> When the Moon saved the stars
>  by kittypetro
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Starvoid the cold
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1
Starvoid the cold

How dare they? How dare they lock her up here? Over 2 millennia had she been stuck here, forced to watch the world pass along trapped in her cold prison. 

How dare they smile and reign over a kingdom that should have been hers? Wait… that corner was less cold than before… could it be possible that… well now, this could be interesting.

…

Celestia looked up from her work as the doors to the throne room opened up. Luna came in, having just woken up. 

“Good evening sister, how has your day fared?” 

“Uneventful” Celestia said with a sigh rising from her seat. “I pray your night will be the same.” 

Luna frowned as the two started walking up the way to the balcony. “Are you withholding something Tia?” 

Celestia sighed. “There is some trouble with the dragons… again. The usual thing, they want free access to our airspace for their elders.” 

Luna huffed. “So they can fly in here, go to sleep near one of our settlements and pollute the air and steal our gems? I think not, we have been kind enough to let them pass through our lands on their migration. That should be sufficient enough.” 

“I agree” Celestia said as she and Luna turned a corner, appearing outside. For a moment the two was silent, as Celestia lowered her sun beyond the horizon and Luna raised the moon. As the two celestial bodies had turned day to night Celestia turned to face Luna. 

“Luna I am tired of dealing with the dragons. My schedule as of right now is big enough as it is. The dragons have invited us to their home for further discussion as they called it in a day time.” 

Luna frowned. “Didn’t you plan to invite Twilight Sparkle and her friends to explain the deeper parts of the elements and their magic?” 

“I did… which is why I with a heavy heart must ask you to travel to the Dragon Kingdom alone.” 

Luna sighed. “Well it’s not like the dragons will accept a no, I doubt they have changed their attitude that much over the last 1000 years.” 

“They haven’t” Celestia said with a sigh. “Well sister I wish you good luck, have a good night.” 

“And sweet dreams to you Tia” Luna said, smiling as Celestia turned and walked to her quarters and her bed. 

Luna looked up at the star filled sky. She knew them all by heart, both the names that her subject knew them as, and as the names that they really had. Luna sighed and shook her head. 

That was all in the past now… there was no need to dwell on it.

…

The next day Luna left with a royal carriage heading towards the Dragon kingdom. Celestia had given her a proper royal farewell, asking her to be careful for trouble. Just as Luna’s carriage was out of sight, the holders of the elements of harmony arrived, Twilight looking ecstatic at the chance to learn more about the elements themselves. 

Celestia smiled. “Welcome my little ponies; I am glad you could come so quickly.” 

“Well when Twi here said we could learn more about the elements of harmony we couldn’t say no your highness” Applejack said, lifting back her Stetson hat. 

“Yeah” Pinkie Pie said with a grin. “I just thought it made magical rainbows of happiness at bad guys. Think of how much fun we can have if we can do more.” 

Celestia smiled. “Very well, sit down my little ponies and I will tell you about the original holders of the elements.” 

“Wait what? I thought you and Princess Luna were the original owners” Rainbow Dash said with a curious frown. 

“No Rainbow Dash… Luna and I were the second holders, there were others before us.” 

Rainbow blinked, and then sat down on the ground as Celestia started to talk. 

“For two thousand years ago there was a wicked unicorn.” 

“Oh this is going to be good” Pinkie said. 

Rarity scowled at her. “Hush darling, don’t interrupt the princess when she’s talking. Now please princess, you were saying.” 

Celestia smiled. “There was a wicked unicorn. Her name was Starvoid the cold. She was a cruel unicorn. She started learning all the magic around her she could, from all kinds of creatures. And if she came over someone who had a special brand of talent she wanted she got it.” 

Fluttershy gasped. “She forced someone to give away their secrets?” 

“Worse” Celestia said. “Originally Starvoid only knew one spell… but that spell was enough. To this day I don’t know how the spell works. What Starvoid did was to get close to her target and drain the life force and magic from them.” 

Everyone gasped. Celestia frowned. “She never asked for information, she took it. When she was finished her victims lay either dead to the ground, or in the hospital brain dead, never to fully function again.” 

“That’s horrible” Twilight said shocked over how somepony could do something like that to another pony. 

“In the end she came to Everfree, wich back then thrived as the capitol of Equestria. She walked straight up to the gate of the castle and told the guards that the royal family had a day to pack up and leave her castle.” 

Rainbow Dash gaped. “What?” 

Celestia sighed. “It was not a time Luna and I look back to fondly. We came out to the gate to meet her, to make her stand trial for the things she had done. She simply laughed in our faces. She told us how she had more knowledge and more power than any other pony. She was the ultimate strategist and strongest magic wielder in all of Equestria… why should she bow down to her inferiors just because we had both horn and wings? And then… she attacked.” 

Pinkie Pie sat up grinning. “And then you kicked her meanie pants butt.” 

Celestia sighed. “No… we did not.” 

Everyone looked at Celestia. 

“But…” Twilight was speechless. “But you’re Princess Celestia. No one is stronger than you.” 

Celestia laughed dryly. “I thank you for the vote of confidence Twilight, but I am not invincible… have you already forgotten my fight with the changeling queen Chrystalis?” 

“That was different, that magic wasn’t hers.” 

“Wait I’m still confused” Rainbow Dash said. “If you didn’t kick that unicorn’s butt who did?” 

“The blasted holders of the elements of harmony.” 

Everyone froze at the new voice. Celestia’s eyes went wide. 

“No… that voice.” 

She turned around in shock. Standing facing her and the others was a unicorn. 

Her fur was a deep lilac, her mane and tail a bewitching platinum white. Her hair cascaded and framed her face beautifully, and the pony herself held herself with graze. 

But there was nothing graceful or proper about her face. Her emerald green eyes were more cold and hateful than Twilight had ever seen within a pony. On her flank a pair of crossed wands inside a crown with five pointed stars around it represented her talent for great magic. 

Her face turned into a vicious grin as she circled around the six ponies and their princess. 

“This history lesson is dragging out so how about I speed things up,” the unicorn said with a sneer. “You and your sister almost dead, me ready to take my rightful place as ruler… and then the arrival of the blasted circus freaks. Next thing I know you are up on your feet shooting me sky high… literary. Do you know what space is like? Cold, and dark as Tartarus itself.” 

“And who do you think you are threatening the princess?” 

“RAINBOW, NO.” 

Celestia was too late, Rainbow Dash had already jumped up and charged at the unicorn. The pony simply raised an eyebrow and suddenly Rainbow Dash was trapped in a static force field. 

“Time freezing magic” the unicorn said simply, walking ahead a few steps.” I learned that from a unicorn in Everfree city. Not the brightest pony, but he knew a good trick or two.” 

The magic was dispelled and Rainbow Dash was sent hurling into a nearby wall. 

“But I suppose introductions are in order. Starvoid is the name. You must be the new holder of the element of loyalty… you appear to be just as rash as that dragon was.” 

Applejack blinked. “Wait, Starvoid? As in the same Starvoid we have just heard killed dozens of ponies just to learn magic? How is that possible, you lived two thousand years ago?” 

“That I did” Starvoid huffed. “I’ve lived in limbo in my cold prison.” 

“What prison” Pinkie asked curious. “No prison gives a bad pony the gift of eternal life, that wouldn’t be fair to the good ponies.” 

Celestia scowled. “When help arrived and we were able to rise up, Luna and I agreed that Starvoid was too dangerous to be let loose… we used our magic to send her to the stars… where she has been locked up as a constellation for the last 2 millennia. What I’d like to know is how you escaped.” 

Starvoid grinned. “Well you should know shouldn’t you? My original warden was gone for a while, and her replacement did a poor job keeping the seals intact… such a shame.” 

Celestia scowled and cursed herself. The imprisoned monsters that had been banished to the stars had been Luna’s domain… in the last thousand years Celestia had had enough trying to be the single princess of Equestria, the various seals of the night had probably not gotten so much attention as it should have gotten. 

‘All right… only one thing to do.’ 

Before anypony could react Celestia had teleported to Rainbow Dash who was at the other side of the room and teleported back with Rainbow in tow. The minute everypony had gathered Celestia threw up a barrier. 

She turned and looked at the holders of the elements. 

“I need you to do one thing for me. First off, can you think of a place near here that can be used as a safe meeting point?” 

Twilight looked worried out at Starvoid who grinned sardonically and lit up her horn. 

“Err… Pony Joe’s?” 

“That will have to do” Celestia said with a sigh. “Now I need you to think of this. You know your elements pretty well, but if you were out of commission who do you know that could take your place and use the element you possess?” 

As AJ opened her mouth to either answer or ask why the princess wanted to know this, Celestia continued. “You don’t need to tell me, just keep a clear image of the pony or other in your head. Now remember… think of your friend and of Pony Joe’s, can you all do that?” 

Everypony nodded. “All right” Celestia said, turning to look at Starvoid the cold. “Then we can only hope.” 

And with that Celestia closed her eyes and let her barrier drop. Before any of the others could wonder what was going on there was a bright light… and then nothing but darkness and cold.

…

Starvoid grinned, staring at the space where Celestia and the 6 ponies had been standing no more than a second ago. 

“Enjoy your stay in your new home” she said with a wicked grin. Behind her the doors opened and a rush of hooves let the unicorn Starvoid know that the royal guard had finally showed up. “Evening gentlecolts.” 

“Who are you? And where is princes Celestia?” 

“Celestia is locked up at the moment… she had the gall to try and deny me the throne. The pesky holders of the elements too of course, they would probably only get in my way.” 

The stallions looked shocked, before a very brave but stupid unicorn rushed forward. His body froze within a force field as Starvoid walked up to him. 

“Well now, let’s see if you know anything good.” 

Without being able to move, the guard could do no more than glare as Starvoid walked up to him and placed her horn over his own, going through his mind seeing if she could find anything useful. 

“Well now, a broadcasting spell, that might come in handy, thank you for that.” 

Starvoid’s horn lit up and the guard convulsed and fell to the floor lifeless. Starvoid turned to the other guards who looked on shocked, before she turned and walked to the throne. 

“You can all spread the word, Equestria is under new management. Princess Celestia and the bearers of the elements are trapped in the stars for being traitors to the throne. Anypony who is unhappy with this can come and see me and I’ll make sure they will all meet again.” 

Starvoid turned facing the guards, before sitting down in Celestia’s throne chair, looking bored. 

“Also Princess Luna is wanted for crimes to the throne, anypony who is hiding her will be punished, anypony who brings her inn will get fifty thousand bits. Any questions?” 

The guards glared at her. “Yes… why should we listen to you?” 

Starvoid leaned forward smiling. “If you don’t… what is stopping me from killing you and all your friends and family? Now chop, chop, I have an empire to run… oh and get someone up here to clean up your friend, he is stinking up my throne room.”

…

Luna sighed and tried her best to not scream at the dragons in front of her. The dragon’s way of living was pretty straightforward, they lived with a system known as a gerontocracy meaning that the oldest dragons sat in a room and decided what was best for everyone around them. 

This unfortunately for Luna meant that she sat alone in a room with five old as dust dragons who scowled down at her for having the nerve to tell them no. 

“Listen here pony, we have tried to be nice. All we ask for is permission to fly through your lands.” 

“As far as I remember last time we allowed passage for a dragon he decided to take a nap right over a town. He’d still be there polluting the air if my sister hadn’t sent someone to deal with it.” 

A large purple dragon scowled down at her. “Yes and he while we are on the subject I don’t know what you did with him, every time we ask him what happened he keeps bursting into tears talking about a pair of large eyes that chilled him to the bone.” 

“Don’t change the subject” Luna said, tired of playing nice. “You invited me here so we could end this discussion. Equestria has been more than lenient, we allowed you passage for your migration and because of it 3 dragon hatchlings tried to kidnap and destroy a phoenix egg. I don’t think you are aware of how few phoenixes there are left in the world, let me tell you, it’s not that many.” 

Luna rose from her seat. “Equestria’s ecosystem cannot function properly with dragons having free reign in our skies. If you knew what kind of paperwork we were left with from the weather pegasi after last migration because your kind flew outside the boundaries we sat up you’d understand why I am not going to be lenient in this. If your kind wants to find nesting grounds and precious gemstones I suggest you look elsewhere. Now if you excuse me I have a moon to raise.” 

And with that said Luna turned around and walked out of the cave she and the elders had been in, ignoring the insulted snorts coming from the room. Once outside she was met with the two pegasi who had been ordered to pull her carriage. 

“Everything all right your highness?” The question came from a yellow colored Pegasus who gave Luna a worried look. 

“Not to worry Spitfire, I am simply tired of having to discuss this over and over. Stubborn lizards.” 

Luna’s horn glowed and rose the moon. As it stood in place she frowned. 

“Odd.” 

“What is your majesty?” The blue Pegasus Soarin who stood next to Spitfire looked worried at Luna. 

“Well… The sun and moon has this push and pull effect. When the sun goes down the moon comes up, but the moon cannot be in the sky at the same time as the sun can. So when day arrives I push the moon and Tia pull the sun and vice versa when nighttime comes. But now… it was hard to pull the moon up, as if Tia hadn’t used as much power as usual when handling the sun.” 

“Maybe her highness is feeling sick” Soarin said, trying to come up with a valid point as to why Celestia would do something different than normal. 

“I suppose… but there is something else… I can’t put my hoof on it bu… ARGH.” 

Luna screamed out in pain. Her head hurt, as if someone was trying to blow it up. Images ran through her head as clear as if she had been having the memories herself. 

Celestia and the holders of the elements stood in a ring. 

A unicorn Luna had no trouble recognizing flashed in front of her eyes, cackling in triumph. 

A shop in the common district in Canterlot floated before her eyes, a sign spelling out the name Pony Joe’s. 

And then a white flash and cold. A very familiar cold and darkness. 

Luna opened her eyes and gasped. “GAHH.” 

“PRINCESS.” Soarin and Spitfire was at Luna’s side the moment she screamed, Luna taking a few deep breaths. 

“Oh no… no it’s not possible… she can’t be.” 

Luna looked up to the dark sky in search of the familiar constellation. Where Starvoid’s myriad of stars was supposed to be was now a bunch of new stars. Luna’s eyes widened. 

“Oh no… she can’t have… SPITFIRE, SOARIN, I need a black chart and some chalk yesterday.” 

Soarin and Spitfire saluted Luna. “Yes your highness” they said in synch and rushed off. Soarin came back with a chart, Spitfire with a bucket with white chalk. 

Luna grabbed both with magic before the pegasi had even landed and started dotting out the stars overhead. Finally she stopped. 

“This is accurate” she said, mostly to herself as she looked over her work and the sky. 

“What are you doing Princess Luna? What is wrong?” 

Luna sighed at Spitfire’s question. “Long ago there was a dangerous unicorn. My sister and I had no choice but to banish her… but it seems she has gotten out and taken revenge.” 

“What makes you say that?” Soarin asked. Luna tok the chalk with her magic and drew lines between the dots she had drawn. 

On one end a myriad of stars made the shape of a 6 pointed star. 

Right above it another formed 3 diamonds. 

Next to the diamonds were 3 apples and 3 balloons. 

And below the apples and balloons a cloud with a lightning bolt and 3 butterflies. 

Spitfire blinked. “And um… this large constellation next to them?” 

Luna didn’t speak, simply continued to draw the lines to form a sun with 8 rays. “By Celestia’s mane… she overpowered Celestia herself?” 

“I don’t think Celestia put up much of a fight” Luna said. “She knew the way to defeat Starvoid was out of her hoofs… She managed to send me a single clue. I need to go to a place in Canterlot known as Pony Joe’s, do either of you know the place?” 

“I do” Soarin said. 

“Good, we need to be careful, I don’t want anypony to see us.” 

As you wish. Luna tok the chart and brought it with her to the carriage. She might need to use it.

…

As Luna was flown by carriage towards Canterlot, 6 others had a strangely similar dream. A picture of a Canterlot café named pony Joe’s flashed over the eyes of all six individuals, as well as the image of a cackling unicorn. And then cold… so very cold and dark. And just as the cold became close to unbearable, the voices came. 

“Help me… please… so cold… please help me.” 

A new image of the café flashed in front of various eyes and then… 

“GASP.”

…

She looked around… nothing there… but by Celestia what a nightmare. Looking down over herself she sighed. The cold sweat hung on her body. She needed a bath. 

Getting out of bed she walked to the bathroom. What in the world had she been drinking yesterday to have such a dream? She nonchalantly threw a bit of magic towards the handle of the crane, letting the water rush into the tub. She looked at the mirror. 

She looked like she had just visited the inner debts of tartarus. Not that it was her fault. Work had been slow lately, ever since that blasted gig in that stupid little backwater town. 

She frowned and looked at herself more closely. Was that a wrinkle? Before she could react her head started pounding. 

“Help us… please, it’s so cold.” 

Once again images flew over her eyes, that Canterlot café, that cackling unicorn and then… was that… but why was she? And why did she look in pain? 

“Help us… so cold.” 

And cold it was. And once again that café flashed before her eyes before she suddenly stared back at herself. 

She gasped and took a few deep breaths. 

‘OK not a dream then… but what the hay was that about?’

She turned and turned off the tap. Never mind… if this was magic she would not escape this until she faced it. After her bath she’d head to Canterlot, hopefully somepony could explain what the buck was going on.

…

He woke with a thump as his large body fell out of the bed. He groaned as he sat up, untangling himself from the sheets. Just as he was up on his four own hooves his head started banging again. 

“Cold… tarnation it’s so cold… help me, please… sweet Celestia it’s so cold. Please… Pony Joe’s… Canterlot… please help us all.” 

He opened his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. Then he sighed. Well that settled it. He walked out of his room and walked down to the living room. 

“And where do you think you’re going this late Sonny?” 

He turned at the voice of the old pony in the chair. 

“I think AJ is in trouble… I need to go to Canterlot.” 

“For how long?” 

“Not sure.” 

“All right, but be careful out there.” 

He smiled and walked out, going into a quick gallop towards the train station. 

…

She groaned. Wow that was close. Memo to self, never fly at night without a partner, it was near damn dangerous. 

Not that she was afraid or anything but still. Now what in the name of Celestia was that? She could have sworn that she had heard… but nah that wasn’t likely, they hadn’t spoken since… she huffed. 

Yeah well good riddance, if she wanted to be a loser with the rest of her loser friends then fine wi… 

“cold, so bucking cold. Somepony do something dam nit.” 

She opened her eyes, shaking the last images of the café out of her head. She sighed. 

Fine… but if this ended up being a trap she’d not be responsible for the consequences.

…

She groaned and took a deep breath. Maybe it was time to take some time off work. If she started getting strange hallucinations that actually made her shiver then it was clearly time for her to take some vacation days. Maybe some nighttime snacks would help. Trotting out to the kitchen and sitting down she had no more than opened her mouth before the images came again. 

“This cold… it hurts so much, cold… please help us.” 

She groaned and closed her mouth before sighing. 

‘Here we go again.’ 

She took a big bite of the muffin in front of her then walked over to her door. Walking out she rushed over the street to a big box, knocking hard. A brown stallion came out looking like he was getting ready for bed. 

“I need to do something, I think it’s important. Given all that you have put me through I think it’s only fair that you watch my muffin while I’m gone, any objections?” 

He shook his head. 

“Good. And doctor if you take her anywhere I will personally hunt you down.”

…

“Urgh… Tavi, have I’ve been drinking harder than usual today?” 

“No… which is why I find it strange that you toppled over the way you did.” 

“I had this strange vision… hey is it cold? I swear to Celestia it felt cold… and I heard someone call out… the voice sounded familiar, if I could only rememb WOAH.” 

“Hey, you OK?” 

“Ngh yeah fine… but somehow I don’t think this is a delusional drunk thing… do you know where Pony Joe’s is?” 

“It’s downtown I think, near the train station.” 

“Awesome, now I need your stable and hot hoofs to help me in the right direction.” 

“Why do you always get so flirty when you’re drunk?” 

“Oh please you know you love me.” 

“I shall refrain from commenting on that.” 

“Spoilsport.” 

“You are impossible.” 

“And that’s why you love me.”

…

She sat up with a gasp. That feeling… she had never been so cold. She looked around at her trinkets and masks, remembering her homeland fondly, remembering how the sun rose and turned the sky a bewitching shade of red. 

She shook herself awake. That nightmare had rustled her mind awake; she would probably not get any sleep for quite some time. Just as she rose her head once again swam with images. 

“Please ‘sniff’ help me. It’s so cold ‘sniff’ I don’t know what to do, please help us.” 

Images floated over her eyes again. As the images disappeared she blinked. 

“Pony magic. To deal with this I must be quick.” 

She sighed and took her coat down from her hanger. Canterlot… now there was a place she had never dreamed of going. 

‘But there was no time to waste. Off to the train station in a wicked haste.’

…

Luna looked up to the sky. The images was coming and going again. She hoped Celestia knew what she was doing because she hadn’t a single clue. She simply hoped that in the end everything would be as it should.

> The artifacts of harmony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2
The artifacts of harmony

Pony Joe prided himself on being a great salesman. His donuts were always right no matter what the client wanted, and he always had room for one or two free samples for a good regular customer. His café was open from 8 to 10 and he rarely had any problems. 

The moment the doors of his café opened and a large midnight blue alicorn flanked by two pegasi in wonderbolts uniforms walked inside looking around he stopped up and wondered how to deal with this situation. 

His answer came as the alicorn walked up to him. 

“In a while six other characters will come here, someone looking like they suffer from a severe headache. I would greatly appreciate it if we could all get a separate room where no one can hear us.” 

Pony Joe blinked twice, but then nodded. “I have a room in the back that I don’t use. Through that door and first on your left.” 

“Thank you” Luna said with a sigh. 

Just as she had opened the door the front door opened again, and two mares came in, a unicorn and an earth pony. The earth pony looked up and gasped in shock. 

“Princess Luna?” Luna smiled. 

“Octavia right? I enjoyed your concert at the Canterlot gardens party last month.” 

Octavia blushed and was about to thank Luna for her praise when the unicorn she was holding onto groaned. 

“Cold… man my head hurts.” 

Luna sighed. “Octavia I know this is a lot to ask but unless you have had similar headaches and visions I must ask you to leave your friend here with me.” 

Octavia frowned. “Is this important?” 

“Very much so.” 

“And you are thrusting something important to Vinyl Scratch?” 

“It’s out of my hoofs.” 

Octavia sighed. “Very well Princess.” 

Octavia let Vinyl go, the white unicorn stumbling a little as she tried to find her balance. 

“Vinyl please don’t embarrass yourself or do anything stupid.” 

“Not making any promises that I can’t keep” Vinyl said with a grin, shambling over to Luna, grinning drunkenly and walked past her. 

Pony Joe looked at Luna. “I’ll come in with some hot chocolate on the house. I think you could need it.” 

“Thank you” Luna said, turning to Spitfire and Soarin. “I got a job for you two. You are to fly back to the castle and evacuate as many ponies as possible. Elderly and kids first, you know the drill.” 

Spitfire frowned. “Your highness in this uniform we’d be spotted at once.” 

Luna’s horn lighted up and soon the blue and yellow uniform of the wonderbolts was changed into darker tones. 

“Congratulations, you have just been promoted to shadowbolts. Now fly my pretties.” 

As they turned around and rushed outside Spitfire sighed. 

“I wish Princess Celestia never showed her the wizard of Horz.” 

“I agree” Soarin said, all the while looking over his new uniform. “Still, I love this design.”

The two pegasi flew to Canterlot in record time, the two almost invisible over the dark night sky. As they neared the castle gates they saw a couple of unicorns slumped by the gate, looking as though they had fallen asleep. 

“Disgraceful” Spitfire said flying down, laying a hoof on the shoulder of the nearest guard, jumping back in shock as the two fell to the ground, both unmistakably dead. 

“Right” Soarin said with a gulp. “We should probably hurry up.” 

Spitfire nodded. “I’ll go high, you go low. Any unicorns and earth ponies you can find is to evacuate the premises through the kitchen entrance, the pegasi can use the wonderbolts ramps if they prefer it, tell everypony it is under Princess Luna’s orders.” 

Soarin nodded. “Of course Spitfire, let’s roll.”

…

Starvoid grinned, relaxing on her throne, enjoying the feeling of power. So far five more unicorns had tried to fight her… and by the end of it all she now knew five more spells. Nothing impressive of course, but still, you never knew when having more spells could come in handy. 

She looked up as the door opened and a guard walked in. The guard didn’t look at her, but rather on the dead bodies in front of her. 

“You wished to see me” he managed to get out, scowling at the unicorn in front of him. 

“You are the new captain of the guard?” 

“After Shining Armor left with his wife, yes.” 

“Good, I have a job for you, I need you to take these traitors, or rather what’s left of them and drop them off somewhere they won’t make my castle stink. Then I need a group of your best soldiers to search the castle for me, I will tell them what to look for.” 

“Anything else?” Starvoid ignored the venom dripping in the stallion’s voice. 

“Yes… I need your fastest Pegasus to run an errand for me.” 

The stallion scowled. “As you wish.” 

He turned and exited the room, Starvoid levitating up a piece of paper, starting to write a very formal letter. 

The captain scowled out into nowhere as he walked out into the hall. His scowl softened as he looked around. Where are all the guards? “White Knight, is that you?” 

White Knight looked up, seeing Spitfire up near the ceiling. 

“Spitfire, what are you doing here? I thought you were with Princess Luna.” 

“I am” Spitfire said. “Princess Luna has an order for you, the whole castle needs to evacuate.” 

White knight sighed. “I can’t do that Spitfire. I am captain of the guard; my job is to protect the castle.” 

Spitfire looked at him. “There is nopony here who would look bad at you for abandoning your post.” 

“I would… besides I cannot leave and let that unicorn rule without knowing what she is up to… I need to stay, so that the royal sisters have a home to come back too.” 

Spitfire nodded. “As you wish White Knight, be careful out there.” 

“You too Spitfire, you too.”

In the time it took Spitfire and Soarin to fly to the Canterlot castle, Vinyl and Luna had managed to find and sit down in the backroom of Pony Joe’s. 

Vinyl was still groaning. 

“Are you still getting the visions?” 

Luna asked concerned. “Nah, but the images on top of being drunk doesn’t help.” 

Luna frowned. “You were drinking at this hour?” 

“What can I say, I’m a DJ, all I do is music and partying. By the way, I’m a big fan of your work. Not many ponies probably realize it but your nights are amazing.” 

Luna blushed. “They’re not much” she mumbled, trying to hide a lump in her throat formed from getting something she always wanted… praise. 

“Yes they are” Vinyl protested. “When your sister lifted the moon the sky was so dull. All blackish blue with some white stars plastered here and there… but your nights… sometimes I find myself stopping just looking up wondering what color the sky is, because it can be anything from indigo to royal blue… and they way you make the stars shine. Nothing like it.” 

Vinyl looked over at Luna frowning. “You ok?” 

“Yes… just got something in my eyes… thank you.” 

Vinyl smiled and opened her mouth, only to be interrupted as the door slammed open. 

“Dang pony magic… I have had enough, can somepony make it stop?” 

Vinyl had to lift the glasses away from her eyes for a while to be sure that she saw what she saw. “A griffin? This far into the country? Now that’s a rare sight.” 

“You wanna say that to my face squirt?” 

“ENOUGH.” Luna softly berated herself. It had been almost 3 months since she last spoke in the royal Canterlot voice. 

She turned to the griffin. “The visions should calm down as long as you are here in the meeting place. Please sit down while we wait for the rest of the group.” 

The griffon huffed but took a seat, flapping her wings a few times to calm her nerves. “So… can somepony tell me what’s going on? I’ve been flying from the Griffin mountains to here and more than once almost crashed and hurt myself by these blasted visions.” 

“It’s a long story” Luna said with a sigh. “One I’d rather not tell more than once.” 

“Very well… so who else has these visions?” 

“I don’t know, I was not the one who sent them… but we are waiting for 4 more.” 

The door opened and Pony Joe entered with a tray filled with hot chocolate, a grey Pegasus mare with distorted eyes walking up behind him crashing into the doorframe. 

“Ops, sorry.” 

“No worries just… sit down and don’t touch anything.” 

“OK.” The mare smiled and trotted over to an empty seat sitting down as Pony Joe sighed in relief. As he sat down the cups he bowed once to Princess Luna and turned around walking out. 

There was an awkward pause as the door closed behind him and the grey Pegasus mare reached for a cup. 

“So… Hi, I’m Derpy, nice to meet you.” 

The griffon decided to reach for a cup herself, sipping at it while looking at the mare. 

“OK I am going to ask this and not care about the rudeness, which eye am I supposed to look at?” 

“Whichever you want” the mare said with a smile. “I see through both.” 

“How can you fly like that? Isn’t it very hard when you don’t have any depth perception?” Vinyl Scratch had launched on the topic as soon as she realized the mare didn’t care. 

“It’s ok as long as I don’t fly to fast.” Derpy turned to the griffin. “You look familiar… hey didn’t we meet at flight school once?” 

“I doubt it” the griffin said. “I was in the special class, the only Pegasus in my league was Rainbow Dash.” 

“Now I remember” Derpy said with a smile. “Pinkie threw a party for you once. Gunda… or was it Hilda?” 

“It’s Gilda.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“It’s my name of course I’m sure.” 

“Don’t be so harsh” Luna said. “She’s just a bit bubbly.” 

Gilda huffed but tok another sip of her chocolate. Once again the door opened, this time letting in two characters. 

One was a large red stallion, walking over to a seat sitting down next to Derpy who smiled at him. 

“Hi there Big Mac, did you get fancy scary visions in your head too?” 

“Eeyup.” 

Derpy smiled and turned to Vinyl. “He doesn’t talk much but big Macintosh is the most dependable guy there is.” 

Luna nodded to big Mac in a greeting, before turning to the other newcomer. This one was smaller, dressed in a hood covering her face. 

“You can take off your cloak, in here there will be no secrets.” 

Gilda huffed in disagreement, but looked on as the character dropped the hood from her face. 

Vinyl blinked. “A zebra?” 

Luna smiled. “We’ve met before haven’t we? At the Nightmare Night celebration in ponyville last year.” 

“It is as you say princess, I must admit I am impressed. I am Zecora from the land over the sea, but for now my home is in the forest of everfree.” 

“Oh my god she’s speaking in rhyme” Gilda said with a groan. 

“Hey leave Miss Zecora alone” Derpy said with a frown. “There is almost no pony kinder than her.” 

“She’s not a pony she’s a zebra.” 

“She has hoofs a mane and a tail doesn’t she?” 

“So does cows, donkeys and mules what’s your point?” 

Vinyl Scratch frowned and looked up. “I thought a mule was half pony.” 

Zecora sighed but sat down into one of the empty seats next to Luna. 

“Speaking of me as if I’m not here, it’s not so uncommon I fear.” 

“I apologize” Luna said, sliding a cup of chocolate to both Zecora and Big Mac. “It’s unusual to see Zebras outside Zebrica. However that doesn’t mean that that excuses their behavior.” 

Luna raised her voice just high enough to be heard by Gilda, Derpy and Vinyl who were still discussing. 

“Sorry” Derpy said. 

“Yeah sorry, I just got hooked” Vinyl said with a sheepish grin. The door opened one final time and a lone unicorn came walking inside. 

“My apologies” she said walking up to them. “The great and powerful Trixie attempted a teleport spell believing that she would save some time but got another vision as she cast it. Trixie ended up a few miles away from her original destination because of it.” 

“No harm done miss… Trixie right?” 

Luna looked at the unicorn, wearing a hat and cape, obviously an entertainer. Of course her talking in third pony and calling herself the great and powerful also proved that much. 

“The great and powerful Trixie Lulamoon at your service Princess Luna.” 

Luna looked at her. “Lulamoon? Are you by any chance related to a Starlight Lulamoon?” 

Trixie shrugged. “Trixie has no relatives.” 

“Everyone has relatives” Vinyl said firmly. “And could you please stop talking about yourself in the 3rd pony? It’s confusing.” 

Trixie walked over and sat down in the last chair taking her cup of chocolate milk. 

“My mother went into labor, held me in her hooves and told the nurses my name. She then fell asleep and never woke up again, at least that’s what I has been told.” 

“And your father?” 

“Don’t have one.” 

Trixie looked over at Luna. “So since there are no more chairs I suppose we are all here… are you the one who sent that telepathy spell?” 

“You recognize the spell?” Luna asked shocked. “My talent lies in magic. True I’m not good at using all kinds of magic but I know enough from books to recognize any spell. So how about it your majesty?” 

Luna sighed. “Well no, I wasn’t the one who sent you the visions; as a matter of fact I got one myself.” 

“Then who sent it?” 

“Celestia… now I am going to talk and I’d like it very much if I’m not interrupted. Any questions can be answered after I’m finished.” 

Everyone nodded and Luna closed her eyes. 

“2 millennia ago there was a unicorn called Starvoid the cold. She originally knew one single spell. A spell that drained the memories and experiences of anything she cast. With this spell she gained immense power, killing and destroying ponies and other creatures alike, I even heard a report that she had slain a windigo with it and froze a village to ice later on because one of the foals in the village had insulted her.” 

“At the same time as Starvoid was out collecting magic, a group of befriended outcasts had been traveling all around the world, learning about each other’s history and customs. They wanted to find a new kind of magic, one that anypony could use if they so desired. Celestia and I had heard many rumors of the group and invited them to our old castle in what was once known as Everfree City. They were 6.” 

Luna looked over to Zecora and smiled. 

“One was a Zebra, having been thrown out from her tribe for saving the life of a young lion cub by giving it some of her tribe’s water supply.” 

Luna’s eyes went to Gilda next. 

“Another was a griffin, cast out from the mountains for refusing to help in pursuing her dragon friend who had by a simple mistake gotten too close to the nest of the governor.” 

“The third member of the party was the dragon himself who had to run away from his kingdom for saving his friend who was falsely sentenced to death.” 

“The fourth was a Minotaur, who walked away from his clan on his own because nobody liked the fact that he told people what they needed to hear whether they liked it or not.” 

“The fifth member was a diamond dog who cared little for work, so he simply left, with nothing more than a pan flute and a grin on his face. The five all traveled to Everfree and all saw the same poster.” 

“A unicorn wanted to head out on an expedition and was willing to pay any and all who wanted to join him and help. The five joined up with the unicorn and the six never left the others side until the very end.” 

“They had been gone for 5 years when they came back to Everfree and was invited up by me and Celestia to talk about their journey. We asked if they had been successful in their search for a magic anypony could use… and they in turn showed us 6 items… five necklaces and a diadem.” 

“They told us how they had channeled their feelings for each other and for the ponies and other creatures they had meet through 5 years into the artifacts. The objects were of course the original elements of harmony. Celestia and I was so impressed with their work and their discovery that we insisted on granting them one wish each, one wish, with no limitations as long as it was within our power to give.”

“They all asked for the same thing. They each pulled out something they deemed as being the most valuable thing they owned and asked us to enchant the objects to fit their personalities and their elements. No sooner than Celestia and I finished with the enchantments, a guard came rushing in, telling us that a unicorn called Starvoid the cold stood outside the gate, telling us to step down and accept her as the new leader of Equestria.” 

“Celestia, being the elder ruler told our guests to wait while we went to talk with the unicorn. Once down at the gate Celestia and I demanded that Starvoid surrendered and was to stand trial for the countless of ponies she had killed or left in a hospital. She looked at us, raised an eyebrow and then started to laugh.” 

“She told us how she had more knowledge and more power than any other pony. She was the ultimate strategist and strongest magic wielder in all of Equestria… Why in the world should she surrender when there was no one powerful enough to stop her? Why should she bow down to Celestia and I just because we had both horn and wings? In her point of view it meant nothing. And then… then she teleported through the gates.” 

“Two guards rushed at her but fell dead to the ground with spiders crawling out of their throats. Celestia and I… we tried everything. Fire, lightning, ice, force fields, illusions, nothing worked. Suddenly we both lay on the ground gasping for air, Starvoid standing right over us grinning.” 

“Her horn started to glow and I was certain that she was going to kill us… when the 6 holders of the elements of harmony arrived. They rushed out and we got back up to our hoofs. We looked up to see that the 6 held Starvoid in midair, and nothing she could do broke the hold.” 

“So Celestia and I decided that there could only be one thing to do. We used our combined might and sent Starvoid to the most secure prison we knew… the sky itself.” Luna sighed. 

“After that the holders of the elements decided to hand the elements themselves over to us, by saying that we were the rulers of Equestria, we needed the power to defend our land. I protested, saying that it was no fair of us to take their power. Celestia made a counter deal… we had already enchanted their items, so why not transfer half the power of the elements to their items. That way we had equal amount of power.” 

“Wait a minute.” 

Luna looked over to Vinyl who gaped at her. 

“Are you saying that the elements of harmony that we know, the elements that turned Discord to stone and purified you from Nightmare Moon’s influence is only 50 per cent of the full power?” 

Luna nodded. “That’s right. Now please, I am almost finished talking. We transferred the power and got the artifacts from the original holders. Celestia got Laughter, Kindness and Generosity; I got Loyalty, Honesty and Magic.” 

“As they left the original holders told us that they would hold onto their parts of the elements with their life, and then their time was up they would leave their enchanted artifacts in a place that only someone worthy would find. They left and neither my sister nor I saw them again.” 

“This is all very interesting” Gilda said in a bored drone. “But what does this have to do with us and our creepy visions?” 

Luna looked at her. “Starvoid the cold was imprisoned as a constellation in the sky. In the early days monsters roamed the lands and were too dangerous to be placed somewhere else. As the princess of night it was my job to make sure that the magical seals on the constellations never faded… however I was… indisposed for a millennia as you all know.” 

“Eeyup.” 

Luna smiled. “While I was away Celestia tried her best but… she had enough with the day, and the nights were often forgotten in her work. So because of this, many seals weakened and many a monster was let loose. Among them were creatures like the Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.” 

Trixie flinched, trying to ignore the looks she got from the others. 

“Then I got loose… I turned back into me and after a thousand years my skills was pretty rusty… so by the time I was at full power again I didn’t even notice that the magical seals was starting to weaken.” 

All eyes (with the exception of Derpy’s right one) were looking straight at her. 

“That unicorn in your vision… that’s her… that’s Starvoid the cold.”


> Us? Together on a quest?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3
Us? Together on a quest?

Nopony spoke as Luna finished talking. 

Trixie spoke up breaking the silence. “All right… so an evil unicorn has escaped and is out for revenge… Bad news I am certain. But why tell us? What is special about us?” 

Luna frowned. “When she got loose… I can only imagine she was pretty mad, I know I was… The first thing she would have done was to go to the castle… to challenge Celestia.” 

“Again, why tell us this, why not the holders of the elements?” 

“Because the holders of the elements were already there… Celestia had invited them to teach them more about their powers.” 

Another powerful silence followed this. Vinyl spoke up. 

“So… where exactly are Princess Celestia and the holders of the elements now?” 

Luna gulped but dragged out her chart. “When I raised the moon tonight I too got a similar vision that you all had… I also noticed something different with the sky. A bunch of new stars that hadn’t been there before.” 

Luna rolled out the chart, not speaking as everyone looked at the familiar cutie marks. 

“That cold in your visions? That would be them… calling out.” 

Big Mac closed his eyes painfully. “AJ…” 

Zecora looked downcast. “It’s so sad it could make me cry, to think of the pain of poor Fluttershy.” 

Gilda scowled. “So we’re doomed then? Without the holders of the elements, nothing can stop this psycho right?” 

“There is one last hope” Luna said. “Celestia and I learned something useful when we were the holders of the elements. If the true holders are indisposed, the holders themselves can choose a substitute to act in their place.” 

“All right then” Derpy said with a smile. “So let’s find these substitutes.” 

Luna looked at her. 

Derpy blinked, but Vinyl was the one who spoke up. 

“Wait… are you saying what I think you’re saying?” 

“There is no way” Gilda said shaking her head. “Dash doesn’t even care about me anymore; no way has she asked me to do this.” 

Luna raised her head towards the roof, closing her eyes and reaching out to the stars with her magic. Finding the form of Celestia she found her sisters memories without trouble. 

“Hi there Tia. Sorry about the cold but I can’t get you out yet… the crew has been gathered but they need incentive, so I need to borrow your thoughts, as well as the holders.” 

Celestia didn’t answer, but Luna felt a flash of warmth. It was all she needed. She reached out further and tugged at the minds of the holders, and soon the 6 in the room held their heads again as they quickly saw the world through the eyes of their friends a day before.

Celestia looked over her shoulder at them all. “I need you to do one thing for me. First off, can you think of a place near here that can be used as a safe meeting point?” 

Twilight looked worried out at Starvoid who grinned sardonically and lit up her horn. 

“Err… Pony Joe’s?” 

“That will have to do” Celestia said with a sigh. “Now I need you to think of this. You know your elements pretty well, but if you were out of commission who do you know that could take your place and use the element you possess?”

‘Trixie… she’s the only unicorn I know with as much knowledge of magic as myself.’

‘Vinyl Scratch, she’s always up for a laugh, and she’s an awesome party pony too.’

‘Zecora, she’s always so kind to us, even if we treated her so badly in the beginning.’

‘Dear Derpy Hooves, the darling lives from paycheck to paycheck but never complains and always give out complimentary muffins with her deliveries. Never was there a more generous pony than her.’

‘Big Macintosh. There is no one more honest and hard working than my big brother. But why is the princess asking us this?’

‘Gilda… true we had a row but… I could always depend on her having my back in flight school. She was always loyal to me back then.’

Everyone gasped as the memory faded and they once again were in the backroom of Pony Joe’s. 

“Do you believe me now?” Luna asked. 

Gilda didn’t speak. 

Vinyl had taken off her glasses to dry her eyes. 

Big Mac was staring out into nowhere, Derpy sniffed. 

“To hear such words from them… it’s almost too much… How could I possibly turn them down?” 

“Damn straight” Vinyl said, standing up. “Where do we go?” 

“Hold it” Trixie said speaking up. “Twilight Sparkle ruined my life, why in the world should I help her?” 

Luna looked at her. “You would leave her up there? And let the world fall?” 

Trixie’s frown turned softer. “You are asking us to possibly risk our lives here… I like living thank you very much.” 

Derpy turned to look at Trixie. “The way I remember it… didn’t Twilight save you from being eaten by an Ursa Minor? You owe her.” 

Vinyl spoke up. “Besides, if you are a unicorn with talent for magic, who’s to say that Starvoid won’t kill you anyway for your skills?” 

Zecora smiled and spoke her piece. “A performer by trade you are, how about becoming a world saving star?” 

Trixie thought it over. “Very well, the great and powerful Trixie will join your cause. So… what do we do and how do we get out of it alive?” 

Luna smiled at her. “Celestia put an enchantment on the elements so they could always be tracked. A precaution since the Discord incident. Once we find them the elements themselves will lead us to where the artifacts lie. Now before we do anything else, I’d like you to tell your close ones, friends and family that you are ok but that you will be out of town for a while. This could take some time. We meet back here in 12 hours. Get some rest, because this will probably be a long journey.” 

Everyone left, Trixie lingering at the door. 

“I have one question for you your majesty.” 

“Yes?” 

“Obviously you can’t go back to the castle… where will you be resting?” 

“Don’t worry about me Trixie, I will manage.” 

“The great and Powerful Trixie is never worried… but I am concerned that we will all be back here tomorrow with you gone and no one to lead us in the right direction.” 

“Your concern is noted Trixie and you have my word that I will be careful… now can I ask you one thing in return?” 

“Of course.” 

“Are you the same Trixie that frequented towns and villages and boasted about having defeated an Ursa Major?” 

Trixie flinched. “I might have been… over exaggerating a little.” 

“I should say so” Luna said with a smile. “Next time start with something smaller so somepony don’t call you out on your bluff.” 

Trixie smiled a small smile as she left and closed the door behind her. Luna rose from her seat, stretching her wings. Gently she walked out into the main shop of pony Joe’s. 

“Thank you for letting us use your back room” she said, the unicorn bowing slightly. 

“My place is always open for you your majesty.” 

“Good. Because we will meet here again in 12 hours, I hope that will not be a problem.” 

“Of course not.” 

Luna and Pony Joe turned as the doors opened. Spitfire and Soarin came in, wheezing out of breath. 

“Your majesty ‘gasp’ we got most of the staff out of the castle” Soarin said, barely on his feet. 

“Most of?” 

“There were some that already was beyond saving ‘gasp’ and a few guards that refused to run.” 

“Good work you two, take a breather.” 

Luna turned to pony Joe taking out a few bits. “Here, give them something to drink.” 

“Keep your bits your majesty; they shouldn’t have to pay for doing what was right.” 

Pony Joe lifted a pair of mugs filled with hot chocolate. “Here, you two rest as long as you need… I live upstairs; I have an extra bed and a couch if you need a place to stay tonight.” 

“They will take the bed” Luna said. “I have a night to look after. And you two are to rest until I wake you, understood?” 

“Yes Ma’am” Soarin said with a small salute. 

Luna nodded. “I’ll be back in the morning” Luna said walking outside. Looking around she stretched her wings and flew upwards. Landing on a cloud she concentrated her magic on finding the elements. 

“Please don’t be in the castle, please don’t be in the castle please don’t be in the… oh by Faust thank you.” 

The elements were not in the Canterlot castle… they were in the tree library in ponyville. Very well, might as well go now before Starvoid decides to look for them. 

Nopony except Celestia knew that Luna was responsible for the creation of the wonderbolts. Back in her younger days the princess loved to fly across the sky at breakneck speeds. 

A Pegasus guard noticed this and thought that a guard was at little help if one could not keep up with the princess he was sworn to protect. So he went to Celestia and asked for permission to train a group of elite Pegasus fliers to better protect the princesses in flight at high speeds. The Pegasus’s name was Lightning Bolt. The rest was history as they all said. 

So Luna flew. Flew as fast as she had ever done, without triggering a sonic rainboom in the process. She wanted nopony to know she was there. That was one of the things she loved about her coat color. When in the air she could be invisible if she felt like it. Fly high enough and nopony would notice her in the sky. Finally the familiar silhouette of Ponyville came into view, Luna landing quietly at the library, knocking on the door. 

Not getting any response she knocked again, finally hearing movement on the inside. The lights turned on and the door opened to reveal Spike the dragon. 

“Princess Luna? Is something wrong? Twilight isn’t here.” 

“I know” Luna said. “Can I come in?” 

“Sure” Spike said letting Luna in. “So… why are you here this late?” 

Luna sighed. “I’m afraid I got bad news for you Spike.” 

Luna started talking and Spike looked at her shocked. “You mean… Everypony is in the sky? Trapped?” 

“I’m afraid so.” 

“But… you are the princess of the night. Why can’t you just undo the enchantment if you are the warden of the stars?” 

“Because the moment I try the unicorn will know about it and then lock up me and go after the holders and Celestia again. Right not she thinks that I’m the only pony she needs to worry about because she doesn’t know about the others who is out to get all the power of the elements. So right now we have the upper hoof. Now please Spike I need the elements.” 

“Yeah sure… I think Twilight laid them here somewhere.” 

“Excellent.” Luna searched for the magic, quickly finding a large metallic box. Opening it she found the elements. All 6 lay there, shining gently in the moonlight. 

“All right, Spike I need to borrow a saddlebag.” 

“On it” Spike said getting to his feet, rushing to get a saddlebag for Luna. As Luna fastened the bags and secured the elements inside them she turned to Spike. 

“Spike I need you to do me a huge favor, if you are up to the task.” 

“Anything your highness.” 

“As we are out traveling we will have no chance knowing what is happening elsewhere. I need you to be on the lookout for anything suspicious. The moment you know something important, send me a message with your dragon flame. Can you do that for me?” 

“No problem” Spike said, saluting. 

“Good. Now I need to get back. Be careful Spike, and keep out of sight.” 

“Hey Princess one more question… is it very cold up there?” 

Luna didn’t meet his gaze. “It is… colder than anything else in this world.” 

“Then… you’ll rescue them right? As fast as possible?” 

“You have my word Spike; I will do anything in my power to get them down from that fate as fast as I can.” 

Luna walked out, looking around carefully before jumping into the air once more. She didn’t rush this time. She had precious cargo with her and she wanted nothing to happen to them. 

As she flew she looked up to the heavens. She knew what her sister and the holders were feeling. She had been there herself, for a thousand years. Floating in and out of conscious freezing her tail off, not managing more than a few coherent thoughts, although most of them planned the demise of Celestia and exiling her to the frozen north when she was guaranteed to be the sole ruler of Equestria. 

And now… now she had sole rule until this was all over. She had to step into her sister’s horseshoes, taking care of both the sun and moon, all the while running from a maniac with a vengeance. Luna shuddered. Starvoid had been up in that cold for twice as long as she had been imprisoned in the moon. She alone had been pretty obsessed and vengeful of Celestia. 

A small part of her didn’t want to know how bad Starvoid was out for blood but she had a small inkling that it was pretty bad. Stopping up at a cloud near Canterlot Luna looked towards the clock tower nearby. 

‘Sunrise already… well let’s get this over with.’ 

Luna reached out with her magic and grabbed hold of the moon, guiding it. She then reached out towards the sun, carefully gripping it. It was hard trying to control it, the solar flares and gases was more fluid than the cold rock of the moon. Just as she had control another magic touched the sun and grabbed hold. 

At the Canterlot castle Starvoid grinned, using the spell she had borrowed from Celestia before she had been banished to the heavens, sensing Luna at the other end. So… she knew about her sister then, that was pretty interesting.

‘Well, well what’s this… what are you doing touching my stuff dear Lulu?’ 

Luna growled. ‘The sun is not yours Starvoid, it’s my sister’s...  and don’t call me Lulu, it’s not your privilege to call me that.’ 

Starvoid grinned, hatching a plan all the while holding onto the sun enjoying the feeling of power.

‘Privilege? I’m in charge now Lulu, you are below me… It’s you that has the privilege of still being allowed to walk around in my kingdom. As for the sun, it’s still not yours. Now how about you let go and let me do my new job in peace?’ 

Starvoid held onto Luna’s mind, the alicorn being too upset to notice that Starvoid was looking for a special memory in her head.

Luna huffed. ‘You don’t have a job you vile monster.’ 

‘Ah now that’s kind of harsh coming from you, isn’t it my dear Nightmare Moon?’ 

The response was fast, angry and predictable.

‘DON’T YOU DARE.’ 

‘Oh but I dare… So how does it feel? To finally have your sister out of the way?’ 

‘I swear to Lauren Faust herself that when I get my hoofs on you…’ 

‘You will what exactly? You have been there Lulu… been in that cold hell, though only for half the time I was there. However I can’t be stopped, I have made sure of it. Now for the last time peasant, let the sun go.’ 

Luna did not budge, simply continued to drag the sun up into the sky. 

Starvoid smiled in triumph, finding the hidden memory, her horn sparking and giving just a hint of magic towards the source.

‘Now that’s not nice, disobeying your new queen… Maybe some time in exile will make you see things from my side. Another millennia or so in the moon might do the trick.’ 

‘Good luck doing that without the elements’ Luna sent back before she let her magic go. 

Starvoid grunted and stepped back, as Luna pushed her away. The elements… they aren’t here in the castle? Well I suppose a more thorough search is needed.

Luna panted in exhaustion. She had to move. She and Starvoid had been holding their magic’s intertwined enough to let Starvoid know where she was, but not much more. So Luna rushed off, hiding in the backstreets all the way to Pony Joe’s. Once there she walked inside, seeing that Pony Joe was still waiting for her. 

“Have you been up all this time?” 

“No your highness, I just woke up actually, I need to start baking donuts for my customers.” 

“All right, I’ll go and rest for a while. When our friends come, please wake me up, and if a purple unicorn comes in and asks about us you have never seen us and known next to no magic is that clear?” 

“Yes ma’am.” 

“Good. Have a good day Pony Joe and thank you once again.” 

“I will your highness… by the way you can borrow my bed, it’s softer than the couch.” 

Luna smiled in gratitude. “I will take you up on your offer, now I best be off before I fall asleep in the hallway.” 

Luna walked towards the living quarters of Pony Joe’s café, ending up in a room that was obviously a bedroom. 

Luna sighed and looked into the mirror. The pony that looked back looked like she had been attacked by a gang of manticores. Starvoid’s voice called out to her. ‘How does it feel?’ It felt horrible. 

Luna sighed and placed the saddlebags under the bed for security and lay down. Closing her eyes the last thing she saw was her own reflection… or rather the reflection of Nightmare Moon, cackling in triumph.


> So how do we use these things?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 4
So how do we use these things?

“Your highness? Your highness everypony has arrived.” 

Luna groaned. “Five more minutes, let the day last a tad longer I don’t care.” 

“Your highness wake up, everypony is waiting for you.” 

Luna opened her eyes, suddenly remembering that she was not in the castle and that she needed to hurry. 

She looked over at Pony Joe’s. “My apologies, I forgot.” 

“No worries your majesty. Everypony is waiting for you.” 

Luna nodded and rose, dragging out her saddlebags. “Then I shall not let them wait any longer.” 

Luna walked out of the room, guiding herself to the backroom where she meet up with the rest of the crew, Soarin and Spitfire included, still wearing their transformed shadowbolts uniforms. 

“Evening everypony, Sorry it took so long.” 

“No need to worry Princess, we could use the time to get to know each other better anyway. Muffin?” 

Luna blinked at Derpy who held out a muffin with a smile. “Thank you Derpy that’s kind of you.” 

Luna started eating, setting her saddlebags on the table. 

“So… what’s in the bags?” Gilda asked. Luna smiled mysteriously and opened the bags, revealing the 6 artifacts. 

“Wow” Vinyl muttered, as the elements shone in the dimly lit room.

“Let’s see” Luna said lifting up the elements. “Kindness to Zecora.” 

Zecora barely moved as Luna placed the necklace around her throat, laying a hoof over the butterfly shape, thinking of Fluttershy. 

“Laughter for Vinyl Scratch.” 

“I’ll make Pinkie proud” Vinyl promised as she too got a necklace around her neck. 

“Generosity for Derpy.” 

“Thanks” Derpy said she too got a necklace around her neck. 

“Loyalty for Gilda.” The griffin sighed as she got her necklace. 

“Only for you Dash.” 

“Honesty for Big Macintosh.” 

Big Mac didn’t say a word, simply held a hoof over the familiar apple shape on the necklace. 

“And finally, the element of magic for the great and powerful Trixie.” 

Luna smiled and carefully placed the tiara on Trixie’s head, on the top of her hat. “It’s a big responsibility, take care to not misuse it.” 

“I will” Trixie said, adjusting the tiara to sit comfortably. 

“All right so… what now? How do we use these things?” 

“I was wondering about the same thing” Gilda said. 

“The elements respond to your emotions” Luna said. “So we start simple. Look inside you and think of your element and what it means. Try to find the way you feel whenever you use your ability or if someone else gives something of it back to you.” 

Everyone closed their eyes or lowered their heads, some even both. A bright flash of light made Luna turn, seeing Vinyl floating a few inches off the ground, her necklace shining as bright as the sun. 

“That’s it, great job Vinyl.” 

Vinyl who had been concentrating on her laughter suddenly realized what was going on, lost focus and fell to the floor with a small “whoa.” 

“You ok Miss Vinyl Scratch?” Derpy asked. 

“Yeah I’m fine, I’ve had worse.” 

Derpy smiled and closed her eyes again. Soon more of the group started to glow and hover too, as they found that part inside themselves that the element they were wearing represented. 

Soon there was only one pony left… Trixie. 

“Come on Trixie you can do it” Derpy encouraged. 

“I don’t know” Trixie said with a slump. 

“Don’t doubt your abilities my dear, you are powerful enough, have no fear.” Trixie turned to Zecora. 

“Easy for you to say… thing is, even though this element is supposed to be magic… well there are several types of magic isn’t it? How do I know I’m searching for the right one?” 

Luna walked up to her. “You have been doing a lot of stage entertainment right?” 

“Yeah… what of it.” 

“Whenever you show the crowd what you can do, how do you feel?” 

Trixie smiled. “Amazing.” 

“All right, concentrate on that feeling, but think more of trying to give that feeling to someone else.” 

Trixie closed her eyes. Soon she started to glow. 

“That’s it” Luna said smiling. “Keep it up.” 

Trixie didn’t answer, but opened her eyes, showing nothing more than a white flash. Soon the rest in the room braced themselves as something like a shockwave hit them, the shock itself projecting a warm happy feel in the pit of their stomachs. 

Trixie groaned and sat down, panting gently. 

“Wow” Gilda said, having to clear her throat. “What a feeling that was.” 

“Eeyup” Big Macintosh said in agreement. 

Derpy and Zecora walked over to Trixie, helping her back onto her hooves. 

“Trixie is ok” Trixie mumbled, shaking her head a few times, making sure to adjust her hat and tiara. “But I think I saw something.” 

Luna looked at her. “Something or somewhere?" 

"Both… its strange to put it into words but… I think that something is calling out for me.” 

Luna smiled. “Great job, that’s what I was going to tell you next. The artifacts are always subconsciously looking for their other half. As I said the original holders walked away with their artifacts and just before they died they hid their artifacts away in a matter that only the current holders could find it.” 

“So… By using her element Trixie found a clue to find the first artifact?” Derpy asked. 

“Correct. You probably will manage it too but I stopped you up before you went overboard.” 

“Trixie simply pushed a little farther in her attempt. That sometimes happens with unicorns with a lot of magic power.” 

Trixie blushed at the praise. 

“So, did you recognize the place?” 

Trixie nodded. “Only one place I’ve been to looks like that… the Everfree Forest.” 

Zecora frowned. “The Everfree Forest I now call home, never have an artifact been found.” 

“Well I saw this cave… it was hidden behind a waterfall.” 

“All right” Luna said with a smile. “Then we’ll head off to Everfree forest. Now if possible I’d like it if we could try to not wake any attention. Soarin and Spitfire, do you still have the carriage nearby?” 

“Of course Princess.” 

“Good. That would fit 4 ponies without any problems. Trixie, Big Mac, Vinyl and Zecora, you will ride the carriage, the rest of us will fly in another direction. We’ll meet you at the forest entrance.” 

“Splitting the party is probably wise, to throw off the trail from the searching eyes.” 

“All right” Luna said, turning to Gilda and Derpy. “You two up for this?” 

“Yeah” Derpy said smiling. “I sometimes deliver mail to Canterlot, it’s a good flight route, I don’t even have to hold back on my speed.” 

“Good” Gilda said with a grin. “Because I’ve been itching to fly for a while now.” 

“Then we’ll head off” Luna said. 

She turned to Soarin and Spitfire. “Wait a few minutes before you leave, and make sure you’re not followed.” 

She then turned to Vinyl and Trixie. “If you are followed you can use magic to throw them of course, but don’t use the elements. If Starvoid knows you can use them too she’ll be on the warpath for sure.” 

“Understood” Trixie said with a nod. 

Quickly she lifted her tiara, hiding it under her hat. “Just a precaution.” 

“Probably wise… I will see you soon, safe travels.” 

“You too Princess.” 

Luna left, Derpy and Gilda in tow. Luna nodded a quick farewell to Pony Joe as they left, before making sure that nopony was paying attention to them before they all flew into the sky. 

“We need to get above the clouds” Luna said. “We’ll not be noticed if we have cover.” 

“Agreed” Gilda said. “I always get these strange looks whenever I’m in Equestria, like the ponies think I’ll swoop down and eat them. I got enough of those looks at flight school thank you very much.” 

The three flew up over the clouds, and then headed towards Ponyville. 

“Princess Luna can I ask you something?” Derpy asked. 

“Of course Derpy, what do you want to know?” 

“The Everfree Forest… you said it was once the capitol of Equestria… what happened to it?” 

Luna scowled. “It’s not as much what as it was a who. The war of the sun and moon… Both Celestia and I fought hard and long. I refused to lower the moon and because of it many ponies froze, a lot of farms crops got destroyed of frost, and resentment grew… but I didn’t care. I just wanted someone to take notice of me for a change, not just my sister. 

Celestia begged, she pleaded and more, but I refused to listen. It was after 2 months that the first reports of ponies dying of cold and hunger that Celestia decided that enough was enough. She confronted me and we fought. When two alicorns let loose their powers without holding back and both of them wields powerful artifacts like the elements… well the magic in the air around us changed the landscape. 

It polluted the waters and destroyed the balance of things. The biggest change happened when Celestia suddenly took control of all the elements. I no longer was worthy of wielding them, so they went to Celestia… she could barely control all 6, but managed to use them just long enough to send me to the moon. After what Celestia told me when I came back, the magic blast of using all the elements destroyed the magic in Everfree beyond repair… the place no longer have any magic, so the plants grow, no magic can control the clouds, animals are born without needing anyone to take care of them… the whole place is a mess… and it’s all my fault.” 

“No it’s not” Gilda said firmly. 

“Yes it was” Luna insisted. 

“No it wasn’t. I heard the story from Rainbow Dash, and in the news when you returned. Every pony and creatures alike agree… you are Princess Luna. Nightmare Moon was a dark magic that would not let go of your heart. The elements was needed to let you loose from the bonds… the elements purified you, you are no longer Nightmare Moon.” 

Luna sighed. “You’re wrong… she’s still around. I can never let her go, she’s always there, in my dreams, in my head… she’ll never give me peace.” 

Gilda slowed her pace a little, turning to look at the princess. “Is it she who refuses to let go of you… or is it you who refuses to let go of her? The past is the past, no need to let it define your future. I thought somepony immortal would understand that.” 

Luna didn’t speak, simple looked down to the ground below her. 

“Yeah that’s what I thought” Gilda said with a huff. 

“Hey calm down” Derpy said, gliding up next to Gilda. “She’s not done anything wrong.” 

“I know that” Gilda said. “But it’s clear that she doesn’t know that. I’m just stating the facts, I don’t hold my punches.” 

Gilda looked down. “That’s the forest right there isn’t it? Let’s land there and hide in between the trees until the rest of the group comes.” 

Luna nodded. It was a good plan. Once down on the ground Derpy looked at Luna with worry. 

“You ok?” 

“Yeah I suppose.” 

“Why is Gilda so harsh?” Derpy asked. “I mean you are royalty, you’d of thought she’d be a bit more respectful.” 

“The griffins have a democracy. Once every now and then they have a competition to choose the next ruler. It usually involves a showing of strength and determination… I don’t think Gilda sees it in me and therefore don’t think too much of me as a ruler.” 

“Well I think you’re super… you should smile more though, you look prettier that way.” 

Luna gave a weak smile. 

“That’s it, just like at the Nightmare Night celebration last year, remember all the fun we had?” 

“I remember” Luna said with a smile. “It was the first time I had been around the common ponies since… since my return.” 

Derpy smiled. “You have changed from what I remember… you’re not so loud anymore… and you don’t speak funny.” 

That made Luna snort in amusement. “Yeah I suppose I have changed to fit the norms of modern day Equestria.” 

“Hey ponies, I think that’s the others.” 

Derpy and Luna looked over to Gilda who were looking into the sky, as a carriage came flying down towards them. Landing at the field, Luna sighed in relief as she saw that it was the others and that everypony was safe and sound. 

“Hi guys, how was your trip?” Derpy asked. 

“I honestly have no idea whether to call it eventful or not” Vinyl said, looking as if she was trying hard not to laugh. 

“Nopony was following us” Trixie said, lifting her tiara out from underneath her hat. “However the substitutes for kindness and honesty have apparently never flown by carriage before.” 

Luna looked over to the carriage where Big Mac was hugging the ground, and Zecora was mumbling in Zebra. 

Luna knew just enough Zebra to overhear and understanding the words ‘never again’ and ‘terrifying.’ 

Gilda sniggered. 

“You two ok?” Derpy asked. 

Big Mac looked up. “Eeyup.” 

“Fine I shall be, when the feeling in my hooves comes back to me.” 

Gilda could no longer hold it in, but fell on her back laughing. 

“Gilda that’s enough” Luna said sharply. “Flight isn’t for everypony, that’s simply how it is.” 

Spitfire and Soarin walked up to Luna, having pushed the wagon in between some trees out of sight. “What now your highness.” 

“We’ll head inwards. Zecora you know the land, is there a place with a waterfall in here?” 

Zecora stomped her hooves, shaking off the final shivers from her trip. 

“A waterfall I have seen, deep in the forest where the water is clean.” 

“All right, lead the way. And Trixie before we go there is something you need to know. This artifact is for you. And as I said the original holder hid it away so only you can find it, which means that when we come to the entrance of the cave you are on your own.” 

Trixie nodded. “Yeah I kind of figured that would be the case… I suppose I should be on the lookout for traps and puzzles too.” 

“I wouldn’t doubt it.” 

“Very well… lead the way Zecora before I go sane again and run away in terror.” 

Zecora smiled and led the way walking into the forest. 

…

Starvoid was not happy. It had been two days… Luna was nowhere to be found, and most of the staff had run away. She had searched all over the castle for the elements and not found them. 

True she had found other things that she would find useful, but no elements. Also no matter where she turned, nopony seemed to know anything about the bearers of the elements, and could not be of any use to tell her where the group could have hidden the darn things. 

Starvoid huffed, taking a bite of apple tart that she had gotten the servants to bring up to her from the kitchens. For now she would wait… and continue to move the moment it got dark.

> The medallion of Magic
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5
The medallion of Magic

No more than a few steps in, some of the ponies started to look about shuddering. 

“I can’t believe you actually live here Zecora” Soarin said shuddering. “This place is creepy.” 

Spitfire looked up as a cloud moved by all on its own, the golden mare gulping. 

Zecora smiled as she trotted over a fallen tree, looking back at all the nervous ponies and Gilda. 

“This forest is full of plants and herbs; it’s a wondrous place if you have some nerves.” 

“Dude, are you calling us scared? You? Who for no longer than 3 minutes ago refused to let go of my hoof, shouting gibberish in Zebra refusing to open your eyes?” 

Vinyl raised an eyebrow at the Zebra who in return gave Vinyl a small look. 

“I am not a Zebra here to judge, but look at who was laughing at who first.” 

“Yeah ok I’m sorry I laughed at you” Gilda said taking the hint, ducking under some bushes. 

Zecora continued to walk along the path before she stopped. “Oh dear… this is not good I fear.” 

Luna walked up to Zecora and saw what she was looking at. “Is that… oh by Faust I have never seen so many.” 

Derpy walked up. “Ohh look at the pretty blue flowers, they must stretch on for miles.” 

“Yes and that is the problem” Luna said with a sigh. 

She looked out over the field that stretched from the end of the muggy gassy swamp to the steep mountains on the other side. It was filled with the same blue flower from one end to the other. 

“Poison Joke… man I remember the first time I stumbled over these flowers.” 

“What do they do?” Vinyl asked. 

“Think of it as poison oak, but instead of itches it plays a joke.” 

Vinyl blinked at Zecora and turned to Luna. 

“In plain speaking please?” 

“Step into the flowers and it will place a practical joke on you. When I stepped into the poison joke I lifted the moon, and next thing I know the sky looked like something out of an artwork of Vincent von clop. I had astronomers on my door all night.” 

“I remember this” Big Mac said, speaking up for the first time in a while. “It turned AJ into the size of a mouse.” 

Gilda blinked. “OK so we don’t go past here… there’s got to be another way around to get to the waterfall, right?” 

Zecora nodded. “There is another way, but through the place we will probably be prey.” 

“Prey? Prey for what?”  Soarin asked, trying to hide the fear in his voice.

“The other way we need to thread, is past the place where manticores step.” 

Luna sighed. “Wonderful… Well no choice, we can’t go through here. If we do come across any manticores I’ll take care of them.” 

Zecora didn’t look confident, but turned around to walk the long way around. Luna walked up to her as they continued to thread along the path. 

“You have lived here for a while I suppose… manticores are not the scariest thing in this place, and yet you look like you are leading us to our deaths.” 

Zecora shuddered. “A lion’s head a manticore has, lions are a scary reminder from my past.” 

Trixie who was the closest one to them spoke up. “So you’ve had bad experiences with lions?” 

Zecora laughed a hollow laugh. “I suppose that my land is not well known, but dangerous is it to live back home.” 

“We have little of water and little of food, sometimes we risk more than we should. Near our home the lions stay, getting ready to eat us who would prefer hay.” 

“A friend I had, whose name was Zeke. I’m afraid his tale is very bleak. He and I were out at play, and did not notice the lions nearing their prey. Once they jumped away I ran, Zeke behind me, or so was the plan.” 

“A stone ahead Zeke did not see, and fell to the ground behind me. I saw him fall but could not stop, as the lions started eating my mind was in shock. As I came home I did not wait, but told the elder of my friend’s fate. That very night we sang for him, hoping that his death had not been too grim.” 

Zecora stopped, well aware that everypony was looking at her, listening in to her story. 

“It is strange, truth be told, how a land so hot can be so cold.” 

She looked up and pointed the way. “Down this path to go we need, but manticores live nearby so please take heed.” 

Luna nodded. “I’ll go in front then… and Zecora… I’m sorry for your loss.” 

Zecora simply smiled, but glanced at the ground. As Luna started to walk, Zecora was flanked by Vinyl and Derpy. 

“Don’t worry Zecora, we’ll protect you” Derpy said, laying her wing in a comforting gesture over Zecora’s back. 

“Yeah” Vinyl said firmly. “Nopony touches our friend and gets away with it.” 

Zecora smiled. “Good friends you are to make me smile, it’s not something I have done easily in a while.” 

Trixie looked back on the three, before turning to Luna. 

“I think we are getting near” she said. 

“What makes you say that?” 

“It’s going to sound strange but… I can feel it. It’s like the element is guiding me.” 

“Good” Luna said. “Just keep focusing, and if you see any manticores feel free to shout out a warning.” 

“Understood” Trixie said, looking around, trying to not flinch at the scary surroundings. 

As luck would have it no manticores showed up, although Luna had a feeling that sooner or later something was going to come and try and eat them all. Going around a turn everypony stopped. In front of them was a magical sight, a huge pond in the middle of a clearing, with a large mountain backdrop, complete with a waterfall. 

“Is this what you saw Trixie?” Derpy asked. 

“Oh this is the place all right.” Trixie walked forward, Luna noticing that something shimmered in her eyes. 

“All right Trixie you’re up… this trial is yours to complete, we’ll be right here rooting for you.” 

Trixie nodded and started walking up alongside the pond. Up near the waterfall she noticed a small mark, carved in by magic into the stone. ‘All right Trixie, you can do this’ she told herself laying her hoof over the mark. 

As she did the stone glowed and a huge part of the mountain disappeared. 

‘Illusion magic’ Trixie thought. ‘Most impressive.’ 

She walked inside the cave, filled with stalagmites and stalactites, the sounds of water dropping from the ceiling filling the cave. It was huge and dark, Trixie could not even see the end of the cave she was in. Walking a bit further inside she turned quickly as she noticed a blue shimmer. What she saw made her gape. 

A unicorn stood before her, wearing a pointed hat much like hers, but in a deep naval blue, filled with cresent moon’s, a sun hanging from the tip of his hat. His fur was a light orange, his hair a dark grey, almost black, as was his impressive beard. Trixie looked over at his cutie mark. It was a huge pentacle star, located right over a wand, similar to the one she had on her own flank. 

However this pony that stood before her was not like any pony she had seen. She could see right through him. He was right there, in bright colors, but still she could see straight through him. And around his body a blue shimmer shone. 

Trixie gulped. The unicorn looked at her with a gentle smile. 

“Have no fear child, I am not here to harm you.” 

“That the great and Powerful Trixie find hard to believe.” 

The unicorn smiled at her, looking at the tiara on her head. 

“You are the current holder of the element of magic?” 

“No, I’m the substitute. The real holder is trapped in the stars by a unicorn known as Starvoid the cold.” 

The unicorn frowned. “She’s loose then… and you are here for the artifact so you can defeat her and free your friends?” 

Trixie frowned. “Twilight Sparkle is not my friend. She ruined my life… I am here because for some strange reason she picked me to be here and if I don’t help out the world is bucked.” 

The unicorn gave her a sharp gaze, as if disappointed in her answer. 

“Do you know why the element of Magic is called the element of magic and not friendship?” 

“I thought they were one in the same.” 

“They are, but for a few differences. Magic can be much. It can be everything from levitations to transformation magic. Friendship isn’t like that. Either you are friends with somepony or you’re not. But the magic of a friendship can change somepony. The rest of your group out there, do they think of you as their friend?” 

“Trixie doesn’t know, we only just met yesterday.” 

“Do you look at them as friends?” Trixie opened her mouth to answer, but stopped, not sure what to answer. “Trixie does not know… Trixie hasn’t had friends before.” 

The unicorn smiled in compassion. “Very well miss Trixie, let’s start from the top shall we? I am the first and original holder of the element of Magic, Starlight Lulamoon; it is a pleasure to meet you.” 

Trixie’s eyes widened. “Lulamoon?” 

“A name I am most proud of” Starlight said nodding. “Princess Luna herself gave my family the name after a dare my grandfather had done with the love of his life.” 

“What dare?” Trixie asked interested. 

“The pony he loved was not impressed with him, and told him that she’d only give him a chance if he could give her the moon… so my grandfather went to the night court and begged Princess Luna for the moon and explained the situation.” 

“Luna smiled and helped him out. Next night my grandfather met with the pony he loved, bearing a pail filled with water. “Well?” The mare asked. Where is the moon? My grandfather pointed into the pail, where the moon’s reflection shone brightly. They got married the next year.” 

Trixie smiled. 

“However we are not here to talk about my family… you still haven’t properly introduced yourself Trixie.” 

Trixie looked at the ground. “I suppose… I’m Trixie Lulamoon… it’s an honor to meet you.” 

Starlight blinked. Then he smiled. “Of course… I should have seen it, you have the Lulamoon eyes. Well Trixie, I can’t be partial just because we’re related… you need to earn the artifact… however I can give you a small clue as to what you need to do. A holder of the element of magic needs to be the leader, but also need to trust that no matter what one face, one’s friends give you strength to tackle whatever is sent your way.” 

Starlight’s horn lighted up, and a path was shown to Trixie. “The artifact you seek is at the end of that tunnel… get past the guardian and don’t waver, and it is yours to take with you.” 

Trixie nodded. “All right… hey before I head in, what exactly are you?” 

Starlight smiled. “Before I died I placed an enchantment on this cave, so that when my successor came for the artifact I could meet them and guide them along… when you get the artifact and leave this place I will go back to where I belong… with my friends at my side. Now good luck Trixie Lulamoon… make your friends and your family proud.” 

Trixie nodded and turned towards the path, starting to walk. As she walked her head asked about ten thousand questions at once. Believe in your friends and don’t waver, what in the world does that mean? Trixie sighed but continued to walk. Soon she came out into a huge antechamber. 

“Well… some light would be nice here” Trixie said, concentrating to make her horn light up. In the light that filled the room Trixie saw a pedestal on the far side of the room. On the pedestal lay a medallion, in the same pentagram star Starlight had had on his cutie mark. Trotting up to it Trixie frowned at it. 

“This seems a little too easy” she said. 

A growl behind her made her blink, close her eyes and swallow hard. 

‘Ok, maybe not, now come on Trixie, be brave, you can handle this.’ 

Taking a deep breath Trixie slowly turned around and opened her eyes. She then looked up, way up, into the face of something so terrifying and familiar that she started to shake. A blue body, filled with stars, a huge star right between its golden eyes, marked the familiar silhouette before her. 

“Oh buck me” Trixie managed to think as the Ursa Minor roared and raised a paw. 

Trixie yelped and rushed out of the side for the attack. ‘Shitshitshitshitshit… ok what did Sparkle do? Right she used a spell that made it fall asleep, do I know any sleeping spells… no, ok I’m bucked.’ 

Trixie leaped again as the bear rushed after her roaring loud enough to make the mountain itself shake. 

‘Think Trixie, think, surely there is something you can do… wait I have that speech enchantment maybe that can work.’ 

Trixie turned and cast her spell, making sure to try and calm down. If this went bad she had no chance of getting away. As she felt the spell working she opened her mouth and started to sing.

Hush now, quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed.

Trixie sighed. The spell automatically altered the target’s voice to a sweet tone, perfect for talking guard ponies away from the fact that she hadn’t any licenses to act in the town squares, or to give the occasional drunk intensive to give her a tad more in tips.

Hush now, Quiet now
It's time to lay sleepy head
Hush now, Quiet now
It is time to go to bed!!

Her voice called out to the bear that slowed down, blinking, getting very tired. Trixie trying to rather concentrate on the others waiting for her, needing her to finish her quest.

Driftin off to sleep
Leave the Exciting day behind you
Driftin off to sleep
Let the joy of dreamland find you

The bear yawned and lay down, an inch away from Trixie’s body, the mare managing the last couple of notes by closing her eyes and trying to ignore the smell of the bear’s breath.

Hush now, quiet now
Lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed.

Trixie stopped singing. The Ursa Minor lay in front of her sleeping soundly. Quietly Trixie sidestepped away from the creature and walked around it in a huge circle. Taking the medallion she headed for the exit, never letting her eyes waver from the Ursa Minor until she was safe and out of sight. The minute it happened she ran out into the entrance where Starlight beamed down at her. 

“Well done.” 

“An Ursa Minor? Are you insane?” 

“Put it this way, now you can boast about how you defeated an Ursa Minor.” 

Trixie groaned. Somewhere somepony was probably laughing their flank off at the irony she just knew it. 

“How exactly did the hint of believing in my friends and not wander help in that fight?” Trixie asked, still shaking in fear. 

“You didn’t run did you?” 

“Well not out here.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because if I had, I’d of disappointed the ot…hers… ah ok, I get the point… now what the heck am I supposed to do whit this?” 

Starlight smiled at Trixie. “That medallion has been passed down in our family for generations. In addition to having half of the element of magic in it, the wearer can also double their magic power if needed… and if you are going up against Starvoid you need it. Now go and join your friends Trixie Lulamoon… and congratulations.” 

Trixie sighed but got to her hoofs, walking out in the sunlight, wincing at the brightness. 

“TRIXIE, YOUR’E BACK, HOW DID IT GO?” 

Trixie groaned at the voice of Vinyl Scratch who came rushing up to her. Trixie held up her medallion, Luna smiling. 

“Starlight’s medallion… nicely done… so how was it?” 

“I had to deal with an Ursa Minor Trixie grumbled, still shaking. Now if it’s all right for everypony I think I’ll collapse here until the shock wears off.” 

And true to her word Trixie fell forward, collapsing in Derpy and Vinyl’s hoofs.

Luna sighed. “I suppose we should let her rest, in the meantime why don’t the rest of you see if you can find out where we need to go next?”


> Posters, disguises and hidden identities
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 6
Posters, disguises and hidden identities

Soarin and Spitfire grabbed Trixie, helping the unconscious mare over to a dry patch of grass. 

“Poor thing, she’s exhausted” Spitfire said, as Trixie lay asleep in the grass. 

“Just look after her” Luna said, looking around. “Right now, this is scary enough the safest place we can be, Starvoid would never think to look for me in here. You guys keep concentrating on your ele…” 

Luna stopped talking as Vinyl started glowing once again, the power in her element making her eyes shine through her glasses. As she landed again she took a few deep breaths. 

“Wow… that was so… awesome, can I do that again?” 

“Would you concentrate” Gilda asked annoyed. 

“Hey I was concentrating… I saw this place… it looked cold, but more like winter cold than trapped in space cold… and I saw mountains of ice… loads of ice… or maybe they were crystals.” 

“The frozen north” Luna said, recognizing the description. “Near the crystal mountains. Did you remember anything else?” 

“Well it’s hard to say” Vinyl said shrugging. “But I think I saw this small village or something… and a sign that said Windigo central. Is that a bad thing?” 

“I know the place” Luna said. “Back before I got power mad a few explorers wanted to see what was in the frozen north. Windigo central was one of the first towns built by ponies so far north… however it’s cold up there, we need correct clothes and a way to travel. Even if Zecora and Big Mac was up to it, the winds and snow conditions in the frozen North make traveling by carriage dangerous. Luckily the train goes all the way north, all we need are the funds for all of us on the train.” 

Everypony turned as Trixie groaned and sat up. “What’s going on?” she grunted disoriented. 

“We’re going north” Vinyl Scratch said grinning. “And getting my artifact next.” 

Trixie yawned. “All right, so can we leave this place now? I’m starting to get the creeps from this place.” 

“Soon” Luna said looking up. “I just need to raise the moon first.” 

“Why not wait with that until we are out of here?” 

“Because I think Starvoid will try and latch onto my magic the moment I try to raise the moon… if she finds out where we are all we need to do is to get out of the forest before she arrives to look for me. Now please, I need to concentrate.” 

Everypony backed off as Luna concentrated and locked her magic with the moon. No faster had she done so than she felt someone tug at the back of her head. “Get out of my head Starvoid, you’re not welcome.” 

Starvoid smiled from where she stood on the Canterlot castle balcony, her magic halfway latching onto the sun, the other part looking through Luna’s head.

“Now now my dear Nightmare Moon what did I tell you yesterday? You are my servant, I don’t need per… Starvoid stopped as her mind fell onto 6 new characters, not managing more than a quick look before Luna showed her magic away. Well well what have we here, new friends? Oh we can’t have that, you trying to do something stupid again? I can’t have that… not at all.” 

Luna grunted, trying to lift the moon before Starvoid figured out exactly what those friends of hers could do and where she was headed. 

Starvoid looked around in Luna’s head, recognizing the place she and the others stayed at as the Everfree Forest. She frowned. What in the world was Luna doing there?

“So I wonder Luna, what do you think you and some measly ponies can do to stop me?” 

“I guess we will find out” Luna grunted letting the moon go as it stood in the heavens. 

Starvoid laughed as she opened her eyes. “Yes Luna… we shall see.” 

She turned to look out at the moon, before she turned towards where a bunch of creatures grunted and made noises of discomfort. 

“Good evening my friends… how would you like a small trip out to take in the sights?”

In the Everfree forest Luna turned to the others panting slightly. “We need to go… now.” 

Zecora nodded. “This way” she said, everyone following the Zebra as fast as they could, arriving at the edge of the forest. 

“All right” Luna said turning to the others. “We are near Ponyville, does anypony have a place we can hide out until Starvoid gets bored looking for us and we can take the train away from here?” 

“Eeyup” Big Mac said pointing his hoof east. “My family farm is over that there hill, we have room enough.” 

“Thank you… now let’s hurry.” 

Rushing into a gallop big Mac led everypony to the main house of Sweet Apple Acres. Luna looked over her shoulder and swore that she saw something in the sky coming from Canterlot. 

“Quickly, inside and don’t make a sound” she called, Big Mac opening the door, rushing inside. Once inside everypony turned to an old mare and a young filly. 

“Big Macintosh what in tarnation?” 

“SHHHH” everypony said, hurrying away from the windows, except Luna who looked out carefully, seeing a bunch of creatures fly overhead. 

“Oh great” she grumbled. 

“What?” Trixie asked, looking at Luna worried. 

“She’s woken the gargoyles. They are stupid and don’t have much magic power, but they are fast and strong. Don’t worry though they’ll turn to stone at daylight.” 

“You just lifted the moon, that’s ages away” Gilda said incredulous. 

“I know” Luna said. “But I’d rather we wait than have to face these creatures… unless you want to be a part of the night sky like the rest of the ponies that Starvoid looked at as a threat.” 

“What’s going on” came the voice of the small filly. 

Derpy looked at Applebloom. “Not to worry Applebloom, this is grown up things.”

“Is this about AJ and those posters?” 

“What posters?” Big Mac asked. 

Applebloom was about to open her mouth when the old mare stepped up. 

“Applebloom why don’t you go and clean your room.” 

“But Granny Smith I…” 

“Now young filly.” 

Applebloom scowled but walked up the stairs to her room. Granny Smith turned to her guest. “Most of the day today has been chaos, pegasi from Canterlot flew in to the market today and announced that the great Starvoid had taken over as supreme ruler of Equestria, and as proof of her greatness she had locked away Princess Celestia and the holders of the elements of Harmony in her old prison in the sky. Anypony still loyal to them could come and talk to her and she’d make sure she’d let them all meet for the next couple millennia. Further by new royal decree Princess Luna is an outlaw and is to be brought to justice. Anypony who tries to hide her away from the almighty ruler will pay with their lives.” 

Granny Smith turned to Luna. “You should be careful. Whoever brings you in has been promised quite the amount of bits… the kind of amount that could pay for this farm the next 5 years. Not that you have anything to fear from us, I have lost enough children, I’ll not lose my grandchildren on top of that.” 

“Thank you” Luna said bowing. “We’ll only stay until sunrise and then we’ll be off.” 

“Off how exactly?” Gilda asked. “We’re wanted.” 

“No” Luna said. “I’m wanted. You get some warm clothes, hide your elements and get on the train, I’m the one who have too hide who I am.” 

“Well we’re not about to leave you here alone” Trixie said firmly. 

“You won’t have to” Luna said winking. Her horn lit up and soon the midnight blue flare of her magic covered her body. Suddenly she shrunk to normal pony size, and her wings disappeared, her body turning a dull blue, while her mane and tail turned into a dark golden almost bronze color. Her flank hid her usual cutie mark, replacing it with one that bore a pickaxe on it. 

“There we go” Luna said smiling. 

“Disguise spell” Trixie said breathless. “That is an amazing illusion.” 

“Illusion?” Vinyl asked. 

“She hasn’t changed, not really, she simply transformed the area around her to make it look like she looks different, it’s nearly impossible to do, and harder to do right.” 

Luna smiled. “I did this a lot in the old days when I was young, trying to sneak out of the castle pretending to be one of the servants foals. This way I can simply buy a ticket, telling the clerk that I want to go mountain hiking.” 

“Brilliant” Vinyl said, yawning widely. 

“Enough of that” Granny Smith said. “We have many rooms, pick one and go to sleep, I’ll wake you all at sunrise, that goes for you to your majesty, understood?” 

“Yes ma’am, thank you for your hospitality.” 

“Just get my grandchild down from there… I hate the idea of her being cold and scared, she deserves better than that.” 

Luna nodded and walked up the stairs. Choosing a room that lay with it’s view towards the moon, Luna lay down and closed her eyes, ignoring the familiar laugh in the back of her head that was Nightmare Moon… the last one who used gargoyles to hunt for her foes.

The next day Luna woke by Granny smith shaking her form lightly. 

“Get up ma’am you need to lower the moon so the day can start.” 

Luna grunted. She had had problems sleeping. She was used to being up at night, and the thought of Nightmare Moon was not helping either, the visions and memories glaring up as she tried to close her eyes. 

“Yeah I’m up” Luna grunted, rising from bed, shaking her mane. She had dropped her illusion before going to bed, not bothering to be in it all the time. Walking out of the room and downstairs she saw that the rest of the crew was eating a healthy breakfast. 

“I’ll join you soon” Luna said opening the door. “I simply need to do my job.” 

She walked outside and flew up into the sky, leaving the farm to hide her tracks. Landing on a cloud she concentrated on the moon, lowering it and grabbing hold of the sun. 

“Good morning Luna, how did you sleep?” 

Luna growled. “Back off.” 

Starvoid giggled at Luna’s angry voice, turning to look at the gargoyles who now sat on various places around the castle, having returned a few hours ago without anything to report.

“And who do you think you are telling me what to do?” 

“Somepony that will kick your flank.” 

Starvoid laughed. “Oh by all means Luna feel free to try, I won’t even put up guards. You are welcome at my castle anytime you like.” 

“Where did you get the gargoyles Starvoid?” 

Starvoid’s grin turned almost vicious, as she used Luna’s anger to prod into her head once more.

“Oh you saw them did you? Good to know, I thought I had sent them to the wrong magical forest.” 

“WHERE DID YOU FIND THEM?” 

“Why should I tell you something you already know Luna… I found them where you last left them, trapped in the dungeons. They were very happy to be free again. They are also very upset with you. Leaving them all behind for a millennia like that, how very cold of you. Speaking of cold, how do you think Celestia likes space? Must be nice knowing that your sister is going through what you did. She gets to face the consequences after all these years, isn’t it wonderful?” 

Starvoid felt Luna let go of the sun, resting it in its place on the sky. As she let Luna go, a knock on her door made her turn. 

“Yes?” 

A Pegasus came walking inside, looking halfway defiant, but thought better off it. “You wanted the fastest flyer in the army?” 

“That’s you?” 

“Of those who are left, yes.” 

Starvoid nodded, and levitated a scroll up from the table near the throne. 

“You are to take this to the outskirts, where the changelings are… tell them it’s for their queen from the new leader of Equestria, and tell them that I request an answer as soon as possible… understood?” 

The Pegasus took the scroll. “Yes ma’am.” 

“And if you try anything… just know that I will find you.” 

“Yes ma’am” the Pegasus said again, taking the scroll and leaving the room. Starvoid smiled. Ahh it is wonderful to be on top.

…

Luna growled, finally getting the sun up in it’s place and let her magic go. As she did laughter ran through her head. A familiar cackle. 

“Stop it” she demanded. Nightmare Moon answered condescendingly. 

“Oh you may object Luna but you know the unicorn is right… Celestia deserves some time out.” 

Luna was shocked. She had many times heard the voice of Nightmare moon cakling in her head, as a memory that would never go away… but to talk to her and get an actual answer, that was a new twist.

“Get out of my head.” 

“How can I Luna, we are one in the same.” 

“I am nothing like you.” 

“Of course not… though that’s not what you said yesterday to your friends.” Nightmare moon laughed. “Face it Luna, sooner or later you will come to me for help.” 

“Never again” Luna said with a growl. “You will never gain power again.” 

“We shall see.” 

Luna huffed but turned and flew back to the farm. Entering she sat down at the table, staring to eat as the others looked at her worried. 

“So… how are you feeling your majesty?” 

Luna looked at Derpy. “I’m fine, really… Starvoid is simply trying to get to me.” 

“Looks like she’s winning” Gilda said with a frown. 

“I’m fine” Luna insisted. “Now please can we talk about something else?” 

Luna’s answer came in the shape of Granny Smith and big Mac who came inside the room carrying a couple of baskets filled with clothes. 

“If you are going north you need to be warm” Granny Smith said. “Take what you can.” 

“Thank you Granny Smith” Luna said smiling. “We owe you a lot.” 

“You owe me nothing; just get Jackie back to us.” 

Luna nodded and started casting her illusion spell as the others went through the basket for scarves, hats and other warm clothes. 

Soarin and Spitfire dragged off their shadowbolt uniform and laid it in a pair of saddlebags they lay over their backs. 

“All right everypony,” Spitfire said speaking up. “If we are to avoid capture before we go anywhere I say you all lay your elements in a pair of saddlebags, or find some other way to conceal it.” 

Trixie nodded and hid her tiara under her hat once more while the others hid their necklaces in either the saddlebags Spitfire and Soarin offered or under thick woolen scarves. 

“All right” Luna said with a look around as she donned a dark blue scarf around her neck. “Now we need tickets to the frozen north, anyone got any suggestions?” 

Her answer came with a tug of her scarf. Looking down she saw three fillies. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. 

“We know it’s not much but you can have some of the cutie mark crusaders money” Applebloom said, handing over a piggy bank which rattled with bits as Luna lifted it. 

Sweetie belle sniffed. “Just get my sister and her friends back.” 

Luna looked at everypony beside her, looking sad at the young fillies. She sighed and turned the pig upside down, unscrewing the cork. The bits fell onto the table, just enough for all nine of them. 

“We’ve been saving up all year” Scootaloo said smiling. “I were going to use my share to buy tickets to the wonderbolts show for Rainbow Dash, but this is more important.” 

“I was going to give Rarity more fabrics she could make outfits with” Sweetie Belle said smiling. 

“I was going to pay some ponies to help Applejack out with the harvest” Applebloom said. “But it’s not much point buying the things if they aren’t here.” 

Luna looked down at the three fillies and stooped low to hug them. 

“Don’t worry… we’ll get them back… and thank you.” 

As the nine ponies walked out Luna turned towards Soarin and Spitfire. 

“When this is over, remind me to reward those three tenfold.” 

“I was thinking the same thing” Spitfire said smiling. 

“Eeyup” Big Mac said smiling. The group walked to Ponyville’s train station, ending up on a train no more than half an hour later. As they got seated in their compartment Trixie turned to Luna. 

“So… I met with Starlight.” 

Luna looked at her. “How?” 

“He placed an enchantment on the cave… the moment somepony would come to get the artifact he’d be there to see if one was worthy… he told me the story about how his family got the name of Lulamoon.” 

Luna smiled. “Ah dear Frostlight… he had it bad.” 

“But you helped him get the love of his life right?” 

“I did… I always do my best to help ponies in love. The night is the lovers’ time, and so I feel closer to ponies in love than others. Though truth be told it’s the first time somepony has come and asked me to lower the moon to the earth for them. My way was simply easier and more charming.” 

Luna smiled down at Trixie. “As for Starlight he was an amazing pony. Everypony in Everfree came to his funeral, including myself and Celestia. He was a very popular pony.” 

“Can you tell me more?” Luna turned to Trixie who looked ashamed of the question, and Luna understood. 

Trixie had never had any relatives, she had always been lonely. Now that she knew that she had a family she wanted to know all about them. 

“Of course” Luna said, opening her mouth and starting to talk. As she talked the road outside changed. Forests turned into plains and the plains turned into deserts. Soon it snowed and finally… 

“Hey guys, is that where we’re going?” 

Luna looked at Vinyl who had been looking out of the window. Turning around to look outside Luna saw the huge crystal mountains, shining the way for them. 

“Not yet. We need to get over the mountains before we get to Windigo central.” 

Vinyl pouted. “Aww man.” 

“Are you getting impatient Vinyl?” 

“I never get impatient, only excited. Besides… the faster we get this done the faster our friends get down from there.” 

Nopony said anything at this statement. Vinyl even looked more serious than usual. 

“Don’t worry” Luna said. “We’ll get them down from there.” 

Vinyl nodded. “So… anything you can tell me to prepare me for whatever I have to do, or do I simply have to sing an Ursa Minor to sleep too?” 

Luna blinked and turned to Trixie who shuddered. “We talked at breakfast, Vinyl wanted to know everything to prepare herself properly.” 

Luna nodded in understanding. “Well the original wielder of laughter was fond of music” Luna said. “He believed that whatever you did you could do it better if you did it while singing or dancing… apparently this caused a lot of grief when he still lived with his kind; he apparently caused a lot of tunnels collapsing.” 

Vinyl grinned. “Sounds like my kind of guy.” 

“Just be careful” Luna advised. “Songs playing in these mountains might cause avalanches.” 

“Right… no playing loud music. Got it.” 

Zecora looked out, the Zebra puzzled at the weather. 

“Used to the snow I can be, but not so much that I cannot see.” 

Everypony looked out. It had started to snow so hard outside that much of the landscape was hidden. Vinyl turned her head sideways, taking off her glasses. 

“Hey… guys do you hear that?” 

“Hear what” Derpy asked. 

“I hear some sort of whistling but that’s just the wind” Soarin said. 

Luna looked at Vinyl. Her eyes glazed over and her ears twitched slightly. 

“I hear something… it’s like… a flute I think, but it sounds strange.” 

“The artifact is calling out to you” Luna said. “Only you can hear it. I say that the moment we get off at the station we follow Vinyl. If the artifact is calling out to her we should follow her.” 

No sooner had Luna said this than the door to their compartment opened. A brown stallion stood there. 

“All right everypony, Windigo Central is our final stop for today; we’ll be there in 5 minutes.” 

“Thank you sir” Luna said smiling standing up. 

“All right everypony let’s get suited up. And Vinyl, keep listening to the song ok?” 

“Yes ma’am” Vinyl said with a smile, levitating her goggles back over her eyes and donned a fluffy hat. The moment everypony stepped off the train they all immediately shuddered as a huge blast of wind stormed through the station. “Let’s get going” Gilda said, having to lift her voice over the wind. “I’m freezing my feathers off in this cold.” 

Vinyl didn’t hear her, simply started to walk heading out of the small town towards the nearby mountains. 

> The Pan flute of laughter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 7
The Pan flute of laughter

Every now and then Vinyl stopped, turned her head from side to side before deciding wich way to go. After nearly 10 minutes she had lead her friends to a cave, everypony rushing in away from the cold. 

“Somepony… please light a fire” Derpy managed to get out, her teeth shattering like crazy. 

Zecora nodded in agreement, the zebra being too cold to actually talk. A laughter was heard behind them, all 9 faces turning to a blue see through Diamond dog. 

“You ponies are funny” he giggled, scratching the back of his grey head. “Why are you all here in this cold if you can’t handle a little wind?” 

“I’m here for the artifact” Vinyl said stepping up. 

The dog’s laughter died down. “Ohh. You are the new holder of the element of laughter then?” 

“Well no, but I am the substitute.” 

“And where is the real bearer then?” 

Vinyl held a hoof up towards the sky. 

The dog frowned. “Well that’s no fun place to be. Who put somepony up there?” 

“Starvoid the cold.” 

“That meanie pony? Well now that’s no good… but I can’t just give you my artifact, that wouldn’t be fun or fair.” 

“What do I need to do?” Vinyl asked. 

“First off you can tell me your name pony.” 

“I’m Vinyl Scratch, also known in some circles as DJ Pon-3.” 

“And I am happy Jack, the original carrier of the element of laughter. Now then, now that we know each other a little better I am allowed to give you a small clue. What you are looking for is through that cave over there, but only one who can have fun will get to it. Be careful or else everything will crash down on your pretty pony head. Good luck pony, and remember to have fun.” 

And with that Happy Jack faded to nothing, leaving only the 9 others behind. 

“Right, I’ll be back soon” Vinyl said turning to the rest of the ponies gathered. “You try to calm down and get some warmth in you.” 

“We’ll be fine” Luna said nodding. “You just concentrate on your mission.” 

Vinyl tuned and walked into the hallway, getting further into the mountains. Getting out on the other side Vinyl blinked. “Woah” she said, her voice echoing through the entire mountain. 

Everything was bright. From the ceiling and on the walls huge bluish and greenish crystals shone, blinking and lighting up the room. The floor itself looked pretty strange to vinyl, it was almost like it was ice but… she frowned. 

Right in front of her a light blinked as if something from under the ice lit it up. Stepping on it Vinyl almost jumped back in shock as a musical tone was heard out over the entire place. 

Looking up in worry at the ceiling she sighed as the crystal still hung without moving. Looking down again she frowned as the light had moved to another place on the floor. 

‘No way I’m stepping there again’ Vinyl thought to herself. ‘Last time almost killed me.’ 

With that decided she placed her hoof on a part of ice that did not glow. Once again the white unicorn snapped, this time as the sound that rang through the cave was horrible and out of tune. 

Looking up in worry, all the while covering her ears she yelped and rushed back as one of the crystals got loose from the ceiling and fell to the same spot she had stepped on. 

Vinyl took a deep breath. Damn… that was close. Vinyl looked to the floor wich still lit up. 

‘Of course’ she thought to herself. ‘Princess Luna said that Happy Jack loved music and always thought that anything could be better with music… so if I only step on the blinking parts of ice…’ Vinyl stepped on the blinking light, a calm soothing tone being released. 

She looked around searched for the next light, seeing one a little further ahead however she blinked as the tone she released was starting to get a tad pitched. Horse apples she thought and jumped. ‘I can’t stand still long, or the tone will distort and cause another crystal to fall.’ 

Vinyl landed on the new blinking square, spun around, found her new waypoint and leaped again. After having done this a few times she smiled. 

This was like playing and dancing all at once, this was so much fun. The rest of the way was almost a cakewalk, Vinyl had so much fun that she stopped worrying and simply had fun. 

Finally she stopped and blinked, wondering where to go next. Looking around she noticed that the place she had last stepped on wasn’t making any sound. She also noticed a small pedestal. Laying on top of it were a pan flute, decorated with wooden carvings of gems, with a string on each end so one could carry it around one’s neck. 

A cackle made Vinyl look up, seeing happy Jack dance in mid air. 

“That was fun to watch Vinyl Scratch pony. You have made my wait worth it. That there is my flute. It was the only thing I took with me from my home when I left. Play it and any foe that stands before you will start dancing and laughing and listen to any word you say.” 

“Sweet” Vinyl Scratch said with a grin lifting the flutes and placing it around her neck. 

Then she frowned and turned to Happy Jack. “Are you going away now?” 

“With my flutes in the right hooves I have no more reason to be here… I’ll go back to my friends side and party with them until the end of time.” 

Vinyl smiled. “Then what about one more song for the road?” 

Happy Jack grinned. “I’d like that very much.” 

Vinyl put the flutes to her lips and started to play. It came easy to her, like most music did, playing her tune until Happy Jack had completely faded away. As he did Vinyl smiled, stepping back onto the ice and back to her friends. 


> Bad pony manners
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 8
Bad pony manners

Her friends waited in a circle, having managed to start a fire. 

“Hi guys” Vinyl said smiling. Luna looked up. 

“How did it go?” 

“It was like dancing on a piano, it was fun… kinda scary at first, but fun.” 

“Good job” Derpy said smiling, coming up to look at the flutes around Vinyl’s neck. “Ohh that looks fun to play.” 

“I tried them out a little” Vinyl said smiling. “They are quite nice to listen to. So… where too next?” 

“We decided to wait until you came back, to make sure we didn’t disturb your trial” Derpy said smiling. 

“All right” Vinyl said, sitting down next to Trixie, warming her hooves. 

“You guys do your best.” 

“So” Trixie said as the rest of the group, with the exception of Luna, Soarin and Spitfire started concentrating on the elements once again. “So I got attacked by a ferocious bear and you got to dance on musical ice?” 

“Pretty much.” 

Trixie scowled. “The world is so unfair.” 

She and Vinyl looked up at a familiar shine, seeing Gilda glow and rise from the floor. 

“All right” Gilda where are we going? Spitfire asked, still close to the flames of the fire. 

“Preferably somewhere warm” Soarin grumbled, shuddering slightly. 

“Well it’s warmer than here” Gilda said, blinking to get some spots out of her eyes. “I recognized the place… we’re going to the Griffin kingdom.” 

Luna looked at her. “You sure?” 

“You think I wouldn’t recognize the mountains I have flown in since I learned to fly?” 

“All right, valid point I suppose… Now we should head back towards the town, I’ll raise the moon and we’ll all get some rest, is everypony ok with this plan?” 

Everypony nodded and turned to face the cavern. The wind had died down, although it still snowed hard. It took the group almost twice as long getting back as it had getting to the cave, as they now had to find out where they were going with zero visibility and no magical flute playing to show them the way. 

Finally they came back to the town, finding the closest inn. Just as they stepped in Vinyl saw the sign, the happy digger. Getting inside everybody sighed as they felt the warmth of the nearby fireplace. 

“Can I help you?” The voice came from a gruff looking grey stallion, looking at the nine with suspicion. 

“We need a place to stay for the night” Luna said, dragging out a few bits that the group had managed to scrape together before their trip up to the frozen north. 

“This should cover it” she said laying it down. The man counted the bits. 

“Sorry miss, you are 20 bits short.” 

“What? There is enough bits in there to cover the rent for 9 ponies.” 

“Correct” the pony said, looking at Luna who looked at him with indignation written all over her face. 

“However I only see 7 ponies, plus a griffin and a zebra… I repeat, you are twenty bits short.” 

Luna scowled at him. “Last I checked the royal princesses made it illegal to up the prizes for creatures that are not ponies.” 

“And which of the princess would that be?” the pony asked with a scowl. 

“The one currently trapped in the sky or the one that’s on the run?” 

Luna opened her mouth and was about to say something when a sweet tune filled her ears.

Looking back she saw that Vinyl scratch had lifted her new instrument to her lips and was playing a soothing tune. 

“Ah sorry miss, what were we talking about?” 

Luna looked back at the rude pony that looked calm and content, a huge smile on his face. 

“We uhh, were discussing our stay for the night.” 

“Ah of course, you are a party of nine, here we have one 3 pony bedroom and three 2 pony bedrooms, share rooms with whoever you want.” 

“I thought you said we were 20 bits short?” 

“Don’t worry about the money” the stallion said with a smile. “For such a group of lovely companions how can I force you to pay?” 

Luna decided to not look a gift pony in the mouth and took the bits and the keys. 

“Soarin and Spitfire we’ll take the three pony bedroom. Gilda and Derpy you take one of the other rooms, Trixie and Vinyl, here is a key for you, and Big Mac and Zecora the last room is for you two, try to get along everypony. And Vinyl… next time give us a warning.” 

“Sorry” Vinyl said, not sounding sorry at all. 

Everypony went to their rooms, Spitfire and Soarin more or less collapsing in their beds. “You two doing ok?” 

“Yeah” Spitfire said exhausted. “We’re simply not used to this kind of stuff. We’re racers, we don’t usually travel long distances by hoof in all kinds of weather defeating evil, that’s the guard ponies job.” 

“Well I think you are doing great so far” Luna said smiling. “Now I need to tell you something and I’d like it if it stayed inside this room.” 

Soarin and Spitfire looked at each other with a worried expression before turning to Luna. “We’re here to serve your majesty.” 

“Thank you… Nightmare Moon is back in my head.”

Soarin sat up. “What do you mean back in your head?” 

“I can’t explain it” Luna said shaking her head. “But every time I raise or lower the moon, it’s like her voice grows. She keeps talking to me in my head, trying to convince me that I need her power to defeat Starvoid, or even to simply let her win.” 

Spitfire got up from her bed and walked over to the Lunar Princess. “Your majesty listen to me, this isn’t like you… you are not Nightmare Moon, not since the elements purified you.” 

Luna frowned. “You don’t know who I was… what I did. And the elements might have helped but… the holders are up there in that cold now… and there is this feeling inside that sort of wonders if they understand the pain I went through staying there myself for a thousand years. But they don’t deserve it… I did, but not them.” 

“Your majesty please stop this” Spitfire begged. “We hate having to see you like this.” 

Luna looked into her brown eyes. “Please help me… please promise me that if I ever turn back into that terror… do whatever you can to stop me.” 

“We won’t let it get so far” Spitfire promised, Soarin nodding in agreement. 

“We’re the wonderbolts, we can do anything.” 

Luna laughed at him. “Yeah everything… except defeat a dragon going rampaging in Ponyville… and don’t think I don’t know of the incident at the best flyers competition where a flailing pony knocked you all unconscious.” 

Spitfire looked indignant. “Hey that was not our fault, that unicorn had a lucky shot, that’s all.” 

Luna laughed, feeling better already. Looking out she sighed. 

“Time to get to work” she grumbled, opening the window flying out. She flew high, landing over the clouds with a clear view of the sky. Taking a deep breath she let her magic loose, finding the moon, lifting it from the ground. 

Back in Canterlot Starvoid sat by a fire, enjoying the warmth, as she talked to Luna, prodding the little black form in the back of Luna’s head.

“Evening my dear Nightmare, how has your day been?” 

Luna ignored the voice. 

Starvoid pretended to hurt, all the while wondering why she felt cold all of a sudden. Searching around she found her answer, Luna was somewhere north.

“Ouch are you really giving me the silent treatment? Well let’s see how long that lasts. So I’ve been thinking, who were those ponies I saw you with in that forest? They didn’t look like they were much and after much work I’m still not convinced that they are a threat. But don’t worry I won’t bother you on whatever lame brained scheme you are thinking of doing. 

Mostly that was because Starvoid had had enough of the cold to last a lifetime, but this she did not tell Luna. Truth of the matter was that she had been looking into the silhouettes of the figures she had seen, but just like with the holders of the elements nopony seemed to be able to give her any answers on who they where and how they knew each other. But for now it didn’t matter.

In the end I’ll get what I want… you’ll be mine soon my dear Lulu, and then the fun can begin.” 

Luna let go off the moon, panting heavily. What in the world was Starvoid plotting? 

A small cackle made her groan. “Why don’t you go and ask her?” 

“Get out of my head.” 

“Make me.” 

“You know I can have you banished from my mind right? All I need to do is to go down to the others and tell them what’s going on.” 

“You could… but you won’t.” 

Luna gritted her teeth. She hated that smarmy voice. 

“You won’t go down there because of the same reason that you didn’t tell your sister that you still had some of my powers when you came back. You’re afraid… afraid that they will hate you again as they did before.” 

“Shut up” Luna growled, not wanting the dark alicorn voicing the truth. 

“Very well… I suppose it’s enough for now… if you ever need to talk Lulu… you know where to find me.” 

Luna scowled but her scowls and growls turned into sobs and tears. Looking up she saw the constellation that was Celestia. 

“Help me sister” she begged to the stars. “I can’t keep doing this, it’s too hard.” 

She didn’t get an answer. She wasn’t surprised, she hadn’t expected it either. With a few more sniffs she dried her eyes and went back to the room at the inn, walking to bed quietly, not noticing that Spitfire and Soarin was watching her while pretending to be asleep.

> Custom complications
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 8
Custom complications

“So I got a question” Gilda said as they all walked towards the train the next day. “How do you plan for us to get to the griffin kingdom?” 

Derpy looked up curious. “What do you mean? I thought we had train tickets there.” 

“We have tickets to the border” Luna said. “But the griffins don’t like too many ponies getting into their country.”

“Why not” Big Mac asked curiously. 

“An old feud” Gilda said shrugging. 

“Feud is putting it mildly” Luna said with a huff. “It was more like downright warfare. The basics of it was that one of the elected griffins was power hungry and decided that he wanted more land from Equestria. He even went so far as to try and take it after Celestia and I told him no. The moment he tried Celestia intervened herself and gave the griffon president an offer. 

A one on one race. His best flyer against our best flyer. If he won he could have some land, if not he stayed put. The president agreed and made arrangements to make the course that needed to be flown, all at the same time making sure to put up traps and friends at the lane to make the game as unfair to a pegasi that was possible.” 

Spitfire and Soarin grinned. Every wonderbolt knew this story, and it was always fun hearing it. 

“So what happened?” Trixie asked. Luna grinned but didn’t speak as the train arrived and let them all onboard. Once inside a coupe she took of her enchantment, looking like Luna once more before she turned to them all. 

“As I said the president of the griffons had tried to fix the game by placing various traps along the route that no pegasi could have any chance dodging. So he grinned at the start line, bringing out his champion. Celestia smiled and stood aside revealing her own champion… me.” 

Spitfire and Soarin could no longer hold it in, but started to laugh, imagining the look on the griffin leader’s face. 

“Simply put the griffins who wanted to cheat now had two options. Throw rocks at royalty and risk war, or let me fly past them. Very few made any traps fall, and those who did I easily let aside. In the end I won and Celestia politely pointed out that the next time griffons entered Equestria she’d like to know who they were. The griffons replied back with gusto that they would not allow any pony to enter their kingdom as long as this travesty of a race was known. The griffon Kingdom and Equestria has been at odds with each other ever since.” 

Gilda snorted. “That’s putting it mildly. My parents almost disowned me for wanting to go at a flight school here. I got a passport sure enough, but you need to earn your way inn.” 

“And how do we do that?” Soarin asked. 

“You guys won’t have a problem” Gilda said. “Anypony who can do fancy aerial tricks are looked on with favor. The one’s I worry about are the ones here who do not fly.” 

“We four then” Trixie said, looking at Vinyl, Big Mac and Zecora. 

“I can charm the toll griffons with my flute” Vinyl said. 

“Can we do that?” Big Mac asked worried. 

“We could” Luna said, thinking it over. “It wouldn’t be very nice but we could do it.” 

“I love this flute” Vinyl said with a grin. “If Pinkie Pie let’s me keep this later on I will never have to pay for another thing again.” 

“Hey the artifacts of harmony are not a tool to be used for trifling matters of running away from paychecks” Luna said harshly. 

Vinyl pouted. “You are no fun.” 

Gilda looked out of the window. “Hey guys… we’re getting near.” 

Everypony looked out, seeing the Crystal Mountains fall out before them to reveal the sea, with griffons patrolling the perimeter way out in the bay. 

“Wow… these guys really don’t like visitors” Trixie said, lifting an eyebrow. 

“Understatement of the year” Soarin said sighing. 

“Well let’s do this” Luna said once again changing her appearance to hide her identity. 

Stepping out on the train station in the small town called Neighranda. 

“Right, the griffin kingdom is overseas that way” Luna said. “Boat fare isn’t going to be a problem, but we need passports for all of us or else they won’t let us onto the boat.” 

“And if we try to fly?” Derpy asked. 

“What do you think they are for?” Gilda asked, pointing out to the griffons flying over the sea, barely visible with the sun at their backs. 

“Right” Luna said with an unsure sigh. 

Vinyl Scratch you are up. Vinyl nodded and walked up to a gate where two griffons looked at her with poorly hidden distrust. 

Vinyl simply smiled at them and lifted the flute to her mouth. It took no more than a minute before the two was grinning and laughing. Trixie suddenly got a plan. 

“Stay here” she whispered, leaning up to the place where Vinyl was entertaining the two guards and quickly levitated a few papers away from the booth behind them. Walking back to everypony else she conjured out a quill and started writing. 

Luna scowled at her. “Are you falsifying passports?” 

“Do we need to get to the griffin kingdom or not?” 

“Vinyl is…” 

“Vinyl is playing a song for the border patrol… sure they’d probably let us on the boat, but what about the moment we get in trouble in the griffin kingdom and is discovered without passports?” 

Trixie turned to Gilda. “So how bad is it for a pony to be in your kingdom without a passport?” 

“On a scale from one to ten… I’d say a twenty.” 

“Well there you go” Trixie said, handing out the papers as she finished them. 

“Now all we need is a stamp, come on I got an idea.” 

Trixie walked up to Vinyl who stopped playing. “There you are Vinyl; you rushed off without your papers.” 

Vinyl lifted an eyebrow. “Papers?” 

“Your passport silly, so we can get into the griffon kingdom.” 

Trixie dragged Vinyl in closer. “Play along.” 

“However” Trixie continued, raising her voice a notch. “We were so worried about you that we rushed away before we could get our stamps.” 

“Oh hey no problem we can get that for you,” one of the griffons said with a smile. 

“Yeah for that entertainment a few stamps is no big deal.” 

The griffon took all eight papers and stamped them, not even bothering to look at the names on the passports. 

“Come through guys, have fun in the griffin kingdom.” 

Gilda got out her own passport as she walked past the guards, proving that she wasn’t a pony in disguise and then they were on a boat. 

“So Trixie my dear, have you done this before?” Luna asked, looking at the unicorn who smiled guiltily. 

“Once or twice I suppose. You have no idea how hard it is to get a permit to perform in a town square these days, and I need to live.” 

“Don’t be too hard on her” Gilda said grinning. “She has a point, we needed entry for everypony and this way we won’t be in trouble the moment we come over a griffon who don’t like your face.” 

“Very well” Luna said with a sigh. “So do you know where we’re going?” 

“I recognized the mountain” Gilda said with a nod. “But it’s hard getting there without wings.” 

“Worry about us you need not do, we will watch your back enjoying the view.” 

Gilda smiled at Zecora. “Yeah well thanks… I suppose.” 

Gilda laid a claw over the necklace around her chest, turning to Luna. 

“Hey princess… Dash will be ok right?” 

Luna nodded. “Of course, as long as we keep going strong.” 

Gilda nodded but looked thoughtful. “Hey you are supposed to be the warden or something of the stars right… can you talk to them?” 

“Yes” Luna said. “But they can’t really answer with words… mostly if they like me visiting I get this warm feeling, like they are happy I am there.” 

Gilda looked up at the sky. “Could you tell Dash I’m sorry I called her and her friends lame? I was being stupid I know that but… when I saw Rainbow around the other ponies I was afraid she wouldn’t have time for me so I tried to make her leave them… it was wrong I know but in the end… I’m just very sorry about it.” 

Luna smiled. “I’ll let her know.” 

“At the same time can you tell Sparkle that I defeated an Ursa Minor for her and she’d better bucking appreciate it” Trixie declared. 

Suddenly everypony wanted to send a message to their friends and Luna held up a hoof. 

“Hey hey calm down, not everypony at once… now I have something that might help out, everypony with a message gather round.” 

Luna blinked as even Soarin and Spitfire gathered. 

“We’d like to ease your sister’s pain a little” Spitfire said simply. 

Luna nodded. “All right, this is what you need to do. Close your eyes and focus on what it is you want to say and leave the rest to me.” 

Everypony closed their eyes and Luna closed her eyes, reaching out to the constellations that were still in the air, invisible in the sunshine. 

“Hello everypony” Luna said, gathering the thoughts of her sister and the holders. “I am sorry for the wait, we are getting further on the rescue plan… but somepony wanted to talk with you.” 

And Luna reached out to the minds of the other 8 on the boat, letting their message flow out.

“I’m sorry I was a jerk Dash, I’ll try to make it up to you.”

“The great and powerful Trixie defeated an Ursa Minor for you Sparkle, you are very much welcome”

“Hold out sis, we’re coming for you.”

“I know the pain is hard Fluttershy, but I am coming, so please don’t cry.”

“Hey Pinkie I got this awesome flute from this hilarious Diamond dog, I can’t wait till you come back so I can tell you all about it.”

“Hi Rarity, I’m so sorry you are stuck right now, I’m out on an amazing adventure, you just relax, we’ll get you down from there in a jiffy, we promised Sweetie Belle.”

“We are at your sister’s side your majesty. We give you our word as wonderbolts that as long as we’re around your sister shall not come to harm.”

The warm feeling coming as an answer made everypony smile, and a few sniffle. 

“We need to go” Luna said. “It’s not safe to send our minds somewhere Starvoid can see them… take care sister, and please hold on.” 

A final flicker of warmth followed, before Luna let the connection fall. Everypony blinked, and Gilda turned claiming she had gotten something in her eyes. 

“Yeah” Vinyl said grinning. “It’s called tears.” 

“Shut it” Gilda grunted, wiping at her eyes. 

“That truly was an amazing experience” Soarin said. 

“Eeyup” Big Mac said smiling, laying his own hoof over the apple center in his necklace. 

Zecora looked straight ahead. “Land ho I see, let’s go and get artifact three.”

…

Starvoid frowned. Odd… She thought she had felt something touch the prison… but surely Luna wouldn’t be stupid enough to try anything rash would she? Starvoid was about to check that everything was ok when the doors opened, and the pegasus she had sent on a mission a few days ago came in, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else than there. 

And behind him, walking with the grace only someone royal could pull off, came the changeling queen Chrysalis. The changeling grinned. 

“So… you are the new queen then?” 

“I am… you must be Chrysalis.” 

“I am… I got your letter.” 

“I figured as much.” Starvoid looked at the Pegasus. “You can go.” 

He did, running away, leaving the two alone. “I have a proposition for you” Starvoid said smiling. “I am having some trouble with rebels. They meet in secret and whenever they think somepony is after them they shut up… Also there are some ponies I am trying to find, but it doesn’t seem like there is anypony who knows who they are or where they are from… if a changeling in the right disguise asks a question, I have a feeling I will get a tad longer in my search.” 

Chrysalis looked at her. “That’s all well and good… but what do we get out of the deal?” 

Starvoid smiled. “I got about thirty rebels locked up in my dungeon, all of them acting on the love of their former rulers… you and your people are welcome to eat until there is nothing left of them… on one side you and your people get food, on the other side I show Equestria what happens to traitors… so what do you say?” 

Chrysalis smiled. “When do we start?”


> The helmet of loyalty
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The moment they walked off the boat, everypony looked around in awe. The griffin kingdom was full of mountains, and most of the buildings were either carved into them of built on it’s peaks or on the mountainside under rails of wood and rope. 

“Come on guys” Gilda said, stretching her wings. “No time to dilly dally, we have something to do.” 

“She’s right” Luna said nodding. “Lead the way Gilda.” 

Gilda rose from the ground. “You follow on the ground, but I need to stretch my wings. There is nothing like Griffin Kingdom air beneath your wings.” 

“That I believe” Spitfire said, the Pegasus getting into the air herself, doing a few loops. “Wow this feels wonderful.” 

Gilda grinned and led the way, flying through the town they were in, out towards the wilderness. 

Soon she stopped. “All right guys, see that huge mountain?” 

Everypony looked up, seeing the tallest mountain Anypony had ever seen stand before them. 

“That’s where I need to go… so can you guys wait here? We don’t have much wildlife here that you can’t handle.” 

“No worries Gilda, you go do your thing” Vinyl said, sitting down enjoying the sights. 

Gilda nodded and flew up toward the mountain. As she did, her eyes glazed over and she had a strong feeling in her chest, feeling as if something was leading her. Finally she stood near the mountaintop, seeing a huge entrance into a cave. Entering it she barely reacted to seeing a huge dragon there waiting for her. 

It was a dark gold, with black spikes, the entire body taking up almost 90 per cent of the cave. 

What Gilda noted was that this dragon was no ghost… it was fully alive. It looked down at her. 

“And who are you?” 

Gilda blinked, realizing at the pitched tone that the dragon was a girl. 

“Gilda the griffon, substitute for the holder of the element of harmony, my friend Rainbow Dash.” 

The dragon looked at her. “I’m Tanith, the original holder, but I suppose you already know this. So, why is a mere substitute here? What happened to your friend?” 

“Starvoid the cold locked her up in the sky. I need your artifact to set my friend free and kick Starvoid’s flank.”

Tanith looked at Gilda. “Damn straight you need to save your friend, no way one can leave a friend hanging… It’s a good thing you have wings, you will need it in your trial. It’s pretty straightforward, go through there and get to the other end without getting crushed to death.” 

Tanith looked at Gilda. “And I will not have any lame complaints, if you are loyal to you friend you should do anything if it means helping out, capishe?” 

Gilda nodded. Tanith rose her giant tail and revealed the cave entrance.

Gilda walked through the door, bracing herself as she came out into the interior of the cave. Looking down she whistled, seeing a flow of lava pass under her. 

“Right” she said flapping her wings. “Let’s do this thing.” 

And with that she flew up into the air. The moment she did, a burst of warm wind forced her upwards. Gilda managed to get control just as she was about to crash into the roof, noticing with a gulp that a few seconds later she’d been impaled on the sharp rocks on the sealed volcano top. 

Gilda growled and went into a dive, fighting against the hot air currents the volcano provided, once again the hot air blowing upwards. Gilda gained control just a moment to late, scratching her left claw on the rocks. Landing on a platform Gilda grunted in pain. Damnit this was impossible, how in the world was she going to do this? Gilda closed her eyes. 

'Dash... what do I do?' 

In front of her minds eye she saw a young Rainbow, grinning at her. Gilda huffed. Of course... just keep going on. Just like old times huh Dash? Gilda shook off the pain and jumped into a dive towards the magma. She kept going lower and lower, straigthening up just as the hot magma vere inces away. The hot air still forced Gilda up but whenever she came to high she went down into another reckless dive. After a while rocks started falling from the ceiling, forcing Gilda to now and then having to duck away. It was hard, it was fast, and Gilda loved every single second of it. Finally she reached the end, seeing a large helmet lying on a pedestal. 

Taking it with her claws she looked it over, seeing a few bumps here and there but else it was as if it had just been made. Turning to her left she saw an opening, walking through it to end up in the entrance were Tanith was waiting. 

“Got the helmet did you?” 

“Yeah… what does it do?” 

Tanith looked at Gilda who was still looking over on the details of the helmet. 

“The holder of the element of loyalty has one responsibility… to make sure his or her friends are never in any form of danger. Even if that mean you have to put yourself on the line you do your best to keep your friends safe… when you wear it and activate it’s powers, the helmet of loyalty create a barrier around you and your friends. It will repel most kinds of magic, but will not last forever” 

“Got it” Gilda said, placing the helmet on her head, covering her neck and head. 

“Take good care of it” Tanith said, closing her eyes and laying down, intending to go back to sleep. “And take care of your friends too.” 

And with that Tanith closed her eyes completely and fell asleep, Gilda turning and flying back to her friends, landing with a thump next to them. 

> Staliongrad
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 10
Staliongrad

Spike was freaking out. He knew he had promised to tell Princess Luna anything that could help, but so far he hadn’t bothered because it was obvious what was going on. 

The unicorn had taken over, asked a bunch of questions about the whereabouts of Princess Luna and threatened anypony who dared to question her authority. But this… Spike looked out of the window, seeing the different ponies walking by. Changelings… Ever since the wedding Spike had been careful around the changelings. 

His nose had managed to recognize their smell, which was almost the same, but not quite the same as the one of a pony. If Starvoid was asking the changelings for help, it meant problems. 

Spike took a deep breath. All right… time to send the princess a letter. Turning around Spike stopped up. Writing a letter without dictating from Twilight or one of the others… it felt weird somehow. But he trusted Princess Luna, and he trusted that she’d keep her word. Walking over to the desk he pulled out a quill. 

“Dear Princess Luna…”

…

At the mountains Gilda landed near her friends.

“Nice helmet” Luna said approvingly, as Gilda landed and adjusted the thing out from her eyes. 

“Yeah well it will probably take some time getting used to, but I’m not complaining.” 

Gilda sat down next to Trixie and Vinyl. Trixie was polishing her medallion, Vinyl looking over the detail work of her flute. 

“So how was your trial?” Vinyl asked. 

“Had to fly through a volcano… it was a lot harder than it sounds like, the warm air currents kept trying to smash me up into the roof.” 

“All right everypony, we are halfway there” Luna said smiling, turning to Zecora, Derpy and Big Mac. “You guys are up, you know what to do.” 

The three nodded and closed their eyes. They had barely closed their eyes when Derpy opened them again, her eyes a complete white. 

“Whoa” she muttered, falling backwards. She turned to the rest of the group. “Does anypony know of a place in Equestria that currently has snow? Because I saw ponies… and snow… and most of the ponies was wearing funny hats.” 

“Oh I know that place” Vinyl said smiling. “Staliongrad, Octavia comes from there.” 

“Yeah well staliongrad is a part of Equestria” Luna said nodding. “But it’s southeast from here, near the dragon kingdom border.” 

“Well at least we will be able to get out of Griffin kingdom” Gilda said shrugging. “Ponies inside the borders are not that welcome here; I’ll look forward to not having to worry about being butchered in my sleep for associating with you guys.” 

“Then let’s not dilly dally” Luna said, rising from her place in the group where she had been sitting. “However we should try to be quick about it… Zecora, Big Mac, can you handle another trip by air as long as it’s not an open carriage?” 

Zecora looked towards the sky before taking a deep breath. “Although a trip I’m hesitant to take, if it can help you all, it’s a trip I’ll make.” 

“Eeyup.” 

“Very well, what we have left of our bits we can use to buy a trip by carriage to staliongrad for everypony” Luna said, taking out the bits from her saddlebag. 

“However I am not sure what to do when we get to Staliongrad and needs to go further.” 

“Let’s worry about that later” Trixie said rising up herself. “Let’s just get going, being out in the open like this makes me nervous.” 

Gilda led the way, the group ending up in a small town with a few carriages. Luna walked up to a scruffy looking griffin, standing by a moderate size carriage with a roof handing over her bag of bits. 

“We need a ride” she said with a smile. 

The griffin scowled at her. “Tough luck pony, I don’t care.” 

Luna opened her mouth, but was stopped by Gilda who walked up to the fellow griffin, staring him down. “Listen buster I’m going to ask you a few questions. Question one, do you know who won the griffin dive race a week ago?” 

The griffin’s eyes went wide. 

“Y-you’re Gilda?” 

“Correct… next question, what do you think I’ll do to you if you don’t help my friends out?” 

The griffin simply gulped, then made way to open the door. 

“Come on in everypony, keep the money, the honor to fly the Griffin dive champion and her friends is all mine.” 

Luna took back her bag of bits and entered, Gilda being the last one in. She turned to the griffin. 

“We’re going to Staliongrad. Get us there the quickest way possible. Try anything stupid and I will know about it, understood?” 

The griffin nodded and Gilda stepped in to sit down next to Zecora who tried to look everywhere except outside. 

Luna looked at her. “So… the griffin dive… I didn’t think they still did that.” 

“What’s the griffin dive?” Vinyl asked curiously. 

“Think of it as a test of maturity” Gilda said. “We all jump off a particular cliff. The longer you wait to fold your wings the more cool and awesome you are. Once you have gotten your wings out you have to glide through the valley avoiding all the dangers that has been sat up. The winner each year is looked to as the fiercest Griffin for the rest of the year and can more or less go knocking out others one doesn’t like without getting any trouble for it.” 

“Does it really work like that?” Derpy asked looking over at Luna. 

“Well yes and no” Luna said. “The race is a tad more complicated than she lets on, but that’s mostly because the griffins think of the dive as a sacred spiritual thing and the ponies have no business knowing much about it… but the prize for winning is more than simply bragging rights. It is true that when one win, you get a title for a month before you have to defend your title, but as long as you have the title of bravest diver, nopony would want to challenge you. But you also get diplomacy rights and can’t be arrested for the whole of that year as long as you are inside griffin kingdom borders.” 

Gilda grinned. “It comes in handy every now and again.” 

“I don’t doubt it for a second” Spitfire said with a huff. Turning around she faced Derpy. “So where in Staliongrad are we going?” 

“Well there was this basement in a house in some sort of alley. I think I’ll recognize it when I see it.” 

“We’ll take your word for it” Soarin said, looking out at the sky. “Hey your majesty, shouldn’t you raise the moon soon?” 

“As soon as we land… for now I think the pilot has enough to worry about… besides if he figures out who I am and call to collect the bounty, things could quickly turn ugly.” 

“Eeyup.” 

Luna was about to close her eyes and relax, when a familiar pop made her blink, as a piece of parchment appeared in front of her. 

“What is that?” Gilda asked. 

“I told Spike, Twilight’s assistant to send us information if he ever found out something he thought we should know.” 

Luna opened the letter, scamming through it. “Oh dear.” 

“What?” 

“Starvoid has asked for help in finding me and taking me back… she went to the changelings.” 

“WHAT?” Everypony turned around in shock. 

“She made a deal with Crystalis that she could feast on her prisoners the moment I am captured… the loyalists are freaking out because they don’t know who is a friend and who is a changeling in disguise, everything is chaos… speaking of wich.” 

“Don’t tell me she’s freed Discord” Soarin groaned. 

“No, she would try that, she’s not stupid, she knows he’s not going to honor any bargain, he’d be trying to create chaos the minute he got free… however I am starting to wonder if maybe we could use a little chaos.” 

“So… are we going to free Discord?” Luna turned to Spitfire who looked unsure at her, as if wondering about her sanity. 

“By Faust no, he’d make trouble for us too, and be a complete nuisance to deal with once this is all over. No I am thinking something more in the light of dividing and concurring... Does anypony have some ink?” 

Luna got a quill and a piece of parchment from her saddlebag and started to write. 

“Dear Spike, thank you for the warning. We could use some help and I implore that you get so many ponies as you can trust with you on the mission. Start asking questions and spread rumors. Make sure that the changelings start to doubt trusting Starvoid. Make them take some changes and see what Starvoid does, maybe the two can argue with each other for a while and save us some time. I wish you luck Spike, Princess Luna.” 

Sending the message out with magic Luna looked out. “We are slowing down to land… now please try to not do anything stupid, we don’t want to be suspicious.” 

Soarin looked around. Luna herself was in her disguise, but they had a griffin, a zebra, a cross eyed mare, a huge country stallion, a show pony and a dj pony with them. Turning to Spitfire he raised an eyebrow. She nodded. They couldn’t look more suspicious if they tried.

…

Spike looked up as he received a note, opening it and reading Luna’s message. Understanding what Luna wanted he smiled and exited the library. Following his nose he ended up near Lyra and Bon Bon, who looked unsure around them. 

“Hey guys” Spike said with a whisper. “I have a task for you, from somepony very important.” 

Bon Bon and Lyra looked at each other. “We’re listening.” 

“We need to make the changelings doubt that Starvoid will be on their side when she no longer needs them… see that couple over there?” 

Lyra and Bon Bon looked over to see a dark red earth pony mare and a golden pegasus stallion. 

“They are changelings” Spike said. “I want you to casually walk by them, talking about how trusting Starvoid is a bad idea, make sure they can hear you… when you have passed those two, continue to the unicorn pretending to sleep under the tree. I’ll spread the word.” 

Lyra smiled. “I love your nose sometimes Spike, we’re on the job, no worries.” 

As Spike rushed off Lyra and Bon Bon rose from where they had been resting on the bench. 

“Can you believe that Starvoid got help from the changelings?” 

Bon Bon asked as they walked up towards the couple. “Yeah, I wonder how she threatened them to make them take the job” Lyra said. 

“Maybe they came on their own.” 

“Yeah right” Lyra said, rolling her eyes as she walked past the red mare. “They must not know the story about her original banishment very well then. Who in their right minds would team up with a unicorn that killed a windigo just to get their powers…?” Lyra noted that the couple looked at each other worried, and continued on past the unicorn in the shade. 

“I am telling you” Lyra said with certainty. “If this keeps up and the changelings don’t find anything, Starvoid will eat on their queen’s powers and show the changelings her dead body as an incentive to look harder.” 

The unicorn’s eyes opened wide and she sat up, her head crashing with a low branch. 

“OW.” 

“You ok?” Bon Bon asked, in feigned concern. 

“Yeah, just had a small nightmare… did you say something about Starvoid the cold eating a pony’s soul.” 

“Well maybe not that drastic” Lyra said. “But we’ve heard that when she finds something or somepony with an amusing ability she traps them, drains their body of the power so that she instantly learns it, and then is she is happy with her new powers she’ll kill you. If one is unhappy she’ll keep you alive as a vegetable, kinda gross.” 

Bon Bon nodded. “Yeah, two thousand years ago she apparently killed a windigo and stole it’s powers. Can you imagine having the ability to freeze one up like that?” 

The unicorn shuddered. “Wow that’s horrible… oh look at the time, I have a friend I need to meet in a few minutes, sorry to disturb you.” 

And with that the changeling in disguise turned and ran off, Lyra and Bon Bon smiling at each other. 

“This is fun” Lyra whispered. “Let’s see if we can find Spike and ask him to tell us where to go next.”

…

Walking out of the carriage in Staliongrad, Luna’s group all said farewell to the griffin, Gilda giving him a long scowl as if to tell him to back off, before the group looked around. 

Vinyl grinned. “I always heard a lot about this place from Octavia, apparently all the action happens at night.” 

“Well” Luna said, looking around and making sure that nopony was around. “Then let’s get the night started.” 

She let her disguise fall, and flapped her wings. “I’ll be right back” she promised flying up into the sky, landing on the rooftop of a church. Closing her eyes she grabbed the moon with her magic. 

...

Starvoid looked up where she sat on the throne, as the doors opened up and Chrysalis came rushing inside. “Any news?” 

“On the traitors, no… but I have learned a lot of things that makes me wary… Is it true that you killed a windigo?” 

“Among other things, yes.” 

Chrysalis sneered. “Among other things? And what else is on that list is I may ask?” 

“What’s it to you?” Starvoid asked coldly, scowling at the changeling queen. 

“I am just curious as to where my subjects lie in your plans… about what you will do the moment you no longer feel like you need us.” 

Starvoid chuckled. “Afraid for your subjects… or afraid for yourself?” 

Chrysalis didn’t answer, but simply scowled. 

“You have no need to worry” Starvoid said. “My interests lie not in simple transformation spells.” 

Chrysalis scowled but turned around and left, Starvoid taking a deep breath. 

Close call… too close. She needed to look out for trouble, and make sure that everypony and every changeling didn’t dare question her or her authority. Looking out she noticed the time, getting up and branching out with her magic, putting on a small smile

“Evening my dear, how has your day been?” 

Luna smiled. “You sound a little hurried Starvoid, anything the matter?” 

“Just some diplomatic issues, nothing peasants like you should worry themselves about.” 

Luna smiled. “The changelings aren’t that trustworthy then? I can’t begin to figure out why.” 

“You had something to do with this? How the hay did you know about the changelings?” 

“I have my ways Starvoid… but don’t you worry, we’ll see each other soon.” 

Luna smiled as she let go of the moon, smiling in triumph, not realizing that in the back of her head, a magic that was not completely harmless had started to grow. Landing she smiled and donned her disguise. 

“Spike works fast” she said to the others. “The changelings are already becoming suspicious. Now then, I say we go and get some food in our bellies, and then Derpy, you have a trial to find.” 

Derpy nodded, and followed behind Luna who led the way to a small inn. 

> The Cloak of generosity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 11
The Cloak of generosity

Later on as the group was eating, Derpy turned to look at Luna. 

“Hey princess” she said in a low whisper. 

“Yes Derpy?” 

“That pony in the corner has been looking this way for a while now.” 

Luna looked up and saw the pony in the corner, recognizing him at once. 

“Well now… this isn’t good. Spitfire, Soarin, do you see what I see?” 

Spitfire and Soarin looked up from their food, seeing the pony. It was a Pegasus, with a light blue mane and darker coat. 

“Continue eating” Spitfire said, keeping her voice calm. 

“Who is he?” Trixie asked. 

“Well that’s the million bit question isn’t it?” Soarin said eating into his pie. “Either he’s one of our budding wonderbolts Lightning Flash… or he’s a changeling.” 

The pony had risen from his seat, walking over to their table. “Spitfire, Soarin, is that you?” 

Spitfire looked up in feigned surprise. “Lightning? What are you doing here?” 

“I have family here, I figured I’d stay low until this whole mess blows over.” 

“Blows over? A unicorn has trapped one of the royal sisters and the other is on the run and you think this will blow over?” 

“Sorry, bad choice of words I guess.” 

“But you, what are you two doing here and who’s your friends?” 

“Oh you know me” Spitfire said smiling. “I always like getting new friends.” 

“We’re nopony special” Vinyl said smiling a friendly smile. “We were just in the neighborhood that’s all.” 

“Well welcome to Staliongrad, I’m just sorry you had to come on such a bad time.” 

“A bad time? Is there anything going on?” Trixie asked. 

“Well the new ruler wants to get her hoofs on Princess Luna no matter the cost… since we’re so close to the dragon kingdom she put up border patrols all around the border lands. We keep the dragons out, and at the same time, Princess Luna inside.” 

Spitfire’s eyes widened and soon the entire inn turned around as Spitfire stood over Lightning, pressing a hoof to his neck. 

“Spitfire, what are you…” Soarin asked shocked. 

“He just said that ‘we’ keep the dragons out… which in turn mean he is with the patrol. Either he’s a traitor to the crown, or he’s a changeling. Personally I hope for the latter.” 

Lightning gasped at her, but then smiled. His body changed, turning into a black changeling. His smile turned into a grin. 

“I’m no traitor” he said, his voice sounding raspy like most of his kind. “I am completely loyal to my queen Chrysalis… and Chrysalis is loyal to the current pony queen… which means that if anypony is a traitor here, it’s you.” 

He looked at Spitfire. “Do you know what your queen does to traitors pony? She gives them to us… I can already taste the love… it is so good, I will suck you dry.” 

He was received with a hoof to the face, but not by Spitfire. The group looked up to see the pony that was in charge of the inn. The changeling had been knocked out cold, and the unicorn innkeeper looked at the group. 

“Go, now, before it wakes up… and all hail Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.” 

Everypony rose, but before they left, Luna turned to the pegasi. 

“What is your name?” 

“Night flare” 

“Thank you Night flare, be careful.” 

Luna ran after her friends, finding that Derpy was leading the pack. 

“What’s going on?” She asked as she reached Zecora. 

“Miss Derpy heard a call from the wind, telling them all too go to the trial and let it begin.” 

Luna nodded. “Good plan, we need to hide, that changeling won’t be out for long and when he wakes up all hell is going to break loose. Changelings, gargoyles, I wouldn’t be surprised if Starvoid herself decided to come.” 

Turning a corner, Derpy rushed into a shed, everypony managing to get inside. 

Gilda grunted. “This is a little tight, are you sure you went the right way?” 

“Yes I’m sure” Derpy said, under the pile of ponies. “Now can anypony see a candlestick placed into the wall somewhere?” 

Trixie answered. “Yes… the garish thing is right in front of me.” 

“Would you mind dragging at it?” Trixie managed to get a hold of the candlestick with her magic, dragging it loose. 

A click was heard somewhere and Vinyl yelped as the wall she was squished against opened to reveal a path. She grinned at it all. 

“Wow, this is just like in the Daring Doo books, only real.” 

“Let’s go down” Luna said looking at the door to the shed. “It’s not safe here.” 

Derpy went first down the stairs, the others following her, looking around. Vinyl and Trixie had lit up their horns, making it possible to see around them. 

“This place is amazing” Soarin said in wonder looking around. 

“I wonder how long this has been here.” 

“Well considering that a trial for a two thousand year old artifact is down here I’ll say at least that long” Gilda said, making a few of the others snigger. 

Derpy had stopped, looking in front of her, where another blue shimmer made the group stop up. A zebra stood in front of them, her deep brown eyes looking over the group. 

“You have come very far… here for the artifact I suppose you are.” 

Derpy nodded. “Yes, I’m Derpy, the substitute for the holder of the element Generosity.” 

The Zebra looked at her, and at her friends. “Xolani is what I am named, step forward Derpy, do not be afraid. Through this door the artifact is kept, being guarded by a group who dwell in the dept."

Derpy nodded. "Ok, any advice for me?"

Xolani smiled. "while this land is filled with things most unpleasent, all creatures enjoys getting a present."

Derpy turned and smiled at her friends. “Don’t worry guys, I’ll be back in a jiffy.” 

As she walked through the door, Xolani turned to the others. “3 of the 6 artifacts I see you got, she’ll be fine, worry not.” 

Xolani’s eyes rested on Zecora, the two Zebra’s sharing a nonverbal greeting. 

Derpy walked inside the cave, wondering what she was going to do. The cave she was in was dark, having one or two bright spots comming from holes in the ceiling where the moonlight rushed in. Seeing nothing else to do, the grey mare looked around.

Sometimes the ability to be able to look around at two places at once came in handy. She finally spotted what she was after, a pedestal at the far side of the room, with a black cloth lying folded on the top of it. 

Derpy flapped her wings and glided over the canyon. Reaching her goal, Derpy reached for the cloth, seeing that it was a cloak. As she was about to take the cloak a deep growl was heard. Derpy turned around seeing that the seemingly empty cave now was filled with a group of diamond dogs

"Um... hi?"

"What do you think you are doing pony? That cloak is ours."

Derpy turned to the diamond dog who had spoken up. He was old, and looked like the tribe's leader. 

Derpy blinked. "Yours?" 

"Yes Pony ours. Given to us as a present many many generations ago."

"Oh... but I need it to save the world from certain doom." 

The Diamond dog scowled at her. "Tell me pony, I dont know how well you can see, but do I look like I'm stupid? That cloak is ours, and you are just a simple thief wanting it for yourself." 

"No I'm not" Derpy said, feeling irritaded over the fact that the old dog thought that she had less than perfect intentions. 

"Then leave pony... that cloak has given us chances for food, hidden us from harm and helped us against our enemies... we will not simply let you take it." 

Derpy blinked, suddenly realising something. She turned and opened her saddlebag rumaging through it before finally finding what she was looking for, a bracelet in pure gold. 

"Then... how about we trade?" 

The dog blinked, a few of the younger ones behind him almost drooling at the sight. "Where did you get that Pony?" 

"It was my mother's... its the only thing I have left of her. I keep it around as a good luck charm... I wish I didn't have to give it away, but I need the cloak more." 

The Diamond dog looked at her and smiled." You can keep it... and take the cloak." 

Derpy blinked. "What?" 

"The story of the cloak has been passed down through the alpha dog for generations. A zebra gave it to our anchestors and asked us to keep an eye on it until somepony who was willing to put us before themselves came to take it back... and that is you pony... keep the bracelet... and the cloak." 

Derpy smiled and turned to take the coat. As she turned back to thank the Diamond dogs they had allready disapeared back into the shadows. Derpy sighed, putting her mother's bracelet back into her saddlebag and galloped back to where she came in.

Finally back at her friends she brought the cloak away from her face, smiling as her friends sighed in relief. 

Xolani looked at her with a smile too. “Congratulations miss Derpy for clearing the test. And now you need to hear a tale to understand the rest. To be generous is not the same as to be kind, it simply means to give your friends benefits that you can find. If your friends are ill you give healing herbs, if cranky they are you heal their nerves. The cloak you have give you insight, and can help you past those who is blind to your plight.” 

Derpy looked at her. “So wearing the cloak can make me sneak past guards and stuff to find information my friends can need?” 

Xolani smiled. “Exactly so my generous friend, but not much time you can spend. An hour under the cloak is all you will get, before the enchantment turns off and make any guards upset.” 

“Thank you Xolani” Derpy said putting on her cloak. “Do you know a way for us to go outside the borders? Our enemy is looking for us.” 

Xolani turned and pointed down a long walkway. “An old sewer system this used to be, follow the way forward and you will be free.” 

“Thank you” Luna said, bowing gently. 

Xolani bowed and the group turned to go down the path towards freedom. 

> Dangers in a different land.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 12
Dangers in a different land.

Starvoid looked up as a changeling came rushing into the throne room. “Lady Starvoid… we have found 9 traitors in the city of Staliongrad.” 

“9?” Starvoid’s eyes grew and she got excited. “What are their descriptions?” She asked. 

“A blue unicorn with a hat and cape, a wand with a starry tip as a cutie mark. A big red earth pony with a green apple as a cutie mark. A grey Pegasus with derped eyes, a bunch of bubbles as her cutie mark. A white unicorn with glasses, a black note as her cutie mark. An orange unicorn with a pick axe as a cutie mark, with them a zebra and a griffin, as well as Spitfire and Soarin, two wonderbolts loyal to the royal princesses.” 

Starvoid scowled. It all fitted… except the orange unicorn. Then she laughed. 

A disguise spell… not bad Lulu, not bad.’ “Where are they now? “

The changeling winched. “The changeling that discovered them got knocked out and by the time he got up they were gone.” 

Starvoid growled. “Fine. If you need to get something done right you do it yourself” she muttered. 

Running out she turned to the gargoyles. “Staliongrad, search everywhere, I don’t want anypony to leave the place, I want Princess Luna captured and brought here, is that clear?” 

The gargoyles grunted an affirmative, before flapping their wings flying off. Starvoid turned to the changeling. 

“Let every changeling know that the one responsible for bringing Luna back can eat away on her love for her sister and her subjects before I banish her to the heavens, send half the force to staliongrad, do not let her get away or I swear to tartarus I will make you all regret it.” 

And as the changeling nodded and rushed out with it’s orders, Starvoid grinned. 

“I got you now Lulu, you can run but you can’t hide.”

…

Luna turned to look behind her as they turned a corner, still hiding away in the dark sewer tunnels. “All right, now that we are alone, Big Mac, Zecora, you two are up.” 

“Eeyup” Big Mac said closing his eyes, Zecora doing the same. 

The glow that came from Zecora momentary blinded everypony around them, the zebra taking a deep breath as she opened her eyes. 

“The place we need to go is far I fear, to Zebrica’s desert were dangers are near.” 

“Zebrica?” Luna groaned. “That’s all we needed, more trouble.” 

“Is this because of the lions again?” Gilda asked. 

“No not completely” Luna said. “But it is partly one of the problems. As Zecora said, few ponies know much about Zebrica, most of it is because it’s a dangerous land and few dare to thread there if they have a choice. That and it is far away. Since that changeling saw you all we are probably all wanted now, we can’t just go on a train and cross the border, and I don’t have enough power to use a disguise spell on all of you.” 

“So… how do we get to Zebrica?” Trixie asked. 

Luna flinched and looked at Zecora. “I’m sorry Zecora… but we need to go through the pass.” 

Zecora looked like she had been slapped in the face. As Luna stopped talking Zecora opened her own mouth. 

“No… to go through the pass you cannot force me to go, it is dangerous and our deaths will all be slow.” 

Luna looked at the rest of the group. “The pass of lions… the Zebra’s of Zebrica never go near the place, nor does anypony else if they have a choice. The lions who live there are vicious, but fair. They give the ponies and creatures who try to walk through their pass a chance… if you or one in your party manages to outwit the guardian you can pass.” 

“And… if you can’t outwit the guard?” Derpy asked looking towards Zecora. 

“Then you are dead” Luna said. Zecora shook her head again. 

“We can’t go down that path, or else our lives we will lose fast.” 

“Then what do you want us to do Zecora?” Luna asked. “How else do we get to Zebrica any other way to avoid capture?” 

Zecora frowned and seemed to steel herself for what she was about to say. 

“The way I went we could always go, but it’s longer and risky, I think you should know.” 

“The way you went… from when you came to Equestria?” Spitfire asked.

Zecora nodded. “From east to west I once came, walking through the desert with little rain. Long the journey through the desert was, but safe from having to pay the pass’ deadly cost.” 

Luna looked at Zecora before drawing up a map in the dirt on the floor. 

“We are here… show me the way you want to do.” 

Zecora walked up to the dirt, tracing a long line south from Staliongrad to the watery edge of east Equestria. 

“A small journey by boat we need to take, to get us to Zebrica state.” 

Dragging a hoof following the waters course a boat went over the water down to the western coast of Zebrica. 

“From here we walk through the sand, walking east should be the plan.” 

Luna looked at her. “It’s going to be a long journey Zecora.” 

Zecora looked at her. “Friends I like to think you are, we will walk together and see danger from afar.” 

“Very well” Luna said. “Come on everypony, we have a long way to walk and from here and out we must be careful about being spotted.” 

The group nodded and continued to walk after Luna, and after a while winced as they saw light. The moon shone bright as the group came out in a forest, a few looking around to see if there was any danger. Luna looked up at the position of the stars. 

“Right, south is this way. Come on everypony we have a long journey ahead of us.” 

Everypony followed Luna as she walked down the forest path. Now and then the group stopped up as ponies came walking past them heading towards the town they had just escaped from. Soarin and Spitfire once more donned the shadow bolts uniforms and soared through the skies as scouts. Now and then they turned and came back with information like, ‘a group of changelings are resting southwest,’ or ‘there are gargoyles circling the mountains further up, we should go around them.’ 

After nearly an hour of this Trixie spoke up. “This is getting ridiculous; if this keeps up we won’t save anypony until the turn of the next century.” 

“We can’t let anypony know that we are here” Luna said. 

“Why not? We only need two more artifacts, who says we can’t go into the nearest camp and knock out some guards and be on our way?” 

Luna turned to Trixie. “Let me tell you something, because I know you are not familiar with how a war general thinks. We assaulted a changeling and got away. That changeling woke up and probably told his superior that there are traitors in the staliongrad woods. He don’t know your names but he followed our table long enough to have given a description of everypony here. When that information comes to Starvoid she will probably recognize a few of the descriptions as images she got from looking through my head and know that you are probably the ones hiding me, so she sends out this group.” 

“Yes she has probably used up a lot of her forces coming here, but she thinks’ that she doesn’t have to go all out because sooner or later I will try something she thinks’ won’t work… if we go into a camp and start using the elements… we will knock them out. Once they wake up and let Starvoid know that Princess Luna and 6 others using the elements of harmony have been spotted going south from Staliongrad… what do you think she’ll do?” 

“Freak out” Vinyl said as loud as she dared. 

“She’d send every loyal subject our way, raise the bounty on our heads and come herself to track us down… yes we have the power to deal with her subordinates, but we wont be able to deal with her until we have the two final artifacts. So for now Trixie, we will sneak around the enemy, all right?” 

Trixie nodded. “Yeah… sorry, I’m just not used to being in hiding.” 

“Not to worry” Luna said, turning to walk down the path. 

“Very few of us are used to this… last time that comes close was during the Nightmare Moon war, and back then I didn’t bother to hide… come on, we can still walk a while before stopping for the night.” 

Luna turned and looked around, her teal eyes taking in everything, trying not to shout in surprise as a voice spoke up in her head. 

‘You know if you asked for help I could help out with that wannabe unicorn.’ 

‘Why are you here… I only hear you when I raise the moon.’ 

Nightmare moon groaned. ‘Oh come on, you really haven’t figured out that yet? Why do you think you are still safe? Why aren’t you currently staying in a cold cell with Starvoid looking over you? Every time she came in contact she did two things. She distracted you by talking and when you didn’t notice she sent a magical signal to your brain… she woke me up… she plans for you to turn into me again, so you will join her.’ 

Luna’s eyes went wide. ‘However’ Nightmare Moon said with a grin. ‘She forgot one small thing… I have no intention of being a sidekick… just because Celestia is trapped in space I won’t fall to my knees and worship her… wich again is why I am telling you this. So Luna… how about you start using your head… send her a message and tell her to back off… she thinks she can rule this kingdom, let her try. Release the dragons, destroy the land… let it be night a few hours longer.’ 

Luna huffed. ‘I’m not stupid either you damn nightmare… as long as it’s nighttime she can use her gargoyles. If anything I’d rather it be day all night, but considering how warm that will be where we’re going I’d rather let the day and night go as usual. Now back off and go back to that dark little hole you crawled out from.’ 

‘How rude’ Nightmare said with a fake pout in her voice. ‘Here I am trying to help out and all I do is getting shunned… I see your sister has taught you well. Just so you know, Starvoid thinks she controls you, maybe by pretending she is winning you can cut some slack.’ 

Nightmare moon disappeared, and Luna looked at the others who gave her a small look of worry. 

“You ok princess?” Gilda asked worried. 

“Yeah I’m fine…let’s rest here, we’ll head out at dawn.” 

As everypony sat down Soarin and Spitfire walked up to her. “Are you sure you are ok?” 

“Better than in a long time” Luna said assuring the other two. “I think I just got a better grasp on why we aren’t already in chains.” 

“Well that sounds promising” Spitfire said with a smile. “So why haven’t she been trying harder to catch us?” 

“Every time I have raised or lowered the moon and sun, she has been sending her magic into my head… waking up Nightmare Moon again. She thinks that Nightmare Moon will be on her side for sealing Celestia away and thinks that Nightmare Moon will take over and head back to stay at her side.” 

Luna huffed. “However Starvoid have forgotten a few things. I am not Nightmare Moon. She might be waking up again but I am still in control… and as long as I don’t fall into that darkness again she will not have control… and even if she did, Nightmare Moon doesn’t play second string for anypony, especially not a unicorn like Starvoid.” 

Everypony shared a look. “So… should we be worried about Nightmare Moon waking up?” Derpy asked curiously.

“Right now all she does is constantly nag about how I should make life miserable for her to see how she can handle the pressure of being a ruler when thing goes wrong, but I am not about to let the moon stay up longer than it should. As for the rest she’ll get enough chaos as it is. The changelings do not trust her, and with the country without their ruler the dragons and griffons will probably try something too. Then there are the loyalists who will probably try something to rebel… no for now I say we lay low, she only have so many gargoyles and loyal guards… soon she’ll crack. And all without us having to lift a single hoof.” 

Luna smirked. “Starvoid won’t know what hit her.”

The group continued to walk for a few days, hiding in caves and eating berries and grass that they found, Derpy and Zecora going around finding mushrooms and the occasional edible herb. 

“I don’t know how much longer I can do this” Soarin groaned a night as he and Spitfire soared through the sky looking out for danger. 

“We have been on the road for almost a week now, I need real food.” 

Spitfire looked over at him. “Oh suck it up Soarin, when all this is over I’ll buy you a big apple pie, all right?” 

Soarin smiled at her. “Thanks Spitfire, you’re a great captain.” 

“Of course I a… Soarin, look at that.” 

Soarin looked over to where Spitfire was pointing and grinned. 

“Finally” he grumbled, as the two wonderbolts turned to head back to the rest of the group. 

“Good news” Spitfire said as they landed. “The ocean is spotted right ahead.” 

Luna smiled. “Great job you two, now let’s head on, maybe we can reach the ocean and get on a boat before dawn.” 

As luck would have it, once out of the forest the group found themselves in the outskirts of a small town. 

“All right, what now?” Trixie asked, looking around. 

“We need to get some information” Luna said. “We should split up, Zecora and Big Mac, you go with either Spitfire or Soarin. You haven’t gotten your artifacts yet and that worries me if you come across any enemies. We meet back here in an hour or less, understood?” 

“Eeyup.” 

Luna nodded and flew into the air, hiding herself in the backdrop of the night sky. Once she lay securely on a cloud, she looked at the familiar constellations. 

They had been in that cold for almost two weeks now, their pain must be terrible. She remembered herself how it felt after the first weeks, the sadness that made you want to just succumb and die, to make it all stop. But she would not give up. She’d save her sister and the bearers, she owed them that much. 

‘You don’t owe anypony anything’ came the annoyed snort from Nightmare Moon. 

‘You again? I thought I told you that I didn’t want your input.’ 

‘Your sister sent you to the moon and those six blasted ponies stopped us from becoming sole rulers of Equestria.’ 

‘Us? Oh no you don’t, if you had won you would never have let me get a word in on any plans or choices.’ 

Nightmare Moon growled. ‘You need me Luna.’ 

‘No I don’t… in fact it’s you who need me, because right now all you are, is a voice in my head. So do me a favor Nightmare and shut the buck up. I need to raise the sun for a new day so my subject can get some warmth.’ 

Nightmare Moon shut up, and Luna concentrated on the moon. Luna tried her best to not roll her eyes as Starvoid’s voice called out. 

Starvoid on her side was not calm. The changelings had been everywhere in those woods looking for Luna and her friends. She still didn’t know what she was planning, she still wasn’t getting anywhere and even though Nightmare Moon was supposed to be fully sentient she had done nothing to help out. 

Over the last few days both the griffins and the dragons had started testing the waters, the dragons openly flying through her airspace terrorizing her subjects living in secluded areas as well as stealing the gems found in the land. In the north the griffins were trying to start a war, wanting more land. She had stopped the first assault by freezing up a griffin colony that had tried taking root, telling the survivors that it was a simple warning and next time she would go in for the kill. The griffins had listened… the dragons had not. Starvoid grumbled. 

“Lulu first… then I can deal with the dragons.”

“Good morning Nightmare Moon, how has your night been?” 

“I’m sorry, the pony you are trying to reach is not available at the moment, may I leave a message?” 

Starvoid chuckled, but Luna heard a small tone of frustration in her voice. 

“So funny Lulu, a real riot… so how are you?” 

“I’m having a blast” Luna said grinning. “And you?… I heard you had some problems with the changelings… again.” 

Starvoid growled. “None of your business peasant.” 

Chrysalis had been quite upset and angry after finding out that Starvoid had given her changelings orders. They were her subjects and only answered to her. Starvoid had in turn pointed out that if that were true, the changelings wouldn’t have jumped and done as she had ordered them in the first place.

“Of course not Luna said with a condescending tone. And of course the few days with dragons in the air… that is on purpose too I suppose? Unless of course the dragons don’t listen to your commands and fly in your new kingdom without permission.” 

“I am warning you Lulu, back off.” 

“As you wish” Luna said with a smile. “By the way Nightmare Moon says hi and want me to tell you that she isn’t playing second fiddle to anypony, and you can go and buck yourself.” 

And with that said Luna let go of the sun and moon, smiling in the warmth. Flying down to the ground she scowled. 

‘Probably shouldn’t have said that, now she’ll just try harder to find me… oh well it was worth it, stuffing her failure into her smug face.’ 

At the castle in Canterlot, Starvoid blinked in shock. Then she took a deep breath and screamed loud, hard and angry. Outside the door, the guards looked at each other and smirked, before opening the door in question, asking if something was wrong. The glare that was sent their way made the two guards turn and rush out, running far away from Starvoid’s earshot, falling to the floor laughing. 

…

At the sound of hooves, Luna turned to see the others come back. 

“Anypony learned anything interesting?” 

Derpy smiled and took the hood off her face. “I found a ship and a pair of gentlecolts who was generous enough to give me tickets for the trip to Zebrica.” 

Vinyl grinned too. “I played some music on the streets; everypony was laughing and dancing… I earned enough bits for us to eat well for a month.” 

“Trixie played a few tricks too, and managed to win us a few disguises” Trixie said proudly, getting out a few cloaks for everypony except Zecora and Derpy that already had cloaks of their own. 

“I took a round around listening in on the town gossip” Gilda said. “Nopony here seems to talk much about the ponies wanted by Starvoid, but there has been a lot of trouble with the local farmers. Apparently they can’t grow enough food to send to Canterlot, although after what the gossip thinks, it’s all a ploy to keep the food for themselves and for refugees, because nopony want Starvoid to get any food.” 

Gilda grinned. “I also saw a marking near the place where the changelings are staying, a marking carved into the stone; a sun and a moon, with the words long live the royal princesses of Equestria.” 

Luna smiled and took a deep blue cloak from Trixie, laying it over her body. 

“Well… let’s head out towards Zebrica… and once there we need water caskets, a lot of them, or else we’re doomed.”

…

The ship the group went on was more like a ferry than anything else. A lot of ponies got onboard, most wanting to escape from Equestria and the new ruler. 

The food was free but tasted like cardboard, and at night most ponies huddled together to keep warm. At one of the last days of the journey, a small filly managed to crash with Luna, knocking off her hood. The silence that followed was so thick you could almost touch it. 

“Your majesty?” An old mare walked up to Luna, looking on in wonder, before bowing, and soon the entire room followed suit. 

“Please don’t do that” Luna asked them, taking on her hood once more. “I am here in a secret mission to get back my sister… I need to stay low profile… please help me out.” 

“Whatever you ask for shall be done” the mare said, standing up. “Then just keep my secret” Luna said smiling. “I trust you all my faithful subjects… as does Celestia and the bearers from their cold prison waiting to be rescued.” 

“And how long until that happens?” A stallion in the back asked. “How long until that unicorn’s tyranny is over?” 

“I am not sure” Luna said honestly. “But not much longer, if my plan will work out. Now be at rest my little ponies… I will make sure that Equestria will welcome you all back once this is all over.” 

The ponies smiled, a few of the foals running up to hug Luna. Several of the stallions made a salute, and a few of the mare’s cheered. 

“Long live the princess of the Night… long live Princess Luna.” 

Luna smiled, sending a message back to her head. ‘See that Nightmare Moon… that is how you get the subjects to like you.’

…

A few days later the group landed in Zebrica, a few of the ponies wincing at the sun. 

“This is going to sound strange… but I miss the frozen North Vinyl said, dragging the hood of her cloak away from her face.” 

“The cloak you should wear dear Vinyl Scratch, or else a stroke from the heat you will catch.” 

Vinyl looked over at Zecora who was enjoying the sun, welcoming it back as a good friend, before she shrugged and donned the hood again. Zecora probably knew what she was talking about. 

“So how do we proceed?” Trixie asked. 

“First off we need to find somewhere to buy water caskets, so we won’t die of thirst” Luna said. “Then I suppose we could see if we can afford to buy us some Zebra’s to help us through the desert, always nice to have local help.”

“But aren’t we wanted with a big bounty on our heads?” Derpy asked.

“In Equestria yes… not here” Luna said. “The Zebras have a different way of living than ponies do, we’re safe here.” 

“At least from other ponies” Soarin said, looking around expecting a lion to jump out from the brushes. Zecora looked around with expert eyes, before she smiled and turned to the rest of the group. 

“Water we need to buy, in the market I suggest you try. I will stay and look around, to see if a guide can be found.” 

“Good idea” Luna said smiling. “Spitfire, Trixie, you two stay with Zecora, the rest of us go and get some water.” 

As the rest of the group headed to an open nearby market with half the bits Vinyl had managed to get, Zecora led the way up to a caravan where two male Zebras turned to her. 

Zecora started talking in Zebra, Trixie and Spitfire simply sharing a look before sitting down. 

“You think Zecora is happy to be back in her homeland?” Trixie asked. 

Spitfire shrugged. “Who knows… I mean she left it for a reason, and is probably not coming back for a while after we leave with the artifact… but maybe she missed it.” 

Spitfire looked at Zecora who talked fast and hurriedly with the two male Zebra’s, who looked unsure and unwilling. 

“Let me try” Trixie said rising to her hooves. 

“You speak Zebra?” Spitfire asked. 

“No” Trixie said, getting out 10 golden bits from her pouch. 

Without a word she stepped up to Zecora and levitated the coins to clink on the seat of the Zebra’s caravan. 

The Zebras looked at the bits shocked, then shared a look and grinned, turning to Zecora and gave a final bunch of words. 

Zecora turned to Trixie. “Lead us to our destination they agreed to do, but to approve of bribe I do not do.” 

“Better to have a guide to lead the way than to have to go through the desert blind… speaking of which this is a very large country, do you know where we are going?” 

Zecora smiled and patter her necklace. “Southeast I feel that we need to go. Anymore else I do not know.” 

“Well it’s better than nothing I suppose” Trixie said, turning as Spitfire joined them. 

“The others are back, do we have a ride?” 

Zecora nodded, before turning to the Zebras and asking a quick question which was answered just as fast. 

“We can leave when in half an hour or so, these gentlecolts need to get the cart ready to go.”

“Wow you guys don’t waste any time” Luna said as she walked up to them, having heard the conversation from afar. “We can wait for them to finish up, here you have a water skin each, and we bought an extra casket just in case.” 

Luna turned to Big Mac who walked up with the barrel over his back, the Zebras rushing over to help loading the water onto the cart getting it ready for the journey. 

> A Zebrican wedding
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 13
A Zebrican wedding

Half an hour later the cart and passengers left the small oasis and headed towards the desert. As the two guides didn’t speak a word of common pony, Zecora ended up translating whenever somepony wondered about something. 

But mostly the foreign landscape made everypony ask Zecora herself about the place, from customs to language. Derpy even asked Zecora to teach her a few Zebra words. 

After a few days in the desert, the group came upon a small village, who invited the group as honorary guests. Vinyl grinned as they sat down round a fire. 

“I like these Zebras, they are so happy.” 

Zecora who up until then had been speaking with the chief turned around. 

“On a joyful celebration we have just been invited. A big grand wedding is tomorrow, with a bride delighted.” 

“A Zebra wedding?” Vinyl grinned. “That sounds fun… maybe I can play some songs as thanks… unless that’s offensive or something.” 

“Have no fear” Luna said. “Last time I came to Zebrica I was a diplomatic envoy. The tribe celebrated out into the small hours of dawn, just because I had brought a harp as a gift from me and my sister. I’m sure they won’t mind a little playing of the flute.” 

“Are you sure we can stay that long though?” Trixie asked. 

“Don’t we have an artifact to get?” 

“We still need our guides” Luna said. “And I don’t think they would want to leave in the middle of such a joyful celebration.” 

Zecora nodded. “A marriage for a Zebra is a joyous affair; life with your love can be short with dangers near.” 

Everypony looked up at shouts of joy, seeing two Zebras joining the circle, a mare and a colt, the two almost tied together and deeply in love. 

“The couple I take it?” Gilda asked. 

“No mistake there” Vinyl said. “Hey Zecora can you translate for me?” 

Zecora nodded and Vinyl rose from her seat, taking a bow to the couple who noticed the new guests. 

“Our friends and I are grateful for the invitation to your wedding” Vinyl said, Zecora translating as she spoke. 

“We are not rich and can’t give you much to celebrate your happiness. But with permission I’d like to play a song, and hope that you will accept it as a present and as a wish for you two to live happily ever after.” 

The Zebras clapped and the bride nodded, showing that she would love to hear Vinyl’s song. 

Vinyl lifted the flute to her lips and started playing. The tone was uplifting and the crowd was ecstatic. Soon everypony and every zebra were on their hooves dancing, the Equestrian party learning a few moves from the natives. Zecora and Luna were the only two not dancing. 

“Not feeling up for a dance Zecora?” Luna asked. 

Zecora simply gave Luna a gentle smile. “It is not for me to be joyous this night, that is for the groom, and his bride dressed in white.” 

Luna was about to speak, but turned as she saw the bride come walking up to them. She smiled down at Zecora, asking a question that Luna needed no interpreter to understand. 

“Can we talk?” 

“I got some work to do” Luna said smiling. “I’ll be back when the moon is back on the sky.” 

And with that Luna left, the bride sitting down. Speaking in Zebra the bride turned to Zecora. 

“You are not from this tribe… what bring you this far with such strange friends?” 

Zecora smiled at her. “I have been asked by a friend to help out in a mission.” 

The bride smiled, and looked down at Zecora’s right hoof, where her bracelets shone in the nearby fire. 

“Those are Zebrabwean right… where is your husband?” 

“I have none.” Zecora was sad, laying a hoof over her bracelets. “But you are correct, I am from a Zebrabwean tribe… in marriage the bracelets reside on the left hoof… and when betrothed it’s on the right.” 

The bride looked at Zecora. “I am sorry if I have brought up unpleasant memories… since he is not at your side I suppose he has passed.” 

Zecora’s ears lay flat on her skull. “You are not to blame… most of this place reminds me of him… it was lions… we were out in the field celebrating the engagement when they attacked.” 

“I am so sorry… is there anything I can do to help?” 

Zecora smiled at her. “Enjoy your life next to the Zebra you love… and never take anything for granted.” 

The bride smiled and rose. “Of course… I’m sorry, I never even got your name.” 

“Zecora.” 

The bride smiled. “Very nice to meet you Zecora… I’m Zilina.” 

“Enjoy the night Zilina, and enjoy your fortune.” 

As Zilina walked off, Zecora turned to see Trixie standing next to her. Trixie didn’t speak, simply sat down and grabbed a coconut that stood in front of her. 

“I have just been with the zebra foals” she said, trying hard to not sound upset. “Cute little buggers I suppose, but they did not speak a word of pony… so we taught each other a few words… we drew pictures in the sand and pointed and learned to pronounce some words… I taught them a few common things like hello and thank you… but they were mostly obsessed with wedding talk… I did learn some words though… wedding, husband, no, yes… lion.” 

Zecora flinched. “I’m not going to make you tell me anything” Trixie said. “But I have been on the road long enough to recognize a sad face… if there is anything you want to talk about, know that we are all here for you.” 

As Trixie was about to rise, Zecora lay a hoof over Trixie’s own. “Get all our friends over here, this is a story you all should hear.”

Trixie walked around gathering everypony in their group, a few trying to learn new things from the natives, and a few others showing off what they could do. After finally getting Gilda to stop doing loops in the air to the cheer of the Zebra foals, the group sat down next to Zecora who started talking. 

Talking about The Zebra Zeke who she had grown up with as a friend, who had always been there for her, from when she had lost her favorite uncle to the hyena’s, til the day when she came of age and was to get her tribal tattoo. 

At this Vinyl had opened her mouth to ask a question, but hadn’t more than taken a breath as Big Mac lay a hoof over her mouth. 

Zecora continued to talk about her tribe’s customs… and how Zeke and she was going to marry. Everything had gone as a proper Zebrabwean wedding should be. She had gotten her engagement bracelets from him and she had given him a necklace for his own. 

The day before the wedding the two did the traditional freedom run. A last sprint over the land as free Zebras. On the way back the lions had attacked and Zeke had fallen. 

As she had come back crying, the elders ran out to see if there was anything they could do to help, and came back sad, with the neck bracelets that Zecora herself had given Zeke. 

Zecora had left the next day; the pain of being in the village where she and Zeke had so many plan was too much. She had ended up in Equestria moving from place to place until the locals chased her away, until finally she had found a home near Ponyville.

As Zecora stopped talking she looked at her friends, who looked at her wordlessly. Then without as much as a word Derpy rose and hugged Zecora tightly, the rest of her friends right behind her, soon the entire group was hugging Zecora, nopony talking as the festivities behind them continued on, celebrating the happiness of the soon to be newlyweds. 

Zecora didn’t say anything, simply hugged her friends back, crying and remembering her long lost love. His face, his laughter, his charming stripe pattern looking like a gem on his snout. And as she remembered him Zecora smiled. He’d never be back, but he would never leave her… the perfect zebra up until the end.


> The bracelet of Kindness
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 14
The bracelet of Kindness

Starvoid growled. ‘How in the world had they gotten away?’ 

She did not recognize the location Luna had been raising the moon from, other than seeing a vast desert. She looked at a map. 

“Let’s see… Stalliongrad there… then they got on a boat and now they are in a desert… Zebrica? What in the world are they doing there, that can’t be right.” 

“Trouble?” Starvoid turned to see Chrysalis. 

“It is possible… things are not going as I planned… how exactly did your changelings loose the group? A zebra, a griffin, 6 ponies and an alicorn should not be this hard to find… If I find out that they really have gotten to Zebrica, I will punish somepony, is that clear?” 

“Is that a threat?” 

“A promise.” Chrysalis scowled, but turned on her heels walking out, not feeling like telling Starvoid that she had heard rumors of what was going on. That pony was nothing but food for her. Starvoid continued to look on the chart, before groaning. 

What were they doing? What in the world where they after? 

‘Let’s see now, Princess Luna and the two wonderbolts had been together from the start… now what is their connection with the other six… wait a minute… six?’ 

Starvoid’s eyes widened and she turned around to face two guards. “Get me everything this land has on the elements of harmony. Every single book, script or potential rumor, I want it, and I want it now.”

…

Zecora looked up as she rose from her sleep, seeing Luna up in the air doing her work. The sunrises in Zebrica had always been beautiful, and Zecora loved every moment she got to see it. As Luna landed she frowned, seeing the princess looking worried. 

“Princess Luna are you all right? You look like you have gotten a terrible fright.” 

Luna looked at her. “Starvoid weren’t there when I raised the sun… she is always there, ready with an insult or snarky comment… I don’t like it, we should move.” 

Zecora looked at Luna with a frown. “Leave now I think is unwise, the wedding would start at sunrise.” 

Just as she said it, a cheer was heard, as the zebra’s woke from their sleep, the bride and groom more or less being carried around the village. 

Luna sighed. “How long will this take?” 

“An hour is the custom time, shall I gather up our friends to leave all of the nine?” 

Luna nodded and Zecora rushed off, gathering the others, telling them about Luna’s fear that something was coming. The others gathered and stayed for the wedding, wich was fun and fast, unlike anything Equestria ever saw. Once the group could gather Luna walked up and said their good bye, the two zebra’s that were guiding them, setting up the cart. 

“We are sorry that we have to leave so soon” Luna said with a bow to the couple. But we have urgent matters to attend to. 

“We understand, have a great journey over our land.” 

Luna nodded and rushed away to join the others and soon they were off, heading east once more.

…

“NO. I WILL NOT LET THIS HAPPEN.” 

Chrysalis looked up as Starvoid came into the throne room, a huge book levitating behind her with a thick binding and small letter words. 

“Anything the matter?” 

“They must be stopped” Starvoid commanded. “The six with Princess Luna are going after half the powers of the elements of harmony. If they get them I cannot assure a victory. So get every single of your subjects. They are in Zebrica. I don’t know where, but they are there. Go now and bring them back quickly.” 

Chrysalis scowled. “Who do you think you are, to give me commands?” 

“A pony that can kill you with only a blink… get moving bug, before I squish you.” 

Chrysalis scowled, but answered. “As you wish.” 

She walked out of the door as slowly as possible, Starvoid glaring out into the sky. 

So this was your plan Celestia… well I hope you are enjoying yourself… because the moment I get my hoofs on Lulu I will destroy her, and then I will destroy you. Banishment is way too good for you.’

…

Zecora looked up as they crossed the desert. “We are near… the artifact is calling out from there.” 

Zecora pointed and started talking with the zebras, who talked back, before turning the wagon towards their new destination. As they got closer the group looked up as a mountain grew up from the sand. 

“Is this a mirage?” Gilda asked groaned. “In this heat it would not surprise me.” 

“Let’s just get in it’s shade” Vinyl groaned under her hood. “I am beat and I could use the rest.” 

The zebras parked the cart in the shade of the mountain, Luna looking around. “I know this place… this is the Dragon realm border, how in the Name of Celestia did we get here?” 

“ We walked” Derpy said, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.  

Zecora smiled and looked at an entrance to the cave. “My trial is beyond here, I shall see you soon, with the artifact to share.” 

Zecora walked inside, turning to see a blue shimmer. A Griffin smiled gently at her as she stepped forward. 

“Good day miss Zebra, I am Gabriella, original holder of the element of kindness.” 

Zecora smiled. “Fluttershy is the holder true, Zecora I am, a substitute to stand before you.” 

Gabriella smiled. “Well it is nice to meet you in any case. The artifact is down that way, but you need to earn it.”

Zecora nodded and walked through the path that Gabriella lit up coming out in a cave. There she froze seeing a lion cub lie on the floor, a bunch of Zebras gathered around it, sneering down at it. 

“Well, well what do we have here?” One Zebra grinned evilly. “Seems like the cat has lost his way.” 

Another of the Zebras grinned and kicked the lion in the side, making him tumble over and mewl in terror. 

“How does it feel? How does it feel to know that at any moment we can hurt you?” 

The final Zebra grinned evilly but Zecora had had enough. Zecora rushed up to them. 

“What are you doing?”

“Taking revenge. His kind has been killing our loved ones, our wives, parents and children. Why should we not take revenge… take one of them for one of ours.” 

Zecora looked at them. “It can’t work like that… if you stoop that low you are as bad as the lions… this is a cub, he has done nothing, let him go.” 

“And when he grows up? What then, when he will start hunting for our children?” 

“Then maybe he’ll remember the kindness that was shown to him when a group of Zebras let him go when they could have killed him.” 

The Zebra’s scowled, but Zecora held her ground. The Zebras then smiled and turned to mist, Zecora looking down to feel the Lion nudge her leg before he too disappeared in a puff of smoke. Looking around Zecora saw a golden light, stepping up to a pedestal, seeing an ornamental bracelet laying there. 

A small applause made her look up, seeing Gabriella smiling at her. 

“Nice job… not many Zebras would have done the same.” 

“The cub had done nothing wrong” Zecora said, placing the bracelet on her unoccupied hoof. “To hurt him would have been a disgrace to those already gone.” 

Gabriella smiled. “You are a good and kind Zebra, I wish you luck.” 

Zecora smiled and nodded to Gabriella who landed next to Zecora, pointing to the bracelet. 

“My grandmother made me that when I was just a little hatchling. Together with the powers of the element powers it can radiate a beam what will soothe any beast coming after you. Now take care Zecora and be careful out there.” 

And with that said the griffin disappeared, Zecora turning around walking out of the cave. 

> An unexpected alliance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 15
An unexpected alliance

Once outside she smiled at her friends, all who looked at her, with the exception of Big Mac who had closed his eyes in concentration. 

“Hey Zecora, did you do it?” Vinyl walked over to Zecora, who wordlessly showed her bracelet. 

“Ohhh, that looks nice, I am loving the design.” 

“Old griffin by the looks of it” Gilda said gliding over to look for herself. “Probably a rich family, they got a sapphire stone inlay, not many griffins got that on their jewelry.” 

The three turned around sharply as Big Mac lit up. As he opened his eyes Luna turned to him. 

“So Big Mac, tell us… are we going far?” 

Big Mac looked up at the mountain. “Nope.” 

Luna followed his gaze. “Oh you have got to be… not the dragon realm?” 

“Eeyup.” 

Luna groaned, Spitfire and Soarin looking at each other. 

“Well… that’s the full circle I guess” Soarin said shrugging. 

Spitfire was about to answer when she heard a noise. Looking up she screamed a warning that came too late. 

“LOOK OUT.” 

Everypony looked up to see Chrysalis herself, and about every single changeling. She looked at them with a raised eyebrow, landing as her changelings surrounded the group. 

“Well now… are we out on a small excursion ponies?” 

Luna rushed in front of the substitutes, who looked around at all the changelings. Chrysalis simply looked at Luna. 

“She figured it out… freaked out yesterday and screamed at everypony to get her every book in the kingdom that told anything about the elements of harmony.” 

Luna scowled. “So what now… you take us back to her?” 

“That was what she told me to do” Chrysalis said. 

Then Chrysalis scowl turned into a smile. “Wich is why I am going to help you out.” 

Luna blinked. “Come again?” 

“That unicorn have terrorized my subjects, threatened me on my life and treated us as her slaves… I am not in any hurry to obey her commands right now.” 

Chrysalis looked at the group. “So… how many parts are you missing?” 

“Just one” Luna said. “It’s somewhere in the Dragon realm.” 

Chrysalis nodded. “Very well.” She turned to a group of twenty changelings. “I want you to help them. Get them through the dragons pass, and make sure they get to where they need to go safely.” 

Chrysalis turned to Luna, levitating out a small crystal from the bindings around her waist. 

“I think you might want this.” 

Luna gasped. “A teleportation crystal… where is the twin?” 

Chrysalis smiled. “According to your knight guard commander… the middle of the old Pony sister’s castle in the Everfree forest.” 

Luna looked at her. “You’re serious?” 

Chrysalis nodded. “Once my subjects have seen you safe to your destination they will leave, as will I… this is simply my way of getting revenge on Starvoid, nothing else.” 

Luna raised an eyebrow. 

“OK fine, I also find the idea that Celestia will know I helped save her precious kingdom kind of amusing… now do you think you can afford to stay here?” 

Luna shook her head. “You are right… thank you Chrysalis, for everything.” 

“You don’t have to thank me… but I’d like Celestia’s gratitude if you manage to get her back.” 

Chrysalis rose to the air, and she and every changeling, with the exception of the twenty she had told to stay behind left, becoming a dark spot on the horizon. 

Luna turned to the two Zebras that up until had been their guides, turning to Zecora. 

“Could you be a dear telling them that we no longer need their guidance?” 

Zecora nodded, turning to the other two, speaking in Zebra. No more than a heartbeat after she had stopped talking the Zebra’s ran to their cart, running as fast as they could away from the group, the changelings grinning in amusement.

“Come on” one of the changelings said, turning into a full sized dragon. Around him his friends did the same, turning into a myriad of various sized dragons in many colors. 

“Get up on our backs, we will get you into the kingdom.” 

Luna nodded turning to Big Mac. “Is the artifact close by?” 

“Eeyup.” 

“Good. Tell the changeling where he needs to go, the rest will follow. Don’t hesitate.” 

Big Mac made a small salute, smiling as he got on top of a large purple and green changeling turned dragon. Soon the group was flying through the air, over volcanoes and mountains, and snoring dragons. Big Mac closed his eyes and concentrated on his element, calling out commands of left and right whenever they needed to change their course. 

Soon the changelings landed outside a cave, changing back to their normal forms as soon as the group had gotten off. 

“We will leave you now” one of the changelings said. “The rest is up to you.” 

“Thank you” Luna said, bowing gently to the changelings. “You have helped a lot.” 

“We did as our queen asked us” the changeling said harshly. “Do not think we think of you as our friends.” 

The changelings turned and flew away, heading towards the barren wasteland that was the changeling homeland. Luna turned to Big Mac. 

“We are here for you Mac, be careful in there.” 

Big Mac nodded, rushing inside the cave. 

> The sword of honesty
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 16
The sword of honesty

Looking around he turned around as he noticed the blue outline of a Minotaur. The minotaur looked at him. 

“You are the holder of the element of honesty?” 

“Nope, that’s my sister Applejack. I am here as a replacement.” 

The minotaur looked at him. “And why isn’t this sister of yours here herself?” 

“She’s been imprisoned in the night sky… I need to save her.” 

“And I suppose you need the artifact to do this?” 

“Eeyup.” 

The minotaur looked at Big Mac and sighed. 

“Very well then… I am Tough Love, the original holder of the element of honesty. It’s a title that many thinks I shouldn’t boast about, but also a title I carry with pride.” 

Tough Love gave Big Mac a long hard gaze. “The truth hurts sometimes… and sometimes it hurts worse than a blade.” 

Tough love stepped aside, revealing a passageway. 

“Don’t fail now pony… you need this thing, right?” Big Mac nodded, walking inside the hall, ending up at a large cave. 

In the middle of the cave lay a pile of broken swords, armors and the white bones of what had used to be ponies. Big Mac had managed to wonder what had done that to the ponies before he heard a low growl. Looking up Big Mac gulped, staring face to face with a large blue dragon with dark bronze spikes going up it’s face and down its back. 

“Another pony? Are you here for my treasure?” 

Big Mac gulped. “Is the artifact of the element of honesty your treasure?” 

The dragon snorted, Big Mac coughing at the smoke billowing from the dragons nostrils. 

“That piece of junk? No, it is worthless.” 

“Then… can I have it?” 

“And have you attack me the moment I turn? I think not pony.” 

Big Mac could’nt really fault the dragon, judging by the floor the amount of ponies that had come to face the dragon was massive. 

“I am simply here for the artifact” Big Mac said. 

The dragon lifted an eyebrow. “Why do you need such a piece of junk? “

“To help my friends.” 

"Friends." The dragon snorted. “You ponies and your friendship, it’s a load of dragon dung if you ask me.” 

Looking at Big Mac the dragon cocked it’s head. “So you want the piece of junk by the wall… why should I let you take it?” 

Big Mac looked at the dragon. “You said you didn’t need it.” 

“Doesn’t mean I should let you take it.” 

Big Mac looked at the dragon. “My sister is in trouble, I need it to help her.” 

“So? What do I care about a little pony girl?” 

Big Mac scowled. “My sister is in pain, she is stuck in the heavens, freezing her flank off in the cold. My sister, who once wanted to try living in the city but decided she was better off back home on the farm. She suffers from dealing with the fact that our parents died doing something she thinks she could have stopped them from doing, and because of the incident never goes anywhere without pa’s old hat. She tries so hard to do everything by herself and asks for nothing in return… you may not care about my sister but I do… now let me get what I came here for or else I will go through you.” 

The dragon looked at him and took a deep breath. “Fine… the stupid thing is over there, now get the stupid thing and get out of my cave.” 

Big Mac walked past the dragon, up to the pedestal at the far side of the cave. He blinked in shock as his gaze fell upon a sword, shining and gleaming as if it was brand new and hadn’t been placed in a cave nearly 2 millennia ago. Taking the sword and it’s scabbard, placing it over his back, Big Macintosh walked up past the dragon, who still watched him carefully, before the stallion walked out. 

Once out in the entrance hall Tough Love looked up. “Got past the dragon did you? Well done, that old worm has always had a trust issue.” 

Big Mac looked at the Minotaur. “What does the sword do?” 

“It cuts things up, duh. It has half the powers of the element of Honesty, but other than that it’s there to harm your enemies… I told you pony, the truth hurts… why don’t you show that to the enemy?”

> The old pony sisters castle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 17
The old pony sisters castle

Outside waiting for Big Mac, Luna turned to the sky. “Time for the night to fall “she said, turning to the others. “Do you mind if I scare Starvoid a little?” 

“Not at all” Gilda said with a smile. “Let her know we will come visiting soon.” 

“That was my plan” Luna said with a gin, sitting down and letting her powers find the moon. Once she latched on Luna smiled, feeling a presence who tried poorly to hide. 

“Evening Starvoid, how are you doing?” 

“I will stop you… you know that… the borders are closed and my army is looking for you.” 

Luna smiled. “Your army? You don’t have one Starvoid. The changelings… helped us out… Chrysalis got tired of you terrorizing her subjects and decided to help us out… for what it’s worth Starvoid, I suppose I should warn you… only one more artifact to go… my friends say hi and wishes to tell you that we’ll be stopping by soon.”

Starvoid on the other end of the magical hold got wide eyed, and then tried looking tough. “Even with you coming I won’t fall… last time the holders got lucky, now I know what to expect… you will not defeat me.” 

“I guess we’ll see” Luna said smiling, letting go of the moon, letting it hang in the sky once more. 

Looking to the left she smiled as she saw Celestia’s constellation. “By sunrise tomorrow you will be back Tia… you have my word.” 

Applause made her turn around, seeing everypony cheer as Big Mac came out, a huge sword lying over his back. 

Luna smiled widely. “Thank Faust” she breathed. It was almost over. “All right everypony, gather round.” 

They all did, sitting in a circle around Luna, who got out the crystal Chrysalis had given her. “Time to head home” she said with a smile. “But before we do anything I would like to ask you something… in the old Pony sisters castle there is an artifact… an artifact for me… it is protected by many spells and enchantments, but the moment I get near it…” Luna frowned, not sure how to say what she needed to say. 

She cleared her throat and tried again. “Right now Nightmare moon is simply a voice in my head. When I came back the bearers of the elements purified me, or so they thought. What they really did was banishing Nightmare Moon from my body… but the elements themselves can never kill anypony. Turn enemies to stone, banishing them to other places or simply changing the way a pony think, this is all possible for the elements to do, but they can never destroy something so bad that it cease to exist… Nightmare Moon was purified… all up to 99.9 per cent. But that final piece of her still exist in me, and Starvoid have been feeding her magic ever since our journey started, making her stronger. When the holders freed me from Nightmare Moon’s control, most of her power stuck onto the armor of night… and I really need it back if I am going to help in the battle with Starvoid.” 

“All right” Trixie said nodding. “And I suppose you want that armor back?” 

Luna nodded. 

“And I suppose you lay that armor at the old castle?” 

“It was safe there” Luna said. “And far away from anypony she could influence. And once I get near enough the part that’s still within me will go to the rest… and she will be back.” 

“So should we help out defeating her?” Derpy asked. 

Luna shook her head. “No… as I said the elements can’t destroy something completely, only imprison or turn it away… Gilda asked me something at the start of our journey… if it truly was Nightmare Moon who wouldn’t let go, or if it was me… I need to do this; I need to deal with her… for good this time.” 

“We are here for you your majesty” Gilda said with a small salute, everypony copying her, stating their agreement. 

“All right then” Luna said, levitating the crystal she had gotten from Chrysalis into the middle of the crowd. “Then let us do this.” 

Luna’s horn blazed alive, her eyes glowing white as she unleashed her power into the crystal. The world around the group spun around and soon they all yelped as they fell backwards, inside a large hallway. 

“What was that?” Soarin groaned. 

Trixie spoke up. “Teleportation crystal… the concept is simple enough… there are two in a pair. One is small and can be taken around, the other is large and is placed in an unknown location. As long as you have a smaller one with you, one can charge the crystal with magic power and the crystal will bring you with it to the other crystal’s location… but to use enough power to transport 9 at once, that is impressive.” 

Vinyl grinned as she sat up. “Well Princess Luna is pretty amazing” she said, turning to Luna who sat up blushing at the praise. 

“Well… no time to dilly dally, I want this to end tonight… it’s down this way.” 

Walking down the hallway the group looked around. “Wow this place is impressive” Vinyl said speaking up. 

“Eeyup” Big Mac said agreeing, looking towards his left where the vines of an unknown plant had taken over a window and most of the floor under it. 

“You should have seen it in its glory days” Luna said smiling. “When the sun shone at its brightest and reflected through the stained glass windows, it was like you walked through a sea of rainbow mist. And at night we lit up fires at every column, the light twisting and making the hallways come alive.” 

Luna smiled at the memory, her smile dimming as the group walked into a large open room. 

“The old throne room” Luna said. “The elements rested there.” 

She pointed to the pedestal in the middle of the room, the others noting the five pedestals. 

“Why only five pedestals? There are six elements” Vinyl asked, counting the pedestals a few times to make sure that she wasn’t missing one. 

“The elements had to be earned, just as you earned your artifacts… The element of magic is hidden until it’s wielder accept and realizes who and what the group of friends are and represent.” 

Luna turned to them all. “A group of friends, who will always be there for each other.” 

Everypony looked at each other, smiles all around. 

“I suppose that’s true” Trixie said, adjusting the crown. “Being friends with somepony is nice I suppose.” 

“Oh stop acting tough” Gilda said with a smile. “We all care about each other.” 

“Wich makes your ability to use the elements even stronger” Luna said with a smile. “Now follow me, we are almost there.” 

“There where?” Spitfire asked. 

“The armory” Luna said. Walking after Luna the group walked past the throne room, through what Luna told them was a dining hall, Spitfire noting that under all the vegetation in the ceiling you could see something shimmer. 

Pointing it out Luna told her that it was probably the old chandelier, not thinking more over it. 

Then Luna stopped. The group walked up to her side, seeing a large double door. 

“Is that the place?” Soarin asked. 

“I’d say doy here, but I think it’s pointless” Gilda said, not being able to shake the feeling of dread that made her shudder. 

Luna took a deep breath and walked up to the door. Closing her eyes she found the lock and opened it with magic. A click signalized that the door opened, and Luna braced herself as in the back of her head, a deep sinister and familiar laughter filled her head.

> Nightmare Moon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 18
Nightmare Moon

Walking inside the armory everypony looked around in awe. A lot had been left behind as Celestia had moved from Everfree City. Deep red rich carpets lay in a pile gathering dust, a cabinet showing off several swords from different eras and kingdoms placed up against a wall. Golden goblets, candelabra and various other household items lay strewn about. 

A chest lay open in the back, revealed a few dresses from old equestrian times laying crumpled in a heap, a few paintings having been shoved up away in a corner. But all Luna could see was in the middle of the room. Placed on an old marble table lay a sky blue helmet, a chest plate and four hoof guards. 

In her head Nightmare Moon started laughing again. 

Luna scowled. “Get out of my head.” 

“As you wish.” 

Luna yelped in pain as magic she could not control rushed from her head. Everypony looked on as a small streak of purple smoke came rushing out from Luna’s horn, leaving her behind to float to the armor. The minute the smoke touched the helmet, the armor lit up and floated in midair for a few seconds. 

With everypony looking on, the armor started floating in circles, as more smoke materialized. Soon the smoke calmed down, turning almost black in color, making a shape so familiar that Spitfire and Soarin gulped. The smoke Nightmare Moon turned to Luna, the armor floating over it, letting everypony know that this was going to be out of this world insane. The smoke parted at the face, letting a pair of eyes show, as Nightmare Moon started to laugh, talking with an eerie echo. 

“Well, well Luna… It seems like I no longer need you.” 

“Seems that way” Luna said scowling herself. 

“Well then… let’s not dilly dally… I have a busy night ahead of me” Nightmare Moon said grinning. 

And then the two attacked. Kicks, head butts and magic were cast from both sides, the two flapping their wings trying to get the upper hoof. Looking on the group cheered on, but now and then ducked as the debris from the fight fell their way. 

Luna grunted as she felt Nightmare moon’s front hooves connect with her stomach. For something that looking like it was made of smoke her attacks were surprisingly solid. 

‘Time to finish this’ she decided, concentrating on her magic. 

The shadow below her frowned, wondering what Luna was planning. Luna looked up at the moon, drawing in energy from the celestial body. 

Nightmare Moon’s eyes grew twice in size. ‘Oh buck that’s not good.’ 

Luna looked down at Nightmare Moon. “I know you are upset… I know you are angry… but you need to let this go. You were born from my hatred and for that I apologize… but I will never forgive you… I will never forget what you made me do, how many ponies we killed, and how many ponies whose families was never whole again. I should destroy you… turn you back into a little speck and find a place to hide you and never let you out… but if I do that I would be no better than Starvoid the cold… So I will make sure you are looked after… that I at least once every week remember… remember you so that I will always remember them… and I will make sure that anypony become you… that much I promise you.” 

And with that Luna shot a beam down at Nightmare Moon who was too slow to dodge. Slowly her black shadowy form changed into a pure solid white. Reeling back in shock and fear she suddenly stood as a stone statue on her hind legs, all white but for the pieces of armor who Luna levitated off the statue, leaving Nightmare Moon as a simple white Alicorn pony statue. 

The group walked up to her. “What just happened?” Gilda asked. 

“Yeah” Vinyl said, equally confused. “We could have used the element for this, like Twilight and the others did to Discord.” 

“It’s not the same” Trixie said coming up looking at the statue. “Discord was turned to stone, from top to bottom… this is simply a casing.” 

“Casing?” Spitfire looked down. “Are you saying that Nightmare Moon is still in there?” 

Luna nodded. “The smoke is still inn there… and after this is over I am going to place her somewhere anypony can come to see her. I will personally see to it that everypony knows her story… and who knows, maybe a few years looking out at how happy ponies can be she will calm down… when the time is right I will let her out.” 

Luna sighed, taking up her helmet, placing it over her head. 

“But for now, she can stay here… we have another pony who is set upon world domination to take care off.” 

With the helmet in place Luna levitated her chest place over her head, fastening it securely, reveling in the nostalgia she got from donning the familiar armor. 

With help from her friends her hoof braces was in place, gleaming in the light of the moon. She looked over as everypony around her started to clap. 

“The princess of the night in her full glory, now that is an amazing sight” Spitfire said grinning. 

“Eeyup.” 

“Thank you” Luna said smiling. “However I am not going to be the main hero of tonight, am I? It’s important that you look the part too.” 

Luna turned to the armory, going behind a wardrobe, revealing a secret door. Stepping aside she smiled at her friends. 

“Whatever you find that you like you can use.” 

Everypony walked inside gaping. Armors, weapons, robes and other assortments lay spread out over the room. Trixie whistled, going over to a rather impressive display of cloaks, hats and other unicorn weaponry. 

“Amazing” she said looking closely at a large hat made of white cloth with a myriad of sun’s and crescent moons all over it. “Enchanted with runes I see, to stand the tide of time… and apparently also burns and frost if I remember these symbols correctly.” 

She took off her own hat, placing the white one on her head. Looking in a mirror that conveniently stood next to her she turned her head. 

“Hmm… not too sure about the color, but the great and powerful Trixie could make this work.” 

Trixie looked into the mirror, and her eyes turned wide. “No way.” She turned around, her gaze falling on an assemble in dark blue, large bells fastened all along the edge of the cloak and over the brim of the hat. 

“Is that… what I think it is?” 

Luna smiled. “Starswirl the bearded’s favorite cloak and hat? Why yes it is.” 

Trixie gaped, tried to say something, failed and fainted. 

Vinyl looked briefly up from a box filled with fancy helmets, laughing at Trixie. 

“I think Trixie need some water” she said, dragging up a helmet made in ebony, with swirling markings all around it. 

“Awesome, this looks cool… hey if anypony finds any black armor that match this, could you tell me?” 

Big Mac who was busy trying on a full piece of steel armor spoke up. “Eeyup.” He rose without difficulty, finding a full set of ebony hoof guards, nearby, walking over to Vinyl with it. 

“OH MY HOLY CELESTIA.” 

Luna looked up at Spitfire, as she and Soarin was like frozen in the air, with the exception of their wings who held them airborne. 

The two were looking at a pair of mannequins wearing a really old wonderbolt uniform, back when they were in a bright red and gold, with lines of black. Behind the two mannequins was a picture of two pegasi wearing the outfits, a mare and a stallion. 

“I-i-is that… is that really…” Soarin tried finding words to describe what he was seeing, but failed badly.

Luna smiled. “Yes… that is the original outfits that were made to Lightning Bolt and his twin Wonder Wind… I don’t think they would mind it if you used their outfits.” 

“The original wonderbolts” Spitfire said in an awed whisper. “It’s almost too much… almost.” 

Spitfire rushed over to the mannequin, taking off the outfit. 

“I always looked good in red” she said and landed to take the outfit on. 

Vinyl who had managed to find the final piece of her armor, a chest plate with a centerpiece that looked like a white diamond smiled. 

“Hey guys look, I’m a piano… get it? Ebony and Ivory? Since I’m white?” 

Derpy snorted and soon the entire room laughed, even Trixie, who had gotten help since she woke from her knock out. She was now dressed in the white cloak and hat, deciding that she liked the design. 

“Woah, you got Griffin armor… old griffin armor, but still, I’m impressed.” 

Luna looked at Gilda who had found the single piece of Griffin armor, in golden steel with enough enchantments to last almost anything that was sent after them. 

“Won by me” Luna said. “From the griffin I flew against to secure the peace, for what it was worth. After the flight he was so impressed he gave me his armor, as a sign to show he held no grudge.” 

Gilda smiled, already drawing the sharp talon enhancers over her claws. Luna smiled and looked around, finding Zecora holding a bowl with a white powder. 

Walking over to her Luna smiled. “Finding anything?” Zecora nodded. 

“A cloak in green I have found to wear, now I make paint, to warn the enemy of dangers near.” 

Luna looked as Zecora poured some water from the water flask she still wore around her body, turning the powder into white paint. 

Zebra culture always made Luna baffled. Through history they rarely fought others, except for their own kind, to get more land and resources. Armor they had little off, and instead painted their faces with different kinds of paint to scare or unnerve the enemy. 

“Well have fun” Luna said, turning to see everypony ready, except one. 

Derpy was still flying around, looking with interest at various outfits. 

“Do you need help Derpy?” 

“Well no” Derpy said shrugging. “I suppose I simply don’t want anything… I have my cloak and it’s supposed to shield me from my enemies eyes for an hour… I don’t really need anything for protection.” 

Luna smiled. “Very well then… is everypony ready?” 

“Ready” Soarin and Spitfire said, donning the black goggles on the red uniforms over their eyes. 

“Let’s do this” Vinyl said, levitating Pinkie’s bracelet to lie together with her flute straight over the centerpiece of her armor. 

“Eeyup” Big Mac said, doing a few practice swings with his sword, the hilt firmly held in his mouth, his sister’s necklace secured tightly around his neck. 

“Let’s rock” Gilda said, placing her helmet firmly on her head, Rainbow’s necklace resting safely around her neck. 

Zecora, dressed in a dark forest green cloak with golden markings that looked like leaves smiled as she stood with her face painted reminiscent of a skeleton, fastening her bracelet tighter, Fluttershy’s necklace gleaming under the cloak. 

“Our friends we shall get, Starvoid haven’t won yet.” 

Derpy fastened her black cloak over Rarity’s necklace, doing a small aerial somersault. “Let’s do this for everypony at home” she said grinning widely. 

Trixie grinned, fastening her new white cloak, her ancestor’s necklace hanging around her own neck, Twilight’s tiara resting over her hat. 

“For Equestria and the royal Pony sisters… all hail princess Celestia and princess Luna.” 

Everypony cheered, and Luna turned to face the door. Brace yourself Starvoid… here we come.


> The fight for Canterlot
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 19
The fight for Canterlot

Starvoid looked around her, screaming out orders. “SEND EVERY PEGASUS TO ALL THE BORDERS, NOPONY IS TO GET INSIDE EQUESTRIA WITHOUT MY SAY SO, IS THAT CLEAR?” 

“Yes ma’am” said White knight, running out to give the pegasi their orders, smiling. 

If Chrysalis had done her part, the border would be no problem; all that would happen was that Starvoid sent away forces she could use to defend the castle. Starvoid was still freaking out, looking through book after book for a way to defend herself. 

The elements of harmony was tricky that way, you couldn’t corrupt their magic. You could corrupt the holders, but as long as they stayed together there was no magic mightier. Starvoid growled, closing her book and throwing it away. She could go and ask Discord how he had done it… she could free him from his statue and ask him for help, but she’d rather not. 

Things were chaotic enough as it was at the moment and if anything was certain it was that if she asked for help Discord would do the direct opposite and help Princess Luna. Still… Starvoid looked out and up at the heavens. 

She was never going back there. Never again. So… time to get out everything in her arsenal… she was going to need it all. She looked up as an earth pony came rushing in. 

“Message from the southwest, weird lights are coming from the Everfree Forest.” 

Starvoid’s eyes grew twice in size. Standing up she rushed out on her balcony. 

“GARGOYLES.” 

The large stony figures flocked around her, waiting silently on orders. 

“Head to Everfree and immobilize whatever is there that can be a threat, but come back with them alive, understood?” 

The gargoyles nodded and turned in the air, swooshing towards the forest. 

“Right” Starvoid said with a gulp. “If they come back with a bunch of strange ponies I am safe for now… if they don’t come back… I need to start putting up the defenses.”

…

Down in Ponyville everypony stared amazed. Walking straight through the main street was Princess Luna in all her glory, the 6 substitutes walking behind her, flanked on each side by a wonderbolt. 

Nopony spoke as Luna scowled at the area right in front of her, walking calmly but surely towards the train station. Luna stopped and looked up at a roar, seeing a horde of black figures on the night sky. 

Berry Punch was the first one who yelled. “GARGOYLES, TAKE COVER.” 

Luna scowled. “Gilda” she said calmly, the griffin stepping up. 

“On it.” Gilda concentrated and soon her helmet glowed. About half of the gargoyles crashed as they met an invisible force field in the air, the rest braking down in time to fly around it. 

“Derpy” Luna said turning to Derpy who grinned and saluted Luna. Taking on her cape the gargoyles blinked as she disappeared from sight, appearing just to hit them over the head making another twenty or so fall. 

“Vinyl.” 

“Let's rock” Vinyl said having already lifted her flute, playing to the gargoyles. 

The one’s closest to the group crumpled, falling to the ground laughing hard. 

“Zecora.” Zecora’s bracelet lit up almost as soon as Luna called out, a few gargoyles landing peacefully, lying down to rest. 

“Soarin, Spitfire, help out Big Mac would you?” 

“Yes your majesty.” Soarin and Spitfire spun around Big Mac, grabbing hold of him and launching him towards a large group of gargoyles. 

With a single swing of his sword, Big Mac landed back on the ground, with about ten more gargoyles. Luna looked up at the sky, where only twenty more gargoyles were fluttering about. 

“Trixie, why don’t you finish this?” 

Trixie smiled and stepped forward. Her horn glowed, as did her medallion. Sending out a blast of pure uncorrupted magic, the remaining gargoyles fell to the ground hissing in pain. 

Luna stepped up. “I once gave you life, to use you against my enemies… when I was defeated the spell I cast on you should have stopped… I am sorry to say I did not realize that it still went on in time to save you. I thank you for helping me out… now I release you from your duty.”

Luna’s horn lit up most of the yard and soon a small red light was seen in the gargoyles eyes before they sunk and crumbled to dust. Nopony spoke, until Colgate sat down and started to clap. Soon the Ponyville streets were full of applause, Roseluck even throwing a few flowers onto the street. 

“ALL HAIL THE ROYAL PONY SISTERS.” 

Luna turned and smiled towards Carrot top who had spoken. 

“Come on guys” she said smiling at the others who loved the praise. “We have important things to do… and something tells me that when these guys don’t come back that Starvoid will add one and one and get two.” 

Nopony spoke, simply continued walking down the street, heading towards the train station.

…

Starvoid looked out at the stars again. The gargoyles hadn’t returned… That was bad… it was the final proof. When she had her servants looking through the castle for the elements they had found the gargoyles, locked away like her, but only in stone, ever since Celestia had put them away after Luna’s banishment… Only Luna could release the gargoyles from their spell, turning them back into the dirt Nightmare Moon had originally made them out of. 

They were coming for her… No… not again. She refused to be beaten by a bunch of renegades. Growling she lit up her horn, casting a huge array of protective spells over the castle, and a few more over the throne room. 

While she was at it she placed magical traps all over the entrance hall, and around her door. Taking a deep breath Starvoid grinned, sitting down on the throne. 

Safe… she was safe… now to light the fire in the fireplace, she was feeling a slight chill. 

…

Luna looked ahead. At the sight of Luna the conductor had canceled all train traffic so that only Luna and her friends could head to Canterlot. The group had boarded the train heading for Canterlot, Luna deciding to keep her gaze on the constellations until the time came to get off at the station. But now… now they were getting close. 

Luna sighed, looking backwards on the stern serious faces of the substitute holders of the elements of harmony. “You guys ready?” 

Big Mac smiled. “Eeyup.” 

Luna smiled, calming down at the confident looks she got from her friends. As the train slowed down to a halt, Luna took a deep breath. 

“Keep an eye out for trouble.” 

The door opened and Luna walked out. Walking up the familiar path to the castle, ponies stopped walking, some openly gaping at the sight. 

Luna had to suppress a smile as she heard Octavia exclaim a loud “VINYL?” In shock, Vinyl just giving her a charming smile as they continued to walk up the street. 

Getting into the rich quarter, the group passed the trio of Fancy pants, Photo Finish and Hoity Toity who all stopped dead in their tracks. As she passed them Luna overheard them. 

“Is that Princess Luna?” Fancy Pants asked, sounding in shock. 

“Armor… facepaint… jewelry… the fashion world need to know about this” Hoity Toity exclaimed. 

“Quick, somepony get me my camera, this is so… magic.” Photo Finish of course. 

Gilda snorted. “Their true ruler has been locked away for two weeks and all they care about is looks?” 

“It’s a social thing” Luna said. “I don’t much understand it either, but for now, anything that can make my subjects think of something else, the better.” 

Luna stopped. 

“Why did we stop?” Derpy asked confused. Luna levitated a stone from the ground, hurtling it forward, where it bounced off a protective ward. 

“Starvoid is being cautious… or paranoid, maybe even a little of both. Don’t worry though, these wards are nothing to me.” 

Luna smiled and lit up her horn. In front of them a spark and shimmer told them that the first barrier was broken. 

“How many more of those do you think there are?” Soarin asked. 

Luna picked up a new rock throwing it forward where it disintegrated. “For now I say we keep several stones with us until we are actually inside the throne room… Starvoid must really not want visitors tonight.” 

It took about 15 minutes to deal with every roadblock and spell Starvoid had laid out for them until they reached the Canterlot Castle. There everypony stopped up. A row of Canterlot guards stood at the entrance, looking at them. In the front, the new captain of the guard White Knight. 

Vinyl gulped. “Hey princess, how high is the probability that Starvoid knows a mind control spell?” 

“Small, or else she would have used it on me a long time ago.” 

Luna looked at the guards, who stood immobile as always. Then they smiled, and as one turned to each side saluting. 

White Knight smiled. “Welcome back Princess Luna, we have looked after the castle for you in your absence… Unfortunately there seems to be some commotion near the throne room that needs your attention.” 

Luna smiled. “Thank you captain Knight, I shall attend to it immediately. Dismissed.” 

The group walked straight ahead, finally ending up at the door of the throne room. 

“Sooooo… how many spells do you think she placed on this door?” Trixie asked, looking up. 

“Do we have a stone left?” Luna asked, wondering about the same thing

Gilda answered by throwing the pebble she had kept in her claw. A millimeter in front of the door the pebble caught fire, turned to ice, got electrocuted and got a bite of it cut off before half of it vaporized and the other ricocheted around the room, falling in front of Luna’s feet smoking before it turned to sand. 

Vinyl whistled. 

“Paranoid much?” Trixie asked with a sigh. “We can’t do his much longer… we need to get in there.” 

“Agreed” Luna said. “This require some extra power, can you help me out Trixie?” 

“Certainly” Trixie said stepping up. “What do you need?” 

“Just boost me with some extra magic, I’ll deal with the rest.” 

“As you wish” Trixie said, her horn lighting up. 

Luna turned to the door, her own magic lighting up. Shooting out a beam Luna’s magic hit the door with such force that the door flew off it’s hinges and crashed with a large boom. 

Vinyl grinned. “Knock Knock.” 

Luna smiled, walking silently inside the room, glancing ahead, to Starvoid who looked shocked, sitting on Celestia’s throne. 

“I will give you to the count of 5 to get down from my sister’s throne before I come over there and make you.” 

Starvoid closed her mouth, coming over her initial shock. “No… I am in charge now, you do not scare me Luna.” 

Luna snorted. “Really… fine enough by me, but what about my friends, will they be able to persuade you?” 

Luna turned to her friends, who all came up to stand next to her, scowling ahead at the dark unicorn. 

Starvoid scowled at them all. “You think I am scared of you? I have defeated Celestia herself, killed and destroyed countless of my enemies and gained enough knowledge to rival even Starswirl the bearded and you have the audacity to think I am scared?” 

Gilda huffed. “Big words for someone who placed about 500 wards and traps around the castle to keep us out.” 

Starvoid looked at Gilda and scowled, sending out a blast of magic. Gilda barely raised an eyebrow as her helmet glowed and made a protective barrier, making the blast ricochet to blast against the wall to Starvoid’s left. 

Gilda grinned. “Missed me.” 

“I suppose so” Starvoid said. “Let’s see if you can dodge this.”


> The return of the stars
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 20
The return of the stars

Starvoid rose from her seat, her horn lighting up. Around her the wind blew hard, whistling as it grew in strength. Everypony reeled back as the room grew colder, a few noticing that the floor got a small layer of frost, growing from Starvoid’s hoof’s and out. 

Starvoid grinned. “Have you wondered why I am called Starvoid the Cold? Let me show you.” 

Starvoid jumped into the air and landed in front of Vinyl, lashing out. Vinyl jumped back, barely getting away as Starvoid’s horn barely scratched the surface of her chest plate. 

Vinyl reeled back as from the small scratch, a large chunk of ice grew magically on her armor. Starvoid gave her little time to react as she turned on the hoof, about to blast a boost of magic at Vinyl, turning her into an icy statue, but was blocked by Big Mac who stood holding off Starvoid’s horn with his sword. 

Starvoid glared at him. “You want a piece of the action big boy… let’s see how long you can keep it up.” 

Big Mac winced as the area around Starvoid grew even colder, hearing the familiar crack of ice that grew. But right before the cold grew too much to bear, Spitfire came rushing in from the side, knocking Starvoid into the air, the unicorn landing with a thud a few meters away. 

“You ok Big Mac?” 

“Eeyup.” 

Starvoid rose with a growl, her eyes growing white. With the arrival of a blinding white flash the group gaped, seeing that there suddenly stood 9 Starvoids in front of them. And as the clones stood there they changed. 

“Wonderful” Luna said with a groan. “She’s got changeling powers too.” 

The different Starvoid clones grew. 6 of the Starvoids kept their small pony form, the group looking back to see Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, all their eyes white and devoid of emotion. 

At one end one of the clones grew, turning into the long sinuous form of the draconequs Discord. At the other end, Chrysalis form grew out from the Starvoid clone, hissing at the group. 

And finally the original Starvoid stood in the middle, her form growing huge and white, laughing madly as she transformed into the regal form of Celestia herself. 

Derpy gulped. “Oboy, this is not going to end well is it?” 

Luna scowled. The numbers were against them, that much she saw, if only there was somepony… else… She blinked. 

“Guys I have a plan.” 

“We’re listening” Vinyl said. 

“I need you to distract them for a few minutes, whatever you do don’t let them attack me, ok?” 

“Yes ma’am” Derpy said. 

Trixie looked around the room. “Gilda, you shield the princess, Derpy, go into stealth mode and do as much damage as you can. Zecora and Vinyl, keep the enemy subdued and calm. Big Mac, you keep anypony that comes through the lines at bay. Spitfire and Soarin, take care of the skies.” 

Everypony nodded. “No problem Trixie.” 

Luna smiled as Trixie took a defensive stance in front of her. 

“We’ve got your back Princess, you do your thing.” 

Luna nodded and closed her eyes. Her horn glowed and she concentrated hard. Starvoid and all her clones gasped. 

“No… STOP HER.” 

The clones jumped forward, a few crashing with the wall Gilda held up. Zecora and Vinyl reeled back as the fake Discord roared and clawed at the barrier. Gilda grunted, closing one of her eyes in concentration. 

“Could use a little help guys.” 

“On it” Vinyl said, lifting her flute. 

Starting to play, Vinyl looked up as the Discord clone tried to shake the music as it continued to claw through the shield, but at a slower pace than before. 

Zecora stepped up, her bracelet glowing, the discord calming down and yawning, ending on the floor calmed down. 

However, the talons on the Draqonecus had made a hole, a hole big enough to allow the Applejack clone to rush in, knocking Zecora backwards with her hooves. 

But just as the clone had turned towards Luna, a hoof knocked her aside, Derpy smiling as she lifted her cloak. 

“Sorry miss fake Applejack, but you can’t see Princess Luna now, she’s busy.” 

And busy Luna was. It was hard trying to concentrate with all that happened around her, screams, yells, magical blasts, swooshes, crashes, she tried to tune it all out. 

Her magic reached out to the heavens, finding the magical energy she was looking for, and went through the hard job of taking off the barriers and enchantments. Finishing with one she went onto the next, until finally all she needed was there for her. 

Guiding the magic with her own she opened her eyes. “Incoming” she called, everypony looking up to see seven white blurs coming rushing into the room, crashing with the floor next to Luna’s hooves. 

“NO, YOU BLASTED MEDDLING IDIOT, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” 

Luna smiled at the fake Celestia in front of her. “I brought some backup.” 

With Starvoid distracted from the fight, Gilda lifted her barrier again, turning back as several voices groaned. 

“Urgh… so cold… Buck me it’s cold.” 

Luna laughed. “Up and at them everypony, you only stayed up there for three weeks, now shake it off.” 

The dust cleared and the group smiled and cheered as the holders of the elements and Princess Celestia lay on the floor. 

Celestia grunted, stumbling as she tried to rise to her hooves. 

“You OK Tia?” 

Celestia looked to Luna. “Better than in a long time.” 

Around her the other six woke up. Outside the barrier Gilda held up Starvoid was once again trying to break down the barrier, casting all kinds of magic their way. 

Vinyl grinned, rushing over to the form of Pinkie Pie, patting her on the back. 

“Good evening Pinkie, so glad you could join the party.” 

Pinkie grunted, still dazed and confused. “Party? What party?” 

“This party” Vinyl said, turning to the newly arrived allies, playing a song, helping them all shake off the despair they had been feeling the last two weeks. 

Pinkie felt better already. “Does the party have a theme?” 

“Yeah” Spitfire yelled from overhead, throwing small rocks to deflect some of the magic blasting their way. “It’s theme is windigo possessed zombie clones, with Starvoid as the host.” 

Everypony who had just arrived turned to look outside the barrier where the elemental bearer clones looked back with an angry hiss, flanked by the fake Chrysalis, Discord and Celestia. 

Fluttershy screamed in fear. 

“Here Pinkie, your party invitation” Vinyl said, taking off the necklace around her neck, handing it to Pinkie. “Thanks for letting me borrow it, it was tons of fun.” 

“Speak for yourself” Gilda grunted, struggling. “Now we can all talk about this later, for now, I say we deal with the problem at hoof.” 

Gilda threw Rainbow her necklace, Rainbow taking it in shock. 

“I am still confused” Applejack said, even as she accepted her own necklace from her brother. “But I suppose that right now all we need to be clear on is that there is somepony that needs to be defeated.” 

Zecora smiled, handing over Fluttershy’s necklace, trying to look reassuringly at the Pegasus, under her dark sinister war paint. 

“Here for you are we all, to defeat the enemies big and small.” 

Derpy smiled, flying down to Rarity. “Yeah, we are here to finish what Starvoid started. Thanks for letting me borrow this Rarity.” 

Rarity smiled. “You are most welcome Derpy dear.” 

Twilight blinked in shock at what was going on. “So… how and why is this happening?” 

Trixie walked up to Twilight’s side, levitating the tiara off her own head placing it on Twilight’s. “See the fake Celestia? That’s Starvoid. She must have used a cloning spell and taken a changeling’s ability sometime in the past. Don’t get to close to her horn, she is also using windigo magic.” 

Trixie turned to Twilight who looked at her shocked. “I have just spent my last three weeks on the road traveling and hiding… if I end up dead or as a constellation I will blame you for messing with my life.” 

“Don’t listen to her” Vinyl said with a grin. “With the exception of her encounter with an Ursa Minor she loved every second of it.” 

Gilda grunted. “Guys, I can’t hold them back anymore.” 

“Then don’t.” 

Gilda turned to Celestia who had spoken. The princess of the sun looked better, having already shaken the cold off her body. 

“Let her come… we will defeat her together.” 

Gilda smiled. “Yes ma’am” she said, letting the barrier go. 

Chaos ensued. The clones attacked. Luna and Celestia were in the air, swirling around the fake Discord which howled and spew fire, clawing after the two. Luna laughed. 

“That’s the best you got? No explosive bubble wrap, random flying anvils or acid lakes? What kind of poor Discord look alike are you?” 

The clone roared and spewed fire again, Celestia doing a careless loop around it, shooting forward and hit the clone with a beam of light, making it fade and disappear. 

“One down, eight to go” Luna said as she and Celestia looked out over the throne room. 

Flying circles around Chrysalis were Spitfire, Soarin, Gilda and Rainbow Dash, hitting the fake queen with all their might. Down on the ground Applejack and Big Macintosh stood back to back dealing with the fake Rarity and Fluttershy. 

Applejack huffed as she ducked under a hoof comming from the Rarity clone.

“OK this is getting ridiculous… I am getting flashbacks to the royal wedding.” 

Fluttershy yelped as she stood face to face with the fake Pinkie Pie. Halfway in a jump the fake Pinkie Pie fell down unconscious as Derpy appeared from beneath her cloak. 

“You doing ok Fluttershy?” 

“Yeah… thank you Derpy.” 

Derpy smiled and rushed off again. Zecora and Vinyl kept both their elements to good use, Vinyl playing songs to lift the spirits of her friends, Zecora using her bracelet to calm down the aggressive behavior of the clones. 

Vinyl and Zecora turned in shock as the fake Rainbow Dash flew past them with a poof, seeing Pinkie Pie with a blue canon in her hooves, Rarity looking surprised at her. 

“Where in the world did you get your party canon from?” Rarity asked. 

“Ponybay.” 

“No I mean… you know what, never mind, I probably don’t want to know.” 

Rarity ducked as the fake Applejack came hurtling towards her, Pinkie Pie blowing that clone away too. 

Twilight turned to her right, seeing Trixie glaring at the fake her. “You need help?” 

“The great and Powerful Trixie can handle this” Trixie said with a huff. 

Lighting up her horn Trixie smiled and sent a large burst of magic at the fake Twilight wich fell backwards. Starvoid looked on with a glare. The Discord and Chrysalis copy and the fake holders of the elements Honesty, Magic and Loyalty were down. Well… time to up the ante. Her horn lit up and the three remaining clones grew and turned to the size of elephants, before transforming again. 

Huge scaly wings replaced the one’s on what had used to be the Fluttershy clone, the light yellow fur turning to scales, pink spikes growing everywhere they could do most damage, the clone’s turquoise eyes turning red as the dragon formed Fluttershy roared and spew sky blue flames. 

The Rarity clone grew bigger, its horn and fur turning to feathers, in a blinding white with a purple trim. Soon the group looked up on what Twilight could only assume was what the love child of a Phoenix and a Roc would look like. 

The Pinkie Pie clone growled as it’s body turned feline, growing claws and long vicious fangs, making the group look upon a large pink saber-toothed tiger, its stripes in a darker shade of pink. 

Vinyl gaped; lifting her glasses off her eyes to be sure her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her. 

“That would be so cool if they weren’t going to kill us” Rainbow said gaping. 

Luna and Celestia simply blinked, wondering how much of the national treasury would suffer for repairs to the castle. Twilight started to panic. 

“How the hay are we going to deal with this?” 

Trixie looked at the three figures. Turning to Twilight she frowned. “Do you know any levitating spells?” 

“Kind of… there was a spell I cast on Rarity that gave her wings made of dew. But it takes a lot of magic.” 

“No problem” Trixie said, tapping her medallion. “How did it work?” 

Twilight quickly explained, as the three creatures looked down on them as food. 

“Right” Trixie said, turning to Princess Luna and Celestia. Princesses, “I have a plan. Everypony that can fly, split up and deal with the dragon and the Roc. Everypony on the ground focus on the tiger.” 

Celestia and Luna nodded. “You heard her everypony” Luna said, raising her voice as loud as she could without using the royal Canterlot voice. “Fight them off, they are simply clones.” 

On the ground Trixie turned to Twilight. “Focus the magic on yourself… we need to help out the flyers.” 

Twilight nodded, and together the two unicorns closed their eyes and cast the spell. 

Up in the air around the white Roc Luna, Soarin, and Rainbow flew around the big Bird, hitting it everywhere they managed to reach, Luna sending out powerful magic blasts. Fluttershy was near the Roc’s head, trying hard to negotiate with the thing. 

“FLUTTERSHY, STOP FOOLING AROUND,” Rainbow shouted as she ducked under a claw that could possibly have cleaved her in two. 

As Fluttershy tried to say something, the Roc recoiled of a new magic attack. Luna, knowing it wasn’t her, turned to see what was going on, seeing Twilight sporting wings, flying over to them shooting out her magenta colored attacks. 

“Sorry I am late” she huffed, as the Roc flapped it’s wings and roared. 

“Nice plan Twilight” Rainbow Dash said smiling. 

“It wasn’t mine” Twilight said. “It was hers.” 

Rainbow turned to where Celestia, Spitfire, Gilda and Derpy had been joined by Trixie who blasted out magic similar to Twilight’s own flying around the dragon’s head with wings of her own. Rainbow smiled as she heard Trixie’s voice over the dragon’s roar. 

“I AM THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE. I DEFEATED AN URSA MINOR AND I AM NOT AFRAID OF A DRAGON THAT’S NOT EVEN REAL.” 

Rainbow Dash smile turned into a grin. “Well she seems to be having fun.” 

“No time to enjoy the scenery fillies, we have work to do” Luna called, charging up her horn for another attack. 

The fight was hard, time consuming and tiring. But finally, after nearly an hour of dodging and hitting, the large Fluttershy dragon groaned and fell, dissolving into nothing. 

“NO” Starvoid called out in mad anger and terror. The moment the dragon was down the ones taking it down rushed over to the Roc, making it crash into the ground, hitting the tiger overhead as it crashed, making the large thing hit the floor. 

With a groan all three clones disappeared, leaving only the fake Celestia transformed Starvoid. 

“Hey Sparkle… I think we’re up.” 

Twilight nodded agreeing with Trixie, the two unicorns feeling inside for the power of the elements. 

“NO I WON’T LET YOU.” 

Trixie and Twilight fell backwards, landing on the ground, their wings shattered. Looking up they saw Starvoid. Her Celestia cloak was almost gone, leaving only behind a pair of large wings together with the white fur. 

“I will not go back” Starvoid said, panting heavily. “I will never go back to that icy cold hell… I’ll rather die… and bring you all down with me.” 

As everypony looked on Starvoid started to glow. A white shimmer spread all around her body, her icy white mane and tail even starting to shine. Starvoid’s eyes turned white, nopony seeing anything other than a white halfway transformed alicorn. And then… 

“Oh Faust that is not good” Luna said. 

Celestia gaped. “She’s a Windyfoal.” 

“A what now?” Gilda asked. 

“Back in the era when Windigo’s were a recurring problem Luna and I discovered the phenomenon called a Windyfoal. It’s like a way the windigo reproduce… They often come over abandoned foals, left behind from parents that for some reason could not keep or have the child. When they are found by the windigos, the windigo pass through the child, leaving a piece of it behind. As hatred and anger grows in it’s heart, a Windyfoal starts using the Windigo’s powers… until it’s no longer a pony, simply another windigo running through the sky.” 

The wind was getting strong, Starvoid screaming in pain and anger. She then rushed forward, lashing out at everything and everypony, no longer having any rational thought, other than destruction and despair. 

“We need to help her” Twilight said. 

“HELP? SHE’S TRYING TO KILL US.” Trixie spoke up, having to yell over the wind. 

“She’s confused and scared” Twilight said. “I have just spent 3 weeks up in the sky… it’s terrible and scary and I would not want to go back there ever again… she was stuck there for 2 millennia, I can’t even begin to wonder how afraid she is that we are going to send her back there for a few millennia more.” 

“Right now it doesn’t seem like she has to worry about us” Gilda commented, squinting through the icy fog Starvoid was making. 

“No time to talk about the why’s and how’s, we need to bring her down before she turns Canterlot into a new Frozen North” Applejack called. 

“But how?” Fluttershy asked, shaking in the cold. 

“The only way we know” Twilight said. “The elements of harmony, we can help her out.” 

“I suppose it’s as good a plan as any” Trixie said, walking up next to Twilight. 

Starvoid roared again, and in the wind, ghostly figures showed up, running around the group in circles. 

“No time to think, we need to hurry, everypony get in line” Trixie shouted over the din. 

As she stood next to Twilight, Trixie found Zecora and Fluttershy at her side, and next to them Pinkie Pie and Vinyl Scratch. Right next to them was Derpy and Rarity, the two scowling at the challenge in front of them. On Twilight’s side Rainbow Dash and Gilda landed, the old friends looking at each other, before facing the blur that was Starvoid. Next to Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Big Mac stood, the siblings not budging an inch. 

“All right everypony… let’s do this.” 

Twilight smiled and closed her eyes in concentration, as did Trixie. All the way from the bottom of their hearts the holders of the element, as well as their substitutes found the good feeling of love and friendship channeling it to their elements and artifacts. Everypony glowed and was lifted off the ground before the combined might of the elements was fired at Starvoid who managed to get in one final scream of agony before the rainbow covered her from head to hooves. 

> The aftermath
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 21
The aftermath

With a final swoosh, the wind calmed down, revealing what was left of Celestia’s and Luna’s throne room. 

Celestia looked out. “I’ll be back” she said. “I just need to do my job real quick, are you coming Luna?” 

Luna nodded and rushed to her sister’s side, the two rushing out on the balcony. Luna looked at Celestia. “Are you ok?” 

“No” Celestia said. “I can’t believe… I can’t believe I gone for no more than three weeks. The cold was unbearable, and the darkness suffocating… how do you not hate me… how do you not despise me after leaving you there for a thousand years?” 

“I deserved it” Luna said. “I hurt so many… I was such a foal.” 

“Nopony deserved that… nopony and especially not you.” 

“Are you sure? Are you sure that after all I did… that I didn’t deserve to stay in that cold?” 

“Yes…” Celestia looked at Luna, realizing that she was wearing the familiar night armor. “I thought you left that back in the Everfree Castle?” 

“I went and got it back… now come, we have a lot to do.” Celestia nodded. And as the sun rose high in the sky, the others inside saw the light falling on the unconscious figure of Starvoid the cold. She lay shivering on the ground, looking like she had walked in the Frozen North alone without shelter for at least a week. 

Looking down at her Rainbow Dash was the first who spoke. “Can somepony light a fire?” 

Gilda looked surprised at her. “What, you want to help her?” 

“Gilda don’t take this the wrong way but unless you have spent three weeks trapped in the coldness of space you do not get a say. Now somepony light a fire… and give her a blanket or something.” 

Applejack and Pinkie Pie had already run to drag some of the thick curtains that had fallen from their hangers back to lie over the unconscious Starvoid, while Twilight and Rarity lit a fire in the fireplace. At the sounds of Celestia and Luna’s hooves, the group turned, bowing in respect. 

“No need for that” Celestia said, sitting down next to the fire, simply enjoying the warmth. “Now then… I do believe we have a lot to talk about.” 

Luna nodded and was about to start talking as a groan made everypony turned. Starvoid sat up groggily, groaning and clutching her horn. Then, as if remembering what had happened her eyes went wide. Looking up she saw everypony looking at her. Standing up she started to backpedal. 

“No… I won’t go through this again… I am not going back to that cold hell, you can’t make me.” 

“I never said I was” Celestia said. “Now come… sit by the fire, you look cold.” 

“I’ve always felt cold” Starvoid said, not daring to move an inch from where she stood. 

“I can imagine… probably the part of you that was a windigo.” 

Starvoid flinched. “It came out huh… man that thing brings me nothing but so… wait what do you mean the part that ‘was’ a windigo.” 

Celestia smiled friendly. “The elements of harmony… windigos feed of hate, and the elements of harmony banish hate. You are now a simple normal unicorn.” 

Starvoid blinked, falling down to her haunches in shock. “I… I’m normal?” 

“Yes… but we still have some things to talk about… it wasn’t the windigo that killed and hurt my subjects… that was you. And you also attacked my sister and I, as well as the bearers of the elements… you need to pay for your crimes.” 

Starvoid looked at the floor, expecting the words death or exile to come next. 

“Therefore I shall strip you of your powers. Beyond levitating and other basics you will no longer be able to use any kind of magic. Then, you are sentenced to house arrest within this castle for the next ten years.” 

Everypony looked at Celestia, who looked at Starvoid sadly. 

“You have lived a hard and cruel life, with next to no pony trying to befriend you… I remember all the reports back from when you first roamed our country and wondered how a pony could be so taken in by hatred.” 

Celestia turned to look at Luna, who realized where this was going and went over to nuzzle her sister’s neck. 

Celestia sniffed. “After you were banished I thought I’d never have to deal with another pony that felt rejected and misunderstood from the rest of the world… then my sister fell to the same darkness… I will not punish another pony for feeling sad and alone… but you need help and guidance Starvoid… and I am going to give it to you whether you want me to or not.” 

Celestia blinked. “Besides, you need to work hard if you ever hope to repay the damage you have done to my castle.” 

Celestia rose, walking over to Starvoid, who did not move. Laying her horn over Starvoids own, Celestia poured her magic in, and dragged magic out, until she was sure Starvoids powers had become limited for good. 

“Spitfire, Soarin, take miss Starvoid to a cell until I know where else to place her… make sure it’s a warm cell.” 

Soarin and Spitfire gave a small salute and landed on each side of the unicorn, who rose to her feet, her ears flat on her head as she walked with the two pegasi guards out of the room. 

“Now then where was I… Oh yes, we have a lot to talk about.” 

Vinyl was looking at the door. “Are you sure this is ok?” 

Celestia smiled and winked. “I am the princess of the sun, and have lived longer than any of you and will live even longer after you are all gone… I know what I am doing.” 

Vinyl nodded, turning around to the rest of the group. 

“Well then” Celestia said smiling. “First things first, in all the commotion I’m afraid I still don’t know your names.” 

Vinyl smiled. “I’m Vinyl Scratch, you probably don’t remember me but I was hired as the DJ for the royal wedding.” 

Vinyl turned to Pinkie. “Thanks for fixing that by the way.” 

Pinkie smiled. “Oh don’t be silly, a party without you as the DJ would not be an awesometacular party.” 

Vinyl smiled. “I am also the substitute for the current holder of the element of laughter, having earned the pan flutes of laughter from Happy Jack the diamond dog in the Frozen North.” 

“Very nice to meet you Vinyl Scratch” Celestia said smiling, turning to the next unknown face in the group. 

“My name is Zecora your majesty, living a life in the forest of Everfree. A substitute for Fluttershy I am honored to be, a kinder pony I never did see. The bracelet of kindness was won in the Zebrica lands, the Griffin Gabriella guarding it away from the burning sands.” 

“I’m Gilda of the griffin Kingdom, looking after Dash’s piece of the element of harmony, loyalty. I got the helmet of loyalty in the Griffin Mountains, guarded by the still living dragon Tanith.” 

“I’m Derpy Hooves, Rarity chose me to take her place while she was… well indisposed. I got this fancy cloak of generosity in Staliongrad, guarded by Xolani, the nice Zebra that used to be the original holder of the element of generosity.” 

“Big Macintosh is my name your majesty, but everypony call’s me big Mac. I am Applejack’s brother, and also her chosen substitute for the element of honesty. I got this sword from Tough Love up in the Dragon Mountains.” 

Celestia smiled and turned to Trixie, the last one in the group. 

“I am Trixie Lulamoon your majesty, chosen by Twilight Sparkle as her substitute for the element of magic. I got the amulet of magic from a cave in the Everfree forest… guarded by my long gone ancestor.” 

Celestia blinked. “You are Starlight’s descendant?” 

“That is what I believe… he said I had the Lulamoon eyes.” 

Celestia looked at Trixie. “So you do… now then my little ponies, I want to know everything… as do I think your friends do.” 

Luna smiled. “Very well sister, but you might want to get comfortable.” 

Luna started talking about her own journey, starting with a strange feeling at the Dragon Kingdom, followed by the visions. The others told their stories, about their own experiences with the visions, and their brief feeling of freezing in despair. 

They talked about the meeting at Pony Joe’s, and how some butted heads against each other from the start. Luna told of her trip to ponyville to get the elements and of how she had asked Spike for help if he thought they needed anything. They talked of their agreements to go on the quest, and of the strange feeling of having to use their powers. 

They talked about their trip to Everfree, Vinyl laughing at the memory of Big Mac and Zecora who clearly preferred staying on the ground. They talked about the vast array of poison joke and their detour through manticore territory, Zecora nodding her agreement to talk about her fiancée who had died so long ago. 

Trixie told of her meeting with Starlight and her test, making sure everypony knew that she now had proof she fought and won over an Ursa Minor. The group continued to talk about their journey, the ponies they met and the experiences they got, and of the enemies they saw. 

Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity shared a small smile at the mention of the kindness the three fillies Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Applebloom had shown them, Luna promising that they would pay back every bit and more when they got the chance. 

There was some shocked looks to be seen everywhere, including in Celestia’s face when they got to the part where Chrysalis decided to come in and help, Luna making sure that she passed on the message that the changeling queen would like a personal thank you from Celestia at a later date. 

The group quieted down and let Luna continue to talk as she told of the battle with Nightmare Moon, and the statue that now stood waiting in the Everfree castle that was the end result, Celestia making a mental note to go and fetch the statue herself when everything was ready. 

Everypony smiled as the tale came to an end, with Trixie rubbing it in Twilight’s face that she had seen the original Starswirl the bearded’s robe in the Everfree armory. 

Luna also pointed out to Rarity that both Fancy Pants, Hoity Toity and Photo Finnish had seen the group walk up to the castle, and asked her to get ready for a new fashion trend. 

Celestia sighed, rising from where she had been sitting listening in. “All right… I think we are all at the same page in the story by now.” 

Pinkie’s left hoof twitched, but she ignored it. 

“For now there are a few things we need to figure out… I originally invited Twilight Sparkle and her friends to tell them about Starshine and the others so that they could go and fetch the artifacts and get the extra power to the elements… however as we all know something came in the way for that. So now I need the holders of the element to decide what to do, just as the original holders did 2 millennia ago when they gave half their powers to Luna and me.” 

Twilight looked at her friends, who all smiled. “I think we all agree Princess”, Twilight said with a smile, turning to the substitutes. “As you said, they were the ones who earned the artifacts… it’s already theirs.” 

Vinyl jumped in the air. “Sweet, I get to keep my flute.” 

Luna looked at her. “Once again, the artifact of laughter is not a toy to be used for getting out of paying bills.” 

“Spoilsport” Vinyl pouted. 

“All right, now that that’s settled” Celestia said walking up to the door. “We have a lot of things to do.” 

Opening the door she smiled as she saw all the Canterlot Knights. It was clear that they had all been standing in the same spot waiting for permission to come inside. 

“Ah captain White Knight, it is so good to see you.” 

The stallion, who up until then had been looking professional as any true military trained pony should be, burst into tears as he saluted. 

“P-p-p… ‘sniff’ Princess Celestia, thank Faust herself you are ok.” 

“I am captain… thank you for looking after my castle in my absence… now I need you to send out a message to all of Equestria… the true rulers of Equestria are back at the throne. And after you have done that send a notice to all the staff members who escaped the castle that they can come back tomorrow. I also need some help restoring the throne room.” 

“Yes ma’am, at once ma’am, anything else ma’am?” 

“Tell our smith I need a word… and after that you are dismissed for the rest of the day, that’s an order.” 

White knight sniffed a few more times before he turned. 

“You heard the Princess; spread the word, Equestria is safe again.”

> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day was chaos. In true Equestria is saved once again style the royal princesses invited both the holders of the elements as well as the holders of the artifacts of harmony over to a royal party, the holders of the artifact gaping and smiling as Celestia revealed a new stained glass window of the holders of the artifacts she had told the smithy to make the night before. 

The party lasted most of the day and night, the group laughing and having fun until Luna finally yawned, telling Celestia that it was time for the night to end. 

For a while life went back to normal. Starvoid was given a small but comfortable room to stay in, Celestia and Luna both taking their time to talk with her, teaching her important lessons and showing her fun ways to let her days and nights go faster. 

Celestia had honored Chrysalis wish, coming alone to the changeling realm standing before their queen. 

“Luna told me what you did” she said. “I am here to thank you.” 

Chrysalis smiled. “Does it hurt having to say that?” 

“Not really… my little ponies are safe… I brought you a little present. We had a celebration the day after Starvoid was defeated… I had this hidden in plain sight as a statue under the entire thing.” 

Celestia got out a large box from the carriage she had been riding on, revealing a large bluish green statue in the shape of a diamond. 

“This thing sucked up every bit of love in the room and made it edible… I hope you can accept this as compensation and as thanks for your help.” 

Chrysalis rose from her throne, taking a deep breath smelling the love in the air. 

“I suppose that’s a deal I can live with.” Celestia smiled and turned. 

“Then good bye Queen Chrysalis… and thank you once again.” 

Chrysalis looked at Celestia as she left, calling out her subjects for a feast her realm had not seen in centuries. 

…

In ponyville Applejack and Big Mac gaped as ten large Canterlot guards stood in their field. 

“Who the hay are you guys and what in tarnation are you doing here?” Applejack asked. 

One of the guards smiled. “Princess Luna informed us that a filly by the name of Applebloom bought the service to help you with apple bucking season ma’am.” 

Big Mac smiled. “Eeyup” he said, turning as Applebloom came out wondering what was going on. 

Applejack smiled at her. “Why thank you Applebloom, that is mighty kind of you.” 

Applebloom looked shocked at the stallions. “But… I gave that money to Princess Luna to save you.” 

“And who do you think sent these fine gentlecolts?” Applejack asked, smiling. 

“All right boys you can start in the southern grove, let’s get this going.” 

…

Rainbow Dash gaped. She knew she was being rude but to be honest she still thought she was sleeping. 

Spitfire stood on her doorstep. 

THE Spitfire stood on her doorstep, holding season tickets to all the wonderbolts show, a VIP pass and a balet that gave the owner the chance to practice with the team for a month. 

“Wha… whe… why?” 

Spitfire smiled. “A present from Scootaloo… next time you see her, give her the best from me would you?” 

Rainbow Dash could only nod, still in shock. 

“All right then… see you tomorrow Rainbow Dash?” 

Rainbow still nodded and continued to do so until Spitfire was far out of earshot. 

Then Rainbow squealed, before she lay her new prized tickets inside, rushing out to find Scootaloo and give the filly the world’s biggest and coolest hug. 

…

At Rarity’s boutique a knock on the door was heard. Walking over Rarity blinked at Derpy who grinned from ear to ear. 

“Special delivery for Sweetie Belle” she said smiling. 

“Ah of course, be right back dear Derpy. SWEETIE BELLE, IT’S FOR YOU.” 

Sweetie belle came running down, looking at Derpy. 

“Hi Derpy, what are you doing here?” 

“Your order is here.” 

“Order? But I haven’t bought anything.” 

“Yes you have” Derpy said smiling. “Now please sign here.” 

Sweetie Belle signed the board Derpy held out, Derpy smiling and walked out of the boutique, coming inside pushing a crate so large that it barely fit through the door. 

Rarity blinked. “Sweetie Belle, what have you done now?” 

“I have no idea” Sweetie Belle said honestly. Walking over to the box Rarity levitated a crow bar to the side. 

“Do you mind if…?” 

“No, open it” Sweetie Belle insisted, excited about this parcel. Rarity opened the crate, making one of the walls fall, revealing fabric. 

Lots of fabric. Silk, cotton, wool and more, in every color of the rainbow in 4 different kinds of bright and dark. 

Sweetie belle blinked her eyes as she realized. “Oh… I guess I did buy that. That’s for you big sis.” 

Rarity gaped, sputtered and gaped some more, until she simply turned and hugged her sister, crying into her mane as a thank you. 

…

Back at the Canterlot castle Luna sat in the garden staring at two statues. One was the distorted figure of Discord, the other of Nightmare Moon. Hearing the sounds of hooves, Luna turned to see Celestia walking up. 

“Hi there Luna, how are you doing?” 

“Pretty good… I figured I should come by before I went to bed.” 

Celestia sat down next to Luna who looked at Discord’s statue. 

“Do you think he can still hear everything we say?” 

“I hope so, or else I have been coming down here every week making fun of a statue for nothing.” 

“I’m serious Tia.” 

“So am I… and don’t call me that in front of him, you know he will only mock me with the name if he ever comes out.” 

Luna smiled. “I made the arrangements… every pony that helped us out has been repaid; I even sent a proper gift to the Zebra village.” 

Celestia smiled. “You have done well sister, I am proud of you.” 

Luna smiled. “Thank you… it was so hard, I have no idea how you managed a century alone.” 

“I can’t understand how you managed that cold for so long” Celestia said back. Luna smiled, looking over to Nightmare Moon. 

“The past is the past… for now I say we look towards the future.” Celestia smiled and hugged her sister. She could not agree more.

The End