> A Royal Fusion
>  by Nineveh Orion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As she watched their new guests get used to their new forms, Queen Novo couldn't help but smile. It had been too long since new faces had come to Seaquestria. She was still upset that Skystar had forced her to show the Pearl like this.

But she was still glad to see new faces. And a new alicorn at that! If this had been another time and place, she would've asked Twilight Sparkle about all of that. But for now, she kept her counsel. Something told her that there was more to this.

"This is amazing! With this, we could transform everypony at home into something powerful enough to face the Storm King's army!" Twilight all but squealed in delight.

And there it was. Novo's face hardened. "Or it could end up in his greedy claws! We came down here to make sure that never happened."

Twilight's face fell. "But..."

Novo's expression softened as she lay a fin on the younger mare's shoulder. "Honey, I'm sorry about your home. I truly am. But my first responsibility is to protect my subjects. The pearl... isn't going anywhere."

Twilight frowned. "But we-"

Novo sighed. She was a stubborn one for sure. "Then tell me, Princess Twilight. What do you think you could do? If Equestria is lost, then you need to think about your subjects. Your friends. Your family. I don't doubt that you would never give the Pearl up or without a fight. I can see it in your eyes. But if I gave you the Pearl for the sole reason to fight, then ponies will die. Do you want that blood on your hooves?"

Twilight's heart sank like a rock, as she finally thought about it. What was she trying to do? She didn't have any kind of plan for this. She sniffed as her head fell. "No. I don't want any of that. Not now. Or ever."

Novo nodded, her heart dropping in sympathy. "That is why we ran so long ago. Could we have fought the Storm King's army on Mount Aris? Yes. But the cost in lives lost would not have been worth it in the end. And so I did what was best for my people. No matter how much it might have hurt to do so."

Twilight sniffed, as her tears began to fall. "It's not fair. None of this is right."

Novo smiled as she lifted the young mare's head. "No. It isn't fair. But life is not always fair. No matter what we may do." She looked to her side as Jamal swam over and whispered something in her ear. She smiled as she looked at all of Twilight's friends. "You may stay for as long as you wish. I will return you to your normal forms when you leave." Her face hardened. "But you will never speak of what you have seen here if you leave. Am I understood? Seaquestria has survived for this long because no one ever knew of it."

The girls and Spike nodded, for they could hear the threat behind those words if they ever blabbed about all of this. Novo nodded as she saw that they had gotten the point. "Then I'm off for my spa date!" Before leaving.

The girls watched her go with a worried look. "So that it? We left home for nothin'?" Applejack asked.

Princess Skystar's grin made Pinkie proud as she swam back over to them. "Oh, my gosh! Best... idea! Ever! You can stay with us! Forever!" She giggled at the idea. "There are so many things we can do! We can make friendship bracelets out of shells and... picture frames out of shells and... decorative wastebaskets out of shells... Oh, I have so many projects that involve shells, haha! Now that I have someone new to share them with! I mean, aside from my friends, Shelly and Sheldon. Right?" She picked up a shell from around her neck. "Shelly?"

Pinkie gasped in surprise, her own grin growing.

Skystar picked up another shell from around her neck. "And "Sheldon"?" She chuckled. "Get it?" She snorted.

The girls rolled their eyes, while Pinkie giggled. But the humor only lasted so long. "That does sound lovely, darling. But you must realize, we can't stay," Rarity finally said.

Applejack nodded. "We've gotta get back to our families."

All at once, Skystar's good mood and cheer fled, and it broke Twilight's heart. "Oh, no. Of course. Of course. Of course, you have your own friends back home. It's fine. It's fine. Heh." Her voice dropped to a whisper, but they could all hear it. "Shelly and Sheldon get jealous anyway. Heh. it's probably for the best." She sighed. Yeah, I'll just, um..." Her whole body slumped sadly. "I'll get Mom to, uh, turn you back so you can go home."

The group watched her go. "She... Really needs friends," Spike said glumly. "Like. Even more, than you did Twilight before we moved to Ponyville."

Pinkie looked at the others with a pout. "I know we have to go. but you guys saw how disappointed Princess Skystar was. Couldn't we stay for just a little longer?"

Applejack shook her head. "Pinkie, we just don't have time for-"

Twilight shook her head, getting into the middle of the circle. "No. Pinkie's right."

"Say what now?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight gave all of her friends a pointed glare. "This whole misadventure has been nothing but one disaster after another. All because none of us bothered to think!" Her glare grew by the second. "We were almost sold into slavery in Klugetown. All because you blindly accepted Capper's word that he was our friend with no questions asked!"

Rarity had the decency to look ashamed of herself for that.

Twilight turned on Rainbow, who shrunk under the glare. "And you just had to show off for Captain Celaeno and her crew, didn't you? We're lucky Tempest needs me alive." Rainbow also had the decency to look ashamed of herself for that little stunt of hers.

"So. What do we do now then?" Fluttershy asked.

Twilight slumped. "We still need to come up with a plan to get back to Equestria, and not have Tempest catch us. A few minutes won't make a huge difference." She smiled as she wrapped a hoof around Pinkie's shoulders. "And if there's anypony who can cram a lifetime of fun into a blink of an eye, it's Pinkie Pie!"

Pinkie squeed in delight, shivering in excitement.

Twilight's smile grew. "So. Go ahead and show Skystar the best time ever!"

Pinkie saluted. "I won't let you down!"

Twilight giggled. "I know you won't, Pinkie."

The girls giggled as they swam off in the direction the princess had gone. Twilight watched them go for a moment, before sighing. As much as she wanted to join them, she didn't. She still had too much on her mind.

As she looked up at where the Pearl hung, she tried to think of anything that could save Equestria now.

Unnoticed, the Pearl began to glow.





Twilight wasn't sure how long she was in the Throne Room alone as she was. She could hear the sounds of what sounded like quite the party going on in another part of the castle, following a rather catchy song done by Pinkie.

As much as she wanted to join in on the fun, Twilight couldn't bring herself to do so. She still had too much on her mind. Even with time to think, she was no closer to a solution that could help save Equestria.

Occasionally, her eyes would look up at the Pearl suspended overhead. Several times, Twilight almost tried her luck and went to steal the Pearl. But she always stopped herself, slapping herself hard for even thinking of doing something so morally wrong like that.

Even if, by some miracle she had taken it, she had no idea of how to use the Pearl. But that didn't excuse the fact that it was wrong to do so. What kind of Princess of Equestria was she? What kind of Princess of Friendship would even think about doing that? While she and Queen Novo hadn't started off on the right hoof, they had grown closer during their brief conversation.

Twilight would not spit on her host like that. And so here she was, back at square one, no closer to a solution than when she had started.

So when she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find a smiling Queen Novo looking down at her, Twilight wasn't sure what to expect.

"That you haven't tried to steal the Pearl speaks volumes to your character, Princess Twilight Sparkle. And it makes it clear that you are worthy."

Twilight blinked. "What do you mean?"

Instead of answering, Novo beckoned Twilight to follow her. Not sure what this might be about, the two of them swam up to wear the Pearl hung suspended in a web of seaweed and other undersea life.

In shock, Twilight watched as the queen undid the bindings holding the Pearl, before presenting it to the young alicorn, who looked on in shock. "You're giving me the Pearl?"

Novo shook her head. "I'm letting you borrow our Pearl." She sighed, as she looked down to the ground, where Twilight's friends and Princess Skystar waited anxiously. "Your friends helped me to open my eyes. Maybe we have hidden away for far too long. No longer."

Twilight didn't know how to respond to that, so she kept her mouth closed as she reached out a hoof to take the Pearl. But Queen Novo wasn't done yet it seemed, as her gaze hardened. "On one condition. My daughter, Princess Skystar, will go with you."

Twilight blinked in confusion. She hadn't expected that. Novo seemed to catch on, for she chuckled. "None of you know how to use the Pearl. Skystar does. She can show you all how to use it in a way that won't end badly. Unpleasant things have happened to those who've tried without knowing how."

Twilight gulped. She didn't like the sound of that, so she only nodded, as Novo handed it out to her again.

"And if by some chance you do lose it. The Storm King will be the least of your worries. Am I understood?"

Twilight nodded, her gaze unwavering. "You have my word. As a Princess of Equestria, I promise I will not let the Storm King get his hands on the Pearl."

Novo nodded, as Twilight reached out to take the Pearl. What happened next, no one ever expected.

As soon as Twilight's hooves touched the Pearl, the orb began to glow brightly, engulfing her and Queen Novo in a vortex of energy. Instead of being afraid though, they were comforted. Twilight and Novo sighed, their bodies relaxing. Novo pulled Twilight closer until they held each other close. They smiled at each other, as Twilight turned around so that her back was pressed against Novo's chest, their tails intertwining, as the Pearl floated to them, taking a position at the base of their necks.

Down below, nopony could see any of this and were all worried the more for it. "What's happening?" Spike asked, as the energy vortex grew and grew.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Rainbow asked Skystar, who was just as confused as they were.

"No, it's not. I've never seen it do this before," she replied, worried for her mother.

Soon the vortex began to descend to the ground below. Whatever it was, none of the group felt threatened by it. It almost felt calming in a way. Finally, the swirling energies began to disappear, revealing a single figure at the center.

"Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

"Mom?" Skystar added.

"We are both Twilight and Novo. And yet we are so much more than who we used to be," the figure replied. Her voice, for she was definitely female, was a perfect fusion of Novo's and Twilight's voices speaking in perfect harmony, neither one trying to outdo the other.

When the light finally faded, everyone's jaws dropped in shock at the figure that was revealed.

The new seapony threw everyone for a loop. She, for the figure was definitely female, had a coloration that was a blend of both Twilight and Queen Novo's colors. Her twin fins at the end of her tail were split into each of their colors as well, as was her mane. Around her neck was Novo's frill, a light blue in color. On her forehead was also Queen Novo's crown.

What really threw the group for a loop though, was the Pearl of Transformation around her neck. They weren't wearing it. It had fused with them. Seemingly in the same way Novo and Twilight had. However that made sense.

"Was that supposed to happen?" Skystar asked. "I didn't think the Pearl could do this?"

The figure shook her head. "We don't know. But it feels right all the same. One thing is clear though This is not permanent for us. But how long it will last? We are not sure yet."

The group shared a look. That answered some of their questions, but not all of them. "So if you're a fusion of Twilight and Novo. What do we call you?" Pinkie asked. "Queen Seaglow?" She giggled. "You know? Since Queen Novo rules Seaquestria, and Twilight means the end of the day." 

They all rolled their eyes at that. "If you must. Seaglow is as good a name as any," the figure responded. "We can't think of any that would be a good fit. And we do need a name."

Applejack shook her hate. "Hate to break this up. But we're still stuck. We still need to get back to Equestria, and then save it from the Storm King. This ain't helping that."

Rarity nodded. "Indeed, darling. And there is also the fact that Tempest is still out there. I doubt she's given up on finding us that easily. If she followed us all the way here as she did before."

Everyone shared a look but Seaglow seemed unconcerned. "That is true. But now we leave with something that gives us an advantage," she replied.

Skystar nodded, her smile growing. "Using the Pearl is actually pretty easy. Just think of anything you can think of, and it'll change you into that." She smiled sheepishly. "Doing it in a large group isn't so easy though, which is why I was going with you." She swam over and poked the Pearl. "Not sure about that now though."

Seaglow blinked. She had felt that. Not as Skystar touching the Pearl itself. But as if the Pearl itself was physically a part of her body. Strange. Just another question on her long list of questions. But that could wait for now. "The same still applies now. I can feel it. Though I'm not sure how."

"So now what?" Spike asked.

Seaglow grinned. "It is time to stop playing nice. Tempest expects us to run. That's what she wants us to do. But I say no. No more running. We need to get back to Equestria. I say we take her airship."

Rainbow looked excited at the idea. "How? I'm all for action. But it can't be that easy. We can handle the guards. But I doubt Tempest will be that easy." The others nodded in assent.

Seaglow's grin only grew. "Leave her to us. One broken horn unicorn will not stop us. She can try. But Tempest Shadow will learn the hard way why you don't piss off a princess and a queen. Especially after they've become one!"

The whole group shared a laugh at that. "Do we just go back the way we came in?" Fluttershy asked.

Seaglow shook her head. "There's a secret exit we can use. Only a few know about it. It will give us the element of surprise. And payback for all the pain and annoyance we've had to go through to get to this point.

The group couldn't argue with that, as Seaglow lead them away from the Throne Room and down a series of back tunnels and hallways.





As they swam down another tunnel, Twilight and Novo found themselves facing each other in their mind. Neither minded the effect. It was much easier to talk to each other this way.

"You know Tempest, don't you?" Twilight asked.

Novo nodded. "She came to Hippogriffia some years ago with that army of hers. She tried to steal the Pearl. But we managed to escape by becoming seaponies as you know."

Twilight nodded. "But why? What happened to her horn?"

Novo sighed. "I asked her the same thing. An Ursa Minor broke it off when she was a filly. Her friends abandoned her in fear, and she turned her back on Equestria. Blaming them for everything that had happened to her. Tempest believes that by helping the Storm King, he will restore her horn when he has all the alicorn magic."

Twilight blinked, before facehooving. "Oh for the love of..."

Novo gave a concerned look. "Can it be fixed with alicorn magic?"

Twilight shook her head. "No, it can't. Even if he got all the alicorn magic in Equestria, it still wouldn't be able to heal her horn. There is no magic that exists that can fix it. I have a friend who has problems with her wings. She asked me the same question once. I hated to have to crush the idea."

Novo's heart sank as she watched Twilight sniff. She quickly pulled the alicorn into a hug, one that Twilight was happy to return. They held it for a moment, but it felt like hours. It was something that Twilight desperately needed after everything that had happened.

Finally, though, they broke apart. Twilight looked down at the Pearl that was fused into her chest. The same as the one that was fused into Novo's. "So, um. What are we going to do when we get up to the surface? I know how the Pearl works now. A benefit of us being together like this I guess. But we need a plan. We're a team now. We do this together."

Novo nodded. "We can transform into literally anything either of us can think of. Though I suspect we need to agree on a form for us to become it. There is your normal alicorn form, Twilight, and I have my hippogriff form. But I know from experience that neither will do us much good in the long run. We need another one. Especially if we all make it to Canterlot."

Twilight nodded. She had expected that. For a moment, neither of them said a thing, before Twilight broke into a huge grin. "Idea! Tempest won't know what hit her. And neither will the Storm King if this works."

Novo was intrigued. "Do tell?"

Twilight whispered something in her ears. One that made Novo's grin as wide as Twilight's own. "Oh. That's brilliant! I don't know why I never thought of something like this back then!" She gave her companion a look. "Will it work though? It's a big risk if we do."

Twilight could only shrug, as the whole group came out from underneath the island and into the waters around Mount Aris. "I guess we'll find out soon."
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow smirked as she swam back down to the group. "We're right underneath the airship. Don't think they saw me. So what's the plan?" She asked, turning to Seaglow.

"We take over the ship, and throw overboard anyone who tries to stop us," the mare replied. "The Yeti can swim, so they will be fine," she quickly added, seeing Fluttershy's forlorn look.

"And what about Tempest?" Spike asked. "She doesn't sound like somepony who'd just let this happen."

Seaglow smirked. "Leave her to us. Powerful though she might be, she has never faced someone like us before. She won't know what hit her."

The girls couldn't argue with that. Skystar squeed as she turned to the others. "So. What do ya want to be? If you can think of it, I can do it! No problem. Though if you can't fly, someone's going to have to carry you."

"How is that even going to work?" Rarity asked. "Only three of us can fly normally."

Applejack nodded. "And I ain't too fond of flying myself. So one of ya'll will have to carry me."

Skystar nodded. "Simple. Just hold hooves and hands. I only need to be touching one of you. The magic will travel along the chain from there. As soon as we hit the surface, we have to know what form we want to be in."

Pinkie only smiled widely. "What are we waiting for then? Let's go!"

Seaglow's smirk grew as they began the swim to the surface. "They won't know what hit them."





As Commander Tempest Shadow returned to her airship, she was seething as she turned on the nearest yeti. "How could you have lost them?! There are only so many places on this Goddess forsaken backwater rock they can hide!"

He could only shrug hopelessly, which made Tempest even more peeved. This was not going at all according to plan. The Storm King was expecting her to return to Canterlot with Princess Twilight. He was not known for restraint when something went wrong like this and his subordinates usually paid the price.

Tempest would not return empty hooved. She had gambled too much on this for it to go wrong. If she had to break heads to find those ponies, then so be it, she seethed as she headed for her cabin, Grubber not far behind her.

All the yeti on deck let out a sigh of relief. None of them wanted to be on the commander's bad side. That was what Grubber was for after all. It was the only thing he was good for. Better him than any of them.

Two of the guards at the rail were particularly bored. Neither had been part of the party sent ashore, and both of them wished that something. Anything. Would happen so they could do something to get out of this heat.

A clawed hand tapped each of them on the shoulder. "Hey, bozos?"

Both turned around, coming face to face with a teenage dragon with purple and green scales, who only smirked before bashing both of their heads together, stunning them both before tossing them overboard.





Spike's smirk grew as he watched the two splash into the ocean below. For a moment, he was afraid he might have hit them too hard before the two guards resurfaced and made for the nearby beach. "Easy peasy."

Across the deck, Applejack and Rainbow Dash made quick work of several other guards. Applejack had to be extra careful since her minotaur strength, on top of her natural earth pony strength, meant she could easily kill the guards if she wasn't careful, and none of them wanted to do that if they could help.

Rainbow didn't have to worry about that, but she was careful that she didn't stick her claws into someplace she shouldn't have. If this was what it was like to be a griffon though, no wonder Gilda had been like she was when they had met in Griffonstone. This was awesome.

Only Rarity and Pinkie were still ponies, Fluttershy unwilling to hurt anyone and therefore staying out of sight underneath the airship. While her magic wasn't the strongest, Rarity could still easily toss any guard she could find overboard, while Pinkie... No one knew what Pinkie was doing, but whatever it was, every guard she faced was soon jumping overboard after only a few words.

But it was Princess Skystar and Seaglow that were making the most headway. Skystar almost seemed to take sadistic glee in tossing each and every yeti overboard with more force than really seemed necessary. In her hippogriff form, as she called it, she was almost the same height as Seaglow.

Seaglow herself fought as an alicorn, one the same size as Princess Celestia in fact. While not as much as Skystar, all could see that she too was holding back her anger. It was a novel experience for Twilight to be this size if she was being honest.

As yet another wave of yetis rushed the deck, Seaglow bit back a curse. "This is taking too long." She looked at a certain door and smiled. Amplifying her voice with a bit of both Twilight and Novo's magic, she called out. "Tempest Shadow! Come out and face me, you coward! Or is the half horn cripple so weak that she has others fight her battles for her?!"

The door was blasted off its hinges, as Tempest came storming out. Taken aback by the fighting going on around her for a moment, she soon focused on the mare before her. "No one calls me a coward," she seethed. The sight of the Orb fused into the chest of her opponent soon made it clear who she was talking to. "Especially not someone who ran away from me a long time ago."

Seaglow smirked. "I'm done running. Princess Twilight and her friends showed me that I had been wrong to do so. No more."

Tempest could hear Twilight's voice in her response, and it soon made sense. "So you fused together. Big deal. This only makes it easier for me. Not only does the Storm King get all of the alicorn magic in Equestria. But also that Orb of yours, Queen Novo."

Seaglow growled. "Over our dead body," she replied in a dangerous whisper.

Tempest smirked as she looked over at Skystar. "That can be arranged. But I have a better idea. How about over the dead bodies of you and your daughter!" Igniting what was left of her horn, Tempest focused all of her magic on a single blast before letting it fly.

Skystar's eyes widened as she saw the blast coming for her. She tried to dodge out of the way, but the blast was too fast, and she took the full brunt of it. Her scream of pain cut through the sound of fighting going on all across the deck.





Novo watched in stunned horror as her daughter's lifeless body fell to the deck in what felt like slow motion. Her claws clenched in anger, but more than that. In sorrow. "This is all my fault. I never should have run away."

Twilight tears fell. She could feel Novo's anger and sorrow as if it were her own. Her Orb flashed in sympathy with its sister in Novo. This was all wrong. All of it. They shouldn't even be here. She took Novo's claws in her hooves and let her own anger rise to the surface. "Then let's end this. So no more have to suffer as you have. That no mother should ever see her daughter like this again."

Novo looked into Twilight's eyes. Gone was the young alicorn that had first come to Seaquestria. Now there was only Princess Twilight Sparkle. The Last Princess of Equestria, carrying the weight of her ponies. Alive, and those not yet born.

She pulled the young alicorn close, letting her Orb touch Twilight's own. "Let's. For everything, we have lost. For our friends. Our family."

Twilight laid her head against Novo's. "For Skystar."

As one, they changed form once more. Two becoming one.





Seaglow turned to look at Tempest, her calm demeanor now replaced by a roiling hatred. "You will pay for that, freak."

Tempest growled. "And what would you know of that? You know nothing about me."

Seaglow touched the orb in her chest, her body beginning to glow as she transformed. "I don't need to know anything about you to end this," she sneered as she began to grow in size.

Everyone watched in shock as the shape grew larger and larger. When the light faded, their jaws dropped in surprise at what was revealed. Even Tempest Shadow was shocked at what she now faced.

Where once there had been an alicorn. There now stood a two-headed dragon. One head resembled Queen Novo, while her twin resembled Princess Twilight. Between them, the Orb of Transformation had grown in size to fit their new form. Their scales matched Seaglow's coat colors, while two large wings lay folded at their side.

In a heartbeat, they picked Tempest up in one of their claws and took her up to their eye level. Tempest tried to free herself, but it was like fighting two mountains at once.

Twilight looked at the struggling unicorn in their claws, but there was no sympathy or compassion in her gaze. "Tempest Shadow. I declare you Traitoris Extremis. Your life is forfeit under the laws of Equestria. You stand accused of high treason against the crown, attempted regicide, and being so edgy you look like some barely thought out OC in some lame excuse for an author's story. The verdict is guilty."

She brought the unicorn closer, her eyes alight with sadistic glee. "The sentence. Is death. But I won't be the one to carry it out," she said, smiling lovingly at Novo. "Someone else deserves that honor. For everything you did to them."

Novo smiled at her twin, before taking Tempest in her claws. "Know this before you die, Fizzlepop Berrytwist. You failed. Not only to take Twilight's magic. But you are so weak that you didn't kill my daughter." Seeing her confusion, Novo's smile grew. "Look."

Tempest did and was shocked to see Princess Skystar moving, Twilight's friends right at her side, trying to help. The hippogriff was scorched and her breathing was shallow, but she was alive. Tempest sneered up at both dragons. "It doesn't matter what you do to me. You can't beat the Storm King."

Novo and Twilight shared a look. "He will join you in oblivion soon enough. But putting you out of your misery is a good first step," Novo said, lifting Tempest above her mouth. "And before you say anything. We dragons eat meat, and as we are now. We are a dragon."

Twilight nodded. "And I have a sudden hunger for pony meat."

The duo giggled, as Tempest gulped as Novo opened her jaws wide, and dropped her into her mouth. There was a searing, blinding pain as her teeth crunched into her flesh before darkness claimed her, and Tempest Shadow knew no more.





"Don't you think that was a bit much?" Fluttershy asked, as the battle finally wore down with the commander's death.

Twilight shook her head. "She wasn't going to stop, Fluttershy. And maybe it's because we are a dragon now. But I wasn't feeling very nice at that moment. I still don't for that matter."

"Should we be worried?" Spike asked, knowing better than anyone the feeling his big sister and Queen Novo were experiencing at that moment. He had fought against it his whole life.

Novo shook her head. "No. We still remember who we are, and all that goes with that."

"So why a two-headed dragon?" Pinkie asked, helping Skystar to her feet. "Two heads are better than one, sure. But still."

Twilight's smile grew. "Why not? Two heads are better than one after all. And I couldn't think of anything else we could change into that would work for this."

Skystar chuckled, though it hurt to do so. "Can't argue with that." She turned to Rainbow Dash. "There's berries on Mount Aris that can help me. Just look for the yellow flower with pink berries. Those are the ones."

Rainbow saluted. "On it!" And was off, as fast as a griffon as she was as a Pegasus.

Applejack looked down at the deck. It was already buckling under Twilight and Novo's weight. "Hate to break it to ya. But this bucket ain't gonna hold us till we get back to Equestria if the two of ya stay like this."

Twilight and Novo shared a worried look. They too could feel the deck giving way under their weight. It would never make it back to Equestria like this. They could carry the others on their back. But their draconic pride would never agree to it, even though they were a dragon temporarily.

At that moment, another airship came into view. One the girls soon recognized as Captain Celaeno and her crew came into view. "Leave that to us. Need a lift?" Capper asked from the rail with a smirk.

"Well! Look what the cat dragged in! Himself!" Rarity grumbled, glaring daggers at Capper as the airship came alongside the group.

Capper at least had the decency to look ashamed of himself. "I deserved that. But that's why I'm here. To try and make it up to all of you. We all are."

Celaeno nodded. "That land-loving unicorn blew up my ship. So we stole one of theirs. It's only fair."

Boyle nodded. "Figured you could use a claw!"

Squabble let out an affirmative squawk to back it up, while the others nodded.

The girls still weren't so sure. "How? We're still up against an entire army. Even we're not that good," Pinkie replied.

Capper just smirked. "Well, good thing I happen to know of a group of mighty heroes that could handle this easily! These heroes have faced the Storm King's army and escaped! I've seen them tackle the streets of the roughest towns, break out of the tightest situations, and inspire others to join their cause!"

Most of the group let an "Ooooh" While Applejack only rolled her eyes. "Now don't get too excited. He's just talking bout us." Which immediately put a damper on the mood, as Rainbow finally rejoined them, the flowers held carefully in her claws, which she quickly gave to Skystar.

Capper finally looked up at the dragon that loomed over them all. "They even escaped certain doom at the hooves of Commander Tempest!"

Novo and Twilight shared a smile before they preened themselves. "Yeah. We are pretty awesome," Twilight replied. "But that still leaves us stuck here. That ship won't hold us. This one is sunk as it is."

Celaeno nodded. She could see the main deck buckling under the weight on top of it. She didn't understand the how and why of what she was looking at. But she understood enough to know who the dragon was. Both of them. "Simple. If you two can fly, we can take everyone else. It's a long journey back to Equestria. Plenty of time to come up with a plan."

Novo's smile turned predatory. "The plan is simple. We take back Canterlot, and topple the Storm King, and return Celestia, Luna, and Princess Cadance to their rightful selves."

No one could argue with that. But there was still one thing to consider. "And what if we can't save them?" Fluttershy asked.

Twilight bit back tears at the very thought, earning a worried look from Novo. "Then we'll cross that bridge when we get there."





It was surprisingly easy to get the airship ready for the trip back to Equestria. With help from, as he called himself, Tempest's former assistant Grubber, the group was able to retrieve most of what they needed from the sinking airship. What they didn't need, they left behind on Mount Aris.

Twilight and Novo, meanwhile, spent this time learning all they could of their new body. To their surprise, it was easier than they had thought. Their synchronicity was such that if Twilight thought of something, within a fraction of a second, Novo was doing her part to make it happen. No words were said between them. None were needed. They completely and utterly trusted each other. One mind in two bodies almost.

By the time they left Mount Aris behind, it was almost as if Novo and Twilight had been born like this, and it wasn't a recent thing for them. Keeping up with the airship wasn't trouble either. The airship, at times, had to speed up to keep up with them.

This gave the duo plenty of alone time, and it was something they both needed at the moment.





"You cannot run from the idea forever, Twilight," Novo said, as the group passed over Klugetown. 

Twilight didn't have to ask what she meant. "I don't even want to entertain the idea, Novo."

Novo looked at her with a worried look. "But you must. I do not wish anything to happen to them. But if the unthinkable does happen, Equestria will need you. Ponies will look to you, whether you wish it or not."

Twilight's ears fell. She felt and knew the question unasked. "If something ever happened to both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, there is a contingency spell that would activate that will transfer their powers to me. I'm next in the line of succession. It's been that way since Tirek almost took over Equestria."

Novo nodded. It made sense. "I assume that since the sun and moon haven't moved, that they are still alive. What of your sister-in-law?"

Twilight smiled slightly. "Cadance is the Crystal Princess. If anything happened to her, Shining Armor would rule as Prince Regent, alongside the Royal Council, until Flurry Heart is old enough to take the throne. If something happened to both of them though, then I would rule until Flurry is old enough. I was a member of the Crystal Royal Family before I got my wings."

Novo smiled, as she nuzzled her companion. "Then Equestria will be in good hooves. Though I hope it does not come to that. It has been too long since I last saw Celestia. She and I need to talk."

Twilight smiled, as she leaned into the nuzzle. She could feel that there was something there between her mentor and Novo, but she didn't ask more of it. It wasn't her place. "What about you?"

Novo shrugged. "If this works, it's going to take time to rebuild Mount Aris. And I would not be too surprised if some decided to stay in Seaquestria. Past that?" She looked down at their Orb. "I'm not sure. All of this has raised more questions about this thing." She smiled at Twilight, who smiled back. "And if I'm being honest, I'm not sure I even want to change back into my other forms."

Twilight giggled. "Then I'm not the only one. There's just something about being like this that's addicting. So much so that it feels weird that I was ever anything else. Maybe I'm going off the rails here though. I'm trying not to think about it too much."

Novo chuckled. It was a feeling that she shared as well. But it was something that they needed to figure out once this was all over. Even though a part of her didn't want this to end. 

A feeling that Twilight shared as well. For now, though, they concentrated on what awaited them at the end of their journey in Canterlot.





"So what was it that you called Tempest anyway, Twilight?" Rainbow asked, flying up so she and the alicorn-turned dragon could see each other. "I've never heard of anything like that before."

Twilight nodded. "You wouldn't have, Rainbow. Traitoris Extremis is the most severe punishment that can be given to anyone. It is an automatic death sentence given to those who have gone above and beyond even basic high treason against Equestria. Only a princess can condemn someone as such. You have no legal rights of any kind, and an appeal is out of the question."

Rainbow gulped. She could hear the venom in Twilight's voice. She wasn't sure if it was being a dragon or not. "So how come we've never heard of it before? Sounds important."

Twilight nodded. "It is. But it's only been used a few times before now. Counting Tempest? It's only been used four times. Five times actually, but Discord is kinda hard to kill. So he's on a suspended sentence. And he knows it."

Fluttershy gasped in horror. "You can't be serious, Twilight? He's done so much good for Equestria. He's our friend."

Twilight turned to look at the Pegasus. "Let's be honest, Fluttershy. You're his only friend. And he's caused more trouble for Equestria than the good he's done. Remember Tirek? If he was stupid enough to fall for his lies, what's stopping him from doing something else?"

Fluttershy shrunk under Twilight's gaze. She knew her friend was right. Discord was unpredictable at the best of times, and worse when he was mad. The last Grand Galloping Gala was proof of that. How or why anypony thought she and him were a couple or ever could be, was beyond her.

This wasn't the first time she had these thoughts either. Some days, she wondered how and why she still put up with the Lord of Chaos. 

Rainbow could tell what her friend was feeling and decided to move this along. "What about the Storm King? Does he get it too?"

Twilight and Novo shared a smile. "I think I'll just eat him, and call it a day," Twilight finally said with a smirk.

Novo chuckled, while the others rolled their eyes. They really couldn't argue with that.