Return of the Emperor

by Calcen

First published

The emperor has returned. He posts a big threath to Equestria and everypony is doing everything to stop him

Holder's Boulder isn't what it seems to be. The Emperor is banished in the Stone of Everfree (original name of Holder's Boulder) and Limestone wants to set him free. That isn't just a problem for her, it's a problem for all of the Equestria.

Fallen Angel N helped

Back to rule again

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Pinkie couldn't wait for the arrival of the Apple family,she was too excited. "I am so excited! Are you excited because I am. We're gonna play games,eat cake and best of all, we're gonna PARTY!"

"Hey,Pinkie?" Maud said gesturing at the Applejack and the Apple family with her hoof "They are right there"

"Oh yes,yes.....THEY'RE HERE!" Pinkie shouted and fired her party cannon. She waved at Applejack and started running towards them.

Maud said "She sure is excited even...."

Limestone interrupted Maud Pie "Yea thats great, but they can't touch my Holder's Boulder!"

Pinkie hugged Applejack and said "Hey Applejack, happy Heart's Warming Eve!"

Applejack replied with a smile "Heyya there, Pinkie Pie,Happy Heart's Warming Eve to you too!"

"Eyuup" Big Mac approved and gived her a present.

"I-is that a present, for me? Pinkie asked with disbelief

"Sure thing, Pinkie.Don't you wanna open it?"

"But we can't open presents before Hearts Warming. It's against the rules"

MApplejack giggled and said with a soft voice "I know, but this isn't the present for that, we gave you this to show how much we love you and to thank you for everything you did"


Pinkie looked a the present she held in her hooves and smiled "Wow guys,thats really nice of you, thanks everypony" Pinkie was happy at the momment but she realised she didn't have a present to give to them. As she realised that, her smile turned into a frown.

"What's wrong Pinkie,did we say something wrong?" Applejack asked.

"No you didn't, it's great but I don't have a present to give to you" Pinkie sighed sadly.

Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder and said "Don't worry sugar cube, we knew you weren't going to give us a present, it was a suprise after all"

Pinkie replied with a chuckle "Yeah, I guess you're right. But I'll make up for it, I am going to make the biggest suprise ever"

Applejack was happy to hear that and said to her "Aren't I lucky to be related to you"

Granny Smith ran out of patience and rushed Pinkie "Well,what are ya' waitin' for, open the darn tootin' thing" Pinkie opened the present and inside was an apple pie. "This present says that when the Apple family and the Pie family are thogether we are sweet as an apple pie" Granny said trying to comfort Pinkie Pie.

"Oh, that's so sweet, just like apple pie!" Everybody chuckled and Pinkie yelled "Group hug!" All of them hugged and went to the Pie family.

When they came, every member of the Pie family said at the same time "Happy Heart's Warming Eve!"

"Well doesn't this look nice n' dandy" Granny Smith said with a big smile. They were all happy and full of joy. Suddenly, Holders Boulder started shaking. Applebloom ran behind Big Mac and started trembling with fear.

"W-What was t-that!?"

"E-E-Yuup-p!?"


Maud walked to the boulder and started pointing at the crack beneath the boulder. "Remember when the boulder fell down into the quarry and we had to put it back where it was what took, by the way, forever?"

Applejack felt embarassed and started blushing "Yeah, I do"

Maud countinued explaining "Well, you see, the ground isn't sable enough to support the weight of the boulder..."

Limestone interrupted with an angry voice "It's called Holder's Boulder! And NOPONY mustn't touch it!"

Maud looked at her and corrected herself "It isn't stable enough to support the weight of the Holder's Boulder so it's graduatly starting to slide down into the quarry. We want to move the HOLDER'S Boulder so that we don't need to push the boulder..."

Limestone interrupted, again, for the second time "It's called..."

"We know what it's called, just let her finish, okay?" Applebloom said nervously and Limestone stopped talking.

"Please countinue Maud" Pinkie said

"We want to move the boulder but Limestone doesn't let us do that, because we "mustn't touch the Houlders Boulder"."


Applejack was confused and she asked Limestone "Hey Limey, I never thought of this, why do you never let anypony touch the Houlder's Boulder?"

"Do you really want me to tell you?"

"Well yeah. That's why I asked"

Limestone looked down and sighed. It is rare to se her like that. "You wouldn't believe me, nobody does" She almost started crying.

"And why wouldn't I believe you, you can tell me" Applejack tried to get out of her the reason why she doesn't let anypony touch Holder's Boulder, and she did.

"Okay, here goes nothing" Limestone sighed and started talking "I was in the mineshaft, searching for some rocks for Maud's boulder"

"He was feeling lonely" Maud explaineid

"I was about to say that, don't interrupt me!"

"So how's it like to get a taste of your own medicine?" Applejack said proudly.

"Well it's not great, just let me tell you the reason why can't ANYPONY touch the boulder, okay , just , okay?" Limestone was upset but she couldn't be mad at Applejack for telling behaving like that because she was right.

"Okay then" Applejack new she was upset but she had to tell her that or otherwise, Limestone won't know how to behave politley, althoug she wasn't polite from the start when they met.


"So I was searching for a rock, then out of nowhere a giant hole appeard on the ground leading to some kind of a crystal room.I thought I've hit the jackpot. Then I came into the room, and saw a giant boulder in the middle of the room sorrounded by glowing crystals. I wondered how nopony found this. Ball shaped rocks were orbiting the boulder. I said with a big smile on my face "I'm gonna' earn so much bits by selling this" . Glowing crystals stopped glowing, orbiting rocks fell and shattered. I was scared when the entrance closed. I couldn't leave the room. I heard it. He spoke to me. He said with a deep, strong and a loud voice "Hello Limestone" I didn't know at the moment who was talking to me and I yelled terrified "Who are you, why did you trap me in here and how the hell do you know my
name!?" Then I saw the fire coming from underneath the boulder.The boulder started levatating and said "Do not fear me, Limestone, though I am Groudon, fallen emperor of the dragons"."


"Can you pause for a bit?" Pinkie asked giving Limestone a big smile

"What is it know Pinkie? It was starting to get really interesting" Applejack looked at Pinkie and she pointed at her belly and said

"I'm hungry"

"Ok, just go fecth yourself something" she raised her voice as Pinkie was going into the house "But hurry up, or else we'll continue without you"


Few moments later Pinkie came back empty hooved.

"Well that was fast. Hey, why didn't ya get any food to eat"

"No silly, I ate it"

"How.....But" Applejack struggled to make sense how Pinike Pie could eat food so fast on her way out, an eventually she gave up "Nevermind, continue Limey"


"Don't call me Limey." Limey uh, I mean Limestone warned Applejack.

"Ok, there's no need to be upset"

"Geez, I wonder what's gotten into her, she has been like this since she came back with Holder's Boulder" Pinkie whispered to Applejack and giggled.

"I wonder, too"
'She was like this since she came back with Holder's Boulder,huh?' Applejack thought, and found why Limestone acted this way, but she didn't want to jump to conclusion and she let Limestone to continue.


"So what was I saying.... ah, the interesting part. "Really, an emperor of the dragons, you do realize you're a boulder, right?" I said looking at him wierdly. "I have been banished to the Stone of Everfree, and you have found me Limestone, though you will set me free and I will rule once again." I thought for a moment to try and find a way to set him free and then I realised that he was banished for a reason "Wait a minute, why should I set you free, you are trapped in there for a reason." I thought he was evil and he mustn't be set free "My son, Torch, wanted to become the emperor, I couldn't let him. He was strong and big, but he envied me for I had something he did not posses. Knowledge. He needed to get me down from my throne, and that he did" I tried to think of a way to release him, but there was no succes. I promised to Groudon that I will find a way out. I thought of a way "What if I broke you free? Could that maybe work?" Groudon instantly stopped me of even trying to think of doing that "No I must not let you do that, if any creature touched this rock, it would change the faith of Equestria, forever." Since then, I am trying to find a way to release him. The very next day, Groudon appeared here in front of the house"


"Oh my" Apllejack put her hoof on her mouth "That's not good at all. But wait a minute, when Pinkie touched Holder's Boulder, nothing happened to Equestria. Are you lying to me Limestone Pie!?" Applejack closed one eye and widened the other, a faical expession Granny Smith uses often, and looked at Limestone.

"No for Celestia's sake, i'm not!" Limestone replied with an unpleasant voice

"Are ya' gonna spill the beans or should I do it myself? What's it gonna be" Applejack closed the distance and made Limestone feel very uncomfortable

"I already spilled them, I just don't know why anything didn't happen when Pinkie touched Holder's Boulder"

"Ha Ha, Applejack you sillyi-billy, she's not lying. Groudon is escaping from the Stone right now." Pinkie giggled

Cracks appeared on the Stone of Everfree and bright light came out of them.

"H-How... But I-I didn't do anything" Limestone couldn't figure out how this hapened, but she was happy Groudon was set free.


Happines and wonder soon turned into fright and concern as the light became darkness and engulfed the Stone. Everything went silent.
Black, torn wings apperaed from the engulfed stone. They were big as the house itself. A large snout came out with black smoke coming out from the nose with every exhale and large sharp teeth protruding from the mouth. His midnight blue scales shined in the broad daylight as he walked out. Something was strange about Groudon, he didn't have any legs and he wasn't flying with his wings. It was almost like he was....using magic. Groudon slowly descended to about few feet from the ground. The black Holder's Boulder shrinked and disappeared from existance.


"Hahaha...hahahaha...MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I am free"
Groudon somehow picked up Limestone.

"I am so happy for you. You're free!" Limestone cheered

"Oh you sad little naive pony " Groudon looked at her with a grin on his face. "You really thought I was "good"?"

"Yes, maybe."

"Well, I'm not!" Groudon yelled at Limestone. She could barely hold back her tears "I was banished to the Stone of Everfree by princesses Luna and Celestia, the ones that I seek to have my revenge. Soon I will erase everypony in Equestria. Now excuse me, I have to regain my throne." Groudon threw Limestone on the ground and flew off with great speed.

"Quick, Pinkie Pie, we have to tell Twilight. She will tell this to princess Celestia." Applejack said to Pinkie Pie while she was starting to run.

Pinkie nodded and turned around to say something to the Pie and Apple family (without Pinkie Pie and Applejack, of course).
"I am so So sorry this had to happen. We will be back in time for Heart's Warming. Don't worry." Then both Applejack and Pinkie Pie ran off to Ponyville.