fact that there's been strange goin's-on up in Griffonstone. Apparently there's a new ruler who's oppressin' them like ol' King Gorr did over two hundred years ago. Not a good place t'be right now."

"Which is precisely why we need to get there," Vaati said. "The oppressor in question is a servant of Ganon, the Dark Lord who is currently threatening Equestria, and they happen to have one of the Elements of Harmony, which we need to recover if we want to have any hope of defeating him. Surely the safety of Equestria means something to you?"

"Look, ehrm…whatever you are, I can't just change course willy-nilly, ye know!" Captain Whilikers protested. "There be a lotta folks up in Baltimare expectin' this cargo by the end'a today, and I don't get me pay if they don't get their goods!"

Vaati's eyes narrowed. "Then perhaps this other bit of information might change your mind. It is in the interest of Equestrian national security that we get to Griffonstone and recover the Element of Laughter. Imagine if word were to get out that the only means we had to get there chose not to help us because he didn't want to lose a single day's pay. I do believe that could be considered treason, correct?"

The Mane Six looked at Vaati with shock that he would even think to go there, while Chrysalis actually looked impressed. Captain Whilikers, for his part, looked shocked that he could even be suggested of treason. "Wha?! Treason?! I never…! What do ye take me for, some sort'a brigand?!"

"No, I take you for a reasonable pony who knows when he needs to do what needs to be done," Vaati replied. "And what you need to do now is get us to bucking Griffonstone."

Whilikers shivered under Vaati's harsh glare, which prompted Twilight to step forward and clear her throat. "Ahem…well, if it's any consolation, we're willing to compensate you for any service you can provide us."

Whilikers blinked before shaking his head, recovering himself. "Hrm, yes, well, if it's really that important, I'll help ye. But me ship won't be ready t'weigh anchor till tomorrow mornin', so ye'll need t'find somewhere to rest up till then."

"Don't worry, we have somewhere," Twilight replied. "Thank you for your help."

As they all turned to go, Twilight hissed, "I thought I told you to let me do the talking!"

"I lost my patience," Vaati answered tersely.

"And was threatening him like that even necessary?!" Twilight demanded.

"Look, Twilight," Vaati snapped, rounding on her. "At this very moment, Ganon is laying siege to the Empire. For all we know, the battle could already have started. We do not have the time for niceties and politeness, okay? We don't have it."

"You nearly gave that poor stallion a heart attack, dear," Rarity spoke up. "I have to agree with Twilight on this; that was more than a little excessive."

"I am not going to argue about this," Vaati stubbornly growled. "Let's just find these relatives of Applejack's and rest up for tomorrow."

"Follow me, y'all," Applejack said, taking the lead. "We can stay the night with mah Aunt 'n Uncle Orange. They're pretty well off, so we can ask 'em about givin' us enough bits to compensate the cap'n."

As they followed her into the main part of town, Applejack continued, "And y'all should meet their daughter, Babs Seed! She's just the sweetest li'l thing y'all will ever meet!"

"Not like we have much of a choice," Vaati sourly muttered under his breath.

It took the better part of an hour for them to navigate through the downtown area of Manehattan until they reached a more suburban district, where nicely-kept houses were lined up on either side of the streets. Applejack cheerfully led them to wherever her relatives lived, always happy to see another Apple relative whenever the opportunity arose. Coming up to a particular house, Applejack trotted up the steps and rapped her hoof smartly against the door several times. After a few moments, they all heard a female voice speak from behind the door.

"Now i-isn't a good time! P-please, just…come back later!"

Applejack's brow furrowed. That was her Aunt Orange, alright, but why did she sound like she was in tears?

"Aunt Orange? It's me, Applejack!" the farmpony cried out.

About two seconds later, they heard the telltale click of a deadbolt unlatching before the door opened. Aunt Orange was a peach-colored Earth pony with an expertly-coiffed orange mane and tail, with a golden necklace hung around her neck. Indeed her eyes were red and puffy from what seemed to have been from countless hours of crying.

"A-Applejack!" Aunt Orange exclaimed, putting a hoof to her mouth. "When…w-when did you hear?"

As the others all shared confused, and in some cases concerned glances, Applejack asked worriedly, "Heard what? Did somethin' happen?"

Aunt Orange blinked in surprise. "Oh…s-so you haven't heard…"

"Aunt Orange, what's goin' on? You're startin' t'scare me!"

Holding back a fresh rush of tears, Aunt Orange stuttered, "I-it's B-Babs…she…s-she…"

But she couldn't hold it back; succumbing to hysterics, Aunt Orange fell to her knees as she wailed, "SHE DIED! SHE DIE-HIE-HIE-HIED, APPLEJACK!"

Applejack's heart stopped cold. "Wh…what?" she whimpered in a small, thunderstruck voice.

Behind her, Vaati and the Mane Six's jaws all dropped at what they had heard. Daring hung her head in sorrow; losing a family member was never easy. Ahuizotl looked on with a sad look, and even Chrysalis felt a pang of sympathy. The Changeling Queen knew all too well what it was like to lose one's children. Zecora silently shook her head in sadness, while Rover just looked on, not quite comprehending the gravity of it all, considering he had never felt such loss before.

Aunt Orange struggled to recompose herself, standing shakily on all fours again, but she could not look Applejack in the eye. "S-she…a f-few days ago, w-we…we f-found her still i-in her bed, a-and she never woke up! She was our baby, Applejack!"

Applejack and Aunt Orange tearfully embraced as Vaati and the others regarded this news with varying degrees of shock and sadness.

"W-where's Uncle O-Orange?" Applejack asked as they broke their embrace.

Aunt Orange sniffed and and dabbed at her eyes with a kerchief as she answered, "Over a-at the mortuary, m-making t-the fu-fu-funeral a-arrangements!"

As the two Apples tearfully conversed, Vaati couldn't help but think to himself, Asking them for help paying off that captain's going to be a more awkward affair than I anticipated.

XXXXXX

That night…

Aunt and Uncle Orange solemnly sat at their dinner table along with most of their guests. Chrysalis, Rover, and Ahuizotl opted to retire to the living room, as they felt that the following conversation was no business and/or of no interest to them. Though a hearty meal had been prepared for all of them, nobody really felt in the mood to eat. As she picked glumly at her food, Applejack stole a glance at the empty chair Babs Seed had once occupied during mealtimes.

"I've arranged for Babs's funeral to be three days from now," Uncle Orange, a peach-colored Earth pony with a lime-green mane and tail, softly spoke. "I don't know how many can make it, especially considering that awful business with that Ganon individual, but we'll be sending out notices to all our other relatives."

"Ah'll be there," Applejack said.

"No you won't," Vaati immediately spoke up.

Applejack sharply looked up at him, followed by everyone else. Noticing everyone staring at him, Vaati said, "Look, I know family means a lot to you, Applejack, but that's three days we can't afford to waste. I'm sorry, but the safety of Equestria is more important than this funeral. Surely all of you agree on this?"

There was a period of heavy silence before Twilight finally broke it. "He's right, AJ," she agreed softly. "We all need to be together in this, or else we're vulnerable. And Ganon's already reached the Crystal Empire by now. I don't know how long the Crystal Heart's protective barrier will hold, but knowing Ganon, it won't hold him back forever. We have to get the last Element back as soon as possible so we can get to the Empire and hopefully put a stop to him before he can cause too much damage."

Applejack sighed. "Ah know you're right, y'all, but…she's mah family. Ah gotta honor her somehow."

"Most of the other Apples won't be able to make it either, Applejack," Rainbow reminded her. "I'm pretty sure they'll find some way to honor her anyway. But Vaati's right; we can't afford any more delays. We gotta get to Griffonstone and get the last Element back so we can go and kick Ganon's flank!"

"Applejack, dear," Aunt Orange finally said. "The fact that you're here now is still something. I dearly wish it had been under…h-happier circumstances, but you're the first of t-the rest of the Apples to know. Go and get that Element back, honey. We understand and agree whole-heartedly. We know you care, and…w-we know she would too."

Applejack looked up at her and forced a tearful smile. "Thanks, Aunt Orange."

Aunt Orange then got up out of her chair and cantered over to the living room, coming back with a small framed picture in her teeth. She then placed in on Applejack's part of the table and stepped back. "I want you to have this, Applejack," she said. "I know she was almost like a daughter to you, so I think it's only right that you should have this to remember her by."

Applejack turned towards the picture frame and held it up to where she could see. It was her and Babs Seed together at the Apple Family Reunion that had taken place not two weeks before Ganon's arrival in Equestria. Applejack's lip quivered as she looked at the image of her young niece laughing with her left cheek pressed against Applejack's foreleg. Applebloom had taken that picture. Those two had taken a shine to each other the moment they had met. Applebloom would take the news of Babs's death very hard. The grieving farmpony tilted the top of the picture frame against her forehead as she wept silently. She barely felt the sensation of all her friends surrounding her in a silent group hug, her shoulders heaving as a long, low whimper escaped her throat.

In the living room of the Oranges' house, Ahuizotl turned away from where he had been silently listening to the conversation in the dining room. As neither the Diamond Dog nor the Changeling seemed to be much in the way of conversationalists, it was the only thing the former tribal leader could do. Rover was curled up on the floor, already asleep, while Chrysalis lay on the guest couch, looking utterly bored. "It's strange, is it not?" Ahuizotl abruptly asked.

Chrysalis, realizing he was speaking to her, glanced up at him and muttered, "What is?"

Glancing once more towards the dining room, Ahuizotl replied, "Creatures like you and I…we like to think of ourselves as different from or above ponykind. That we differ from them like night differs from day. And yet, at our core, we are not so different at all. We bleed like they do. We fear like they do. We love like they do. And we grieve like they do."

Chrysalis rolled her eyes and turned away, not gracing the cat-thing with a response. Mostly because she dared not admit, to him or to herself, that he was right.

XXXXXX

The next day…

After bidding a melancholy farewell to the Oranges, Vaati and his companions returned to the Manehattan Wharf with a pouch of bits in hand. Soon they found Captain Whilikers standing by the gangplank of his ship, anxiously waiting for them. As they approached, he caught sight of them.

"Ach! There ye are!" he declared. "Been waitin' for ye for hours!"

"Family business," Vaati curtly replied, tossing the sack of gold coins at the captain. "Here's your fee. Now let's get going."

One by one, Vaati and the others boarded the ship as Whilikers eagerly counted his bits. "Well, I'll be," he muttered to himself before retying the string and closing it. "That's forty-five bits more 'n what I would'a gotten on a normal day!"

Boarding the ship himself, he then yelled out to his meandering crew, "Time t'weigh anchor, boys! We're on to Griffonstone! Let's shove off!"

XXXXXX

Somewhere at sea, a few hours later…

"BLLUUUAAAARGHHH!"

So uttered Vaati as he leaned green-faced over the railing of their ship, having unleashed the last of his earlier breakfast. Twilight cringed as she heard said contents splash into the ocean waters beneath the vessel. Well, looks like he's in no shape for some practicing at the moment, she thought to herself with resignation.

"KAHAHAHAHA!" Captain Whilikers laughed behind the wheel. "Gettin' seasick already, laddie?"

Vaati shot a foul glare over his shoulder at the sea captain before he turned back around in preparation for another round of vomiting. Rover was somewhere down inside the ship, whimpering frantically to himself. The poor Diamond Dog had never seen so much water in his life, and it frankly scared him. Zecora was meditating, Chrysalis was brooding to herself about nothing in particular, and Ahuizotl was sleeping. Meanwhile, the Equestrian members of their ragtag group congregated on the deck, looking out over the ocean. Applejack hadn't said a word since they got on, and one could easily see that she was still grieving to herself in silence. Pinkie tried to cheer her up at one point, but then realized there really was no way to cheer somepony up from the death of a loved one. As she stared at the calming waters of the ocean, Daring Do happened to glance at her daughter and noticed that Rainbow had a rather troubled look on her face.

"What's eating at you, kid?" Daring asked.

Rainbow blinked in surprise at being addressed before meeting her mother's concerned glance. "Well…a couple years ago, I had this…friend of mine. We'd known each other since I met her at the Junior Speedsters' Flight Camp, when we were just fillies. Her name was Gilda, and she was a Griffon. She was the first friend I ever made." Rainbow's look turned a little sour. "Not long after I met Twilight and we all became the Elements of Harmony, Gilda paid a surprise visit to Ponyville. At first it was going great, but…"

Rainbow trailed off, unsure of how to put it into words.

"…buuut?" Daring prodded her.

Rainbow sighed at this. "I made new friends in Ponyville, but Gilda, she…she didn't have any other friends. She just had me, and…because of that, she didn't know how to share me with my new friends. She didn't get along with them, and it…well, it ultimately caused us to have a falling out."

Daring looked once more at the sea. "That's pretty rough. I can understand how both sides saw it, honestly, but…it's sad that you weren't able to patch things up."

Rainbow sighed yet again, resting her head on the rail. "Yeah…I mean, I was mad as Tartarus for how she treated them, especially Pinkie, but…I guess part of me understood what she was going through. But neither of us have tried talking to each other again. I guess it's because I'm still mad at her, but also because I feel a little guilty about it. I mean, I basically chose Pinkie and the others over her. I didn't really think about the idea that I could have both. Especially since I was the one approached her first, stopping a couple of bullies from antagonizing her before they even had the chance."

"And you're thinking about her because of our little trip to Griffonstone, right?" Daring asked.

Rainbow nodded. "I can't help but wonder…am I gonna see her again while we're there? What'll happen when we do? But…that's the better scenario. What if…what if something happened to her during Twinrova's takeover?"

Daring put a hoof on her daughter's shoulder. "Listen to me, sport; worrying about the future's never done anypony any good. The best we can do is keep on trucking and just hope for the best."

Rainbow managed a light chuckle. "Yeah…that's the kind of stuff I often tell myself."

"And when you do see this old friend of yours again, if I were you…I'd try giving her a second chance."

Rainbow stared forlornly at a nearing wave as it splashed harmlessly against the hull. "Maybe, but…if I do, will she even take it?"

"If she doesn't, that's her choice," Daring replied. "But you'll still have tried; you can't blame yourself for trying."

Mother and daughter looked at each other and shared a smile.

A smile that disappeared as the ship suddenly lurched without warning, as if struck by something beneath the water. "What in blazes was that?" Captain Whilikers muttered to himself as several members of his crew looked over the side of the ship, trying to see what it was the ship had struck.

"We must have hit a reef!" one of the sailor ponies cried.

Whilikers's brow furrowed. "No…I know these waters like the back 'o me hoof. There ain't no reefs out here."

"Maybe we hit a whale!" another sailor surmised out loud.

Fluttershy's hooves flew to her mouth. "Oh no! That poor dear!"

She spread out her wings in preparation to fly down by the water's edge and see if anything down there was hurt right before Vaati, still reeling from his seasickness, noticed something peculiar about the water. He could have sworn he was seeing volts of electricity churning the water directly beneath him. At this, Vaati realized what was going on, and threw himself away from the railing.

"Everyone, get away from the railings, NOW!" he yelled.

Everybody scrambled back in surprise. "Vaati, what's going on?!" Twilight cried.

"Something's attacking the ship!" Vaati declared.

Right as he said this, something round and about the size of a watermelon leapt out of the water and landed on the deck of the ship, gazing unblinkingly at everyone. Rainbow was the first to react after several moments of shocked silence. "You gotta be kidding me! Is that a giant eyeball?!"

Staring up at them was a melon-sized, disembodied eyeball that was secreting some kind of acidic green ooze from its body. Just then, another joined it from the depths, then another, and another, until at least twenty eyeballs faced them all down, clustering together defensively. With a start, Vaati recognized the monster in question, and then realized what was coming next.

"Bloody Dark World…he freaking sent Vitreous after us!" he murmured to himself right as another round shape exploded from the ocean and landed amongst its smaller brethren, this time an eye almost as large as Vaati's demon form.

All of the giant eyes together began secreting a protective glob of acid that slowly began eating into the wood. At this moment, Chrysalis, Rover, Zecora, and Ahuizotl emerged from belowdecks, having come to see what the commotion was about, and gasped or recoiled at the sight of the mass of disembodied eyeballs.

"What in Tartarus are those things?!" Chrysalis exclaimed.

"Giant disembodied eyeballs, I would imagine," Ahuizotl sarcastically replied.

"That, my comrades," Vaati explained as he regarded the monsters warily, "is Ganon's latest attempt to derail us. This is a monster that once made its home in the Misery Mire of the Dark World, before relocating to the southern swamps of Hyrule. A beast Hylians called Vitreous."

"IS SOMEPONY GONNA GET THESE THINGS OFF MY SHIP?!" Captain Whilikers abruptly shouted in a panic.

"Let's do it quick!" Vaati cried. "Before that thing's acid eats all the way through the hull!"

As if in response, Vitreous gave a silent command to its spawn, causing several of them to fly out of the acid pool towards Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rover. The three of them swiftly dodged, and the Vitriites retreated back into the main cluster. Vitreous itself glared right at Vaati, its pupil crackling with electricity. The Wind Mage raised a shield that warded off the incoming bolt of lightning cast from Vitreous's pupil.

"We need our weapons!" Rainbow cried out. "They're all belowdecks!"

"Then hurry up and go get them!" Vaati snapped. "The rest of you, help me keep this thing busy in the meantime!"

Rover, Chrysalis, Ahuizotl, and Daring all came up to Vaati's side as they stared down Vitreous and its offspring. Without further ado, Vaati assumed his demon form, snapping his claws. At Vitreous's silent behest, several of its young emerged from the acid pool and lunged at its gathered enemies. Vaati deftly swatted one of them away with a swing of his arm, and immediately regretted it, hissing at the feeling of the acid burning into his shadowy skin.

"Urgh…don't touch them!" he growled.

One came flying at Chrysalis, who thrust her horn outward, sending an emerald beam of Changeling magic at the flying eyeball. The creature exploded on contact, splattering its grisly innards all over the deck as Whilikers and his crewponies all ran for safety. Another tried to attack Rover, but the Diamond Dog backed up and crushed it flat with a sickening SPLORCH as he swung his mace. Incensed by the slaying of its young, Vitreous unleashed another bolt of lightning, this time at Chrysalis, who unfortunately didn't see the attack coming until it was too late. The electrical assault struck her with enough force to fling her into the wall of the captain's cabin, and she slumped to the ground, twitching feebly as unconsciousness claimed her.

Vaati swore to himself as Vitreous commanded more of its young to assault them. He knew he could easily destroy this thing if he allowed himself to cut loose; however, he also knew that doing so could have the added, and rather undesirable, effect of further damaging or even outright destroying the ship. Then another idea abruptly came to him; why not leave that work to something else?

With a flourish of his wings, Vaati summoned a horde of his Eye Sentries, which all gazed at him expectantly as they swarmed, awaiting instructions. Vaati pointed a golden claw at the opposing horde of wingless eyes as he spoke, "Destroy them! And take care not to damage the ship!"

With their orders delivered, the Eyebats unleashed a deadly rain of lasers at Vitreous and its brood. The enemy eyeballs proved to be surprisingly resilient under the assault, though it still ultimately claimed several more before the others flew upward, tackling the Eyebats in midair and crushing their smaller, more fragile bodies. However, the Sentries outnumbered the Vitriites two to one, and thus the survivors continued their relentless assault, managing to slay several more Vitriites before the broodmother decided that enough was enough. Unleashing a gurgling roar, Vitreous let out a huge discharge of electricity that wiped out a majority of the Eyebats, the few lucky survivors collapsing onto the deck and twitching pathetically. The remaining Vitriites, immune to electricity, turned their attention back towards Vaati and the others. Vaati counted that there were five Vitriites left as they zeroed in on him and his cohorts.

Thinking quickly, Ahuizotl seized a nearby barrel of grog in his tail-hand and threw it at the nearest Vitriite, which was crushed before it even knew what happened.

"ARGH! Not me grog!" Captain Whilikers bemoaned from his hiding space.

Vaati prepared to summon more Eyebats to do his bidding. However, it seemed Vitreous had been waiting for this, as the moment Vaati looked away to concentrate on the spell, the opposing eyeball disgorged another lightning bolt, and Vaati's body seized up as thousands of volts coursed through his veins. All he could do was let out a strangled gasp of pain right before Vitreous detached itself from its acid pool and body slammed the disabled Wind Mage, smashing him against the deck.

Meanwhile, Chrysalis slowly slowly came to and shook her head to get the blurriness out of her vision. Damn, that had hurt. As her vision began to clear, she looked up just in time to see a Vitriite bearing down on her, its body slick with that foul acid.

And then the eyeball was knocked aside as a crossbow bolt struck it in its side. Chrysalis blinked as she saw Fluttershy awkwardly looking away as she reloaded, her now-armed friends beside her.

"I had that under control, you know," the Changeling queen indignantly snapped as she shakily stood.

Fluttershy wilted under Chrysalis's reproachful gaze. "O-oh, um…I'm s-s-sorry…"

"About time you showed up, kiddo!" Daring exclaimed with a grin.

Rainbow Dash grinned back as she brandished her spear. "These chumps are gonna need a lot more than just eyedrops when we're through with 'em! HYAAAAH!"

Letting loose her battle cry, Rainbow plunged her spear into the nearest Vitriite, flinging its corpse into the ocean. Pinkie easily dodged another and chopped it in half with her axe. Another lunged at Twilight, but found itself lodged on the business end of her halberd. The last one came after Rarity, but was stopped cold by a hail of sharpened gems. Shuddering as she dislodged the ruined eyeball from her weapon, Twilight whipped her head around. "Where's Vaati?!" she cried.

She was answered by a sudden lurch of the ship as the momentum of Vitreous slamming into Vaati yet again rocked it side to side. The gigantic, slime-covered eyeball had apparently electrified its whole body, as Vaati was helplessly convulsing on the ground, unable to overcome the sustained voltage ripping through his insides with each impact. But just as Vitreous was preparing to ram Vaati again, it was suddenly struck by an energy beam courtesy of Twilight. The giant eyeball turned towards her, its unblinking gaze now centered directly on the group of small ponies staring it down. Abandoning Vaati, Vitreous hopped after the Mane Six, the ship rocking back and forth at the large creature's movement. Fluttershy loosed another bolt, but the eyeball only stopped a moment before continuing forward, the shaft sticking out close to the pupil and oozing a nasty green ichor. Twilight hit it with another beam, followed by Rarity, and then Chrysalis. Rainbow threw her spear like a javelin, the spear embedding itself deep inside Vitreous's body. But the monster's body was deceptively resilient, and though it was slowed by this combined assault, it wasn't ready to give up just yet. The giant eyeball abruptly leapt high into the air, intending to slam into the ship's hull with enough force to leave a hole big enough to sink the whole ship. But just as it was about to allow gravity to seize hold of it again, a huge beam of dark energy struck it midair, blasting the monster to smithereens. Rainbow's spear miraculously survived, clattering onto the deck where Rainbow retrieved it.

Everyone looked down to see that Vaati had recovered, and was absolutely livid. Noticing how angry he looked, Twilight hesitantly asked, "V-Vaati? Are you alright…?"

"I could have easily killed that thing the moment it got on the ship!" Vaati snarled, mostly to himself. "That wretch was a lesser beast compared to me! And yet I couldn't afford to use the full extent of my power, and as a result, that bastard got the upper hand on me!"

Though they couldn't see it, it was obvious the sorcerer was gnashing his (currently nonexistent) teeth in abject frustration, and they finally realized what was up. His pride had been stung by his inability to defeat Vitreous on his own.

Stifling back a relieved laugh, Twilight said, "O-okay, let's just get this place cleaned up, guys! Hopefully it'll be smooth sailing from here!"

The next hour or two was spent cleaning up the globs of acid Vitreous had left behind in its wake, as well as patching up a few holes that had been caused by the fighting. All the while, Vaati quietly seethed to himself, trying to nurse his stinging pride. Unbeknownst to him, Chrysalis was pretty much going through the same thing, aggravated about having been so thoroughly blindsided by a physically-inferior foe and requiring the Equestrians to save her skin. They were both given a wide berth for the rest of the day.

XXXXXX

"You failed, Twilight Sparkle. You failed your test."

Twilight recoiled at the harshness in her teacher's tone. "W-what? But I…I-I don't u-understand! I studied so hard! How could I have failed?!"

Celestia turned to look down at her student, but there was nothing but disappointment and…hatred in her eyes. "I had high hopes for you. Such high hopes. I thought, after my last few failures, I had finally found somepony worthy of achieving the next stage of your studies. But I was wrong. Again."

Twilight spluttered as her mind raced, thinking of something, ANYTHING, that would salvage the situation. "B-but…I…! P-please, Princess! I-isn't there any w-way I can m-m-make it up to you?! I-I'll study twice as hard! I promise!"

Celestia shook her head and turned away. "No, Sparkle. You've already proven to me that you are not worthy of the path I had set in store for you. You're just like my last student. But you already know a great deal about magic…too much for somepony to know that walks freely in Equestria without my guidance. Your studies are henceforth revoked, Twilight Sparkle. And furthermore, I hereby BANISH you from Equestria. I don't ever want to see you in my lands again."

Twilight's whole body went cold as her heart froze at what she had just been told. Her studies…over? Banished? It couldn't be! Tears spilled from her eyes as Twilight choked back a sob, unaware of the two guards that had come up behind her.

"Get her out of here," Celestia coldly commanded, not even looking at Twilight.

Twilight finally registered the two guards that were now escorting her towards the door, and immediately recognized one of them. "S-Shiny, I…" she whimpered.

Without looking at her, her older brother said, "I have nothing to say to you."

Her heart, already broken, now shattered into a million tiny fragments. Even her own brother wanted nothing to do with her now. What about her friends? As she thought about them, the door before her opened, and she found herself in the Canterlot Castle courtyard. Her friends all stood on either side, Applejack, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Spike on one side, Rarity, Pinkie, and Vaati on the other. All of them were shooting her scathing, disappointed looks. Seeing looks of such hatred on her friends' faces as they glared at her made Twilight want to lie down, curl herself up into a ball, and disappear. She averted her eyes, unable to meet those horrible stares.

"Ah knew we shouldn't 've took her back after the whole weddin' mess," Applejack suddenly said.

Twilight felt her breath hitch in her throat as she passed the farmpony.

"Agreed," Rarity added. "That should have been our red flag before, that she couldn't be trusted."

Twilight gulped, but dared not look up, squeezing her eyes shut as tears fell down her cheeks. She kept walking with her head hung low as she passed by each one of her…former friends.

"I can't believe we let somepony like her be our friend for so long!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"Yeah! Good for nothing, party pooping little egghead!" Pinkie jeered nastily. "I knew she was trouble!"

"I'm sorry, Twilight Sparkle," Fluttershy said in her usual quiet voice, but somehow didn't sound sorry at all. "But I don't want to be your friend anymore."

"Hmph, guess I got the library all to myself now," Spike scoffed. "Maybe I can be Princess Celestia's new student…ha! Imagine that!"

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a familiar pair of five-toed feet clad in red sandals, and she dared to stop and look up at the silent sorcerer and meet that wicked glare. He said nothing. For a long while, she just stared, willing him to say something, ANYTHING, she didn't care anymore what. The silence was even worse than all the jeers in the world. But he remained silent, uncaring. She finally hung her head again as she slowly walked past him, and after she had gotten a few feet ahead, she finally heard him speak.

"May you never again find friendship, Twilight Sparkle."

And she ran. As she left her friends, her family, her whole life behind, the unicorn bawled freely, not even paying attention to where she was going. She just had to get far away, because she was no longer welcome in Equestria.

She was alone.

Not alone.

Twilight's eyes flew open at the unexpected voice, and she skidded to a halt right before she could fall off the edge of an unexpected cliff that led into a burning chasm below. She recoiled slightly at the sight; it was like looking down into Tartarus itself.

Never alone.

Through her tears, Twilight could see a shape emerging from the abyss of fire and shadow below her. A horned, heart-shaped head turned upward, wicked eyes boring unblinkingly into her soul as two long arms stretched out, as though beckoning her into an embrace. Countless tentacles writhed from and below the figure as it held out its arms. So deep in despair was she that she found the sight almost…inviting.

Join us.

Twilight found herself leaning precariously over the pit.

No one is ever alone…in hell.

And as the horrific laughter began, she fell, and she was swallowed by the darkness.

XXXXXX

Twilight let out a loud, strangled gasp for air as she catapulted awake, sitting bolt upright in her hammock. The memories of her nightmare came back full-force, and Twilight put a hoof to her mouth as she let out a muffled whine. For a few minutes, she silently cried to herself, for it seemed that everyone else in the cargo hold was still asleep. No one was awake to comfort her.

She was alone.

Twilight did not fall asleep again for the rest of the night.

XXXXXX

The next morning…

"LAND HO!" a pegasus pony cried from his position atop the crow's nest.

Captain Whilikers opened his spyglass and peered through it towards the distant landmass.

"Aye," he murmured to himself. "That be Griffon territory, alright." He then looked up at the giant winged eye continuing to blow wind into his sails. "Alright there, matey! I think that'll do her! We can take it from 'ere!"

Without a word, Vaati transformed back into his Hylian form and floated onto the deck. "Thanks for that, lad!" the captain congratulated. "I think that shaved a good few hours off our voyage!"

Vaati waved him off. "I did it out of impatience, not goodwill. Let's just get there and get this leg of our journey over with."

The captain sighed and refocused his attention on finding a safe place to make port. Thankfully, as the landmass neared, they sighted a port city and sailed towards it. Vaati glanced around at everyone milling about on deck as they watched the last stage of their voyage wind down, and then noticed that someone was missing.

"Hey, anyone seen Twilight?" Vaati spoke up.

The rest of the Mane Six glanced about in search of their missing number, but when they didn't see her, Rarity said, "If she's not up here, then she must be belowdecks, darling."

Something about that sounded off to the Wind Mage. Rarely was Twilight ever separated from her friends when they were around. Resolving to get to the bottom of this, Vaati took his leave and ventured into the cargo hold where the crew and whatever passengers they took on slept. It wasn't long before he found the mare he was looking for, but he did not like what he saw. Twilight was laying on her back in her hammock, staring forlornly up at the ceiling and looking utterly exhausted.

Did she not get any sleep last night? Vaati wondered to himself.

"Hey," he spoke up, snapping her out of her trance. "You alright there? You look miserable."

Twilight shivered, even though it was relatively warm inside the ship. "I…I-I had a really bad nightmare last night."

Now THAT caught Vaati's attention. "A nightmare? But you haven't even gotten your Element back yet! How…?"

"I-I don't know," Twilight answered. "I thought it had something to do with the Elements, but now I'm not so sure."

"So…what happened?"

Fighting back tears, Twilight replied, "I-I don't want to talk about it."

Vaati nodded his head, understanding her hesitance. "Alright," he said, turning to leave. "Just so you know, we're getting close to the Griffon Kingdom. You might want to get yourself ready."

But just as he was about to take a step forward, he felt something wrap around his legs. "Whu…?"

The sorcerer looked down to see that Twilight was hugging him tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Two years ago, I didn't even know you existed," she spoke softly. "Now I can't imagine a day without you." She looked up at him with big, watery eyes that could crush the souls of lesser men as she sniffed. "Please don't ever leave me."

Vaati's brow furrowed. Just how bad had Twilight's nightmare been?

Vaati turned around and knelt down to her eye level, forcing her to relinquish her hold on him. "Twilight Sparkle," he gently chastised. "I'm mortified you'd ever think I'd do something like that. How could I turn my back on you when you've been there for me when I needed it most? You were the first friend I ever made in all of my miserable existence. When I felt like I was alone in the world, you were there to prove me wrong. You were the one who paved the way for my new life here. Din's Fire, you were the one who saved my life when I first wound up here! You would never abandon me, Twilight, and you can guarantee I'll never abandon you either."

Twilight looked into his red eyes, and found nothing but pure, honest truth in them. Applejack would be proud. Twilight managed a smile. "You know, when the Changelings crashed my brother's wedding, and I was sent deep into the caverns underneath Canterlot, I thought all my friends had betrayed me. I thought I was alone. But you proved me wrong. You stood by me even when the others didn't. I…I love my friends like they were sisters, but…you…" Twilight trailed off, thinking hard on how to put her thoughts into words. "What you and I have is something truly special. As much as I love the others, I think you and I are even closer than that. I don't know if I should feel bad for that, but…it's the truth, Vaati. You're one of the most important people in my life, and I-I don't ever want that to change."

Vaati could not help the strange feeling that swelled up in his chest at her words. It coursed through every inch of his body, filling him with a kind of warmth he couldn't explain. But he knew there was a word for it. A simple word, but it carried power unlike anything a mere spell could conjure.

"I love you, Vaati," Twilight said.

Smiling as he attempted to rein in his emotions, Vaati embraced his truest, dearest friend in a hug as he whispered in her ear, "I love you too, Twilight."

XXXXXX

About half an hour later, the ship finally docked at the port city of Griffonshore. As his crew prepared the ship, Captain Whilikers approached Vaati and asked, "So, how long d'ye need me to wait for ye?"

"Give us a week," Vaati informed him. "Though we'll probably be back sooner than that. With all of us together, Twinrova shouldn't be too much of a problem."

The captain nodded. "If ye say so, lad."

The sorcerer turned towards his gathered companions. "Everyone ready?"

All of them nodded wordlessly. "Alright," Vaati said. "Let's get going."

Vaati and his cohorts left the ship and entered the main part of the city, and they quickly noticed that the whole city seemed deserted. There wasn't a soul in sight.

"Where is everybody?" Twilight whispered, her voice carrying nonetheless.

Glancing back and forth suspiciously, Vaati replied, "Twinrova may have rounded up the Griffons living here too."

But before any of them could think of a reply, a horde of Griffons abruptly sprang out of hiding places inside houses and atop rooftops, all of them carrying weapons, all of which were now trained on the motley group of startled intruders. "Lay down your arms or you're all dead!" one Griffon clad in obsidian armor that looked too high-quality to belong to a common soldier barked.

Vaati and his companions were shocked into silence, a silence that was abruptly broken as a younger-looking Griffon lowered her bow as she recognized one of them, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Dash?!"

Rainbow couldn't hold back the scowl that creased her face.

"Hello, Gilda."

To Be Continued…
> Episode 17: The Regaining of Laughter Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 17: The Regaining of Laughter Part 2 – The Battle For Griffonstone

The air, already thick with tension, seemed to tighten further as the pegasus and Griffon recognized each other.

"What the buck are you doing here?!" Gilda demanded.

"We're here to help your feathery, ungrateful butts!" Rainbow retorted. "So how 'bout you lower your weapons and let us do that?!"

The ornately-armored Griffon glanced between Rainbow and Gilda. "Private, you know these people?"

Gilda scoffed. "Yeah. Some of 'em. At least I thought I did, till I got kicked to the curb cuz my best friend found better friends."

"You forced me to choose, Gilda!" Rainbow snapped. "And you'd been nothing but horrible to my other friends, especially Pinkie, who was just trying to be nice! What the heck was I supposed to do?!"

"Enough!" the armored Griffon shouted. "Settle down, Private Gilda! Alright, now it's time for you to explain yourselves."

Vaati glared at the Griffon, who was obviously a commander of some kind. "Lower your weapons and perhaps we will."

The commander matched the sorcerer's glare. "The last stranger that came here brought an army with her, murdered our king, and enslaved our people! We have every right to suspect you of being the Witch's servants!"

Vaati bared his teeth. "I assure you, Twinrova is no master of ours. We came here specifically to kill the old hag, as she happens to have one of the Elements of Harmony in her possession, which we need in order to defeat Twinrova's master, Ganon. So if you would be so kind as to point us in the direction of Griffonstone and step aside, we'll be on our way."

"The Witch is a Griffon matter," the commander coldly replied. "We do not need the help of strangers, much less that of Equestrians and their insufferable hero complexes. We can handle this ourselves."

Vaati sneered. "Really? Because you certainly handled it beautifully when she sacked your city and usurped your king, right? Phenomenal work."

The commander's eyes narrowed. "We were not expecting such an attack. But we're almost ready to strike back. Everygriffon who managed to escape imprisonment has fled here to regroup, and we're all going to take back Griffonstone or die trying!"

"With dying being the likelier outcome," Vaati scoffed derisively. "You underestimate her. Twinrova is actually the fused body of two sister witches, both of whom have been alive for centuries. Bloody Dark World, they're almost as old as I am! They were crafty from the start, and it was they who raised Ganon to become the tyrant he is. Trust me when I say she is likely prepared for whatever counterstrike you pull."

"How do you know so much about the Witch anyway, if you're not one of her henchmen?" Gilda demanded.

"Because she and the Moblins that serve her are all from the same world I come from, and Hyrule's pretty good at keeping track of its history," Vaati answered smugly. "Now, if you're all done asking questions, move aside. I will not ask again."

Twilight immediately detected the dangerous edge in Vaati's voice. If something wasn't done quickly, there could very likely be a fight, as Griffons were well-known for their hot tempers. Clearing her throat, she stepped forward and spoke up, "Um…if I may, gentlecolts?"

The commander turned towards her, and she forced herself not to be daunted by his distrusting glare. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. I'm Princess Celestia's personal student, and also the bearer of the Element of Magic, and I can assure you that we only want to help you, as Twinrova is holding the Element of Laughter on Ganon's orders. I would go so far as to say she's expecting us, but what she might not expect is all of us working together. Please listen to us; we only want to help."

The commander was silent for several moments before he finally glanced at Gilda. "You said you used to know these ponies, Private. You think they're telling the truth?"

Gilda glared hard at all of them, focusing especially on Rainbow. Rainbow glared back, and deep down, she was worried that Gilda would go so far as to lie just to get them further into trouble.

Gilda suddenly sighed and closed her eyes. "Yeah, they probably are. Dash always likes playing 'hero'."

The Mane Six all released sighs of relief as the commander silently nodded, signaling his soldiers to lower their weapons, convinced now that these strangers were not a threat. The commander cleared his throat and said, "My name is Captain Grolm of the Royal Guard. Because King Galdoria is dead, Chancellor Geoffrey has been imprisoned, and Prince Garrett is too young to take charge himself, I am in command of the Griffon Kingdom's combat operations."

With the tension somewhat lifted, Vaati went about his own introductions. "I am Vaati the Wind Mage. These here are Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Daring Do, Ahuizotl, Rover, Zecora, and Chrysalis."

"QUEEN Chrysalis, dammit!" the irate Changeling queen fumed.

"As we've said, we're here to retrieve the Element of Laughter from Twinrova's grasp," Vaati continued. "Since both our respective parties have our own beefs with the witch, I suppose Twilight is right. We should work together. After all, Griffons in general lack the ability to harness magic, and Twinrova is a powerful sorceress. You could definitely use some magical firepower on your side. Plus, we have information about Twinrova and her minions that you don't that is certain to prove useful."

Grolm's eyes darted over every member of Vaati's group before he asked, "And the others with you…can they be trusted?"

Chrysalis glared at him. "The fact that I'm a Changeling in plain sight isn't proof enough for you?"

"Point taken," Grolm conceded.

"To answer your question about our presence here," Zecora said. "From us, you have absolutely nothing to fear. We came because Ganon threatens us all, and each of us has felt the sting of his thrall."

"He imprisoned my fellow Dogs in our own dungeons too," Rover added. "And filled our mines with monsters."

"He unleashed an infestation of monsters in my hive, and they almost devoured my people," Chrysalis spoke up. "While I will not say we are friends of the Equestrians, we are all united by a common enemy. And Ganon is your enemy too, for Twinrova is but one of many of his servants, and she is essentially ruling over your people on his behalf."

"A puppet dictator," Grolm clarified with disdain. "The king was overthrown by a bloody puppet dictator! That just adds insult to injury…"

His fellow Griffons all murmured in agreement. Grolm then refocused his attention on Vaati and said, "Come with us. We'll take you to our main headquarters."

XXXXXX

The headquarters in question was located in a large house that apparently belonged to the governor of Griffonshores. Numerous Griffons, some of which were wearing armor, looked up from whatever they were doing to salute their commander as he and his entourage passed by, throwing curious, and often suspicious glances at Vaati and his companions, which they pointedly ignored. The whole time, Gilda and Rainbow silently glared at each other.

Soon, they stopped at a door, after which Grolm turned towards his guests. "This is the room we're using to plan our strategy for retaking Griffonstone. I take it you're the leader of this group, right?"

Vaati nodded curtly. Behind him, Chrysalis glared daggers into his back for daring to suggest that he had any authority over her.

"Then you can join us in here, and we'll see what help you can actually offer us. In the meantime, your friends here can go and rest up. We have a few spare beds. Private, show them where."

Gilda looked like she wanted to protest, but thought better of it as she grudgingly replied, "Yessir."

Vaati shared a glance with the others before following Grolm into their strategy room, the doors slamming shut behind them. Gilda shot them all a foul look, especially towards Rainbow, as she said through gritted teeth, "This way."

All of them wordlessly followed the disgruntled Griffon youth over to the room in question. It turned out there were only seven beds, not enough for all of them. Before anyone could say anything, Chrysalis trotted past them and sprawled out over one of the empty beds. "I claim this bed in the name of the Changelings," she intoned.

Make that six beds.

All of them gave the petty Changeling queen a look, while Rainbow opted to mutter, "Really?"

"There's not enough beds for all of us," Rarity mused. "Either some of us sleep on the floor, or we share."

"I do not mind sleeping on the floor," Ahuizotl spoke up, glancing at Daring Do. "Besides, they are too small for me anyway."

"Whatever," Gilda sourly replied before turning away. "Not my problem anymore."

Without another word, the young Griffon stalked off. Rainbow glared daggers into her former friend's back until she was out of sight, and then slowly deflated with a heavy sigh. Daring had quietly been taking note of the entire exchange between the two, and quickly trotted up to her daughter's side and laid a comforting hoof on her shoulder.

"That could've gone better," Daring admitted.

Rainbow bowed her head and sighed again. "Yeah, I know. I just…sometimes I let my anger get the better of me. I knew she'd be sore about it still. I mean, Griffons can hold pretty strong grudges after all. Just like how they get really, really attached to people they care about. I…I betrayed her, Mom. The last time we saw one another, I let my anger get the better of me and I basically told her we weren't friends anymore. I know I could have handled it differently, but I didn't want to think about it because that would mean admitting I was too hasty."

Daring smirked despite herself. "When we get used to going fast, we sometimes forget that our brains work at a different pace than our bodies. I know I've had to learn that lesson a few times before it really stuck."

Rainbow finally turned towards Daring. "I-I'm not ready, Mom. I'm too ashamed to confront her, and maybe that's why I feel so angry. I'm mad at myself, not her."

"My advice, kid? Don't rush things. I know that's a hard thing to say to the fastest pony in the world, but…"

The two pegasi shared a laugh in spite of themselves. After it subsided, Daring said, "All that aside, what I'm saying is, give her some time to think about what's happening. She obviously never expected to see you again. I'm positive that, given enough time, she may become more approachable, or better yet, she might approach you. Real friendships don't get broken so easily, and I can tell you and she were really close."

Rainbow scoffed to herself. "Look at me; Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty. I've tussled with dragons, monsters, gods, and the freaking undead, and yet I'm scared of trying to reconcile with a friend I turned my back on."

"Nobody's perfect, Dash."

Rainbow couldn't help herself. "But I'm so darn close it scares me."

Daring chuckled and ruffled her daughter's hair.

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, Gilda's mind whirled as she stumbled aimlessly through the Griffon base.

Why? Why did she have to come here?!

She leaned against a wall, ignoring the stares sent her way by passersby. I was so close to getting over her! And now she comes back and I can't bucking think straight!

The young Griffon gritted her teeth. It's not fair! First she dumps me for those stupid new friends of hers, and then she comes back just to rub it in my face!

She needed fresh air. The hallways were just too stifling for her. Wordlessly, Gilda stomped through the base until she reached the balcony, looking out over the horizon of a sun that wasn't even theirs. Stupid ponies, and their bucking hero complexes! We don't need them! I don't need her! I don't! I don't! I…

That was what she had been trying to remind herself for years. She had lied constantly to herself until she had actually started to believe it. And then in one moment, her self-deception had unraveled. She still missed Dash; the scars of her betrayal ran far deeper than she had wanted to acknowledge, and Gilda was unable to make any new friends to heal that lonely ache in her chest.

Gilda saw her vision blur, and she hissed to herself, "S-stop it, you baby! Don't let 'em s-see you cry…"

That was what her Grampa Gruff always told her. But the pain was too much. Gilda's only relief was that no one was around to hear the long, low whine that escaped her throat as she leaned her head against the guardrail, unable to stop the flowing tears that stained her feathered cheeks.

XXXXXX

Inside the strategy room…

Vaati watched as Grolm unraveled a large map and laid it down on the table that sat in the middle of the room. "This is a map of Griffonstone," Grolm informed the Hylian mage. "Unfortunately, we haven't been able to gather much intel about key enemy positions because every time somegriffon gets close…"

Grolm trailed off, and after a moment, Vaati impatiently asked, "Well, what happens when they get close?"

Grolm responded by pointing at several points on the map, all of which were situated on the borders of the Griffon capital. "The enemy has constructed numerous ballistae in key spots all across the city borders. Nogriffon can get close because they're forced to pull back if they aren't shot down first. We lost a lot of good warriors in our last few sorties."

Regarding the positions of the ballistae the commander had indicated with a critical eye, Vaati said, "You let me take care of those. I know how I can disable them before they can endanger your forces."

Grolm's eyebrows furrowed. "How?"

"You'll see," Vaati replied dismissively. "Now, here's what I'm suggesting we do. I don't know whether or not Twinrova is expecting us to work together, but I can tell you that I suspect she is unaware of the full extent of my magical capabilities. So, you let me take care of the ballistae. Immediately after they fall, you start your attack. Moblins aren't terribly smart, so they'll be at a loss for what to do for several moments. Our priority is to reach the castle and defeat Twinrova. You leave her to us and focus on securing your city. You know it better than we do."

Grolm mulled over this proposal for a few minutes before he finally admitted, "Alright, I think it's an acceptable course of action. I think we should pull this off at nighttime, when it's harder for them to see us."

"Indeed," Vaati acknowledged. "Another weakness of the Moblins is that their eyesight isn't all that great either. When do you plan on attacking?"

"Tonight, if you and your friends are up for it," Grolm answered matter-of-factly.

Vaati smirked. "Good; I'm a rather impatient man."

XXXXXX

Once the meeting between Vaati and Grolm concluded, word traveled quickly about the impending attack that would take place that night. Countless Griffon soldiers hurriedly strapped on their armor and checked their weapons. This wasn't another sortie; this was it. The battle that would decide the fate of Griffonstone and all of Griffonkind.

Chrysalis in particular was rather annoyed that she would not get to enjoy the nice bed she had commandeered, but grudgingly got up nevertheless. As Vaati found his companions, he was immediately bombarded with questions from the Mane Six.

"Vaati, what's going on?" Twilight asked worriedly.

"Everyone looks like they're readying for war!" Rarity exclaimed. "Is the base about to be attacked?!"

"Are we gonna go fight Twinrova now?" Rainbow demanded.

Vaati held up an exasperated hand to quiet them. "We're attacking Griffonstone tonight. After I deal with some ballistae, the Griffons will move in and draw the Moblins' attention away from us as much as they can. We will make for the palace and confront Twinrova there. Hopefully, once she's defeated, the Blins will be smart enough to stand down."

"How do you plan on dealing with the ballistae?" Daring asked.

Vaati smirked knowingly. "Eye Sentries, of course."

XXXXXX

Griffonstone, that evening…

A lone Moblin slowly paced the outer wall of Griffonstone, peering out into the darkness of the night. Though a torch burned nearby, it wasn't enough to penetrate the shadows. Nearby, a pair of Bokoblins manned a rather crude ballista, always ready to strike. None of them could see the invisible Eyebat as it flittered towards the ballista with devious intent. The Bokoblin tasked with aiming the ballista didn't see the tiny demon decloak until it was too late. The silent night was ruptured by an explosion that reduced the ballista to splinters. Before anyone could even comprehend what had just happened, all the other ballistae, one by one, spontaneously exploded in a similar fashion. Moblins shouted in their guttural tongue as they tried to make sense of the sudden events.

And then, to the sound of hundreds of beating wings, a horde of Griffon warriors emerged from the darkness, screeching and cawing battle cries as they attacked the still-recovering Moblins, killing many before they could even reach their weapons. Eventually, however, the remaining Blins seized their weapons, and the battle for Griffonstone began in earnest.

From their vantage point, Vaati, in his demon form, and his allies watched the battle unfold in the city. Unfurling his many wings, Vaati declared, "Now!"

The motley crew of ponies and non-ponies followed the giant winged eye into the city. Once they were inside the wall, Pinkie whipped her head around, taking in the state of the buildings around her. "Did Griffonstone always look like this?" she wondered out loud.

"Does it really matter?" Vaati snapped irritably.

Twilight looked around as well. "I don't know…I remember reading about Griffons after Gilda's, um…visit, a couple of years ago, and the book said that Griffonstone was the jewel of the Griffon Kingdom thanks to something called the Idol of Boreas. But the way it looks now…I don't know if all this disrepair was caused by the Moblins. A lot of this damage looks old."

"Can we contemplate this another time?!" Vaati demanded. "We've got an evil witch to slay!"

"Yeah!" Rainbow added. "I just wanna get this all over with already!"

"Vaati's right," Twilight said. "Let's do this!"

With a rousing cry, they all charged towards the palace in the center of the city, passing by numerous houses situated on trees as well as on the ground. Occasionally a Moblin or two would see them and attack, but these were easily dealt with without even breaking stride.

When they reached the palace, they stopped.

The "palace" was a crumbling ruin, and the throne room was exposed to the entirety of the city. Spiderwebs and fungus covered the ancient wood, showing its poor condition. Six statues of horned warriors were arranged in a line on either side of the throne. And sitting in the old throne was the sorceress of fire and ice herself, Twinrova.

The Gerudo witch lounged on her ill-gotten throne, flashing them all a smug, utterly confident grin. Her mascara-lined eyes regarded them all with a predatory glint that reminded them all too much of a cat that had just caught the canary.

"Well, well, well," Twinrova greeted. "I was waiting for you and your entourage to make a dramatic entrance. And you didn't disappoint."

"It's over, you old hag," Vaati announced boldly. "You're outnumbered and outclassed. Make it easier on yourself and hand the Element of Laughter over."

Twinrova laughed as though Vaati had just told her a hilarious joke. "That's why I brought these, fool."

Suddenly the statues collectively shuddered, surprising the heroes. After a few moments, Vaati cursed under his breath.

"Bloody Armos Knights…"

Twinrova leaned forward and rested her chin in her hand, that smug grin never leaving her face. "Did you really expect me not to prepare accordingly for our little confrontation? I knew very well I wouldn't be a match for all of you on my own. So I brought a few friends of my own."

The very word "Armos" brought feelings of anger and annoyance to the Wind Mage, for Armos were originally Minish-built statues built to serve as guardians of the Palace of Winds. It had taken him weeks to remove the cursed things from the Palace so they wouldn't threaten his monsters, as they were surprisingly resilient. And then others went on to build their own versions of the damned things, improving upon them and creating veritable juggernauts. Vaati had no doubts that these Armos Knights would be even more annoying that the Armos he had dealt with centuries ago.

Twinrova stood from her throne, and she towered over all of them, standing a full two heads taller than Ganondorf. "While my pets deal with your friends, you, sorcerer, will have the honor of dying by my hand personally," Twinrova sneered as two wands appeared in her hands, one radiating fire magic, the other ice. "You will suffer for getting in my son's way, wretch. You had better pray your death is…"

"Wow! So you're Ganon's mom?!" Pinkie Pie abruptly chirped as she spontaneously appeared over Twinrova's shoulder, startling the sorceress. "No wonder he's so big! And he's got your big nose too, and…"

"GET OFF OF ME!" Twinrova shrieked angrily, whirling around to try and blast Pinkie in the face with a fireball.

"So what was raising the big bad King of Evil like?" Pinkie continued to ramble as she somehow reappeared right between Twinrova's legs. "Did he cry a lot? Did he play with a lot of toys? What was it like changing his diapers?"

Pinkie dove beneath Twinrova as she tried to freeze the pink mare solid, relying on her Pinkie Sense to outwit the frustrated witch. "Did he get into lots of trouble? I mean, I know that he's supposed to be the King of Evil and all that, so that must mean he got into a lot of trouble, but do you remember anything specific? Do you have any baby photos of him?" Pinkie suddenly emerged yet again on Twinrova's shoulder, this time on the opposite side. "I bet he was so adorable!"

Pinkie squeezed her cheeks together and made a duck face, complete with a 'squee' sound. Twinrova's eye twitched once before she screamed, "Enough talk, you noisy pack animal!"

But Pinkie effortlessly dodged again, but it was not Twinrova's attack she was trying to dodge. Before Twinrova could recover, she was hit full in the face with Vaati's eye beam attack, smashing her into the Griffon throne and causing a medium-sized explosion. Once the smoke cleared, they saw Twinrova lying amidst a pile of rubble in a daze. The aching sorceress shakily lifted a finger from where she lay and wheezed, "Get them…"

And then the Armos Knights activated themselves.

The six animated statues all rose into the air in formation. Vaati and his compatriots readied themselves as the Armos Knights struck. One tried to flatten Applejack, but she leapt aside, and the golem slammed into the ground where she had just been. Applejack bucked it as hard as she could, but aside from knocking it a few feet away from her, she didn't seem to cause it any damage. The Armos Knight was suddenly hit in the face with a magical beam courtesy of Twilight, but again, it had little effect on it.

Another Armos Knight tried to zero in on Chrysalis, but she blasted it away with a well-placed energy beam. She growled under her breath when she failed to do any damage. As she dodged another Armos Knight, Rainbow cried out, "They're not going down!"

She failed to see the Armos Knight hovering directly over her head before it came down.

"NO!"

Rainbow was suddenly pushed out of the way before the golem could crush her. With shocked surprise, Rainbow recognized her savior.

"Gilda?!"

The young Griffon rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Who'd ya think, doofus, King Grover?"

Gilda whipped her head around towards the Armos she had just saved Rainbow from, and noticed something rather peculiar. Situated in the Armos Knight's back was a glowing red stone that disappeared as the Armos Knight turned around. "Didja see that?" Gilda asked.

"See what?" Rainbow asked, still reeling from how her former friend had saved her.

"Of course ya didn't," Gilda sighed. "Look, those things got a weakness, some kinda glowing stone in their backs! Distract this bozo so I got a clear shot at him!"

Deciding not to question it, Rainbow nodded before turning her attention towards the Armos Knight. "HEY, UGLY! Over here!" she declared, waving her hoof.

As the Armos Knight barreled towards her, Gilda flew behind it and drew back her bow, aiming for the Armos Knight's weak point. She then let her arrow fly, and her aim was true, the arrow piercing the orb and cracking it. Suddenly the golem began spinning rapidly as it hopped randomly about before exploding, sending chunks of rock flying everywhere.

Vaati, seeing this, cried out, "Everyone! Their weakness is the stone on their backs! Aim for those!"

Right after he said this, the giant eye suddenly felt an explosion of pain in his forehead as an Armos Knight stomped down on him, knocking him to the ground in a heap. "Ugh," Vaati groaned, momentarily dazed.

Ahuizotl used all three of his hands to hold one Armos Knight in place while Chrysalis blasted the stone on its back to smithereens, destroying a second one. Another Armos Knight was taken down by the combined efforts of Zecora with her potions and Rover with his mace. A fourth met its end courtesy of Twilight magically pinning it in place while Fluttershy shot a bolt into its back. The fifth golem was undone by Rarity's throwing gems while Daring Do had distracted it.

Twinrova groaned, her body throbbing with pain as she willed herself to begin moving. The explosions she was hearing told her that her Armos Knights weren't faring very well without her. Gritting her teeth, the Gerudo sorceress grunted as she began to force herself into a sitting position.

"So what was Ganon like as a kid?" she heard as a familiar horrendously-pink equine face obscured her vision. "Was he a huge brat like Diamond Tiara used to be? Or didya have to teach him how to be evil? And on that note, why would you teach your kid to be a bad guy? That doesn't sound like good parenting at all!"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" Twinrova screeched, readying a fireball and an ice spell at the same time.

Pinkie's tail abruptly twitched, causing her to shrug. "Suit yourself!" she chirped a little too cheerfully, removing herself from Twinrova's sight.

And replacing it with the view of the bottom of an Armos Knight right before it slammed down on her head, missing its original target.

Everyone winced at the particularly gruesome crunch as the Armos Knight crushed Twinrova's skull like a melon. The witch's body promptly went limp, and it seemed the Armos Knight was about as shocked as an animated statue could get, for it didn't move for several moments, enough time for Gilda to finish it off with a well-placed arrow. The resulting explosion disintegrated Twinrova's body, and immediately afterwards, the Element of Laughter reappeared around Pinkie's neck.

XXXXXX

After Twinrova's defeat, the rest of the battle passed in a blur. The Moblins fought to the last, but Griffonstone was eventually recaptured by the Griffons, and their imprisoned brethren freed. Later in the evening, Vaati and the others returned to Griffonshores to spend the night, as the housing at Griffonstone was in even poorer shape.

Vaati relaxed on one of the spare beds, massaging his still-sore head, when someone abruptly entered the room, revealing themselves to be a middle-aged Griffon in official-looking attire.

"I greet you, Wind Sorcerer Vaati," the Griffon spoke. "My name is Chancellor Geoffrey, and I'd like to thank you on behalf of the Griffon Kingdom for what you did for us."

Vaati wordlessly nodded in acknowledgment, silently wishing the obvious bureaucrat would just leave. Din's Fire, how he loathed and despised bureaucrats. But Geoffrey was not done, it seemed, for the Griffon paused to gather himself before saying, "During your time here, you may have noticed that Griffonstone is…well, not in the best condition. The damage you saw preceded the invasion by quite some time, admittedly."

"So you don't deny that it's a total dump?" Vaati asked.

Geoffrey shook his head. "Let's just say that the Griffon Kingdom has fallen on hard times in recent years, both economically and in terms of our people's morale. However, King Galdoria didn't want Princess Celestia to know about the financial situation we were in, because he knew she would try to send help, and…I do not mean to speak ill of the dead, but Galdoria hated the Equestrians. He felt that any aid provided by Equestria would indebt him to the Princesses, thus giving them some form of influence over Griffon politics. He wanted us to solve this problem ourselves, and…well, look at where that's got us."

"Your king was a bloody paranoid idiot," Vaati huffed. "If he couldn't suck up his pride to ask for help with bringing his nation out of a perpetual state of poverty, then he had no right to rule."

Geoffrey sighed. "While I was loyal to the king, I did often find myself questioning his reasoning. And you're right. I freely admit that. Which is why I do not intend to make the same mistake he did."

"What do you mean?" Vaati demanded, impatient for this conversation to end.

"Queen Gwendolyn died in childbirth, and with King Galdoria also gone now, the only one left to take the throne is Prince Garrett. The only problem is, the prince is too young to lead the kingdom, especially in the impoverished state it's in. Thus, I have to assume command until he's of age, and rule as a regent. I intend to make the most of that time, particularly by reestablishing ties between Equestria and the Griffon Kingdom."

Geoffrey, given his position, was relatively good at reading people, and he could tell Vaati just wanted him gone so he could rest. Having said his piece, Geoffrey sighed. "Well, I'll leave you to your rest then, Master Sorcerer. Thank you again."

With a respectful bow, Geoffrey turned and left.

XXXXXX

Gilda stood alone on the balcony, looking out at the moon. She did not seem to hear the soft clopping of hooves behind her until she heard someone speak.

"Hey, doofus."

Gilda closed her eyes so she couldn't see her one-time friend trot over to her side. "Hey, Dash."

"Listen…" Rainbow hesitantly began. "I…I wanna thank you. For what you did back there, and…"

"Don't bother!" Gilda snapped, more harshly than she had intended, but her emotional wounds were still so raw. "So I saved your stupid flank. It doesn't mean I'm your friend!"

Rainbow bit back the urge to snap back; she knew very well what Gilda was going through. "Gilda, if you really thought that, you wouldn't have tried to save me in the first place."

Gilda looked away. "Don't gimme that bull! We're not friends! You proved that to me when you ditched me for those lame new friends of yours!"

Gilda braced herself for Rainbow's inevitable retort, that Gilda had brought it on herself, but the response she got was something she hadn't expected at all.

"I'm sorry."

Surprised, Gilda finally looked down at her old friend, and she could see tears cascading down Rainbow's cheeks that glistened in the moonlight. "When you came, I was so excited," Rainbow said. "The first friend I ever made was gonna meet all my new ones, and I was so stoked to see how it all turned out. But…it didn't turn out the way I wanted. Pinkie didn't know you or what was going on, so she tried to shoehorn herself into our activities, and I didn't stop to think about the fact that you didn't have any friends other than me, and that you didn't know how to, well, share me, I guess."

Gilda wanted to say something, but she just couldn't think of anything, and just let Dash continue, spellbound by her words.

"I didn't know that Pinkie had been bothering you as much as she had, otherwise I wouldn't have set up all those pranks at the party. But when you blew up in front of everypony, I…I got so mad I couldn't think straight, and when you're the fastest pony in the world, sometimes you forget to think things through, and I should have. There's a million ways I could have handled it better, but I didn't."

Rainbow sniffed before glancing towards the moon. "I never wanted you to stop being my friend, but…I was, deep down, kind of ashamed of myself for turning my back on you, especially after everything we've been through together. I could have sent you a letter asking if we could meet up again and try to sort things out, but I was too scared to." She scoffed bitterly. "Some Element of Loyalty I am, huh?"

Gilda said nothing for a good long while, taking in everything she had just been told. Rainbow just stood there, gazing pensively at Luna's moon with a sad, faraway look. Gilda mulled it all over in her head.

Yeah…there's a million ways I could've handled it better too.

And then a thought occurred to her. Normally such a thought would leave her with an exasperated frown, but not this time.

"Hey Dash."

"Yeah?" Rainbow replied without looking away.

"I know what'll cheer ya up. It always has."

Rainbow turned towards her, and as understanding hit her, her eyes lit up with unrestrained glee.

And together they proclaimed;

"Junior Speedsters are our lives!

Skybound soars and daring dives!

Junior Speedsters, it's our quest,

To someday be the very best!"

By the time they were done, both of them had tearful smiles on their faces. And then they embraced, all animosity between them forgotten.

"I missed you so much, Dash," Gilda whispered.

Rainbow smiled. "It's good to have ya back, Gilda."

Unbeknownst to either of them, Daring Do stood in the shadows, secretly watching the exchange. Seeing them hug, the adventurer smiled before heading off to bed.

XXXXXX

Pinkie Pie stood in the middle of Ponyville's town square, with all her friends looking at her expectantly. It was time for her big joke.

"Okie doki loki!" she cried. "I am about to tell you the most super-duper funniest joke you'll ever hear, and I guarantee you'll die laughing!"

Her friends all smiled and waited for her to continue.

"Okay! So, there was this minotaur magician who did shows on a cruise ship, and the captain of the cruise ship had a parrot who liked to watch the magician's shows. The problem was, the parrot would keep spoiling the tricks for everyone! 'He's putting it in his sock, braawwk!' 'He's putting it in his sleeve, brawwwk!' 'It's in his hat, braawk!' And the magician just hated this bird, and one night the magician decides he can't take it anymore and tries to blow him up with a minotaur hand cannon. Well, the bird ducks, and the ball hits a propane tank instead and blows the cruise ship into a bajillion pieces. The only survivors are the parrot and the magician, and as they're floating out in the middle of the ocean on two little pieces of wood, the parrot turns to the magician and says, 'Alright, I give up. Where's the dang ship?'"

The rest of the Mane Six exploded into uncontrollable fits of laughter, with Rainbow Dash and Applejack rolling on the ground. Pinkie laughed with them, always happy to make others smile. The laughter went on and on until Pinkie couldn't take it anymore. Yet, as she calmed down, she noticed that everypony was still laughing, and she quirked an eyebrow at this. Nobody ever managed to laugh at something longer than she did. This was weird.

They weren't stopping. In fact, they weren't even stopping to breathe.

Their eyes collectively shot open as they desperately tried to catch their breath, but they couldn't. Stop. Laughing.

"I-hi-hi-hi ca-ha-ha-ha-han't brea-hee-hee-heethe!" Rainbow managed to gasp as she grasped at her throat.

Pinkie's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets as she realized what was happening. Unbidden, her very words rang in her head over and over again.

You'll die laughing.

You'll die laughing.

You'll die laughing!

Pinkie began to panic as, one by one, her friends' hearts gave out as they suffocated, going limp on the ground. Their eyes stared emptily up at the sky, still wide with terror, while their lips were forever frozen in a manic smile.

"Wow, look at that. That joke's positively killing."

Pinkie whirled around at the unexpected and very unwelcome voice and gasped in horror.

She was staring at a mirror image of herself. However, there were some differences between Pinkie and the doppelganger standing before her. While Pinkie's hair was poofy and unkempt, this one's mane and tail were flat, faded, and lifeless. Secondly, the smile on her face was nothing like the way Pinkie smiled; it was cold and cruel. Her glaring eyes were like ice, piercing, devoid of soul. Pinkie stepped back in fear; she knew who this was.

This was Pinkamena Diane Pie, the embodiment of everything Pinkie feared and hated about herself; the dark side she had tried to contain within herself for years. She had hid this shadow behind walls of smiles and laughter, walls that were always teetering on the brink, far more fragile than they looked.

Pinkamena cocked her head in mock innocence. "What's the matter, Pinkie? You don't look happy to see me. It's been forever since we last talked."

"Go away," Pinkie meekly demanded, taking another step back.

"Away?" Pinkamena sneered. "There is no 'away'. I am you! And the more you ignore me and try to hide, the stronger I'll get. And one day, you won't be able to hide me anymore. You can't bottle me up forever; eventually you'll snap from all the strain, and you'll cut loose on everypony you know and love. You're a ticking time bomb, Pinkie, and when you blow, you'll end up right back where you started. No parties, no smiles…and no friends."

Pinkie put her hooves over her ears. "NO! I'm not listening! Not listening!"

Pinkie promptly turned tail and ran as fast as she could, past the motionless corpses of her friends. And then Pinkamena was right up in her face again, that cold smirk ever present as Pinkie was forced to skid to a halt. "No matter how far you run, you'll never escape from who you really are. You'll always be alone, and in the end, you'll only have me!"

Pinkie ran past her, trying to find somewhere to hide. But Pinkamena blocked her way yet again. "Why are you running? I thought you always said to giggle at the ghosties! So come on! I wanna hear you laugh! Go ahead, joker! LAUGH!"

Pinkie began nervously laughing, hoping that, just maybe, her granny's advice would hold true. But her dark side just laughed sarcastically over her, leaning her head closer to Pinkie and causing her to back up, a wild look in the doppelganger's eyes. Finally Pinkamena backed up, and this time she let out a creepy giggle. "Well, would ya look at that? I think Dashie voided her bowels!"

Pinkie, crying in terror and sadness, turned and ran off in another direction, leaving Ponyville behind. And yet she clearly heard the voice of her darker half laughing insanely. "RUN! RUN TILL YOU'RE WELL-DONE, HONEY BUN! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Pinkie wasn't paying attention to where she was going and suddenly found herself running right off the edge of a cliff. And as she fell, she saw the unwelcoming sight of her parents' rock farm rising up to meet her, ready to claim her again as it had claimed her family, sucking out all semblance of happiness from their souls. No love. No bonding. No parties. No smiles.

Only rocks. Cold, lifeless rocks.

Lifeless like Pinkamena.

XXXXXX

Pinkie let out a huge gasp as she catapulted awake, sitting bolt upright in her bed. She clutched at her chest, trying to calm her furiously-pounding heart. Tears welled up her eyes as the memory of that horrible nightmare washed over her, and she curled into a fetal position and began rocking herself back and forth, trying to will away the deep sadness eating away at her.

In a quiet, shaky voice, Pinkie began to sing to herself, a song she hoped would cheer her up.

"My name is Pinkie Pie, and I am here to say,

I'm gonna m-make you smile and I will b-brighten up your day.

It doesn't m-matter now if you are s-sad or blue,

C-cuz cheering up my friends is just what Pinkie's here t-to do.

'Cause I love t-to make you s-smile, smile, s-s-smile…"

But she wasn't smiling. She still felt the hot tears sliding down her face, felt the gnawing pain in her chest that she had become so good at concealing. Her hair slowly deflated until it looked exactly like Pinkamena's mane style.

There was a reason she always found something to smile about. There was a reason that she would use any and all excuses she could think of to throw parties, even if she had just thrown one yesterday. Pinkie Pie, party planner extraordinaire, was absolutely terrified of loneliness. And she had turned in early; everypony else was still awake and off doing their own thing.

Which meant she was alone.

"Hey, Pinkie. Are you alright?"

Or was she?

Pinkie blinked away her tears as she saw Twilight enter the room, a concerned smile on her face. "I heard you had gone to bed early, and I figured you'd be having…it right about now. Are you gonna be okay?"

Pinkie sniffed and she nodded wordlessly. Twilight nodded as well and turned towards the door. However, before she could step out, she stopped. Looking over her shoulder, Twilight said, "Sometimes, when things get rough, we start to feel alone in the world. Like everything's out of control and we're helpless to keep our own lives in order. Everypony feels like that sometimes. Even I have. I just want you to know, Pinkie; you are not alone. You will never be alone, because the six of us will always be here for each other. Because that's what friends are for."

Twilight then took her leave. She wasn't there to watch as Pinkie smiled, her hair slowly regaining its trademark poofiness. And again she began to sing to herself, but this time there was a definite cheerful tone in her voice.

"My name is Pinkie Pie, and I am here to say,

I'm gonna make you smile and I will brighten up your day!"

XXXXXX

It was done.

Dethl had invaded the dreams of all six of the Element Bearers and learned all it could of their abilities, hopes, and fears. It unfortunately had had to target Twilight Sparkle early, as it appeared that Ganon had no intention of letting the Element of Magic out of his grasp.

So the bullheaded pig could learn after all.

As it left Pinkie's dreamscape, Dethl mulled over everything it had witnessed over the past few weeks.

Applejack embodied Honesty, and thus valued the truth over all other things. She was extraordinarily strong, even for an Earth pony, and her Element apparently augmented that strength. However, her weakness lay in her insane devotion to her family. Dethl had no doubts it could easily deal with her by threatening one of her family members. The sister, perhaps; Majora had expressed a special loathing towards her due to her involvement in his failure to break Scootaloo.

Rainbow Dash was loyal and brave to a fault. She was also reckless, arrogant, and had a habit of jumping into situations without thinking them through. The kind of person that could easily fall into the right trap.

Fluttershy's kindness allowed her to communicate with the fiercest animals, and indeed her Element seemed to help her exert some form of influence over them. But she was one of the biggest cowards Dethl had ever seen; the weakling was afraid of her own shadow! She didn't have a spine for the Nightmare King to even break!

Pinkie Pie…Dethl was surprised by what it had found with Pinkie. It had expected her to resist in her own random, roundabout way. But it had been remarkably easy for the Demon King to pick its way through her happy exterior to get at the more succulent meats; her secret fears. It didn't even have to do a whole lot with her; it had actually let "Pinkamena" do most of the work. That was fascinating to watch. However, Dethl did not like the abilities that her link to the Element of Laughter provided. Her uncanny ability to predict danger, her tendency to randomly teleport when no one was looking in her direction, and her ability to "see beyond the wall". The last one like that had been an insufferable creature that called himself Tingle; it had taken the Church years and significant resources to finally get rid of him once and for all, and Dethl didn't like the idea of devoting similar resources just to take out one stupid pony.

Rarity was an amusing case. She represented Generosity, but at the same time, she didn't make much of a secret of her own vanity and her love of fine jewelry. There was also a degree of greed to her. All of these were things Dethl could capitalize on in the future. Ironically, Majora despised the concept of greed; one could not worship their gods if they were too busy worshipping gold, after all.

And Twilight…Twilight was a bit of a wild card. While Dethl had gained a lot of insight into her personality, it had little understanding of the extent of her magical prowess. Dethl had no doubts that it was impressive for a unicorn, but it did not know how far those abilities extended, or exactly what role she played amongst the Elements.

But in the end, Dethl had gotten what it came for. The Elements and the Wind Sorcerer were preparing to confront Ganondorf, and Dethl knew that they would defeat him. But it also knew they would do more than defeat him; if only it could stay and watch the show. But it had more pressing matters to attend to back in the Dark World. Battle plans had to be made, and the preparations for the ritual that would free Majora had to be set into motion. Dethl did not have a lot of confidence in that spineless idiot, Cole, to do what needed to be done without the King there to watch his every move.

A pity, really; Dethl was really looking forward to confronting Vaati at last. Now was not the time for the Demon King to reveal itself. The time would come soon enough, and then…

Vaati would know the truth of his existence.

XXXXXX

The next morning…

"Are you sure you wanna come with us?" Rainbow asked as she and the others all stood together on the streets of Griffonshores.

"Positive," Gilda replied, fingering her bow. "Can't let you have all the fun, now that I know about what the Tartarus's been going on lately. Besides, we still got a lotta catchin' up to do."

Vaati grunted as he heard this. That was one more passenger he had to account for in this spell. "Alright, all of you listen closely," Vaati commanded. "Twilight, Chrysalis, and I…"

"QUEEN CHRYSALIS!"

"The three of us," Vaati pointedly continued, ignoring the fuming Changeling, "are going to perform a mass teleport straight over to the Crystal Empire's doorstep. We don't have any more time to wait; Ganon might have already taken the city. I pray that he hasn't yet. Alright, you two, get ready!"

Vaati's hands glowed, followed by Twilight and Chrysalis's horns. The wind began to whip around them as the magic intensified. "When we get there," Vaati hollered over the noise, "we may find ourselves in the middle of a massive battle. Our priority is to reach the Crystal Palace and hopefully stop Ganon from murdering the Princesses. Understand?"

The rest of them collectively nodded, bracing themselves for the battle ahead. Whatever happened, their showdown with Ganondorf was near at hand. When their magical auras were at their brightest, Vaati cried out, "Everyone get close to us!"

The whole group clustered together, and Vaati yelled, "Do it!"

The three magical auras blended together, washing over the gathering of ponies and non-ponies. A bright flash of light engulfed the whole group, and they were gone.

XXXXXX

Crystal Fields…

Vaati and his companions appeared before a scene none of them had expected.

Monsters, ponies, Everfree beasts, Diamond Dogs, Changelings, and Buffalo were all over the Crystal Fields. But they weren't fighting each other; instead, they were collectively driving off another host of monsters bearing Ganon's symbol.

They couldn't believe it. Against impossible odds, Ganon's army had been defeated.

"Lord Vaati!"

Vaati whipped his head towards the voice and grinned as he saw a familiar Darknut running up to them.

"Maulgrim!" Vaati greeted. "Aren't you a welcome sight!"

Maulgrim grinned in response. "Aye, as are you, sir! We rode to the Empire's aid and caught Ganon's buggers completely by surprise!"

"Where are the Princesses?" Vaati asked.

Maulgrim's face fell. "Last I saw, Princess Luna was headed towards the Palace. Ganon had already reached it by then."

Vaati's heart nearly stopped. "How long ago?"

"A few minutes, at the very least," Maulgrim answered. "We may have won the battle here, but I don't think Ganon's given up yet!"

Instantly Vaati transformed into the giant flying eye. "Make safe the city! All of you, follow me!"

Maulgrim stepped aside as Vaati and his entourage flew past him, making a beeline straight for the Crystal Palace. The Mane Six forced themselves to ignore the numerous bodies of ponies as they passed them by, reaching the Palace within five minutes. The castle was completely empty, so nothing was there to stop them from reaching the throne room. They maneuvered around a still-smoking hole in the floor right outside the door. And with his mighty arms, Vaati thrust the throne room doors open.
> Episode 18: Harmony and Power Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 18: Harmony and Power Part 1 – Ganon's Last Stand

Vaati and the others were greeted by a scene of utter destruction. The Throne Room was in ruins. Rubble lay strewn everywhere, and there were numerous small fires and smoking craters on the floor and walls. The Crystal Throne was knocked over and broken into several pieces. To everyone's horror, Princess Celestia and Princess Cadance lay spread-eagled on the ground, bruised, battered, and unmoving. But then their attention was drawn to something else, and all but Vaati recoiled in brief but fierce terror.

Looming over them, looking rather bruised and battered itself, was an enormous Moblin-like beast clad in armor and covered in faded blue fur. Its porcine face was contorted into a vicious scowl as it raised a black trident over its head, its attention occupied by another body lying at its cloven feet. Vaati knew immediately who it was.

"V-Vaati?" Twilight whimpered. "I-is that…?"

"Yes," Vaati interrupted, knowing what she was about to ask. "That is Ganon's ultimate form."

"Holy crap, he's bucking huge!" Gilda exclaimed.

"I can feel more power and hatred emanating from him than I've ever felt in any single being before," Chrysalis breathed. "His presence alone is…stifling!"

"He smells bad," Rover growled, which elicited several confused looks from his fellow allies that he eventually took notice of. "What?"

"So this is the beast that has laid siege to Equestria?" Ahuizotl spoke, appearing more curious than frightened. "Interesting; he almost reminds me of Grogar."

"But twice as ugly," Daring observed, though she truthfully didn't have the foggiest as to what the Dark Lord of Tambelon actually looked like.

As the Mane Six and their allies took in the sight of the King of Darkness, the transfigured sorcerer realized whose head Ganon was just now starting to bring his trident down upon, and with a cry of horror and anger, the Wind Mage unleashed a mighty beam of light from his eye just before Ganon could complete his swing. Ganon appeared to not have expected this sudden attack, for he didn't even look up in time to see it, and with a mighty explosion, both Ganon and Luna were flung into the air like toys. Vaati swiftly stretched out his claws and caught Luna's falling body while Ganon crashed hard onto his back, his chest scorched black.

To their surprise, Ganon seemed to take his time heaving himself to his feet, and it seemed he was actually…weary. Had the Princesses truly put up enough of a fight that Ganon had actually been significantly worn down? If that was the case, then they actually might have a chance at beating him, even without the Element of Magic.

Ganon gritted his teeth as he stood, leaning heavily on the Trident to support himself. "Curse you, sorcerer. Another few moments and I would have properly disposed of your loathsome princesses."

Vaati's wings flared out, and his friends and allies all braced for the fight they had been waiting for.

A fight Ganon knew he was not ready for.

"Your days of menacing this world are at an end, Ganon!" Vaati declared. "Surrender yourself now and we might spare your life!"

Ganon snarled. "Even I cannot face you as I am now. I need time to recover…"

The transformed Gerudo pointed at the Wind Mage and his entourage. "If you are still bold enough to challenge me, come to Canterlot Castle!" With a flick of Ganon's hand, Luna, Celestia, and Cadance were all enveloped in pink energy crystals, imprisoning them within. "The last of your precious Elements and your princesses are waiting for you!"

"NO!" Vaati roared, starting forward, but Ganon vanished with a deep, but noticeably winded laugh, taking the Princesses and the Element of Magic with him.

Frustrated, Vaati slammed his claws down upon where Ganon had once stood and released a howl of anger and despair. "No…" Twilight softly said, shell-shocked. "We were so close…so close!"

Vaati silently transformed back to his normal form and slowly turned to face them. "We don't have much time," he said resolutely. "Ganon said it himself; he's been weakened and needs time to recover. We cannot give him that time. We need to make haste to Canterlot Castle and take advantage of this before this window of opportunity closes."

"But Canterlot's hundreds of miles away!" Rainbow exclaimed. "How're we gonna get there in time?!"

"It's too far to fly or run there," Daring said. "It'll take us days to get there by hoof."

Everyone was silent as they pondered this, until Twilight finally gasped and cried, "The Friendship Express!"

Everyone immediately looked to her for an explanation.

"The train?" Chrysalis asked.

"When we arrived here, I noticed that neither the train nor the tracks had been destroyed by Ganon's troops. They were so focused on the Empire, and they must not have known what it was or its significance to us, so they probably ignored it! If Ganon hasn't destroyed any part of the tracks, we could use the Express to get to Canterlot! It's our fastest method of travel!"

"Then let's hurry down there!" Rainbow pressed.

"Get that ready," Vaati said, striding past them. "First, I need to have a word with Maulgrim. I'll meet you at the train station."

The rest of them exchanged looks as Vaati left.

XXXXXX

"Are you sure? You are absolutely certain that is all you saw?"

"Yes, sire."

Vaati pursed his lips as he interrogated the Darknut commander, obviously not satisfied with the information he had been given.

"I was not there when it happened, but we must be thankful that we were ultimately not needed," Maulgrim said.

"I should have been there," Vaati muttered under his breath. Looking back up at Maulgrim, he asked, "And Scootaloo? How has she been taking this?"

Maulgrim sighed. "While she will bear no physical scars from what she witnessed, the experience has indeed changed her and her friends."

Vaati's heart constricted, fearing the worst. "How so?"

"They are more…serious. Now that they have obtained their marks, they are no longer causing mischief around town as children are wont to do in their efforts to gain them. Now…now they have been forced to grow up. All of them realize they are about to enter a terrifying world of violence and a struggle against the greatest evil of all, and they each have been studying with an almost religious fervor everything they can about Hyrule's history and subjects that pertain to their specific talents. Scootaloo herself wishes to become a warrior, a soldier in Princess Luna's royal guard. Rarity's younger sister has expressed an interest in becoming an archmage, and to this end, she has been studying every book we have on Hyrule and Equestrian magic, and she has begun training with Nigellas personally. The farmer's sister…she has expressed the desire to become an engineer specializing in siege machines and weapons of war. Now that each of them has found their true calling, they each are excelling at what they wish to do. I am rather impressed by some of the blueprints the one called Applebloom has shown me."

"But they haven't been…traumatized by this?"

Maulgrim slowly shook his head. "The inner strength of those three is beyond imagining. I have even seen qualities within them that the Golden Three value and embody most; Applebloom bears the wisdom of Nayru, Sweetie Belle's quest to obtain the power necessary to defend all that she cares about hearkens to the strength of Din, and Scootaloo doubtlessly possesses courage to rival the Hero of Legend himself, a quality Farore prizes. 'Tis no wonder that the three of them have caught the Golden Ones' attention."

Vaati sighed. "Applejack and Rarity…they don't know yet. I was so concerned about Scootaloo that I've neglected to tell them that their own sisters were involved in this madness."

"Then I implore you to tell them, milord," Maulgrim rumbled. "They deserve to know."

Vaati nodded. "I know. I'll tell them on the train. How is Helmaroc doing?"

"His injuries are many, but he is expected to survive. The same goes for Shining Armor, who attempted to bar Ganon's path to the palace, with predictable results."

Vaati shook his head. "What an idiot. What was he even thinking?"

"To be fair, Ganon was intent on harming his wife and family."

Vaati conceded that point.

"What of them, by the way?" Maulgrim asked. "The princesses? Did they survive Ganon's attack?"

Vaati sucked in a breath and said in a shuddering voice, "Yes, but…Ganon has taken them, along with the Element of Magic, to Canterlot Castle. He's waiting for us up there with them."

Maulgrim frowned. "But…they live?"

Vaati nodded. "For now, but…I don't know how long it will stay that way. Which is one of the reasons we have to hurry. Look after the Empire. I don't know what Shining plans to do now that he's bedridden and everyone else with any Equestrian authority has been captured by Ganon, but do whatever he needs you to do."

Maulgrim put a fist to his chest. "I will see it done, sire."

Vaati happened to glance past the Darknut and saw a pair of nurses he recognized from Ponyville solemnly carting a stretcher into a building that had been converted into an infirmary, as the hospital down the street was overcrowded. Something pony-shaped was covered by a blood-stained white sheet. He felt his chest tighten, wondering if someone he knew was under that sheet, and said, "You have your orders."

Without another word, Vaati stepped past the Black Knight and headed towards the infirmary. Seeing where the mage was headed, Maulgrim sighed heavily with melancholy.

Vaati slowly walked into the infirmary, bracing himself for whatever he might see. As soon as he entered, the sounds of pained groans, talking, and grief assaulted his ears as he took notice of the scene. Unicorn nurses hustled between countless simple beds, tending to patients both equine and otherwise. Changelings, Diamond Dogs, a few Buffalo, several of his monsters, and even a handful of the creatures from the Everfree were intermingled amongst numerous ponies. A heavy scent of blood hung in the air.

Vaati's ears pricked as he overheard a nearby conversation and turned his head, noticing two ponies he remembered seeing in Ponyville a few times, one of which was lying in one of the beds and the other at her side, tears streaming down her face. The one in the bed had a bloody hole in her chest that appeared to have been caused by an arrow, and it was easy to see that the wound was mortal.

"C-Cloudchaser, don't talk like that!" the one with the less-crazy hairstyle whimpered. "You're gonna be alright, you're…"

Cloudchaser looked into her sister's eyes, but Vaati could tell that the life was starting to leave them. Cloud Kicker could see it too, for she put a hoof on Cloudchaser's shoulder and stuttered. "Don't go…Cloudchaser, don't…!"

Cloudchaser gasped for air, looking into her sister's eyes one more time as she croaked, "Sis, I…l-love…"

But Cloudchaser never finished. With one last strangled gasp for air in a desperate but futile effort to cling to life, she went limp and moved no more, her eyes staring up at a ceiling she could no longer see. Cloud Kicker's lip quivered as she looked into her sister's eyes, not ready to believe it. "C.C.?" she whimpered in a small voice.

But Cloudchaser didn't answer. She was gone. The heavy truth of this finally seemed to dawn on Cloud Kicker, and she buried her face in Cloudchaser's stomach, away from the bloody arrow wound, and wailed into her fur.

Vaati wordlessly looked away, unable to fight back the tear that trailed down his cheek. He then saw a pony he remembered being named Caramel just in time to see Nurse Redheart tearfully pull the white bedsheet over his head. The sorcerer noticed that the bed right next to him also had a sheet pulled over something underneath, but the head didn't look pony-like. Morbid curiosity taking over, Vaati gingerly lifted a corner of the sheet…and fought back a retching fit. Seaswirl's corpse lay beneath, her helmet deeply dented, likely from a Darknut mace. Vaati could smell brain matter, but blessedly, her helmet had been left on. Vaati laid the white cloth back over the dead pony and gulped back his bile. He saw two of the three Flower Pony sisters, Lily and Daisy, grieving at the bedside of Roseluck, who appeared to have already passed from the world, her eyes closed as she was now sleeping the endless sleep without dreams. Derpy cried as she hugged the still body of her friend Raindrops, closely watched by Doctor Whooves, who simply stood there with a resigned, melancholy look, as though he had been prepared for such a tragedy, but hating it all the same. Vinyl Scratch sat in a chair, staring at the unmoving body of Octavia lying in a bed right in front of her, still as a statue and a broken look on her face, as though she had lost her whole world.

This is all because of me, Vaati thought to himself. All of them would still be alive, still be living lives of happiness and warmth if I hadn't come here and opened the door for the likes of Ganon and Majora. That pony over there would still have a sister, and countless other families would still be together.

His heart heavy with guilt and sorrow, Vaati turned to leave, but then something stopped him. He turned to see Lyra sitting like a human in a chair, playing her harp for Bon Bon, who was lying in bed with the white covers pulled up to her chest, a bandage wrapped around her head. But her eyes were half-open, and she was smiling as she let the plucking of Lyra's harp lull her to sleep. Lyra seemed to be smiling in relief, which meant that Bon Bon might yet survive. Sitting around her was a multitude of Miniblins, each with various bandages covering their tiny bodies, eagerly listening to Lyra play. And then she began to sing some tune Vaati didn't recognize, a lullaby perhaps to go with her harp, and the Miniblins listened with rapt attention until, one by one, each of them fell asleep as well.

And then something else caught his eye. Sitting at a table was a Moblin, with a bandage covering its left eye, and on the table was a chess board. On the other side of the table, Berry Punch, with a bandage wrapped around her barrel, reached over from where she sat on her hospital bed to lift her remaining white bishop and place it on the far corner of the board, putting the Moblin's king in check. The Moblin snorted as it moved its own black bishop right in front of the black king to block Berry's attempt. Berry managed a grin as she moved her bishop away from its opposing counterpart. "You're lucky I'm not drunk. Otherwise I would've beaten you at least eight…moves…ago…"

She trailed off as the Moblin smugly moved its rook into a position that checked the white king, but the only way to move it would put it in the path of the waiting black queen. Berry's mouth fell open in utter shock as the Moblin crossed its arms over its chest and grinned. "Checkmate," it grunted in a deep, guttural voice.

Berry was astonished. "What?! Ach! ACH! Oh, I've really hit rock bottom…"

Aloe and Lotus were both in the middle of massaging an unarmored Darknut who was lying on his back, bandages covering his head and his right leg. The Darknut, for his part, was looking far more relaxed than Vaati had ever seen a Darknut look. The spa ponies were making idle conversation in their thickly-accented voices, which the Darknut replied to in short sentences punctuated by groans of pleasure. The sight of these brought a small smile to his face.

And then again, if I hadn't come here, neither I nor these monsters would have found friendships like this. We would all just be fodder, mere footnotes in the pages of the history books if we were lucky. They would just be simple soldiers, expected to fight and die without question for causes they didn't believe in and masters that cared nothing for them, resurrected time and again to repeat the process over and over, with no sense of fulfillment or purpose in their lives. Perhaps there is a silver lining to this after all.

Finally he noticed a pair of Royal Guards standing by another bed, and as he drew closer, he discovered why; the occupant was none other than Shining Armor, who was heavily bandaged but otherwise coherent. Twilight, a concerned look on her face, was speaking to him. As Vaati approached, both siblings took notice of him. "Vaati," Shining said with surprising strength in his voice. "Twily told me about what happened up in the Throne Room. Are you going after him?"

Vaati nodded. "Yes. We've backed him into a corner. It's time to put an end to this madness."

Shining looked down, a dark look crossing over his features. "No…this madness won't end with him."

Knowing what he was talking about, Vaati said, "Majora likely plans to wait at least until the dust has settled from our campaign against Ganon. Majora's been sealed for thousands of years; he's likely learned first-hand the value of patience."

Shining seemed to accept this, nodding in agreement. "I sent one of my guards to fetch the conductor. By royal decree, he'll be taking you to Canterlot so you can finally face Ganon once and for all."

Vaati nodded his head in thanks. "C'mon, Twilight. We had best get to the station."

Twilight knew he was right, but was unwilling to leave her brother's side. "Take care of yourself, Shiny," she implored softly.

"I'll be okay, Twily, I promise," Shining replied, attempting to assuage her fears. "You've faced down fiends like him before. I know you guys can do it. Good luck, all of you. And…tell Chrysalis. Tell the Changeling Queen that…we wouldn't have lasted nearly as long as we did without her people's help. I'm sorry I was hostile towards them, and I'm thankful they were here to help."

Vaati and Twilight nodded. "You just sit back and wait," Vaati said. "We'll put Ganon in his grave before you even know it."

XXXXXX

Imperial Hospital…

Daring Do silently made her way through the crowded halls of the hospital, weaving past hordes of nurses pushing stretchers carrying ponies both living and dead. As she saw the faces of the deceased, she thought bitterly to herself, If Ghirahim hadn't come and changed everything…would I have even known about all this? Ponies I know could have died, and I would still be off in Tenochtitlan, none the wiser.

After many minutes of maneuvering through the crowds of nurses and patients, Daring finally spied a familiar flame-haired mare standing outside a door. Daring picked up her pace as she pushed past the last few nurses. "Spitfire!" Daring called out.

Spitfire looked at her, surprised, and that was when Daring realized that the Wonderbolt captain was in tears. Daring's brow furrowed and her heart pounded against her ribcage as she feared the worst. "Spitfire, what happened?" Daring demanded, finally reaching her.

Spitfire's response was to tearfully wrap her old college friend in a hug, fighting back a sobbing fit. "Fleetfoot, s-she…" Spitfire whimpered.

Daring braced herself for the worst. "Did…did she…?"

Spitfire finally disengaged from their hug and looked Daring in the eye, slowly nodding as she sniffed. "Took a ballista bolt right to the chest just as the fight was starting," she spoke in a cracked voice, wiping her eyes with a hoof. "She was dead before she even knew what hit her."

Daring couldn't stop her own tears, both of grief and of shame. "Spits, I…I'm sorry I've been away for so long. I'm sorry I never tried to keep in contact with you guys after I left."

Spitfire let out a sound like a mix of both a chuckle and a sob. "Y-you turned down a gig with the Wonderbolts too…Fleetfoot, she…when we heard, we were surprised, but…F-Fleetfoot wanted to smack you silly for turning down the chance of a lifetime and just u-up and leaving like you did…"

"I know, I'm sorry," Daring apologized. "You weren't the only ones I hurt when I did that. I…I was running away from a responsibility I wasn't prepared for. And before you ask, I'm not referring to the Wonderbolts offer…I'm talking about my daughter."

Spitfire gasped. "Y-you…I didn't know you had a…w-when did this happen?"

"It was while I was on the archaeological dig in Saddle Arabia. I met a pegasus named Rainbow Blitz there and we eloped. I found out I was pregnant shortly before the dig ended, and that's why you didn't see much of me at the academy. But when she was born…I chickened out and left her with Blitz. It was a stupid, stupid thing to do, but I was young and terrified. I tried to get as far away as I could and start a new life away from all that, but…after a lot of strange things happened, I came back. I finally saw my daughter again, and I got to see the mare she had grown into. I thank Mother Faust that she and I were able to reconcile after all this time."

Spitfire took this all in silence, shocked by this, until something occurred to her. "Your daughter…what's her name?"

"Rainbow Dash," Daring answered.

At this, Spitfire finally managed a laugh. "Ha, that figures. I can see the resemblance. Yeah, she's a real chip off the old block, Daring."

Daring blinked. "You've met her before?"

Spitfire nodded. "A year or so back, she not only won the big flight competition, but she also saved all our flanks after an accident sort of, uh…knocked us out of commission for a moment. So we let her hang with us for a while, and…I gotta say, it was almost like having you back. She was just so full of energy, definitely full of herself…" At this, Daring scoffed. "Yeah, keep laughing, you know I'm right. Anyways, we also saw that she definitely had potential, a lot more than we've seen in most recruits. And of course, on top of the fact that she's one of the bearers of the freaking Elements of Harmony, I'd say she's done pretty well for herself. I'm just surprised none of us managed to catch on."

Daring sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "Yeah, I have to admit, even though I've written books about all my adventures and have tons of ponies who look up to me as a hero, Dash has definitely outdone me in the hero department. So, does she have a chance at the Wonderbolts?"

Spitfire smiled, but it was a sad one. "Well, we do have an opening position now, but we need somepony with experience. Dash's turn will come, but she'll have to work for it like everypony else. However, I think I know just the pony who's up for the job."

Seeing the look Spitfire was giving her, Daring shook her head. "Spits, I-I couldn't…I gave up on that dream completely when I left. I can't possibly replace Fleetfoot…"

Spitfire put a hoof on Daring's shoulder. "I'm not asking you to replace Fleetfoot. You're your own pony; we want you to be who you are, not what Fleetfoot was. We want what you can contribute to the team. How about it?"

Daring was silent, seeming to consider all this. "And as icing on the cake," Spitfire continued, "one day you'll fly with Dash as not just mother and daughter, but as fellow Wonderbolts."

Daring finally looked up at her old friend and smiled sadly. "If…if that's what you guys want…I'll do it. But…first there's something else I have to do."

"You're going with Vaati and the others to fight Ganon personally, aren't you?"

Daring nodded. "I got caught up in this adventure. Even if I'm not the center of it all, I intend to see it through to the end nevertheless."

Spitfire consented. "Alright, but promise me you'll come back. I already lost Fleetfoot, and I damn near lost Surprise too, after one of those giant bat monsters, Vires I think they're called, bit her wing and knocked her out of the air. I don't want to lose another close friend of mine. Promise me you'll make it back in one piece, because you still gotta tell me about that…shall we say, unique stallion of yours once it's all over."

Spitfire winked conspiratorially as Daring's cheeks flushed crimson. "You're as terrible as always," Daring indignantly muttered. "Fine, I promise."

XXXXXX

Imperial Train Station…

Vaati arrived around the same time as Daring did, where the others awaited them, but to his surprise, somepony else was standing there with them. Something about her seemed to ring a bell in the sorcerer's mind, but he could not put his finger on it.

Twilight, however, would have known that hat and cape anywhere.

"Trixie?" Twilight called out in surprise.

Vaati's eyes snapped wide open as it finally clicked. That little upstart magician that came to Ponyville and spun all those tall tales shortly after I came to Equestria, he thought to himself in realization. Heh…I'd forgotten all about her.

Trixie turned towards them from where she had been heatedly arguing with a sour-faced Applejack and Rainbow Dash, and her eyes widened with fear as she saw Vaati coming towards her. To the Wind Mage's surprise, though, Trixie actually managed to force down her fear and put up a mask of neutrality.

I can sense she's not the same pony I met all that time ago, Vaati thought. She actually seems a little more…disciplined. Intriguing.

"Trixie, what are you doing here?" Twilight asked.

"I'm going with you," Trixie answered plainly and simply.

Vaati folded his arms over his chest. "Why? Our quest against Ganon is no business of yours. Besides, you couldn't even handle an Ursa Minor. You really think you could tussle with the likes of Ganon?"

"If I recall, you didn't fare much better against that beast," Trixie replied smugly, and she savored the look of surprise and indignation that flashed in Vaati's eyes. "And for your information, it is my business. Ganon kidnapped my mentor, and I want to help get her back."

"Your mentor?" Vaati repeated.

Trixie grinned. "Princess Luna."

Vaati's jaw dropped, and the Mane Six's eyes widened in total shock.

"Luna?!" Vaati exclaimed. "Why would…is she…what?!"

"Shortly before Ganon launched his attack, Princess Luna came to me and offered me a chance to become her student. Princess Celestia had Sparkle, and so Princess Luna decided it was time to take in her own pupil. And she chose the Great and Powerful Trixie."

"Still milking that title for all it's worth, are you?" Vaati sneered. "Especially considering it's all horseapples…"

Vaati trailed off, and his mouth hung open in horror as he abruptly saw something appear behind all of them. "What?! No! Ganon!" he cried, firing a beam of energy at the King of Darkness.

However, the beam passed harmlessly through him, as though he were but an apparition. "Vaati, what are you doing?!" Twilight cried. "There's nothing there!"

Vaati shook his head, trying to understand what had just happened, and then heard Trixie laugh.

"Oh, you have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that, Vaati the Wind Mage," Trixie sneered, and the apparition of Ganon disappeared. "Ever since our encounter when I came to Ponyville, I've been practicing all of my spells, strengthening and perfecting them, long before I was even approached by Luna, especially my powers of illusion. It was all I could do after word of my tall tales got out and ponies stopped attending my shows…"

"Yer damn right mah folks weren't gonna let a dishonest pony like you swindle honest ponyfolk outta their bits!" Applejack snapped.

Trixie scoffed. "I had a feeling it was your family of ignorant, self-righteous hicks that made life hell for me. Everypony knows that the Apples are virtually everywhere. But it doesn't matter anymore. I came to the Crystal Empire, where I was planning to make a comeback, an honest comeback, but then the drafting order came, and we were all ordered to start military training. Thus, Trixie's self-discipline paid off, and Princess Luna gave her an offer she couldn't possibly refuse. I assure you, Wind Mage, I am far more Great and Powerful than I was when we first met, and under Princess Luna's tutelage, one day I'll become greater and more powerful than you, and when I do, at last I will have vengeance!"

Vaati listened to this tirade with a disinterested gaze, but when she finished, he burst out laughing. "You, greater than me?! Don't set your bar higher than you can reach, little girl! You have chosen ill your rival, for I have the power of a demon, the Wishing Cap, and the Light Force within me!"

"Then I have a long way to go, but it gives Trixie a sense of purpose. One day, when I'm ready, I will face you again, and it will not turn out the way it did before! In the meantime though, I am going with you to help free Princess Luna from Ganon's clutches and prove to her that I am worthy of her apprenticeship!"

"Once this is over, I'm going to have a little chat with her about this," Vaati replied. "I hope you realize that Luna and I are very close. Be certain to remember that, and what it means for you."

"So you would rather hide behind the Princess than let me prove myself worthy of facing you on equal ground?" Trixie taunted.

Rage burned in Vaati's eyes as he drew himself up to his full height, his eyes glowing slightly as he glared down at Trixie, who at least did draw back in fear. "Watch what you say, 'Great and Powerful Trixie', if you know what's good for you. Princess or no Princess, I'll throttle you if you disrespect me like that again."

Trixie caught herself and let out a huff as she haughtily stepped onto the train. The Mane Six exchanged worried glances as they followed her, with Vaati and the others bringing up the rear.

XXXXXX

Three hours later, the Friendship Express…

True to his word, Vaati had finally revealed to Applejack and Rarity that Scootaloo was not the only Cutie Mark Crusader who had encountered Majora and been changed by the experience. Naturally they were first angry at Vaati for neglecting to tell them for so long, and then they were angry at themselves for not being there to protect them. Knowing that Vaati had felt the exact same when he had heard about Scootaloo, their anger at him ebbed away, and each of them vowed that they would help the inseparable trio of fillies along the path they were destined for, even if it meant that they would soon be on the front lines of an apocalyptic war against an apocalyptic enemy.

Meanwhile, Rainbow was in the middle of catching up with Gilda, and even Pinkie Pie was extending her hoof in an offer of friendship, which, with great hesitation, Gilda finally accepted. And thus both the young Griffon and party planner had a good laugh at Rainbow's expense as Gilda learned from Pinkie about how her long-lost mother had the hots for her former nemesis, and the idea that Rainbow could have probably the most unique stepfather in all of Equestria. Rainbow went beet-red as she glared daggers at her two chortling friends, but on the inside, she was glad that her first friend was finally starting to learn how to share her with her new ones. Unbeknownst to her, Daring, sitting not too far away, blushed as well as she overheard their boisterous conversation. Daring then noticed Ahuizotl looking at her, fighting back a grin. Her eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare say anything."

Ahuizotl promptly lost control of himself and burst into laughter.

Rover was tapping his foot impatiently as he sat at one of the booths. Chrysalis was sitting in the same booth, not willing to tolerate any Equestrian company more than she needed to, and glared at the Diamond Dog. "Stop that. You're making me nervous."

"Can't," Rover replied simply. "Too nervous."

Chrysalis sighed and leaned back. Admittedly she was already nervous enough; Ganon had already soundly crushed her once, and he never even bothered to take that dreadful ultimate form of his! And she thought Vaati had been the most powerful thing she had ever fought…

Zecora sat alone at another table, meditating to herself as she mumbled a chant in her native tongue. Fluttershy too sat by herself, looking out the window with an expression of fear and dread, knowing that the final battle was almost upon them all. Twilight simply watched Trixie pace impatiently up and down their car, as if she wanted to make conversation but didn't know what to say. Truthfully, Trixie probably wouldn't have graced her with a response anyway.

"Attention, passengers," the voice of the conductor abruptly spoke over the intercom. Trepidation was evident in his voice. "We're nearing the city of Canterlot. Estimated time of arrival; five minutes. Thanks for riding with us, and…good luck out there."

Everyone's face hardened as they all looked out the windows. They could clearly see Canterlot getting closer, and before long they were winding up the mountain towards the city entrance, and a few minutes later, the Friendship Express pulled into the Canterlot Station and slowed to a stop. Vaati was the first to step out, glancing warily about the station for any signs of hostility.

However, the station was deserted.

Vaati looked towards his companions and motioned for them to follow him outside. After they had left the station and entered the main street of Canterlot, they found, to their surprise, that the whole city was utterly deserted. There was no sign of life anywhere, not a monster to be seen.

"Where is everybody?" Rainbow whispered suspiciously.

Ahuizotl and Rover sniffed at the air, but they could not catch any strong scents. "The city is indeed deserted," Ahuizotl spoke up. "I cannot pick up the scent of any of the creatures we have faced so far."

"Then it seems luck is on our side," Vaati surmised. "Ganon must have sent all his troops out to the Empire, and since we've far outpaced the survivors, there's nobody left to stand between us and him. Let's hurry and get this over with."

Everyone followed the Wind Sorcerer through the streets up to the castle entrance, which lay in ruins, thus providing easy, if foreboding, access inside. As soon as they were inside, they took note of several things. For starters, it appeared the castle had begun a slow transformation, indicating the change in ownership. Parts of the castle, especially towards the throne room, now had a sinister look, the walls deepest black instead of white, statues of ponies replaced by statues of demons, and numerous stained glass paintings now depicting effigies of Ganon in various scenes of brutal conquest over the many tribes and nations of Equis. Some parts of the original architecture remained, though, and the two formed a stark, sharp contrast that dizzied the mind. Discord would have definitely approved.

And then the pipe organ music came.

Loud, keening notes reverberated throughout the walls of the castle and in the ears of those who listened. None of them were familiar with whatever tune was being played, but it spoke of a sort of elegance that was at the same time beastly, sinister and commanding, befitting the man who was surely playing it even now.

Fluttershy whimpered at the sound of it, and Rarity put a hoof on her shoulder to comfort her. "It's almost over, dear," she soothingly said.

"Why do we tarry?" Chrysalis demanded. "Let's crush this upstart once and for all!"

Vaati rolled his eyes, but inwardly he agreed. "Come on, everyone. Our final battle awaits."

Vaati, the Mane Six, Daring, Ahuizotl, Gilda, Chrysalis, Zecora, Trixie, and Rover trudged up the stairs and towards the Throne Room. The closer they came, the louder the music became, heightening their collective anxiety. All too soon, they reached the doors of the Throne Room, which were rattling on their hinges from the organ booming its sinister tune on the other side. Once there, they all stopped.

"Alright, is everyone clear on the plan?" Vaati asked. "When it starts, I will draw Ganon's attention and try to wear him down, while you find a way to retrieve the Element of Magic. Once you have it, use the Elements' power against him once again. If fortune favors us, hopefully it'll finally put a stop to him."

"And what are we supposed to do?" Chrysalis demanded. "You forget; most of us came with you for the chance of getting a little payback!"

Before Vaati could open his mouth to reply, Rover sharply began sniffing at the air, followed by Ahuizotl. The both of them growled and turned back towards the stairs. And as the music's intensity lowered for a moment, all of them could hear the unmistakable sound of many footsteps rushing towards them. And soon enough, a horde of monsters emerged from wherever it was they had been hiding. Blins, Darknuts, Iron Knuckles, Stalfos, and hundreds of others began rushing up the stairs, intent on preventing the heroes from confronting their lord.

"Dammit," Vaati growled. "I should have known."

Daring turned towards Vaati. "You guys go on ahead. We'll hold them off."

"Mom!" Rainbow cried, starting forward.

"No, Dash!" Daring replied. "You and your friends ultimately need to be the ones to face Ganon! Not us, you!"

"There's no way we can take 'em all!" Gilda exclaimed.

"We need not fight them all," Zecora said. "Merely hold them back long enough for Ganon to fall."

Chrysalis huffed. "Curse him…fine. But you fools had better hurry!"

Pinkie laughed, tapping her axe against her hoof. "I think you guys got this covered! Just make sure they don't spoil the party."

Rainbow glanced worriedly between Daring and Gilda. "Are…are you really sure about this?" she asked uncertainly.

"Go on, Dash, we'll be fine," Gilda said, readying her bow.

"Besides, this is your story," Daring added with a smile. "I'm just the guest character. Go get 'em, kid."

Rainbow smiled and wrapped a foreleg around each of them and pulled them close. "I love you guys," she whispered.

Gilda groaned. "Ugh, cut it out, Dash. I got a reputation to keep, you know!"

To be fair, Gilda didn't try to pull away, which Dash did not fail to notice. "Yeah, whatever you say, Gilda," Rainbow laughed.

"Perhaps it's best this way," Trixie observed. "None of us could be of much help against Ganon himself. But I think we can handle his goons just fine."

Rover smacked his mace against his paw and grinned. No words were needed, as far as he was concerned. Vaati turned towards the doors, where he knew Ganon awaited them on the other side. "Time to end this," he said mostly to himself as he thrust the doors open.

He and the Mane Six entered, leaving their allies alone to face the oncoming horde of Ganon's minions. As they heard the doors slam shut behind them, Daring's eyes narrowed. "Bring it on!"

XXXXXX

As soon as Vaati and the Mane Six entered the throne room, the doors slammed shut behind them, and were probably now sealed, imprisoning them within the inner sanctum of their enemy. Here the music assaulted their ears with oppressive force, finally reaching its grand crescendo. Their eyes were drawn to a scene at the far end of the room. A large pipe organ sat where the Equestrian thrones once occupied, and hovering over the mighty instrument were the three Princesses, still unconscious and imprisoned within their pink energy crystals. And as they expected, Ganondorf sat at the organ, his fingers tapping the keys with practiced precision. After a few tense moments, Ganondorf finally finished his leitmotif and laid his hands in his lap. Without turning to face them, he said, "Nothing relaxes me quite like the sounds of an organ. Its keening wails producing such a powerful voice…truly a musical device worthy of a king."

Ganondorf slowly stood from his chair, but still kept his back to them. "I've underestimated you yet again. I expected to be given more time to regain my strength. Much more time…but it matters little."

With a dramatic flourish of his wine-red cloak, Ganondorf finally turned and stared his enemies down, his yellow eyes boring holes in them. "Again and again, I have bested you, sorcerer, and each time I used but a fraction of my power. While a fraction is all that I have, it will be more than enough to finish you and your loathsome friends once and for all!"

"Ganon, why can't you just see reason?!" Twilight abruptly exclaimed, stepping forward. "You can't win! We have most of the Elements back already, most of your monsters have been defeated, and you admitted yourself that you haven't fully recovered your strength. Please…just stop this. It's over."

Ganondorf seemed surprised by this, but quickly recovered and sneered. "It is indeed over…for you."

Ganondorf thrust his palm out, emitting a violet wave of darkness at the young unicorn. However, the attack was abruptly stopped by an energy shield. Ganondorf lowered his hand as Vaati lowered his barrier.

"This will not end the way it did before, Ganon," Vaati declared, his tone full of confidence. "While you have diminished, I have strengthened. With all the fighting and practicing I have done, I'm a lot stronger now than I was before. And finally, I'm going to prove it to you!"

Vaati summoned his rapier and stepped forward. "Remember, stay back until I need you!"

It was then that Twilight noticed the last Element, her Element, tied to Ganondorf's waist as the King of Darkness smirked, drawing his own Gerudo saber.

"So, you wish to begin our last contest by testing our skills with a blade?" Ganondorf said. "As you wish."

And then Ganondorf struck, aiming right at Vaati's head. Vaati quickly blocked, but he underestimated Ganondorf's brute strength, and the Gerudo King quickly began pushing Vaati's blade closer towards his own neck. Realizing this, Vaati teleported, causing Ganondorf to stumble forward. Vaati reappeared behind Ganondorf and tried to slash his back, but Ganondorf whirled around and knocked his blade away from him. And then Ganondorf executed a fierce combo attack that Vaati was hard-pressed to defend himself against. The mage quickly began losing ground to the warlock. To even the odds, Vaati drew back and cast a spell upon his sword-hand, increasing the speed of his attacks, and he launched himself at Ganondorf and began his own series of attacks. However, Ganondorf proved capable of keeping up with Vaati despite his enhanced speed, never leaving himself open. Vaati inwardly cursed; Ganondorf was far more skilled with a sword than he had anticipated. It was taking all that he knew just to keep Ganondorf at bay! Ganondorf seemed to realize this and pressed his attack, grinning savagely. Vaati's arms grew increasingly sore from all the strong blows he had been forced to block.

"Tired already, Vaati?" Ganondorf taunted. "I thought you were going to show me how much you've improved."

With Ganondorf's attention fully centered on Vaati, Twilight knew it was time. Staring intently at the Element of Magic, Twilight began to call out to it with her mind, bidding it to rejoin with its master. Her aura began to envelop the golden tiara as it pulled against its bonds. Ganondorf felt it and looked down in surprise just in time to see the Element of Magic vanish from his side and reappear on Twilight's head.

"What?!" Ganondorf roared.

In his shock and anger, Ganondorf had dropped his guard, and Vaati immediately took advantage, rushing forward and plunging his rapier through Ganon's armor and into the center of his black heart. Ganondorf gasped in pained surprise and reeled from the blow.

"Do it! Now!" Vaati cried to the Mane Six.

"C'mon, girls! Let's do it!" Twilight cried.

"About bucking time!" Rainbow exclaimed as she and the others tapped into their Elements, slowly beginning to rise into the air.

"NO!" Ganondorf abruptly bellowed, unleashing a massive wave of dark energy from his body, which shorted out the Elements and sent their bearers falling to the ground in surprise. "I will not be defeated!"

Ganondorf wrenched Vaati's sword out of his chest with a grunt, and then snapped the blade in two, casting its broken pieces aside. "Can't you see that it's hopeless?!" he snarled, dark energy radiating from his body. "Can't you see that your struggles are in vain?! You cannot defeat me! YOU! CAN'T! DEFEAT ME!"

Vaati could not help but recoil, as it sounded like Ganondorf was actually starting to lose his grip on whatever sanity he had left in him. There was a wild look in his eye as the Gerudo began to change into the giant Moblin.

"YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT ME!" Ganon bellowed again, his Trident ablaze with dark energy.

And then Vaati finally realized it. He's not stating it like it's fact anymore. He's not trying to convince us. It's almost like…like he's trying to convince himself.

Vaati grinned at the realization. He's getting desperate. We're winning and he knows it.

Without further ado, Vaati morphed into the winged eye and drew himself up to his full height, which, while not quite as large as Ganon, came pretty close. "You've lost already, Ganon!" he boasted. "But now it's so obvious even you have noticed. Your plans, your schemes have all failed! And now there is nothing left but your demise!"

Ganon let out an animalistic roar. "DIE!"



XXXXXX

Outside the Throne Room…

The horde of monsters surged relentlessly towards their waiting enemies. With a grin, Trixie's horn flashed. "Let's give these neighsayers a show they'll never forget!"

Suddenly an explosion of magical fireworks flashed over the monsters' heads, blinding and disorienting them. As they collectively recoiled, Chrysalis's horn flared with energy. "BURN!" she roared as she fired a wave of magical green flames at the monsters, setting many of them on fire.

Zecora reached into her satchel and unleashed the last of her potions, enveloping the monsters in a cloud of acrid green smoke. Although most of the monsters were hampered by its effects, some fought past it and rushed at the group. Daring reacted first, jumping into a high flying kick that knocked a Moblin flat on its hindquarters, a horseshoe-shaped mark planted on its face. Ahuizotl picked up a piece of rubble in his tail-hand and chucked it at a Darknut's head, denting the helmet and felling it. Trixie blasted a Stalfos to pieces with a well-placed energy beam as Gilda shot down an approaching Lizalfos with an expertly-aimed arrow right between its eyes. Rover swung his mace right across another Moblin's face, crushing in its skull.

The mist was starting to dissipate, and the fireworks had stopped, allowing the monsters to slowly recover and press their attack. Chrysalis unleashed another wave of green flames, pushing the monsters back. "Fools!" she laughed. "You aren't even a challenge anymore!"

Suddenly they felt an explosion in the room behind them. "The buck was that?" Gilda exclaimed.

Daring turned towards the throne room doors with a worried expression. "I hope they're alright in there," she murmured to herself. "Keep at it, kid."

"They're fine," Chrysalis snapped. "We have other problems to focus on right now!"

Daring shot Chrysalis a foul glare before refocusing her attention on the horde of monsters still approaching.

XXXXXX

The giant Moblin fell upon the demon eye with fearsome strength, smashing the Trident down upon his head. However, Vaati caught the shaft of the weapon in his claws and wrenched it out of Ganon's grip, tossing it aside. Before Ganon could even register what had happened, Vaati's fists crashed into his face again and again as the transfigured mage pummeled him. However, Ganon recovered and caught Vaati's incoming fist with one hand, and with the other knocked Vaati back with a wicked right cross.

The ground shook as Vaati's weight slammed against the floor. Vaati shook himself and saw Ganon bearing down on him, having regained the Trident. The eye promptly vanished behind a swirl of dark clouds, avoiding the Trident that smashed into the ground where he had once been. Ganon stood up and whipped his head around. "Where are you, you gutless coward?!"

Suddenly he sensed magic growing beneath him, and became intangible, spinning his Trident over his head as he phased back on the other side of the Throne Room just as Vaati's claw burst out of the ground, missing the king by a mile. Vaati emerged behind him, his eye flashing red. Ganon turned just in time for Vaati's strongest attack to hit him full on in the chest, blasting him back into the middle of the chamber, sending him crashing onto his back.

As Vaati neared, Ganon heaved himself to his feet and spun the Trident over his head. Vaati recognized this trick, readying himself. Sure enough, a ring of fireballs began circling over Ganon's head, which became a horde of flaming bats. In answer, Vaati summoned a ring of stone eyes just as the bats came flying at him. The stone eyes intercepted the bats, each enchanted projectile destroying the other.

Ganon snarled in anger as he threw the Trident, the weapon spinning through the air as it bore down on Vaati. Vaati saw it coming and teleported past it, reappearing right in Ganon's face. Ganon tried to punch him, but Vaati drew back out of range as a multitude of dark tendrils emerged from his body, wrapping around Ganon's appendages. Knowing he wouldn't be able to hold Ganon for long, Vaati heaved the King of Darkness over his head into the path of his own Trident, causing an explosion as the weapon and its owner collided.

However, Ganon was not down for the count just yet. He forced himself to his feet and raised his Trident over his head, charging it full of energy. Vaati braced himself for whatever this attack might bring. Suddenly a flurry of energy balls exploded out of the tip of the Trident, spreading out in all directions, including towards the still-recovering Mane Six. Vaati quickly threw himself between his friends and the energy balls, hissing in pain as they impacted his body with concussive force.

Pressing his attack, Ganon then charged the Trident full of energy again, and this time a hail of lightning bolts lanced out of the Trident, aimed at his friends. Vaati raised a shield to ward them off, but they were surprisingly strong, and Vaati knew that he was beginning to tire. They didn't have much time; if Vaati ran out of steam before Ganon did, they were all screwed.

"Coward!" Vaati bellowed. "You try to attack my friends to draw me away from you! I thought even you had some semblance of honor in that black pit you call a heart!"

"You deserve no more honor or mercy than a mosquito biting at my shoulder," Ganon snarled. "And it's time that I squashed you!"

Vaati and Ganon both roared as they charged one another, throwing both their weights against each other as they clashed arms. The two titans came to a standstill in the middle of the chamber, their strength seemingly equal. With Ganon's hands occupied, Vaati flicked one of his wings, summoning a swarm of Eye Sentries that began circling over the two demons. The Eyebats then began sending a searing rain of thin laser beams at Ganon, burning into his skin and causing him to grit his teeth in agony. Punching one of his hands free, Ganon seized hold of one of Vaati's larger wings and threw the demon eye over his head, sending him crashing painfully to the ground. The Eyebats, however, never let up their assault, and Ganon thrust his Trident up at them, unleashing a wave of dark magic that instantly destroyed the entire swarm. But they had definitely taken their toll; Ganon's body was absolutely covered with scorch marks that smelled of burnt fur and charred flesh.

Vaati had recovered in the meantime, and as Ganon turned back to face him, Vaati tackled the giant boar, trying to knock him over. Ganon, however, remained upright, but he skidded along the floor several feet before he finally managed to catch his foot on a broken part of the floor and stop himself. Bracing himself, Ganon roared as he pushed Vaati off of him, the giant eye stumbling back in fatigue. But as Ganon started towards him, Vaati's horns crackled with electricity. The King of Darkness paused and raised his Trident to defend himself. Suddenly a salvo of balls of electrical energy surged out of Vaati's horns. The Trident did nothing to deflect them; being a metal weapon, electricity only made things worse for the wearer. Ganon bellowed in agony as thousands upon thousands of volts of electricity coursed through his veins. However, Ganon pushed past his own agony and smashed the Trident directly across Vaati's face, knocking him on his back. Ganon stumbled, his body riddled with fatigue, using his Trident to keep himself upright as he tried to catch his breath and force back the pain.

Ganon recovered first and fell upon Vaati, thrusting his Trident at Vaati's eye. Vaati grabbed hold of the Trident, trying to keep those three sharp prongs at bay. Ganon began to pour dark energy into the Trident, causing the weapon to burn like fire at Vaati's touch. But Vaati held on for dear life, survival instinct overriding any sense of agony. Even as he tried to hold back the Trident of Power, more tentacles emerged from the Wind Mage's body and wrapped around Ganon's limbs, pinning him in place. Ganon snarled as he tried to pull away from Vaati's hold.

Looking towards where Twilight and the others were waiting, having finally recovered, Vaati yelled, "Hurry! I can't hold him for long! DO IT!"

Ganon's head whipped over his shoulder, his piggish eyes widening. "What?! No! NO!"

As Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Applejack again rose into the air in tandem, Ganon began to struggle more fiercely against his bonds. "I AM GANON! I CANNOT BE DESTROYED BY INSECTS LIKE YOU! NO!"

Turning back towards Vaati, Ganon attempted to drive his Trident into Vaati's eye once more, but for the moment, the sorcerer's strength was holding firm. Soon the Mane Six were enveloped by a white light, a light so bright that Vaati had to close his eye to avoid being blinded. And then a swirl of rainbows exploded outward from the hovering group of ponies, pulsing over their heads as it unleashed an all-encompassing wave of positive energy. Ganon could do naught but stare in open-mouthed horror as the Rainbow of Light fell upon him, ensnaring him within a vortex of many hues. Ganon, in desperation, attempted to bring the Triforce of Power to bear, to drive off the Rainbow before it could reach him. But he had used all his remaining strength. After all that had happened, he just did not have enough stamina left in him to resist, and a groan that sounded more piteous than enraged tore from Ganon's throat as the power of the Elements washed over his body.

Vaati opened his single eye, gazing in awe at the sight of Ganon standing over him as he succumbed to the Rainbow of Light. He couldn't believe it; it had actually worked. They had won.

All he could see of Ganon was his silhouette, black as the void against the Rainbow of Light, but to his surprise, something began emerging from Ganon's frozen, quivering body. A golden triangle that radiated a holy, alluring aura of sheer power, and Vaati's eye widened in shock and awe as he realized what it was.

It was the Triforce of Power.

But before he had a chance to properly marvel at this impossible sight, he saw something else emerge from Ganon's body, coiling around the Triforce of Power as though it were trying to use it as a shield against the Elements as it rose from Ganon's form. A black mist that exuded an aura of pure malice and hatred that clung tightly to the Triforce of Power as it escaped from the boundaries of the Rainbow.

With the Triforce of Power expelled from his body, Ganon collapsed to his knees, his body slowly morphing back into the Gerudo warlord, who then fell limply on his side. With Ganondorf down for the count, the Rainbow vanished as the Mane Six terminated it, the glow surrounding them slowly fading away as they floated back down to the ground. Opening their eyes, they took in their surroundings and soon found the unmoving body of Ganondorf lying not far from where Vaati lay, who let his arms go limp from the sheer exertion they had been forced to undergo. Then all eyes flew towards the golden triangle hovering proudly over them all, and the strange dark mist that was swirling around it more and more intensely.

Suddenly the mist began to grow, encompassing the Triforce of Power as it absorbed the holy relic into itself. Soon the Triforce of Power was totally consumed by the strange presence, and then the mist expanded outwards, slowly taking the shape of a humanoid form. "W-what's going on?" Fluttershy whimpered. "I-I thought we…"

"Everypony get behind me!" Twilight commanded. "I don't know what's happening, but I don't think it's good!"

"A-Ah don't understand!" Applejack stammered. "We beat 'im! So why's it look like the fight ain't over?"

As they spoke worriedly amongst themselves, the humanoid body began to grow specific features as it slowly descended to earth. It had a massive chest and broad shoulders, from which sprang two arms with muscles so thick they were larger than a pony's head. The same went for the figure's legs, which were similarly muscled, with bare feet. Slowly, from the blackness, scales began to emerge all over the figure's arms, legs, and back; black scales glittering with a red iridescence. The figure's lower body became concealed by a black kilt that trailed several feet behind it. And then a great mane of raging flames burst forth from the figure's head, illuminating his face. He had chiseled features, with a strong, square jaw supporting a mouth lined with razor sharp teeth. He had a large, round nose, and two large loops of silver hung from his earlobes. A white X was situated on his forehead between his heavy brows. His eyes burned like hot coals, with black vein-like lines spider-webbing out from his eye sockets and chest area, which was mostly white and devoid of the black scales. The black veins seemed to pulse, constantly fading in and out of view.

Soon the imposing figure reached the ground, and silently began inspecting himself with what seemed to be awe, as though he hadn't expected to be restored in such a way. He held up a hand, where the Triforce of Power glowed against his scaly wrist, and the figure smiled cruelly at this most unexpected triumph.

Twilight nervously looked to Vaati for an explanation, and saw, with a sinking feeling of utter dread, that Vaati definitely knew who this was, and he was utterly shocked and horrified at what he saw. And with a start, she too recognized the figure standing before them, who had thankfully not yet taken notice of them. She had seen him before, long ago, in the illustrations provided in the various volumes of the Hyrule Historia.

"Twi…w-who is that?" Applejack timidly asked, barely above a whisper.

Twilight gulped, and without turning away from the gigantic man-thing, she replied, "That's the demon responsible for Ganon's whole existence, a demon who's been dead for thousands of years and yet whose presence has haunted Hyrule and all its people for countless generations since."

The Mane Six's eyes widened as Twilight voiced what they all had simultaneously realized.

"Demise."
> Episode 19: Harmony and Power Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 19: Harmony and Power Part 2 – The Return of Demise

Everyone was deathly silent as the newly-restored Demon King looked himself over, flexing his fingers. A chuckle escaped his throat, a deep rumble that echoed chillingly in the souls of all who heard. And then Demise looked up, staring down at the unmoving body of his former host and reincarnation.

"Extraordinary," Demise boomed at last with a toothy grin. "Even I could not have counted on such a display of power in my wildest dreams. At long last, I am reborn."

Soon Demise's eyes fell upon the Wind Mage lying on the floor, having since changed back into his Hylian form. Vaati was barely conscious, but he was staring at Demise, and his expression was one of utter and incomprehensible despair. At this, Demise laughed. "Why do you look so melancholy, half-breed? You were instrumental in the rebirth of your king! Your true king!"

Finally Vaati spoke, shivering with fatigue and terror. "I-I don't understand…why? Why did the Elements bring you back?!"

Demise chuckled again. "They attempted to sunder what remained of my spirit, but as I felt the Triforce of Power being drawn from my incarnation's body, I clung to it and used it to protect myself from the Elements' power. Thus freed from my host, and with the Triforce of Power under my control, I could finally restore my form once again. At long last, I am free from that wretched half-existence I condemned myself to for the sake of preserving myself."

Knowing that Vaati was no threat to him, Demise then turned his attention towards the horrified Mane Six, and all of them quailed before his wicked gaze, despite their efforts to remain strong. Laughing at their fear, he mocked, "You had the courage to fight my hatred's incarnation, to turn his many plans on their heads, and yet now you waver?"

Demise raised his fist, showing the Triforce of Power. "As you should, you meddlesome little pests. While it is true my descendent and I grossly underestimated your capabilities and your courage, now that I am restored, and with the Triforce of Power under my control, I am greater now than when I faced the first reincarnation of the First Warrior all those millennia ago. You and your Elements are no threat to me."

Demise extended his arm towards Vaati. "Go; tend to your sorcerer. I will not stop you."

Twilight and the others nervously glanced at Demise, expecting some sort of ruse, but the Demon King stepped aside, allowing them to reach Vaati freely. As they collectively rushed over to him, Twilight at the head, Demise said behind them, "But when you are finished saying your goodbyes, it will be time for us to move on to the next order of business. Namely, your unconditional surrender and pledge of servitude to me."

"Stick it up your flank, grease-wad!" Rainbow shouted without even looking at Demise, and thus did not see the rage that flashed in the First Demon's eyes as he waited.

Twilight knelt down at Vaati's side as the others stood worriedly around him, checking him over for injuries. "Vaati, look at me!" Twilight commanded. "Are you alright?"

Vaati fixed his horror-stricken gaze on her, and he whispered, "It's over, Twilight…in trying to defeat Ganon, we just made things worse. We…we failed. Oh Goddesses, we failed…"

Twilight shook her head. "No, Vaati! There's still a chance!"

"Twilight…I have no strength left. It took everything I had to wear Ganon down long enough for you to use the Elements. I-I can't help you anymore…"

Twilight looked up to where Demise stood patiently before she stared Vaati hard in the eye, a determined look etched on her face. "You just hang tight here, Vaati."

Twilight stood up, that determined glare now focused on Demise. "We'll take it from here."

"Twi, are ya sure about this?" Applejack asked.

"We've been relying on Vaati for so long, but now it's all up to us," Twilight said. "We can do this; we've faced villains like him before."

Swallowing their fear, the rest of the Mane Six fell into step beside Twilight as they approached Demise, each of them readying their respective weapons. Demise utterly towered over them all, but they did not relent. "Now comes the time," Demise declared. "Kneel before me. Surrender yourselves to my will, and I will grant you a place of honor at my side as I impose my authority on the entirety of this world. Then I shall return to the Dark World and reclaim my rightful throne from that skulking dream walker who currently sits upon it."

The Mane Six shared a concerned glance at the mention of the aforementioned "dream walker," the memories of their nightmares still fresh on all their minds.

"After that, I shall regain Lord Majora's favor by seizing the remaining parts of the Triforce and ensuring the demon tribe's reign over Hyrule forever!"

"No," Twilight responded curtly and clearly.

Demise glared down at the tiny pony. "No?" he repeated, a dangerous edge in his voice.

"No," Twilight repeated for emphasis. "We are not going to stand by and let you terrorize the ponies of Equestria and beyond. All of us would rather die than be subject to the self-destructive rule of a mad tyrant like you."

"Everything you've done…all the ponies ya've hurt, all the people ya've cursed…Y'all are gonna get what's been comin' to ya for a long, long time!" Applejack declared.

"Ponies have died because of your stupid obsession with power!" Rainbow snapped. "And it's gonna stop right bucking now!"

"In the time since Vaati came here," Rarity added, her voice one of tranquil, dangerous fury, "I have found myself befriending the monsters you have for so long taken for granted. Honorable, loyal, if sometimes uncouth, and because of your pettiness and spite against a goddess who spurned your arrogant demand of courtship, all of them are cursed to follow the orders of whomever summons them. You may think of them as just mindless fodder to throw against your enemies in droves, but I have seen that each of them is their own person, and all of them, even the ones we were forced to fight against, have been hurt by your wickedness. Rest assured, you will feel every ounce of pain and sorrow you have ever inflicted upon others before you are destroyed."

"You've hurt countless people and ponies, and you've made even more sad!" Pinkie declared. "For thousands of years, people have lived in fear because of all the things you've done, all the innocent people you hurt! And if there's one thing I can't stand, it's people being sad and getting hurt! You're going down, you jerk!"

"I hate violence of any kind," Fluttershy spoke, her voice for once stern and without any sense of timidity. "I value the lives of all living things, whether pony, animal, or monster. But you…you've hurt, even killed countless innocent people and creatures for no reason other than spite and your sick lust for power. I hate people like you. And I try my hardest not to hate anypony. But you deserve it. And you definitely deserve what we're going to do to you!"

The rest of the Mane Six regarded Fluttershy's words with shock and a minor hint of worry. It was a jarring sign that what they had seen and done over the course of their journey had irrevocably changed each of them. But they put this aside and all glared daggers at Demise, who finally chose this moment to reply.

"So you defy me? I give you a generous offer, and you spit in my face? Would you rather I tear you asunder with these claws?"

"You clueless moron! Your offer sucks!" Rainbow shot back. "We like Equestria just the way it is, and we don't bow to anypony but the Princesses!"

Demise bared his teeth in a snarl. "So be it, worms; if you will not kneel, then you will perish!"

Demise threw his hand up, readying the Triforce of Power to blow them all away. But then, the Elements of Harmony flashed, followed by the Triforce of Power, and Demise's attack petered out. The Demon King regarded this with shock, looking at his wrist. "What?! The Triforce of Power is…resisting me?!"

The Mane Six collectively looked down at their Elements, and realization crept over them. Twilight smiled. "The Elements…they must be…communicating with the Triforce of Power! They're telling it to resist him! Don't you see, girls?! This is why they brought him back; so we can destroy him again, and this time completely!"

Hearing this, Demise growled as he summoned the Trident of Power, commandeering it for himself. "I will not be destroyed a second time. I will crush you all, and your world will be under my foot for eternity!"

Before Twilight could reply, the Elements flashed again, their aura enveloping their weapons. "What the…?" Applejack marveled.

And then the Elements vanished, their essences becoming absorbed into their weapons. Twilight's halberd soon turned golden, pink stars matching her Cutie Mark emanating from the head. Pink butterflies grew from and hovered over Fluttershy's crossbow, which she regarded with awe and delight. Blue and yellow balloons coalesced around the head of Pinkie's axe, while Rarity's saber glittered like blue diamonds. The tip of Rainbow's spear sparkled with multicolored electricity. And finally, little apple images floated out of Applejack's horseshoes. All of them felt more invigorated than they had ever felt before. Even Demise could feel their power, and for one fleeting moment, uncertainty gripped him. Not one to be cowed, though, Demise readied the Trident. "Fools! Now you die!"



Demise fired a blast from the Trident at the Mane Six, who quickly scattered. Demise immediately went for who he knew to be their leader, Twilight, bellowing as he brought the Trident down over her head. However, Twilight blocked with her halberd, and sparks flew from the two enchanted weapons as they clashed. Suddenly Demise felt a crossbow bolt charged with the power of Kindness pierce his back and howled with pain and rage. Smashing his fist into the ground, he knocked Twilight away and sent a burst of dark energy flying from his fingertips towards Fluttershy, who swiftly dodged. He turned back towards Twilight, only to see Rainbow bearing down on him, her spear aimed right for his forehead. Demise growled and raised the Trident, spinning it in front of him with the speed of a fan. Rainbow abruptly changed course right before she could hit the fan, sharply shooting upwards over his head. Demise turned around to face her, but did not see Applejack come up behind him. Suddenly the Demon King felt something smash into his back with enough force to send him careening face-first into the wall, his back smoldering where Applejack's hind legs had bucked him.

Demise detached himself from the crater shaped like himself and turned, his eyes ablaze with hatred. He made a sweeping slash with his Trident, sending a large wave of dark energy slicing through the air towards them. However, those who could fly dodged, while the others just slashed with their Element-empowered weapons, dispelling the attack. Demise threw the Trident at Rarity, who was closest to him, but then the Mane Six did something unexpected; they all concentrated their power on the Trident, and the terrible weapon of darkness vanished from the world, where it could hopefully never again resurface in Equestria.

"Impossible…" Demise snarled.

With nothing to rely on now but his physical strength, Demise leapt into the air and raised his fist, aiming for Applejack. Applejack leapt aside before he could hit her, and his fist smashed into the floor where she had just been, leaving a smoking crater around him. The Demon King snarled. They were quick; too quick. Demise lifted his arms, causing several large pieces of rubble to rise into the air around him, and these he hurled simultaneously towards all the Mane Six. However, the Mane Six all either dodged or shattered the pieces of rubble with their weapons as they advanced on him together. Rarity slashed her sword through the air, sending a hail of blue diamonds at Demise, who threw his arms over his face and growled as he felt the diamonds dig into his skin.

Demise stepped back, glancing between the Mane Six as he considered his options. There were too many of them, and they were all fiendishly quick and out for blood. Clearly his humanoid form wasn't cutting it with these whelps. He needed to go bigger. Demise pointed a clawed finger at the gathered ponies. "I admit you're doing well, but your resistance ends here!"

Demise cast his gaze heavenward and spread out his arms as a change overtook him. His body became a swirling mass of darkness that began pulsing and expanding into a new form, one that didn't look even remotely humanoid. Soon the mist became demonic flesh once more, and the Mane Six looked up in shock at Demise's new, massive form.

It now stood well over fifty feet tall, taking up almost half of the Throne Room. It had a squat, bullet-shaped body suspended by four long, almost skeletal hands, as well as a short, thick tail and a large, lizard-like jaw protruding from the main body, filled with massive, razor-sharp teeth. Numerous black tentacles sprouted from all around its body, which, oddly enough, stood erect as they curved towards Demise's face. The entire body was covered with the same black scales that had been present on his humanoid form. There were no eyes.

Demise let out a piercing roar, which caused all the walls of the Throne Room to explode outwards, glass and stone falling in pieces down into the rest of the castle below, exposing the battlefield to the elements. The sky was heavily black with clouds, red streaks of lightning flashing within as peals of thunder rumbled. The crimson flashes of lightning momentarily illuminated Demise's body, but for the most part, it remained concealed by shadow. The Throne Room doors were now blocked by rubble, preventing any idea of escape. But escape was not on the Mane Six's minds as they stared down Demise's ultimate form.

"Come on, girls!" Twilight called over the howling winds and roaring thunder. "Let's end this!"

They all rushed at Demise, who attempted to crush them with his four hands, but they lithely dodged as they struck at his body. However, his increased size had also increased the thickness of his scales, and even with the power of the Elements, they could not pierce his body armor. Demise whirled around, waves of darkness billowing out from his body and forcing them back.

"Great, what do we do now?" Rainbow demanded.

"We need to find some sort of weakness," Twilight surmised. "Something that isn't protected by his scales."

Suddenly Demise reared back on his hind legs and smashed his hands against the ground, sending out a shockwave of dark red and black electricity. Applejack yelped as she was caught in the blast and thrown against the wall. "APPLEJACK!" everyone cried out.

Applejack, thankfully, quickly recovered and shook herself. "Ah'm alright. Just a little shaken up."

Demise stomped forward, trying to flatten the ponies beneath him, but even in this enlarged form, he was considerably slow, and the Mane Six were able to stay out of range of his attacks. Abruptly Demise felt something crawling up his back, and roared as he tried to throw the pony off, to no avail. Soon the Element Bearers saw Pinkie appear on Demise's forehead, intent on her prey. And then they discovered what she was going for; with a crazed yell, she jumped up and smashed her axe into a glowing white X pulsing on Demise's forehead. Demise screeched as he reached for her, but Pinkie nimbly dodged his clawed hands and landed gracefully on the ground.

Demise's toothy maw opened wide, and a light grew in his throat. "Everypony scatter!" Twilight cried.

Suddenly a massive wave of white-hot flames rushed out of Demise's mouth, the great demon swinging his head about as he breathed fire around the whole arena. Twilight was forced to erect a shield around herself and her friends so that Demise's fire passed them by. Soon the flames subsided, and Demise roared again, frustrated that he had failed to destroy his puny foes. The Demon King picked up a large piece of rubble and enveloped it with dark magic before hurling it at Twilight. Twilight erected another shield, but it shattered as the cursed rubble exploded against it, knocking Twilight on her back in a daze.

"Twilight, are you okay?!" Rainbow cried, rushing to her side.

Twilight sat up and shook her head. "Ugh…yeah, I'm okay. We know his weakness now. It's that glowing mark on his forehead. And I think I have an idea…"

Demise bellowed and began stalking towards the Mane Six, dark energy pouring from his body and exuding an aura of unparalleled hatred and malice. "What's your plan, Twilight?" Rarity asked as they all warily watched the approaching titan.

Lightning flashed again, illuminating Demise's approaching form in a hellish glow before all plunged into eerie, oppressive darkness once more. Seeing this, Twilight said, "I'm going to need all your help for this."

"What do you need us to do?" Rainbow asked with a determined look.

"I want all of you to tap fully into the Elements and tell them to join together to form some kind of weapon. And then we're going to smash it right into Demise's ugly head."

"Well, we'd better do it quick, y'all!" Applejack exclaimed as the ground shook with increasing intensity as Demise closed in on them. "He's gettin' close!"

"Alright! Together!" Twilight cried. "We have to do this together!"

The Mane Six all closed their eyes as they focused all their willpower on the power of the Elements, feeling their power mesh with their very souls and they collectively pressed a single command into them. Suddenly, to their surprise, something happened they did not expect. Their weapons disintegrated into beams of light that then washed over each of them, surrounding them with light until they became multicolored beams of light themselves and were absorbed into the blazing aura of light. Demise halted his approach, regarding the scene before him warily. The swirling mass of elemental energy rose into the air, the light so bright and full of positive energy that Demise was actually forced to shrink back, the feeling of that light on his scaly skin like that of one who was standing in front of the very sun. It burned like fire, and Demise hissed as he recoiled. Forced to look away, he did not see the essence of the Elements and their bearers fuse together into a single instrument, a golden spear glittering with all the colors of the rainbow. The light around it faded enough to where Demise could see the instrument of his doom approaching.

The Demon King bellowed with fury and mounting fear as he unleashed another stream of fire from his mouth. However, the flames had no effect on the Spear of Harmony as it hovered ominously over Demise. Seeing this, Demise bellowed again, and this time, there was no mistaking the fear in his bestial voice. Demise backed up, but soon found himself teetering on the edge of the battlefield. He had nowhere to go, nowhere to flee.

Demise could do naught but howl in impotent rage and despair as the Spear plunged out of the sky and burrowed itself deep in Demise's skull right through the center of the scar that had once contained the Sealing Spike. A screech of agony rent the air as Demise writhed about, futilely attempting to wrench the weapon from his body even as the power of the Elements coursed through his veins, dissolving his body from the inside-out. As Demise continued to writhe and scream, the Spear of Harmony was consumed by light, causing Demise to stand still in the middle of the Throne Room, frozen in place. And with one last bellow, the Demon King's terrible voice was silenced, and this time for good as the Spear exploded, taking Demise's body with it. Consumed by the light, the Demon King's body was rent asunder, leaving nothing behind but ashes that were swept away by the howling winds.

The Rainbow of Light did not stop there, though; with Demise destroyed, the Triforce of Power meshed with the Elements, and a ring of energy exploded outwards, spreading throughout Equestria with awe-inspiring speed. Suddenly many things happened at once.

Hundreds of thousands of monsters from every walk of life appeared as if from nowhere all around Equestria. The monsters that were already alive, both those of Vaati and Ganon, suddenly felt something shatter within them, as though some shackle had at last been broken. Vaati's monsters looked at each other in awe. Nigellas felt it, stopping mid-sentence while he had been coaching Sweetie Belle. Maulgrim merely stood still as a statue in the Imperial town square as he realized the impossible. The survivors from Ganon's attack on the Crystal Empire halted their retreat as they felt an unexpected change come over them. The monsters outside the Throne Room abruptly stopped cold, looking at one another and themselves with utter confusion and shock, which Chrysalis and the others regarded with surprise and wariness. Within the Diamond Dog Mines, Sul-Kat-Na laughed from his cell as he realized what had just happened. Within the still-standing prison tower in Cloudsdale, Shanzom the Golden and all his Wizzrobes appeared once more, and the Grand Overseer could not help but smile. It was over; monster-kind was free at last.

But the monsters weren't the only ones affected by the burst of light. It washed over every building, through everybody it touched. Wounds, no matter how grievous, were instantly healed. Vinyl Scratch still sat in her chair, her shoulders heaving in a silent sob as she continued to grieve for Octavia.

"Nnnh…V…Vinyl?"

Vinyl's head shot up and her eyes widened, not believing what she had heard. But then she saw Octavia, the pony that she had thought dead, sitting up in her bed as though she had just woken up from a long nap.

"TAVI!" Vinyl cried, tearfully embracing her best friend.

Several of the patients regarded this with utter shock, and then, one by one, other ponies and creatures thought dead reawakened. Cloudchaser woke up and was immediately assaulted by her jubilant sister as she cried tears of joy. Caramel flailed under his sheet, shouting for somepony to get it off him as he tangled himself further in it. Seaswirl sat up, knocking off her sheet as she pried off her helmet, regarding the huge dent in it with shock. Derpy and the Doctor fell on their behinds as Raindrops also jolted awake, before she too was ensnared by Derpy's ironclad hug. Doctor Whooves couldn't help but laugh in exhilaration, thanking whatever gods he could think of for this utter miracle. Within the hospital, Fleetfoot sat bolt-upright in the morgue with a gasp, scaring the daylights out of the doctors as she clutched at her chest, which had been fully healed, not even leaving a scar. News of this quickly reached the other Wonderbolts, who all sought her out and they tearfully embraced, thanking Mother Faust that they were reunited again.

Watching as the dead all came back to life around her, Berry Punch blinked and muttered, "That's it; I'm quitting the booze."

Back in the Throne Room of Canterlot Castle, the storm dispersed, the crystals containing the Princesses shattered, and they and Vaati were healed of all their wounds and fatigue. Celestia, Luna, and Cadance lowered to the ground, landing on all fours as they spread their wings out and opened their eyes. Vaati got to his feet, and he and the Princesses watched as the Elements and the Triforce of Power separated. The Mane Six appeared from multiple blurs of light, but mysteriously, the Elements themselves were nowhere to be found. The Triforce of Power hovered in the air, spinning slowly as it radiated a holy aura.

Celestia looked away from the holy relic and smiled at Vaati and the Mane Six. "I'm so proud of you all. Because of your valiant efforts, Demise's taint has been totally purged from existence."

Celestia's words seemed to spur Luna into action, and she rushed over to where Ganondorf lay. The others soon followed, watching as Luna knelt down next to the fallen king. Ganondorf weakly opened his eyes, and to everyone's surprise, they were no longer a poisonous yellow, but a hazel-nut brown. Ganondorf blinked once as his eyes focused on Luna.

"Demise…" Ganondorf croaked. "Is he…?"

Luna nodded with a sad smile. "Yes. The Demon King is completely and totally eradicated."

Ganondorf managed a weak smile. "Ha…at last. At long last…my nightmare is over."

His eyes flitted between them. "The Wind Mage…bring him to me," Ganondorf pleaded.

Vaati hesitantly stepped forward. Ganondorf raised a hand, beckoning him. "Come closer, Vaati."

Vaati knelt down beside the dying Gerudo, and Ganondorf clasped both his massive hands over Vaati's own, which were tiny by comparison. "I would make…a last request of you…sorcerer," Ganondorf said.

"What do you ask of me?" Vaati asked warily.

"The Triforce of Power…it is yours now. Do with it…what I could not. Use it to usher in a new era of peace and prosperity in Hyrule, for all to share. Promise me, Vaati…"

Vaati looked into Ganondorf's pleading eyes, which now seemed far more human than they ever had before, and he slowly nodded his head. "I promise."

Ganondorf's grin returned. "Ah…I can see my sisters now. My people…I accept myself into Din's waiting arms…Thank you…all of you…at last, I can…rest…"

The last breath rattled out of Ganondorf's body as he slackened, his hands going limp, his eyes gazing at a sky he could no longer see. The King of the Gerudo had finally attained his final peace in the realm beyond death. Vaati and Luna stood, and everyone took notice of the Triforce of Power still floating in the air, as though waiting for its new master. Vaati simply stared at it, overcome by awe.

Seeing this, Luna nudged him. "Go on, Vaati. Take it; it's yours now."

Vaati looked at her, then at all of his friends. They all smiled, ushering him on. Finally Vaati turned back towards the sacred relic.

I never imagined that, after coming here to this new world and starting a new life away from villainy, I would still, in the end, come into the possession of no less than the Triforce of Power itself, Vaati thought. Fate really does have a strange sense of humor.

Putting all this mentally aside, Vaati slowly stepped forward and reached for the golden triangle. With a start, the moment he touched it, he felt a tingling sensation in his wrist as the Triforce of Power vanished from view. And then the mark of the Triforce appeared on his hand, with Power filling in one gap. The Wind Mage felt power like nothing he had ever felt before coursing through him. He now felt like he could do anything.

As Vaati marveled at the new power he had received, Twilight realized that the Elements of Harmony were no longer there with her or her friends. "What?" she exclaimed. "Where'd the Elements go?"

Celestia smiled. "You and your friends tapped so deeply into their power that your very souls merged with them. The Elements of Harmony are a part of you now, just as the Triforce of Power is now a part of Vaati. You are no longer their bearers; you have become the Elements themselves."

Cadance smiled as well. "Which means that you now carry their power no matter where you go. As long as you and your friends remain true to each other, your power is incalculable."

Luna came up to Vaati's side as he finally lowered his hand. "Are you well, Vaati?" Luna asked.

Vaati gazed deeply into her eyes, and he realized just how much he had missed looking into those enchanting orbs, and he embraced the surprised Moon Princess. "Better than I've ever felt before, now that you're back," he whispered in her ear.

Luna merely smiled as she leaned into his embrace.

XXXXXX

Canterlot Throne Room, the next day…

With Ganon gone, the Princesses were free to restore the entire castle to its former state, and now it looked as good as new. The entire room was packed with ponies, monsters, and all manner of denizens of Equis. Standing at the head of the crowd, closest to the thrones, were Vaati, the Mane Six, and all the companions they had traveled with. Behind them stood the various monster leaders, now free of Ganon's influence and holding no quarrel with each other or the ponies of Equestria. Maulgrim stood together with Sul-Kat-Na, Shanzom, Karuna, and a number of other Blin chieftains, as well as Discord, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Chief Thunderhooves, and Chancellor Geoffrey, with little Prince Garrett beside him. Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor all stood at the head of this crowd, staring down at Equestria's greatest heroes.

"Vaati Picoru, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Daring Do, Ahuizotl, Gilda, Rover, Zecora, Trixie Lulamoon, and Queen Chrysalis," Celestia declared loud enough for the whole crowd to hear. "All of you have shown great courage in the face of overwhelming enemy force, and you triumphed most spectacularly. Not only by defeating Ganon, but by liberating him, all of monster-kind, and the entire world of Hyrule from the wicked legacy of Demise. I present each of you with these Medals of Valor, as a sign of Equestria's utter gratitude for the service you performed it."

She and her fellow Princesses laced the medals around each of the heroes' necks. Rover fingered his with utter fascination. "So shiny," he murmured to himself in reverence.

Chrysalis looked down at hers, not quite comprehending its significance, but accepting it without complaint nonetheless.

Ahuizotl inspected his with a thoughtful look, while Daring, Gilda, Zecora, the Mane Six, Trixie, and Vaati smiled proudly as they regarded their own.

Satisfied, Celestia looked up towards the crowd. "However, this day does not belong to one being, or even to a few, but to all. It was through the combined efforts of ponies, Changelings, Diamond Dogs, Buffalo, Darknuts, Moblins, and Wizzrobes that Equestria was saved from a future of darkness and enslavement. I cannot begin to thank you properly for what you have done for us, but know that Equestria is forever in your debt. Queen Chrysalis…" At this, the Changeling ruler looked up at her. "I know that your primary concern has always been feeding your people. As a reward of thanks for your people's aid, the doors of the Crystal Empire will remain forever open to Changeling-kind, so that you may feed off the energy of the Crystal Heart. Furthermore, your people will be welcome in all parts of Equestria, so that you may find reasonable ways to gather more love energy to feed your people."

Chrysalis was awed by this. "…you speak the truth?"

Celestia smiled warmly. "I do."

She then looked up past Equestria's heroes, towards the gathered monster leaders. "Maulgrim of the Darknuts, Shanzom of the Wizzrobes, Sul-Kat-Na of the Lizalfos, and esteemed chieftains of the Moblin tribes, step forward and be honored."

The Black Knight, Grand Overseer, and Son of Dragons strode up to them alongside the Blin chiefs. "Your peoples have been given the chance to rebuild and start new lives in our world," Celestia decreed, "away from those who might harbor resentment towards you for deeds long since passed. You have but to ask, and Equestria will set aside whatever territory you ask for in order to rebuild your cities and livelihoods."

Each of them bowed grandly. "You honor us, Princess Celestia," Maulgrim rumbled. "We Darknuts were also known as the Cliff Lords because we preferred to build our citadels within the mountains. There are many such peaks to choose from here."

"We of the Lizalfos thrive in the forests and swamps," Sul-Kat-Na stated. "Lands such as these would be greatly desirable to us."

"All I ask for is a manor worthy of the Wizzrobe Order," Shanzom declared. "A headquarters of sufficient size to accommodate as many Wizzrobes as possible, while also containing enough space for a good-sized library. We care not where it is."

"We ask for farmlands," Karuna said. "Enough to feed ourselves and grow. Enough to establish cities worthy of the great Blin strongholds of old."

"Then you shall have all these things and more," Celestia declared proudly. "My ponies, in a gesture of friendship, will aid in the construction of your cities, if you so desire. And may we look forward to profitable trade agreements in the future between all our great nations."

She then turned her attention towards Geoffrey and Garrett. "Chancellor Geoffrey, the death of King Galdoria is a truly sad affair. I will dispense aid to your kingdom to help it rebuild its economy and infrastructure. It's the least we can do for the courage one of your own demonstrated."

Gilda visibly preened at this, and Rainbow jokingly nudged her. Geoffrey bowed humbly. "Thank you, Princess. King Galdoria was proud and stubborn, but I will not deny whatever aid you can give us as he did."

And then Celestia's smiling gaze fell upon Vaati. "And last but most definitely not least, you, Vaati, have demonstrated valor, courage, and leadership that many Equestrians will aspire to for ages to come. I know of no one else quite worthy of this title, and thus I hereby grant you a most honorable rank, one fit just for you."

Celestia nodded to Luna, who proudly approached bearing a shimmering silver cuirass with gold trimmings, perfectly suited for Vaati's size. "From this day forth," Celestia proclaimed, "you shall be known as Vaati Picoru, Mage Knight of Equestria!"

Luna smiled proudly as she fitted the armor over Vaati's surprised form, and he could tell as soon as she fastened it on that it was enchanted with powerful spells of protection. But as she began to step back, Vaati finally took a chance he had been putting off for far too long, and placed his hand beneath her cheek, gently turning her surprised face towards his. And then he leaned forward and embraced her in a passionate kiss. Luna went still as a statue, her wings flaring out and standing erect, but then fell into it with utter pleasure, working her mouth feverishly against his. A raucous din rose up as the entire crowd hooted, hollered and whistled in total approval. Seeing this, Daring and Ahuizotl shared a glance and smiled at one another. "Dang, look at 'em go," Rainbow snickered.

Twilight and her friends all shared a glance before they all nodded, and suddenly Vaati and Luna found themselves caught up in the collective embrace of the Mane Six. Celestia smiled at this; the worst had yet to come, but she was confident that when Majora chose to attack, Equestria would be ready for him. The power of friendship had proven itself once again.

XXXXXX

Canterlot Castle, Princesses' bedroom, that evening…

While the day had been full of joy, especially with the confirmed news of all the casualties of the Battle of the Crystal Empire having been restored to life, when evening came, Luna's melancholy had returned. Celestia did not fail to notice this as she settled down in her bed. "What's the matter, Lulu?" Celestia asked.

Luna sighed as she looked out the window at her glorious night. Without turning around, she said, "It's not fair, Celie. All those people and ponies restored to life…and yet those whom had died in their dreams were not. Pipsqueak is gone forever."

Celestia sighed sadly as well. "There's nothing anypony can do. They had all been dead for several days already, many of them already returned to the earth. Their souls have already passed on and accepted our dear mother's embrace."

"It's not fair, though!" Luna cried, whirling around. "They were just children! Just children, Tia…"

Celestia flew from her bed and wrapped her sister up in a hug. "I know, Luna. I know," she said soothingly as Luna cried into her chest, once again vowing in her mind to exact vengeance upon Majora and his vile spawn for the crimes they had committed.

XXXXXX

Golden Oaks Library, Ponyville…

The "We-Saved-Equestria" celebration was in full swing, and Pinkie had gone all-out in setting it up. Vinyl was back in business as the premier DJ in Ponyville, and she looked happier than anypony had ever seen her before as she expertly manned her dubstep equipment. Ponies danced with Changelings, while others conversed with various monsters, Griffons, and a few Diamond Dogs. In the midst of it all, Vaati spoke with Maulgrim and Nigellas.

"Are you sure about this?" Vaati asked.

Maulgrim nodded, idly swirling his drink in his hand. "I must look to my own people now, Vaati," he said.

Vaati was still getting used to being addressed by name by his former underling.

"While I am no longer bound to call you Master," Maulgrim continued with a smile, "it will not stop me from calling you friend."

Vaati couldn't help but smile back.

"The doors of Lupay will always be open to you," Maulgrim vowed.

"Touching," Vaati replied in good humor.

Maulgrim chuckled and clapped a hand on Vaati's shoulder.

"That's so bloody typical of you," Nigellas cut in with a snort. "I hope you at least plan to visit once in a while."

"So you intend to stay at the Palace?" Vaati asked incredulously. "What about the Order?"

Nigellas scoffed. "The Grand Overseer's put me on a…shall we say, extended assignment, to, by his own words, maintain a diplomatic affiliation with the sorcerer that succeeded where even the greatest heroes failed. I'm not going anywhere, sir, and neither are all our boys who've been living in the Palace all this time. Ponyville is our home now, and nothing's gonna change that. Besides…" The Wizzrobe stole a glance at Scootaloo, where she was playing with her friends as well as Ruby and Prince Garrett, under the watchful eye of the Griffon Chancellor. "…I've gotten rather attached to that kid of yours."

"I will most definitely have to take diplomatic affairs into consideration when it comes to doing things," Maulgrim said. "But I will make it a point to visit when I can. You have my word on that."

Vaati looked between them and broke out into a small fit of chuckles. "You know…I was so used to calling you my servants, that I never bothered to take note of the fact that you two in particular became so much more to me. And now that the curse is lifted, it's finally become clear to me. You were never just servants; you were my friends. And I do hope our paths cross again more than once in a blue moon."

"Well, when you put it that way, I guess it'll all depend on your girlfriend's moods, won't it?" Nigellas cheekily replied.

Vaati's cheeks blazed scarlet, causing Maulgrim and Nigellas to laugh uproariously.

"You know, I think that Blueblood whelp was having chest palpitations in the back of the crowd when you two were eating one another's faces," Maulgrim snickered. "It would have been funny had it not been so pathetic."

"Rarity told me about him," Vaati responded, shaking off his blush. "Celestia and Luna's nephew, right? I was told he was a pompous twat."

"Aye," Nigellas spoke up, snorting laughter. "And that little snogging session you had with his Aunt Luna's gonna stir up a Dark World of a storm amongst the rest of his fellow idiot nobles!"

"I hope you're ready for a scandal, Vaati," Maulgrim chuckled.

Vaati puffed his chest out a little. "I think those scandals need to be prepared for me."

The three of them laughed, enjoying what time they had left together.

Meanwhile, Daring and Rainbow were holding their own conversation.

"So this is gonna be your last book?" Rainbow asked, more than a little disappointed.

Daring nodded. "Yeah. After everything that's happened, I think it's about time I hung up the pith helmet, as it were."

"But why?" Rainbow pressed. "I mean…I enjoyed them so much, especially since they all turned out to have actually happened!"

"Well, Dash, think of it like this," Daring answered. "For years Daring Do has been saving Tenochtitlan Valley on her own, fighting the forces of Ahuizotl and every other nut that stirred up trouble. But everything changes in this one book, changes so drastic that, even if it didn't really happen, how could I continue it? I unintentionally got wrapped up in events way bigger than anything I've ever been in, and in the process, Ahuizotl saved my life, and we ran away together and ran into another group of heroes already in the middle of their own important quest to save Equestria, and Daring Do's long-lost daughter, whom has never once been mentioned in the series, happens to be amongst them, and then Ahuizotl and I help you fight a megalomaniacal king I'd never even heard of before all this. Admit it, story-wise this would be very confusing to follow."

Rainbow chuckled. "I guess truth really is stranger than fiction, huh? But you're right; that would confuse a lot of fans. How're you gonna convince everypony that everything that happened was real? That's a pretty big pill for anypony to swallow."

"Well, firstly, when I go on my book tour, I'm taking him with me," Daring replied, jerking her head towards Ahuizotl, who was idly sitting in a corner of the library away from the crowd, petting Princess. "There's nothing else like him anywhere in our world. Even his own kind apparently all differ in appearance. So him being there would definitely be proof enough."

"His own kind?" Rainbow repeated in confusion.

Daring looked troubled for a second, but then hid it behind a smile. "You'll just have to wait until the book's out before I answer that. But I will say he's not the first of his kind you've met."

Rainbow grumbled. "Why do you eggheads always have to be so cryptic?"

Daring laughed. "It's one of the perks of being booksmart, kid!"

Rainbow couldn't help but chuckle back. "So…if you're not gonna be writing books anymore, what are you gonna do?"

Daring smiled. "Well, first I'm gonna firmly establish myself as a part of my daughter's life." Rainbow smiled at that. "And then, I'm gonna take up an offer an old friend of mine says is still open."

Rainbow's brow furrowed. "What friend?"

Daring's grin widened. "Remember how you found out that I, Daring Do, went to college with the Wonderbolts?" Rainbow nodded, not entirely sure where this was going. "Well, as it so happens, before I…shall we say, left, Captain Spitfire offered me a position with the Wonderbolts. When I saw her again in the Crystal Empire, she offered it to me a second time, in the wake of Fleetfoot's miraculously-temporary death. Even though Fleetfoot's thankfully back in business, Spits is still dangling the job in front of my face."

Daring trailed off there, savoring her daughter's suspense. "A-are you g-g-gonna take it?" Rainbow stuttered, desperate to know.

After a few moments just to build suspense, she nodded her head. "I already said yes, actually. They're probably having my suit made as we speak."

Rainbow began to hyperventilate, overcome by awesomeness. "Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh, omigosh, omigosh!"

"Put in a good word for you too, while I was at it," Daring continued. "And Spits sounds pretty interested in you, kid."

Rainbow couldn't hold it together anymore; with a loud gasp, she fell over in a dead faint.

"So all this time, all I needed to do was add some baking powder?" Gilda asked incredulously as she and Pinkie discussed baked goods.

"Well, sure!" Pinkie replied. "They don't bake right otherwise!"

Gilda smiled wanly. "Heh…Y'know, I was half-expecting you to say 'friendship' or somethin'…I guess…I guess you are pretty okay, after all."

Pinkie's smile widened. "I heard that Griffons really do have a huge sweet tooth. You should add more to your repertoire!"

Gilda quirked an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Pinkie's grin became conspiratorial. "Cupcakes, for starters."

"Well, I'm gonna need the recipe for that, then," Gilda answered.

"Don't you worry!" Pinkie proclaimed. "We got recipes for baked goods that'll make any Griffon's mouth water!"

Gilda chuckled. "You know…after everything that's happened, you guys've inspired me. When I go back to Griffonstone, I'm gonna try and make some more friends. Who knows? Maybe it'll help expand my business."

"That's the spirit!" Pinkie declared, wrapping an arm around Gilda's shoulder.

Chrysalis, being the antisocial sort she was, had already departed for her hive in the Badlands, but a number of her Changelings had stayed behind to enjoy the party, and Rover had similarly rejoined his pack in their mines, content to return to their endless quest for more gems. Trixie was not present either, for she was in the process of moving into Canterlot Castle to continue her studies with Luna.

Zecora was speaking amicably to the ponies of Sunnytown, who were ecstatic that they could come to consider the zebra that had once kept them confined to their formerly-cursed town a friend. Ruby, Scootaloo, and Prince Garrett patiently waited for Sweetie Belle and Applebloom to join them again, for Applejack and Rarity had pulled them aside for some sisterly bonding.

Fluttershy was standing alone near the drink table, a troubled look on her face. Suddenly she noticed a flash of light in her peripherals and turned.

"Ah, there's my little Flutter Butter!" Discord happily crowed, sweeping Fluttershy off her hooves and hugging her against his chest like a teddy bear. "I'm just so positively delighted to see you again, I'm just radiating rainbows!"

And indeed he was, the rainbows in question crawling out the door like multicolored caterpillars. Fluttershy smiled faintly. "I'm so glad to see you too, Discord," she said.

Discord held her up to eye level. "Oh, dear Fluttershy, you should be happier than this! Ganondork's defeated and everything's back to normal! Though I am gonna miss all that chaos…"

Fluttershy averted her gaze. "I-I am, but…"

"But what, Fluttershy?" Discord asked, and with a flash, Fluttershy was sitting on a shrink sofa while Discord sat in the therapist's chair, wearing a gray suit and oversized glasses and carrying a pen and notepad. "Just tell ol' Doctor Discord what's on your mind!"

Trying to ignore the stares she and Discord were receiving, Fluttershy sighed. "I've done…I-I've done a lot of things, Discord. While we were on our quest, I…there were a lot of times I did things that I never imagined I would ever do. I-I killed people. I mean, I know it was necessary, and I know that some of them were just mindless, evil creatures that would have hurt innocent ponies had they been left alone, but…most of them were the monster peoples, sentient beings that could have been friends if it hadn't been for Demise's curse. I'm so glad that that curse has been lifted, but…it doesn't change what I was forced to do, and the fact that…that it isn't so hard for me anymore."

Discord arched an eyebrow as he scribbled down notes, which were actually just random drawings of himself and Fluttershy doing increasingly odd things. "And what do you mean by that?"

Fluttershy sniffed, starting to cry as she continued. "Killing doesn't bother me so much anymore. I…I've gotten u-used to it, and…t-that scares me. I-I feel l-like a killer! I-it just seems so w-wrong for me t-to feel like this! I…"

She was cut off as she found herself in Discord's embrace in another flash. "Shh, there there," Discord said with surprising tenderness, stroking her hair. "You're not a killer, Fluttershy. You love and value life just as much as you did before. But now I think you're realizing that sometimes you have to take a life in order to save one."

Fluttershy said nothing as she cried into his fur.

"Scoots?"

The filly in question turned to see Vaati approaching her, a concerned look on his face.

"Hey, Dad."

"I'm sorry that I haven't really paid much attention to you ever since I returned," Vaati guiltily said. "With all the celebrating, I got a little carried away."

Scootaloo scrunched her nose in such an indignantly cute way that Vaati was surprised his heart didn't explode out of his chest. "You're still not paying much attention! Don't you see something different about me?"

Vaati blinked before he realized that there was indeed something different about Scootaloo; her flank was now adorned with a Cutie Mark of her very own.

A depiction of the irritatingly-familiar Hylian Shield.

"Whu…? How…wha?" Vaati stuttered incomprehensibly. "Scootaloo…you…"

Scootaloo smiled. "I got it; I got my Cutie Mark."

"But…the Hylian Shield…h-how?"

Scootaloo's smile fell. "When my friends and I faced down Majora, we made a vow; we would defy him with every fiber of our being. We would do whatever it took to stop him from ruining Equestria. And that's when we got these. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle have 'em too."

Vaati couldn't stop his eyes from watering as he croaked out, "I missed you, Scoots."

Scootaloo flew into his arms and they embraced. "I missed you too, Daddy," she whimpered as tears fell down her cheeks.

Vaati pressed his cheek into the little filly's orange fur, nuzzling her. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you."

Scootaloo closed her eyes and smiled. "You had the whole world to save, Dad. And I think I can take care of myself, you know."

Vaati sniffed as he closed his eyes. "It doesn't change the fact that I couldn't protect you from my enemies, and now you've gotten caught up in all this chaos. I wanted to keep you out of it, but it seems fate has other ideas. I hate it, Scoots. I couldn't stop Majora from taking what remained of your innocence. I took you in, promised you a happier childhood, and look what happened…"

Scootaloo tightened her hug, smiling as she felt Vaati's hand comfortingly rubbing her back. "Majora has taken a lot of things from us. But there's no way in Tartarus he's gonna take away my childhood. He almost broke me once; I won't let him do it again."

Vaati could no longer hold back his tears. "I'm so proud of you."

Scootaloo choked back a happy sob. "I-I love you so much, Daddy!"

"I love you too, Scoots," Vaati tearfully replied.

Twilight observed all of these conversations from midway up the stairs, but had, for the most part, refrained from taking part in the festivities herself.

"How come you aren't down there with everybody?" someone suddenly asked from behind.

Twilight turned to see Spike looking at her worriedly. The young unicorn sighed heavily. "I don't know. Guess I'm just not in the mood to socialize right now."

"Something bothering you?" Spike asked.

Twilight stared at the assembled party below her and said, "All of this…it's just a temporary reprieve, isn't it? We may have defeated Ganondorf and destroyed Demise for good, but there are bigger forces at work out there, and they also bear evil intentions towards Equestria. I have no idea when they'll strike, but I know it will be soon. We got lucky that the Elements and the Triforce of Power working together were able to revive everypony who was killed during the Siege of the Empire, but will we be so lucky in the future? When Majora chooses to attack, it's likely more ponies will die, and this time we won't be able to bring them back. And then…then there was the nightmares. We each got one after we retrieved our Elements, except for me. I didn't have my Element at the time, but I got one anyway. When we faced Demise, he mentioned something about a dream walker sitting on his throne. Is there a connection? There's so much about this that I don't understand. I-I don't know what's going to happen, and that scares me."

Spike hugged the pony he considered to be his big sister. "We all still got a tough road ahead of us. But don't you guys worry; with the Elements' power and Vaati on our side, I think Equestria's gonna do just fine."

Despite Spike's reassurances, Twilight still felt a sense of terrible foreboding. "I hope you're right, Spike."

XXXXXX

Throne Room, Palace of Darkness, the Dark World…

King Dethl sat on its throne, glaring down at its subordinates as, one by one, they entered the Throne Room. Veran, that seductive siren, swayed her hips as she walked in alongside her hulking lover, General Onox. Dethl, however, was immune to such a seductive display, for it did not comprehend any concept of sexual desire. Ghirahim came in next, casting his eyes towards the floor and trying to make himself look as inconspicuous as possible. Then came the delightfully-mad archmage and high priest, Yuga, using that silly magical paintbrush of his as a walking stick. Shortly afterwards came the Lich Queen Gomess, surrounded as always by her horde of demonic bats, as well as the gigantic, centipede-like Lord of the Gohma, Iemanis, whose body alone took up almost half the room, even when coiled. Then finally their new Equestrian allies joined them, starting with King Sombra, who eyed his Hyrulean cohorts warily. Behind him came a ram, almost as tall as Princess Celestia herself, with blue fur and demonic, pupil-less red eyes. He had a bit of an underbite, revealing two large, sharp canines that had no business being on a ram's face. His nose was strangely humanlike. Around his neck, he wore a red collar, with a golden bell dangling down his chest. He regarded the majority of the Hyrulean demons with a mask of neutrality that nevertheless carried the distinct impression that he thought many of these beings to be beneath him. This did not go unnoticed by most of them, but for the sake of their king's patience, they refrained from calling the newcomer out on his arrogance.



"Everyone is here?" Dethl demanded.

"Everyone, Your Majesty," Veran replied.

Dethl eased itself off its throne and joined them. "Good; let us conduct our business. This here is our newest Equestrian ally, one of the Children of Krastos that Lord Majora has truly deemed worthy of joining us. His name is Grogar."

At this, Onox scoffed. "What can this sheep possibly do?" he rumbled.

Grogar glared at the General of Darkness, and without a word, his dark blue horns glowed yellow, and Onox's gauntleted hands flew to his throat, for he could no longer draw in breath. Onox fell to his knees, gagging as he desperately tried to suck in air. Veran angrily moved to attack Grogar, but Dethl abruptly spoke up. "That's enough, Grogar! You've made your point."

Grogar smirked as he released his hold on Onox, who immediately hunched over, sucking in deep, labored breaths. "You would do well to hold that tongue of yours, wretch," the demonic ram spoke in a deep, sinister voice. "I do not tolerate disrespect from anyone."

Onox looked up at him, glaring through the three eyeholes arranged in a triangle on his helmet. "Now that…introductions are out of the way, let us move on to more important things," Dethl bade dismissively. "We have organized our plan of attack on Hyrule and Equestria. And each of you shall play an important part in this grand scheme."

"And what exactly is this grand scheme of yours, Your Highness?" Yuga asked, idly swishing his paintbrush as he had a tendency to do.

Glancing between them, Dethl replied, "The most important bastions of defense in Equestria are Canterlot and the Crystal Empire. They must fall if we are to have any hope of securing Equestria. As King Sombra is intimately familiar with the defenses of the Empire, and is of course eager to reclaim it for himself, he will organize a force of the Master's spawn to march on the Empire. To do that, first, Blind the Thief will steal their primary means of defense, the Crystal Heart, and deliver it to Sombra. Onox, in the meantime, you will focus on bringing the dragons under your control. Once you have secured dominion over their kingdom, we want you to lead a force of them to aid Sombra's conquest."

Still glaring daggers at Grogar, Onox growled, "As you wish, my King."

"Once the Empire is retaken, you will take your dragons and assault Canterlot, while Sombra consolidates his position in the Empire," Dethl ordered. "If the dragons prove insufficient at destroying Canterlot, raze the countryside instead. Reduce as many of their miserable cities as you can to smoldering firepits. Once Equestria is totally under our control, we will send a host of Shadow Nightmares to bolster Sombra's forces so that he can begin bringing the other nations to heel, starting with the yaks, and in the process, he will take control of the Windigoes, which we will then use to keep the Changelings busy until Iemanis can deal with them personally."

Iemanis smirked. "Those petulant gnats are an insult to the Gohma. Though my connection to the Gohma Ganon summoned was weak, I could still glean some information about these worthless creatures. I look forward to devouring their queen myself."

Dethl then fixed its ponderous gaze on Iemanis. "In the meantime, on the Hyrule end of things, you and Gomess will take a combined army of Stalfos and Gohma and lay siege to Hyrule Castle. The sheer numbers of both your respective forces should be more than enough to crush the Princess Zelda and her loathsome people."

Gomess grinned. "After my plague runs its course, there will be quite a wonderful number of corpses to commandeer. So many souls to reap, so little time."

Grogar's brow furrowed. So she, too, is a necromancer. Intriguing. I'll have to keep an eye on that one.

Dethl began glancing at the others as it spoke to each of them in turn. "Next, Grogar will lead an army of his Trogals to intercept any Hyrulean aid that may attempt to relieve the Hylians. As he engages these enemy forces, Yuga will then sweep in with a second force consisting of Church Followers and crush the enemy between them. Veran will then mop up any other resistance that remains with some Nightmares and Spawn. In the meantime, we will focus on ushering in the Great One's freedom. Do you have your orders?"

All of them nodded, save for Ghirahim, who uncertainly spoke up, "And…what would you like me to do, Your Majesty?"

Dethl glared at him, a glare that was shared by Veran, Onox, Gomess, Sombra, and Iemanis. "When we've come up with a task we aren't certain you will utterly fail at, we'll let you know. In the meantime, why don't you go skulking back to your little hole in Thieves' Town? Blind could always use some help with cleaning his underground palace! Gwo hoh hoh hoh hoh!"

The other demons joined their king's laughter at Ghirahim's expense, though at least Yuga refrained from joining in, as it was well-known that the two of them considered each other friends. Once that had died down, Dethl said, "The preparations for this will take several years, but in the meantime, there are a few other things we want done. Sombra, order the Disciples under your care to sow the seeds of chaos amongst the people of Equis. The less organized they are, the better. Turn friend against friend, nation against empire. And as always, recruit anyone you can. There is a place in the Master's house for all. Grogar, you spoke to us of other Children who have not been tainted by the disgusting promises of friendship. See if you cannot recruit these other Children to our cause."

"Mm, Tirek in particular will take some…convincing," Grogar surmised. "He's a rather independent sort. And the Smooze is utterly mindless and uncontrollable. That one should best be left alone."

Dethl nodded in acknowledgment of this before saying, "When we are ready, we will strike like a dagger at the hearts of all those who dare stand against Majora and the demon tribe! And darkness will rule Hyrule and Equestria, FOREVER!"

All of them laughed, as within the Pyramid of Power far away from the Dark Palace, Majora stirred as the power sealing the doors of his prison flickered ever so slightly…

END OF SEASON 2