> A different fate, but the same element > by Storyreader21 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prologue > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Canterlot Castle a purple unicorn by the name Twilight Sparkle lay crying after everypony had left her when she burst into the wedding rehearsel, and claimed Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, or Cadence, was evil. Meanwhile the Changeling Queen Chrysalis, was looking at her after giving the others the slip. She had been pretending to be Cadence, while stealing the love of Shining Armor, Twilights brother, Captain of the Royal Guard, and Twilight's BBBFF, as she prepared an invasion. She had been planning on sending Twilight to the caves within Canterlot, but had finally received the information on her she had requested of her changelings after Twilight almost ruined her plans, information that said not only was Twilight Shining Armor's little sister, but was also both the personal student of Celestia, and the bearer of the element of magic, as such she decided on a different method of getting rid of Twilight, one that makes it so that even if she managed to return, she would be unable to use magic. With a smirk, and knowing she didn't have long, before the others returned, Chrysalis turned into Celestia and walked up to the sobbing mare, while secretly casting several privacy spells so the real Celestia would not sense what was about to happen. "Twilight Sparkle." Chrysalis said. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Twilight sobbed. "I'm sorry to my little pony," Chrysalis lied while acting like Celestia due to wanting Twilight to think she is Celestia, "but I have decided that with you declaring Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, a member of the royal family, as evil, while the city is under threat of attack, then you are in liege with our unknown enemy, and are hereby declared a traitor to Equestria." "No! No! No!" Twilight cried. "I'm not a traitor, please believe me." "As punishment," Chrysalis continued secretly enjoying Twilight's cries. "You are hereby banished from Equestria, but first to make sure you do not use the Element of Magic to return, I will be changing your species so you are no longer a unicorn, and therefore unable to use your magic." Then while enjoying the cries of the hysteric Twilight, she used a changeling spell designed to trick ponies into thinking a non changeling was a changeling to draw away hunters who discovered them. A spell that truly changes a pony into another race, though for some reason what race they become cannot be controlled. And since it was for emergency escape, there was never a counterspell, or way to control the race created. And so with a rush of flames from the spell, Twilight Sparkle the unicorn became Twilight Sparkle the pegasus. Then Chrysalis focused her magic again and cast the banishment spell she found in a spellbook, called spells of an Equestrian Princess, she found in Cadence's room from her princess studies, that not only banished Twilight, but made it so that unless Celestia, Luna, or Cadence cast the counterspell it is impossible for her to step foot in Equestria. And thanks to the privacy spells none of them would know. And so Twilight disappeared into the vortex created to send her away, as Chrysalis became Cadence again. Not knowing that even with getting rid of Twilight, her invasion would still fail. Unfortunately for Twilight, without telling anyone what happened to her. > Vortex > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Twilight was spinning through the vortex she was terrified. Trying to use her new wings to get back, though it wasn't working, and not just because she didn't know how to use it. The vortex itself was similar to the elements of harmony, but instead of a beam of rainbow energy driving her to the moon it was a vortex of rainbow energy, what was worse for Twilight was that she could see glimpses of other places outside of vortex, places that she only saw pictures of, as Princess Celestia's student, but does not recognize other the name, those being Griffonstone, Yakyakistan, Bone Dry Desert, Abyssinia, Mount Aris, Hippogriffia, Seaquestria, Basalt Beach, Panthera, and Mount Metazoa. Course most of those she didn't have any information on, merely seeing in passing. As Twilight tried and failed to get back, a small almost nonexistent part of her mind noticed she looked like she was in Limbo, but the walls were more see through then she expected, almost like the spell was cast by someone who had never done it before, even though she knew Celestia had used it before. Very rarely, but she had, the rest of her however was too panicky to care. Twilight was suddenly rocked by a strong jolt that when combined with her frantic movement caused her to go spinning around uncontrollably. Before with a brilliant flash of light Twilight reappeared on top of a cloud, her new pegasus body easily being supported as she cried for what she lost. "I wasn't a traitor." Twilight whimpered with noone around to hear her. "Shiny, Princess Celestia, mom, dad, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Spike, Cadence. I'm sorry. I will never get to be with them again, no friendship reports for the princess, no congratulating Shiny, and Cadence on their marriage, no more seeing my parents, no being with my friends, no more helping the Cutie Mark Crusaders, no more being apart of Equestria. What do I do now?" Twilight then cried herself to sleep on the cloud, not even bothering to find out where she was banished too. Unknown to Twilight though, this was not the end, although she was banished, when Chrysalis plan failed, her friends would look for her with the desire to apologize. Unfortunately, it would take 3 years before that happened, for her friends. Ironically, while crusading 6 months after the wedding, the crusaders disappeared as well. But that is information Twilight would not know until the future. For now she lay on a cloud sleeping with the belief that Celestia herself had banished Twilight, her only comfort being that she believed that without her making a mess of things, her BBBFF and Cadence could be married without her ruining the wedding. > New Life > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next day Twilight awoke on the cloud when she felt someone shaking her. When she looked around she saw that she was still on the cloud, and an alicorn that looked like her body was cut out of the universe directly was standing in front of her with a frown, though Twilight could somehow sense it was not aimed at her. What scared her most was the sheer power within her easily drawfed everyone she had ever met, including Discord, combined. "Hello little one." She said. "My name is Queen Galaxia. When I felt you arrive here I came to see what happened, and when I found you sleeping I cast a spell to let me see what had happened to you. And now we need to talk, don't worry you are not in trouble." "But i messed up." Twilight said. "True." Queen Galaxia agreed to Twilight's growing confusion, "You should have gathered evidence instead of what you did. But what my granddaughter Princess Celestia did is also wrong." "Your granddaughter!" Twilight said in surprise. "Yes." Queen Galaxia said, "Though something seemed off about her, when she did it, though without being there directly I cannot tell what it is, not from this difference, since you are literally on another planet. One on the literal opposite end of the universe. Now, while I cannot reverse it due to ancient laws that even I must obey forbidding me from interfering with my descendants royal decisions, I can offer you a new place here in my Kingdom of Mixtria. A place where many different species live together in peace far more then Equestria." "What species?" Twilight asked curious. "All of them." Queen Galaxia said. "The normal unicorns, pegasus, and earth ponies, as well as dragons, griffins, seaponies, threstrals, yaks, caribou, buffalo, changelings though even I rarely have contact with them, as well as ones that have been affected by my magic(which is vastly superior to my descendants) and became peaceful here, that would be considered monsters in Equestria like manticore, hydras, Timberwolves, Ursa both major and minor, even draqonequs like discord all are peaceful and friendly. Luckily I was the one to create the elements of harmony that I sent to Equestria when I sensed my grandchildren would need them, so creating harmony between everyone was easy." "Thank you,Queen Galaxia." Twilight said after getting over her surprise. "I would love too. Though I will miss my friends, I still have my memories of them. By the way, is there anywhere I can learn to use my new pegasus abilities?" "But of course." Galaxia said. "There is a town below us that is similar to Equestria's city of Ponyville. Also, a word of advice, you now have a chance to start anew, to help remember your friends, you can take part of their traits, and add it to your own as a way to remember them." "Thanks." Twilight said. "I'll do that, though first I have to decide what traits to use." "Very well." Galaxia said. "Now one last thing, since you are starting over here, would you like me to turn you back into a filly? I can do so." Twilight thought knowing it would be a big decision before deciding... > Filly > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I agree to be a filly again." Twilight told Queen Galaxia. "Very well." She replied as her horn glowed with power as she cast a deaging spell on Twilight, turning her into a young pegasus filly. The same age as the crusaders, and like them without a cutie mark. Meanwhile back in the royal vault back in Equestria The Elements of Harmony began glowing, first magic, then the others, before the cutie mark's of the elements disappeared, followed by the elements themselves. Back with Twilight and Queen Galaxia "Come." Queen Galaxia said floating Twilight to her back, and flying to the village below. "Let's get you to the village, any preference on where to live?" "One of my friends lived on an apple farm." Twilight said. "Is there anywhere similar?" "You're in luck." She replied adjusting her flight path. "The Apple Family originally came from here, before a group of them volunteered to migrate to Equestria long ago. There are still members here however. This village has three members, living on the farm. Green Apple, the grandmother, and her two grandchildren, the mare, Golden Delicious, and the stallion, Big Apple." "I think I've heard those names in Equestria." Twilight noted. "There are only so many apple names." Queen Galaxia noted, as they landed, and she set Twilight down before knocking on the door, before Golden Delicious opened the door. "Queen Galaxia." She replied, bowing, "Welcome to Harmonia village. How may I help you?" "This filly needs a place to live." Queen Galaxia said. "Would you be willing to take her in?" "Of course, your highness." Golden Delicious said. "We will expect her to help out around the farm, but it is certainly doable." "Thank you." Queen Galaxia said, before turning to Twilight. "This is where I return to my home in the Capitol. I suggest after you finish helping out for the day, you sign up for school, all schools have classes for all species, and can teach you how to use your pegasus abilities, and even how to mimic the other species abilities." "Thank you Queen Galaxia." Twilight said before Galaxia smiled and teleported away. "Well come on in." Golden Delicious said, "And welcome to the Apple family." "This caused a pang of sadness, in Twilight, but she ignored it so Golden Delicious wouldn't worry. > Flight > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It had been a week since Twilight started living with the Apple Clan of Harmonia village, and she was currently in class with the current teacher being Flying Ace, a silver coated pegasus stallion with a gold mane, and a cutie mark of a pegasus in flight. He was the teacher of the pegasus speciality class that took place after homeroom. While Twilight was originally scared when she saw that Queen Galaxia wasn't kidding about all the creatures, she eventually got over it with the help of two beings that originally scared her, a female Timberwolf named Bark Wing(called that because the first time she reformed, she added wings made of bark to let her chase after the pegasus that knocked her off a cliff) that like all Timberwolves are loyal to those they consider pack, and a female draqonequs named Pandora that loved making others laugh, they eventually became her best friends. "Alright." Flying Ace said to Twilight and the other pegasi, "Most young pegasi make the mistake of thinking it is our wings that let us fly. It is not." That surprised the students, but he continued before they could ask what he means. "The wings make it far easier for us, by greatly reducing the strain on our magic. And it is our magic that let's us fly. Pegasi wings are to small to let us fly on their own. Even unicorns and earth ponies can fly if they have a massive wellspring of magic, and I do mean massive. Course they need teaching to learn it as well, and without wings it is far harder." Flying Ace explained. "Now look inside your bodies to find the core of your pegasi magic, then spread it through your body, until it fills every part of you, most pegasi do this instinctively, but since none of you can fly yet despite your age you will have to do it manually, until it becomes instinctive. The upside is that this means you control how much magic you use, the more magic, the easier it is to fly, and the faster you go. Once you are done start flapping your wings, while releasing the magic in them, at a steady rate equal to the rate you send more magic into them." The students did as they were told, though Twilight, having experience finding her magic core due to her previous status as a unicorn, got it the fastest, and was soon hovering in the air, Flying Ace waiting for the others to finish as well before teaching them how to use their wings to control how they move, and how to use them with their magic to increase speed, though all of the students had quite a bit of crashes. > How to party > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight was with Pandora, who was good at parties, and since Pinkie Pie loved parties, to remember her Twilight wanted to learn, as well. Bark Wing was with her pack. "Okay Twilight." Pandora said, "Parties can be organized, or chaotic, but the best parties are a mix of both. Luckily every being has small amounts of chaos in them. Some can naturally tap into it without even realizing it. For example a pegasus named Surprise was very good at that. Though according to my parents her family ended up as Earth Pony rock farmers in Equestria, with only some members able to do it." 'That must be Pinkie's family.' Twilight thought remembering that Pinkie Pie was from a family of rock farmers, and this would explain her abilities. "Unfortunately," Pandora continued. "The amount is different for everyone. Now search within yourself not for magic, but for an energy that feels like you, yet different at the same time. Coax it to flow through your body, do not force it. While you do that think about what you want to accomplish, this will specialise it to what you think about. In this case, parties, also it can only be done once, and for learned will change your coloring some way, how is different for everyone. Though it will not change your species." "All right." Twilight said searching for it. It took two hours for her to find it, and another three to coax it, but when she did she felt her little filly body be filled with party knowledge, chaos, and for some reason what felt suspiciously like the element of magic, while her body flashed with a bright light before it faded away to reveal that her change was her body colors had changed. She was now a lavender pegasus filly with no cutie mark, a mane that was from top to bottom, a strip of navy color, then one colored fuchsia, then a navy strip, then one colored banana yellow, followed by a smaller strip of fuchsia with a notch at the end of the mane, then a small strip of royal purple, then a strip of Navy, and another thin strip of fuchsia while her tail was colored stripes of navy, banana yellow, fuchsia, and navy again, both mane and tail appearing to flow, though not as much as celestia's, while her hair was from left to right while looking at her strips of navy, fuchsia, small stripe royal purple, banana yellow, small stripe navy, thin stripe fuchsia, and ended with a stripe of navy color. Her wings were lavender at the base, then fuchsia in the middle, and royal purple at the tips, with her legs having, royal purple, navy, fuchsia, and white stars scattered across them below the knees. "Interesting changes." Pandora said looking at the stars on her legs, and the new colors. "Now let's go try it out." "Okay." Twilight said excited to try it out. > Interlude > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Equestira, Canterlot Castle It had been two months since the wedding fiasco, and things were not good. To the point that Celestia, Luna, and the real Cadence were standing in the throne room, preparing to cast a spell they had hoped they would never have too, while Shining Armor stood guard, nearby. After the Wedding Fiasco, everypony tried to find out what happened to Twilight, but didn't have any changelings to interrogate after they were all evicted, so didn't know where to start. Cadance and Shining Armor decided to hold off their wedding until Twilight is found. The Elements of Harmony were also discovered missing, and that left the country without it's best defense, not only that, but they had rejected the ponies that wielded them, leaving them sick for several days, as their power was ripped from where it was connected to them. Then Cadance and Shining Armor had to put their part of the search off, two weeks later when the Crystal Empire returned, and they had to go protect it from King Sombra, but ultimately failed, being forced to return to Equestria with a large range teleport, barely getting them back with the help of a few crystal ponies that had slightly better memories then the others transferring their magic to the teleport, so they could escape. Now Sombra had an army of mind controlled crystal ponies and was on his way to conquer Equestria, without the Crystal Heart, which they failed to find, or the Elements of Harmony, which were still missing, the Princesses had no choice, but once Cadance recovered enough, they had to cast a spell, that would protect all of Equestria however it used the same energy as the banishment spell, but twisted into a shield and so after it was cast, all banished ponies would be able to return to Equestria, but any mind controlled ponies, or Sombra could not enter at all, with the energy being completely focused on that. Luckily that was remedied by giving the army a list of all banished ponies(twilight not included due to them not knowing(or wanting her to be) she was banished.) With a grunt of focus the three princess twisted the energy that enforces banishment, so that all of it's power was focused on repelling Sombra, before collapsing from the strain. > Choice > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight was with the others in her pegasus class, just finished the lesson on weather manipulation, and cloud control, though they could only do the basics due to their age, when she started glowing, before a magical barrier appeared around her body before shattering. "What was that?" Twilight asked, confused. "That," Queen Galaxia said telepathically, "Was the rulers of Equestria altering the banishment spell to focus on stopping a single pony from returning to Equestria, allowing you to return if you wish. I felt it as well. Since you now have a choice, you can remain here, or because I believe banishing you was a mistake I can send you back now that the banishment no longer affects anypony except the one they focused on, though I haven't had time to check why." Twilight thought to herself a bit before replying, "I'll stay here. I am no longer a unicorn, and am still looking for my new cutie mark. Not only that, but they did not mean to rescind the banishment, it was just a side effect." "Very well." Queen Galaxia said as she ended the telepathy. "You okay?" Wind Rider, a sky blue pegasus with a white mane in the class asked. "I'm fine." Twilight said, "Come on. It's time for the party." With that Twilight headed to Caramel Delight's Sweet Shop where she was hosting a party* for Caramel Delight, a yellow unicorn with a blue mane, and her adopted daughter Sharpclaw, an orphaned Griffin she had just finished adopting, that before being orphaned would help out Caramel Delight by using her sharp claws to help cut the caramel candies into different shapes. This party was to celebrate the adoption. > Three to six > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight, Bark Wing, and Pandora were preparing for their next crusade 6 months after Twilight had arrived. This time the attempt for Twilight's cutie mark was shield surfing, Pandora created the track, while Bark Wing used her control over wood to make a wooden shield. Twilight's job was to use the shield to surf down the track, which was basically a tall mountain with a bunch of obstacles in a single path from top to bottom. Meanwhile The Cutie Mark Crusaders were flying through the air in a large pile at a fast speed heading straight for Canterlot Castle after another failure at a cutie mark attempt. In Canterlot Castle In a room in Canterlot Castle where a mirror was hidden. One Celestia had been planning on moving to the Crystal Empire when it returned, only for it to still be under the control of King Sombra, with the barrier keeping him and his army out, while the former element bearers now without elements after they disappeared returned to Ponyville unable to do anything. Celestia herself stood looking at the mirror in sadness. "Why do I keep failing as a teacher." Celestia said. "First Sunset Shimmer runs away through the mirror to another world. Then Twilight completely disappears, and we can't find her, after the wedding fiasco I wouldn't blame her if she ran away as well. The only good thing is that the mirror is still closed, but we still don't know where she is." With a heartbroken sigh Celestia leaves the room, and closes the door, only for a few minutes later the mirror to start to glow, as unknown to her, Celestia's words had activated a hidden function of the mirror, to find ponies lost on other worlds, but only if they did not get there through the mirror in the first place. The mirror had just finished and showed filly pegasus Twilight shield surfing when a living ball made up of cutie mark crusaders flew through the open window, bounced off the floor and through the mirror, with it changing back to normal right after. With Twilight Twilight knew she was in trouble when the shield broke right after she jumped over the tree sap lake in the middle of the path. And with their problems with tree sap, this is a bad idea. But before she could either finish that thought, or spread her wings to fly to safety, a portal opened above her, and dropped three fillies Twilight knew well onto her back causing all four to crash into the tree sap lake, with bark Wing and Pandora a looking amused from the sidelines, at least until the ground gave way, and they fell into the sap as well. When they climbed out they were covered in tree sap, with Twilight, and the crusaders first out. "This was one of our biggest failure yet." One of the crusaders said. "You said it." Another replied. "Ah just wish, I knew how being launched through a window and into a mirror sent us here." The third said. 'Wait those voices.' Twilight thought. "Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, Scootaloo, is that you?" The crusaders snapped to look at the pile of tree sap the size of them, and in the shape of a pegasus, recognizing the voice as well. "Twilight? What happened to you?" > Explanations > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "That takes a bit of explanation." Twilight said, her ears flicking as the larger piles of tree sap behind her spoke up. "Let's get cleaned up first." Pandora said as with a snap, the six of them were soaked by the specially designed sap remover, created after the thirty second attempt at finding Twilight's cutie mark ended with them covered in tree sap. "Timberwolf!" The crusaders shouted as the sap cleared up enough for them to see Bark Wing, and starting to run away, only for Twilight to fly in front of them and with a burst of pegasus magic created a box of wind around them that they couldn't get through. "It's...alright." Twilight panted, drained after using such an advanced technique at her age, especially one she had only learned about a week ago during a demonstration in class. "The...creatures...here...live...in...harmony...with...ponies...thanks...to...Queen...Galaxia,...Princess...Celestia,...and...Princess...Luna's...grandmother...that...rules...this...planet." "It's true." Bark Wing said to the crusaders surprise as Twilight caught her breath. "Woah." Apple Bloom said "It must be true. The Timberwolves back home can't speak." "And are those wings?" Scootaloo asked. "It's why my name is Bark Wing." Bark Wing said. "And my name is Pandora." Pandora added. "And you already know I'm Twilight Sparkle." Twilight finished before turning to the others. "These are the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The Earth Pony is Apple Bloom, the pegasus is Scootaloo, and the unicorn is Sweetie Bell." "Can you tell us what happened to you now?" Sweetie Bell asked, "And how the sap was removed so easily. We haven't seen you since shortly before the changeling invasion was revealed with changeling Queen Chrysalis impersonating Princess Cadence." "So that's what happened." Twilight said before explaining everything from the wedding to ending up here. "So you were turned into a pegasus by Chrysalis pretending to be Celestia, and banished to here, which is another planet, ruled by the princesses grandmother." Scootaloo said. "She then turned ya into a filly, and sent ya to live with family ah didn't know I have." Apple Bloom said. "You became friends with a Timberwolf and female draqonequs." Sweetie Bell said. "You go to school where you learned how to fly, and use pegasus magic, which I am really jealous about." Scootaloo added. "Becoming a filly caused you to lose your cutie mark, and now the three of you in your free time are trying to find what her new cutie mark is." Sweetie Bell added. "And when given the chance to return ya decided to stay." Apple Bloom finished. "Yep." Twilight said, "Though you forgot about me gaining control of my internal chaos, and now having party abilities similar to Pinkie Pie. Speaking of which, when we get back to town, I will have a party set up for you three to welcome you." > Marks > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It had been two and a half years since Twilight arrived, and two years since the crusaders arrived. Twilight, Bark Wing, and Pandora had actually joined the crusaders. All of them very thankful for Tree Sap removal spells. Even more was that they had all learned a lot, for example, Twilight, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom could now channel their magic through their wings or hooves to cast magic like a unicorn. Twilight, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Bell, could channel their magic to mimic earth pony abilities, and Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Bell could use their magic to hover in place and walk on clouds, though they can't fly. While Scootaloo and Twilight had(at least after the blockage in Scootaloo's magic paths were fixed) gotten good enough at using pegasi flying magic that they can each perform the Sonic Rainboom, and had come up with a signature variation each. For Scootaloo it was the Corkscrew Boom which was a Sonic Rainboom performed while spinning like a corkscrew creating a pulsing effect that looks like the rainbow trail(which is still present despite not being rainbow colored for some reason) is contacting and expanding. For Twilight it was the Multihyperboom, which utilises her far greater magic reserves, to break not just the sound barrier, but also the light barrier, meaning she goes faster then the speed of light, bursting into Hyperspace, which while much slower then the vortex, that brought her here, and much slower then the mirror portal, was still very fast, then maneuvering back to her entrance and slowing down to exit at that exact spot, and repeating five times, which is her current limit if she barely goes fast enough to enter, hyperspace(at nonstopfull speed she can get to Equestria in one week, though she would barely have any magic left,even with all her magic including the infusion of both chaos magic, and the element of magic)allowing her to create designs with the five visible trails depending on where she enters and leaves hyperspace. On top of that, Since Apple Bloom was already an apple, Green Apple, Golden Delicious, and Big Apple let the crusaders live on the farm, and on Twilight's one year anniversary, they adopted Sweetie Bell, Scootaloo, and Twilight into the Apple Clan. They have all gotten used to helping out on the farm too, and have gotten close enough that they call each other sisters. Currently Pandora was with her parents, while Bark Wing was with her pack, and the rest of the crusaders were taking a break from crusading to wait for them, only to end up helping Ruby Crown, Harmonia villages version of Diamond Tiara find what her Cutie Mark means. "I've been thinking crusaders." Twilight said. "We spend a lot of time trying to find our true talent, but when we take a little time off we end up helping other ponies figure out their talents." "Yeah," Sweetie Bell said. "And I think that's way more important then worrying about our cutie Mark's don't you." "Absolutely." Scootaloo added. "I don't care if I never get my cutie mark as long as I get to hang out with my best friends." "So what do you say crusaders?" Apple Bloom asked. "Want to focus on helping others with their cutie marks?" "Yeah!" The others cheered as the four of them high hooves, only for a pulse of energy to spread through their bodies, as they started to float and glow. When they stopped they were confused. "What was that?" Twilight asked, the other crusaders adding their own versions of the question. "It's your cutie marks."Ruby Crown said. "They're amazing." At that the crusaders looked at their flanks and saw their cutie marks.* Meanwhile In equestria at the tree of harmony, the tree glowed before creating a sealed box with six pictures, one on each side, an apple with a heart in it, a star with a music note in it, a wing with a lightning bolt in it, a cloud with the star of magic in it, a wolf with wings, and eight outward arrows in a radial pattern.** before sending it through a vortex to the new crusader clubhouse. back with the crusaders "We all got the same cutie marks!" They cried putting their flanks together. "Cutie mark crusaders forever." > Return > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight, Scootaloo, Sweetie Bell, Apple Bloom, Pandora, and Bark Wing, were in the clubhouse where they were looking around a box that they found, one that Twilight recognized as having the Elements of Harmony. But different. Each one had new marks, ones that matched the symbols on the crusaders cutie marks exactly plus the ones that easily could be seen as symbolising Pandora and Bark Wing, and were the same as the pictures on the box. Judging by the color when compared to the previous wielders, Scootaloo had honesty, Sweetie Bell had kindness, Apple Bloom had Generosity, Pandora had laughter, Bark Wing had loyalty, and Twilight had magic again. "How did these get here?" Twilight asked confused picking up the element of magic. "And judging from the new looks are the six of us the new wielders?" "I guess so." Pandora said picking up the element of laughter. "Though this is ironic." "Does this mean ah took my sisters place?" Apple Bloom asked picking up the element of generosity. "Ah'm not sure how to feel about that." "Nah." Scootaloo said picking up the element of honesty. "I learned about the colors when Rainbow Dash was a bearer, I have your sisters element, you have Rarity's, Bark Wing has Rainbow Dash's, Sweetie Bell has Fluttershy's, Pandora has Pinkie Pie's, and Twilight has magic again." "But she's not even a unicorn anymore." Bark Wing said, picking up the element of loyalty. "Wasn't losing the element of magic the reason she was transformed by Chrysalis?" "She can still use magic." Sweetie Bell said picking up the element of kindness, causing the six to see an image of destruction that they suddenly know to be the future of Equestria if they do not return to help. They looked at each other in shock, before silently agreeing to go to Equestria. First they went to tell their family, and see if they could deliver a withdrawel note to their school, and a note explaining things to Queen Galaxia(who was currently in a meeting on the other side of the planet) Afterwards, Twilight, knowing they didn't have time to waste, and being unable to get Queen Galaxia's help, hooked herself up to a cart, and with the others lowering their weight after getting on took off after getting her bearings from a map the Apple clan had, and after a little while made it up to speed, and entered hyperspace using the Multihyperboom. After a week of nonstop flying with the others teleporting food and caffeine directly into her stomach so she could keep flying finally she slowed down, and exited hyperspace, with a loud boom, only for Sweetie Bell to immediately teleport them to the ground hidden while the cart kept going and crashed a few miles away in a ball of fire, that due to the plan they made could not be described as even looking like a carriage, so the Crystal Empire which they had gained access to during to no barrier, and the desire to free the empire first, so when they blast Sombra with the elements he has nowhere to hide would just think it was a failed attack. Though first Twilight needed some sleep, so after Pandora cast privacy charms Twilight collapsed very tired as the caffeine had been timed by Pandora and Sweetie Bell to where off now. > Empire part one > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next day, Twilight woke up ready to help, with things being easier due to an unforseen side effect of their carriages landing. That being that Sombra in response to what he considered an attack took his army of mind controlled ponies to fight directly while angry at Equestria for the attack he thinks came from them. On top, of that they would be distracted by the Equestrian Army, and Celestia, Luna, and Cadence. This left only the unmind controlled Crystal ponies he left to provide him with energy through their fear after making his army. Meanwhile Twilight, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Bell, Pandora, and Bark Wing were in a library looking for any clues to free the Crystal Empire "Found it." Pandora said, holding the book. "We need to perform a Crystal Fayre. My grandmom once said she had visited a place in Equestria that used a Crystal Fayre to power a powerful artifact called the Crystal Heart to protect it. She never mentioned the places name, but it must be the Crystal Empire." "So we need to perform a Crystal Fayre." Twilight said happily. "Though we will need the Crystal Heart first. Any clue where it is?" "Lost." Sweetie Bell said from the counter, looking at a scrap of parchment she found by looking under the desk for clues despite their being no books there she thought there might be something since the librarian would sit there. "This parchment has a hastily scrawled message: He is coming...I have to hide... He has already hidden the Crystl Heart were we will never find it... Without it we are doomed. No he's her... That's all that's written it just cuts off afterwards, and the he must be Sombra." "So Sombra hid the heart so it couldn't be used against him?" Twilight asked. "Probably with traps." Bark Wing added. "But where?" Scootaloo questioned. "Ah don't know about you..." Apple Bloom said, "But if ah was an evil dictator ah'd want to keep the only thing that could defeat me where ah could keep a close eye on it." "Of course!" Twilight said, "The palace. Three of us need to start setting up the Crystal Fayre, while the other three go to the palace to look for the Crystal Heart. I have a few spells to help with that." "I'll help set up the Fayre." Pandora said. "My grandma told me about it, so I have more ideas then the rest of what it looks like, and this book provides the rest of the information." "I'll go with Twilight to the palace." Bark Wing said. "Don't want to scare the Crystal Ponies." "I'm going to the palace too." Scootaloo said with a grin. "Finding an ancient artifact probably surrounded by traps...It's like Daring Do in real life. No way am I missing that." "Ah guess we help Pandora." Apple Bloom said to Sweetie Bell. "We'll have to hurry and finish before Sombra gets back." Sweetie Bell added. "I know the elements will work, but we don't want him to take the Empire with him." "Right. CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CRYSTAL EMPIRE RESCUERS, YEAH!" They called before heading out to work. > Empire Part 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight, Scootaloo, and Bark Wing made their way into the throne room, Twilight's wings glowing with a scanning spell she had learned a couple months ago, in preparation of a scavenger hunt. "The throne." Twilight said looking at it. "There is magic in the crystal at the top, but I can't tell what it does." "If sis*, is right then that would be how to find the heart." Scootaloo said. "That is where he would be sitting after all." Bark Wing started sniffing the crystal using Timberwolves ability to smell magic(part of how they hunt ponies, with the Timberwolvesof Harmonia learning how to identify spells through smell). "It appears to be some sort of lock that needs dark magic to open." Twilight grimaced at that. "Alright stay back." With that her wings began glowing black, before blasting a beam of dark magic into the crystal. The crystal releasing a wave of shadow that revealed a set of stairs going underground, while Twilight, with Scootaloo and Bark Wing's help was removing the dark magic residue from her wings. They then headed down the stairs where they found another door. With Bark Wing sneezing upon getting a scent. "That's weird." Bark Wing said. "What?" Twilight replied as they stopped. "There are several spells on that door." Bark Wing replied. "One a prank spell Pandora used on me last month that makes anything it is attached to run away when you get close. I really hate that spell. But the others...one is a dark magic unlock tied to a fear spell, the other is a light magic unlock tied to something I can't recognize I didn't even know you could combine light and dark magic like that. It smells really wierd." "Of course." Twilight exclaimed, getting looks from the other two. "The prank spell will make you annoyed and frustrated, while the fact that you have to use dark magic in the throne room will cause you to use dark magic down here setting off the fear spell, when you really need to use light magic." "Got it." Scootaloo said her own wings glowing as beams of light magic landed to the crystal in the door and unlocked it, while holding it in place revealing an area with a tower, and lots of steps. Luckily all three could fly, and made it to the top easy. "The Crystal Heart!" Twilight said spotting it, and moving to it, before Scootaloo flew in front of her. "Hold on." Scootaloo said, looking back at the heart. "It is just sitting there. If this is anything like a Daring Do adventure then there is a trap somewhere" "There is alot of magic here, not all from the heart." Bark Wing said. Twilight blanched at the thought, her wings glowing as she scanned only to sag. "Thanks sis. There is a trap, it looks like it will create a bunch of spiky crystals all over, while also sending an alert to Sombra. The good news is that alert is separate, and I can deal with that, he'll know anyway when the crystal heart is activated by the crystal fayre, but this will give us more time, and we can use it to teleport to him immediately in order to use the elements. The bad news is that I can't do anything about the trap. However I do spot a weakness to it." "What?" Scootaloo asked. "There is a very slight time delay, and this room is just a roof held up by pillars." Twilight grinned as she finished dealing with the alarm spell "If one of us grabs it while flying slightly slower then a Sonic Rainboom we can get it, and out the other side of the room before the trap activates, and without the boom alerting Sombra anyway." "Got it." Scootaloo said, before flying a bit away to get some speed, as Twilight and Bark Wing flew out the room, as Scootaloo took off and grabbed the heart and got out just in front of the crystals. The three then flew down to the now set up Crystal Fayre, with the heart, and after telling the others everything that happened the Crystal Fayre began. Powering the heart, and releasing a barrier that removed Sombra's influence from the Empire, leaving only Sombra and his army to deal with in the area between Equestria, and the Crystal Empire. > Sombra > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A few minutes before on the barrier to Equestria A beam of golden magic flew from Celestia's horn, only for a beam of black magic to erupt from Sombra's horn to counter it while a elsewhere on the battle field Luna, Cadence, and shining armor blasted several of Sombra's army back, and all four wondering why Sombra attacked now with his army when usually he tries to break the barrier alone. Unfortunately the sheer numbers could overload it, and thus they had to fight. Not alone of course. The former element bearers had eventually joined the army for different reasons. Applejack and Rarity to focus on something when their sisters disappeared, Fluttershy because she couldn't stand others getting hurt, so became a battlefield medic to heal the injured ponies before they die, Rainbow Dash, because she couldn't stand not helping any longer, and Pinkie Pie because of reasons of her own that they all decided it was better not to ask after the last one to ask had to be sent to a mental hospital when he tried to understand the reason. As the fighting continued there was suddenly a large energy release that got everyone's attention as a glowing barrier spread across the land from the Crystal Heart stopping long before reaching the army, but the energy continuing out and freeing the crystal ponies from the mind control by destroying the mind control crystal helmets, causing them to stop fighting. "Impossible!" Sombra cried. "I had the Crystal Heart hidden where none of the Crystal Ponies could find it." "Well it's a good thing we're not Crystal Ponies then." A voice said causing everyone to look around. "Whose there?" Sombra demanded. "Show yourself." "Very well." The voice said as with a shimmer Pandora revealed herself between Sombra and the Equestrians. "The names Pandora." "A female Discord!" The Equestrians said backing up, as another shimmer appeared next to Pandora. "My name is Bark Wing." Bark Wing said with a lupine grin. "A talking Timberwolf with wings?" Princess Luna questioned as another shimmer revealed a familiar filly. "Ma names Apple Bloom." She said. "Bloom!" Applejack said trying to get to her(both because she missed her, and to get her away from Pandora and Bark Wing, due to believing them to be dangerous) only to be stopped by an invisible barrier as another familiar filly appeared in yet another shimmer. "My name is Sweetie Bell." The filly said. "Sweetie!" Rarity said trying to get to her for the same reason as Applejack, but being stopped as well as a familiar looking flying filly appeared to Rainbow Dash's shock. "I'm Scootaloo." Scootaloo said with a grin. "Scoots!" Rainbow Dash said as she was also stopped, as a pegasus filly that for some reason was very familiar to all of them, but they couldn't figure out why, until she spoke. "And my name is Twilight Sparkle." The filly said to the Equestrians shock as they recognized the voice. "TWILIGHT!!!" They cried being stopped by the barrier, as Sombra looked confused. "Isn't that a unicorn name?" Sombra asked, before getting mad. "And how dare you free the Crystal Empire." "I was a unicorn until a changeling pretending to be Princess Celestia when I was left alone cast a spell to turn me into a pegasus before casting the banishment spell on me." Twilight said to the others shock, and guilt at remembering how they abandoned Twilight. "As for freeing the Crystal Empire after we found a way to stop you we couldn't just stand by." "You six are just children." Sombra scoffed. "You are no threat to me." Only for the six to grin, as gems they were wearing started to glow, with the Equestrians thinking they looked really really familiar, with only Celestia and Luna recognizing them at first, but being too shocked to respond, but all the Equestrians being shocked as they spoke, especially the former element bearers. "Laughter." Pandora said. "Loyalty." Bark Wing said. "Generosity." Apple Bloom said. "Kindness." Sweetie Bell said. "Honesty." Scootaloo said. "And Magic makes it all complete." Twilight added as Sombra finally recognized the items that defeated him so long ago. "Impossible!" Sombra cried as they started to glow and float. "You don't even have a horn to use magic." "Dont you know?" Twilight cheeked. "Friendship is Magic." With that the crusaders sent the Friendship Rainbow Laser at Sombra as he tried and failed to escape as he was sent to Tarturus. > Finale > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As the six of them floated down to the ground Twilight, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo were tackle hugged by their families(and Rainbow Dash), though they were eventually able to seperate, and explain what happened to Applejack, Granny Smith, Big Macintosh(Both of which had been retrieved from their locations due to being blood family of Apple Bloom), Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Shining Armor, and Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadence, (unfortunately Twilight's parents were nowhere to be found, so they were not there) with the help of Pandora, and Barkwing, who being able to use the Elements of Harmony gave them the benefit of the doubt. "You ended up with grandmother!" Princess Celestia "So that's where the Elements came from." Luna said. "And why Bark Wing and Pandora are not acting like normal Timberwolves and Discord." Fluttershy added. "You do make a cute filly." Cadence said nuzzling the filly Twilight. "Well ah'll be. So that's where our family lived before Equestria." Granny Smith said. "Even as a pegasus filly you still love school." Shining Armor said. "We should totally plan a party together." Pinkie said after hearing about Twilight's party. "Welcome to the family." Applejack said after hearing about them being adopted. "And y'all even have apples in your cutiemarks." "Yep." Big Mac nodded. "At least now that they have cutie marks they will stop going on those crusades." Rarity said. "That will make it alot safer for you, even with you being the new element bearers." "No way, you can go that fast." Rainbow rejected after hearing how they got here. Only for Twilight and Scootaloo fo smirk at each other before proving it, first Scootaloo, then Twilight. "Alright. You're teaching me how to access my pegasus magic at will. I need to get my title of fastest pegasus alive back." Were some of the things said during the explanation. "You know, I just realized there is something we didn't think about." Pandora said. "What's that?" Barkwing asked. "How to travel between here, and home." Pandora said. "As Element Bearers we are needed here. While we have family waiting for us back home." This caused everyone to pause as they realised the crusaders and Twilight, despite being born in Equestria, now had lives, and family in Mixtria. "I can help with that." A voice said as they turned to see Queen Galaxia. Just as the crusaders described. "Queen Galaxia/Grandma!" Everypony said. "It is good to see you my little ponies." Queen Galaxia said. "When I recieved the note telling me what happened I realized this would be a problem, and came to offer a solution." "What solution is that?" Twilight asked. "I can create a portal that will let you travel between Equestria and Mixtria." Queen Galaxia said. "Can you please make it near the Apple Farm on Mixtria?" Sweetie Bell asked. "Harvest season is soon, and we need to help with the harvest." "Yeah." Scootaloo said. "Plus we've been living and working on the Apple Farm on Mixtria so long it would be wierd not to." "Plus their family. And Family helps family." Twilight added. "You can make it on our farm." Granny Smith said. "Especially if it connects to family." "I will ask the Apples of Mixtria." Queen Galaxia said. "If they agree I will make it on the farm, if not I will put it near the farm." "Thank you!" The crusaders said. As a new age of unity between Mixtria and Equestria began.