> New Beginnings
>  by Saro0fdemonz
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> New Heroes Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A small beam of sunlight managed to break its way into the room, falling onto the sleeping pegasi's face. She yawned and sat up, rubbing her eyes with a hoof and slipping out of her bed. Her bright yellow mane was a mess,streaks of red in between. She stopped at a mirror across from her bed, brushing out her mane slowly as the suns rays continued to pour into her room.

She was surprised nopony had come to wake her up yet. By now everypony was usually outside and busy. She set her brush down and began on her tail, she liked to keep it braided but today she just brushed it out. Satisfied with her appearance, she stood and walked downstairs, suddenly stopping as she caught her parents rolling around on top of each other on the floor.

"ugh...mom..." they both stopped as they heard their daughter and pushed to their hooves.

"Sorry 'bout that. We didn't wake ya did we?" she shook her head as the orange work pony made her way to the kitchen. Sunburst sighed as she reached the base of the stairs, her mother placing some glasses over her eyes.

"I know you don't like 'em Squirt but you gotta wear them for a while." she sighed, adjusting the glasses on her face. In her mind the only thing they were good for was for covering a few of her freckles, though she kinda liked her freckles. The white spots sat between her eyes and just above her muzzle.

Her eyesight had always been horrible but she always tried forcing herself to go without wearing the glasses. Her mother didn't like them either but knew they were for the best.

"Are ya'll gonna come eat breakfast or do ah have to eat all these pancakes by mahself?" her mom called from the kitchen. They looked at each other at the thought of Applejacks famous pancakes and rushed into the kitchen.





Luna watched as her sister lifted the sun into the sky, a small smile gracing the Alicorns' face. She turned, nudging her wife gently. That night had been one of the few that they had managed to get any real sleep and though she wanted to let Twilight rest a bit more they both had matters to tend to.

"Hm...five more minutes Lulu..."she mumbled cutely. Luna sighed and leaned forward, gently grabbing the mares ear in her teeth. She slowly grinded her teeth back and forth, eliciting a moan from the mare.

"L...Luna..." Twilight's eyes opened slowly and Luna's breath caught in her throat at the sight of them. Two swirling orbs of violet.

"You never wake me up this early. Something on your mind?"Twilight asked. Luna sighed, turning away for a moment. Her attempt at avoiding her lovers gaze was foiled as the mare placed a hoof under her chin and forced her head back to her gently. Luna felt herself drifting as the mare kissed her, calming her nerves.

"You can tell me anything Lulu..." Twilight whispered softly as she broke the kiss

"I'm worried Twilight..." she said quietly.

"About what?" 

"About...about you hating me..."Luna admitted. Twilight stared at her in shock. 

"Luna...why would you worry about something as silly as that?"

"I thought you might hate me...for making you an Alicorn...being forced to outlive your friends...its haunted me ever since I cast the spell..." She explained. Twilight sighed and pulled Luna close to her, pressing her forehead against hers.

"Luna, I will never hate you. Before you cast the spell...I was worried. At first I was just worried about Nyx. That I would have to leave her behind and that she wouldn't be ready for something like that. But then...then I was worried about you too. You were alone for so long, even before you were banished...I couldn't bring myself to even think of what sort of pain you would feel if I left you. 

Sure you would have Nyx, but I know you. It wouldn't be the same. I always knew that I would leave my friends behind one day, or that they would leave me. And I was content living my life as it was knowing that. I just didn't want to leave you and Nyx behind. Thanks to you I don't have to." Twilight held her close, wrapping her wings around her lover comfortingly as she sobbed into her coat. Their moment was broken by a gentle knock on the door. Twilight lifted her head, seeing a small dark blue filly peek her head inside.

"Momma? is everything ok?" her cute voice rang out across the room. Luna sniffed and smiled at the filly.

"Everything is fine sweety. Why don't you go find Nyx and get some breakfast?" Twilight giggled. The filly nodded and rushed away from the door, calling for her big sister. Twilight smiled, lightly kissing Luna's cheek.

"You also gave me that cute little filly. There is no way I could ever hate you Luna."





"AWWWWWW, but mooooom!" the orange colt whined as the unicorn worked on his mane.

"I don't wanna go to Aunt Rarity's! She always tries to dress me up and Uncle Spike always makes me play with Emerald and Amethyst." he continued with a pout. Sweetie Belle could only sigh as her son argued with her. She understood his reasons, she had never really liked styling for her sister either. Though after the Sisterhooves social they had become closer than ever and she had put up with it.

"I know you don't like it but Rarity loves you just as much as she loves her own children and she wants to see you again. Don't worry, you'll have your mother with you and she won't let Rarity dress you up." His eyes grew wide and a smile spread across his face.

"She's gonna be here?! I thought she had practice!" he gasped. Sweetie Belle giggled a little.

"She's taking some time off so she can be here with us."

"AWESOME!" he screamed, ruining half of the work Sweetie Belle had put into his mess of a mane as he bounced up and down with joy. She sighed a little and brushed it off to the side.

"I swear you have your mothers mane."

"Yea but he has your eyes." She heard from the doorway. She smiled seeing Scootaloo standing there, her son rushing to hug her. Scootaloo chuckled and wrapped a hoof around him

"Hey there squirt, you behave for your mom while I was away?" he nodded and Scootaloo looked up at Sweetie Belle.

"Well there was the issue of that vase, but he swears it was an accident." Sweetie Belle joked.

"Oh? Well we might not have time to see Aj and Grandma Rainbow then..." his eyes grew even wider.

"AWWWW, but it was an accident! I'm really sorry" he said, lowering his head. Scootaloo gently kissed his forehead.

"Its fine Squirt. Come on, lets give your mom some peace and quiet. Oh almost forgot." She walked over, pulling Sweetie Belle into a passionate kiss. She almost fell over in laughter as she heard Piper groan in disgust behind her

"EWWWW! MOOOOM!" she chuckled again, gently biting Sweetie Belle's bottom lip.

"We'll finish later" she whispered just loud enough for the disgusted colt to hear. Sweetie Belle felt a chill run through her and smiled.

"Alright, just don't be out too late. I might have to wear those special socks so I won't get cold without you." Scootaloo grinned, and reluctantly pulled away.

"We'll be back soon!" she called out to her as they went out the door. Sweetie Belle smiled as she sat alone in their home. 

"Home..."she said quietly. 

"Thats right. This is MY home." She stood with a sigh.

"Now where did I put those socks..."





Nova walked through the halls of the castle, searching for her sister. Most likely Nyx would be with Spell Nexus and Riku in the main library. Nova peeked through the doorway and smiled, seeing her sister exactly where she thought she would be. Nyx smiled as she spotted the filly in the doorway. She said something to Spell Nexus and the Unicorn nodded, setting some books aside and leaving.

"Good Morning Princess Nova, I trust you slept well?" Spell Nexus asked her. She nodded and mumbled a reply. He chuckled and walked down the hall, leaving her alone with Nyx and Riku. Riku smiled at the little filly and she rushed into the library, hugging him tightly.

"Hey don't jump me like that Nova, Nyx might get jealous if I have a pretty filly like you stuck on me." Nova giggled, looking up at her sister who pretended to be upset with Riku.

"Oh how could you Riku, leaving me for such a cute little filly." The three fell into a fit of laughter, Nyx pulling her sister into a hug.

"Nyx, I saw momma cryin about somethin. She said everything was ok but I'm still worried." Nyx nodded and sat down.

"Mother has a long past sis, a lot of the things she's done like to sneak up on her and make her sad. But don't worry, as long as she has mom she'll never really be sad. Now come on, lets go get some breakfast. Are you coming Riku?" she asked, turning to him.

"hm? Oh sorry I was distracted for a moment. A certain ponies flank caught my eye." Nyx blushed, making Nova giggle.

"Riku! don't use that kind of language around Nova, what if she repeats that?" He shrugged

"Do you have a special somepony who you might be staring at Nova?" Nyx stared at him in surprise.

"Riku!" he chuckled.

"I'm just kidding." Nova smiled, her worries about her parents fading away as she walked to the kitchens with her sister and Riku.





Sunburst smiled, hearing the front door creak open, Scootaloo and her son Piper walking in.

"Hey Squirt, hey mini-squirt" Rainbow said with a smile.

"Wow, not so much a mini-squirt anymore. Ya'll sure have grown since we last saw ya Piper. Ah hope ya'll have been stayin out of trouble."

"Well I heard something about a vase." Scootaloo said with a small smile

"Moooooom!" Scootaloo laughed, ruffling his mane.

"I'm kidding. He's been pretty well behaved. I thought I'd bring him to see you guys on our way to Rarity's." Piper stared at Sunburst and laughed, he had never seen her wearing glasses before.

"Whats with the glasses?" Scootaloo smacked him upside his head with her wing.

"OW! Mom!" the young pegasus whined, looking up at her.

"Be nice. She needs those to see." 

"Its alright Big Sis...I'm use to it." Scootaloo sighed and sat beside the filly.

"Come on, don't be like that. You know, when I was your age my wings were so tiny I couldn't even attempt a take-off. Everypony made fun of me cause I was the only pegasus who couldn't actually fly."

"R...Really?" Scootaloo nodded.

"I use to be one of the worst fliers in Equestria. Everypony called me 'Rainbow Crash'"Rainbow said from across the table. Sunburst blinked in shock, staring at her mother. She couldn't even imagine her mother being a poor flier.

"The point they are tryin to make sugarcube, is that yer perfect th' way ya are. And when th' time comes yer gonna shine brighter than anypony else." 

"Pfft, not me." Piper interrupted. a glance from Applejack silencing him. Rainbow chuckled and shook her head.

"He's definitely your kid Scoots." 





Honeycrisp gulped as she stared down from atop the cloud. Her father stood beneath her wearing a smile. Her mother hovered beside her as she slowly opened her wings.

"Remember what I taught you and have fun with it, ok? Don't hurt yourself and don't worry. If you fall we'll catch you." Fluttershy said softly, her voice comforting the frightened pegasus. Honeycrisp smiled at her mother and nodded, stepping off the cloud and screaming, her wings latching themselves to her body. 

Big Macintosh moved into position to catch her, blinking as the weight he expected to feel wasn't there. He looked up to see his daughters wings flapping slowly, keeping her hovering in mid-air. He chuckled seeing that she had covered her face with her hooves, fearing the drop.

"Ya'll can open yer eyes now." He said to her. she slowly opened her eyes and gasped, looking back at her wings.

"Ah'm flying? Ah'm flying!" she screamed happily, flipping in the air and giggling. Fluttershy landed beside her husband, the two smiling as they watched their daughter drift through the air.

"Ah'm a bit worried she's gonna crash into sumtin Shy." Fluttershy nuzzled his cheek and smiled.

"It'll be ok Mackie. She might be quiet like me, but she has your strength. Anything she might hit should be worried how its going to come out of the crash. Though I'm kinda worried too. But its like Rarity said 'You have to let her spread her wings eventually and if you hold her back she's just going to do it anyway.' It'd be better to have her crash while we're here to help her rather than have her run off and hurt herself all alone." Big Macintosh nodded, keeping his eyes on the pegasus in the air.

"Come on down from there Honey" he called out to her. She nodded and lowered herself to the ground, still smiling as her parents walked over to her.

"Did ya see that mom!? did ya see?! Ah flew all by mahself! Did ya see dad?!" she asked them. They smiled, walking with the excited filly toward their home.

"Yes we saw and you were amazing up there. I can't wait to tell Rainbow Dash and Rarity what an amazing flier you are." the filly grinned, bouncing beside her mother.





Emerald took a deep breath and leapt from the rooftop, flapping her wings as hard as she could, only managing to roll herself around in the air. She screamed as she plummeted to the ground, blinking as she suddenly stopped. She sighed in relief seeing that her brother had caught her.

"S...Sorry..." she said softly, he grinned and set her down.

"Its alright Emy. It took me a while to learn to fly too. But jumping off the roof is just gonna get mom mad at you. Can you imagine if she saw your hair like this?" he joked, making her laugh. The sound of their father clearing his throat behind them stopped their laughter. They turned, finding him and their mother watching them with small smiles.

"And what exactly were you imagining dear?" Rarity asked. Amethyst stood upright, his sister shrinking behind him.

"I was remembering when you found us playing around in the mud out back." He said without a flicker of fear. Rarity smiled, looking over at Spike, the dragon nodding his approval.

"I'm proud of you Amethyst. Being able to speak your mind to me this way. Though I do hope I don't become the center of your jokes." The Kirin nodded, Emerald hiding behind him.

"Emerald dear, you don't have to hide. you aren't in any trouble. Though your brother is right. You shouldn't be leaping from the roof, especially without anypony out here watching you."

"s...Sorry mother..." she said softly. 

"Its quite alright dear, now, why don't we all go inside and get ready for Pipers visit?"





Piper sighed, his head sore from being smacked repeatedly. In truth it was his fault for being mean to his Aunt. It was kinda weird thinking of Sunburst like that. They were the same age after all. Scootaloo sat outside of Rarity's store, turning to look at him.

"Ready Squirt?" she asked

"Please don't let her dress me up..." Scootaloo knocked on the door gently, a shy green face appearing as the door opened up. The young Kirin who answered smiled and turned her head back inside the house.

"Mother! Aunt Scootaloo and cousin Piper are here!"

"Emerald Dear, use your inside voice please" Rarity called back, the Kirin wincing a little.

"Sorry Mother." Piper was never happier in that moment that Rarity was only his aunt. He would take his mother smacking him upside his head every day if it meant he didn't have to spend that time with Aunt Rarity. He gulped as the mentioned Unicorn welcomed them into her home, a few pieces of fabric floating around her.

"Oh its so good to see you dear. I was worried Sweetie Belle was hiding you from me. I thought of the most perfect suit for you the other day." Scootaloo placed a hoof over Pipers' mouth before he could protest.

"Actually Rarity this is more of a playdate visit. You wouldn't want him to ruin your design playing outside would you?" Rarity gasped

"I most certainly would not. I suppose we could schedule another time for it then. Emerald! Amethyst!" Rarity called, the two peeking their heads around the corner.

"Your cousin is here to play with you. No roughhousing and please don't touch anything in my workroom."

"We understand mother." they said together. Pipers eye twitched.

Their like drones... he thought to himself.

Amethyst, Piper and Emerald sat in a small circle, looking at one another.

"So...what do you do for fun around here? play dress up?" Piper joked. Emerald mumbled something, hiding behind her brother.

"Whats her problem?"

"She doesn't have a problem. She just doesn't like attention." Amethyst explained, wrapping a wing around her.

"So she's a scaredy-cat?" Amethyst remained calm as the words left Piper's mouth, but smoke drifted from his nostrils. Emerald grabbed his arm gently and shook her head. He nodded and took a slow breath, exhaling a small green and blue flame as he calmed himself.

"WHOA! That was cool!" Piper said, pointing a hoof at the flames.

"You've never seen dragon fire?"

"Well I saw Uncle Spike use his during that fireworks show. But his is just green. Can you do that again?" Amethyst shrugged.

"Yea, easily." Amethyst exhaled, letting the flames swirl around his face, Pipers eyes wide in amazement.

"Amy...Mother said you shouldn't play with it like that..." Emerald said quietly. Piper burst into laughter, falling onto his back.

"AMY?! HA! Your nickname is Amy?! Thats so girly!" Amethyst raised an eyebrow.

"Your name is Piper. Think about that for a minute." Amethyst said. Piper stopped laughing and stared at him.

"Aw buck, your right" Emerald gasped, staring at Piper with wide eyes.

"What?" he asked, looking at her.

"You...you said..."

"Emy, go inside and get some snacks." Amethyst said, pushing her away.

"What the buck is her problem?" Amethyst spun, glaring at Piper. The pegasus gulped, staring back.

"Watch what you say in front of my sister. You might be my cousin but that won't stop me from showing you your place." He said under his breath

"Understood?" The pegasus nodded frantically, scared for his life.

--

Scootaloo watched as Emerald made her way past and smiled.

"Hey Emy, having fun?" Emerald froze and mumbled something.

"Its alright Emy, you can talk to me." Scootaloo smiled and Spike gave her a nod.

"Scootaloo is your Aunt and one of the kindest ponies I know. You don't have to be scared of her Emy." Emerald nodded, sitting beside her father for comfort. She took a deep breath and spoke quickly.

"WeweresittingoutsidejusttalkingthenAmystartedplayingwithhisfirebreathandIwarnedhimheshouldn'tthenPipersaid bu...um..." she mumbled the last part, Scootaloo's ears pricking upward.

"He said what?" Scootaloo asked quietly.

"Um...well...I...I don't think he meant to say it...but..he..said..um...B.U.C...um...well..that word..." she mumbled. Scootaloo stood, spike placing his claw on her shoulder.

"Now wait just a second Scootaloo."

"Spike, kitchen, now." Scootaloo said to him. He nodded and kissed Emeralds forehead.

"Wait here Emy." 

"I'm sorry! I didn't want to get him in trouble!" she called out, her ears hanging down against her head.

"You don't need to apologize Emerald, you didn't do anything wrong."

Spike looked outside, seeing Amethyst glaring at Piper. He pointed a claw at the scene.

"See Scootaloo? Its already being handled. Though I don't approve of how he is going about it, its probably the best way to get it through his head."

"I don't know what to do Spike. I barely know my own son, I'm always away and busy with work and when I'm here I barely get to spend time with him or Sweetie Belle. How am I suppose to get him to behave? How do you and Rarity pull it off?"

"Scootaloo, have you seen Rarity when she gets angry?" Scootaloo shook her head and Spike chuckled.

"Well Amethyst and Emerald have. It only took once for them to see that. Though it had more of an affect on Emy than Amethyst."

"Thats why she's scared like that?"

"Sort of...she's always been afraid of being judged by others. Just being who she is draws attention to her and it scares her to have so many ponies watching her. When she saw Rarity angry with her...It was a turning point for her. She strives to always do the right thing and to make sure others do as well. but her shy nature keeps her from speaking up."

"What about Amethyst?" Scootaloo asked, watching as Amethyst scolded her son. 

"Amethyst is the older brother. And I couldn't be more proud of him."

"Though he is a bit foalish like his father at times." Rarity added as she stepped into the kitchen. She sighed a little watching the scene outside unfold.

"Aren't you going to stop him dear?" Rarity asked. Spike shook his head. Rarity turned to Scootaloo who only sighed.

"He doesn't listen to me Rarity. I was hopin Spike could give me some pointers, though from what I hear its you thats kept your little ones on the straight and narrow." Rarity bit her lip and sat.

"I didn't mean to lose my temper with them. I scold myself every day when I see the look in my poor Emeralds eyes. I scarred my own children..." Rarity felt tears sting her eyes and gasped as she felt claws wrap around her. She looked down to see Emerald hugging her tightly.

"Please don't cry Mother..." Emerald said quietly. Rarity slowly wrapped her hooves around her daughter. Spike smiled, pulling them both into a hug. Scootaloo smiled to herself, leaving them to have their moment. She walked outside, a grin appearing on Pipers face for a moment. He rushed past Amethyst.

"MOM! Amethyst is being mean to me and I didn't even do anything wrong!" Scootaloo looked at Amethyst.

"Is this true Amethyst?" The kirin turned to face her, staring her right in the eye.

"Its true for the most part Aunt Scootaloo. I wasn't exactly being as nice as I should have been and my reason is probably a bad one."

"What reason is that?"

"He cursed in front of my sister."

"I DID NOT!" Piper yelled angrily. Amethyst continued as if Piper had said nothing.

"Emerald already deals with enough at school. She doesn't need her own family poking fun at her and mouthing off."

"He's lying! I didn't do anythi..." Scootaloo put a hoof against his mouth and pointed to the window.

"We were watching Piper. Do you have anything you want to say?" The pegasus gulped and stammered excuses.

"Well, while you think about what you've done I think Rarity has something for you." Scootaloo turned, her son following after her.

"Rarity, would you mind showing me that wonderful suit you mentioned? I'm sure Piper would LOVE to try it on." 





"Prince Riku you don't have to cook! Thats why we are here!" the chef tried to argue. Riku sighed and shook his head. flipping the pancake he was making.

"My name is Riku, not Prince Riku. And I want to cook. This meal is special."

"Simple pancakes your majesty? surely we could make something better for you." Riku sighed. The only drawback of the best decision of his life. The constant attempts of the royals to pamper him. Nyx peeked her head into the kitchen, Nova sitting on her back. Nyx sighed a little to herself. She hated seeing Riku like this. It made her feel like it was her fault. She walked into the kitchen, Riku lifting a wing to hide a plate full of pancakes, the chef turning and bowing to her.

"Horte Cuisine, my husband wishes to make us a special breakfast and you are slowing his efforts and leaving us hungry. We would appreciate it if you would leave him be so that he may finish."

"o..of course Princess." The chef retreated into another section of the kitchen, making Nova giggle. 

"So much for making it a surprise." Riku mumbled, lowering his wing. Nova's eyes twinkled at the sight of the pancakes. Riku usually only made his pancakes on special occasions like her birthday. She had tried asking the chef to make them for her but they didn't taste anything like Riku's.

"Your Special Pancakes!" she yelled happily, stumbling off Nyx's back. She gasped as Nyx caught her in her magic. Nyx gently set her down and she sighed in relief, running over to Riku. Riku smiled at the excited look on the filly's face. Nyx walked up beside him, gently kissing his cheek. 

Nyx whispered something in his ear, making him blush. He quickly placed pancakes on a few plates and lifted them with his magic, carrying them to a nearby table. Nyx smiled to herself and sat, watching as Nova dove into her plate. Riku thought of what nyx had said to him.

I wonder if I would be a good father...





Twilight sat inside the Library, smiling at the pile of books she found. 

"Nyx, you really need to learn to clean up after yourself." Twilight sighed and searched through the numerous tomes. She was searching for one book in particular. She smiled as she spotted it, pulling it from its shelf in her magic. Luna peered over her shoulder.

"Whats this Dear?"

"Its something I thought I had lost." Luna read the cover

"Spells for Young fillies." Twilight smiled.

"Its the first book I ever read. I think its time Nova starts proper studying. She's too afraid of Spell Nexus to learn from him." Luna smiled, kissing her cheek.

"So you're going to teach her dear?" Twilight nodded, grabbing a few more books.

"Try not to cram too much into her head Dear."

"I won't, I won't."





Sweetie Belle peeked her head through the kitchen door as Scootaloo stepped inside with Piper. The younger pegasus grumbled under his breath, wearing a black and red suit with a matching tie. Sweetie Belle could tell from their faces that something was wrong.

"Go to your room Piper." Scootaloo said quietly, he lowered his head and walked to his room, slamming the door. Sweetie Belle looked at her worriedly.

"What happened?" She asked, almost dropping the spoon she held in her magic. Scootaloo shook her head and sat at the table, her head down. Sweetie Belle set the stove to simmer and sat beside her, placing a mug of cider in front of her. Scootaloo sat up a little and sipped from the mug, sighing quietly.

"He made fun of Sunburst, cussed in front of Emy then lied to my face Belle..." Scootaloo said with tears in her eyes. Sweetie Belle hugged her.

"He's a young colt Scoots. He's gonna do things like this."

"Does he do this when I'm not around?" She asked softly. Sweetie Belle shook her head.

"He tries his best to behave when your not here..." She said quietly.

"So he's only bad when I'm around, what kind of mother am I?"

"Scoots. He behaves when your gone, because when he sees you again he wants to see you happy that he's been good. He can't help misbehaving. He uses you as incentive to make himself behave. When your here he doesn't have that incentive anymore." Sweetie Belle wiped away her tears, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"He wants to be good. But he is who he is. Remember how much trouble we use to get into?" Scootaloo laughed a bit and sighed, staring into her mug.

"We were just little fillies tryin to get our cutie marks."

"We still got in trouble." Sweetie Belle rubbed her hoof against Scootaloo's wing slowly. Scootaloo sighed quietly and relaxed.

"How about, we go have a nice quiet warm bath and I get those socks out." Sweetie Belle whispered softly in her ear. Scootaloo blushed, her wings opening up. She set the mug down and smiled, pulling Sweetie Belle into a kiss.

"That sounds wonderful." Sweetie Belle shook her flank back and forth slowly as she made her way toward their bathroom. Scootaloo following after with a smile, her worries fading for a moment as she watched the unicorn.

Sweetie Belle sat next to the tub, freeing her hair of the ribbon that held it, letting it fall down her neck as she turned on the water. They stepped into the tub together, sighing as the water soaked into their coats. Scootaloo wrapped her hooves around Sweetie Belle, the unicorn leaning back against her. She shut off the water and laid her head back far enough to run her tongue over Scootaloo's lips.





Honeycrisp hummed quietly along with her father and mother as they made their way to Sweet Apple Acres. Her mother was making good on her promise about her flying and she couldn't be happier. Sunburst sat on the porch with Rainbow Dash, talking about her first flight. Honeycrisp smiled and ran forward, hugging her tightly.

"Guess what, guess what!" she whispered excitedly.

"What Crisp?" Sunburst asked with a laugh. She had never seen her cousin this excited before.

"I flew today! I even did a flip!" Rainbow and Sunburst blinked, looking from the excited filly to Fluttershy and Big Macintosh.

"Eeyup. she sure did. Though the fall had her screamin fer a moment. Once she knew she was flyin it was like she had become an entirely new filly." Rainbow grinned.

"Thats awesome Honey, maybe you can take Sunny here out for a flight. She's taking her first go today." Applejack made her way outside, smiling once she spotted her brother.

"Well howdy Macintosh, bout time ya made yer way here. Applebloom should be on her way in just a little while. Timber wolves started a howlin last night and ah need all the help ah can get to get ready for th' harvest."

"Ya'll know Apple Bloom is the best zap apple jammer we've got Sis, but ah'll do mah part in harvestin th' apples."

"Oh I'll help too" Fluttershy said with a smile.

"Oh no sugarcube, ya'll ain't gonna be liftin a hoof. Ah already heard th' news and yer gonna have yerself a nice long rest. Rainbow can ah count on ya to make sure of that?" Rainbow saluted, getting a laugh out of everypony.

"Pegasi and Fluttershy duty, on it ma'am" Rainbow grinned as Applejack kissed her cheek.

"Alright Macintosh, lets get started."





"Hayseed! Penny! hold still!" Applebloom sighed, tying the bow in place.

"Momma ah don't wanna go, can't we just stay here with papa?" Hayseed asked, pouting a little.

"Sorry, we're all going. Your mother has to help Aunt Applejack and Uncle Macintosh with the harvest. But I suppose we could stay." Pip said as he sat down near the twins.

"Really?!" they said together.

"If you don't want anypony to have any zap apple jam that is." They both gasped and shook their heads.

"No zap apple jam?!" the twins exclaimed in horror

"No Zap Apple Jam." he repeated grimly. Both fillies sat still as their mother tied their bows into their hair, sighing and kissing her husbands cheek.

"What would ah do without you?"

"Tons of things. I'm just good with these two." Applebloom giggled shaking her head.

"Alright everypony, lets get a move on, those apples ain't gonna harvest themselves!"

"RIGHT!" the twins said together, following their parents toward Sweet Apple Acres. Applebloom smiled, seeing her brother and sister setting everything up for the Harvest.

"Why don't ya'll go say hi to em before goin t' see Aunt Rainbow?" The twins nodded, rushing together toward Applejack

"Auntie Applejack! Auntie Applejack!" they called together.

"Well if it ain't the cutest twins in all equestria. Now what are ya'll doin here? Ain't ya suppose t' be with Aunt Dashie?"

"Momma wanted us t' come see ya before we went t' see Auntie Dashie" Hayseed said with a smile.

"Yea, since ya'll are gonna be so busy with th' harvestin and all" Penny said with a smile of her own.

"Well that was mighty nice of her. It sure is good t' see ya'll again. Ah think there is some left over cider back at th' house. Tell Dashie I said to get ya'll some."

"YAY! thanks Aunt Applejack!" they ran off toward the house, saying bye to their parents as the couple walked by.

"Hey sis. Hows everythin goin with th' harvest?" Applebloom asked

"So far so good Applebloom. Ah need ya'll t' get everythin ready. Yer our star Zap Apple Jammer after all." Applebloom nodded and gave Pip a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Ah'll be back in a bit. Why don't you go spend time with th' girls?" Pip nodded, watching as she left.

"Those fillies of yers sure do seem like a hooffull Pip." Macintosh said as he passed by, carrying a bucket on his back.

"They are, though I've learned how to handle them."

"Lucky you. Most of us are still tryin t' figure out th' secret to gettin a hold of the reigns so t' speak. Rarity an Spike got a hold of theirs, ya'll got a hold of yers. Far as ah know shy and macintosh are doin fine with Honey, little filly had her first flight today."

"Eeyup" Macintosh said with a grin before grabbing another bucket.

"What about you and Miss Dash?"

"Pip, ah already told ya, ya don't have t' say 'miss' like that. We're family. Just Applejack and Rainbow, alright?" Pip nodded.

"Sorry mi...Applejack. Old habits die hard."

"Ah know what ya mean." she set a bucket down beside a tree.

"As fer yer question, only problems we've had are with Sunny not wantin to wear her glasses. She dang near slammed right into one of th' trees without em." she said with a sigh, hefting a bucket onto her back.

"Its almost funny, poor mare who can't see is worried about what others will think of how she looks. She worries too much about those glasses. They actually look cute on her."

"Well Pip, seein as ya'll have a ways with the little fillies why don't ya give Sunburst a try? Ah'm sure ya'll can get through t' her." Applejack said to him as she set down another bucket.

"I'll give it my best shot Applejack"





The twins sat, waiting for their cider with eager smiles, watching their cousins flying around in circles and giggling. Rainbow came outside, carrying a tray of cider.

"Alright everypony, get it while its hot!" The pegasi landed, happily accepting mugs of their families famous cider

"Room for one more?" Pip asked with a smile as he stepped onto the porch.

"Whoa Pip, where'd all that muscle come from?" Rainbow asked. Pip chuckled, ruffling Penny's mane.

"Mostly from this one, though this one had a lot to do with it." the twins giggled, looking up at him.

"Pa's th' strongest pony we know Aunt Dashie. Besides uncle Macintosh."

"I dunno, maybe they should hoofwrestle!" Rainbow suggested. Pip shook his head.

"Me and Macintosh? I'm tough but Big Macintosh is Big Macintosh for Celestia's sake. Only Pony in Equestria to survive..." He looked back and forth dramatically, looking down on the four young fillies sipping cider.

"THE STARE!" They gasped and he chuckled.

"I'm sure you of all ponies know what i'm talking about Honey." the little filly nodded, still in shock.

"Momma used th' stare on mah papa?" she asked

"Yes and it didn't work."

"Why would momma do that to Papa though?"

"They were having an argument of course." everypony just stared at him.

"What could those two ponies possible argue over?" Rainbow asked.

"They were arguing over what to name Honey. Macintosh wanted to call her Honeycrisp, Fluttershy wanted to call her Sunshine Apple. It got to the point where Fluttershy in her anger used THE STARE on macintosh. Big Macintosh only stared back until Fluttershy gave in."

"Wow...hey how do you know all this?"

"Applebloom told me." he winked

"So, I'll say it again. Big Macintosh is Big Macintosh. Doesn't matter how tough a pony gets, there isn't a pony alive that could best that machine of a stallion. Well in a test of strength anyway. Rainbow Dash has him beat on speed." Rainbow giggled.

"I see how Applebloom fell for you. Your good with that flattery."

"I try." he shrugged and smiled at the fillies.

"So I hear a certain little filly had an amazing first flight today. There was also talk of another filly. Something about her glasses ruining her adorable face." Rainbow glared at him for a moment, almost everypony knew how much Sunburst hated her glasses. Before Rainbow could let her anger loose Pip continued.

"Though I don't see how these things could possibly do that. You've got that wonderful smile, those bright shining eyes and your parents determination. Why should these bother you?" he asked, placing a hoof gently against the glasses.

"Ya really think all that 'bout me Uncle Percy?"

"Of course I do. And I'm not the only one."

"But what about all those ponies that are always makin fun o' me?" Pip scoffed and raised his nose in the air.

"Those poor fillies are just jealous of you. Its their way of defending themselves Sunny. You see, they all have something they think makes them less special, less important. So to make themselves feel better they try to bring you down to their level. But you can't let them. Because your a better pony than that." Sunburst hugged him and he smiled, wrapping a hoof around her.

"Thanks Uncle Percy. Ah feel a lot better knowin that." Rainbow smirked.

"You sure have a way with the fillies."

"Don't tell Applebloom that" he joked.





Nova yawned, laying down on Riku's back.

"I think its time for someponies nap." Riku said with a smile.

"Huh? wait, i'm not tired! I don't need a na..."she yawned again, her eyes drifting downward. Riku chuckled and carried the little filly to her room, Nyx walking beside him. He gently placed the sleeping Alicorn into her bed, pulling the bow from her hair and setting it on her bedside table.

"You really would make a good father Riku." Nyx whispered beside him. He turned to her.

"Nyx...This is kinda weird to ask but...do you want a foal of your own?" Nyx blushed and lowered her head, drawing circles in the floor with her hoof.

"Well...I've thought about it..."

"And?" he asked, ignoring his own blush. Nyx raised her head and kissed his lips softly.

"I want a foal...But...I didn't wanna force you into something like that..."she said softly. Riku blushed and wrapped a wing around her, pulling her close to him as he kissed her.

"Nyx. I want you to be happy. I would do anything to see you smile. If a foal is what you want then we'll just have to give you one." she looked into his eyes, her cheeks flushed red.

"R...Riku...do you really mean that?" He kissed her lips softly, sending a shudder through her entire body.

"I do."





Amethyst sighed to himself a little.

"Mother, do we really have to go all the way to canterlot?" he asked.

"Amethyst Dear, this is important. I have a very important client in Canterlot and Princess Twilight wishes to see you and your sister."

"S...She won't use us for her experiments will she Mother?" Emerald asked quietly from beside her brother.

"Dear, wherever did you hear such absurd things?"

"F...From Piper...h..he said that The Princess was gonna experiment on us since we aren't real ponies..."

"Since we're freaks is what he said." Amethyst said with a hint of anger in his voice, smoke drifting from his nostrils.

"Amethyst your steaming again. I know your upset with Piper but you need to control your anger. You two aren't freaks and don't let anypony tell you differently."

"Your father is right. You two are my darling gems and I don't care what anypony else has to say about it. Now, is everypony ready?" They nodded and together stepped outside and into the carriage that had been sent for them.

"Wow...this is so amazing." Emerald shook with excitement as the pegasi took the sky, pulling their carriage into the air.





Twilight smiled at the sleeping form of her daughter, setting the book down on the bedside table. She gently nudged her.

"Nova dear, time to get up." Nova yawned, her wings fluttering a bit as she opened her eyes. She smiled and sprang up to her hooves, looking up at the alicorn.

"Mommy!" she giggled as the filly hugged her.

"Nova, I thought it would be a good idea for you to begin your magic studies." The filly looked up at her with fear in her eyes, making her giggle.

"Don't worry Sweetie. I'm going to be the one teaching you." Nova sighed in relief and blinked as her mane fell over her eyes. She looked around finding her bow and lifted it with her magic, carefully tying her hair back with it.

"Mommy...is momma ok?" she asked, trying to stay calm, though her lip quivered a bit.

"She's fine Nova." Nova lowered her head.

"Big sis said momma has things that sneak up on her and make her sad. Things she's done. What did momma do to make herself sad?" 

"Its a long story dear...Its not one for little fillies either." Nova pouted and Twilight lifted the book from the bedside table.

"Right now we have this. I'll make you a deal. You study with me and we'll go talk to her about it, ok?" Nova nodded and sat as her mother opened the book, going over basic spells.





"oh hello Applebloom, time for zap apple harvest already?" the mare in the shop asked with a smile as Applebloom tested a pot with her teeth. She nodded with a smile.

"Eeyup, its gonna be one heck of a harvest too. Ah hope t' make my best zap apple jam this year."

"Well I'll have to stop by for a jar!"  The unicorn lifted the pots into Appleblooms saddlebag after they were paid for, bidding her farewell and turning to her next customer. Applebloom hummed a little as she walked throughout Ponyville, a smile on her face as a few clouds drifted by.

She stopped by a few beehives and picked one up, grabbing a jar from her bags. She sat and tilted the beehive slightly

"hello old friends, nice t' see all of ya'll again." she said as the bee's circled around her, some landing on her chin and buzzing happily. She giggled a little, setting down the beehive

"Ah'll be seein ya'll around. Ya'll have a good day!" she said, waving goodbye to the bees and heading back towards Sweet Apple Acres. She was stopped by a tall mare.

"Hello there Applebloom. I hear the zap apples are coming in. You do remember our deal don't you?" the mare said

"Ah seem t' recall a certain pony deciding she didn't much care for the Apple family business. That there deal belonged t' yer pa and Granny Smith. Both of em are gone now and ah already gave ya a chance at mah zap apple jam."

"Come now Applebloom, we both know you need my bits."

"Ah don't need nuthin from the likes of you. My zap apple jam makes more than enough money fer us ever since it started sellin in canterlot. So ifn' ya don't mind, ah've got work t' do!" Applebloom stomped past Diamond Tiara, her face scrunched up in anger. She tried to calm down as she walked back toward sweet apple acres, the mare following after her.

"Please Applebloom..." she stopped in her tracks, turning back to her. If she was willing to actually say please to her she must have been desperate.

"Ah'll make ya a deal Tiara. Ya'll can come by and buy a couple jars t' sell fer yer pa's business and ifn' ya'll can keep a level head ah might let ya buy a few more and we'll see how things go from there. deal?" Diamond Tiara bit back her pride and nodded.

"Deal."





The guards grinned a little, seeing Spike walk up to the gate.

"Good to see ya again Spike, its been ages." Spike grinned and hugged the guard.

"Yea it really has been a long time. How are the twins?" the guard shrugged.

"Trust me, ya don't wanna know. Those two never sleep." Spike chuckled a little.

"Well, have ya tried calling up Pinkie Pie?"

"You mean that crazy mare?! well..uh..."

"hey, she's crazy but she's pretty good with twins. If you want I can let her know about you when I head back to Ponyville."

"Really? well that'd be great Spike!"

"Dear, we're on a schedule." Rarity said from beside him.

"oh right. Well I'll be seein you around, we've got some business to attend to."

"Thanks again Spike." The dragon nodded, walking through the gate, followed by his family. Canterlot hadn't really changed much over the years. Celestia preferred to keep it as it was and nopony really cared to say otherwise. They were happy leaving things as they were. Spike chuckled a little, watching as Emeralds eyes scanned everything.

"You know Emy, I use to live here." she turned to him in shock.

"Y...You lived here in canterlot father?!" He nodded.

"Yup. Back when I was just a little dragon. I was Twilights' number one Assistant."

"What happened?" Ameythyst asked.

"Well, I grew up, fell in love, made a family. We're still close friends, but we have our own lives to take care of now." 

"So wait...you're friends with Princess Twilight?" Emerald asked as they neared the castle.

"Twilight has been a dear friend of ours for years Emerald. It was actually Twilight who brought all of us together." Rarity smiled a little as a thought came to her.

"In fact, if not for Twilight, I would have never met your father."

"But you know, Twilight wasn't always a princess. She was actually a unicorn like your mother." The two kirins looked at each other then back at their parents.

"But how did she become a Princess?" they asked together.

"Ah, now that is a fun story." they turned to see Twilight standing in front of them. Spike hugged her tightly, the Alicorn returning the gesture.

"Its so good to see you Spike. and this must be Emerald, I've heard much about your magical talents." at the mention of her name Emerald shrank back behind her mother.

"Sorry Twilight. She is a bit shy. Its not everyday you meet a princess after all." Rarity said with a smile.

"I understand Rarity, my little Nova is the same. Come on out Nova, don't you want to meet Spike?" A head peeked its way around the Alicorn, the bright blue eyes locking onto Emerald. The kirins' eyes locked onto the alicorn filly, the two walking toward one another. They sat, staring at one another, mirroring the others movements as they tilted their heads to one side, then the other. Rarity and Twilight giggled at the display.

"I'm Emerald"

"I...I'm Nova" The two smiled at one another. Amethyst grinned a little, his father doing the same. Emerald didn't really have any friends, due to her appearance and shy nature. It was a wonderful sight to see her make a new friend so quickly. Though Amethyst intended to keep an eye on Nova, he didn't want his sister to get hurt again. Spike noticed the look on his sons face, placing a claw on his shoulder and shaking his head. Spike turned back to Twilight.

"So, you wanted to test their magical abilities Princess Twilight?" Spike asked. Twilight sighed.

"Spike...for the last time. Just call me Twilight." Twilights ear twitched and she sighed, a group of guards surrounding her.

"Guards, stand down."

"We cannot Princess." Twilight sighed.

"Very well. I'm sorry about all of this. The guards have been...well..."

"I understand Twilight. Though what could possibly be a threat to Canterlot now?" Rarity asked. Twilight shook her head.

"Nova, why don't you take Amethyst and Emerald to the gardens. Nyx should be there." Nova nodded

"Come on!" She smiled, leading the two of them away, a pegasus guard flying above them.

"I thought you wan..." Twilight raised a hoof.

"Follow me." she said softly, turning and heading into the castle. Spike and Rarity exchanged worried glances, following after the Alicorn.





"I need those cupcakes!" a stallion called from across the kitchen

"Comin right up Mister Cakie!" a young pink zebra mare called back, spinning the tray of cupcakes on top of her head. She stood on her hind hooves, holding a tray on each forehoof and walked to the counter, setting all three trays down in front of the stallion, making him chuckle.

"What would I do without you around Swirl?"

"You'd probably notice your muffins are burning." another mare said from the front counter.

"my muffins? Oh shoot!" he flung the oven open and sighed as he pulled out the burnt muffins. Strawberry swirl giggled and took a bite out of one.

"MMMM! needs just a bit more pecan in it." she said with a giggle.

"Well, we'll have to tell Dinky those are gonna take us a bit longer." Pumpkin said with a sigh.

"No we won't silly filly." Strawberry reached into a cabinet, pulling out a full tray of perfectly baked muffins.

"I keep a few around in case of burnt muffin emergencies" Pound cake laughed and shook his head

"Your a life saver Swirl."

"Just doin my job!" she bounced over to the counter with the tray, dropping the muffins in a bag. She grinned, seeing a tall pink mare enter the store. She zipped over to her, throwing her hooves around her.

"Hey mom!"

"Well hey there cupcake!" the two giggled and hugged one another.

"MMM, somethin smells good in here. Ah wonder what it could be." Braeburn said as he entered the store, carrying a box on his back. Strawberry stared at the box with wide eyes, her hind hoof twitching.

"Is that..." she gasped.

"A slice of Applejacks famous Triple decker Deluxe Apple pie!?!?!" Braeburn grinned and nodded.

"Yer mother and Ah wanted to bring it to ya as a 'congrats on doing so well' present. It was more yer mothers idea though." Braeburn said with a grin, Pinkie kissing his cheek as the zebra took hold of the box. She smiled seeing that it was more than just a slice. It was an entire pie! She squealed happily, bouncing into the kitchen.

"Pound! Pumpkin! I need your help!" both of them came rushing to her.

"Everything ok Swirl?" they asked together, she nodded and opened the box.

"I need your help to eat all this yummy super fantastic scrumptious apple pie my momma and papa brought me!" she grinned and the twins burst into laughter.

"Sure thing Strawberry."





The twins watched as her mother walked back and forth, giving a speech to a bunch of jars. She slammed her hoof on the counter and one cracked. Applebloom glared at the jar and flung it into a trash can.

"Now we ain't gonna have any others crack under th' pressure now are we?!" she asked the jars. After a moment she nodded.

"Good, lets get t' work!" Applebloom gave Penny and hayseed each a paintbrush and told them to start painting polka dots on the walls. They stared at her confused.

"Ya want us t' paint Auntie Applejacks Kitchen momma?! But won't she get mad at us?!" Penny Apple asked. Applebloom shook her head.

"Ya'll let me worry about Applejack. If she really wants th' best zap apple jam in Equestria then we've gotta do things by th' book. Now git t' paintin!"

"Ma'am yes ma'am!" they shouted together with a salute, giggling and running around the house, painting polka dots everywhere. Applejack peeked her head inside and chuckled.

"Ah see ya'll have em paintin already. Ya really think this'll be yer best harvest sis?"

"T' be honest ah dunno Applejack. But ah've gotta do my best."The earth pony said with a sigh, surprised as Applejack hugged her tightly, Applebloom felt a tear sting her eye as she leaned against her sister.

"Ah know how much ya'll miss her Applebloom...she would be so proud of ya..." Applebloom sniffed, taking a slow ragged breath as her sister ran a hoof through her mane.

"Ya'll don't have to push yerself so hard though sugarcube. Ya'll are the best Zap Apple Jammer we've ever had and ah know Granny Smith was, is, and always will be proud of ya sis." Applebloom smiled, hugging her older sister tightly and sighing as she let go.

"Thanks Applejack...Ah needed that."

"Anytime sis."
> New Heroes Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A smile spread across the unicorns face as she stared into her marefriends eyes.

"Do you think I was too harsh on him Belle?" Scootaloo asked softly

"Maybe just a little. Though he does look cute in that suit." Sweetie Belle replied with a giggle.

"Maybe I should talk to him..." Sweetie Belle snuggled close to her, sending a chill up her spine.

"We'll talk to him together...also...um...scoots...theres somethin I wanted to tell you..." Sweetie Belle blushed, turning her head away.

"Belle...is everything alright?" Scootaloo asked worridly, wrapping her hooves around Sweetie Belle.

"well yea...but..." Sweetie Belle surprised her by kissing her passionately, making the pegasus moan.

"I'm pregnant..." she said softly as she pulled away from the pegasus.

"wh...huh...how?! what...you mean...we didn't...did we?" Sweetie Belle nodded, rolling over in the bed to reach into the bedside drawer. A few pictures were lifted up in her magic and set in front of Scootaloo.

"That party Pinkie threw...we were so drunk we didn't even realize it, but Pinkie took these pictures..." Scootaloo looked at the pictures, noticing something strange about them.

"um...i'm..."

"yea...As it turns out...my magic went a little screwy when I was drunk and well...you were a colt for the night and things went from there..."

"so...we're having another foal?!" Sweetie Belle nodded, gasping as Scootaloo hugged her tightly. 

"A little unicorn filly..." Sweetie Belle said as she snuggled close to Scootaloo. Scootaloo chuckled and kissed the unicorns forehead.

"So i'll have Piper to teach and you'll have a cute little unicorn." Sweetie Belle nodded and sighed happily.





The silence seemed to drag on forever as they followed Twilight. Spike cleared his throat, dragging the Alicorn from her thoughts.

"Sorry Spike..." Twilight took a deep breath and sat down in front of them.

"We have a problem." she said after gathering her thoughts.

"Problem?" Rarity asked. Spike took a seat, wondering what kind of problem it could be. Twilight had been known to over-exaggerate things after all.

"Yes...Discord's statue has vanished." they sat in silence, letting what Twilight had just said sink in. Rarity leapt to her hooves

"Well we have to do something Twilight!" Rarity yelled. Twilight raised a hoof to silence her.

"I know Rarity, but we don't want to cause a panic" Twilight said calmly

"Panic!? Twilight this is DISCORD! he took away our horns with a snap of his claws!" Rarity argued.

"Rarity, the statue has been missing for a few days now and we have seen no sign of Discord. When we first discovered it was gone we almost gathered the Elements. But realized this would only cause the ponies to panic and on top of that we have no idea where Discord might be hiding or why he is hiding."

"Isn't it obvious?" Spike asked from his seat near Rarity. The two ponies turned to him.

"If he is hiding its because he knows the Elements will just seal him away again." Spike explained. Twilight smiled a little.

"I miss having you around Spike. You've always been a voice of reason." The dragon nodded.

"Even so Twilight. What are we going to do?" Spike asked.

"Well...I want to gather the elements, but discreetly. Its one of the reasons I asked you to come here today, I am interested in Emeralds magical abilities, especially since she has two horns instead of one. I didn't want to bring this up but..."

"But Discord also has two horns and my magic is directly related to his." Spike finished. Rarity stared at him in shock and nearly fainted as she turned to Twilight.

"You think my daughter..." Rarity couldn't bring herself to finish, a jumble of noises pouring forth instead.

"No Rarity. I don't think she will be anything like Discord. Though I do want to have a look at her abilities." Twilight yawned.

"You alright Twilight?" Spike asked. She nodded slowly.

"Just a few sleepless nights. Luna and I have been trying to locate Discords Statue. We think that since he hasn't come back that somepony just took the statue. At least that's what we are hoping for. I wanted to wait until everypony was here but..." Twilight stood and walked over to a small box, opening it with her magic and lifting the Element of Magic out of the box. Rarity and Spike gasped looking at it. The Element had begun to turn into stone.

"Wh...what happened to it?" Rarity asked quietly.

"When Luna cast the Forbidden Spell to make me an Alicorn, my connection with the Element of Magic was lost. Well not lost, rather it was slowly pulling away from me. I was a part of the Element while I was a unicorn, but as an Alicorn i'm a different pony and am no longer bound to it as I once was. I fear that we will have to find somepony else to hold the Element of Magic, maybe even all of the Elements."

"And you believe that Emerald can take over the position as the holder of the Element of Magic?" Spike asked. Twilight smiled and gave a small nod.

"From what I hear she most certainly fits the job." Luna said as she entered the room. Spike and Rarity bowed their heads respectfully.

"It is good to see you again. I trust the ride here was pleasant?"

"It was Princess, Emerald rather enjoyed it i'm sure." Rarity said.

"I'm happy to hear it. Where is she now?" Luna asked, looking around the room.

"Amethyst and Emerald are with Nova. I didn't want them here for this." Twilight explained.

"They will find out eventually Twilight...I thought we talked about this." Luna sighed and shook her head.

"I'll send letters to the others." Spike said to break the tension in the air.

"Oh...um yes, please do Spike."





Applejack blinked as a letter fell to the ground in front of her.

"A letter from Spike? Ah wonder what he could want?" She unrolled the scroll and read over it, mumbling under her breath. She gasped, dropping the letter.

"Macintosh, get Pip and th' girls, we gotta high tail it to Canterlot! Pronto!" The stallion nodded, running towards the Apple family household with as much strength as his powerful legs could muster. Applejack tucked her hat down, ready to race off to Sugarcube corner. 

She stopped, seeing the Pink mare she intended to alert was standing behind her along with Braeburn and Strawberry Swirl. The little zebra shook slightly as she stood there, her ears flopping back and forth.

"Ah guess ya'll were right Swirl, somethin is goin on 'round here." Braeburn said softly, looking at Applejack. The work pony nodded and showed Pinkie the letter.

"WHAT?!?! But how!? We beat that big meany already!"

"Now remember Pinkie, this has happened t' us before. Heck, we had to beat Nightmare Moon three times! Though t' be honest we didn't really do so well second time around...But thats not th' point Pinkie, we gotta get t' Canterlot and help Twi!" Pinkie Pie nodded

"Braesy, you stay here with strawberry and the fillies." She said, kissing his cheek.

"Sorry Pinks, but ah can't do that. I'm comin with ya."

"Braeburn..." Pinkie turned to face him. The two staring each other down and neither backing down.

"We don't have time for this!" Applejack yelled in frustration, pushing them both towards Sweet Apple Acres, Strawberry bouncing after them.





Pip spun at the sound of hooves rushing toward them. All it took was a nod from Big Macintosh for him to understand.

"Girls stay close to your Aunt Dash and Uncle Macintosh."

"Where are ya goin pa?" Hayseed asked. He smiled a little.

"Just to get some things i'll need. Be good and stay with your uncle and aunt." she nodded as did Penny. Pip nodded to Rainbow Dash and tore down the path to fetch his hoofblade. He had hoped he wouldn't have to use it again, but the look on Big Macintosh's face told him otherwise. He could faintly hear Applebloom calling him as he ran toward their house.

The yellow mare could only watch as her husband ran. Big Macintosh arrived at the steps, a bit out of breath.

"We gotta...git t' canterlot." He huffed. Rainbow nodded.

"Alright girls, roadtrip. Everyone in the cart!"

"YAY!" they cheered, jumping into a large cart. Rainbow strapped herself into it, surprised when Fluttershy did the same on the other side.

"Shy..."

"Dash, you know you can't carry all of them by yourself. Don't worry, I'll leave most of the work to you and I'll be careful. But we are in a bit of a hurry." Macintosh nodded and turned to Applebloom.

"Ah'm mighty sorry Bloom..." he said. She nodded in understanding. If they were needed now, then they wouldn't be here for the Zap Apple harvest. She shook her head.

"We'll figure it out Big Macintosh, we always do. Ya'll go on ahead t' canterlot. Ah can handle things from here and ah'll meet up with ya once everythin's ready." Macintosh turned to find Pinkie Pie and her family with Applejack.

"Alright, looks like we got everypony...wheres Pip?"

"Gone t git his sword no doubt." Macintosh mumbled so only Applejack and Pinkie heard him. Strawberry Swirl smiled as her eyes spotted the cart.

"WOO-HOO! Road trip!" she cheered, jumping in with the others.

"Everypony ready back there?!" Rainbow Dash called back to them.

"We're ready!" they all said together. Rainbow smiled at Applejack who winked at her.

"Ya'll go on ahead Dashie, me an Macintosh will catch up." Applejack said with a smile.

"Be careful Shy..." Macintosh said, nuzzling the pegasus. She smiled and gave him a small kiss.

"You too Mackie." they nodded and lowered their heads, buzzing their wings as they began to run, pulling the cart along with them.

Rainbow kicked off the ground, letting most of the carts weight rest on her, Fluttershy pushing her wings to help keep them in the air. Soon they were high in the sky, cruising just below the clouds. The fillies in the cart behind them giggled as they ran their hooves through the fluff of white above them.

"What do ya'll think we are goin t' canterlot for?" Penny asked. Strawberry put a hoof to her chin.

"Hmmmm, I dunno. Maybe we're gonna go fight dragons!"

"Dragons!?" Honeycrisp squeeked, hiding in her mane. Sunburst sighed, adjusting her glasses.

"Ah doubt they would send a bunch o' kids t' fight dragons."

"Y...Yea! That'd be crazy." Hayseed added, trying to hide her own fear of dragons.

"Ah wonder what it could be though. Th' zap apple harvest jus' started and we're runnin off t' canterlot. Somethin bad musta happened..." Sunburst put a hoof to her chin and closed her eyes. It didn't add up, why would their parents cart them off to canterlot so quickly?

"Somethin bad? Like what?" Honeycrisp asked.

"oh oh oh! maybe something exploded!"

"what if Canterlot exploded?!" Penny asked in shock.

"HEY! Calm down. We can't jus' jump t' conclusions everypony. Ah don't think anythin exploded and ah don't think we'd be goin to' Canterlot if it exploded. Most likely it has t' do with th' Elements." Sunburst was only guessing though. It was no secret that their parents were the famed Elements of Harmony. Though the Elements hadn't been needed in Equestria since sometime before they were all born.

"The Elements?" Strawberry Swirl asked, munching on a cupcake she had seemingly pulled out of the clouds.

"Yea. Did ya see my ma's face? Somethin's goin on...and ah don't like it."





Pinkie Pie watched as the cart left, sighing a little as she lowered her head. Braeburn gently nudged her side.

"I know Braesy...I had just hoped we would be done with it all. That we could just have our family and be happy."

"Pinks...we can be happy. Jus' cause th' princess needs ya doesn't mean that has t' change. Now c'mon cupcake, we need ya." She smiled a little and nodded, standing tall.

"Thanks Braesy" The pink party pony turned to her friends.

"Well, we got all th' buckets dropped and we've got maybe four days til th' harvest. Is there anypony we could get t' help ya Bloom?" Applejack asked. The mare only smiled and looked up at the clouds for a moment. She tucked her bottom lip in and let out a long loud whistle, followed by a quick shrill of a whistle.

"Help should be here soon. Ya'll don't have t' worry 'bout me." Applejack tilted her hat a bit, Applebloom doing the same with her black stetson. The orange workhorse turned to the ponies behind her and together they ran off toward Canterlot.

"Good luck..." Applebloom said with a quiet sigh.





Scootaloo's eyes snapped wide open as a shrill whistle broke the peaceful silence of her home. She recognized that whistle. It was the old crusader whistle. It sounded like it was Applebloom. Scootaloo flew to her hooves from the bed, Sweetie Belle quickly beside her. Before they could take off, another whistle reached their ears, a calm whistle. Scootaloo sighed in relief. While Applebloom did need them, there wasn't any danger.

"Maybe she needs help with the harvest." Sweetie Belle mused.

"But doesn't she have her entire family helping her? How could they need more help?" Scootaloo asked, relaxing a bit. She had been prepared for a fight just moments ago and the adrenaline was still pumping its way through her body. Sweetie Belle shrugged and sighed softly.

"Well, lets go see what she needs. I'll get Piper." Scootaloo nodded, gently kissing her cheek as she passed by her. Sweetie Belle smiled, gently knocking a hoof on Pipers door.

"Piper?" She called. She heard him mumble something and pushed the door open, finding him sulking in a corner with Rarity's new outfit scattered around the room. He sniffed loudly as he turned his head to look at her.

"Oh Piper..." She pulled him into a hug, letting the colt cry against her.

"She hates me...I know she does..." He mumbled into her coat. She sighed and kissed his forehead gently.

"Piper, she loves you more than anything in the world. You're why she signed up for the wonderbolts. Because she wanted to spoil you rotten and be able to buy you anything you wanted. She wanted you to be able to go to school and say 'my mom is a wonderbolt'. She doesn't hate you. She isn't even the tiniest bit mad at you."

"S...She isn't?" he sniffed, looking up at her. She smiled down at him.

"Nope. Not even a little. Come on, we're gonna go see Applebloom and maybe we'll be able to get some zap apples." he smiled, wiping away the last of his tears as he followed her out of his mess of a room. His smile faded as he spotted Scootaloo, lowering his head. Sweetie Belle nudged him gently and he looked up at the pegasus before him. She looked back with tears in her eyes, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry I got mad...I'm sorry I let Rarity put you in that stupid suit...a...and I'm sorry I haven't been here..." He hugged back, burying his muzzle in her coat.

"I...Its ok mom...I had it comin anyway...I shouldn't have lied and I shoulda behaved..." they pulled away from one another, Sweetie Belle smiling at them as she lifted a camera in her magic.

"Smile!" she said, surprising both of them as she took a picture. The unicorn nodded proudly as she tucked away the new memory into a photo album. Scootaloo laughed a little and placed a wing over Piper, the other resting over Sweetie Belle.

"Come on, lets go see Applebloom."





The cart touched down on the castle grounds, guards quickly gathering around the ponies pulling the cart. They stopped themselves from drawing weapons as they realized the two pulling it were none other than the Elements of Kindness and Loyalty.

"We apologize for the rude welcome." A guard said through the group. The other guards shifted into ranks and stood at attention as the commander made his way to the cart.

"Things aren't as calm and peaceful as they could be and everypony is a bit jumpy as of late." he turned as he saw Big Macintosh charge through the gate, Applejack not far behind as well as Pip, dressed in his armor and his hoofblade strapped to his side.

"Commander, pleasure to see you again Sir. I thought you retired." Pip said to his old mentor. Chrome merely smiled.

"Ya never really retire from a job like this kid. You just slow down a bit more every year. Last I heard, you were in Ponyville taking care of that family of yours. What are ya doin here?" Pip tilted his head toward the cart, a group of young ponies poking their heads out to look around.

"Ah, I see. So which of em are yours?" Pip chuckled.

"That'd be the twins sir. Hayseed, Penny!" Pip called out, both mares zipping in front of him and giggling.

"Do you remember the stories I told you about the brave commander who fought to protect Princess Mia?" they both nodded and he pointed a hoof at Chrome Mist.

"Well here he is." They looked up at the old warrior and he cast a gentle glance down on them.

"Whoa..." they said together.

"So you've been tellin stories about me Pip? I think I recall that it was a certain young stallion in training who saved the princess that day. As well as my old hide."

"I may have changed the story just a tad bit, it was a better bedtime story that way."

"Well, I'll just have to tell them the real one later. Right now we have more serious matters to tend to." Chrome nodded to the guards and they quickly shifted into formation around the ponies.

"Princess Twilight is expecting you, lets not keep her waiting." Chrome said to them, leading the way through the castle. Rainbow and Fluttershy had since released themselves from the cart, the fillies gathering around them, staring in awe at Canterlot in all its beauty. Strawberry pouted a little and sighed.

"I thought momma woulda been here by now." She said, her ears flat against her head.

"Ah'm sure she's on her way, maybe she found somethin on th' way. We all know how yer ma is Swirl." Penny said with a giggle.

"Hey! My momma may be a little weird, but that doesn't mean you can just laugh at her like that!" Sunburst pushed her way inbetween the two ponies as they glared at one another.

"Fighting amongst ourselves isn't gonna solve anythin you two. Swirl, don't worry. You and Ah know your mom is the fastest earth pony in Equestria. She's th' only pony who can chase down mah mom for Celestia's sake. She'll be here." Sunburst said with a smile.

Strawberry nodded, bouncing a little as they entered the Throne room. There in front of them sat Princess Twilight, Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, Spike, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie with a big grin on her face.

"Momma!" Strawberry pushed past the guards and practically tackled her mother, the pink earth pony giggling as she caught her daughter.

"Well hey there puddin'! Did ya have a fun trip?" The zebra nodded and looked around.

"Wheres dad?" she asked, pouting a little.

"He's here, just doin some stuff." Pinkie Pie winked and turned her smile toward Rainbow Dash.

"Thanks for giving her a ride Dashie." Pinkie said with a giggle. Rainbow Dash merely nodded, not at all surprised the mare had beaten them to Canterlot. The Elements of Harmony sat together, looking between one another and to their children. It had been a long time since they had all sat in a room together. Finally Twilight broke the silence.

"Thank you for coming everypony...I am afraid I have to be the bearer of bad news for you all today. I had hoped to leave the fillies out of this. But i have been otherwise convinced that they need to be here for this."

"Whats all this about Twi'?" Applejack asked, tipping her hat back a bit. Twilight sighed, a box hovering beside her, held in her magic. The box opened to reveal the Elements of Harmony. Each necklace rose into the air, followed by the crown. All they could do was stare, noticing each Element had begun to turn back into stone.

"I wish I could say that this is our only problem. But there is more. It seems our connection with the Elements has been broken as we have drifted from one another to live out our own lives. While our friendship is still strong, we are no longer the Elements of Harmony." Twiilght said grimly, turning to Luna for a moment as she heard Hayseed whimper. Luna nodded and Twilight took a calming breath as she continued.

"I have already begun searching for those who will be the new bearers of the Elements." The Element of Magic settled itself atop Emeralds head. It flashed bright white and changed, forming into a small necklace, a single emerald buried in its center.

"I have already found the Element of Magic. As you know, the Elements are bound to one another through bonds of Friendship."

"Let me just stop you right there Twilight. Why is this such an issue? We beat Nightmare Moon, we beat Discord and Chrysalis. Heck we even beat those heartless freaks. Do we even need the Elements anymore?" Rainbow Dash asked. Nyx was the one to answer as she entered the room, followed by Riku.

"Discords Statue has gone missing. We don't know when or if he will attack us." She explained, taking a seat near Twilight.

"There is also the matter of the Organization. I spotted a few of their scouts the other day. I can only assume they are planning to come after the Princess' and the bearers of the Elements as their hearts will be the strongest." Riku said softly.

"So its important that we find the new Elements and protect them." Celestia finished. Emerald gulped, touching the Element of magic with her claw. She turned to her parents and then to her brother. They all smiled at her, silently letting her know that they would protect her, no matter what. She took a deep breath and stood.

"They are right. The Elements have always been there to keep Balance and Peace in Equestria and without them everything will fall into chaos. While it may be risky we have to do whatever it takes to reconnect them." everypony was surprised by the young kirin's speech, but found themselves moved by it. The youngest of the room stepped forward, holding their heads high.

"Looks like we get to have an adventure" Penny said with a grin, holding out her hoof. Hayseed rested her hoof over her sisters, Sunburst adding in her hoof. Strawberry bounced in excitement, resting her hoof on the others.

"Just like our parents." She said, turning to Honeycrisp who nodded, placing her hoof on top of theirs. Emerald laid her claw over their hooves, surprised when Amethyst did the same.

"I'll protect you Emy, and all of the Elements." he said with a proud smile, a bit surprised when Nova placed her hoof over his claw.

"Can't forget me now can ya?" She said with a giggle. They all looked at one another and nodded.

"For Equestria."
> A Change of Pace
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Scootaloo's surprise there was nopony at Sweet Apple Acres. She had expected to see the entire Apple family, or at least the members of it that lived in Ponyville. Instead all she found was Applebloom inside, painting a few polka dots and double checking her jars.

"Hey Bloom, where the hay is everypony?" Scootaloo asked. The earth pony sighed a little.

"They had t' go t' Canterlot. Princess Twilight needed em." she explained.

"Well what about the little ones?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"They went with em." she sat down, holding her hat.

"So thats why you called us." Scootaloo said softly. Applebloom nodded.

"Well, we should get to Canterlot and do what we can to help. Is everything set here?" Sweetie Belle asked. Applebloom took one last look around and nodded.

"Eeyup." The mare placed her hat atop her head and stepped outside, followed by her friends.

"Belle, if ya'll would do th' honors." Applebloom asked softly. The unicorn nodded, her horn glowing dimly causing her magic to surround them. In moments the group had vanished, leaving only a small black scorch on the ground as proof they had ever been there.





Penny and Hayseed stared at the Elements as their father spoke with the other adults in a separate room.

"Sooo...which do ya think we are?" Penny asked her sister.

"Ah dunno sis. Ah mean, our ma and pa aren't even Elements. Emeralds ma was Generosity."

"Yes, but Emerald is magic, not generosity." Sunburst pointed out. The group stared at the half stone trinkets as they all tried to solve the puzzle. Nova looked at everypony for a moment then back to the Elements.

"Amethyst, would you mind if I tried something?" she asked. He looked at her for a moment.

"Not at all Princess." she looked at the Elements and lifted Honesty into the air, letting it hover in front of Amethyst.

"An honest pony never lies." She thought aloud, placing the Element around the Kirins neck. It glowed for a moment before changing into a long necklace that clung to Amethyst, a single purple diamond shaped stone sat at its center. Nova grinned to herself a little, the ponies around her looking at Amethyst and Emerald. Nova turned to the rest.

"Two down, four to go." She put a hoof to her chin as she looked over the Elements and the ponies around her. There was only one other pony who could be Laughter. It had to be Strawberry Swirl. Nova lifted the Element of Laughter, placing it around the zebra's neck and smiling as it began to glow, changing into a necklace with an ice cream shaped stone, striped in different shades of pink.

"Wow, yer good at this Princess!" Penny said with a smile. Nova giggled a little and turned her attention back to the other Elements. Generosity, Loyalty, Kindness. She turned to Penny and Hayseed. While they were good ponies, they definitely weren't generous. She decided to give Loyalty a try, though nothing happened with either twin. She pouted a little and tried kindness, again nothing happened.

"Ah guess we just weren't meant t' be Elements..." they said together sadly.
"That doesn't matter, you two are still our friends and you're still important to us no matter what." Sunburst said, moving to them to comfort them. As she did so her hoof brushed against Kindness, the Element glowing and appearing around her neck, a bright yellow sunstone at its center. 

The pegasus jumped in surprise, the Twins staring at her for a moment and pouting. Sunburst sighed and pulled them into a hug, both of them calming down a little as the mare held them.

"Well that solves that puzzle, though to be honest I thought Honeycrisp would be Kindness." Emerald said, the mentioned mare mumbling something from behind her mane. Nova lifted the last two Elements. Generosity and Loyalty. She tried Loyalty first, the Element shook a little but did nothing else, the same effect came from Generosity. Nova was stunned. If the two Elements weren't bound to any of them, then who were they bound to?

"Nova, why don't you try them on?" Emerald asked. The pony blinked in surprise. She had completely put herself out of the picture and focused on the other ponies as the other Elements. Would one of them really be bound to her? She stared at them for a moment, unsure of which to try first.

She couldn't say if she was loyal or generous. She never really had anypony to be loyal or generous to. Emerald walked over, taking hold of the Elements in her magic and quickly placed Generosity around her neck, smiling as it glowed and changed into a small necklace, three violet star shaped stones forming a circle in its center.

"To a pony who gave to others without even thinking about herself." Emerald said with a grin, making the alicorn blush slightly. Amethyst cleared his throat, pulling their attention from one another.

"That's great and all, but we're still one Element short." He pointed a claw at Loyalty and the ponies stared at it.

"Well it wouldn't work with any of us. Who could it belong to?" Emerald asked. They all jumped in surprise as four ponies appeared before them. Piper stumbled forward, not use to teleporting and tumbled into the ponies gathered in the room, Loyalty falling ontop of his head and glowing brightly as it latched itself to him, though the lightning bolt remained the same. All the ponies just stared at him in shock, none more so than Amethyst. It took the other ponies a moment to realize what had just happened.

"To a pony who never betrays their friends...Loyalty..." Nova said quietly.





The others rushed into the room as the sound of somepony teleporting caught their attention. They opened the doors just in time to see the Element of Loyalty crash land on Piper and bind itself to him. Twilight cast her gaze over the room, in the short time they had spent discussing how each of the ponies could be bound to the Elements they had figured it out for themselves.

Amethyst glared at Piper, steam drifting from his nostrils into the air.

"I refuse to believe such a foul mouthed jerk could really be the Element of Loyalty." He said, keeping his angered gaze on the pegasus in question.

"Hey! I know I messed up alright and...I'm sorry." Amethyst was taken back by the apology as Piper stood, shaking himself a bit.

"w...what?" Amethyst asked.

"I'm sorry. I had some time to do some thinking and I realized that..." He sighed, looking back at his parents for a moment, Scootaloo nodded with a smile. She was so proud of him, she didn't have to smack him or anything. On top of that he was somehow the Element of Loyalty now.

"I realized that I've never really treated you or Emerald the way I should have. We're family and family is suppose to stick together no matter what. I know you're probably still mad at me but I'll make it up to you guys someh..." Piper gasped in surprise as Amethyst and Emerald pulled him into a hug.

"uh...guys...please..no hugs..." Emerald giggled and let go of him as did Amethyst.

"Sorry Piper." Emerald said with a smile. Amethyst smiled as well, though he still had that look in his eyes.

"Apology accepted. But I'll still be keeping my eye on you." Amethyst said, making sure the pony knew his thoughts about him hadn't completely changed. Twilight cleared her throat, letting her presence as well as the others known to the room. 

"It seems you all have discovered your Elements, much faster than we all did." Twilight said with a smile.

"T' be honest Twi, yer the one that figured it out fer us if'n I remember correctly." Applejack added.

"And Princess Nova is the one who really figured it out" Amethyst said, stepping aside as the mentioned Alicorn tried to hide. Twilight and Luna smiled at their daughter.

"She gets that from you Twilight." Luna said. She turned her attention to the ponies in the room, noticing the looks on the faces of those without an Element. Luna walked up to them and smiled.

"Why so glum my little ponies?" she asked them softly.

"All our friends are so important...they git t' have th' Elements o' Harmony while we jus' git nuthin..." Penny mumbled under her breath.

"Little one, do you think your mother had an Element when she fought by our side?" Luna asked.

"w...well no, she didn't..."

"And your father?" the pony shook her head.

"And yet, they did so much for us. In fact, if not for your mother and father we would have failed that day and none of you would have been born. We needed everypony that day and everypony gave everything they had to make today possible. Element or no Element. While the Elements are important, its your friendship that matters the most. Remember that." the three ponies smiled, their spirits lifted by the Princess of the night. Celestia sat before them.

"Pip, may I borrow your hoof blade please?" She asked of the guard. He nodded, her magic taking hold of it as he held it in the air for her.

"My little ponies, Defenders of Equestria." She held out the sword, the ponies kneeling before her, their heads down. She placed it upon their shoulders each in turn.

"Sir Amethyst, Element of Honesty, protector of the Elements. Sir Piper, Element of Loyalty, sworn friend to all in the darkest of times. Lady Nova, Element of Generosity and Princess of Equestria. Lady Sunburst, Element of Kindness, a gentle soul burning brightly for all to see. Lady Penny Apple and Lady Hayseed, dear friends in our time of need. Lady Honeycrisp, hidden strength waiting to burst forth. Lady Strawberry Swirl, Element of Laughter, bringing happiness to even the saddest of ponies. Rise, knights of Equestria. Rise and protect Equestria in its time of need."

They stood, holding their heads high. Pip smiled at the smiles he saw on his twins faces. They had always asked him about life as a guard and his adventures before they were born. And now they were about to have their own. Though he was proud of them, he was also afraid for them, but he refused to let it show.

"I know that this is a great burden to bear, especially at such a young age. But with Discord free and Canterlot being targeted once more we have no time to waste. Pip." The stallion snapped to attention.

"Speak with the commander and have them trained." She said softly. Pip blinked in surprise and nodded.

"Yes Princess." the twins felt their smiles falter at the sound of their fathers reply. He turned and began walking down a hall, the ponies following after him. They smiled at their parents as they vanished down the hall, following after Pip. Applebloom sat down.

"Does anypony care t' tell me what jus' happened?!"





Nova bit her lip as she looked at her sister, Spike, Pip, Riku, and Commander Chrome mist. Lined up on either side of her were the others and though she knew she was safe here she felt uneasy. Nyx took a slow breath.

"All of you with magic, step forward." She said. Emerald and Nova stepped forward. Nyx smiled a little.

"That's what I thought. You all believe that only those with horns can use magic, or only unicorns can. Amethyst, while your magic isn't strong you do still have it. As for the rest of you." Nyx turned to Pip who stepped forward, drawing his hoofblade and spinning, flames dancing around him as he stood on his hind hooves. Just as quickly as the weapon was drawn it was returned to his scabbard. The ponies stared in shock at the earth pony.

"While we are not meant to be able to handle magic in its rawest form, we are still able to harness its power through other means." Pip sat down, his face serious as he looked at each of their faces. He would have to take these children, his own children, and turn them into soldiers. Riku put a gentle hoof on his shoulder and he nodded.

"While you all have your own type of magic, there are spells that any of you can use. I will be teaching you how to harness this power, while Pip teaches you how to use a hoofblade and your own magic. Spike will be teaching Dragon Magic, Nyx will be teaching Unicorn Magic." Riku explained. Penny raised her hoof in the air.

"Yes Penny?" Riku asked.

"Um...how do Earth ponies use magic? Ah thought it was jus' somethin unicorns did with their horns."

"Magic lives in everything Penny. The trees, the grass, the animals. Even you and I. Its not something that can really be explained." Riku drew a line in the grass with his hoof, icicles forming across the line and growing. The ponies watched in awe.

"Rather it has to be seen and felt. We will start with basic magic and use of the hoofblade. Pair up and stay with your teacher." Riku said. Chrome nodded to Pip and watched as the colt grabbed the practice swords. Chrome could see pain in his eyes as he handed one to each of his children and walked up to him.

"Why don't ya let me start em off kid?" Pip lowered his head, nodding a little.

"Is somethin wrong with mah pa?" Hayseed asked as she slipped the wooden sword onto her hoof.

"He'll be alright with time little one. He's just worrying about you and your sister." The twins looked at each other than at Chrome.

"Whys he worried?" Penny asked. Chrome grabbed one of the practice swords and pointed it at them.

"Because of what you have to learn and do." they gulped and stared at the old stallion. He looked a bit more fearsome now that he held the wooden weapon.

"Come on, get em up." he said softly. They stumbled and held up their practice swords, stumbling as they tried to balance its weight and stay on their hooves.

"Ya need to shift yer weight or you'll just fall flat on yer faces. Like so." He gently nudged them into position.

"When you get as good as your father you'll be able to use two or three blades and for that you'll need to perfect your balance. Stand on your hind hooves." they looked at him and he returned their gaze.

"ON YER HOOVES!" He barked, the two instantly standing on their hind hooves and wobbling.

"Good reaction time, now we just gotta work on balance."





Riku glanced at Pip, seeing the colt in a corner, his face in his hooves.

"Piper, keep practicing that ice spell on those blades of grass." The pegasus nodded, staring intently at the grass, trying to make it freeze over. Riku sat beside Pip, draping a wing over his shoulder.

"I know its tough buddy. But if ya don't teach em then they won't be ready." Riku said. Pip sighed quietly.

"I didn't plan on ever putting this armor on again. I didn't plan on ever having to use that bucking sword ever again." Pip mumbled.

"And I didn't plan on making my own daughters into soldiers..."

"I know...How do you think Nyx feels about Nova? Her own little sister. She see's a lot of herself in that little mare. Nyx went through quite an ordeal at her age and promised herself she wouldn't let Nova deal with anything like that. But now she is being forced to break that promise, but she does it knowing it is for the best. Pip, you're the best swordstallion here. If we really want them to be ready then you're gonna have to step up and do what needs to be done." Pip nodded and stood, his expression one of stone.

"I won't like it, but I'll do it." Riku nodded,letting the colt go back to teaching his daughters how to use their practice swords. He smiled as he saw them make a game out of it. Riku turned his attention back to Nyx and Nova, walking over to them and snatching up Piper in the process.

"Watch" he said to Piper, pointing to Nova. Nova stared at the dummy in front of her, her horn glowing dimly as she scrunched up her eyes, focusing her magic. Slowly a beam of magic appeared beside her, forming into a crooked sword. Nyx giggled a little, lending her magic to the spell and fixing the sword.

"You have to let it form itself Nova, don't try to force it." The alicorn nodded, staring at the dummy, poking it with her magical blade, making Nyx giggle.

"Not like that silly, watch." Nyx stepped in front of the dummy, lowering herself a little to control her weight better as her blades appeared, one after the other slicing at the dummy at an angle from either side. The blades vanished as the dummy fell to the ground.

"whoa..." Piper and Nova said together.

"But I can't use magic like that. I can't even get this buc...uh...this Ice spell to work." Piper corrected himself as Riku looked at him through the corner of his eye. He didn't intend to anger this pony, lest he feel the wrath of the famed warrior. Riku put a hoof to his chin, his keyblade appearing beside him and stabbing into the ground.

"While you can't use a magical blade, you can stlil learn to use a hoofblade and whatever is available to you. In any situation almost anything can be a weapon to protect those you care for." Riku pushed the keyblade over to him, the blade shrinking a little as the pegasus grabbed it in his teeth. Riku smiled.

"Now attack me with it." Piper blinked in surprise, looking up at the Alicorn.

"uh...wut?" Piper jumped backwards as a spike of ice drove up from the ground where he had been standing moments ago.

This guy is tryin t' kill me!  Piper gripped the keyblade tightly and ran as more icicles formed, chasing after him.

"You can dodge me all you want, but can your friends?" Riku asked, turning his attention to a distracted Emerald. Pipers eyes widened and he skid to a stop. Time slowed down as he changed direction, tossing his wings back and kicking off the ground. He threw the blade at Riku and dived for Emerald, pushing the Kirin out of the way as an icicle rose from the ground, clipping his wing and sending him tumbling to the ground. The training grounds fell silent as Riku walked over to the pegasus. Emerald stared in shock at the spear of ice that had almost hit her. Riku nudged Piper to his hooves and smiled at him.

"Good, when it comes down to it you can do what has to be done." Piper just glared at him.

"Are you crazy!? You could've killed her! You could've killed me!" he yelled. Riku nodded.

"Yes, but you are both still alive thanks to your quick thinking." Riku pointed out.

"What if I hadn't tried to save her!? We would've lost the Element of Magic! What if I hadn't spun when I did?! I coulda been killed by that thing and we wouldn't have an Element of Loyalty!" Piper continued to yell. Riku only stood there, letting the angered pegasus vent.

"I knew none of that would happen."

"How could you possibly know?!"

"Because you're the son of Scootaloo and the grandson of Rainbow Dash. You're too fast for me. You're also the Element of Loyalty and would never leave a friend to suffer. This only proves that." Piper glared at him.

"So just to prove I'm Loyalty you had to go and almost kill us?!" Nova put a hoof over his mouth

"Piper that's enough." she said quietly. The pegasus glared at Riku one last time, ice covering Riku's hooves as the pegasus walked away. Riku only grinned, though on the inside he was at war with himself. To be honest he had been afraid the pegasus would have left Emerald to die, though he kept a tight reign on the speed of the ice and would've stopped it before then. He hadn't intended to hit Piper with it at all and he knew Nyx would have words with him later on the subject.





They could only watch through a window as their children were trained in magic and the ways of battle.

"It jus' ain't right..." Applejack said softly, tears in her eyes. Rainbow placed a wing over her shoulder.

"AJ...Deep down I think we all knew this was going to happen. Things were too quiet for too long, especially with those freaky heartless still out there."She said quietly, holding back her own tears as she watched her daughter dance among the others with a practice blade strapped to her hoof. Fluttershy watched her daughter in Silence, Big Macintosh wrapping a hoof around her.

"She's right. This ain't right, it jus' ain't right. Ya'll may not be th' Elements anymore, but that don't mean we gotta send them t' th' pits to do our dirty work." Macintosh said, almost growling as rage filled him.

"I know you are all upset about this. But sadly its our only option." Big Macintosh spun, glaring at Twilight.

"Ya'll know ah respect ya Princess, but this is goin' too far! That's mah daughter down there!" Twilight returned his gaze, her eyes glowing white and her voice booming as she spoke.

"Do you think I don't know that!? My own daughter is down there as well! Both of them! Do you think I want to send them to fight!? Do you think I take pleasure in this?!" she asked, jabbing her hoof against his chest with each question. To the surprise of all the ponies there, Big Macintosh began to shrink back at her words. Twilight calmed herself, rubbing a hoof against her temple and sighing softly.

"If I had my way it would just be me to fight. Though I know all of you would come along anyway. I wish I could tell you more bu..."

"But this is another one of those 'The Doctor said' kind of things isn't it?" Rainbow Dash said, annoyed. Before Twilight could respond they heard Scootaloo scream in terror, all eyes turning to see an ice spike just barely clipping Piper's wing as he pushed Emerald out of its path. The Pegasus then began yelling at Riku before being silenced by Nova. Scootaloo shook her head and spun, Luna and Twilight standing in her way. The pegasus gritted her teeth.

"I can't just stand here and do nothing!" Scootaloo yelled at them, tears in her eyes. Sweetie Belle stood beside her, her keyblade appearing in the air beside her.

"Whether you want us to or not, we are going to go help our children. The very least we can do is prepare them for whatever is to come. Something which you can't even speak to us about." she said quietly. Twilight glanced toward Luna, the Alicorn nodding.

"Very well..." She said softly. the ponies in the room made their way to the training grounds, leaving Twilight and Luna alone. Twilight stared out the window and broke into tears.





Emerald leaned against her brother, completely exhausted, her father wearing a proud smile.

"You're learning pretty quickly Emy. Go ahead and rest, you've earned it. Amethyst, we'll practice more later. You need to get better control of your magic. I know you can't use unicorn magic but you should be a natural with Dragon Magic." 

The kirin only nodded, letting his sister rest against him. Spike turned to find Rarity and the others marching into the Training grounds, most of them glaring at Riku who nodded to them, understanding their anger. 

"Rarity, what are you doing out here?" Spike asked. The unicorn glanced at him then at Amethyst and Emerald.

"I'm here to help my children as you are Spike." she said, her nose in the air. Spike chuckled a little and nodded.

"Alright, they are taking a break right now though. Emy will need your help with some spells I tried to teach her and Amethyst is still struggling."

"I'm just not meant to use magic father." He stated simply, resting a wing over Emerald. Nova sat near them, mumbling something. Emerald smiled a little and nodded, whispering something to Amethyst. The Kirin puffed out a small cloud of smoke and reluctantly nodded, lifting his wing so Nova could sit with Emerald, resting his wing over the two ponies. Rarity raised an eyebrow at the display, deciding not to look too far into it. For now.

On the other side of the training grounds, Strawberry swirl stood on her hind hooves, a hoofblade strapped to each hoof, another strapped to her tail as she twirled and flipped through an obstacle course, slicing through targets and dummies. Chrome merely watched with a small grin.

"That ones a natural." he said to himself as the zebra stopped at the end of the course. She hadn't even broken a sweat.

"Strawberry, front and center." The pony saluted and sheathed the swords to a harness strapped around her midsection.

"I'm gonna need you to help the others work on their balance. You've got the form, the technique and the perfect balance."

"Can do Chromie!" she said, saluting once more before bouncing off toward the others. Chrome mist sighed, he didn't particularly enjoy the nickname the mare had given him and any attempt to explain such only led her to try to come up with more ridiculous names. He turned his attention to Pip, the ponies face a stone of emotion as he trained his daughters to use their practice swords.

They quickly learned the forms and movements, following his every hoofstep. Pip stopped and gave them a gentle smile, pulling them into a tight hug. They smiled up at him, returning the hug. Pip jumped a little in surprise as Applebloom wrapped her hooves around them.

"Bloom...what are you doing here? What about the Zap Apples?" he asked. The mare shook her head, tears in her eyes as she kissed him.

"This is more important than that..." she said quietly, looking down at her daughters.

"Momma...does this mean we aren't gonna have any Zap Apple jam?" Penny asked, pouting a little. Applebloom choked out a small laugh and held her close.

"No, ah'll still do mah best t' make th' zap apple jam Penny...Ah jus' gotta be here fer ya'll first." She said, kissing their foreheads. Hayseed looked around.

"Ma...why are we here? Me and Penny aren't Elements like th' others. Can't we jus' go home and help with th' harvest?" She asked. Applebloom felt tears sting her eyes.

"Ah'm sorry girls...but yer friends need yer help...Ah want nuthin more than fer all o' us to jus' go home and forget all this." The twins pouted a little, their mother breaking into tears, hiding her eyes under her black stetson. Pip lowered his head.

"Ma...please don't cry...we won't complain anymore and we'll be good and help our friends. Ya don't hafta cry ma..." Hayseed said, Penny nodding agreement. Their pleas only caused her to break down further as she clung to them. Pip looked up to see Twilight and Luna gazing down on them.

"Girls...Why don't you go talk to your friends. Your mother and I need to have a talk." they nodded, running over to their friends. Applebloom glanced at Pip, her eyes begging him to do something. Anything. He stared back, helpless.

Pinkie and Braeburn watched as Strawberry swirl made a game of their training, helping the others to balance on their hind hooves. Pinkie Pie bit her lip and shook a little.

"Yer Pinkie sense goin off?" Braeburn asked gently, placing his hat on top of her cloud of a mane. The pony sighed a little. The gesture usually managed to cheer her up on her darker days, but nothing would make her feel better about this.

"I have a really really really bad feeling Braesy...Something really bad is gonna happen and we can't do anything to stop it..." Pinkie lowered the hat over her face, hiding the tears and frown she wore.

"Come on...lets leave em t' it cupcake...We've done all we can fer her." Pinkie Pie nodded sadly and followed Braeburn away from the training grounds, their heads hanging low.





Piper stood alone on the other side of the training grounds, panting heavily and laying down in the grass. The dummy in front of him had been pounded to a pulp and small flecks of ice clung to the blades of grass around him. He was still angry with Riku, but there was nothing he could do. Riku was an Alicorn Prince and he was just Piper. The pegasus sighed, nearly jumping out of his skin as a hoof landed gently on his back. He looked up to see his parents with tears in their eyes.

"h...Hey squirt...you alright?" Scootaloo asked with a sob caught in her throat. He stood up and nodded with a small smile.

"I'm fine." he said, tucking his wings in. He couldn't let her know what had happened, she would freak out. To his surprise she pulled him into a tight hug, Sweetie Belle wrapping her hooves around both of them.

"We talked to the Princess...she said...t...that you and your friends have an important job to do...a...and ya have to do it alone...b...but...If you ever need any help...just remember the whistle ok?" Scootaloo said as she held him. She spoke as if she would never see him again. He nuzzled her chest and smiled.

"I won't forget."





That night none of them managed to get much sleep, tossing and turning in their beds in the room they shared. Piper sat up in his bed with a sigh.

"Hey, is anypony else awake?" he asked quietly, everyone nodded and sat up.

"Did ya see how sad they were? What do ya think is gunna happen t' us?" Hayseed asked the room. Amethyst was the first to answer.

"Well, we're the new Elements of Harmony, Discord is missing, and they are training us to use magic and weapons. Obviously they intend for us to fight their battle." He said calmly.

"Now wait jus' a minute! Mah momma wouldn't do sumtin like that!" Penny said, stamping her hoof into her mattress angrily.

"Penny, ya'll heard what momma said. She wanted to take us with her and go home, but she can't cuz we gotta help th' Elements. Maybe Amethyst is right..." Hayseed said quietly.

"Ah...ah don't wanna fight..." Honeycrisp sobbed from her bed. Sunburst sat beside her, pulling her into a gentle hug.

"Don't worry crisp, we'll all be here to keep you safe. Remember what Amethyst said? He said he'd protect all of us." Sunburst looked up at Amethyst expectantly, the kirin nodding from his bed.

"No matter what it takes." he said with a smile. Honeycrisp smiled back, calming down a little. Piper sighed, fluffing his bandaged wing a little.

"I can't believe that bastard almost killed me..." he mumbled.

"That reminds me. I never got to thank you." Amethyst said, Piper looking at him in confusion.

"If you hadn't risked yourself like that, he would've hurt my sister. I owe you one Piper." the pegasus smiled. Emerald yawned, stretching her wings a little.

"I owe you one too Piper." She said with a smile

"But we really should try to get some sleep. No doubt we'll be studying more spells tomorrow."

"Oh oh oh! We should come up with a super awesome fantastic name for ourselves!" Strawberry Swirl said as she bounced up and down on her bed.

"Well, Momma use to be in a club. They called themselves th' Cutie Mark Crusaders." Penny Apple said.

"Well, we aren't exactly trying to earn our cutie marks." Piper said, he knew about the crusaders as well from stories his parents had told him.

"We don't need a name either. We aren't some club trying to have fun. This is the fate of Equestria." Amethyst said to all of them. Strawberry pouted, crossing her hooves.

"Party Pooper." she mumbled under her breath. 

"Amethyst, maybe you should let her at least try to come up with something. A nickname might cheer us all up. Whenever my parents call each other by their nicknames they always smile no matter how upset they are. Besides, its sort of her job as our Element of Laughter, don't ya think?" Sunburst asked. Amethyst sighed.

"I guess your right. Just...don't come up with anything too silly..." He said as he laid back down. The zebra smiled, mumbling random names to herself as she tried to think of one to fit all of them. One by one the ponies laid back down, lost in their own thoughts and slowly drifting to sleep. 

The only one still left awake was Piper. He looked at his wing. He had almost died less than a day ago and everything in his life had changed. He had seen his parents cry, he had rescued his cousin from an insane pony, and he had become the Element of Loyalty. He sighed and lowered his head. Sleep would not come to him this night.
> Old Tricks
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Chrome Mist came to wake them that morning he found Piper already up and pacing around the room.

"How long have ya been up boy?" Mist asked him.

"Not long." he lied, never looking toward the old commander. Chrome mist sighed.

"Alright then, help me get the rest of em up. We've got a helluva day today." Piper nodded, shaking the ponies awake.

"Come on guys, get up." he said to them. Strawberry sprang up in her bed, stretching as she yawned loudly.

"Morning already? I was having a fantastic dream though. I was flying and there was a chocolate river and cotton candy clouds!" she continued rambling on, Piper having already forgotten what she was going on about as he shook Emerald awake. The Kirin jumped a little in surprise.

"Oh Piper...thank goodness." she mumbled as she sat up.

"Is it morning?" he nodded, looking up at Amethyst.

"Uh, could you wake him?" Piper asked. He knew he was still on thin ice in the Kirin's eyes and preferred not to slip as the Kirin was easily angered. She nodded, nudging her brother gently.

"Come on Amy, time to get up." she said softly.

"I'm already up." he said softly, still staring at the wall. He sighed and sat up.

"Couldn't sleep." he slipped out of his bed, stretching his wings a little as the others sprang out of their beds.

"Alright, gather 'round everypony. We'll be pairing up and practicing hoofblade techniques. Strawberry you'll be co-teaching today, we need everypony to have your balance." she nodded.

"Yes Sir" she saluted with a smile.

"Amethyst, you'll be practicing Draconic Magic, Emerald Unicorn magic. After which you'll be paired up. Emerald with Nova and Amethyst with Piper." the pegasus stiffened hearing his name.

Oh great...now he gets to beat me up...

"Penny, hayseed, you two'll be paired up. Your parents tell me you work best when you're together so I won't tear you apart." they smiled and hugged each other.

"Sunburst and Honeycrisp, you two will be paired up. I want to see some Aerial combat from you two." they nodded.

"Alright, follow me." the ponies and Kirin quietly followed Chrome Mist through the halls, guards stopping to salute them as they passed by.

"Why do they keep doin that?" Penny Apple asked.

"Because you outrank them." He said simply.

"W...We do?!" The twins said together.

"You are official Knights of Equestria. You stand high in the ranks of the Canterlot Elite and in times of crisis you are our first line of defensive and offensive power."

"But...we're jus' a bunch o' kids." Sunburst pointed out.

"I don't recall age having anything to do with greatness. You're parents were just young adults when they fought against Nightmare Moon. As a matter of fact, I became a guard when I was only just a bit older than you." he said as he led them to the training grounds.

"Alright, get into your pairings." Strawberry stood on her hind hooves, pulling a soldier cap from the air behind her and placing it atop her head, her fore-hooves behind her back as she walked

"Alright everypony, I wanna see you stand, I do not wanna see you fall, do you hear me?!" she asked, giggling a little as they nodded. Chrome mist shook his head at the zebra's antics. Though she was the Element of Laughter, he silently reminded himself. Riku walked onto the field, dressed from hood to hoof in battle armor, blades strapped to his wings and fore hooves. A curved blade held tightly to his tail and a small spike rested on the tip of his horn.

"This is the armor that was worn ages ago by Celestia's warriors in time of war. The wingblade." Riku's wings snapped open, spread out wide so they could see the mentioned blade.

"The perfect weapon in Aerial combat. The blade folds with the wings and spreads along them as the wings open. Next, the hoofblade." Riku closed his wings, throwing his hoof outward, the blade sliding along his hoof and out of its sheath around his leg.

"The blade stays attached to the hoof, sliding free at a moments notice and working as a form of protection in case of attack. This keeps a pony from having to carry a shield." Chrome Mist explained, Riku bent his leg slightly, the blade sliding back into the sheath with a quiet click.

"The Tail blade." Riku lowered the front half of his body, a target springing up in front of him only to be cut down as he spun, slicing through it with the blade on his tail.

"An effective weapon to cover your rear...so to speak." Chrome said, Strawberry giggled a little at the unintended pun.

"And finally, the horn spear. A last resort weapon for Unicorns. Though it is dangerous if used improperly. At the wrong angle it could snap the horn of its user." Riku demonstrated the proper technique, slamming the spear through a target, leaving a large hole in its center.

"The spear can also be used as a projectile when shrouded in magic; a simple modified teleportation spell will return it to its place on the unicorns' horn." Chrome explained, Riku turning toward three targets, the spear flying through one and quickly returning to him and flying through the next two targets.

"This is the usage of these weapons, know these techniques and practice them today. You will be given protective gear instead of armor and practice weaponry. We don't want to cause any real harm to one another. Understood?" Chrome said, mostly to Amethyst. The Kirin nodded as guards strapped the practice wingblades to him and Piper as well as the hoofblades, helmets and armor.

"Get use to that weight. I want to see you move and move fast. GO!" Chrome said, Amethyst leaping forward and sweeping forward with his wing. Piper leapt up in surprise, tumbling in the air as gravity dragged the armor heavily against his body. He leaned forward, turning the loss of balance into a mid-air roll over the Kirin, throwing a hoof forward and smacking the wooden hoofblade against the back of the Kirin's head, the blade slipping into its sheath as he landed and skid across the ground. Amethyst spun and charged once more, smoke drifting from his nostrils. Piper leapt backwards as the Kirin attacked again and again; A few recruits who were training stopped and watched the two battle, cheering them on. 

This is nuts, he's gonna tear me to shreds with those claws, he can just grab the blades! Piper barely managed to raise one of his hoofblades in time to stop Amethyst's tail. The pegasus, having had enough of this, grabbed the tail in his teeth and pulled, throwing Amethyst off balance.

Piper placed the wingblade to his throat and Chrome Mist chuckled.

"Seems yer parents told the truth. While you are tough Amethyst, you let your anger blind you, while Piper, you're quick on your hooves but yer lackin a bit on the muscle department. Piper help him up and practice flyin in that armor."

"Sir, why are we doing all of this?" Piper asked as he tried to help Amethyst up. The Kirin shoved him away, glaring at him for a moment before taking a seat. Piper sighed, turning back to Chrome Mist, clearing his throat to get the stallions attention.

"I heard ya boy, but if ya really want to know you should ask the Princess. My job is to prepare you for whatever she has in store for you."

"So you don't even know?" 

"I know that I have to do what I have to do. I know my role in all of this boy, its time you learn yours." The stallion walked past him, Amethyst chuckling a little. 

My role?  the pegasus thought, ignoring the Kirin.

"Shouldn't you be flying?" Amethyst asked, stretching his own wings a little.

"Why do you hate me?" Piper asked. Amethyst said nothing, taking to the air. 

"Fine, be that way." Piper kicked off the ground, flapping his wings as hard as he could. Though with the weight of the armor all he could manage was a low hover, while Amethyst was easily flying high above him. Piper landed for a moment and looked up at the Kirin, watching the way his wings worked. Piper looked around and ran to one side of the training field, smiling to himself. Chrome watched him.

"Now what is that pegasus up to?"





Sunburst sighed a little as Honeycrisp struggled with her hoofblade. She flew beside her cousin, helping her fling the weapon out of its sheath.

"Ya gotta really throw it out there." She explained. Honeycrisp nodded, wobbling a little. She was use to tucking her hooves against her stomach when she flew. Sunburst giggled a little, helping her cousin once more, tucking the blade away.

"Sorry Sunny..." the pegasus sighed sadly.

"Ah'm th' oldest and ah can't even do anythin' right..." she mumbled.

"Hey thats not true. Ya'll flew before ah did." Sunburst said.

"Ah'm not even one of th' Elements and my momma was Kindness!"

"I don't think thats how it works Crisp. The Elements go to who best fulfills the given trait." Nova explained, hovering with Emerald, the two practicing with the wingblades.

"She's right. Twilight Sparkle was the previous Element of Magic and her special talent is Magic itself. Rainbow Dash had the chance to be famous like she always wanted, but instead she threw away the chance because her only other choice was to abandon her friends. Only reason Strawberry got her mother's Element is because...well...just look at the two of them." Emerald said with a small laugh.

"Ah guess yer right...but what can ah do t' help if ah'm not an Element?"

"Well, I could teach you the STARE" Fluttershy said from beside them, surprising all of them. She giggled a little.

"And I've got somethin I wanna teach you too." Rainbow said from their other side. The ponies landed and smiled seeing their parents around them.

"If ya'll are gonna be Knights fer th' Princess, then ya'll are gonna need t' know all of our tricks." Applejack said with a wink. Rainbow's ear twitched and she quickly pushed the ponies to the ground as Piper zipped past them, running as fast as his hooves could carry him, leaping into the air and taking off with enough power to drag the ponies in his wind tunnel. Piper screamed as he was flung back by a cone of air, skidding across the ground and rolling a few times.

"PIPER!" Sweetie Belle rushed over to him, followed by Scootaloo. He rubbed his head, taking off the helmet.

"Ugh...what the hay was that?" he thought aloud.

"That, was you almost doing the impossible." Rainbow Dash said with a smile. Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow as she helped Piper to his hooves.

"You mean..." Scootaloo began, Rainbow nodding with a smile.

"The Sonic Rainboom."





Nyx watched Riku out of the corner of her eye, though the stallion kept his eyes focused on Piper.

"You're still mad aren't you? he asked her softly.

"Somewhat. What were you thinking Riku?"

"I was thinking that he reminds me a lot of myself." Riku said simply.

"...huh?"

"He's just a kid, his friends aren't even his friends and he is doing everything he can to prove himself to them. He's alone but he still tries to do what is best but his judgment isn't the best and he makes stupid choices. But when pushed to the limit he does what has to be done without thinking about it and thus he can't make any stupid choices." Nyx just stared at him for a moment.

"That's genius Riku."

"You're still mad though right?" She kissed his cheek.

"Yup, but I forgive you if he does." the sound of armor bouncing across the ground drew their attention to Piper, Rainbow Dash smiling at the pegasus as he was lifted to his hooves.

"Looks like he almost did a Rainboom." Nyx said.

"A Rainboom?" Riku asked. Nyx smiled and nodded.

"Come on, you don't want to miss this."





Pipers' eyes lit up.

"You think I can do a Sonic Rainboom?!" Piper asked.

"I know you can. You almost pulled it off just with a ground take-off and while wearin that heavy armor. Let's give it another shot, but this time without the armor and when you get into the streamline make your body fit it, fold up your wings as close to you as you can while keepin them flappin and keep your hooves forward. You don't want that smashing into your face, trust me on that one."

Pipers excited mind absorbed each tip like a sponge. His grandmother, the Rainbow Dash, the only pony to ever perform a Sonic Rainboom repeatedly was telling him he had what it took to do it and was teaching it to him! Sunburst stood beside him, slipping out of her own armor.

"Ah wanna give it a try." She said, taking off her glasses. Applejack placed them back over her eyes.

"Oh no ya don't sugarcube, ah..." Rainbow put a hoof against her shoulder, the work pony sighing quietly.

"Alright...jus' be careful ok?" Sunburst nodded, smiling up at Rainbow Dash.

"Alright, we're gonna start off with you guys sticking to me. Don't push too hard and just do what I do." they nodded, standing on either side of the pegasus, walking around the training grounds with their wings held out, mimicking her.

"Piper, I want you to show me that take-off again, but this time throw your wings backwards and loop." Rainbow said, the pegasus nodded, pushing himself forward and tucking his wings against his body. he slammed his hooves into the ground and snapped his wings open, throwing them backwards, his eyes wide as his speed tripled, throwing him into a steep loop-de-loop. He quickly rolled in the air to avoid crashing into the ground, unable to slow himself.

"KEEP GOIN!" Rainbow called out as she realized he was trying to slow down. He nodded and snapped his wings back once more, rolling back in the air. Up became down, then left, then up again as he rolled and weaved through the air. He could feel the pressure building around him as he rolled.

"Alright now Sunburst, do the same thing but go the other direction." the pegasus nodded, mimicking her nephew. Rainbow smiled as she watched them roll in the air, waiting for the right moment. Her eyes latched onto the tell-tale sign of a Rainboom in progress. A small cone of air forming around each pegasus.

"NOW CROSS PATHS!" She called out, quickly turning to everypony else.

"EVERYPONY BETTER GET DOWN!" She yelled. The ponies gathered there quickly ducked for cover as the two pegasi snapped themselves backwards in the air in perfect sync, flipping over backwards, smiling as their paths crossed high in the air. 

As soon as they passed one another the cones around them shattered, sending them soaring through the air, cascading mixes of red, yellow, and orange bouncing around the training grounds, the very walls of Canterlot Palace shook with the force of the Double Sonic Rainboom. Rainbow Dash could only smile as the explosion of color deafened her for a moment.

Though her own Booms had made her somewhat immune and she quickly recovered while the other ponies watched in awe; The pegasi looped in the air, whooping and laughing as their contrails traced over one another. They finally managed to slow down, skidding to a stop near Rainbow Dash, the colors they left in the air slow to fade.

"THAT WAS SO AWESOME!" They said together, high hoofing with a smile. Piper blinked and pointed a hoof.

"Sunburst! Your cutie mark!" he said. She turned to see a yellow ring with red and orange swirling inside of it.

"The Solar Sonic Burst. I think that's what you should call that." Rainbow said, hugging her daughter tightly. Applejack whooped and threw her hat in the air with a laugh, easily snatching it out of the air as she ran over to them.

"That was amazin' Sunburst! Ah told ya didn't ah? When th' time is right ya'll are gonna shine and ah'd say ya sure as sugar just shined brighter than anypony here." Sunburst blushed and smiled, though Piper hung his head after realizing he didn't have his cutiemark.

Applejacks words cut even deeper than his missing cutiemark. It had been his takeoff maneuver that had allowed them enough speed as well as Rainbow's coaching. Sunburst smiled at him, lost in her excitement as her friends gathered around her. Piper raised his head a little, spotting Chrome Mist. The commander only smiled, giving him a small nod. He remembered he had said to him earlier.

My Role huh? Maybe this has somethin to do with that... he thought to himself. He turned to Sunburst and smiled.

"Way to go Sunburst." he said, hugging her.

"Hey, ah couldn't have done it without ya." she said with a laugh.

"What about you Piper? What are you gonna call that?" Rainbow asked. He looked up at the sky then back at her.

"Nothing yet. It's not mine or my day, its Sunbursts. I'll have my day eventually."

"That's a very grown up thing to say Piper, but you should still be proud of yourself. A Sonic Rainboom is near impossible to do." Twilight said, Nova sitting beside her, her ears tucked back against her head as they were still ringing.

"I think that's enough flyin fer today. Let's get back to work. Piper, sunburst, you two sit out for a break. Don't want to overwork yourselves." Chrome said, taking a seat.





Amethyst sighed as he listened to his father drone on about the origins of dragon magic and its uses. It was all useless to him. Magic just wasn't his strong suit. He was a fighter, a defender, a protector, a flier. He wasn't some magician. 

"Amethyst, pay attention. I know you hate magic, but this is important. Even with limited magic this spell will be useful. Watch." 

Spike grabbed a rock from a nearby pile, mumbling something under his breath. His eyes shone for a moment, markings covering the rock he held in his claw. Slowly the rock began to change, pieces of it tearing away and swirling around his claw. It began to piece itself back together, little by little into a stone hoofblade.

"Using this transformation spell you can take one object and make it into another. The only downside is you end up with the same material you started with. You can't make wood from stone. Get it?" Spike asked. Amethyst put a claw to his chin, mulling it over. A simple spell that could turn one thing into another. It might be useful.

"Maybe Emerald should learn it."

"She's practicing with your mother right now. I'll teach it to her but this is important Amethyst. At least try it." The Kirin nodded and picked up one of the rocks. He took a slow breath and spoke each word slowly to himself before beginning the chant. It was strange, he could feel the strands of the stone fade away, literally feel it, like sand drifting between his claws and wrapping around his arm. He smiled as it formed around his claws, making a sort of stone gauntlet, the edges as sharp as his own claws. Spike smiled.

"See? You've already got the hang of it!" Amethyst stared at the gauntlet for a moment.

"So this is why Emy likes magic so much." he mumbled.

"It's an amazing feeling isn't it? I never understood Twilight's need to always study and try new spells. I figured it was just a unicorn thing. But she was the only unicorn I knew who was studying like that. But then Princess Celestia began teaching me Draconic Magic." Amethyst looked away from his claw and to his father.

"But...she's an Alicorn. How does she know anything about Dragon magic?"





The group sat together, quietly eating their lunch. Though the twins were chatting loudly about nothing in particular. Strawberry scooted closer to Piper.

"What was it like doing a Sonic Rainboom?" she asked with her mother's signature smile.

"It wasn't a Rainboom. It was just a boom." he said quietly

"Come on Piper, it was so much more than that. T' be honest ah barely had enough speed to keep up with ya and ah wouldn't have been able to make the Solar Sonic Burst. You probably could've jus' done it without me." Sunburst said from across the table.

"You're just saying that..." he sighed and stood, pushing his food away. He wasn't hungry.

"Where are ya goin' Piper?" Strawberry asked him.

"Nowhere." he said, leaving the room. The zebra pouted and laid her head down on the table. Emerald nudged her side with a knowing smile.

"Well? go after him" she said. The zebra blinked and sat up with a determined look on her face.

"Thanks Emy!" she stopped in mid-air and shoved the Kirin towards Nova before zipping out of the room.

"Piper wait!" she called out to the pegasus. He stopped but didn't look at her.

"Somethin is wrong Piper, I know it. You always finish everything on your plate." He chuckled a little and turned to her.

"Look at us Berry. Don't you see what is going on here?" he asked her. She looked at herself then at him, shaking her head.

"Is there something on my face?" he sighed.

"No, just hear me out real quick." The pegasus paced back and forth in the hall as he spoke, the zebra following him with her eyes

"Out of nowhere Princess Twilight calls all of our parents here for a reason she can't tell them. That or our parents are just hiding it from us. Either way they aren't telling us everything and the way they are training us, it's almost like..."

"Like we are going to war." a unicorn said as she walked into the hallway.

"Dinky!" Strawberry hugged her. The unicorn smiled, returning the hug as her mother and the Doctor appeared in the hall beside her.

"Piper, I know you are curious. But please trust me when I say that the Princess' secrecy is necessary. Though you should know you and your friends play a very important role in all of what is to come." The Doctor said. Ditzy placed a hoof against his shoulder and he nodded.

"I'll leave it to you Dinky." he said softly, walking past Piper and Strawberry with the pegasus close to him.

"So it is war isn't it? With who? the Dragons? the Gryphon's? Do they plan on just throwing us out onto the frontlines to fight their war?!" Piper demanded. For a moment the Unicorn said nothing. She only stood there watching the only pony she could ever call Father walk away and sighed.

"I'm going to do something that I shouldn't Piper. Something that could get us all killed." she said, never tearing her eyes away from the fading form of her parents. Piper gulped, watching her.

"I'm going to use the TARDIS."
> The Doctor Has Arrived
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The what?" Piper asked.

"Oh, you mean your daddy's big blue box thingy that i'm not allowed to touch?" Strawberry asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Yes Strawberry, that. The TARDIS is how The Doctor ended up here in Equestria and its how we are going to get the answers you are looking for Piper. You'll have to get the others all together. I can take us to the TARDIS but we have to get there without anypony knowing."

"Why?" Strawberry asked, pouting a little.

"Because we aren't suppose to use the TARDIS, but its the only way. I can't explain any further, please just trust me." Piper nodded.

"I trust you Dinky. Though I doubt Amethyst trusts me."

"He'll have to eventually Piper, just do your best. I'll get things ready, meet me in the courtyard in an hour." she looked around for a moment.

"Don't be late." she said before running off. Piper stood there for a moment, Strawberry nudging him gently.

"Hey, she said an hour Piper, we should head back and get the others ready."

"huh? Oh yea right. It'll probably take an hour to convince Amethyst anyway...bucking hard headed donkey..." Piper mumbled as they walked back.





Twilight sighed silently to herself and shook her head.

I can't dwell on this...I need to relax she looked at the shelves around her, her magic lifting several books toward her and snapping them open. She buried herself in the words on the page in front of her, finding peace within the world of books. It seemed just as she was finally content and lost within the story that something began to nip at her ear. 

At first she did her best to ignore it, but the sensation only grew, the origin of which grew more daring with each passing moment, a long slow drag of its tongue drawing a low moan from the alicorn.

"Luna...I'm trying to read..." Twilight mumbled.

"Then read dear." the Alicorn replied, grinding the ear between her teeth slowly.

"Well...I would...but..." Twilight bit her lip as Luna pulled away from her ear, her breath hot against her neck.

"That's really distracting..."

"That's the idea Twilight." Luna said with a sly grin. Twilight rolled her eyes and turned, kissing the Alicorn. Their moment ruined by a knock at the door. Twilight sighed, on her back under the Lunar princess.

"Maybe if we stay quiet they will go away." Luna said softly, dragging her tongue up Twilight's neck slowly. Another held back moan and another knock. 

"I don't think they are leaving Luna." The princess sighed, reluctantly pulling away from her wife, giving her a moment to collect herself before answering the door. On the other side stood a pegasus guard, her eyes wide and blank.

"Guard, are you alright?"

"Oh she'll be fine in a few hours." a voice said, the pony dropping to the ground as a figure peeked its head inside. Luna glared at it, raising her wings.

"Oh come now Luna, I thought you of all ponies would be happy to see me. After all I never got to see you last time I was here." Discord grinned as Twilight leapt at him, snapping his claws and halting her progress in mid-air.

"Not this time my dear Twilight. Not this time."





Celestia hung her head at the sight of The Doctor and Ditzy entering her throne room.

"Is it time?" she asked. The Doctor nodded sadly.

"Yes, everything has been set in motion. Now we must rely on Dinky and the Elements. By now he will have reached Princess Luna and should arrive here shortly." He said, his voice drowning in the sorrow that pulled on his heart.

"I understand if you cannot answer me Doctor, but Will Equestria survive this?" she asked him.

"Its up to them now Princess. I was already there before, I cannot check again without crossing my own timeline." Celestia nodded.

"Very well. I ask that you two hide for now. I will deal with Discord when he arrives." they nodded, The Doctor placing his hoof against a loose brick in the wall and pushing on it, opening a small passage in which he and Ditzy hid. Moments later the doors flung open, a parade of clouds bouncing across the floor, rain drifting upwards toward the ceiling from them, small fireworks popping in the air as Discord slid into the room, two ponies floating in the air behind him, their bodies wrapped in chains.

"Discord...you've returned and you dare to imprison not only my sister but Twilight Sparkle as well?" Celestia asked, showing more bravery than she truly held at that moment. She had known her sister and Twilight would not give up without a fight, but Discord hardly seemed to have been slowed down by them.

"Well they refused to come nicely. All I wanted was a nice family reunion. You known Celly you could've invited me to the wedding. These two do make such a lovely little couple, though i'm curious. Who was the naughty mare who cast the forbidden spell?" he asked, rubbing his chin with a claw. None of the ponies had an answer for him.

"Hm, nopony knows? I swear its just like when you were children all over again."

"You ruined our childhood Discord." Luna spat at him. Twilight on the other hoof said nothing, focusing on prodding the chains that held her with her magic. Discord merely shrugged, snapping his claws once, chains wrapping around Celestia's horn.

"What do you want?" Celestia demanded

"Me? I just want to talk. Father to Daughter."





"...What?" Amethyst asked.

"Look, we've got less than an hour to meet up with Dinky and get to the TARDIS."

"And we are just going to leave without saying anything to anypony when they need us most. Do you really intend to do that Piper? Is that what our Loyalty is meant to be? Abandoning our family and friends?!" Amethyst yelled at him.

"We aren't abandoning them Amy, we're just gonna get some answers." Strawberry said quietly, sitting between them.

"Amethyst, it wouldn't hurt to at least find out what all of this is about." Emerald said, placing a claw against his shoulder. He glanced at her then at Piper.

"Alright fine. But we're just gonna get some answers then come right back." they all nodded, Piper sticking his head out the door to make sure nopony was around.

"Alright its clear." Amethyst pushed past him, followed by the others, all of them making their way to the Courtyard. As they continued to walk things seemed...odd. By now they should have passed at least a guard or two. Strawberry hiccuped, her left ear flapping back and forth, her eyes wide. She threw her hooves around the ponies and pulled them around a corner quickly

"Strawberry what the ha.." she put a hoof over Amethyst's mouth as a cotton candy cloud drifted by, several guards stuck to it as it made its way down the hallway. The zebra stared in horror at the scene as did Emerald.

"i...Its just like the dream..." Emerald said quietly.

"What dream?" Piper asked.

"Me and Emy kept having these weird dreams and this is one of them. I think something really bad is happening..." her right ear twitched.

"Scratch that, something really really really bad is happening." Piper nodded, peeking down a hall.

"What are you doing?!" Amethyst asked in a hushed whisper.

"We gotta get to Dinky. She must have known this was gonna happen." Piper took to the air, flapping his wings almost silently as he drifted down the hall, nodding to them. As they turned the next corner several figures stepped forward, their heads turned upside down and goat horns growing from their chins. Emerald gasped.

"T...those are..d...Discords minions!" Amethyst placed his claw against the stone wall, the stone peeling away and forming around his arms, forming long blades along his elbows.

"Time for that training to pay off." he said, tossing a hoofblade to Piper. The two nodded to one another and charged forward, their weapons raised.





It didn't take long for Discords clouds to find the ponies hiding within the palace. One by one they were snatched up in the sticky prisons and dragged to the Embodiment of Chaos, each in turn glaring at him.

"Now how in th' hay did ya'll get out of that stone?!" Applejack demanded.

"While I would like to say I merely broke free, I have to say I had a bit of help. You might remember him pretty well." Discord said, pressing a claw against Riku's nose. The Alicorn reacted by biting down on the finger, only to have it explode in his mouth. Riku coughed and spit out a tooth, Discord grinning as his finger popped back into place.

"So rude." Discord mumbled, hovering in the air and crossing his legs as he relaxed, his paw behind his head. Shades appeared on his eyes, a hole opening in the Palace ceiling to let in a bit of moonlight, though it was only mid-day.

"I really did miss our quality time together Celestia. I do hope you don't try to escape." Discord rested a claw against Twilight's' throat.

"You know how I can get." Luna glared daggers at him, the edges of her mane tinged red as she let her anger get the better of her. Discord flashed a toothy grin and turned to his other prisoners.

"You know, I thought you all would put up a better fight with your little Elements This wasn't any fun at all." he pouted, crossing his arms. Rainbow Dash only smiled at him.

"And what are you so happy about?" He asked. The pegasus only shrugged, keeping the smile on her face.

"Oh nothin. Just know somethin you don't I guess."

"and what would that be?" he asked, placing a claw under her chin.

"That as soon as I get out of this, i'm gonna kick your ponycasso ass to the moon." she said with a grin.





Sunburst gasped as she saw one of the clouds dragging her parents down a hall, Piper quickly pulling her back before she could zip after them. Rainbow smiled as she caught sight of them.

"Get out of here" she mouthed to them. Piper nodded, tears shining in Sunburst's eyes.

"Ah'll come back fer you" the teary eyed pegasus mouthed back. Rainbow nodded, though she continued to struggle against the cloud as it drug her away.

"We've got to get to Dinky."

"We can't just abandon our parents" Amethyst said angrily. Emerald bit her lip.

"Amy is right. We can't just leave them. We have to do something"

"What are we going to do exactly?" Nova asked. Strawberry poked Emeralds element.

"We've got these thingies" Emerald blinked, looking down at the Element that clung to her. Ever since the Elements had bound themselves to them they had been unable to remove them. Emeralds mind began to race as she looked at the Element of Magic.

"That's it..." she mumbled.

"We have to go help them. We've got to stop Discord!"





Dinky sighed and bit her lip as she stood by the TARDIS. she had already gone too far by bringing it here.

"Where are they?" she asked herself, looking at a watch strapped to her hoof. She sighed. If they weren't here now then it meant one of two things. One they had been captured and all was lost, or two they had gone after Discord and might have been captured.

Either way the unicorn had to do something. She took a deep breath and opened the TARDIS. She mumbled to herself as she stepped inside, grabbing a hat the Doctor had given her. A simple brown fedora with a hole cut into it for her horn to fit through. She smiled a little as she placed it atop her head, rubbing her chin with a hoof as she looked at a few levers. She walked around, pulling a few with her magic and pressing a small grey button with her hoof.

"Here we go"





Discord raised an eyebrow as the throne room doors burst open, an orange pegasus and purple kirin flying toward him with stone weapons. He smacked them away like flies and sighed a little.

"You are attacking me with children now Celly? Now that's just disappointing."

"PIPER!" Scootaloo screamed as he slammed into the wall. The pegasus shook himself and rolled before he hit the ground, using the dive to throw himself back into the air, kicking Discord upside his head. Discord rubbed his cheek where the pegasi's hooves had hit him.

"The brat has talent." he mumbled, grabbing Piper by his wings as one would a fly. The pegasus struggled and glared at him.

"Well hello, what do we have here?" Discord poked the Element of Loyalty around Piper's neck with his claw.

"Didn't anypony tell you that its wrong to steal from others?" Piper said nothing, kicking and struggling to break free.

"HEY!" Honeycrisp yelled. Discord looked down at the pony, raising an eyebrow.

"Let.Him.Go." she said slowly, glaring at him. Discord lowered himself so he could stare into her eyes.

"And what will you do if I don't little pony?" The mare blinked, her eyes wide as she STARED at him. Discord laughed at The Stare and flicked Honeycrisp across the room with a claw, Sunburst quickly snatching the startled pegasus out of the air before she could collide with the wall. 

"SUNBURST! GET OUT OF HERE!" Rainbow yelled. The pegasus bit her lip and looked up at Piper who was still struggling to break free. To their surprise Piper flipped himself backwards, the sound of his wings popping out of place echoing throughout the room. Piper ignored the pain and chomped down on Discords paw as hard as he could.

"OUCH!" Discord dropped the pegasus and sucked on his thumb. Piper tried to flap his wings, though with them out of place all they could do was stand upright on his back. He rolled and tucked himself into a ball, hoping to lessen the damage he'd take once he hit the ground.

"AMETHYST, CATCH HIM!" Nova yelled. The kirin looked up, as if contemplating if he should just let the pegasus fall. After a moment he cursed and threw out his wings, catching Piper just moments before he hit the ground. Discord glared at the group of ponies, his eyes stopping on Nova.

"Well well well. This is interesting." Discord shrank to normal size and walked up to the young Alicorn, placing a claw against her horn.

"And who might you be?" he asked, though before anypony could react Emerald tackled him. Though the headbutt only managed to knock him back a little. Discord laughed as he looked at them.

"I get it now. These are your little brats aren't they?" he asked the previous Elements of Harmony.

"Then I guess you won't mind if I have some fun." he said, he snapped his claws, the light fading from the room. Claws reached from the darkness, grabbing hold of wings, hooves and horns. 





"NO!" Celestia screamed, struggling against the chains that held her to Discord's floating throne. She recognized this darkness. She had seen its horrors many years ago. She had feared it would be Discords first weapon when he had first returned. Though she had been relieved to discover his madness had not completely returned with him and before it could the Elements had already sealed him back within the stone. 

Now though it seemed Discord was his old self from all those years ago. A ruthless tyrant bent on breaking anypony who stood in his way. Discord turned his demented grin toward her.

"What do you think Celly? Should I do it slowly?" the claws pulled on Pipers wings, causing the pony to scream in agony.

"Or Quickly?" he asked, the claws qucikly twisting Penny's hoof, the bone snapping. The earth pony gasped in pain and fainted at the sight of her blood.

"PENNY!" Hayseed screamed, pulling against the darkness that held her. Discord smiled as he watched the pony make her way to her twin, the claws dragging the limp body away everytime she managed to get close.

"STOP IT! JUST STOP IT!" Celestia screamed at him, tears in her eyes.

"I've only just started Celestia." he cast his eyes over the trapped ponies, finding Applebloom sobbing and Pip fighting against the cloud that held him, his rage shining in his eyes. Scootaloo buzzed her wings but failed to break free and Sweetie Belle's magic refused to work thanks to Discord's entrapment spell on her horn. It seemed only Twilight was unaffected by what they all saw. Discord put a claw to his chin, turning to Nova and back to Twilight for a moment.

"Maybe this one." he said to himself, the claw around Nova's horn squeezing slightly. Nova gasped in pain, closing her eyes as the claws dug into her wings. To Discords disappointment there was still no reaction from Twilight, though Luna was in tears. Discord lowered himself in front of Twilight, looking into her eyes and finding them blank.

"Well this is interesting."

"NOW!" Twilight screamed. Discord jumped a little in surprise as a grey pegasus slammed into his chin from below. A brown stallion leapt from her back and drove a hoof into Discord's eye. The stunned god of chaos covered his face in his claw and paw, the darkness in the room seeping away. The Doctor landed on Discord's claw, watching as it opened enough for him to see his eye.

"Hello again Discord."

"You again?" Discord growled, snatching up the Doctor in his paw. He struggled to get free of the massive paw but it was useless. The Doctor smiled and whistled, Ditzy flying back around to slam into Discord's cheek. Though she only collided with his raised claw.

"It seems you have a friend." Discord slammed Ditzy into the wall, chains wrapping around her throat and tying her to the wall. More wrapped around her hooves, a fireplace appearing underneath her.

"I needed something to put on my mantle. thank you." The Doctor glared at him.

"Let her go Discord, she's not the one you want! I'm the one who you want, just leave them be!" he yelled.

"Oh poor deluded Doctor. I could care less about your involvement in all of this." He turned back to the ponies on the ground who were slow to recover from the darkness that had held them.

"I think i'll finish them now."

"NO!" Luna screamed as he reached for Nova. Though a blue box appearing out of thin air stopped his claw in its tracks. Out of it stepped a unicorn wearing a brown Fedora.

"DINKY!" Ditzy yelled. She looked up to see her mother strapped to the wall.

"MOM!"

"GET THEM OUT OF HERE!" The Doctor yelled.

"ENOUGH!" Discord yelled, reaching for Dinky. A sword flew from the darkness down the hall, slamming into Discords claw. From the shadows walked Chrome mist. The old commander smiled a little.

"Come on now. I thought you were all knights." he said to them. The ponies said nothing as he walked past them. He nodded to Dinky and spread his wings which held more blades.

"In the ancient war, my Ancestor wore this armor and carried these blades when he fought against you. In his memory I will defend these ponies from your tyranny." Discord broke into laughter, holding his sides. Chrome flapped his wings, kicking off the ground and zipping toward Discord with more speed than one would think such an old stallion could have. 

Again and again he slashed with the wingblades, only a blur of armor and wings. Discord flung the Doctor away, using his claw and paw to try to snatch Chrome out of the air. The Doctor hit the ground with a horrible thud. Dinky rushed to his side.

"NO! Remember what I told you! GO!" He yelled, rolling onto his side.

"But...y..you and mom...a..and..."

"GO DINKY!" he yelled. a scream filled the air, drawing their attention back to Discord. Chrome Mist panted heavily as he hit the ground, a blade stuck in his side.

"COMMANDER!" Piper struggled to his hooves, managing to crawl to him. The stallion grinned a little.

"k..kid...get outta here..." He removed his helmet, pushing it into the pegasi's hooves. Rolling onto his side he managed to slip out of the harness that held his hoofblade.

"Take these...get to yer friends...and get outta here..."

"We can't leave you!"

"This is my role kid..." Piper lowered his head, gasping as Dinky grabbed him, pulling him away as Discords claw slammed down on the old commander. Everything seemed to stop for him. He didn't even notice as Amethyst scooped up Penny, the others being pulled into the TARDIS. Dinky turned back to her mother and father.

"We'll come back for you!" she yelled, slamming the door shut and rushing over to the controls, quickly slamming her hoof down on the closest button.

"H...he's gone..." Piper said softly, still holding the helmet and hoofblade. Dinky placed a hoof on his shoulder.

"He knew what he had to do Piper...we all have something we have to do and nopony said we have to like it. And trust me...we aren't going to." She turned to Amethyst as he lowered Penny to the ground. Dinky reached into her saddlebags, pulling out the Doctors sonic device. It whirred quietly for a moment only to be tucked back into the bag.

"Emerald, can you heal her?" she asked. the Kirin nodded, her horns glowing for a moment. Dinky held the hoof in place as Emeralds magic reconnected the bones.

"Good, now Piper." he raised his head, gasping as Dinky pinned him to the ground on his stomach.

"Sorry about this." she said, quickly snatching his wings in her magic and pulling on them, snapping them back into place. Piper barely felt the pain. He was too focused on what had just happened.

"Our parents...The commander...they are dead aren't they?" he asked Dinky softly.

"No...he'll keep them alive as an example to the rest of Equestria. Should anypony attempt to dethrone him he will begin executing them." Dinky said, turning to the door of the TARDIS.

"You can't go back out there! He'll kill us!" Sunburst said. Dinky smiled a little.

"He isn't out there right now."

"Are you nuts!? Of course he is still out there!" Dinky opened the door, everypony staring in shock. Instead of seeing Discord and the throne room, they now saw a wasteland, dark clouds rested high in the sky hiding any sunlight that may have shone that day.

"H...how?" Nova asked.

"Welcome to Equestria. Ten thousand years ago."
> The Rebellion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nova was the first to break the silence.

"Bu...wha....huh?! Ten thousand years ago?! But that was during the great war!" Nova exclaimed. Twilight had taught her all about Equestria's history. Though there were bits and pieces the Alicorn had hidden from her daughter.

"That's right Nova. As a matter of fact, this is the very battlefield on which Celestia and Luna defeated Discord. This event has yet to happen and something has attempted to change its fate. Its the only explanation as to how Discord could have returned as his True Former Self."

"What in th' hay are ya talkin about?" Sunburst asked, her glasses falling off her face in her small fit of anger.

"Maybe I should explain."

"Yea, maybe you should." Amethyst said, crossing his arms. Dinky sighed.

"Ages ago, or rather, sometime in this year. Luna and Celestia fought a great war against Discord. During this time they were not the Princess' of the sun and moon. They were merely more ponies under Discords Tyranny. He took much away from them and his cruelty knew no limits. 

He would execute ponies as jokes and torture others in public showings and force everypony to watch. You all had a small taste of his favorite toy. I am sorry I could not arrive faster to stop it..." Piper smiled.

"Hey, you still saved our flanks out there." he said as he strapped the hoofblade around his waist, placing Chromes helmet over his head.

"Piper, what are you doing?" Emerald asked, confused. His smile faded.

"Don't you get it yet guys? The training, Discord appearing and trapping everypony with barely even resistance and Dinky dragging us to this war. We're suppose to fight." Dinky nodded.

"Sadly Piper is right. This is the event your parents have been preparing you for. Only the princess' and the Doctor knew. I am sorry it was hidden from you, but if you were told..."

"Then we probably would've run and hidden in fear." Honeycrisp finished, hiding in her mane.

"Yes...I know you are not yet ready for this. But we have to go out there and help them. Without you and the Elements Celestia and Luna will fail and Equestria will fall to Discord and his chaos."

"What are we suppose to do? We're just a bunch o' kids and we don't even know how t' use these buckin' things!" Hayseed said, stomping her hoof.

"I cannot say. I do however know that you won't be alone. You will have a guide to help you and in turn you will aid Celestia and Luna in the war. But there is more you must know. You cannot tell them who you really are. Nova, Luna cannot know she is your mother. 

Celestia cannot know anything about your parents or who you are or your real names. It could cause some serious damage to the Equestrian Time-stream and could directly result in none of you being born." They all gulped and nodded in understanding.

"For now, if they ask for your names, merely use your Elements."

"Uh...what about us?" The twins asked. Dinky smiled, placing a hoof on her hat.

"Why, you are my assistants of course!" they blinked.

"Assistants?"

"Yup, while I may not be an Official Doctor, it is my duty to do what he cannot and I can't do it alone. So, Honeycrisp, Penny, Hayseed, would you like to help save Equestria?" The three ponies looked at each other and turned to Dinky, smiling as they all nodded.

"Eeyup!"





Amethyst took a step outside of the TARDIS and had a look around. Where there should have been grass there was only a vast wasteland of death. Where there should have been light there was darkness. Where there should have been happy ponies there was nothing.

"This isn't right..." he said quietly. Emerald stood beside him, on the verge of tears.

"That's why we are here Amethyst. To fix this. If we don't...this is Equestria's future." Dinky said softly, placing a hoof on his shoulder. He nodded.

"Alright then, how do we find the Princess'?"

"Well, they should be coming to us in a few moments actually, which reminds me, I really should move the TARDIS." before anypony could move they were surrounded by ponies shrouded in cloaks and carrying an assortment of weapons. Piper and Amethyst flared up their wings, staring down the ponies around them.

"Whoa! Calm down Everypony." Dinky said, raising her hooves in the air. Out of the crowd stepped an armored pegasus who had his eyes locked on Piper.

"Where'd you get that helmet boy?" he asked. Piper glared at him.

"My commander gave it to me, as well as this blade." Piper drew the hoofblade, pointing it at the pegasus.

"At ease." he said to cloaked ponies. They lowered their weapons.

"You lot, come with me." he said to them.

"Actually we are sort of waiting for somepony." Dinky said. He turned raising a hoof, before he could smack it across the unicorn's face he was thrown back by Amethyst; The Kirin growling at him as smoke drifted from his nostrils.

"Don't even think about it." He said quietly. The ponies drew their weapons again, Emerald stepping forward and chanting under her breath, in moments the weapons began to melt, the ponies panicking and throwing them to the ground. Emeralds eyes stopped glowing as she stopped chanting. The pegasus picked himself up, drawing his own hoofblade and swinging, only to be stopped by Pipers blade.

"STAND DOWN!" A voice boomed behind them. They turned to see a tall white pegasus, her wings spread wide as she stared down at them. The pegasus lowered his head as did the other ponies as she stepped forward. The pegasus looked at all of them, each side surprised to see the other. 

Where a long billowing mane of swirling colors was expected, only a normal pink mane rested atop the ponies head. They had expected to see The Alicorn princess, instead they had met a Teen pegasi Celestia.

"Who are you strange ponies?" she asked them. Dinky smiled a little.

"You may call me The Doctor and these ponies, my dear Celestia, are your Elements of Harmony." 





Everypony sat in silence in Celestia's camp. Dinky bit her lip as the Pegasus turned to her.

"Explain yourself, there was already a pony here claiming to be the Doctor. Are you an imposter or a friend?" Celestia asked.

"You could say he and I are very close friends." she said with a smile.

"I'll be the judge of that." a voice said from the shadows. Dinky smiled as she saw The Doctor step forward from them, though she resisted the urge to hug him tightly.

"Doctor!" they all exclaimed

"We thought you were a goner!" Sunburst said.

"What are you talking about? I don't even know any of you ponies." Dinky cleared her throat.

"He doesn't know who we are yet remember?" she whispered to her friends, they lowered their heads.

"Oh..."

"Maybe I can explain Doctor. Though I can only tell you so much. We come from a time-stream in which Celestia and Luna are victorious in the fight against Discord, though he has returned in our time. You do your best to help, but in the end you know there is only one answer." The Doctor nodded and smiled.

"I see, so in the future, or your future or present rather. Discord has returned and the only way to put a stop to him is to return here. But I cannot return here as I am already here, the only choice would be..."

"To send somepony else to do it." Dinky finished. The Doctor smiled.

"Well in that case I suppose we can trust you. I did send you here to help after all." he said with a grin. Oh how badly she wanted to hold him. She had left him to die and now here he was. It took everything in her not to pull him into a death-grip hug and never let go.

"So we can trust them? Is what they say true? Are they the Elements mother has sent to us?"

"I believe they are Celly. Though I don't see how a bunch of ponies are going to be able to help."

"In time everything will be revealed." Dinky said softly. The Doctor barely heard her though, his attention on the Kirin who stood in the tent.

"You really are fascinating creatures. I don't think I've seen your kind before. What are you exactly?" Amethyst raised an eyebrow.

"We are Kirin." Emerald explained.

"Interesting." He said, pulling out his sonic device and scanning them with it. He looked at the readings and mumbled something to himself.

"Wait...I thought there were only six elements sister. Why are there so many of them?" a small dark blue Unicorn asked from beside Celestia.

"The others, while they are not Elements, are just as important as their friends. Though I wish I could explain their role..." Celestia raised a hoof.

"I've had enough of this secrecy. I want some answers. Who are all of you?" She demanded of them. It was Nova who stepped forward.

"We are Knights of Canterlot and we are here to help you. We don't want to keep any secrets from you, but to be honest..."

"We really don't know much other than what we have told you." Amethyst finished for the Alicorn. Celestia paled slightly, a panicked look in her eyes. Dinky cleared her throat.

"What they meant to say Princess, is that..."

"I think they said exactly what they meant Doctor. And what the hay is this Knights of Canterlot nonsense?" The Doctor asked. Piper stepped forward, raising his wings.

"Listen, we don't have time for you to be arguing with us. Right now Discord is out there torturing the ponies we are all meant to protect and we are just sitting here acting like a bunch of kids." The room was silent for a while, the pegasus still standing tall with his wings spread wide.

"But we are a bunch of kids..." Luna said softly, looking around the room. Piper smiled.

"Don't you know Princess? Age has nothing to do with greatness."





After managing to calm down the pegasus princess, the group made their way to what was now being called 'The Generals Camp'. It seemed almost funny, a random bunch of children becoming Generals in a great army meant to defend the entire world. Almost even more so when the aforementioned great army was merely a ragtag rebellion tossed together by Chrome Mist. Piper had been a bit surprised to discover his commanders Great Ancestor was here. 

The group followed Dinky into a tall tent, watching as the Unicorn suddenly collapsed into tears, hiding her face in her hooves. Sunburst pulled her into a hug, Honeycrisp and Strawberry joining the hug.

"I'm so sorry everypony...I'm messing up everything...I don't deserve to call myself Doctor..." She said softly.

"Shhh, its ok Dinky, you're doing the best you can." Sunburst said quietly. Nova sighed a little as she sat on a nearby cot, Emerald wrapping a wing around her.

"My mom looks so small and helpless...she seems so afraid..." The Alicorn leaned against her friend.

"She's just a little kid, lost in a terrible war that cost her everything." Amethyst said, sighing as he sat down on a cot. Emerald glared at him for a moment, her eyes telling him his honesty wasn't needed right now.

"Nova...We're all a little scared. Its alright, because we have each other and we'll get through this somehow." Emerald said. Nova sniffed and smiled at her friend, resting her head against her shoulder and closing her eyes.

"Thanks Emy..." Strawberry yawned as she stretched a little, flopping down onto one of the cots.

"SOOOOOOOO, what do we do now?" She asked them. Everypony glanced at one another, turning to Dinky. The unicorn sniffed and wiped away a few tears.

"Well...first we need to speak with the Commander and his soldiers. Tell them what we now, train them, get them ready to fight. Then...well...after that its up to all of you." She said to them.

"Up to us? So we're just gonna teach all these soldiers how to fight and take down Discord with the Elements. That's a wonderful plan! One problem, we don't even know how to use these stupid things!" Amethyst yelled. Dinky flinched at his words.

"I know...I'm sorry Amethyst..." the kirin's eyes softened at the sight of the unicorns tears.

"Dinky...i'm sorry...I shouldn't have yelled..." She shook her head.

"its alright...lets just try to get some rest for now everypony...we have a busy day ahead of us..."





Penny looked around, seeing nothing but light around her. Beside her stood her sister, both of them confused as to just where they were exactly. One by one their friends appeared, all confused as they were.

"Good, you have all arrived." a voice rang out around them. It seemed to come from everywhere at once.

"Who are you?" Emerald asked. A tall figure appeared before them. An Alicorn with a coat as bright as the sun, fading as ones eyes made their way down the Alicorns body. The light fading to that of the dark of the night as their eyes settled on her hooves. She stood tall with her wings spread, one filled with billowing clouds, the other drifting stars. Her eyes were the brightest of lights, her mane a long flowing peaceful flame. She smiled down at them, the smile itself filling their hearts with warmth.

"I am Harmony." She said to them. A wave of calm mixed with shock ran through them.

"H...Harmony? Like...the creator of the Elements? That harmony?" Strawberry asked. The Alicorn nodded.

"Yes, I am that Harmony. I have brought you all here because of the task you must face."

"Wait wait wait, so you're Harmony, creator of the Elements of Harmony. Where were you when Discord attacked Canterlot?" Amethyst asked, Sunburst punching him in his shoulder.

"Sorry yer Highness, Amy doesn't think before he speaks." She explained.

"It is quite alright Sunburst. The question does deserve an answer however. You see, while Discord may directly enter your realm and do what he wishes, I cannot."

"...Why?" Piper asked.

"Because my presence would only bring destruction and chaos. Just look at what Discords presence brings."

"So if you wanted to, you could go and stop him right?" Penny asked. 

"Perhaps, though his power and mine are equal. Anything I did he could easily undo."

"That's why you made the Elements isn't it?" The Alicorn smiled at Nova.

"That is correct my dear. With these elements, ponies bound together by true friendship are strong enough to face down my husband..."

"WHOA! Back that wagon up a second. Your husband? You and Discord are...uh..." Hayseed started to ask. Harmony laughed and nodded.

"As strange as it may seem little one, yes. Together, Discord and I created your world. Keeping balance between chaos and Peace. Though as you all know, he grew tired of the peace I brought to Equestria and sought to make it 'More interesting'. As he likes to put it. He has even gone so far as to threaten our daughters to bring about his chaos."

"Your daughters? You mean Luna and Celestia?" Emerald asked in surprise. Harmony nodded.

"wait...that makes me..."

"That's right, you are my granddaughter and I couldn't be more proud to be your grandmother." The little alicorn almost fainted.

"Ok, so, that's great and all, but why are we here exactly?" Piper asked.

"Because I have a request of you all." they blinked, staring at the Alicorn goddess.

"I know that I am asking for more than I should, but I ask that you protect my daughters and do whatever it takes to keep them safe from Discord."

"Well, we'd like t' do what we can, but we can't really do much t' be honest. We don't even know how t' use th' elements. And last time we tried t' fight Discord...well...Piper and Penny got hurt real bad...so did Nova...we couldn't do anythin...our parents..." Sunburst started to cry, Honeycrisp pulling her into a gentle hug.

"I am sorry. I did not mean to bring up those memories. I know it will be hard, but I will be there to guide you. There is no secret to using the Elements and I cannot teach you how to use them. Only true friendship will enable their power."

"Miss Harmony, ah have a question..." Penny began.

"Yes dear?"

"Why are th' rest of us here? We ain't even elements like th' rest o' our friends."

"Penny Apple, do you think the Elements are what make them special?" Harmony asked.

"Well...yea. All those things make em somethin. Piper bein Loyal, Amethyst bein Honest, Nova bein generous..." Harmony raised a hoof to stop her.

"Think about those traits for a moment. Anypony can have them. The point of them is that they are what true friends have. A true friend is always honest, always kind and generous to their friends. They stay loyal to them through thick and thin and always try to keep them happy by making them laugh. 

The Elements merely show who best holds that trait among all of you. Just because you do not bear an element, does not mean you do not represent one. Remember this. The Elements power can only be used by true friends." The earth pony nodded with a smile. Harmony turned to Piper frowning for only a moment.

"Your majesty...Are our parents ok?" Piper asked softly. The Alicorn was silent for a moment, deciding that they needed to know what was happening. She held out her hoof, a small window opening in midair, revealing a horrifying sight.





Discord sighed as he leaned back on the striped green and pink cloud. Chains bound the three Alicorns to his makeshift throne, the other ponies hung on the walls, bruised and broken. Rainbow Dash tried again and again in vain to pull free and while it had entertained him for a while he had grown bored of her sounds of struggle. He waved his hand and smiled as several darts appeared in mid-air. He took one in his claws, aiming at the pinned pegasus.

"Hmm. what do you think Celly? Between the eyes? Maybe I should pin those hooves down properly." He asked, almost as if she could change the Pegasi's fate.

"Discord...please..." she begged.

"Oh my your right. I shouldn't be doing this." he snapped his claws, a blindfold covering his eyes.

"There we go, much better." he grinned as he aimed the darts, peeking slightly from under the blindfold.

"HEY YOU'RE CHEATING!" Pinkie screamed, drawing his attention to her. The pony was hogtied and hanging from the ceiling by her hooves. Rainbow let out a small sigh of relief, trying again to break free.

"It ain't gonna change nuthin even if ya keep at it Dashie..." Applejack said softly. The earth pony was badly bruised, half of her face swelled up like a balloon and her eye black from the beating she had suffered. It pained Rainbow to see her that way. She had been useless to protect her and now she couldn't even protect her friends. The couple watched as Discord turned upside down to look into Pinkie's eyes.

"Who cares if I cheat a little?"

"Its not fair if you cheat." she pouted.

"Oh? Would you care to play?" he asked, grabbing hold of the chains that held her. The pony grinned, staring into his eyes.

"As a matter of fact I would. If I win, you have to let Dashie go."

"And if I win?" he asked. Pinkie bit her lip in thought.

"If you win...then I tell you a secret." she said after a moment.

"A secret? Why should I care?"

"Because its something you don't know." she said with a small smile. He pressed a claw against her forehead, though all he could hear in her mind was random ramblings and several thousand songs. He had thought it would have been as simple as seeing what exactly she was hiding from him, but the pony had too much on her mind. She really was a beautiful slice of chaos.

"Hm, lets make it a bit more interesting. If you win, I shall free both pegasi. And if I win, you have to tell me that secret annnnd join me." the pink pony blinked.

"join you?"

"Yes Pinkie Pie. You see, even creatures like me desire some sort of friends and you are absolutely perfect. A completely random pony causing chaos in the blink of an eye. Just think of it for a moment." he said with a grin. 

"DON'T DO IT PINKIE!" Twilight screamed, coughing and gasping as the chains tightened around her throat to silence her.

"Twilight!" Luna desperately tried to reach her, though the chains kept them from one another.

"Well Miss Pie? what do you say?" he held out a claw. Pinkie took a slow breath and nodded.

"I accept."





The ponies could only stare in horror.

"w...we have to do something!" Sunburst screamed as she stared at her parents.

"I am afraid all you can do for them now is to help my daughters. You must find what has changed and change it back."

"Will that stop Discord?" Piper asked. She had no answer for them. The ponies blinked as Emerald vanished.

"It seems it is time for all of you to go. Please remember my words and be careful."

"wait!" Piper called out, blinking and sitting up in his bed. They were all back in the tent, the strange Alicorn gone.

"Did anypony else see that?" Honeycrisp asked. They all nodded, Dinky looking at them confused.

"See what?" she asked.

"We've got to get to Celestia and Luna, now!" Piper leapt out of his bed, snatching up Chrome's hoofblade as he ran out of the tent.

"Can somepony explain to me what is going on?" Dinky asked as they rushed out after him. Emerald and Sunburst gave a quick explanation of the dream they had just had. Piper burst into the Princess' tent, the hoofblade wrapped tightly around his mid-section. The princess' jumped in surprise as he entered and he smiled at them slightly, the others entering the tent behind him.

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna. We know how we can help, we need to start as soon as possible." the pegasus said to them.

"Um...W...What do we do?" Celestia asked.

"We need to start by training your soldiers. How many can use magic?"

"We have a small group of unicorns." Luna said softly.

"How many?" Piper asked, sitting down and looking at a map that sat on the table. His friends gathered around him, all examining it. Spread across it were small figures resembling their forces and Discords forces not too far away. They were greatly outnumbered at least a thousand to one. Nova stared at them for a moment, lifting a few in her magic and letting them drift around the map.

"What are you doing?" Luna asked, though she received no answer from the young Alicorn. Celestia and Chrome watched with interest as she set them up in different formations.

"Our groups may be small. But when focused like this..."

"They would be able to defend one another while staying on the offensive. That's genius!" The Doctor exclaimed. Nova smiled at the praise. Blinking as Luna poked her horn.

"Oh..s..sorry...I was just curious...why do you have wings and a horn?" She asked. Nova blinked, surprised by the question.

"They don't know about Alicorn's yet. It should be safe to tell them as long as you don't reveal you are her daughter." Dinky whispered to her. She nodded and took a calming breath.

"I'm what is known as an Alicorn. A near immortal creature of great power."

"Near Immortal?" Celestia asked. Nova nodded.

"Yes. Alicorns such as myself live for hundreds of thousands of years. Our magic is what allows us to live for so long. Should we use up all of our magic, we will die. And while we are quite resilient we can be killed."

"You say we...are there other Alicorns? Some that could help us?" Celestia asked, almost as if begging. Nova bit her lip.

"Sadly I am the only one who can aid you in this war." Nova said, her ears tucked back against her head. Celestia sighed a little.

"Its alright. We can use any help you can give us." Celestia said. Piper mumbled to himself, looking at the formations Nova had made.

"There's a problem with this." he said, their attention drawn toward him.

"We're looking at this from the viewpoint of a normal war. But this is Discord we are facing. There is no point in trying to make sense in a battle against him. He would look at these formations and snap them up in his clouds in an instant. 
We'd lose everything in the first five minutes of the fight." he said, remembering the clouds that held his family. Nova lowered her head.

"You're right...how could I have forgotten..."

"Don't beat yourself up, its a great plan. We just need to change it a bit. We can't stay grouped together, we have to scatter." Amethyst grinned a little.

"Tactical warfare. Is there any cover? Any trees maybe?" Celestia shook her head. Amethyst rubbed his chin for a moment.

"Magic." he turned to Emerald, the kirin raising her head.

"If we don't have any cover, we'll just make some." he said with a grin.





Celestia gathered her soldiers, Luna by her side as they followed the Elements of Harmony. Amethyst turned to Nova who nodded. Sunburst, Piper, and Honeycrisp took to the air, diving in and out of the clouds and pulling them apart. Emeralds horns began to glow dimly, the ground around them glowing as well. Amethyst rested his claws in the dirt, beginning a low almost inaudible chant, his eyes glowing dimly. The dirt began to vanish, forming a cloud of dust all around them.

Celestia watched in awe as the three pegasi pulled rain from the clouds, the dirt began to settle, soft and fertile where it had once been hard and dead. The rain fell heavily, soaking into the fresh ground and to their surprise a small green stub poked out of the dirt. One by one more appeared, surrounded in the glow of the Kirins magic. They continued to grow, reaching high into the air until they formed into massive trees all around them. Emerald stumbled a bit as her magic faded. The group smiled at their work, leaving the rebellion to stare in shock as they regrouped.

"We can use the trees to hide archers and for defensive purposes." Piper said as he sat down. Sunburst reared up and kicked one, apples falling around her in nice, neat piles.

"We can also use em as a food supply. Th' apples will taste a might bit funny bein made from magic and all, but its all safe t' eat." She said, her eyes wide for a moment as she lifted one of the apples. As her hoof touched it the red changed into several rainbow stripes.

"a zap apple..."





The party pony panted heavily, a few scrapes and bruises covering her coat, blood dripping down her body to the ground. Discord smiled, tossing a ball up and down, spikes wrapped around it.

"Are you done yet pony?" he asked. She lowered her head.

I've got no choice...I've got to use it... she waited for him to roll the ball. It was another fast ball. She knew she couldn't dodge it, or kick it back. Her last attempt at that had given her a spike to the hoof. As the ball neared her she roared, her keyblade appearing in mid-air. Pinkie stood on her hind hooves, slamming her hoof into the blade, its hilt wrapping around her hoof as she spun, slamming it into the spiked ball. Discord grinned as it flew back to him, popping it with a claw before it could hit him. 

"Oh good, I'm glad to see you still have some surprises for me."

"I'm full of surprises." she said, reaching behind her and pulling out her party cannon. Discord laughed and clapped at the sight of it. He couldn't even begin to imagine how she had pulled the contraption out of thin air and he didn't care. 

Pinkie rested her hoof-keyblade on top of the cannon, the blade shaping itself around it, doubling its size. Pinkie pie slammed her forehooves down on the massive button, a large pink cannonball flying towards Discord, he held out his claw and caught it, grinning at her as it stopped instantly.

"Sorry miss pie, but you will have to do be..." BOOM. The bomb blew up in his claw, sending him flying backwards into the wall. He stared at his claw in surprise and burst into uncontrollable laughter, falling to the ground and holding his sides.

"A bomb cannon! classic!" He stood, wiping away a tear as his laughter subsided.

"Alright, alright. Just for that one, i'll let the the Rainbow and the shy one go, but you stay here." Pinkie pie smiled, completely exhausted. It took a lot out of her to change the blades shape like that, even more so to use its hidden powers. 

Another moment and she would have lost this little game. To be honest she hadn't expected him to keep his word. Discord snapped his claws, the clasps around Rainbow opening, letting her drop to the ground. The chains that held Fluttershy fell away and vanished. The yellow pegasus looked to her husband. The red stallion giving her a weak smile.

"Go Flutter...ya'll gotta keep safe...ah'll be alright...think 'bout th' lil' one..." he begged. Fluttershy hugged him tightly, tears in her eyes as she pulled away from him, flying after Rainbow Dash. Rainbow stopped to look at Pinkie Pie. The two gave each other a nod, a simple promise as they both went their separate ways. Pinkie Pie collapsed against a wall, a rope wrapping around her neck. Discord knew the pony wouldn't attempt a get-away or that she even could, even so he liked to keep up appearances. He watched as the pegasi flew away.

"hm, a little false hope? Don't mind if I do." he said with a grin.





Piper and Chrome stared at one another for a moment, both drawing their hoofblades and placing them against one another. They slowly began to circle one another, their blades held against each other. Chrome stepped forward first, giving Piper the opening he needed, his blade quickly against the older stallions throat. Chrome stood there in shock and surprise, his blade only moments away from doing the same. Piper grinned a little as he pulled the blade away, lowering himself back to all fours.

"Alright boy, you've got my full attention. Just who in the hay are ya and how in tartarus did ya get that helmet and sword?"

"Well, lets just say down the line your skills reach a young pegasus in training." Chrome chuckled at the attempt at a riddled answer. He turned to look at his soldiers. Afraid, untrained, unprepared for what was to come. Then there was this colt before him, able to best him with his own techniques before he had a chance to use them himself.

"Boy, why don't you teach em what ya know?" Piper grinned.

"I'd be honored." Piper walked in front of the group, their eyes locked on him as he flared up his wings.

"Tell me, who is your best flyer?" a pony was pushed forward, her face pale.

"um..t..that would be m..me Sir" she mumbled. Piper smiled a little.

"Hey, chin up and calm down. Let me see what you've got." he said. The pegasus mumbled and took off, kicking up a massive cloud of dust as she zipped through the air, barreling backwards at breakneck speeds and coming to a complete stop beside him. Piper chuckled in surprise.

"You've got some moves. But you can't fly with your eyes closed." the pegasus opened her eyes.

"oh..um...sorry..." Piper felt this pegasus was somehow directly related to Fluttershy. Though her wing power was impressive.

"I want all of you to be able to do that." Piper said to the other pegasi. They glared at the mare for a moment, gasping as shards of ice suddenly rose from the ground in front of them. Pipers eyes scanned the soldiers, letting them see the anger in his eyes, colder than the ice that sat in front of them.

"If you want to be angry, be angry at me, but fly while you're angry." he said softly. They gulped, taking off, Piper faintly hearing one speak.

"D...Did you see that?! he used magic without a horn!"

"he's a freak..." another mumbled. Piper kept his gaze on the ground as they took to the air.

"y...You didn't have t..."

"No. They had no right to be mad at you." he said softly before taking to the air himself.

"HEY! GET OUT OF THOSE FORMATIONS!" Piper called out to them. The pegasi looked at him confused. He sighed and barreled through them, whipping them up in his slipstream before coming to a halt in front of them as they tried to gather themselves.

"Grouped together as you are, I can just tear you apart without even trying. If I can manage that you don't stand a chance against Discord."

"Hey kid we've had enough of your nonsense. I don't care if you have some kind of freaky powers and whatnot. How are we gonna learn anything from a kid like you? Just go back to the camp and let the adults do the fighting." Piper chuckled a little.

"You want to learn something? Watch then." Piper rolled backwards, diving towards the ground.

"he's nuts..." one pony said.

"there's no way he can pull out of that dive." another said. they watched, gasping as Piper lifted up at the last second, rocketing forward and hovering just above the ground, he bolted upward, his speed doubling instantly as he looped over them, quickly turning once more, his mane and tail a blur as he circled around them. They watched as a cone built around him and in moments it shattered, sending him barreling high into the air.

Piper grinned as he felt the wind tug at his mane, the sound barrier shattering reaching his ears moments later. Pipers ears twitched as another sound reached his ears, one he recognized. It was a sound he hoped he wouldn't hear anytime soon and it was getting louder.





Luna and Emerald watched as an explosion of orange and red filled the sky, stretching far and wide, a massive explosion following after it. Smiles spread across their faces, both of them losing focus on their magic, the rocks they held falling to the ground and making them jump. 

"s...sorry!" Luna exclaimed. Emerald smiled.

"Its alright Princess. Lets just try it aga..." Emerald stopped as a loud, blood curdling roar ripped through the camp. She recognized that roar. It was the sound those creatures had made as her brother and Piper had fought them.

"Princess you have to get to your sister! Now!" Emerald said, grabbing hold of the unicorn and tossing her onto her back without a moments warning. She spread her wings and bit her lip.

Come on Wings, don't fail me now! She pushed off the ground, flapping her wings hard, the unicorn gasping and throwing her hooves around her neck. Soon they appeared, Discords twisted creatures, charging into Celestia's camp. 

Emerald gulped as she flew high above them, gasping as one flew by her. The creature made to attack again, though it was tackled out of the air by her brother, his claws tearing into its chest. Emerald sighed a little in relief, landing in the center of the camp, Luna sliding off of her back.

"Stay with your sister!" Emerald yelled over the fighting.

"WE NEED HELP!" Sunburst called out, her wings flared up and her eyes tinted red as flames danced in front of her, holding the creatures at bay for now. Emerald stepped forward, her horns glowing dimly. She had to do something! She began a slow chant, letting the two magics within her combine and spread over the camp, her eyes glowing brightly. She had no idea what she was doing, only that somehow she could do...something. She let the magic burst forth, her eyes wide as a barrier spread out, slamming into Discord's minions and sending them flying. The Kirin stumbled a little as her magic faded, a claw to her head. She gasped as Luna hugged her tightly.

"That was amazing!" the Princess said, kissing her. The two blushed deeply, mumbling and stammering as Luna pulled herself away from her. Nova just stared at them as the others landed in the main camp, a bit worn out but unharmed. Nova yelled something and ran off. Emerald watched as she ran away.

"oh no..."





"Oh come on Nova, maybe there's an explanation." Strawberry said softly, patting the Alicorn's back as she sobbed into her coat. Emerald stepped into the tent, Strawberry smiling a little.

"Nova..." Emerald said softly. The Alicorn forced herself to stop crying, though she continued to sob slightly, sitting upright with her back to the Kirin.

"What do YOU want?!" she said, hiccuping a little.

"Please Nova, its not what it looks like..."

"Well please do tell what it was, because I saw you kiss my mom! How could you do that?!" she demanded as she spun, glaring at her, though tears still streamed down her cheeks.

"Nova...please...I didn't..."

"YES YOU DID!" Nova screamed, her voice echoing within the tent and almost knocking the Kirin onto her back.

"NOVA!" She screamed back, the Alicorn flinched.

"Listen to me...I didn't kiss her. While I care about your mom as a dear friend I don't have any feelings for her...I care about you Nova..." she said quietly. Strawberry smiled, shoving the Alicorn forward. Nova gasped as she fell into Emerald, their lips meeting. For a moment the two just stood there, blushing furiously and staring into the others eyes. Though after a moment they grabbed hold of one another, slowly breaking the 'kiss'

"y...you mean it?" Nova asked, still shaking a little as sobs racked her body back and forth. Emerald nuzzled her friends neck gently and smiled.

"I do" 

Sunburst cleared her throat as she entered the tent.

"I hope we aren't interrupting anything." she said with a sly smile, making the two blush. Dinky laughed a little as she peeked her head inside.

"You two do realize that during this time such a kiss is similar to a hug? For Luna it probably meant nothing more than that." 

Nova blinked, smacking her hoof against her forehead. She should have known that, her mother had taught her all about ancient customs. She sighed a little.

"I'm sorry I yelled Em..." the Alicorn blushed as she was pulled into a soft kiss. Emerald blushed slightly and smiled at her friend.

"Its fine, I kinda yelled back anyway..."

"If you two are done, we've got a problem." Amethyst said as he entered the room.

"Discord knows where we are now...Its my fault..." Piper said, lowering his head.

"Hey, I saw those pegasi, they needed to be put in their place. Ya did th' right thing." Sunburst said to him, hugging him gently. He shook out of the hug and shook his head.

"No. I screwed up. We need to get moving."

"We can't leave Piper." Hayseed said. 

"Why not? If we stay he'll come here, don't you remember what he did to Penny? He'll do that to all of us. We have to stay alive long enough to figure out how to use the Elements against him." Hayseed reached into a saddlebag, pulling out a striped apple.

"We can't leave this place. Its mah home Piper. This is Sweet Apple Acres."





Rainbow punched the wall as hard as she could, breaking down and sinking to the ground.

"I left them there...how could I just leave them? How could I leave Aj..." Fluttershy hugged her gently.

"We haven't left them Dash." She said softly. The cyan pegasus sniffed, looking at her friend in confusion.

"We're just retreating. Pinkie Pie knew she had to get us out. She had to get you out because you're the only pony tough enough to bust them out and me because..."

"Cause of your kid right?" Rainbow sniffed. Fluttershy nodded.

"He would've taken your wings Dash...you saw where he was aiming those darts...Now we have a chance to save them."

"How?! We aren't the Elements anymore. And we have no idea where they are!" More tears made their way down her cheeks. Fluttershy hated seeing her friend like this. It was a rare occasion that anything could break her down like this. She was always the strong one. Fluttershy took a deep breath, holding back the tears she wanted to shed for Honeycrisp. Though she knew the pegasus would be safe with her friends, wherever they were.

"Rainbow Dash, you've got to pull yourself together. Maybe if we find Twilights brother..." 

"Her brother? You mean Shining Armor?" Fluttershy nodded, peeking around a corner.

"If we find him, we might be able to come up with a rescue plan."

"But he's suppose to be all the way in Appleloosa! It'll take forever for us to get there in Discords madness." Fluttershy smiled.

"It would take me forever, but not you Dash. All it would take is a Sonic Rainboom." Rainbow blinked.

"Shy...No! I already abandoned the others, i'm not gonna leave you behind!" Fluttershy put a hoof on her friends shoulder and smiled.

"I can hide in the Everfree forest until you come back. Zecora should still be in her hut and it should be safe there. You've got to find Shining Armor." Rainbow hugged her friend tightly, sobbing softly.

"I'll come back for you Shy...I'll come back for everypony...I promise." Fluttershy nodded, pushing her friend away.

"Go!" Rainbow bit her lip and took to the sky, easily gaining enough speed to shatter the sound barrier, a rainbow trail following after her as she zipped toward their last chance of saving their friends. Fluttershy sighed softly and snuck around a corner. It would be a long walk to the forest, she would have to be careful, lest Discord change his mind about her freedom.





"We're not moving out?" Celestia asked.

"No, this place is too important. Some of the greatest history is made here and it is where we will have to make our stand. We can't just keep running away. We have to stand up and band together against Discord." Dinky said to her. The pegasus looked around at her generals, at the Elements and their friends. At the Doctor and Dinky, then to her sister. She turned back to them with a determined look on her face.

"Alright. I trust in your abilities. We will stand and fight." She declared. Nova and Piper began planning their attack while Amethyst and Emerald began speaking of different spells. Penny and Hayseed paired up to talk ground combat strategies with the generals while sunburst and Honeycrisp talked about aerial combat with the pegasi. Slowly a plan was coming together. But would it work?
> The Battle Begins
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fluttershy sighed quietly as she raised a hoof to knock on Zecora's door. She squeaked in surprise as the Zebra leapt out from above her, dressed from head to hoof in what could only be called fur armor, a spear balanced on her shoulder as she lowered herself to the ground, another held in her mouth, Upon seeing it was only Fluttershy she quickly pushed the frightened mare into her hut, shutting the door behind them.

"It is quite dangerous out there. To what do I owe this visit, frightened mare?" she asked. Fluttershy sighed in relief.

"M...My friends...my daughter..." Fluttershy was unable to hold back her tears any longer. She fell to the ground, the zebra placing a hoof on her shoulder comfortingly, letting the pegasus cry until she could cry no more.

"I am sorry to hear of your loss Fluttershy and I am glad you no longer need to cry. But there is much to be done or else Discord will have won." The pegasus nodded and sniffed.

"R..Rainbow Dash went after Shining Armor."

"I see. A rebellion, an Army." Zecora said, setting down her weapons. Fluttershy nodded.

"We have no time to lose. Come Fluttershy, we must move."





"I am curious, how did you use magic?" Celestia asked. Piper smiled a little, lowering his head as he sighed.

"Magic lives within all things Princess. Anypony is capable of the art of magic, though a unicorn is more suited for the task. There are spells which pegasi such as you and I can use. Then there are spells that only Dragons can use. Though I haven't attempted any myself so I am not sure if a pegasi could use such magic."

"A pegasi having magic? that doesn't make any sense." The orange pegasus chuckled a little.

"Have you ever rested on a cloud before Princess?" he asked her. The pegasus nodded.

"Has your sister?" he asked. This time she shook her head.

"Have you ever wondered why a Pegasus can stand on a cloud as if it were the ground and a unicorn cannot?" Celestia blinked, looking up at the dark clouds swirling all around them. 

"I suppose the thought had never come to me before. Do you mean to say we use magic without realizing it?"

"I suppose I am." he chuckled a little. It was a bit strange, sitting there with the Ruler of all of Equestria and speaking as if he had any idea what he was talking about. Though his words seemed to soothe her. 

"I spoke with your mother the other night." Piper said softly. Celestia looked at him with wide eyes.

"m...My mother?"

"Yes. Harmony. I felt it wouldn't be right to hide it from you. I might not be honesty but I don't feel right keeping secrets from friends. She's worried about you and your sister. She asked us to protect you, to keep you safe." The pegasus smiled, gently nuzzling his cheek. Piper froze up in shock for a moment, a light blush touching his face.

"Thank you..." she said softly, a smile on her face as she looked at the small forest they had created. Piper was still amazed at what they had done. It was thanks to Amethysts' and Emeralds' magic though.

"I have to ask, Loyalty isn't your real name is it?" Piper smiled a little.

"Not exactly. Though i'm sure the Doctor explained it." She nodded.

"Due to you being from a timeline we might be a part of, you cannot reveal who you truly are. I only asked now because I hoped you wouldn't keep any more secrets from me." Piper winced visibly and hung his head low.

"Princess...If I could tell you, I would. Please believe me when I say that."

"Alright...but I hope someday you will reveal it to me." she gently kissed his cheek before walking back to her tent. Piper sat there for a moment, his cheeks flushed and his mind racing. Sunburst cleared her throat from nearby, smiling knowingly at him.

"Enjoying yerself Loyalty?" she asked of him. He glanced over at her and she burst into laughter, pointing to his wings. Piper gasped and quickly lowered them.

"HEY! Its not like I can control them!" this only provoked the other pegasus, making her laugh even harder. Finally she pulled herself to her hooves and sat beside him.

"Ok, so, she MIGHT have a thing fer ya. Or it could just be a friendly gesture like what Luna did with Emy. Its kinda obvious ya got th' hots fer her though."

"...Can you blame me?" he asked her. Sunburst looked over her shoulder at Celestia's tent.

"Guess ah can't. Though ah know ah don't have t' tell ya that she ain't what we are here for. Least not in that way. Ya can't go gettin mixed up in some crazy relationship with th' princess, especially when str...uh...Ah mean...especially when she is suppose t' be an immortal princess an all." she said quickly. Piper was about to ask what she had said before but she smiled and ran off before he had a chance. He sighed and put a hoof to his cheek

I wonder what that kiss meant...





Strawberry pouted a little looking at the group of soldiers. They had their heads hanging low, toiling away on their armor or their weaponry or just staring blankly at the cloudy sky. She couldn't leave things like this. She picked up a stick and ran over to one of the shields, snatching it up and piling it next to some helmets. Looking around she smiled and grabbed another stick, bouncing them off her makeshift drumset, drawing the attention of everypony in the camp. She began to sing, throwing her head back and forth, smiling as a pony started to move to the music, snatching up a flute and playing along with her.

"Come on Everypony!" she called out to them, smiles spreading throughout the camp as the song continued. She placed the sticks in a nearby ponies hooves and bounced around the camp, continuing to sing. One could almost see the happiness emanating from the pony as she bounced, throwing her hooves in the air as she held the final note of her song. The ponies around her broke into laughter, the zebra smiling at all of them. She gasped in surprise as one of them hugged her.

"Thank ya fer that miss Laughter. Things have been mighty glum 'round here. These here ponies needed somethin t' raise their spirits." The zebra hugged back gently and giggled.

"Not a problem! Its my job to make ponies happy!"





"Is that...a Sonic Rainboom?" Cadence asked as a streak of rainbow made its way across the sky.

"Yea...and its headed for us!" Shining armor pushed Cadence to the side, the rainbow crashing down where she had been standing moments before.

The impact kicked up a massive cloud of dirt, throwing the nearby ponies into a coughing fit. Slowly it began to settle, revealing one exhausted and worse for wear Rainbow Dash.

"S...Shin...Shining armor...Discord...help.." she collapsed, Cadence snatching the pegasus in her magic.

"We've got to get back to Canterlot."





Piper looked around at the soldiers. They were afraid, some of them weren't even any older than he was. It scared him to think that this was the great army meant to defeat Discord. No matter how positive he tried to be, all he could think of was how many of them would die. How many they would be unable to protect. They were just kids themselves, what could they do? Honeycrisp mumbled something beside him, drawing his attention to her.

"oh..um..sorry."

"No, wait. Say that again."

"oh...well um...ah just thought that...maybe since this is Sweet Apple Acres..t..that th' Everfree forest wouldn't be too far away...a...and maybe w..we could ask some of th' animals fer help..." Piper smiled.

Of Course! Why didn't I think of that!

"That's brilliant. You can talk to the animals and ask for their help!" the shy pegasus squeaked.

"M...Me!? BU...But.."

"It has to be you, you're the only one that can talk to them." the pony bit her lip and Piper smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll go with you." she smiled and hugged him, the soldiers just watching them in confusion.

"Alright, here's the plan."





Dinky bit her lip, seeing the Doctor sitting atop a hill, staring at the forest they had created. She took a deep breath and sat beside him, tipping her hat a little. 

"Doctor..." she began, though she wasn't sure what she was going to say.

"Its beautiful isn't it? These trees sitting here in this desolate land. It brings hope to these poor ponies. As do you and your friends Miss Doctor." he said with a small smirk. She chuckled a little.

"The forest was all their idea Doctor. I haven't really done much since arriving here." She sighed taking off her hat.

"I don't deserve to call myself Doctor..." she said, setting the hat down beside him. He looked at it then at her.

"Might I ask how you know me?" he asked softly. She kept her eyes on the ground.

"You are a very important pony to me...I had to make a choice when I came here...I had to abandon.." tears welled up in her eyes.

"No." He said softly, she looked up at him, blinking in surprise as he sat the hat on her head.

"Miss Doctor, do you think I always do whats right? Do you think I've never regretted a choice I've had to make? Its the burden of the job my dear. Keeping secrets from those close to you, watching from a distance as they suffer and being able to do nothing. You did what had to be done my dear." she smiled, hugging him tightly. The usually articulate Doctor was thrown into a flurry of random blabbering as he tried to comprehend what had just happened.

"Miss Doctor..i..I'm flattered but..." she giggled as she pulled away from him.

"I'm sorry Doctor, you misunderstand the gesture. We are nothing more than close friends." she explained, much to his relief.

"Though, there is a certain pony out there who you have your eyes on. Sadly it will take you some time to realize it."

"Well don't you know my dear? Time is all I have."





He panted heavily, leaning forward and closing his eyes. The chains held him tightly to the wall and only let him move so far. It wasn't much but he could use it. He took a slow breath and lifted his head, looking across the dungeon at the other Alicorn trapped down here. It had cost him, but he had kept Discord from harming a single hair on her head. He smiled knowing he had been able to protect her even if he had failed everypony else.

"Nyx...you awake?" he asked softly. She nodded slowly.

"I'm so sorry Riku..." she said quietly. The wounded Alicorn only smiled.

"Its fine Nyx, listen, can you get your magic to work?" he asked. In answer she cast a small light between them.

"I can...but not much." he smiled.

"Good, good. We won't need much. Listen, I need you to cut me free."

"Riku...I don't have enough magic to break these chains. Discord made them."

"Not the chains. Me." he said. She looked at him in shock. seeing that he had pulled himself loose of the clasps. They still clung to his hooves, though with help he could pull free. That still didn't change the fact that there were chains bound around the stubs of his wings holding him to the wall.

"I...I can't..." tears filled her eyes. He smiled at her.

"Nyx, you can do this. We have to get out of here somehow and your the only pony who can do this."

"He's right Miss Nyx." The Doctor said from his cage on the far side of the room. Though his voice didn't hold its normal strength. He had been broken by his failure and quite literally from his fall. Though his body healed he couldn't ignore the pain weighing heavily on his heart.

"Doctor...but..." she looked between them in desperation. A wheezing cough drawing her attention. It was the form of chrome mist that spoke up, just barely holding onto life as he lay on his side on the ground.

"Princess...we all...have a duty...we must fulfill..." he wheezed, lifting his head enough for her to see his bruised face.

"We may not...like the duty...given to us...but we must do...what we must do..." he finished, his head falling to the ground. For a moment she feared he had finally passed on, though he was only unconscious, his chest slowly rising and falling. Even in his sleep his pained expression never faded. Nyx closed her eyes, calling out to her magic. A blade hovering over Riku's hoof, another ready to slice through his wing stubs.

"I'M SORRY!"





Slowly her eyes opened. She mumbled quietly, putting a hoof to her head.

"what happened..." she sat up and looked around, finding herself on a train. Her memory slammed into her like a brick wall, her eyes wide.

"Fluttershy! I gotta find Shining armor!"

"I'm right here." he said softly. The pegasus spun, finding him wearing his namesake battle armor, cadence beside him as well as Mia. Cadence rested a hoof on Rainbow Dash's shoulder.

"Dash, please tell us what happened...you came crashing out of nowhere mumbling about Discord and needing help."

"Huh...OH! Yea! We've got to get to Canterlot!"

"we're already headed there. Just calm down and explain whats going on." Rainbow Dash nodded and began telling them everything that had happened. After she finished the ponies merely hung their heads.

"So we don't have the Elements and we have no idea where they are. Twily is trapped by that...thing...and so are the royal sisters?" Shining armor roared in anger and slammed his hoof into a nearby bed, the frame cracking slightly.

"Shining, please..."

"no...this is my fault. I should've been there."

"If you had then you would've only been captured. We didn't even stand a chance..." Rainbow said, her ears flat against her head.

"He's changed...he isn't the same Discord we fought before...he is something darker than that. Much darker..."

"Well we can't just leave them there. We need a plan." Cadence said. Mia smiled a little.

"Well, why not do what the princess' did?" She spoke up.

"We're gonna raise an army!"





Though they didn't feel like it, most of the ponies in the room had fallen asleep, leaving only Spike and Discord awake in the room. The Dragon and Draconequus stared at one another, saying nothing.

"Well this is boring." Discord moved closer to the dragon, a low growl filling Spikes throat as he stood over Rarity.

"I couldn't care less for your freak lover." Smoke drifted from Spikes mouth and nostrils as he growled louder. Discord or no Discord, no one insulted Rarity in front of Spike Swift Shrike. The dragon roared, flames billowing around him and licking at the bars of his cage. Discord watched with a smile as he charged against the bars again and again, managing to bend them slightly, though each time he smashed into the bars he lost more and more of his resolve until finally he just collapsed beside Rarity.

"Is that all? No wonder she settled for you, I doubt anypony else would've come anywhere near her."

"THAT'S IT!" Spike yelled, waking the others. The dragon hurled himself at the bars, bursting free and tackling Discord to the ground.





"The forest?" Celestia asked. Dinky nodded.

"One of our friends talents is speaking with animals. We believe the creatures of the Everfree forest would be quite the asset to our cause. Though we cannot send her alone. Even with her talent the Everfree is dangerous. At the same time we do not wish to leave you alone here, especially since Discord knows where we are."

"So you intend to send a small team to the Forest then?" again the unicorn nodded.

"It shouldn't take them more than half a day. We will be sending Loyalty and Kindess to aid her. Generosity, Magic, Honesty, and Laughter will remain here as a first line of defense in case of attack."

"Very well, I hope they return safely." Dinky nodded, leaving the tent.

"Well?" Piper asked. Dinky nodded.

"The plan is a go. Just be careful out there. Nopony knows just how dangerous the Everfree might be during this time. In our time most of its dangers have been subdued by the Princess' powers." They nodded, the three pegasi taking off toward the Everfree Forest.

It was only moments after they had vanished from her sight that she spotted the horde of creatures marching toward them from the other direction.

"oh no..." She quickly ran into the camp, snatching up a rope and pulling on it as hard as she could. A bell ringing throughout the entire camp. The Final Battle was about to begin.





"Do ya really think ah can talk t' them Piper?" Honeycrisp asked softly.

"I know you can. And don't worry, we'll be right by your side" he said with a smile, Sunburst nodding her agreement.

"Any of those mean ol' monsters that try t' hurt ya are gonna have t' go through us first!" she said proudly. Soon the forest came into view, the three of them landing together.

Piper looked around slowly, drawing his hoofblade as they entered the forest. Sunburst took a slow breath, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again flames danced within them, ready to be unleashed on anything that dared harm her cousin or nephew.

"H...Hello?" Honeycrisp called out.

"I'm sorry t..to bother you, but we really need help..."

"And what help do you expect from us pony?" a wolf asked, peeking its head out from behind a wilted tree. It wore a small grin on its face and its coat shone in several different colors as it made its way toward them.

"That's far enough." Piper said, pointing his hoofblade at it. The wolf scoffed and shook its head, turning toward Honeycrisp with a toothy grin.

"So you want help? For what?" more creatures stepped forward from the shadows. Honeycrisp began to pant heavily, relaxing as Sunburst stepped up beside her, Piper on her other side. With them there she was invincible. She took a deep breath and looked at the creatures of the forest.

"We need you to help us fight Discord." the wolf blinked and turned back to those behind her, laughing and shaking her head.

"Sorry kid, but rule of the forest is we follow the strongest. Discord has you beat there. But none of us are crazy enough to go near that freak."

"Its a test of strength you want, then come on. Your talking to the Elements of Harmony and Knights of Canterlot here!" Piper spoke up, making the wolf laugh again.

"You pipsqueaks?! HA! Don't make me laugh kid. You don't even look that tough." Piper spread his wings wide, the blades clinging to them releasing with a loud SHING.

"Nice, so you can at least sparkle in what little sunlight there is before you die." Sunburst chuckled, pulling her glasses off.

"Don't tease my nephew, he has a short temper." she said, flames appearing around her as she opened her eyes.

"Almost as short as mine."





"SPIKE!" Rarity screamed as Discord lifted the dragon by his throat, slamming his head back against the wall again and again. Though dazed from each hit he wasn't hurt, he had his diamond tough scales to thank for that. Though he couldn't hold up forever. The dragon grinned as Discord held him in the air.

"Now this is more like it. Why couldn't the rest of you put up a fight like this?" He asked them. Spike placed a claw around discords wrist, snapping his other claws, flames licking at Discords arm. In shock he dropped Spike, giving the dragon time enough to recover and snap his claws once more, Rarity vanishing from her cage. Discord soon caught on though and smashed his claw across Spikes face, the dragon tumbling across the ground, finally coming to a stop as he collided with the wall. 

"SPIKE! Come on Spike! get up!" Twilight called out to him, though she received no reply from the dragon. Discord rolled his eyes.

"Wonderful, just when things were getting good." he sighed and lifted Spike, tossing him into a cage that appeared in mid-air.

"I suppose i'll just have to occupy my time with the rest of Equestria."





One step, two, floor. Riku groaned as he tried to lift himself, only the faint sound of Nyx crying urging him to keep going. He had to get up, he had to help them. He rolled onto his side, resting his stub of a hoof on the ground, wincing as it scraped against the cold hard stone beneath him. He gritted his teeth, placing his hoof on the ground and pushed himself up to a sitting position, forcing himself to smile up at Nyx as he stumbled over to her.

He could feel their eyes on him, the Doctor, Chrome Mist, even Derpy who they couldn't see. The poor mare had been chained up against the wall in the darkest part of the dungeon away from them. Riku finally reached Nyx, rubbing his cheek against hers.

"Shh...its ok Nyx...its gonna be ok..." He took a slow breath and reared up on his hind hooves, smashing his severed hoof and good hoof into the chains, holding back a cry of pain as he struck it again and again, the chain finally breaking free. Slowly but surely he worked through each clasp, bending them enough that the Alicorn could pull free. As soon as her hooves touched ground she threw them around him, her tears soaking into his coat.

"I'm so sorry Riku...im so sorry..." she repeated over and over again. He leaned against her, panting heavily. He had lost a lot of blood and breaking her free had taken what little energy he had left.

"its ok Nyx...its ok...ju...just get out of here..ok? g..get the doc..a..and derpy...m..me and mist...w..will catch..." Riku stumbled a little as she pulled back to argue, the mare quickly catching him before he hit the ground.

"You can't even stand on your own anymore Riku...and its all my fault...how do you expect to catch up with us?" He grinned a little and closed his eyes.

"Riku? Riku?! RIKU?!"





Flames danced around the creatures of the Everfree, most of them running for their lives only to have walls of ice and flame block their path.

"WAIT!" Honeycrisp yelled, Piper and Sunburst stopping. The elder pegasus walked up to the frightened creatures and smiled at them.

"I'm sorry about my friends, they just really need your help. Won't you help us?" she asked them. the animals all looked at one another and nodded.

"You've got us convinced but uh...not him." the wolf from earlier said, pointing a claw at a large figure making its way toward them.

Piper and Sunburst stepped forward, frost clinging to Pipers mane and the air seeming to melt around sunburst. Again Honeycrisp stepped forward, watching the Hydra step forward. One of the heads lowered itself to her level and took on the full effects of The Stare, rearing back in shock, the other heads quick to do the same. The rest of the creatures watched as the beast stumbled backwards, averting its gaze from the pegasus.

"Well...that settles that then..."





"MOVE!" Amethyst slammed his shoulder into Dinky, pushing her out of the way of a large pink cloud. The cloud stuck to Amethyst and exploded, the unicorn watching in horror.

"AMETHYST!" She rushed into the cloud of smoke left behind by the explosion, searching for the kirin. She heard coughing and turned, finding him in one piece with a scorch mark across his scales.

"Sweet Celestia that hurt..." he mumbled, Dinky pulling him into a hug. Amethyst blinked and leapt backwards, throwing a wing around the unicorn as more clouds slammed into the ground around them. It was all he could do to keep them away from Dinky. While his scales would protect him they couldn't protect her. Another stuck to his wing and he was forced to push her away, wincing as the cloud blew up on his wing, tearing a hole in it. He stumbled forward, watching as Dinky rushed toward him.

"GET BACK!"

On the other side of the battlefield, Emerald and Nova were in much the same situation. The Kirin using herself as a shield for the Alicorn. Emerald kept her wings curled around Nova, letting the Alicorn focus her spells on keeping them safe. All around them were the sounds of blades hitting blades, explosions tearing apart ponies and others crying. They had to get away, they had to find a way out! Emerald winced as another cloud blew up on her back.

"EMY! Are you ok?!" Nova cried.

"I'm fine! We need to get out of her Nova!" she yelled over the sounds of battle around them. 

In the center of the fighting stood Strawberry swirl, a hoofblade on both of her forehooves and one blade in her mouth. Another clung to her tail. The pony spun, slicing through each cloud that flew toward her and her troops, her diamond edged blades easily splitting them, letting them slam into the ground behind her and explode harmlessly.

A group of deformed creatures marched towards them, claws and horns twisted at awkward angles as they growled. Strawberry gulped as the beasts charged towards them, quickly calming herself. Cutting through clouds was one thing, but cutting through living flesh was entirely different. She threw her hoof forward

"CHARGE!" she blinked, having been about to say the same thing herself. From behind her tons of creatures poured forth, wolves, foxes, chimera, all rushing into battle and leaping onto the creatures that had been ready to attack Strawberry. 

On top of the hill stood Piper and Sunburst, smiling as they took to the air, diving headfirst into battle and rolling around one another in a dance of flames and ice. Strawberry watched in amazement as Piper froze the creatures, Sunburst's flames taking care of the rest, leaving only piles of wet ash behind.

Strawberry realized something though, Honeycrisp wasn't with them. She panicked and searched the sky for her, hearing only a loud roar. She spun and stared with wide eyes, finding the pegasus riding on top of a Hydra. Her pegasus friend rested on top of one of the three heads, guiding it into the fight.





Rarity gasped as she found herself falling, though she landed on something soft. She looked around, finding that she was in none other than Carousel Boutique.

"Spike...sent me home!? Why that no good Drake! I thought he promised never to do this again!" she fumed as she jumped out of her bed. She stopped as the sounds outside reached her. Screams of terror. She peeked out her window, finding ponies running back and forth frantically as they were chased by creatures far more horrifying than the heartless. Rarity gulped trying to think.

"Come now Rarity, surely there is something you can do." she thought aloud, pacing her room.

"NO! I am a lady, a lady does not run into battle!" she argued with herself, staring into her mirror.

"But you have to do something! Anything! Your friends need you Rarity!"

"What can I possibly do to help? I'm just one little unicorn...if only Rainbow Dash were here, that mare would know what to do." Rarity's ears perked up as the sound of metal clanging drew her back to her window. There dressed from head to hoof in battle armor stood none other than Shining Armor, Rainbow Dash by his side.

The armor she wore marked her a General. Rarity was a bit surprised, though she had to know these sort of things about the ponies of Canterlot to impress them she never thought she would really see anypony in a General Uniform, let alone Rainbow Dash.

"Though she does fit the job..."

"Search for survivors!" Shining ordered the ponies around him, all of them spreading out, clearing the area of the foul creatures who had attacked Ponyville. Rarity poked her head out of her store, gasping as Rainbow Dash pulled her into a hug

"RARITY! You're ok! Did the others escape too? Wheres Aj?" She asked, smiling. Though the Unicorns expression and silence made her smile fade.

"Rarity? Come on...wh..where are they?"

"I'm so sorry Rainbow Dash...I'm the only one who got out...Spike broke free an..and before I knew it I was here...he's still back there..a..and so are the others..." Rainbow lowered her head, quickly putting on a smile, placing a hoof on Rarity's shoulder.

"Its ok Rare, at least your safe. We're gonna get them out Rarity, we've got a plan and a secret weapon."

"a secret weapon?" Rainbow nodded, guiding the unicorn outside. She gasped, her eyes wide as she spotted the 'secret weapon'

"Rainbow, you can't be serious." Shining armor stepped forward.

"You got any better ideas?" The unicorn looked at him and back at the weapon.

"No I suppose not...It will have to do then. Shall we be going?"

"Where?"

"The castle of course. We've got to save the others and I refuse to leave Spike there for another moment longer."

"Rarity...the castle isn't there anymore." Rainbow said softly.

"w...what? that's impossible, of course its there!" Rarity turned to find that Canterlot Palace was indeed missing from its place high above Ponyville.

"W...where has it gone?"

"Back to its original place in Equestria, deep within the Everfree Forest."
> Damsels in Distress
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

She panted a little, the spear falling from her shoulder. Try as she might she couldn't keep it balanced as Zecora had.
"I...I can't..."

"Do not say that Fluttershy! Pick it up again, you've got to try!" Zecora said to her, helping her balance the spear on her shoulder. The zebra stood beside her, showing her the form once again. With a slight shift of her weight the spear thrust forward, another shift backwards and it slipped back along her body. 

Fluttershy took a slow breath and again tried to mimic the zebra, only to have the spear fly forward and slam into a tree. Zecora plucked it from the tree, placing it back on top of the pegasi's shoulder.

"Almost my friend, please try again." The pegasus nodded and slowed her movements, shifting her weight forward just so, the spear sliding forward. Amazed that it had remained atop her shoulder she almost forgot to shift her weight back, the spear staying vigilant on her shoulder. The zebra smiled.

"You see? We are almost ready."






"CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!" Honeycrisp roared, the hydra she rode atop rushing into battle. Friend and Foe alike turned and ran as the beast trampled its way across the battlefield, guided by the pegasus. High above the explosions rang out, drawing the attention of the pegasus so high up in the air. A single glance up revealed the fight was worse up there. Held in the claw of Discord himself were the Princess'

"Oh my goodness!" she screamed, drawing the attention of her friends. It only took Piper and Sunburst a moment to change their flight patterns and a moment later they were rocketing toward the trapped ponies, only to have the Lord of Disharmony vanish from the fight, taking his creatures with him. All stood in silence at the sudden end of the battle. After the shock wore off they quickly gathered the wounded and dead, making their way back to camp. Honeycrisp stamped her hoof on the head she stood on, the other heads turning toward her.

"We gotta go after them"

--

Dinky carefully wove layer after layer of magic over the Kirin, doing her best not to break out into tears as she slowly patched the hole in his wing.

"Amethyst, that was so reckless..." he only chuckled at her.

"Thought I was suppose to be called Honesty while we are here." he teased.

"We're in our own tent, it doesn't matter." her mouth answered before she could stop to think, only making the wounded Kirin smile at her. she sighed and mumbled under her breath, her next layer of magic pulling just a tiny bit harder on his wing than needed, making him wince slightly. Though the smile never faded, at least until...

"The Princess' are gone!" Emerald yelled as she burst into the tent, bruises and scraps covered her back and she still kept herself over Nova as a shield. Amethyst sprang up out of bed, stumbling for a moment.

"Gone?! What do you mean gone?!"

"Well...The history tomes never mentioned this and i'm not sure if it was suppose to happen but Discord took them. In the middle of the fight he captured them and vanished. I managed to find my mothers magical signature and track it. They are somewhere in the Everfree forest." Nova said quietly.

Amethyst sat, leaning against the bed he had been resting in moments ago. They needed a plan, a way to find and save Luna and Celestia. But what could they do? They were just a bunch of kids, they shouldn't have been here in the first place. Amethyst looked around the room, everypony looking back at him.

"Wait a minute...wheres Honey and sunburst?" they all looked around.

"Pipers missing too! Do you think they..." Nova's eyes were wide as the thought crossed her mind.

"No...they couldn't be..."





"Are you sure this...thing...will work?" Rarity asked looking at the strange contraption. A unicorn sprang up on top of it, grinning like a fool.

"Of course it'll work ya silly filly. Nuthin but the best from yours truly." An earth pony near the bottom of the contraption sighed and shook her head.

"I still think this little machine of yours is complete nonsense."

"Hey, I told you it would be useful someday."

"You claimed we would need it to face off a zombie pony invasion." the earth pony said with a raised eyebrow.

"Well we might still need it then too! You never know!" the earth pony sighed.

"I apologize for her attitude, this is just simply who she is."

"Aw come on Tavi, ya know ya love it." the unicorn grinned, throwing a hoof around her marefriend. Octavia sighed a little and shook her head. Even in the armor she wore she still held the same appearance everypony knew her for. Calm, collected, sophisticated. 

Meanwhile her marefriend who was better known as DJ-Pon3 wore no armor and spent her entire time gloating about her machine. Their 'Secret Weapon'

"What exactly is this thing suppose to do again?" Rarity asked. Vinyl Scratch only grinned as she patted it with her hoof.

"Oh you'll see soon enough, you'll all see"





Two shimmering dragon eyes stared into the darkness as their owner trudged along the path of the dungeons. Deep within her memories she knew these dungeons well, memories that haunted her even though they were not her own. It was hard to convince herself of that. They were hers after all. She shook her head. None of that was important right now, what was important was getting out of the dungeons before they all starved to death.

or before Riku and Chrome bleed to death she stumbled as the thought crossed her mind. She couldn't think like that. she refused to think like that. They were going to survive this. She turned her head a little, looking at the sleeping form of Riku on her back. She had done all she could for his wings and hoof, but with her limited magic all that she could do was to slow the bleeding. She froze as something brushed against her, sighing in relief when the Doctor came into view.

"Oh Doctor..you scared me..."

"Sorry Miss Nyx, I am somewhat disappointed to say I don't share your excellent night vision and I haven't quite healed up completely. I'm just glad your magic was strong enough to break the rest of us free." He sighed, leaning against Derpy

Ditzy Nyx corrected herself. The grey mare didn't deserve the name so many had attached to her, though she didn't seem to mind.

"Its thanks to Riku we got out of there..." she said quietly.

"It was your magic though. You're a strong mare Miss Nyx, stronger than most. I know it was hard on you but we've got to keep moving. Are we near the exit?" he asked. Nyx nodded and chuckled a little as she realized he couldn't see her.

"Yes, its just up ahead. We'll have to be careful. No doubt Discords clouds are still wandering about and who knows what else."  I know...I've seen Luna's memories...I know exactly what sick, twisted creations he has waiting for us...






"C'mon! We gotta go faster Frank!" Honeycrisp yelled, the hydra doing its best to move faster at the whim of the young pony. Two pegasi kept pace with the hydra, not wanting to leave it or their sibling behind.

"Should we have left without the others like this?" Sunburst asked.

"We don't have much of a choice, if we stopped to get the others we would've lost sight of them. Even at this speed they are way ahead of us." Piper said, struggling not to take off after the fading image of Celestia. Honeycrisp bit her lip.

"We're gonna lose em if we keep at it like this, ya'll go on ahead. Ah'll head back and tell th' others t' head this way after ya."

"Are ya sure crisp?" Sunburst asked. The elder pegasus nodded with a smile, tapping the head she stood on. The other heads nodded, screeching to a stop and turning back toward the camp. Piper and Sunburst nodded to one another, giving their wings a powerful flick up and then down as they sped forward.

"We're getting closer!" Sunburst yelled over the wind.

"Yea! We should catch up to him soon!"

"But what do we do when we catch up!?" she yelled back. Piper was at a loss for words. They had taken off after them without coming up with a plan. Now that he thought on it, they should have just gone to Dinky. Her magic box thing could have probably taken them to the Princess'. On top of that, this was Discord they were chasing, it took all six elements of harmony to defeat him before and the previous Elements had almost lost themselves to his chaos. How were the two of them going to be a match for him. Piper racked his brain, slowing himself a little. Sunburst noticing him slowing down also slowed herself, keeping her eyes on Discord.

"Piper, we were goin awful fast, do ya think he noticed us hollerin?" She asked a bit worried.

"No,if he noticed he would of turned around by now. wait..." Piper continued to watch Discord.

"He's suppose to be some sort of god isn't he? Why doesn't he just teleport to wherever he is going...unless...He knows!" Piper flung himself toward Sunburst as a cloud slammed down toward them from above, clipping Pipers wing and dragging him down into the forest below.

"PIPER!" Sunburst called after him, screaming as cloud after cloud zipped toward her. She couldn't dodge them and catch Piper, there were too many. With a frustrated yell she sped up into the air, breaking through the sound barrier and sending the clouds flying in all directions. She snapped her wings and leaned forward, rocketing away from a cloud that chased after her. She rolled and weaved, laughing as two clouds collided and exploded, though her laughter quickly subsided as she remembered Piper.

Her eyes scanned the forest below her, looking for any sign of her nephew. But she saw none. She had seen what those clouds did to a pony, she couldn't bare to think of what had happened to Piper. She let a sob reach her throat and hovered there for a moment, Discord getting further away with each passing moment. There was nothing she could do for Piper if that cloud hit him and she had seen it hit him.

"I'm so sorry..." she took off toward Discord once more, determined to avenge her fallen sibling.





"Someone is coming" Fluttershy said softly, putting a hoof to her lip and performing a raven-call, a warning to Zecora that somepony was passing by. She crouched down on the tree branch she rested on, letting her eyes wander along the path. A moment later a raven-call replied and she leapt down, spear balanced on her shoulder and her mane tied back out of her eyes as she crouched down low, her wing curled around another spear.

"HALT!" A pony called, stepping forward in the darkness.

"We mean no harm friend. We are searching for something." the stallion spoke. Fluttershy said nothing, waiting to see if this pony really meant what he said. She had seen Discords work first-hoof last time he was around. She wasn't going to fall for any tricks. Realizing she had nothing to say, the stallion continued.

"I'm a soldier in Celestia's Royal Guard. The Princess is in danger. I know you pony-folk of the Everfree might not know of her but she is very important to us and we have to save her. We know she is here in the forest being held prisoner by our enemy."

"The Princess? in the forest?" Fluttershy asked, a little shocked before putting on a blank face. A pony stepped forward.

"Wait a minute...Shy? is that you?" the pegasus asked. Fluttershy recognized her immediately as she heard her voice.

"R...Rainbow?" She asked, standing upright. The pegasus leapt forward and hugged her tightly

"Thank goodness your alright! But what the hay are you doin?! Did Discord get to you?" She asked, looking the pony up and down.

"N..no I'm fine. oh hold on." Fluttershy smiled and whistled twice, Zecora leaping down from a nearby tree once she knew all was safe and the element of surprise was no longer needed.

"Thank goodness you are a friend, we would not want this to be your end." The zebra said, several spears balanced on her back.

"Zecora's been teaching me to defend myself. I hope I didn't scare you..." Fluttershy said softly.

"That's pretty amazing shy, uh...do ya know how t' use that thing?" she asked. Fluttershy nodded with a small smile.

"Good, we'll need you then. Discord has moved the castle here in the Everfree forest where the old castle use to be. Its the same place you defeated Nightmare Moon." Shining armor said

"The long way you take, a shorter path I can make." Zecora spoke up, walking toward a nearby bush and pulling it aside.

"To save the princess from the Everfree, you all must follow me."





Amethyst blinked as Honeycrisp slid down the Hydra's neck and tail, skidding to a stop in front of them.

"Discord ran off with the Princess'!" she yelled.

"We know." he said.

"And Pi...huh? Ya do? Then why are ya still here?!" she asked.

"We were looking for you and the others."

"Well they are on his tail! c'mon we gotta go!"

"Wait...Sunburst and Piper are chasing Discord?!" Dinky asked in shock.

"We have to go! Now!" she pushed everypony toward the TARDIS, not giving anypony time to argue as she rushed inside, quickly pushing buttons and pulling levers. She zipped past Amethyst and flung the door open, finding Piper laying on his side, mumbling as the figure of a pony stood over him. She swore she heard a faint 'get up, you're stronger than this' from the figure but she must have imagined it. 

The pony glanced at her and gave a nod that she didn't understand before spreading its wings wide and flapping them quickly, kicking up the surrounding dirt into the air, momentarily blinding the unicorn. When the dust had cleared both ponies were gone.

"n...No! Where is he?" she looked around for any sign of the ponies. It was impossible, the two couldn't have just vanished. She was sure that was a pegasus she saw standing over Piper, even with the kind of magic a pegasus could perform, none of them came anywhere near the realm of teleportation. The pony didn't appear strong enough to carry Piper, and even if the pony could, there wasn't anyway they could vanish so quickly without her catching a glimpse of them.

"Dinky...what the hay are you doing?" Amethyst asked, placing a claw on her shoulder.

"You didn't see?" she asked, looking back at him.

"There's nothing here. C'mon, we gotta go help the others." He said, his worry showing in his voice. She knew what she had seen. She turned to look where Piper had been a moment ago and sighed, heading back to the TARDIS

"If we hurry we can catch Sunburst"





"Get up, you're stronger than this." Pipers eyes fluttered open, a shadowy figure standing over him. His head hurt, everything hurt. His wings wouldn't move...his body wouldn't move. What had happened? He tried to sit up and collapsed, gasping in pain. A moment later the figure above him spread its wings kicking up a dust storm. Piper could faintly hear Dinky and Amethyst talking before he lost consciousness once more. When he awoke again it was dark and the figure wore a cloak, though he could see the wings resting on the figures back. He couldn't make out the color but they looked strangely familiar.

"Wh..who the hay are you?" Piper asked as he sat up, rubbing his head.

"You went down pretty hard, you got lucky. You can't rely on luck, it'll get you killed." the figure chuckled and shook its head. 

"Who are you?" Piper asked.

"You'll found out eventually, but for now I can't tell you. Just trust me when I say the two of us are pretty close. That's not important right now. You need to get moving. There is a lot riding on you right now and you can't just sit here. You don't have time to recover and if you don't get moving now then everypony you love is going to die." Piper just sat there in silence.

"Well? are you going to let Sunburst die? what about Honeycrisp? what about Strawberry? Are you just going to abandon them?!" The figure stepped closer and Piper smashed his hoof into its face, knocking it on its back.

"I don't know who the buck you think you are or how you know my friends. But I will never abandon my friends. Now if you're gonna help me then shut up and help me, otherwise quit talkin down to me and leave me alone" Piper glared at the figure who stood with a chuckle.

"Good. If you just turn around and head through the thick part of the forest you'll reach the castle before the others. We'll meet again Piper." the figure spread its wings, kicking up a storm of dust and vanishing, leaving Piper and the doused campfire alone. Piper shook his head and turned, rushing through the forest. If what the figure had said was true, he'd find Sunburst and the others this way. He would find Celestia and Luna. He would find Discord.
> All coming together
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"GET DOWN!" Nyx yelled, roaring as she flung one of her magical daggers into the thick skin of the creature, The Doctor just barely ducking in time, the blade nearly cutting off his ear. Nyx panted a little, her blade vanishing, allowing the creature that was previously pinned to the wall to fall to the ground in a heap of twisted body parts and blood.

"Doctor...are you alright?" Nyx asked. The colt dusted himself off as he stood.

"Thanks to you and Ditzy, yes. I suppose you were right Ditzy, a fez really wouldn't be practical headwear." Nyx looked at the Doctor in confusion. What did a Fez have to do with him nearly losing his head?

"How are they doing?" Nyx asked. Ditzy nudged Chrome Mist who groaned quietly, his eyes opening slowly. The wounded commander pushed to his hooves with a grunt of pain and stumbled over toward Riku.

"Chrome Mist you shouldn't be moving. You're badly hurt, more-so than the rest of us." Nyx tried to say, though he simply ignored her.

"C'mon Soldier, we're not dead yet. What would yer pal think of ya if he saw ya lyin around like this? Now get up." He said to Riku, nudging the wounded Alicorn to his hooves.

"We've still got a job t' do." He said to him. Riku nodded, stumbling along with the commander. Nyx gave a soft sigh.

"Stallions, are all of them so hard-headed..." she mumbled under her breath.





His body ached, each hoof step sending another jolt of pain up his spine. Somehow he was going to make it, somehow he was going to find his friends. He had no reason to believe the strangers word, only a gut feeling.

"Besides, if he wanted me dead he coulda' done it when I was knocked out." Piper mumbled as he continued on. He winced as his hoof scraped against an unseen rock, cursing and kicking it away. The rock bounced off a stump which began to growl, two yellow orbs staring at Piper.

"Oh Buck!" Piper leapt out of the way as the Timberwolf tried to pounce on him, foaming at the mouth as it growled and barked. The pegasus had no qualms with running away and proceeded to do just that, turning tail and moving as fast as his hooves could carry him. His parents had once told him that Granny Smith, his great grandmother who had passed before his birth, had escaped the Timberwolves as a filly and scared them away with pots and pans.

"Oh yea, like i'm just gonna be carrying cookware ten thousand years in the bucking past!" he yelled out in frustration, the wolf getting closer and quickly joined by others. He skid to a stop as more leapt out in front of him, closing in from all sides. Piper panted heavily, worn out from running and cast his eyes around quickly. There had to be a way out, there was always a way out in the Daring Do books! A vine? A gap? A kitten instead of a Timberwolf? Nope, none of the above. He didn't have a choice, he would have to fight. A quick swipe at the air made him aware that his hoofblade wasn't with him.

"Well so much for that plan." Piper cast his eyes around once more, the wolves getting closer as to their prey

"C'mon Piper, think. How would Daring Do escape? what would Mom do? What would Grandma do?" he blinked and roared, charging toward the nearest Timberwolf, screaming at the top of his lungs. He only made it two hoofsteps before the Wolves pounced on him, a paw smashing across the back of his head and knocking him back into unconsciousness.

---

Pipers eyes opened slowly and he found himself in a big expanse of white nothing.

"Am I dreaming?" he thought aloud.

"No Piper, this is not a dream." a familiar voice rang out. He spun to find a massive Alicorn with a mane of flames.

"Harmony..."

"Yes. Piper, you are in terrible danger."

"Uh...yea...something about Wolves and Discord I think...Wait, i'm not dreaming?"

"No, and you cannot stay here. There is too much left undone. You must keep your promise Piper, protect my daughters." Her horn began to glow and Piper found himself under the Timberwolves once more, claws jammed into his side. Though he couldn't feel the pain. He could feel the claws but there was no pain. 

He felt a hundred times better than when he awoke with the stranger. His eyes shifted from their naturally light brown to an icy blue, the air growing cold around him. The Wolves slowly began to back away, their ears tucked back as the pegasus stood, casting his cold hearted glare upon them. The wolves never had time to react as spikes of ice rose from the ground in an instant, silencing the pack.

The pegasus never turned a second glance to the wolves, turning back toward the direction he had been given. He blinked as the strange pony appeared before him once more, carrying a hoofblade. The pegasus rushed toward him, forcing Piper to leap into the air and have the air knocked out of him from a hoof to the stomach. He hit the ground hard and rolled, his eyes slowly fading to normal as the pony placed a hoof on his throat.

"Piper, you need to stay calm and keep calm. you can't lose yourself like that. Yes, it just saved your life, but if I wasn't your friend you'd be dead right now. Now get up and go help your friends."

"Just who the buck are you to be giving me orders!?"

"Just call me your guide from Harmony. Now get moving." the pegasus vanished once more, Piper painfully pushing to his hooves. Now that he had come out of his trance he could feel everything. The hoofblows, the pressure on his throat, the blood clinging to his coat.

He put a hoof to his throat to find that he was in fact bleeding, moreso than he had originally thought. Carefully running his hoof over his throat he found several holes.

"Bite marks..." in a flash he remembered, just before he had passed out, one of the wolves sinking their teeth into his throat and ending his life.

"n..No..t..then how am I...what..." he shook as he stared at his blood covered hoof.

"What the buck is going on..."





"This is..." Emerald began.

"The old Castle Ruins...before they were Ruins." Nova finished with a gulp.

"What are we waiting for? An invitation?" Amethyst asked, stepping forward.

"No, we are waiting for that." Dinky pointed her hoof to the sky, a teary eyed pegasus landing near them.

"Sunburst!" Honeycrisp hugged her.

"Ah'm so glad yer okay! wheres Piper?" she asked, looking around.

"H...He didn't make it..." she said softly.

"h..huh?"

"He's dead! okay!? Ah was slow and he saved mah life from one o' those clouds by lettin it hit him instead...he landed somewhere in th' forest after that and...ah couldn't do anythin!" The pegasus fell to the ground, shaking and sobbing, her cousin laying beside her and wrapping a wing around her. Amethyst was the first to speak up, clearing his throat and putting on a brave face.

"We don't have anytime to mourn. We've got to save the Princess'"

"Amethyst how are we going to do anything without Piper? We have no Element of Loyalty now." Emerald said to him.

"I wouldn't say that." a voice called out. Out of the thick of the forest came a blood soaked pegasus, walking with a limp and a grin.

"PIPER! YER OK!" Sunburst practically tackled him, quickly pulling away as she heard his gasp of pain.

"Sorry! oh Piper, this is all mah fault, ah'm so sorry..."

"Its not your fault, heck all the cloud did was clip my wing. Stupid cotton candy wouldn't let go."

"t..then why are ya bleedin?"

"Just some Timberwolves and some weirdo who took my sword, we savin the Princess' or what?" he asked, limping towards the Castle.

"Piper, hold still a moment." Dinky said, using her magic to pull something out from under her hat. It looked like a metal stick with a green light at the tip. Almost like a flashlight if it were bigger. It made a high pitched whirring sound as Dinky held it in the air around Piper, quickly looking at it, her eyes widening for a moment before she cleared her throat.

"Oh well that's...interesting..." she said softly.

"Whats interesting?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just impressed you defeated a pack of Timberwolves in your condition. And its not as simple as walking in the front door. This is Discords Fortress we are talking about."

"Then it should be as simple as walking in the front door." Piper reasoned, leaving the others confused.

"He's Discord, lord of chaos and the unexpected. What better way to catch him off guard then to just wander in through the front instead of trying to find another way in like everyone would expect us to do?" he asked.

"That's...genius." Amethyst said after a moment.

"Heh, and you made fun of me for reading those Daring Do books." Piper joked before limping towards the entrance once more.

"Piper wait! shouldn't you at least rest some?" Emerald asked.

"No time, I gotta keep my promise." he said softly, never stopping. The others exchanged worried glances before following after, Strawberry stepping in front of Piper.

"Piper...you can't push yourself like this...We almost lost you and now your hurt all bad and heading right into danger. You need to stop for a minute and rest."

"I can rest when the Princess' are safe. I made a promise Berry."

"Then make me a Promise Piper. As soon as we save the Princess' you'll rest and let us take care of things for a while. Okay?" she asked, hugging him gently.

"Berry...your gonna get blood on your coat..." he mumbled.

"I don't care, now promise." she mumbled back.

"I promise Berry."

"Pinkie Promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." he said with a smile, not really able to go through the motions being held in her grip. The Zebra nodded, satisfied with his answer as she let go.

"Come on then." She stayed by his side, letting him lean against her to make it easier for him to walk as they made their way into the castle.





Rainbow Dash cracked her neck and grinned towards the DJ.

"Alright Vinyl, kick it!" she called, the Dj needed only that to let loose, slamming her hoof onto the big red button and letting her machine go to work. Two splits formed in the center, stretching outward horizontally and vertically, leaving four pieces to shift away diagonally, a massive bass pulsing underneath the moved panels with a blue light. 

"Ya might wanna cover yer ears everypony." The unicorn said with a smile, adjusting her headset. In a flash and a boom the cannon let loose, a massive blue beam slamming into the barrier around the castle and crashing through it into the side, leaving a massive hole and the smell of burnt toast in the air.

"RELEASE THE PARASPRITES!" Shining armor called, several unicorns opening up the cages they carried, a swarm of Twilight Sparkle Enchanted Parasprites entering the castle and chewing their way through any and everything.

"We'll wait until they've had their fill and gather them with a knockout spell before marching onward. Vinyl Scratch, make sure that hole stays open. Octavia, watch her back."

"Yes Sir!" they said together, Vinyl chuckling a little. After a moment Shining Armor nodded, several guards rushing in and rounding up the parasprites.

"Alright lets move"

"Right!" Fluttershy and Rainbow stuck close to the Unicorns side, Zecora close behind and a few guards following after, the rest staying behind to help Octavia and Vinyl. Shining closed his eyes for a moment, his horn glowing dimly and a ball of light zipping down a hallway.

"This way!"  Just hold on Twily, i'm coming to save you!





They sat in a circle, Riku resting against Nyx and Ditzy fast asleep next to the Doctor.

"How ya holdin up Nyx?" Riku asked softly. She shook her head a little.

"I've got most of my Magic back..." she mumbled

"But I should be asking you that Riku." she looked at him and he gave her a small smile.

"Your hoof...and your wings..."

"I'll be fine Nyx. I can still fly without my wings, I've still got magic."

"But your hoof..."

"So I'll walk funny for a while until it grows into a stump. Better than the alternative." no one needed to mention what the alternative was. They all knew.

"What are we going to do now though?" Chrome Mist asked, having gone through a short healing session with Nyx's returned magic and pacing around the area.

"We have to get into the Throne Room. We might be against Discord, but he's still a Tyrant and a Ruler and he'll be drawn to the room and want it as his own." Nyx said, putting a hoof to her head. Riku looked at her worriedly, what was left of his wing stub twitching before he remembered he couldn't place his wing over her anymore. It was his one regret about giving them up. Instead he wrapped his foreleg around her, pulling her close to him.

"Its the memories again..." she said softly.

"Why don't you get some rest Nyx. you've been through a lot." Riku said. She opened her mouth to argue and he stopped her with a kiss.

"Get some rest, k?" he said as he pulled away. She nodded with a sigh and leaned against him as she dozed off.

"Doctor, you once told me you removed the memories of a friend in order to spare her life and the torment they would bring her. Would you be able to do the same for Nyx?"





"Piper you've gotta stop." Strawberry said, placing her hooves on his shoulders. He looked into her eyes, seeing himself in them. Blood caked into his coat and scabs forming over the holes in his neck, the feathers in his wings sticking out every which way and scars across his body from the claws and tree-limbs. He sighed and gave a reluctant nod.

"Alright Berry...I'll rest up a bit, but then we've gotta get moving again."

"Finally!" the twins said together and collapsing in exhaustion. Piper sat down, surprised at just how exhausted he was as he lay his head down over his hooves and closed his eyes. Strawberry bit her lip and sat beside him, letting her worry get the best of her as she started picking at the loose feathers in his wings. One by one she gently pulled out the broken and twisted feathers.

Sunburst watched with a small smile as Pipers pained expression faded into a relaxed one. She knew if he weren't exhausted he probably wouldn't let Strawberry preen him, though in his current state it was probably exactly what he needed. The zebra continued to work while the others rested and kept watch for any signs of danger. She gave a sigh and looked over the wounds on his back. She leaned forward and gave it a careful lick, the pegasus wincing as her tongue slid across the cuts, though after a while the burning sensation stopped as did Strawberry.

"EWWWWWWW, What are you doing?!" Penny said, watching them from beside her sister.

"Its an old form of therapy, probably taught to her by her mother. Pinkie Pie did work on a 'rock farm' after all. Cuts and scrapes were normal there. Saliva, especially from a zebra like Strawberry, has slight healing properties. It'll keep Piper from getting an infection and getting sick." Dinky explained as she looked over a nearby wall, the strange metal stick she had whirring quietly.

"Wait, why is Zebra spit so special?" Hayseed asked.

"Zebra's come from a land very distant from our own where disease is a very common thing. They have developed many ways to combat this and have adapted to survive their habitat. Their saliva being the most readily available salve it is used in most of their medical techniques." The unicorn explained absentmindedly, knocking her hoof against another wall and pressing her ear to it.

"Ooookaaay...that's not weird or anything." Hayseed mumbled. Strawberry wasn't really listening, having cuddled up to Piper, letting him sleep against her.

"Sleep tight Piper..." she mumbled, nuzzling his cheek. 

"Yuck!" the twins said together. Honeycrisp rolled her eyes and sat beside them.

"You two will understand love someday." she said to them with a smile, turning her gaze toward the sleeping forms of Nova and Emerald.

"Someday..."





So this chapter is kinda short, but I wanted to leave it like this and have updates come sooner than 3 d*mn monthes. So for the next couple of chapters we'll have short sweet chapters with timely updates. Well thats all for now, next chapter is in progress! Hope you're all enjoying my stories!
> Almost there
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"No."

"No?"

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"No."

"So you won't do it?"

"Not only that, but I can't. It was one thing to do it before but this is entirely different. Those memories make Nyx who she is. If I remove them she'll forget everything, you, Twilight, everything that makes her who she is. Would you take that away from her just to be rid of some mild discomfort?" The Doctor asked. Riku sighed and laid his head over the Alicorn snuggled against him.

"I just can't stand seeing her like this. It just gets worse and worse everyday and there is nothing I can do to help her." He murmured

"There may not be anything you can do now, but in time you'll find a way." The Doctor said with a small smile

"Thats what you said to me back in Karakura Town." Riku grumbled

"I was right though wasn't I?" The Doctor pointed out. Riku opened his mouth to argue and chuckled.

"Yea I guess." He agreed, turning to look at Nyx. He would find a way to rid the Alicorn of the darkness that haunted her. She had done the same for him years ago, now it was time he returned the favor.





Strawberry sighed, being the only one awake besides Dinky and Amethyst. The two were going over plans on how to get into the dungeons where Celestia and Luna might be held, while also arguing that they might be with Discord. All the while Piper and the others slept. The zebra couldn't help but worry about the Pegasus.

Besides the fact that he was covered in blood, which she had cleaned for the most part. There was still some caked around his more serious wounds that she wouldn't go near in fear of accidentally removing the scabs that had grown over the holes in his neck. She nuzzled his side gently, smiling as his wings lifted up a little in his sleep. Something seemed to be bothering him though, he kept mumbling and apologizing.

"Probably a nightmare." Strawberry jumped in surprise at the voice, looking up to see a pegasus in a cloak. Her ears twitched and she felt her stomach flip.

"YOU'RE...!" The figure put a hoof over her mouth and shook its head.

"Shhh, theres a lot at stake here, kay? The others can't know I was here, its bad enough that I'm here already. How is he?" he asked, tilting his head toward Piper.

"H-He's okay, I'm really worried. But I know he'll be okay." Strawberry whispered. The figure nodded, his face hidden by the hood of his cloak.

"Good. I wanna thank you for watching over him. Its kinda important, though you probably know that already. Listen, the nightmares are going to get worse. He won't admit it, but he needs you Berry. Don't let him forget that, ever." she nodded and smiled.

"I Strawberry Swear I won't let him forget." She said with a salute. The pegasus chuckled and though she couldn't see it, she knew he was smiling. It was a gift her mother had passed on to her, bringing happiness to others so easily. Not a day went by that she didn't cherish that gift.

"I need you to do the same about me, the others can never know who I am. Ever."

"Never ever? But what about me?" She asked

"I trust you. I just need to hear it is all." He said, looking around quickly. The zebra nodded, turning to look toward Amethyst and Dinky, finding that they had walked off somewhere when she wasn't looking.

"I strawberry swear, nopony will ever know you were here." she stood and kissed the pegasi's cheek, giggling a little to herself.

"And I Pinkie Promise that nopony will hear from me that you were here." She winked, crossing her hoof over her heart. The pegasus nodded.

"Thanks. I'll be seeing ya around..." The pegasus turned away and ran, stretching out his wings and taking to the air. Strawberry watching him go and sat down by Piper again, smiling to herself.

He needs me...Me! she squealed internally and snuggled closer to the pegasus, all of her worries vanishing as she dozed off, though the pegasus was still wide awake, smiling as the zebra fell asleep against him. Strawberry knew who that pegasus was, but he couldn't ask her to tell him. 

She had created her own promise to keep the strangers' identity a secret. He had said he was a guide from Harmony, but so far he had stolen his hoofblade, stalked him through the forest, left him to fight Timberwolves on his own, and knocked the air out of him.

 Just who the hay is that guy? and why did Strawberry kiss him?! Piper blinked as the thought came to him.

Why should I care if she kissed him? She's her own mare, she can make her own decisions. Its none of my business. But...

He looked over at Strawberry. 

I do care...she's my friend and all I've done is make her worry. I'm such an idiot. Piper yawned and closed his eyes, drifting to sleep. 

When he opened them he found himself in the white void once more, Harmony waiting for him as well as the cloaked figure.

"You! How did you get here?!" Piper demanded, flaring out his wings.

"I already told you Piper..." Harmony raised a hoof, silencing the cloaked figure who gave a nod of acknowledgement, taking a few steps back.

"Piper, how are your wounds?" Harmony asked.

"My wounds? You mean my neck?" Piper put a hoof to his throat, finding that the blood was gone, only a few small scabs remaining. He turned his head to look at his wings, finding the feathers all in place and many of his scars already gone.

"But...thats impossible..." he mumbled

"For a normal Pony, yes."

"A normal pony? So i'm some kind of freak?"

"No. You are blessed Piper."

"Blessed? what the buck do you mean Blessed? This is just fantastic, everytime I go to sleep I'm either here or in some nightmare"

"No one ever said Blessings were good Piper." the cloaked figure spoke up, silenced once more by Harmony.

"So what? Did you do this to me? Was I born this way?"

"I am afraid I cannot explain any further right now. What you need to know is this. you are not immortal, you are not invincible. No matter how much your body heals, it still suffers. It is by luck the Timberwolves bite didn't kill you and you were lucky to have a zebra like Strawberry around to tend to your wounds." Harmony explained, smiling softly as Piper blushed and cleared his throat.

"Speaking of Berry. What was all that about earlier when you were talkin' to her?" Piper asked. Though this time the figure had nothing to say.

"All will be revealed in time Piper." Harmony answered for him

"NO! I'm sick of the puzzles, I'm sick of the secrecy, I just want some straight bucking answers! Who are you?!" Piper asked of the figure. The figure glanced up toward Harmony who nodded, the figure turned back to Piper and pulled off the cloak.

Pipers eyes snapped open as Strawberry shook him awake.

"Piper...Piper wake up!" he leapt to his hooves and looked around, finding himself back in the castle with the others. Had it just been a dream? Or was it more? What was this 'Blessing' and why did he have it?

"Piper? are you okay?" Strawberry asked him. He glanced over at her and paused. Her coat had smudges of his blood on it from her hugging and cleaning him. He glanced back at his wings, finding that she had preened him as he slept.

"Y-Yea...I'm fine." He stammered. The zebra pouted and poked his side with her hoof.

"Piper..." She grumbled

"I'll be alright Strawberry..." he stopped and turned back to her, pulling her into a hug.

"Thanks Berry." the zebra blushed and returned the hug, carefully nuzzling his neck.

"Awwwwww, ya'll are so cute." Sunburst said from just a short distance away. The two ponies broke away from one another, quickly arguing that it was just a hug. The pegasus merely rolled her eyes and stood, stretching a bit.

"We should probably get movin'. Now that everypony has had some time t' rest up we can think clearly and get th' Princess' outta here." Sunburst looked around.

"Where's Dinks and Amy?" she asked. Piper and Strawberry shrugged, looking around.

"Right here, sorry!" Dinky called, peeking around a corner, she motioned them to follow her and after waking the others they quickly did so. Around the corner they found Amethyst, his eyes glowing and sparks flying around him.

"Whats going on?!" Emerald asked, rushing toward her brother, Dinky stopping her midway.

"Watch." she said. Amethyst's body shook a little, his wings spread wide and his head thrown back as magical runes etched themselves into his body, the walls around him and into the ground beneath him, spreading past the others as they watched.

"Hold on!" Dinky called out,the ground shaking as the walls faded away and reformed slowly, Amethyst grunting with the effort of the spell. The sparks began to fade, though several runes remained on his body. He slumped against one of the walls and smiled.

"I-I know...where...they are..." he said, exhausted.

"What did you just do?" Emerald asked as she helped him stand, Nova on his other side.

"I asked him about that spell of his, the one your father taught him and with some adjustments I found a use for it. Though it had to be done on a much larger scale. We've rearranged the castle a bit and this hallway will take us directly to Celestia and Luna." Dinky explained with a grin.

"Wait, how can you be sure they are there?" Piper asked, Strawberry squeaking beside him and bouncing a little, her eyes wide.

"Thats the room! They ARE in there!" she said.

"Okay, how could you have known that before Strawberry?" Nova asked.

"Amethyst can Feel everything around him when he uses the Transmodification spell. His senses become a part of whatever he is casting the spell on. It was simple for him to extend his sight and his hearing throughout the entire castle by rearranging some of it."

"Not exactly 'Simple' but yea, thats pretty much it." The kirin confirmed.

"Won't Discord have noticed a huge chunk of his castle has been moved around?" Piper asked.

"Well...yes, Thats the downside to this so we really should get moving." Dinky said quickly, heading for the door. The others followed after, Amethyst falling behind for a moment.

Piper's ear twitched as a screeching sound reached his ears. Turning around he spotted it. Something he had only heard stories about from his parents, something that should have only been a fairytale, a story to make him sleep and be good. Right on Amethyst's tail, was a Heartless.





Left ear twitch, left ear twitch, nod, tilt head right. Scootaloo thought for a moment and repeated the motions, tilting her head to the left instead. Sweetie Belle faked a yawn and scratched at her nose, Scootaloo nodded and leaned against the bars of her cage. They weren't sure if Discord had figured them out yet, but they had been communicating silently for over an hour, planning their escape.

Neither of them knew it, but the rescue team was already on its way. They weren't going to wait for it though. Scootaloo turned to look at Applebloom. The mare looked at her friend and Scootaloo gave her a comforting smile and a nod, telling her everything was going to be alright. The pegasus stood, as did the Unicorn. After a moment and a sigh, the earth pony stood as well.

"NOW!" Scootaloo yelled, her Keyblade appearing in her teeth. Applebloom's blade appearing around her hoof as she stood and Sweetie Belle's blade floating in the air around her. The three threw their blades outside of their respective cages, letting them collide with one another. From them Sweetie Belle's magic spread, reaching to her friends, the three of them vanishing from their cages.

The Keyblades swirled around the form of an Alicorn as she stood tall and proud in the center of the room, her long flowing ethereal mane swirled with red, pink and purple. Discord clapped and smiled.

"Well that IS impressive. But what now? Do you want to fight me little filly?" Scootaloo held back her rage. They couldn't fight him. They all knew it, Their only choice was to escape and this was their only means of getting out of here alive.

"We'll return." the Alicorn said, vanishing in a flash of light, leaving the others to stare in shock. Twilight however was pensive. There was no reason for Discord to have let them escape, he easily could have separated the form and thrown them back into their respective cells. So why didn't he? Her eyes stopped on Pip.

Because he knows they will come back...its a trap. He's just playing games with us. Discord's gaze drifted towards her, a knowing grin on his face. He knew she had figured him out, he also knew she could do nothing to stop him. She opened her mouth to speak, to warn the others, but no words came out. Discord had stolen her voice.





"MOVE!" Shining Armor called out as the beast rushed toward them. It was a massive thing, roughly the size of an Ursa Minor, though its body was horribly deformed, his head twisted at the wrong angle and horns jutting out of its body like a porcupine. Shining Armor stood his ground as his guards scattered around the beast, pegasi taking to the air with spears ready. The unicorn captain rushed forward, roaring as he leapt into the air, the beast tearing through everything in its path.

In a flick of his hoof, Shining Armor's blade unsheathed, before being jammed into the creatures eye as he landed atop its head, quickly pulling the blade free and jamming it into its skull. The beast roared, flinging him off. He rolled in the air, blinking as a pegasus zipped by him, spear ready.

Though she surprised him by slamming the spear into the ground and using it as a spring, launching herself high into the air and drawing its attention, Zecora mimicking the movement. The two landed on the creatures nose, Fluttershy Staring into the beasts good eye and Zecora standing ready, a spear on her shoulder. The beast blinked several times and whined, stepping backwards, trying to escape The Stare, though Fluttershy kept herself balanced on the beasts nose until it sat down, covering its eyes with its deformed claws. Fluttershy nodded, padding the beasts head with her hoof gently.

"Good, now, take us to Discord." the beast whined and stood, Fluttershy on top of its head and Zecora on its back.

"Lets move out!" Fluttershy called out, surprising the guards. Rainbow Dash just stared in shock before following after her friend. Shining armor just grinned, chuckling a little as he followed them.

With friends like this, theres no way we can fail. I see it now Twily. The bonds you've made with these ponies. Just hold on a bit longer, we're almost there.
> The Power of Friendship
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"AMETHYST!" Piper screamed, the Kirin turned in time to spot the creature looming behind him and froze in fear, his eyes wide. Piper rushed toward the creature, determined to stop it before it took his friend. All the stories he had heard had told him these creatures ATE hearts. While Amethyst was somewhat of a jerk to him, nopony deserved anything like that. He leapt toward the heartless, knowing he was too far away to stop it before it attacked. To his surprise the cloaked figure came flying around a corner, hind hoof first and drove said hoof into the creatures head, sending it crashing through a wall.

"MOVE!" the figure yelled at them, drawing a hoof blade and leaping over the pitch black spiked tail that swung at him. 

"GO PIPER!" The figure yelled again, slicing off the tail and leaping at the heartless with a powerful flap of his wings. Piper nodded, grabbing hold of Amethyst and dragging him along, Emerald quick to help him. Nova however stared at the heartless with wide eyes, not out of fear, but out of curiosity. She chased after the cloaked figure and the heartless.

"NOVA!" Emerald called out, but the mare would not be stopped. She had only heard stories of these creatures and she needed to know more about them. The cloaked figure spotted her, the heartless swinging its claws at her. Nova shrieked and the figure reacted, stepping between the Alicorn and the claw, gasping as it pierced his back. The group stared in shock as the heartless lifted the impaled pegasus and roared. The color drained from Nova's face and tears stung her eyes. 

i...it killed him...n-no...i-its my fault...He got hit because of me... Nova was pulled out of her guilt trip as the pegasus coughed.

"Buck that hurts..." he groaned, flaring his wings and slicing through the claw in his back. He stumbled a bit, the claw melting away in a burst of flames on his back. He panted and turned to the beast once more.

"Princess Nova, you have to go with your friends and get your mother and Aunt out of Discords grasp." the figure slid backwards, his eyes glowing an icy blue as spikes of ice slammed into the heartless from all angles, pinning it to the ground.

He stumbled towards it and slammed his hoof through the crest on its chest, the heartless screaming before fading away, a large multicolored heart floating into the air and vanishing. Piper set Amethyst down and rushed to the pegasus as he collapsed. The Kirin at this point had shaken himself of his fear and was still getting his bearings, Emerald tending to him and worrying about Nova. The others had made their way back, realizing in their hurry that they had gone on without their friends. Piper reached a hoof out toward the figure

"Don't. touch. me." the figure said slowly. Piper glared at him.

"You'll bleed to death if someone doesn't do something to help." Nova said softly before Piper could argue. Piper had questions but Nova didn't seem to notice, pushing past him and closing her eyes as her horn glowed dimly. The pegasus closed his eyes as Nova's magic coursed its way through him. The Alicorn gasped, stepping back a bit, her mouth open in shock. The figure stood, shaking himself of the sparks still dancing across his coat.

"See? Now go Princess." the figure smiled faintly, his face still hidden by the hood of his cloak. Nova bit her lip.

"But...what about you?" She asked softly.

"Don't worry about me. Emerald and the others need you right now. I'll see ya around." the figure faded away, leaving Nova and Piper standing there, the others crowding around them and the wreckage of the area left from the battle.

"Come on you guys, we don't have time to be standing around!" Dinky said, rushing them down the hall as more heartless poured into the hallway, an unseen hoofblade cutting through them as the group ran for the massive doors at the end of the hall.

They burst through, slamming the doors shut behind them. Dinky's device whirring quietly as she ran it over the door, a loud CLICK echoing throughout the room.

"There, that should hold them for a while." The unicorn turned, spotting Celestia and Luna chained to a floating throne. The god of chaos himself grinned at them, a dark look in his eyes.

"Welcome to my castle."





"CHARGE!" Shining Armor roared, leading his soldiers into battle against Discords twisted creations. Fluttershy and Zecora kept the beast tame, using it to slam against the massive double doors leading into the Throne Room where the embodiment of chaos had to be. Rainbow Dash roared, rolling through the air and slamming into one of the creatures, wrapping her forehooves around its neck and spinning, throwing it into a group marching towards them, horns locking against another and cutting into one another as the beasts collided and rolled into one another. 

"Hows the door coming Shy!?" Rainbow called out, throwing another and then another. It seemed to never end, for every group she impaled on one another, there was always more to replace it. It wouldn't end until they had stopped Discord. They didn't have the Elements, but that wasn't going to stop them from saving their friends.

"Just a bit longer!" Fluttershy called out, urging the beast on. The group gasped, everypony pausing as a tall Alicorn appeared, Keyblades flashing and slicing through the hordes of Discords creatures, making easy work of them.

"We will hold them back! Get the door open!" the figures voice echoed, overlapping itself. Rarity stared, tears in her eyes.

"Sweetie Belle?!" the Alicorn nodded.

"Hey don't forget about us!" two voices echoed over one another.

"Apple Bloom! Scootaloo! you guys are okay!" Rainbow cheered

"We are for now, but we have to keep focused. We haven't done this in so long, its hard to keep it together."

"Do you think you can use your magic to get us inside?" Rainbow asked, flinging another one of Discords twisted creations, it resembled a giant squirrel with goat horns, a lizards head, and a snakes tail. Instead of paws it had claws and hooves, and had the eyes of a dragon. More and more of these beasts continued to march towards them, surrounding them.

"No, Discord's magic is blocking us from getting back inside. We are not sure how we managed to make it this far." Another creature fell to one of the floating blades and the Alicorn spun.

"But there may be a way for us to get all of you inside. But we cannot do it now. We must retreat for now."

"I CAN'T! I've come too far! I won't leave without Twilight!" Shining Armor yelled, pulling his hoofblade free of a corpse.

"If you wish to have to chance to see her then you will at least retreat from the door for now. We cannot enter and Discord's magic is too strong for us in our weakened form. We must regroup and gather our strength."

"Scoot. AJ is in there. I can't just leave. I already ditched her once, I can't do it again." Rainbow spoke up

"We are sorry Rainbow, but there is nothing we can do."

"Maybe not, but there is something We can do" a voice called out. They spun, finding Nyx, Riku, Chrome Mist, The Doctor and Derpy. A magical aura surrounded the Alicorn Princess. Discords creatures bowing and freezing in place. Nyx's eyes glowed with a dark fury as she made her way through them.

"W-What?" Shining asked.

"No time for questions Captain, we've got Princess' to save." The Doctor said with a small grin. Nyx stood before the double doors, pressing her hoof against them for a moment and frowned.

"There is a barrier." she said, her voice echoing.

"It cannot be broken, yet." The aura attached itself to her mane, spreading out and clinging to each of Discords beasts who fainted in place. The Alicorn shook herself, leaning against Riku and holding her head. Shining Armor clenched his teeth and slammed a hoof into the door.

"TWILIGHT! CAN YOU HEAR ME!? JUST STAY CALM ALRIGHT?! I'M COMING TO SAVE YOU! I PROMISE!" He yelled through the doors, gathering his soldiers and retreating from the door. They wouldn't go too far, but for now, they could do nothing but wait.





"TWILIGHT!" a muffled voice shouted through the door

"I'M COMING TO SAVE YOU! I PROMISE!" The mentioned Alicorn smiled faintly, her eyes wide as realization set in.

No...not Shining...Not my brother! He can't be here! Discord will tear him apart...I have to do something! the frantic Alicorn looked all around her, checking every corner of the room, her eyes always stopping on the trapped Princess' and Discord. She hid a smile and began crunching numbers in her head, her eyes lingering on Discords barrier on the door, gauging just how powerful it was. Slowly a plan was coming together.





The worn out group stood together, facing the god of chaos with determined faces. Celestia, hidden in the darkness surrounding Discords throne, tried to step forward, tears in her eyes.

"You have to run!" she screamed, gasping as Discord pulled on the chain around her throat, pulling her back into the darkness around his throne.

"Oh Celestia, is that any way to treat our guests my dear daughter?" he asked of her.

"You are not our father!" Luna shrieked, pulling at the chains that held her.

"That hurts Lulu, it really does." he tugged on her chain, the younger sister screaming in pain as a jolt of lightning ran through her body before she collapsed.

"Luna!" Celestia cried, glued to the spot by her own chains. Piper stepped forward, followed by Amethyst and Dinky.

"Let them go Discord, and we won't have to shove your face through a wall." Piper said, surprising even himself. The god of chaos grinned.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" he asked. The doors behind them flung open, the cloaked figure walking inside. They turned, finding hearts drifting into the air and the pegasus panting a little as he walked past them.

"Emerald, the elements" The figure said softly, walking up past Piper. The kirin was confused for a moment before nodding, mumbling something to herself as she tried to think. The figure looked over at Luna, then at Celestia.

"Princess Celestia, your friends have come to rescue you." from the hall poured in Celestia's soldiers, Chrome Mist, and the Doctor. Celestia felt tears in her eyes as she looked at all of them.

"No...you can't be here...You all have to run! Its a trap!" she screamed, but it was too late. The massive double doors slammed shut, waking Luna in the process. The figure merely chuckled.

"We know Princess. But friends are always there for their friends, no matter the consequences." he turned back to the current holders of the Elements.

"Just look at what they all went through to come save you. What does that tell you Princess?" the figure asked. Celestia stood, turning her head toward Discord who raised an eyebrow. Celestia then looked to her sister, though they could not see the other, they both nodded, their chains beginning to glow as well as the Elements.

"Emy whats going on?!" Amethyst asked.

"I don't know! Its not me!" she said, the Element holders gasping as they floated into the air, the power of the elements surrounding them. Honeycrisp and the twins looked around in confusion as they too were lifted into the air in the center of their friends, the Elements power reaching to them and finally toward Celestia and Luna.

"What is this?!" Discord screamed angrily.

"Its the power of True Friendship. The power of your wife Harmony, the Power to set Equestria free. The Elements of Harmony!" The Doctor called out. Celestia and Luna's chains broke apart and they stepped forward into the light, surprising nearly everyone. Celestia stood taller than she had once before and now had a horn, while Luna was also taller and had wings. Their eyes glowed bright white as they stood before the floating Elements, staring down the god of chaos.

"You told us you had slaughtered all of our friends, told us none had survived, made us believe we were alone and kept us in the dark away from one another. But even through all that our bonds of friendship survived. It is through these bonds that we have kept strong and it is with these bonds that we will end this ONCE AND FOR ALL!" The royal sisters said together, the Elements glowing even brighter, their power exploding and slamming into the god of chaos where he stood. Slowly his body began to turn to stone.

The Draconequus chanted something, a bolt from the darkness flying forward, toward Celestia. Luna reacted first, pushing her Elder sister out of its path and screaming in agony as the bolt hit her. Discord smiled as the last of his body turned to stone, held in his prison for eternity.

Slowly the surrounding area began to change as well, it became brighter, plants springing back to life, the sun shining through the clouds of grey as they scattered in all directions. Celestia rushed to her sister, not noticing the Elements falling to the ground painfully behind her.

"Luna...no...Luna!" the younger Alicorn mumbled and opened her eyes slowly.

"T-Tia?" she said softly. Celestia breathed a sigh of relief, helping her sister to her hooves. They shared a hug and for a moment all was silent. Chrome Mist turned to his soldiers and grinned, lifting his hoof into the air.

"DISCORD HAS BEEN DEFEATED!" He cheered, the soldiers cheering with him. It was over, it was finally over.

"But what about mother and father?" Luna asked softly. Celestia turned to the Doctor who shook his head.

"I am sorry, but we could not find them. Only this." The Doctor placed a scroll on the ground in front of them. Luna lifted it in her magic, reading aloud.

Luna, Celestia. If you have found this letter, then all is well in the world. Your father and I are so proud of you two, though by now you have probably discovered we are not your true parents. But don't let that change anything. Even if I didn't give birth to either of you, I still cherished you as my two beautiful daughters and I always will. I'm sorry to tell you, but your father and I won't be returning. Luna paused here, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"W-We won't ever see them again..." Celestia hugged her sister and after a moment, Luna continued.

We have served our purpose in this world. Oh how we wish we could stay, there is so much I wanted to teach you Lulu and so much your father wanted you to learn Tia. But our lives are not made of wants and wishes. But know, that even though we can't be there with you right now, that we will always be with you in spirit. Love - Your mother and Father, we will always love you, in this life and the next.

Luna held the letter close to her chest, leaning against her sister. A loud roar behind them drew their attention to the doors which burst open once more, a cloud of darkness filling the entire hallway. The sisters gasped as a large key appeared in front of both of them. Celestia's was massive, a hollow sun surrounding the hilt, the blade pure white with flaring orange tips at the end; While Luna's was short, a crescent moon around the hilt and black vines snaking their way up the dark purple blade.

Both sisters felt drawn to the floating weapons, taking them in their magic. The bearers of the Elements stood, still feeling the power of Harmony's creation flowing through them.

"CHARGE!" Celestia called, leading the charge into the final battle against Discord and his Minions.
> Return (A Filler chapter)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"PUSH THEM BACK!" Celestia called out, her soldiers roaring as they charged into the horde of heartless, protected by the power of the Elements and their Wielders. Luna flung her blade into the heartless, freezing most of the horde in place, making it easy to cut it down, forcing the others back even further. The sisters eyes began to glow once more, the wall behind the heartless vanishing.

"JUST A BIT MORE!" Celestia and Luna roared, combining their magic to fling the heartless into the hole, slamming the wall back into place. The Elements began to glow once more, a seal forming over the wall. The sisters blinked as a necklace appeared around both of their necks, gems embedded in them. The group stared at the wall for a long moment before weariness set in.

The Soldiers however leaped into the air, cheering and dancing about. After so many years of running and hiding and planning. It was over. It was all finally over. Dinky was the first back on her hooves, grinning and obviously holding back to urge to jump for joy. 

All this time she had felt as if she wasn't worth the name 'Doctor'. But after everything had been said and done, her friends had come through for her. She grabbed hold of the sonic screwdriver in her magic, scanning the seal and smiling. It would hold until Nightmare Moon's banishment and then the original Elements resealing years later.

Ha, original Elements. Technically these are the original Elements, time-wise anyway she couldn't help but grin at that. She had always imagined going on adventures in the TARDIS. Now she finally had, she couldn't wait to talk to the real Doctor about it. Though as her mind wandered to him she remembered where he was. Her grin fading for a moment.

"Well, everything seems to be back in order, time-stream fixed, Discord defeated, heartless sealed away. And the Princess' safe. I suppose we'll be off then." Dinky said, everyone turning to her. The Doctor merely nodded.

"Yes, i'm a bit amazed the time-stream hasn't collapsed with two TARDIS piloting Doctors in the same time-stream, driving the same TARDIS no less. Is that my sonic screwdriver by any chance?" The Doctor asked.

"Actually, the TARDIS gave me this one, it had a message tied to it." Dinky said with a smile, taking a small piece of paper out of the inside brim of her hat and holding it out for him. The Doctor read the letter aloud with a smile.

Though I've only had the chance to speak to you once before Doctor, it is something I will never forget. A part of me is angry with you for simply handing me over to this unicorn, though if I didn't know any better I'd say she is you daughter. It is thanks to her tinkering around that I can make this message. Before, I was finally able to speak my mind and now I have the chance once again. Oh but I suppose I should thank you first little miss unicorn for showing the same love for me the Doctor has. the Doctor cleared his throat and chuckled a little.

"Time-machines, always emotional they are." he joked, tucking the rest of the letter away under his bow-tie.

"Do you really have to leave?" Luna asked her new friends. Dinky sighed and gave a small nod.

"We do, but don't worry. We will meet again in the future and we'll always be friends."

"Promise?" the Elder sister asked.

"Pinkie Promise" Dinky said with a grin.

"Pinkie Promise?" The two sisters asked, confused.

"You'll understand someday, for now, just know that it is a promise you can never, ever break, or you'll lose your friend forever."

"FOREVER!" a voice echoed inside the room, making them jump. No one knew where it had come from, but it sounded suspiciously like a certain pink earth pony they all knew quite well. Celestia looked at all of them.

"Thank you all so much. This would not have been possible without your efforts. But I honestly don't know what to do next." Dinky smiled.

"Just look to your dreams Princess, a guide waits for you there." Dinky said simply. Piper's ears perked up at this and he looked around, finding the cloaked figure missing from the group.





The trip back to the TARDIS was a slow one, Celestia and Luna following along to say their final goodbyes.

"It will be a long while before we meet again Princess', but know that no matter what changes, we will always be your friends and devoted subjects. Know that no matter how guilty you may feel about it, you can always count on us and any other holders of the Elements to do what must be done for your kingdom." Dinky said to them with a smile.

"We have already forced so many to do so much for us..." Celestia began, stopped as Dinky raised a hoof.

"I know Princess. But there is much more to be done. Your mother intended for you to rule over this land with your sister and that is what you must do, just as we must return to our time and stop Discord there. For us it will be a matter of minutes before we meet again, but it will be a near ten thousand years for you. Remember your dreams and do what you feel is right. We will meet again." The unicorn entered the TARDIS, Piper stopping and smiling at Celestia.

"Don't be so sad, we'll see each other again." the pegasus plucked a feather from his wing, standing up on his hind hooves and placing it in her mane.

"We're friends after all." the Alicorn smiled, hugging the pegasus. Luna bit her lip as Emerald walked by. The kirin stopped and pulled the Alicorn into a hug.

"He's right, we'll always be friends." Nova joined the hug and giggled.

"Close friends." the three pulled away from one another.

"C'mon, we've gotta git goin if'n we're gonna beat Discord twice in one day!" Sunburst said with a smile from inside the TARDIS.

"Well its not exactly the same day..." Dinky began.

"WE DON'T CARE!" They said together, laughing as the unicorn rolled her eyes. Finally they all entered the TARDIS, vanishing before the Royal sisters eyes.





"What was that back there Nyx?" Shining Armor asked of his adopted niece. Nyx sighed a little.

"Uncle...you already know." She said sadly, hanging her head.

"wait...you turned into Nightmare?" he asked, shocked that she would do such a thing.

"Not exactly, I just used a bit of something I learned from her. I can't 'turn into Nightmare'. Not since Luna took her magic back. You probably don't remember it but I used the same thing on you and your guards when I WAS Nightmare Moon.." she said, ashamed.

"You weren't yourself Nyx. But you are a grown mare and a smart one. You learned from your mistake and it saved all of our hides." Shining said, putting a comforting hoof on her shoulder. Nearby the Cutie Mark Crusaders were shaking away the stress of combining their power for so long, all the while Rarity fussed about their manes and safety. Scootaloo took shelter from the unicorn in the safety of Rainbow Dash's wing, unable to do anything to save Sweetie Belle from the rant.

"I know you've been trapped but HONESTLY, you're a grown mare now, you've got to keep up appearances Sweetie Belle."

"You're right, I AM a grown mare and I don't need you getting on me about my mane. In case you didn't notice we're in the middle of a chaos induced apocalypse and you stressing out over how I look isn't saving Spike!" the younger unicorn yelled. Rarity stood there in shock at her sisters outburst and sank to the ground, hiding her face in her hooves as she wept.

"Oh...Rarity i'm sorry." Sweetie Belle nuzzled her sister, the Elder unicorn sobbing quietly.

"No...you're right. I...I just didn't want to think of Spike...all alone and hurt..."

"He's gonna be alright Rare. Him and Aj and the rest of em. We're gonna get them outta there." Rainbow assured her friend.

"How? We don't have the Elements anymore."

"Oh I wouldn't say that." Said Dinky as she walked into the makeshift camp, followed by the Wielders of the Elements.

"Sunburst!" Rainbow tackled the pegasus, holding her close

"Piper!" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle rushed to their son. Rarity gasped, pulling Emerald and Amethyst close to her.

"Oh my darling gems, where have you been all this time?" she asked.

"Its a long story mother..." Emerald said with a smile. Beyond them, the twins were reunited with their mother, both speaking quickly of the crazy adventure they had been on.

"Ah'm jus' happy t' see ya'll are okay." the mare said as they finished, throwing her hooves around them. Honeycrisp and Fluttershy had a much quieter reunion. The younger mare seeing her mother dressed in Zebra warrior gear, the older seeing a determined look in her daughters eyes. They sat together, saying nothing and everything in a simple glance. Dinky felt tears in her eyes as she spotted the Doctor sitting with Derpy.

"Mom! Dad!" she called out, rushing to them. The Doctor grinned, throwing his hooves around the unicorn mare.

"I take it you and your friends had a fun trip?" he asked. She nodded.

"It was quite an eventful trip. I learned a lot too." Dinky turned to her mother, the two embracing silently, nuzzling one another.

Nova was the last into the camp, spotting her sister and Riku first and rushing to them as fast as her hooves would carry her.

"Where's mom?" she asked with a smile, though the looks on their faces answered everything. Nova lowered her head and gasped, spotting Riku's hoof, then his wings.

"r...Riku...w..what happened?!" the wounded Alicorn just smiled.

"I made a choice for the ones I love Nova." He glanced over at a teary-eyed Nyx who still blamed herself for his current condition.

"And if I had the chance I wouldn't change it for the world."

"What about your wings? and your hoof?" Nova asked softly.

"I'll do without." he said simply. Nova stomped her hoof.

"No! I won't let you do that." The Alicorn looked around for a moment and smiled, spotting Emerald. She quickly rushed over to her friend. Marefriend? Drakefriend? Whatever

"Emy, I need your help" she said quickly, pulling the drake away from her mother and over to Riku.

"Can you help him?" she asked. Emerald looked at his wings and his hoof.

"Um...looks like the damage is pretty bad..." she said softly.

"Nova, Emerald, you don't have t..." Nova raised a hoof to silence him, leaving him shocked at her change in personality. The Nova he knew was soft spoken and shy. He gritted his teeth a little, annoyed that the calm happy little filly he knew was gone.

"I can fix his hoof and his wings. It'll be a little awkward though. Nova, I'm gonna need your help and..." she whispered into the Alicorn's ear. Nova nodded and smiled.

"I don't mind." Emerald nodded and turned to Riku.

"Sorry about this Prince Riku." she mumbled, grabbing hold of his hoof in her claw, placing her other claw around Nova's horn. She closed her eyes and began a slow chant, Riku's body spasming and his eyes rolling back in his head.

"RIKU!" Nyx gasped, catching him as he passed out. She trusted her sister and Emerald, but she was still worried, watching as the remains of his hoof grew out, magic passing through Emerald from Nova and pouring into Riku, his wings twitched, growing quickly, a bit of blood dripping down his back as the feathers split and grew. The wings weren't as large as they had been before, but they were wings nonetheless. Finally Emerald let go, collapsing against Nova and smiling at her work.

"Wh...how?" Nyx asked, looking at them as she held a slumbering Riku.

"He's an Alicorn. Its...hard to explain but I can...feel it. The simple flow of magic. It stopped at his hoof and his wings. I just borrowed some magic from another Alicorn and gave it to him." Emerald said with a grin.

"I...It was as simple as that..." Nyx said, feeling stupid.

"No. It needed a conduit, something to flow through evenly. Too much could harm both Alicorns, too little would be useless. My body can handle it, being the Element of Magic helps." she said, doing her best to comfort the Alicorn.

"Thank you..." Nyx said softly, holding Riku as he slept.

"Well this is all very touching, but I'm afraid I'm gonna have to break it up." They spun, finding Discord hovering before them, he snapped his claws, darkness clinging to the walls and reaching for them.





CLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!

Ima take a break, then go to work and do some more tomorrow, ENJOY THE EXTREMELY SHORT CHAPTERNESS! This is just a filler chapter, the next one could very well be the final chapter of new beginnings. But while we are here, lets take a look at what Vinyl and Octavia are doing.





"For the last time, a tree." the earth pony said with an exasperated sigh.

"Right! Geez Tavi, your really good at this. ok...I see something...brown."

"Tree..."

"Green."

"Tree."

"grey and white."

"A cloud?"

"Nope."

"Um..." Octavia looked around, trying to figure out what her marefriend was looking at.

"Ya give up?" Vinyl said with a sly grin. Octavia von clef never gave up, at anything, except for Vinyl's hair and bedroom. Some things were just impossible.

"Never. Its not a cloud. Maybe a rock? But those aren't white. The castle wall?"

"Nope, Nope, and Nope." Octavia rolled her eyes.

"Well what is it then!?" the mare eeped as she was tackled to the ground, pinned underneath the unicorn.

"This." she said, pressing her lips to that of her marefriend. Octavia mentally rolled her eyes, wondering how she had missed the cues. Slightly lowered sunglasses, flick of the tail and ear, and the smile. It was always that smile. Finally Vinyl pulled away.

"Still bored?" Octavia asked jokingly.

"Nah, though I still wish we were getting in on the action. I thought we were suppose t' fight off bad guys from getting in but theres nothin here! Wheres some action when ya need it?" Octavia grinned, rolling so the Unicorn was pinned under her.

"Right here."





well. That was interesting. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> All things come to an end Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunburst was the first to react, flames licking at the shadows, forcing them back as the claws reached for them. Piper caught on quickly to her plan.

"Amethyst! Emerald! FIRE!" He screamed. The kirin's nodded, both taking deep breathes, Amethyst's massive multicolored flames spreading around the entire hall as he let the breath out slowly, adding to Sunburst's blaze, while Emeralds simple green flame licked at the edges of the others. Discord grinned, watching as their flames held back the dark grasp.

"You've learned a few tricks since we last played. Good, I wouldn't want this to be as dull as last time."

"Last time we 'played' we were weak and inexperienced. But this time we're ready for you. We beat you once Discord and we'll do it again!" Nova called out, shocking everypony gathered there. Her friends gathered around her. The Twins stood side-by-side on their hind hooves, hoofblades drawn. Honeycrisp flared her wings, standing tall beside Sunburst whose mane had set itself ablaze with the flame burning in her eyes and all around her.

Piper stood on her other side, his eyes an icy blue, spikes of ice slowly rising around him. Amethyst exhaled slowly, digging his claws into the stone beneath him, the rock shifting and coating his body like armor. Emerald and Nova stood tall and smiling, their horns glowing dimly and their eyes shining brightly, their voices echoing as they spoke.

"With the power granted us by Harmony herself, we banish you back to the stone from which you came!" The elements began to glow dimly for a moment, Discord's eyes wide in shock and his shadows vanishing. Twice he had felt the sting of the Elements, twice he had been trapped in stone. He would not wait around for a third time. He cringed and blinked, realizing he still could move. 

He turned toward the ponies finding that the Elements had stopped glowing, the group looking around confused. Discord laughed and lunged forward, he would start with the Alicorn and Kirin who had been the first to speak out against him. They would be an example.

"NO!" Piper screamed, leaping at Discord and slamming his hooves into his jaw. The two slammed through a wall, Piper hitting the ground and rolling. The others leapt through, chasing after them.

"Don't let him get away!" Shining Armor ordered his troops.

"Stay out of this!" Discord snapped his claws, Shining Armor finding himself in the forest along with his guards. He looked around frantically and screamed in frustration. Discord turned his attention back to Piper.

"You, I remember you, that proud look in your eye, the anger. You were there. But how? Hm, I suppose it doesn't matter now that you've come back. But round two will be mine."

"Don't count on it!" Scootaloo called out, diving toward the god of chaos with Sweetie Belle on her back. The two roared as they flung their keyblades at him. Discord rolled his eyes and snatched the blades out of the air, slamming his tail into the duo and sending them crashing through another wall. Scootaloo was the first back onto her hooves, charging toward Discord, Sweetie Belle close behind her.

"KEEP YOUR FILTHY CLAWS AWAY FROM MY SON!" Scootaloo screamed. Discord laughed, snapping his claws once more, the three ponies hovering in midair

"I see now. He's your brat, but who's the father here?" Scootaloo glared at him and Sweetie Belle threw a barrier around them, lowering them to the ground.

"HA! You used magic to have a foal didn't you?" he asked, laughing and shaking his head.

"So what?! He's still our son!" Sweetie Belle yelled. Piper looked at them confused. Why did it matter if magic was used?

"Oh that is just rich. Well, I suppose it'll be more fun this way." He snapped his claws, a ring of flames surrounding them, stopping the others from reaching their friends. Discord grinned, letting go of the keyblades, their owners growling as they held them. Piper stood between them, not sure what to do. He felt he would only get in the way if he fought, but he couldn't just stand there. 

He took a slow breath, remembering what he had seen the 'Guide' do against the heartless. His eyes began to glow an icy blue, spikes of ice launching from all directions toward Discord who snapped his claws, letting them turn into water and splash against him. He flung his head back, shaking the water off.

"Thanks, needed a bath, though i'd prefer a hot one." another snap of his claws and flames danced around them, more ice appearing and falling onto the flames, putting them out. Sweetie Belle glanced at Piper then back at Discord. It was just a battle between who could conjure more, and Piper was no unicorn. It was already easy to see the strain the magic was putting on his body. She gently kissed his forehead and smiled.

"That's enough Piper."

"Bu..." she shook her head.

"Go to your friends Piper. They need you. We'll hold him off." she said with a smile, turning back to Discord. She gasped as he lifted her in his claw.

"Eww gag, ok enough sappy moments" he squeezed, the unicorn screaming in pain.

"MOM!"

"BELLE!" The pegasi leapt into the air, swatted away by Discord and crashing into a wall, leaving only a pile of rubble on top of them. Discord grinned and vanished, taking Sweetie Belle with him.





The unicorn grunted in pain as she was tossed into another cage.

"Wait here." he said to her like one would say to a dog before he vanished once more. The unicorn winced as she tried to sit up, her body refusing to move.

"Sweetie Belle? I thought you escaped" Spike said, grabbing the bars of his reinforced cage. Scorch marks covered most of the cage, most likely from him trying to break free again. The unicorn lay on her side, gasping in pain.

"Don't move Belle. Just relax. Bloom and Scoot will come for you." Pip assured her.

that's just it. they will come for her. My brother will come for me, and Rainbow and Fluttershy are coming for Applejack and Big Macintosh. not to mention Rarity coming for Spike. Don't you all see? Its a trap! Twilight struggled to say, though her words would not reach them. Her magic failed her and she had no other means of speaking. Somehow she had to warn them, somehow she had to get them out.





Emerald and Nova panted a little with the effort of tearing through Discords wall, but eventually broke free to the other side in time for Piper to shake himself free of the debris and Discord to return. The pegasus screamed in anger and rushed toward him, Discord smiling and snapping his claws, a spear of darkness leaping out of a nearby wall. The spear changed shape in mid-air, growing claws as it neared its target.

"PIPER!" Rainbow screamed, flaring her wings and zipping toward the young pegasus. He wouldn't be able to move out of the way in time, and in his rage all he saw was Discord. Not his impending death, not his grandmother, not his friends. Only the creature who had hurt his friends and family. Piper wasn't going to let him get away with it, but his anger had blinded him.

In an instant it was all over. Piper felt something hit his side and rolled, coughing from the force of it. He sat up, his eyes wide in shock. Time slowed down for him as he watched the spear stab into Rainbows side, the claws digging deep into her body. The multicolored pegasus slammed into the ground, blood pooling under her as the spear continued to tear away at her.

"NOOOOO!" Piper screamed, leaping at the spear, flung back by another one flying into his wing and pinning him to the wall. Discord laughed and snapped his claws, the cages in the throne room appearing around him.

"Have a look at your heros. Have a look at their 'triumph' PAH! I've got to say you really are the worst Elements i've faced" Discord said. They all stared at the dead pegasus on the ground. All in the room were silent, save for one pony, hanging high in her cage and weeping.

"No...No...not Rainbow...its all jus' a dream...jus a nightmare..." she tried to convince herself, but she knew it was real. Rainbow Dash was dead.





Fluttershy slammed her hoof down into the head of the beast, charging it toward Discord as tears stung her eyes. Her oldest and greatest friend was gone because of him, and he was going to pay.

"FLUTTERSHY DO NOT ATTACK! IT IS A TRAP! A TRAP!" Zecora warned, but it was too late. Discord merely smiled, the beast vanishing from underneath Fluttershy as he turned his gaze toward it, the pegasus mare squeaking as she fell, a cage appearing under her and catching her, slamming shut on her wings.

"Well looks like everypony is back where they belong. Oh almost forgot." he turned toward Applebloom who stood, pushing her twins behind her. Her keyblade appeared between her teeth as she glared at Discord, her mind working as quickly as she could manage. She was no Twilight Sparkle, but she had a good head on her shoulders. Her thoughts screamed one thing and one thing only. Protect the girls She would keep her daughters safe, even if it cost her life.

"Oh puh-lease" he rolled his eyes as the mare looked around the room. There was no way out. She held up her Keyblade

"Let th' little ones go and ah'll give up without a fight" she said quietly.

"Now why would I do that? That one bit me you know." he said, pointing to the young pegasus still pinned to the wall.

"Ya'll have had yer fun with em already. Ya know ya can't do nothin more with em. They are jus' kids. Let em go now and ya'll can have yer fun with em in a few years when they are grown." hopefully ya'll will be ready for him by then. It was the only plan she could come up with. Stall for time until the Elements were ready. She blinked as Rarity stepped forward.

"I'm sorry darling, but that just won't do. This is Discord we are facing after all. He can't keep his word at all."

"RARITY! WHY ARE YOU HERE?!" Spike screamed.

"Spike, we swore we would always stay together, til death do us part. I won't leave you to die without me." She said simply, walking toward Discord, a small smile on her face.

"Come along Applebloom. If we are to lose here then we will do so with grace, we are both ladies after all. As for you my gems. I want you to run, leave, find shelter. This is not a fight you can win." She said to them softly. They shook their heads, stopping under their mothers gaze. She kissed their foreheads and smiled, walking toward Discord with newfound determination. He had already killed Rainbow Dash, she doubted he would hesitate to kill her or the others. She sat before him and closed her eyes.

"All I ask is that you let me go with Spike." she said softly. He shrugged, snapping his claws. The unicorn appearing in the cage with Spike and Applebloom appearing with Pip.

"Well now that's all sorted out." he turned and sighed, finding Riku and Nyx, wearing smiles and carrying weapons. Behind them stood The Doctor and Derpy.

"I'm not even going to deal with you." the four ponies gasped as a hole opened in the ground, swallowing them.

"NYX!" Nova cried, leaping for the hole which vanished before she could reach it.

"What have you done to them?!"

"Nothing, you just won't be seeing them for a while."

"I'll be the judge of that." Dinky said. Grabbing her Sonic Screwdriver. She scanned the floor, a small bit of the hole opening. The unicorn gasped as claws reached for her, pulling her into the hole, leaving only the Elements and the caged ponies with Discord.

"Anypony else going to interrupt? That's very rude you know. No one? good. You. Elements. I'm bored with you. So I'll let you live for now and you can watch along with this sorry bunch as I turn the rest of this world on its head. Ta-ta!" he laughed and vanished, taking the caged ponies with him. As he left, the spear in Pipers wing vanished as well as the one jammed in Rainbow Dash's corpse. Piper winced as he walked towards Rainbow Dash.

"Grandma Dash? c'mon...get up..." he said softly, nuzzling her. The pegasus didn't move, she didn't breath or groan. She just lay there with her color fading away.

"No...Come on! you've got to wake up!" he placed his hooves on her, shaking her, trying to wake her from her eternal sleep. His friends could only watch. Piper collapsed against Rainbow Dash, sobbing as he wrapped his hooves around her.

"Its all my fault...its all my fault..." Piper looked up, feeling a hoof on his shoulder. There stood Chrome Mist.

"She did what she thought was right boy, now its up to you and your friends. The zebra and I will see what we can do with the door, but the rest is up to you." He said simply, limping away with Zecora. Piper looked down at Rainbow and sat up, wiping away his tears. Why had this happened? 

"The Elements should have stopped him...but...they didn't work at all...and now..." Piper mumbled, staring at the blood on his hooves.

"Its my fault...that's it isn't it...Its me." he looked at the others.

"Magic...Honesty...Kindness...Laughter...Generosity. All of you really are the Elements you have, but not me. I'm not loyal, I'm not even your friend."

"That's not true Piper!" Strawberry yelled at him.

"That's not true...you are our friend and we care about you..."

"It doesn't matter now Berry...We all saw it. When we tried to use the Elements out there...They all had that weird glow, except for mine. Mine only worked when the Princess' used their power on us. I'm not loyalty, I'm just holding it." he turned back to Rainbow.

"But she is Loyalty. She always has been."

"Piper...she's gone, she died protecting you."

"Exactly Amethyst. Because in her eyes her life is worth less than her friends and loved ones because she IS Loyalty. We have to save her." He turned back to her corpse, pressing his ear to her chest. Not even a heartbeat. He placed his hooves against her chest and started pumping, trying to revive her. 

But nothing worked. Rainbow just laid there, blood caking on her coat. He looked around at his friends, tears in his eyes. Finally he gave up, sitting by her and hanging his head. He blinked, seeing a chunk of stone that had been reshaped by Amethyst's magic.

"That's it...Amethyst, I've got a favor to ask you." He said softly, the Kirin glancing at him.

"I need you to use my body to bring her back."





Dinky gritted her teeth as she dove deeper into the darkness, her only light coming from her horn and sonic screwdriver. The fall never seemed to stop and she could see nothing but more darkness as she fell further and further. But they had to be here. Nyx and Riku, Her mother and father. They had to be in this darkness. She grunted in pain as she smacked face-first into the invisible floor. She stood, using her magic to dust herself off and take a look around.

"Hello Doctor, or is it Dinky? Just a simple unicorn with no idea what she is getting herself into." a voice rang out. The unicorn spun, searching for the voices owner, her screwdriver whirred quietly drawing her attention away from her search, a smile spread across her face as the screwdriver picked up on the Doctors life signs. She scanned the air and ran in a random direction. 

There was no way to make sense of the darkness, it was Discords creation. She would have better luck running about randomly rather than going in a straight line. Twisting and turning around invisible corners she laughed as she bumped into someone. Though her eyes went wide as she noticed the figure was tall, wearing a black coat.

"Hello Pony."

"Xayir..."





I didn't really like how this chapter was put together, but I spent 2 days trying to rewrite it and got nowhere. So I am going to post this as is and when I get the idea on how to change it, I will. But for now this meets the needs of the end of the story which may only take a few minutes to put together as its been planned from the beginning. So I hope you guys at least notice how things are playing out in this chapter before it gets rewritten, next and probably final chapter coming probably in a few minutes.
> All things come to an end Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Piper sat down beside the corpse of Rainbow Dash, his ears flat against his head.

"Amethyst...I got a favor to ask..." he said quietly. The Kirin looked at him.

"I need you to use my body to bring back Rainbow." the ponies stared at him in shock.

"Piper thats crazy talk!" Penny yelled at him. He spun, staring her down.

"We're wasting time. Look, all of the other Elements changed to match the pony they belong to, but Loyalty never changed when it landed on me. Because I'm not meant to be Loyalty. That's why the Elements didn't work! and because of that Rainbow is dead. She is the only one who can truly wield the Element of Loyalty and we all know it. Amethyst, you can use that spell, the transwhatever spell." Amethyst shook his head.

"I don't even know if I can Piper, my magic isn't that strong...The only living thing I used it on was Sweet Apple Acres and that was just a bunch of dirt and trees. I can't imagine what it would do to a pony or if it would even work."

"It would...but we'd have to use it within the next few minutes or we'd lose Rainbow Dash forever." Emerald said quietly.

"That's good enough. Amethyst, I know you can do this, you gotta try!" Piper said, standing before him.

"Maybe Emerald could, her magic is better than mine." Amethyst suggested. Piper shook his head.

"You're the only one with the heart to do it Amethyst. You and I know Emerald is too sensitive to cast it. Its gotta be you." Piper stared into the Kirin's eyes, silently begging.

"Now hold on jus' a minute! Piper if we use that Spell then you'll die!" Hayseed yelled.

"I don't care." he said softly, glancing back at Rainbow Dash.

"I have to do it. Amethyst...the spell." Piper said, standing beside Rainbow Dash. Amethyst sighed.

"Alright...I'll do it." the ponies gasped.

"You can't be serious...y...you're going to kill him!" Honeycrisp screamed. Sunburst shook with silent sobs, hugging the pegasus tightly.

"Piper...you idiot..." The pegasus hugged back gently.

"Hey, don't get all mushy on me again." He said softly. he nudged her away gently, the pegasus nodding as she understood, huddling the frightened ponies away from him as he turned back to Amethyst.

"Are you ready?" The kirin asked somberly.

"To die? No, not really." Piper said with a laugh. Amethyst chuckled a little, though it held no mirth. He was, after all, about to kill his friend. Together they took a deep breath, Amethyst muttering a chant under his breath, a dark purple glow surrounding him, Piper, and Rainbow Dash.

Piper shook slightly as the glow began to eat away at his body. It started out slow, chewing away his mane and tail, but once it reached his ears he clenched his teeth, gasping in pain as it reached his hooves. In moments the room was filled with screams of agony as Amethyst's spell slowly tore the pegasus apart. Amethyst faltered for a moment, Piper glaring at him.

"D...Don't stop! We gotta save her!" he screamed, his eyes bloodshot as he stumbled a little. Amethyst nodded glumly, continuing the spell. Piper screamed again, falling to the ground as his hind leg vanished. Rainbow's wounds were slowly closing, color returning to her body. Piper panted a little, another scream filling the room as the spell tore into his next leg. 

Sunburst shielded the twins and Honeycrisp from the horrible sight of their friend and sibling being ripped to shreds. Though the sounds of anguish and the smell of blood filled the air around them. Tears dripped down Amethysts cheeks as he continued the spell, watching as his magic tore apart his friend.





Scootaloo's eyes snapped open as she heard Piper scream. She painfully pushed to her hooves, her eyes scanning the room. She pushed her way through the rubble and ran towards the sound. She finally reached a small room, her eyes wide with terror as she saw Piper fall over. She ran toward him, Emerald gasping and saying something. Scootaloo never heard the Kirin as she leapt for Piper. A barrier slammed down between her and her son, the younger pegasus looking up at his mother. Scootaloo slammed her hooves into the barrier again and again

"PIPER!" She screamed through her tears. The pegasus crawled to the edge of the barrier, placing his hoof against it and smiling through the pain. Scootaloo rested her hoof opposite his on the barrier. All she could do was watch as he faded away. He mouthed three little words before finally vanishing into thin air, a single orange feather left in a pool of blood. Scootaloo collapsed on the other side of the barrier.

"PIPER!!!"





Emerald let her barrier fall away, slowly walking toward her brother. He shook with held back sobs, his eyes tightly shut.

"Is it over...?" he asked her quietly, his voice hoarse.

"Yes..."she answered softly. She lifted the Element of Loyalty from the pool of Pipers blood, unable to make herself face Scootaloo who clung to the remaining feather. Rainbow Dash began to stir, rubbing a hoof against her head.

"what the hay happened?" she muttered as she sat up. She stared around her, her eyes wide as they settled upon the scene before her.

"wheres Piper!?" she demanded. Scootaloo shook her head, unable to speak through her tears. Rainbow's heart sank as she turned to Amethyst and Emerald.

"It was the only way..." Emerald said quietly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she placed the Element of Loyalty around Rainbow's neck. The Element glowed brightly as it returned to its proper owner.

"He sacrificed himself for you...for us..." Emerald explained.

"No...I killed him..." Amethyst said. Everypony turned to him as he hung his head.

"He asked me to kill him...and I did it...I'm to blame for this...and I'll accept whatever punishment you decide for me." he said as he walked past Rainbow Dash.

"But that will have to wait until later. We still have to stop Discord." he said, his voice empty of any emotion.

"Piper knew the price he would have to pay. He knew his role in this and he fulfilled it. Now we have to fulfill ours."





Dinky stared at the man in horror. There was no way he could still be alive. Riku had defeated him so long ago.
He shouldn't have been there. But she had to remind herself that this was Discords insanity she had plunged herself into. Anything could happen here.

"You seem surprised to see me Pony."

"Its not everyday someone comes back from the dead." She took a few slow steps backwards, her screwdriver whirring quietly as she held it in her magic. This was the real Xayir. Somehow Xayir had returned.

It must be Discords Magic. But how could his magic do this if he was sealed in stone. How would he have escaped? None of this makes sense!

"Whats wrong? Are you scared? Confused? Trying to wrap your head around it. Let me help you with that." He grabbed hold of her horn and grinned, the unicorn's eyes wide in fear.

"LET GO OF MY MUFFIN!" Xayir turned and gasped in pain as a very ticked off Ditzy slammed into his side, followed quickly by Riku and Nyx, blades out and pinned to the Nobodies neck.

"Alright, talk! How are you still alive?" Riku glared at Xayir as the man chuckled.

"You never finished me off punk and you won't ever get the chance!" Flames rose from his body, causing them to leap away before they were consumed by them. Dinky lowered her head and charged, roaring as she rushed through the flames, ignoring the pain as the fire singed her coat. Xayir turned toward her in time to have her horn spear his stomach.

"NOW RIKU!" She screamed, her magic zipping through the insides of the nobody stuck on her horn. Riku rushed forward, stabbing his keyblade into Xayirs back. The nobody only grinned and coughed as black flames consumed him.

"You know this isn't the end keyblade wielder...we will meet again." the flames vanished and Dinky collapsed.

"DINKY!" The Doctor caught her and she smiled. He sighed as he looked at her, patches of her coat and mane having been burnt away. She pushed herself to her hooves and placed her hoof against the pitch black wall.

"There's...an exit here...I found it while I was wandering..." she pushed her hoof against it, her horn glowing dimly as she fell through, the others quickly following behind her. Riku turned to Nyx and nodded.

"You stay here and keep them safe Nyx, I'm going to go help the Elements."

"I'm going too..." Dinky mumbled, vanishing as she teleported away.





Piper smiled at her, ignoring the pain as he managed to say three words.

"I love you..." the spell swallowed him and the pain vanished. Piper opened his eyes, surprised he could still do so. All around him was bright white light. Though he felt as if he was standing on solid stone.

"Piper, you've given so much. I am proud of you and your sacrifice." Piper turned toward the voice, finding a tall figure staring back at him. Her mane was long and filled with flames, her coat a swirling hue of colors and her eyes the purest of light.

"Harmony. You knew all along that I wasn't Loyalty didn't you?" Piper asked.

"No Piper, you are Loyalty. In the end, you had a choice to keep the Element for yourself and try to make it work. But you decided to return it to its previous owner and make the ultimate sacrifice."

"No. The Elements failed because I'm not Loyalty. I was just a burden to them...At least this way I managed to do some good for them. They needed Loyalty to defeat Discord and now they have it." The Goddess smiled at him and sat beside him, resting a pitch black wing over his shoulder, stars drifted across it, her other wing filled with billowing clouds.

"My dear pegasus, you misunderstand your role. Even in death you keep Loyal to your friends." Piper looked up at her.

"So I am dead? What is this place? is this...pony heaven or something?" Piper asked, surprised when the Alicorn laughed.

"Not quite Piper. This is a realm beyond that. Hidden away from common ponies. This is a place where the most important decisions are made. It is here that I can touch the other realms and it is here where a choice will be made."

"A choice?" Piper asked confused. The Alicorn nodded, a window appearing in front of him.

"The fate of Equestria rests in your hooves now Piper. You have sacrificed much already, but I am sorry to say that you must make yet another for the ones you love." The pegasus turned his attention to the window, an image coming into view.

"What do I have to do?" he asked without a moments hesitation.





The ponies remained silent as they walked through the remains of the castle, guided toward Discord by Emeralds magic. Scootaloo stayed at the back of the group, Piper's feather sitting in her mane. Rainbow draped a wing over her, but it didn't do much to comfort her. Rainbow sighed quietly.

"I'm so sorry Scootaloo...its all my fault...if I had just been faster..."

"No..." Rainbow looked up from the ground to see a wounded unicorn.

"Dinky! You're ok!" Honeycrisp hugged her tightly, the unicorn wincing slightly.

"Yes I am, and so is Piper. I don't really have anytime to explain, but you should know that there was no way to prevent this. From the very beginning Piper was meant to sacrifice himself, though there were many different occasions it might happen at, it seems fate chose this one."

"You knew...You knew all along he was going to die and you said nothing!?" Scootaloo yelled.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't allowed to speak until no..."

"JUST STOP! I'm so sick and tired of everypony saying that. Quit keeping us out of the bucking loop and tell us whats going on!" Dinky sighed and stared at Scootaloo blankly

"Do you want to die that badly?" she asked softly, though the words held the weight of bricks on the pegasi's mind.

"w..what?"

"Its bad enough that I already know all of this. Not even the Doctor is meant to have this knowledge. Its not how the TARDIS was meant to be used! Who knows what could happen if it were revealed to anypony else? I was more curious than I should have been and should I tell any of you the events that are to pass before they have a chance to, then it will directly result in your death and the end of Equestria as we know it. Pipers Sacrifice was necessary and thanks to him we have a chance to save Equestria. Would you ruin that just for a bit of information?" Dinky demanded of the heartbroken mother. Scootaloo lowered her head, having no answer.

"Good, now if you're done demanding things of me we have to save the others and stop Discord."





"what did she mean by 'So is Piper'? I'm not dead?" He asked. 

"Not yet Piper. Due to the nature of your sacrifice you are being given a chance to continue on living."

"This is that choice you mentioned isn't it?" The Alicorn nodded.

"If I decide to stay here and let them defeat Discord, what will happen?"

"I cannot truly say for sure. They might succeed, but the chances are slim."

"But why?! They have the real Element of Loyalty now!"

"They may have an Element of Loyalty, but it is not their Element of Loyalty. Though Rainbow Dash is an important pony to them, they are not friends bound by the Elements. Rainbow Dash is bound only to the previous Elements and thus the Elements most likely will not work if she tries to use them with your friends."

"Then I have to go back!" he turned toward the window, the Alicorn resting a hoof on his shoulder.

"You cannot simply return Piper. Though I wish it were that simple. Balance must be kept or the realms could be torn apart. We have already put them in danger by remaining here for so long."

"I don't care. I'll do whatever it takes!" He declared, staring up at her. The Alicorn nodded.

"Are you sure of this Piper? No matter what it takes, will you return to save your friends? Even if it means you could lose everything?" Piper nodded.

"I already gave my life for Grandma Dash. There isn't much left to lose. Even if there was, I have to help them." Harmony smiled and gently kissed his forehead.

"Then go to them my dear Pegasus. They are waiting for you." The window stretched until it took the shape of a door, leading into an empty hall of the castle.

"But know this Piper. You will only have an hour to reach them and defeat Discord. After that, you will have to return here." Piper nodded and leapt through the door.

"Good luck Piper." she said, vanishing as the door closed.





Twilight hung her head, panting heavily as her magic failed her again.

"Are you still trying to break free? You really are persistent. Its a shame you're so focused on this boring balance you ponies call life." Discord said from his throne, Twilight glared at him for a moment and sighed, saying nothing to him. Even though she had her horn she still couldn't use her magic to break free of her cage. Even if she did manage it he would just send her back into it, or worse. Discord stood in front of her cage, staring into her eyes.

"Come now Twilight, don't fight it. You know you're tired, just relax and have some fun."

"Leave her alone you meany!" Pinkie Pie screamed at him from her cage.

"Oh come on Pinkie, why are you of all ponies angry with me? I thought you liked having fun"

"Your kind of fun hurts ponies. Its like a bad prank." she pouted, glaring at him. Twilight cast her eyes over to Luna and Celestia who stood on either side of Discords throne, bound to it by the shackles and chains around their necks. She took a slow breath, focusing her magic once more as Discord turned his attention to Pinkie Pie, the two getting into an endless argument. Twilight could feel her magic building, though it refused to release itself. She felt lighter for a moment, opening her eyes to see Sweetie belle lending what magic she could to her.

Thank you Twilight mouthed to her, the younger unicorn nodded, closing her eyes and feigning sleep once more. Twilight kept her magic focused on the royal sisters, Luna's eyes wide as she caught sight of her. Before Luna could argue she found herself teleported free of her chains as well as Celestia. Twilight smiled and fainted as Discord turned in surprise.





Nova screamed in surprise as her mother and aunt appeared in front of her

"NO!" Luna screamed, the ponies stopped as they watched the shocked expression on the Alicorn's face. She sunk to the ground, Celestia draping a wing over her.

"She did what she had to sister...now we must return the favor."

"So you're in the same boat as us." Amethyst said quietly. Celestia looked at him and then at the other ponies with him, her eyes stopping on the feather in Scootaloo's mane.

"So it was true...he gave himself for Rainbow Dash didn't he?" Celestia asked. Amethyst nodded.

"I killed him..."

"No you didn't, quit saying that!" Emerald said. 

"It doesn't matter, we have to stop Discord."

"No...the Elements are useless without Piper." Luna said as she pushed to her hooves.

"WHAT?!" The group exclaimed. Celestia nodded.

"Rainbow Dash is bound only to the previous Element holders, so she cannot lend the strength that is needed for the Elements to work."

"Well that's just great!" Amethyst yelled in frustration, slamming his head through the nearest wall, turning it into rubble. He sank to the ground, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I killed my friend...for nothing!"

"Aw come on Amethyst, are you really gonna start crying?" Piper asked. The group spun, finding him standing behind 
them.

"PIPER!" Scootaloo rushed to him, hugging him tightly.

"I love you so much...I'll never leave you again."

"Mom, we don't have a lot of time. I've only got less than an hour." he quickly explained, pulling out of her grasp, just barely catching the Element of Loyalty as Rainbow tossed it toward him. The rainbow maned pegasus smiled as it latched itself to him, the lightning bolt changing to a bright orange stone in the shape of a shield. Piper grinned a little.

"Alright everypony, gather 'round. Here's the plan." Piper said, explaining how they were going to defeat Discord. Amethyst grinned a little as Piper finished.

"Looks like you're really the Loyalty we need Piper."

"That's not important Amethyst. Besides, I can't stay..." he said quietly.

"Why not?!" the twins demanded.

"Because he isn't of this realm anymore." Dinky said quietly. 

"Come on, we're wasting time." Piper said, not leaving anypony a chance to ask questions as they marched to Discords throne room.





"You sneaky little pony. If only you could see the world as I do, you have such talent." He said, only slightly angered with the unconscious Alicorn. He had to admit her tactic had been quite mischievous and he could always appreciate that. 

Though he was still upset he couldn't turn Pinkie Pie to his side, she really was a wonderful bundle of unexplainable chaotic energy. He glanced around the room at the ponies in their cages and sighed, his eyes stopping on an orange mare who kept her back to him.

"You know if you ponies weren't so boringly annoying I wouldn't have to leave you in these cages." he mumbled.

"Go buck yerself." Applejack said quietly. She had taken the loss of Rainbow Dash hard, harder than anypony else had.

"Oh come now Applejack, is this about my minions killing your beloved Rainbow?" Discord asked as if he truly cared. Applejack had no answer, leaving the draqonicous to his self rambling and chocolate rain. Discord smiled a little as Celestia and Luna entered the room.

"Well well well, come back to save them have you?" He asked, though neither of them held an answer.

"I would've thought the two of you would be smart enough to run. Without your precious Elements you are 
powerless."

"That may be true Father. Without them WE are powerless. But they aren't." Luna said. Discord looked around the room and raised an eyebrow.

"Who?"

"US!" several ponies cried out together. Three pegasi zipped past Discord, knocking him backwards into his throne. The angered god of chaos snapped his claws to remove their wings, surprised when his magic bounced off them. He looked down to see a green kirin, her horns glowing brightly and her lips moving quickly with a chant. Her spell combining the might of Dragon and Unicorn magic. 

"Impressive. She can hold back my power. She must be the real Element of Magic then." Discord moved towards the Kirin, a purple one blocking his path, fire swirling around him as he began a chant of his own. The flames rose higher into the air, forming pillars around him and Discord.

"Oh come now. You may be Kirin but you cannot hope to battle me alone."

"Oh I don't plan to" he said with a grin. Discord blinked as an orange blur slammed into him, then a yellow one, and then a blue one. The three pegasi rolled around him in the air, slowly picking up speed.

"GET READY!" Piper called out to Rainbow and Sunburst.

"ON MY MARK!" he yelled through the cone of air pulling at his body.

"NOW!" he screamed, the three pushing their way toward Discord, their paths crossing. As each pony passed one another the cones around them shattered, sending them rocketing forward and leaving a massive explosion of colors in front of the stunned Draqonicous. The triple rainboom hit him with enough force to send him flying backwards, making his head spin. The three pegasi continued around him, using the speed of their sonic rainboom to spin colors around him like rope, binding him in its mystical power.

"TURN!" he yelled, all three zipping up and backwards in sync, bolting toward Emerald.

"NOW EMY!" Piper yelled. The Kirin nodded, her eyes glowing brightly as she called out to her magic, each Element beginning to glow. Discord could only watch in terror as the Kirin's and ponies floated into the air, being dragged by the combined might of the pegasi.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Discord screamed as the Elements power burst forth, cutting into him and slowly turning his body to stone. Time stood still as he glared at the three pegasi, the stone covering his mouth before he could spit any insults at them. Piper, Sunburst and Rainbow landed, exhausted and smiling. Piper stepped forward and stared at the statue.

"Its over...its finally over." he gasped in pain and toppled over.

"PIPER!"





The cages faded away, those held prisoner within them falling to the ground and rushing to their friends. The Alicorns surrounded Piper as he lay on his side. He smiled up at them as his cutiemark appeared. A bright orange shield with a sword stabbed through it. The hilt of which held a bright red ruby.

"True Loyalty." Luna said softly. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle lifted him, holding him tightly between them.

"Piper, its ok now. Everything is gonna be ok." He nuzzled them gently and closed his eyes.

"Yea...it is..." he said weakly. Applejack stared at them, not sure if what she saw was real.

"Rainbow..." The pegasus smiled slightly and hugged her.

"A...Am ah dreamin? please tell me ya'll are really here..."

"I'm here Aj...you can thank Piper for that..."

"Piper? what do ya mean sugarcube?"

"Allow me to answer that." a voice echoed around them. A bright light appeared in the room, taking the form of an Alicorn. Celestia and Luna bowed their heads, everypony else just staring in shock.

"Rise my daughters." The figure smiled for a moment before turning her attention to Piper.

"You did well Piper, but I do hope you remember what I spoke to you about." The pegasus nodded.

"My hour is up isn't it?" he asked weakly. The Alicorn nodded sadly.

"Unfortunately yes. I am afraid that you will have to come with me Piper."

"NO! I already lost him once, I won't lose him again!" Scootaloo screamed. Piper wrapped his hooves around her.

"It'll be ok mom..." he said softly.

"Piper..."

"I promise...somehow...I'll come back." he said to her, watching as she broke down into tears, her cries filling the room. Sweetie Belle could hold herself back no longer, breaking down alongside her as they held him.

"Do not fear my dear ponies. For I believe that Piper will find a way to keep his promise." The Alicorn said as she stood near them.

"For now, he and I must be away. Luna, Celestia, thank you for all you have done. And Twilight Sparkle, I would personally like to welcome you to our family, but I have a busy schedule. I am only allowed here now to fetch Piper." She gently pried him free of his parents grip, laying him across her back.

"As for you, My Elements. I cannot possibly thank you enough for all you have done and sacrificed. Especially you Amethyst. I know it was hard for you to do as Piper requested, but it is thanks to your strength and determination to do what must be done that Piper could fulfill his role. Do not punish yourself, you have done well. I ask that you Protect the Elements as you have sworn to do. Remember, I will be watching." he nodded.

"Piper, wherever your going...be careful, alright?" Amethyst spoke up, holding back a sob. the pegasus nodded weakly, smiling at his friends.

"Shall we go Piper?" he nodded once more, vanishing along with the Alicorn. Sweetie Belle fainted, just barely caught by Scootaloo who kept her eyes focused on the spot where her son had last been. Rainbow sat beside her, wrapping a wing around her as Applejack sat on her other side.

"He's definitely your kid Scoots..."





"Where are we going?" Piper asked.

"There are beings we must speak with Piper. Creatures whose power makes mine look severely insignificant. My creators." she explained. The pegasus laughed a little.

"Its funny to know that even gods have gods." The alicorn smiled a little as she walked through the endless white abyss. Piper sighed as he lay against her back.

"Harmony..."

"Yes Piper?"

"Will I really be able to keep my promise?" her smile grew.

"I'm certain you will be able to Piper, though it will take time before you can return again. Month's, perhaps years. That is what they will tell us."

"who?"

"Us." a voice boomed. Piper raised his head to find six tall black pillars, figures hidden at the top of each one. He gulped.

"Piper, son of Scootaloo, adopted grandson of Rainbow Dash, holder of True Loyalty. You have been brought before us to be judged."





The ponies made their way out of the ruins of the old castle. Though the day had been won, nopony felt like celebrating. Strawberry swirl pouted and stood in front of them, halting their progress.

"Now wait just a minute! Why are we all so sad!? Piper said he was gonna come back and Piper never breaks a promise! He wouldn't want us to be sad like this, he would want us to be happy. We should throw a Thank you party for him! Even if he isn't here I bet if it was big enough he'd see it from wherever he is right now" Tears were starting to form in her eyes. Pinkie pie gently hugged her.

"She's right." Scootaloo said, Pipers feather still in her mane.

"He'll come back to us someday. We should look forward to it with a smile." Sweetie Belle nodded.

"Maybe we could rest first?" Nova asked, a light blush on her face as Emerald rested a wing over her. Twilight smiled at her daughter and the Kirin.

"Rest sounds like a wonderful idea and then we'll start planning that party." Twilight's horn began to glow dimly, Luna shaking her head.

"Oh no you don't Twilight Sparkle. You already used enough magic." Luna said, glaring at her. 

"TWILY!" Twilight turned to find Shining Armor rushing toward her. She smiled, pulling him into a hug.

"Where's Discord?" he asked, looking around, his sword held in his magic.

"Gone. Defeated again by the power of the Elements of Harmony and the bonds of friendship." Twilight said proudly. Shining Armor looked at Nova and her friends, smiling as he pulled his niece into a hug.

"Hey, aren't you guys missing someone? Wheres your buddy?" he asked and instantly regretted it as a lone pink striped zebra burst into loud tears.

"He's gone too..." Amethyst said quietly.

"But he'll be back..." Strawberry said through her sobs. She looked past them to a cloaked figure and smiled, wiping away her tears.

"He'll be back..." with a nod, the figure vanished.





Well here it is. The end of New Beginnings. But wait! There's still one more chapter. The Epilogue, which I hope to have ready in just a little bit. Also the last chapter is most likely going to be rewritten. Hope you all enjoyed the story and I hope you will all keep your eyes open for the sequel!
> Epilogue - Nothing truly ends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

FIVE YEARS LATER

The unicorn stared at her ball, straining as her magic slowly surrounded it, the ball lifting slightly off the ground. She gasped and stumbled as she heard the doorbell ring.

"Melody can you get that please?" Sweetie Belle called from the kitchen.

"Ok momma!" she called back, running up to the door and pulling it open. Before her stood a tall orange pegasus wearing a light brown cloak, a scar running over his eye. He smiled down at the unicorn as he noticed a single orange feather in her mane.

"Uh...momma..." Sweetie Belle sprang into the room as she heard her daughters panicked voice, though she stopped in her tracks as she caught sight of the pony in her doorway. The pegasi's smile grew.

"Hey mom."

"P...Piper?" Sweetie Belle gasped. He nodded.

"I'm home."





After the initial shock she finally let him inside.

"Momma, is he a fwiend of yours?" Melody asked cutely. Sweetie Belle shook her head as Piper sat down, smiling as he looked around the room. He sighed quietly, removing the hoofblade and harness that sat around his mid-section.

"Melody dear...You know that feather your mother gave you and the stories she told you?" the unicorn nodded.

"Well, that feather is his and the stories were about him. He's your older brother." the siblings blinked, looking at each other.

"I have a big bwother?"

"I have a little sister?" Sweetie Belle pulled them into a tight hug.

"Yes, you do. Oh Piper, we were beginning to worry we would never see you again..." The pegasus hugged back.

"To be honest I was kinda scared too."

"Big bwother, where were you? why were you gone for so wong?" the unicorn asked. Piper smiled.

"Well its a long story. How about I tell you some of it for a bedtime story?" her eyes brightened and she bounced happily.

"YAY!" Piper chuckled, turning back to his mother.

"You've grown so much..." she said, placing a hoof against his cheek.

"I kinda had to." He said with a sigh, his gaze momentarily turning to the hoofblade near him.

"None of that matters right now Piper. All that matters is that you are back and your friends and everypony are going to want to see you again."

"Well, I know one pony who should be arriving soon."

"Who?" a pink striped pony burst into the room, aiming to tackle him to the ground in a bear hug, though the pegasus easily dodged, catching the pony and smiling.

"Hello there Swirl."

"Piper!" she threw her hooves around his neck and kissed him.

"EWWWWWW!" Melody said as she watched them. Sweetie Belle smiled, watching as the zebra pulled free of his grasp, out of breath.

"I missed you..." she said quietly.

"I missed you too. How is everypony?" he asked.

"Well they missed you too, Amethyst really beat himself up over you leaving but Emerald and Nova fixed that. OH! That reminds me! You missed the most amazing wedding! I got to make the cake and everything!" she rambled on, Piper smiling as he sat beside her. It was good to be home.





"WHAT?! He's back!?" Amethyst asked. Dinky nodded with a smile.

"Yup, he should have arrived at his house just a few minutes ago. He'll be stopping here first of course. By now Strawberry will have reached him and told him about how you reacted to him leaving." The kirin sighed, slumping onto a nearby couch. The unicorn sighed as she watched him.

"Amethyst...are you still blaming yourself?"

"I'm not blaming myself. But I am the one who cast the spell."

"If you hadn't then we would have lost Rainbow Dash forever. She was still needed and still is." Amethyst grinned a little to himself.

"Hiding something else from me Dinky?" he asked, the unicorn realizing she had revealed something she shouldn't have. She pouted a little.

"You tricked me."

"Yes I did, but I thought we promised not to keep any more secrets from each other."

"I promised not to keep secrets from you if i could help it Amethyst."

"Whats this about secrets?" Piper asked, smiling at them from the doorway.

"Sorry about barging in, the door was open." Amethyst walked up to his friend, pulling him into a hug. The pegasus gently returned it. They pulled away from one another.

"You missed my sisters wedding ya jerk."

"Yea I heard about that. I'll make it up to her somehow." he chuckled. Strawberry smiled at them.

"See, I told ya he'd come back!" She said, nuzzling the pegasus.

"How did you get back anyway? I thought Harmony took you to Pony heaven or somethin" Amethyst said. Piper laughed a little.

"Ya know, I actually thought that's where she was gonna take me. Oh you guys wouldn't believe the things I've seen." Piper said, taking a seat. Amethyst grabbed a scroll, scribbling something on it. A jet of blue,green,and orange flames burst forth and swallowed the parchment.

"Just letting the others know you're here." Amethyst said. Piper nodded.

"Well? Go on! Tell us what great adventures you had!" Strawberry swirl demanded, nudging him.

"Well, it started with the creators of Harmony and Discord." the ponies blinked, staring at him.

"Their creators?! You mean..."

"Yea, Harmony and Discord are just something created by a higher power. There is probably someone above them, wouldn't you say so Dinky? Or should I say Doctor now that its official" he asked. Dinky blinked in surprise.

"You know?" 

"You learn a lot hanging around a bunch of all knowing all powerful beings." Piper said with a smile.

"Oh before I forget, thanks for that Thank you Party Strawberry. I was really depressed when I left and that party was just what I needed." The zebra squealed happily.

"So you saw it?!" he nodded, laughing as she hugged him. In a bright flash of color the others appeared, Emeralds horns still glowing a little from the spell.

"Piper!" sunburst hugged him tightly.

"Hey Sunny, how's the orchard?"

"Well its doin' alright. But that ain't whats important right now. Whats important is that yer back with us." He smiled, turning his attention to Nova and Emerald.

"Congrats you two, sorry I missed the party." 

"Well we understand, you had more important things on your hooves at the time." Amethyst puffed out a cloud of smoke along with a mumble. Nova rolled her eyes.

"Its good to have you back Piper. Your mother hasn't been the same since you left." he nodded glumly.

"What about Rainbow Dash?"

"She isn't much o' a flier these days. In fact she hasn't flown since th' Triple Rainboom." Sunburst said sadly.

"She isn't blaming herself is she?" he asked worridly.

"Well...not exactly...maybe ya should see her fer yerself."





The pegasus watched with tears in her eyes as a pegasus made his way up the porch. His handsome face now carried scars of war and his eyes held the heavy weight of one who had seen friends die on the battlefield. But she recognized that mane, the way he held himself, the small smile on his lips. Though she wasn't sure if she was dreaming or if the pony was truly there before her. He sat beside her as she rocked back and forth in her chair.

"Hi..." he said softly. She stared at him for a moment, placing a hoof against his cheek. As her hoof made contact her eyes widened.

"y...you're real...You're really here...oh Piper!" she pulled him into a tight hug, crying into his shoulder as he hugged back. Applejack rushed outside.

"Dash, ya'll alright, ah heard cryin an...oh my goodness...Piper?" she stared at them, the orange pegasus smiling a little. Rainbow lifted her head a little and smiled.

"He's real this time AJ...its really him..." Applejack hugged them

"Piper...ya came back t' us...please tell me ya'll are here t' stay this time..."

"I am. I've paid my dues, though they kinda have me on call. I don't have to stay with Harmony anymore."

"Ah don't have the foggiest idea what ya'll are talkin about Piper, but ah'm glad yer home. We've all missed ya so much..." he smiled, nuzzling Rainbow Dash.

"Hey grandma...Care to join me for a flight?" he asked softly.

"Piper...I haven't flown in so long..." she said quietly. He smiled, hefting her up out of her chair.

"Its alright, you never forget." He gently pulled her along, the older pegasus slowly spreading her wings. A smile began to grow as she and the younger pegasus took flight. It wasn't anything spectacular. No spins or tricks. They just glided below the clouds and above the trees, letting the wind lightly tug on their manes. Rainbow Dash broke into tears once more, closing her eyes.

"You've got to open your eyes if your gonna be flying Grandma Dash." Piper said with a small chuckle.

"I can't Piper...I'm afraid...i..if I open them...i'll be back in bed...and you'll be gone..." He grabbed hold of her, the pony gasping as he rolled, holding her close to him. She was forced to grab hold of him as the two were thrown into a loop, the older pegasus slowly opening her eyes. She smiled at the grin she saw on his face.

that grin... it was the same one she had always wore when she was barreling through the sky. When she had perfected a new trick. She flicked her wings back a bit, drawing them out of the dive, leaving Piper a bit surprised.

"I'm rusty, but i've still got some tricks I never taught you." he laughed as he let go of her.

"Well, we've got some time before Pinkies party."

"Pinkies party?"

"Yea, its a welcome back party, she sent me as your invite."





Celestia sighed a little to herself as she read over the letter Amethyst had sent.

Welcome back Piper she thought to herself, tucking the letter away in a small chest. There were only a few items within it. The letter, a small stone, and a single orange feather. She smiled as the memories played back in her mind.

You always keep your promises...I only wish I could've known back then... she turned to her door, hearing a gentle knock.

"Come in" she called out. Luna peeked her head inside, smiling as she spotted the open chest.

"Lost in the past sister?" she asked softly. Celestia sighed a little as she closed the chest.

"It was never meant to be." she said, setting it back in its rightful place on her shelf.

"Despite that dear sister, I know he cares for you. Perhaps not entirely the way you did for him. Perhaps you should go visit?"

"I do not think a visit is in order sister. Have you forgotten who we are?" she asked quietly. Luna placed a hoof on her sisters shoulder.

"Celestia...I believe it would be best if you went to see him. The two of you went through a lot together. At the very least you can welcome him back to this world as a friend." she turned to her sister, holding back her tears.

"I had thought I had buried these feelings away a long time ago...While I am glad you have found your happiness in Twilight Sparkle...I..."

"Say no more sister. Go to him." Celestia smiled, hugging her sister.

"I thought I was the one who was suppose to be giving advice."

"We can all learn from one another sister. Besides, there is still much left for you to teach me." the two smiled at one another. Celestia stepping out onto her balcony.

"Don't worry about the guards. They won't even know you are gone." The elder sister smiled, spreading her wings wide and calling out to her magic, vanishing in a bright flash of light. Luna smiled a little to herself.

Have fun Tia...





Piper laughed as Pinkie nudged a cup of cider toward him.

"I'm sure your mom won't mind. it is a party after all!"

"Actually I do mind!" Sweetie belle said with a laugh, Melody sitting on her back and giggling.

"AWW, Come on Sweetie! Its not even that strong." Pinkie argued. As if to prove this, the orange pegasus took a sip.

"To be honest, Chrome Mist had stuff way stronger than this."

"You went all the way back there?!" Penny asked in shock. He chuckled a little, resting his head on his hoof.

"I've lost track of everywhere I've been. Each minute felt like an hour, and every year felt like ten. Time feels a lot different in the Other Realm." he sighed, staring into his mug. He jumped, reaching to his side for the hoofblade that wasn't there as a bright flash of light entered the room. The Alicorn who had appeared stared at the pegasus in surprise, seeing him holding up a fork to defend himself. Though as his eyes rested on her they softened and he smiled, surprising everypony by hugging her. The alicorn blushed slightly, returning the hug.

"Welcome back, my friend." she said softly.

"Hey, I promised I'd see you again didn't I?" he said back.

"OK OK OK! HOLD UP! Somepony needs t' explain all o' this!" Hayseed said, holding her hooves in the air. Strawberry nodded, crossing her hooves, her mane flattened a little as her jealousy got the better of her. How was a pony suppose to compete with an immortal princess?

"Tia and I went through a lot together." he explained, sitting down beside the Alicorn.

"So, Princess, ya'll knew all about our children before we even had em didn't ya?" Applejack asked. She had heard some of the story from Sunburst about how they had helped the two sisters face down Discord. Though she had a hard time believing most of it.

"To be honest...no...It wasn't until Emeralds birth that it began to dawn on me what was coming. An event that would force the Elements to return to the past. It was around the time of Nova's birth that the Doctor came to me, telling me of just such an event. I am ashamed to say I kept it to myself for far longer than I should have..." Piper rested a hoof on her shoulder to calm her, giving her a gentle smile. She returned the smile and sighed quietly.

"I wanted everypony to enjoy the peace they had worked so hard for and I held off warning anypony. When Discords statue vanished...it was time to take action. I alerted Twilight of the impending doom and she brought all of you together." Rainbow chuckled a little.

"So we saved Equestria even before we were all born." Rainbow said with a laugh and a shake of her head.

"Somethin like that Dashie." Applejack said, taking the mug of cider from her. The pony had definitely had enough to drink.

"I'm sorry I kept quiet for so long..." She blushed as Piper placed a kiss on her cheek, Strawberry staring with wide eyes and sunburst facehoofing nearby.

"Tia, you did what you thought was right and in the end everything worked out. Don't beat yourself up about it."

"y...You're right...as always..." she smiled, her eyes resting on a certain zebra in the room.

"Everything worked out..." she said quietly, nudging him towards the Zebra.

"There's a pony there who needs you now my friend." Piper smiled, plucking a feather from his wing and placing it in the Princess' mane.

"Friends for life." he said, repeating those words he had said to her so long ago. She smiled, a few tears making their way down her cheeks. She managed to mouth a thank you as Piper walked over to Strawberry, Emerald having to explain the kiss was nothing more than friendly before the zebra attacked the pegasus. Celestia smiled at the scene, turning to leave.

"Tia." Piper called to her. She stopped, turning to look back at him.

"Your mother says hi and wants you to know she is proud of you. Of everything you gave up, and that you haven't dwelt on our past." The Alicorn gave a nod of acknowledgement before spreading her wings and vanishing.

"You didn't do anything funny with her did you?" 

"uh me? n...no of course not!"





The pegasus sighed, resting her head in her hooves. She had the same routine for five years now. She would do her job, she performed as best as she could and she would visit with her wife and daughter. She was truly happy with them, but there was still that major piece of her life missing. Her one and only son Piper. 

Everyday she thought on his promise to return and hoped that day would be the day he would come to her with a smile and tell her he was back to stay. She had dreamed of it many times and upon awaking had to deal with the reality that he wasn't there. The pain of it was so bad she had to cancel a few shows. She was thrown out of her thoughts and her chair by a mailmare crashing into her office and into the cloud wall.

"Derpy...what are you doing here? You usually just drop my mail off at the desk." Scootaloo said, helping the mare out of the wall.

"Sorry...But this one is really important. Its from Ponyville!" She said, snatching the letter out of her bag and dropping it in the pegasi's hooves.

"I gotta get going, see ya later!" the mailmare waved and took off with a smile. Scootaloo stared at the letter for a moment.

"What could be so important..." she unfolded the letter and gasped. Her eyes hit the end of the page just to be sure before she sat down and began to read.

Hey mom...I'm back. Its been a while...I know you are probably still mad at me, but I couldn't just let Grandma Dash go like that...I know everypony has to die someday, but it just wasn't her day. Over the past five years...I've seen a lot of death. I've caused a lot of death...Being back in ponyville...its so strange...I use to expect an attack at any moment. Now that everything is 'back to normal' I can't stand it. A part of me misses the excitement of a battle, but I don't want that. I don't want to cause anypony anymore hurt, especially you mom. I met Melody today. She's got your eyes, though the rest of her is definitely from mom. I'm getting off topic, sorry. I'm settling down in Ponyville for a little bit, then me and Strawberry are gonna tour Equestria. I wanted to be able to spend some time with you first. So we'll be making our way to your next show! - Sincerely, Piper. Love ya mom 

She felt tears of joy stream down her cheeks as she read over the letter once more. A figure poked their head inside.

"Hey Scoots, you alri...oh no..." the pony rushed in, hugging her.

"Hey, you don't need to cry. whats wrong? you know you can tell me." her teammate said.

"Its nothing wrong...my son...h..he's back!"





The orange pegasus smiled as Derpy took off with the letter.

"I could just send it to her you know." Amethyst said as they watched the clumsy mailmare quickly do a double take and head in the right direction.

"Yea, but I've learned to trust the effort of other ponies. Besides, I want it to be a surprise. She'll instantly know if she sees it appear out of thin air." he said with a smile. Strawberry sighed a little as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"You know, you still haven't told us about your fantastic adventures." she mumbled. Her ears twitched as she felt him tense up. She sat up, looking at him.

"Piper...you ok?" she asked. He relaxed a little and flashed a smile.

"Yea, i'm fine. Its just...I wanted to forget all of that for a little while..." he said glumly, staring at the ground. Amethyst rested a claw on his shoulder.

"Take your time buddy." the pegasus nodded. Amethyst could only wonder what could be bothering his friend. They had, after all, fought in a war together.

"So, Emy, hows Canterlot?" Piper asked to change the subject. The Kirin smiled a little. She had truly changed in the time he had been gone. She was a bit taller and held herself with more strength than she had before. Her scales shined in the light as she had removed her vestments. Two bracelets, one to go around each wrist and a pair of shoes for her hooves. Amidst the pile was also a small crown, necklace, and tail ring. Nova had also removed her own royal vestments and settled on the couch with her.

"Its a lot busier than I had originally thought. There is much to be done amongst the nobles. Treaties to be upheld, needs to be met and ponies to be kept happy. I admit...our wedding was not met with open hooves or open hearts. It was only thanks to Princess Celestia everything went off without a hitch." Nova lightly nuzzled the kirin bringing a blush to her face.

"I don't think that's what he meant Emy." the alicorn giggled.

"Well not exactly. I was actually kinda curious, have you two...uh...'tied the knot' so to speak?" Piper laughed as Amethyst punched his shoulder. After their laughter had died down, Nova began to speak.

"Actually, we do have some news for everypony." She blushed and bit her lip.

"Should I say it?" Emerald asked.

"No, I can say it." 

"Just say it already!" the others said.

"We're having a foal!" they said together.





Twilight smiled as Luna snuck into the room. Over the years she had learned to listen for the near silent movements of her mate and was already expecting the small nibble that reached for her ear. She smiled, tilting her head to the side so the pony missed and mumbled something under her breath. Twilight couldn't help but laugh as she turned to look at her.

"Seems I need a new tactic."

"Oh come on Lulu, you didn't think that would always work did you?"

"No, but this does!" she laughed and tackled her, pinning her to the bed. Twilight smiled up at her.

"You're gonna ruin my book." she said softly, wrapping her hooves around her.

"I'm sure we have another copy." she replied with a sultry smile. Twilight rolled her eyes.

"I doubt it."

"Oh?" Twilight smiled, lifting the book in her magic.

"This is my journal." Luna stared at it for a moment and laughed.

"I suppose we don't have another copy then." she mumbled. Twilight nodded, tossing the book aside and rolling so Luna was pinned beneath her.

"That was a dirty trick Twilight Sparkle."

"Oh I haven't even started." KNOCK KNOCK. Twilight let out a huff of frustration, her magic slamming a lock down on the door. She spun, pulling Luna into a passionate kiss. On the other side of the door a confused Celestia continued on, deciding to leave the couple alone for now.





Melody yawned and pouted a little.

"But I'm not tired momma!" she argued. Sweetie Belle smiled a little, nudging the unicorn toward her bed.

"Well even if you aren't, which you are. Little fillies need their sleep."

"Besides, I can't tell you a bedtime story if you aren't in bed." Piper said, poking his head into the room. The unicorn gasped and leapt under her blankets, giggling as Piper sat beside her bed. Sweetie Belle sat beside him. To be honest she wanted to know about where he'd been just has much as Melody did. Piper closed his eyes for a moment, as if he was drifting through the memories. Finally he opened his eyes and smiled at the little unicorn.

"A long time ago, before Equestria was ruled by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, it was ruled by a tyrant known as Discord. A creature whose form was just as chaotic as his purpose in this world. He was mean to all of the ponies and never did anything nice for them. Back then, the Princess' were just ponies like you and me. Princess Celestia was just Celestia, a simple pegasus lost in the world with her unicorn sister Luna."

"Wait...how could they be pwincess' now if they weren't then?" The filly interrupted, making Piper laugh a little.

"That's a surprise, lemme finish the story silly. Now where was I. oh yea. Well, They needed the Elements of Harmony to defeat him. So we went to help them. Thanks to Dinky we could go back and be there for them when they needed us and help them beat that mean old Discord." He made funny faces as he told the story, making both unicorns giggle at his impersonations of everypony. 

Sweetie Belle sighed in relief to herself as he continued the story. He had managed to keep out any violence, though the unicorn knew her son had been through much. She had heard this portion of the story from his friends in complete detail. Though she wasn't ready for what he said next.

"Then...I had to leave..." he said quietly.

"But why?" Melody asked, tears in her eyes. He gently brushed them away with his hoof.

"Cause I broke the rules sis, I wasn't suppose t' come back at all. So, I had to leave and prove that I still had purpose in this world. Prove there was reason for me to continue being here with my friends and family. Remember that sis, its always important to obey the rules, but sometimes its better to do whats right. In this case, I had to throw the rules away and because I broke them I had to be punished."

"but you were only twying to help!"

"I know sis, but rules are rules." she pouted and hugged him.

"Pwease don't leave again..." she said softly. He smiled and hugged her back.

"I won't be leaving again sis, not for a long time." he set her back down in her bed, pulling the blanket up to her neck as she yawned.

"Get some sleep, k sis?"

"But I wanna hear the rest!" she complained. He laughed and kissed her forehead.

"I'll tell it to you another night. But you have to be a good girl if you want another story." she nodded and rolled onto her side, feigning sleep and snoring cutely. Piper and Sweetie Belle snuck out of the room, gently closing the door, leaving it cracked slightly. Sweetie Belle pulled Piper into a hug, burying her face into his shoulder. He sat there in surprise for a moment before returning the hug.

"Mom...if you keep this up, we'll always be hugging."

"I don't think I'd mind that..." she mumbled into his coat. He laughed and nuzzled her cheek. The unicorn let go and together they made their way to the living room where their friends had gathered to hear the darker unknown side of Pipers tale. He sighed as he sat down. Strawberry nuzzled his neck to comfort him as he began.

"It started with the Judgement."